30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

We have all had the experience of feeling welcome. It feels like being cared for, secure, like you’re at home, that you belong and are accepted completely. In response you can feel gratitude and awe that strangers would be kind to me.

In total contrast, the feeling of being unwelcome ‘we’re busy right now’ makes you feel humiliated, small hidden way. It is a lonely, isolating and frightening place.

As community life is increasingly privatized, and the house becomes a trophy that defines its owner’s status, the second experience is more likely to be the norm. Which is a shame of course. As we will all find ourselves in some way sitting by the road like Bartimaeus. We will learn that we are inter-independent, not independent. So many of us in the anxious, depressed culture that we live in are saying the same thing as Bartimaeus and us, the advice is still good.

A blind man who viewed the world from his limited viewpoint, risked, rose and followed. He may not have had sight, but he had insight. Do we?

Copyright Intercom Fr. T. Cox

Questions People Ask

When I was young we were told to make hundreds of visits to a Church on All Souls Day and say certain prayers, for each visit would release a soul from purgatory. Does this still stand?

Answer

These multiple, almost mechanical, visits were based on a very poor theology. The Church encourages us to pray for the dead especially in the week before and the week after All Souls Day. Our communion with the dead is also shown by deeds of charity done in their name, by visits to a cemetery and the care of graves. The souls in the process of final purgation (purgatory) are much closer to the vision of God than we, on earth are.

Feast Days Of The Week

Childline Northern Ireland

ChildLine Northern Ireland needs volunteers to take part in their Christmas Flag Day Collection in Belfast City Centre on Thursday 30th November. Taking part really does make a difference. Every £3 that volunteer collectors raise allows ChildLine Northern Ireland to answer another call from a child in danger or distress.

For more information please call 0870 336 2945.

First Friday

This is the first Friday week the priests of the parish will attend the sick & housebound as usual.

Feast of All Saints - Holy Day of Obligation

Wednesday 1st November is the Feast of All Saints it is a holy day of obligation the Masses that day are Vigil 6.30pm, 10am, 11.30am & 6.30pm. (There will be no 7.30pm Mass either on Tuesday or Wednesday evening) Masses are being held in Carrigart Youth Club.

Feast of All Souls

Feast of All Souls will be celebrated on Thursday 2nd November. The 10am Mass during the month of November will be offered up for all those named on the November Dead Lists.

Feast of St. Malachy

Friday 3rd November is the feast of St. Malachy the patron saint of our diocese of Down & Connor.

Baptisms

Next baptisms will take place on Sunday 5th November 2006 at 2.00pm. Please note the next date available for Baptism is Sunday 17th December 2006. The next pre-Baptism instruction will be on Thursday 9th November 2006 at 8pm in the convent. It is necessary to attend pre-Baptism preparation before asking to have your child baptised.

We Loved Them In Life

Collections

Last week's offertory collection amounted to £1033.98 The Propagation of the Faith collection amounted to £654.84 We thank you for your on going support .