The
Baptism Of The Lord
As a
missionary in Indonesia I baptised
hundreds of babies, but only one adult.
Part of a Holy Saturday vigil, that
adult baptism hugely impressed the
congregation by the dignity of its
rite and the sincerity of its candidate.
Seeing an adult freely and joyfully
commit himself to Jesus for life in
public was a compelling sign of God's
Spirit at work. Today's feast, the
Baptism of the Lord, is a reminder
of our own baptism. For those of us
baptised as babies it's a non-event
because we can't remember it. Its
impact is not what it might have been
had we been an adult when baptised.
However, we have ratified what our
parents did on our behalf either negatively
by not discarding our faith, or positively
by making a conscious decision at
some stage of our life to continue
being a follower of Jesus. Either
way, today's readings Isiah 55:1-11,
where God says that God's word does
not return empty but fulfils its mission,
and Mark 1:8-11, where God calls Jesus
the beloved Son in whom he is well
pleased, applies to us baptised. In
baptism God gives us a mission. It's
a mission to make God known to our
world, especially to those who do
not know God. While that mission is
general to all baptised, the way we
carry it out is specific to ourselves.
Realising we have it, and discovering
how to carry it out, gives purpose
to our life -- and makes us the beloved
son or daughter in whom the
Father is will pleased.
Copyright: Fr Tom Cahill (Intercom)
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| Daily
Readings
You
can access the daily readings on the
parish website:
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St
Oliver Plunkett Primary School
St
Oliver Plunkett Primary School would
like to invite parents of children
who will become four years of age
on or before 1st July 2009, to an
Open Day on Tuesday 20th January
at 1.15pm.
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Liturgical
Team
The
Liturgical Team (Church Decoration
Team) are looking for volunteers to
help enhance Our Lady's and the Sacred
Heart Shrine by watering and looking
after the flowers, cleaning candle
stand and other tasks.
If
interested please contact
Sr. Claire 9060 2175
Marie Lee 9061 7000 or Ann Fitzpatrick.
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Open Nights for Primary
7 Pupils
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La Salle College |
Open
Night on Monday
12th January 2009 at 7pm.
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| St
Genevieve’s High School |
Open Night on Tuesday
13th January 2009 at 7pm
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| St
Louise’s Comprehensive College |
Open Night on Wednesday
21st January 2009 at 6.30pm or 7.30pm. |
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Beginning
Experience
Beginning
Experience is a support group for those
who are widowed,
separated or divorced (who have been on
their own for at least one
year). The meetings are every Wednesday
in St Bride's Hall, Derryvolgie
Ave, Malone, commencing 21st January from
8pm - 10pm.
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Week
Of Prayer For Christian Unity
This
year's Inter-Church Prayer Service
will be held in
St
Peter's Cathedral on Thursday 22nd
January at 8pm
Theme: 'That they may become one.'
Preacher: Bishop Michael Jackson
Church of Ireland Bishop of Clogher
Parishioners
are encouraged to join
St Oliver Plunkett/St Matthew's Ecumenical
Group
in St Peter's on Thursday 22nd January
to pray,
with other Christians, for grace and
enlightenment on the difficult journey
towards that full unity which is Christ's
will.
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Parish Events
| First Confessions |
will be celebrated on Monday
23rd and Tuesday 24th March 2009
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| Confirmation |
will be celebrated on Monday
3th March 2009
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| First Holy Communion |
will be celebrated on Sunday
17th May 2009 |
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Broadcast Mass
On Sunday 18th January 2009 our 10am will be a radio broadcast Mass. The Mass will begin at 10.15am. |
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| Baptisms
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Next baptisms will take place on Sunday
18th January 2009 at 1.30pm. Please
note the next date available for Baptism
is Sunday 15th February
2009. The next pre-Baptism instruction
will be on Thursday 22nd January 2009 at
8pm in the convent.
It is necessary
to attend pre-Baptism preparation before
asking to have your child baptised. To register
for pre-Baptism preparation please contact
the parish office 9061 8180, Mon & Wed
2pm-5pm, Tue & Fri 10am-2pm & Thurs
10am-1pm.
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Newly Baptised
We welcome into our parish
family
Pearse McLarnon
Jake Ryan Kelly/MacFarlane
Caoimhin James Harper
Che Michael Robert McGivern
who were recently baptised.
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| We
Loved Them In Life
We offer our sympathy and prayerful support to the families of those parishioners who died recently:
Marie
Allison, Hillhead Park
We
pray for
the happy repose of those whose anniversaries
occur around this time:
Mary McCormick
Kitty McCamley
Paddy & Belle McNeill
Pat Rafferty
William John McConnell
Sarah Cairns
Patrick, Elizabeth
Henry & James Thomas
Michael Monaghan
Mary Lappin
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| Collections
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The Offertory collection
for
amounted to £1,446.05
The Monthly Stipend
amounted to £1,430.60
The collection
for
Gaza on 6th January
amounted to £1,016.50
Thank you
all for your generous support.
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