Fourth Sunday of Lent
We refresh our souls by
practising the traditions of Lent
In the course of the first three centuries of the Christian era, the period of fasting to prepare for Easter did not normally exceed two or three days. The first reference to a period of forty days, as probably referring to Lent, is found in the fourth century, in the Canons of the Council of Nicaea (325 A D); the practice may be linked to the fast prescribed for candidates for baptism. Forty is a symbolic figure which recalls the forty days of the Flood (Gn. 7.17), the forty years in the desert, the forty days of fast by Moses (Ex. 34.28), Elijah (1 Kg.19.8) and Jesus (Mt.4.2 ; Lk 4.2). Only in Jerusalem were the forty days of fasting held to as of the fourth century: fasting on five days for eight weeks. Customs and practices in regard to the duration of fasting varied throughout Christendom. In the Latin Church the forty day period emerged in the seventh century with the addition of the four days from Ash Wednesday to the First Sunday of Lent. In 1966 Pope Paul VI promulgated an Apostolic Constitution, Paenitemini. There he presented the meaning and purpose of penitence, of fast and abstinence in the Christian life. Penance, he reminded us, is a religious, personal act which has as its aim love and surrender to God: fasting is engaged in for the sake of God, not just for one’s own self. Pope Paul VI emphasised the pre-eminently interior and religious character of penitence. This is a core theme in the Gospel of Mark, which the liturgy of the Word presents to us at Mass this year. In a reflection for Lent 2009 Pope Benedict XVI alludes to Paenitemini and invites us to revive and appreciate the traditional practices of Lent, namely, prayer, fasting and alms-giving. |
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| Daily
Readings
The
readings for each day of Lent can
be found on the Parish website - click
the link below.
You
can access the daily readings on the
parish website:
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The Meanest Mother in the World
We had the meanest mother in the whole world! While other kids ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal, eggs and toast. When others had a Pepsi and a biscuit for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches. And you can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was different from other kids had, too. Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times. You’d think we were convicts in a prison. She had to know who our friends were, and what we were doing with them. She insisted that if we said we would be gone for an hour, we would be gone for an hour or less. We were ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve to break the Child Labour Laws by making us work. We had to wash the dishes, make the beds, learn to cook, vacuum the floor and all sort of cruel jobs. I think she would lie awake at night thinking of more things for us to do. She always insisted on us telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. By the time we were teenagers, she could read our minds. Then, life was really tough! Mother wouldn’t let our friend’s just honk the horn when they drove up. They had to come up to the door so that she could meet them. While everyone else could date when they were 12 or 13 we had to wait until we were 16. Because of our mother we missed out on lots of things other kids experienced. None of us have ever been caught shoplifting, vandalising other people’s property or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault. We never got drunk, took up smoking, stayed out all night, or a million other things other kids did. Sundays were reserved for church and we never missed once. We knew better than to ask to spend the night with a friend on Saturdays. Now that we have left home, we are all God-fearing, educated, honest adults. We are doing our best to be mean parents just like mum was. I think that’s what is wrong with the world today. It just doesn’t have enough mean mothers anymore.
Mother is the heartbeat in the home;
And without her, there seems to be
No heartthrob.
Leroy Brownlow
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Masses during Lent
Masses for Lent Mon - Thurs 7am & 10am,
Friday 7am & 7.30pm.
Sunday Masses as usual.
Please note there is no 10am Mass on Friday
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A Lenten Scripture Programme
A Lenten Scripture Programme
‘When people come alive in faith
there is a hunger for the Word of God’
You are invited to a Lenten Scripture Programme this Tuesday 24th March in the Convent of Mercy.
Morning session: 10.40am (after Mass)
Evening session: 7.00pm.
Come and join us.
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Meditate
on the sufferings of Jesus
Join us on a journey through
the Stations of the Cross each
Friday evening of Lent from
7 – 7.20pm.
We will contemplate the Passion
and death of Christ.
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Apostolic Society Easter Fair
Apostolic Society is holding an Easter Fair next
Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd March after all the Masses.
There will be Easter baskets, home baking and Mother’s Day gifts. All proceeds go straight to the missions.
Please support this worthy cause.
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Renew Your Wedding Vows
Marriage Encounter is a weekend away (Friday 8pm to Sunday 5pm) for married couples of all ages with a stable relationship. Couples explore, in complete privacy, how to come to a deeper mutual understanding of each other. The date for the next Marriage Encounter weekend is 27th-29th March, Dromantine Conference Centre, Newry. Phone: 028 90 626503 or 02871350612. |
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Parish Events
First Confessions will be celebrated on
Monday 23rd & Tuesday 24th March.
Confirmation will be celebrated on Monday 30th March.
First Holy Communion will be celebrated on Sunday 17th May.
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‘Do This in Memory’
The parents and children of the First Holy Communion classes are invited to our Parish Church for a time of: Prayer, Reflection and Quiet (in preparation for First Holy Communion) on Monday 23rd March at 6.30pm. |
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Trócaire’s Annual Lecture
Trócaire's annual lecture will be given by John Ging. A native of Co. Laois, in February 2006 John Ging was appointed director of United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) operations in the Gaza Strip. Mr. Ging's lecture “The Responsibility to Protect Civilians in Times of Conflict – What can we do?” will focus on the plight of Gazan's without the protection of international law and will take place in Belfast Wednesday 25th March 1-2pm Elmwood Teaching & Learning Centre, Queen’s University. The event is open to the public and is free to attend. Anyone interested in attending can RSVP to Emma at 028 90808030.
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St Michael’s Scout Troop
Urgent appeal for any ex scouters or leaders who wish to return to scouting, St Michael’s Scout Troop need your help. We are currently in need of leaders to help out in our troop; any assistance that you can offer would be greatly appreciated. All training will be provided. If interested contact Patrick McGroarty 07707 974341 |
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Church Shop
There will be a small shop at the rear porch after each Mass selling Mass cards, medals, rosaries, bibles, etc.
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| Baptisms
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Next baptisms will take place on Sunday 5th April 2009 at 1.30pm. Please note the next date available for Baptism is Sunday 24th May 2009. The next pre-Baptism instruction will be on Thursday 26th March 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
Rhianna Juile Halliday
Clodagh Natasha Walls
Enda Anthony McCamphill
Caoimhin Gerard McCann
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:
We
pray for the happy repose of those whose anniversaries
occur around this time:
Pascal McWiliams
John Byrne
Dobbin Family
Brigid & Patrick O’Hanlon
Peter McShane
Daniel & Joseph Laird
Emily Doherty
Margaret Boyd
Tony Sherry
Mary Heaney
Alice McKinney
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| Collections
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We have no amounts for the two collections last week due to St Patrick’s Days. We will have them for next week.
Thank you all for
your generous support
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