The Ascension Of Our Lord

As schooldays near and end, and family closeness (and frustration!) beckons over a long (hot?) summer today’s Gospel shows us an Ascension. Not the departure gate of an airport with the sounds of jets clawing their way skywards. This is the Mount of Olives, in east Jerusalem; which to this day has a tiny, unadorned chapel of the Ascension, compared to the large Basilica built over Calvary. That is as it should be. Because the Ascension is not an escape from the world but an affirmation of what He has done on the cross. Schooldays are not a bad parallel either for what takes place on Ascension Day. In every departure of a parent as they leave their offspring off – there is a goodbye but not a real leave-taking. The farewell is only temporary. Years later, that same child may well find themselves leaving a now aged and infirm parent in the care of a nursing home. As hearts heave, both child and parent know that again, while there is a goodbye you have no real leave-taking. Same for Jesus on Ascension. We find ourselves in the new and frightening surroundings of this life, in a place where we are uncomfortable and often feel ill-equipped to carry on. And yet, we burn the tall paschal candle to indicate his closeness, we meet and recognize Him in the breaking of bread, the hearing of the word and hopefully in each other.

Hear him bless you and whisper with love

‘Goodbye, no one is leaving,
I will send you the Holy Spirit.’

Copyright: (Intercom)

Daily Readings

You can access the daily readings on the parish website:

Masses during the week

Please note the Masses during the week will be as usual
10am Mon – Thurs, 7.30pm Friday.

Parish Drumalis Retreat

The parish retreat to Drumalis will take place on 30th-31st May. Leaving from the Church car park on Saturday 30th May at 2.30pm and arriving back on Sunday at 7pm. Come and join us for a weekend retreat in the beautiful Drumalis, all rooms ensuite, lifts etc. If interested please contact Kathleen Dineen 9068 3277.

Cemetery Sunday

Hannahstown – Sunday 31st May at 3pm

Rock – Sunday 7th June

Koinonia John the Baptist

St Mary’s CBGS – 40th Year Anniversary

St Mary’s C.B. Grammar School 40th Year Celebrations – There will be an Anniversary Formal in the Europa Hotel celebrating 40 years on the Glen Road Site
on Friday 5th June 2009.

Preparing for marriage?

Take time out to deepen your relationship with a marriage preparation course. To reserve a place in Thornhill Centre, Derry, 6th-7th. June.

Contact:
Kieran & Sally Casey -  Tel 028 2763 8512 or
Emmet & Mary McCluskey - Tel 028 7930 0340

Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

A rare and privileged opportunity to fly direct from Belfast on a 10 day pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Departing Saturday 19th September and returning 28th September 2009. Flight to the Holy Land with all professionally guided coaching tours, accommodation, breakfast and evening meals £1090 inclusive.

For more information contact Charlie Gillespie 075 3333 0756

Computers Wanted!

I would like to bring your attention to our current appeal and particularly to anyone who may be clearing out or updating computer equipment. The last shipment that you contributed to went to Lesotho at the end of March and we are currently preparing another shipment for the end of May or early June. We are planning to fill a 20 foot container. This will take approximately 220 computers. We have 100 packed and are going to be receiving 60 more next week but we still have a short fall of 60 so we are appealing to anyone who has a working computer to bring it to us. We need: Base units, Monitors, Power Leads and Mice Specification of donated computers: Pentium III+, 256 Mb of RAM, 8 Gb Hard Drive, CD/DVD Drive, 15" – 17" Monitors (flat screen or CRT). The total cost of refurbishing and sending a computer to a village school in Africa is £50.00. Any donation towards the cost of this will be very welcome.

Parking for drop off is easy as our workshop is located in:
Units 23 and 24 Townsend Business Park, Townsend Street, Belfast BT13 2ES.

Lough Derg

Would you like a stress free weekend away to a beautiful island, quiet time for prayer and reflection, bus leaving Catholic Chaplaincy on Friday 12 June at 8.30am and returning approximately 1.00pm Sunday 14 June.

For further information contact
Tony 9081 3272, 9081 2712 or
Rosaleen 0781 675 6192

Adoption

Could you make a child happy again
after a difficult start in life?

Family Care Society is presently seeking adoptive families for children aged between 2 – 6 years and who need the love and attention of a caring and understanding family.
Could this be you?

St Oliver Plunkett Pre-School Playgroup

CBS Greenhouse Project

CBS Secondary School, Glen Road, have a wide range of plants, baskets & tubs for sale Mon-Thurs: 3.30pm-5pm, Fri: 2.30pm-4.30pm. Refill service available.