No.1890 ~ OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, KING OF THE UNIVERSE
SUNDAY MASSES
VIGIL MASSES
St Eugene’s Moneyneena 5.00 pm
Holy Rosary: 6.15 pm
St Patrick’s Keenaught 7.30 pm
SUNDAY
St Columba’s Straw 9.00 am
St Mary’s Coolcalm 10.00 am (NB Townland Rota still applies)
St Patrick’s Sixtowns 11.00 am (NB Townland Rota still applies)
Holy Rosary: 12 noon
DAILY MASS TIMES
Holy Rosary Church
Monday and Wednesday ~ 11.00 am
Friday ~ 7.30 pm
St Mary’s Coolcalm
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday ~ 11.00 am
All Masses in the Holy Rosary Church are transmitted live on the Ballinascreen parish webcam:
All Masses in St Mary’s Coolcalm are transmitted live on the Desertmartin parish webcam:
PARISH CONTACT DETAILS
Fr. Peter Madden PP VF
31 Sixtowns Road
Telephone: 79628376
Fr Dermot McGirr CC
50 Tobermore Road, Desertmartin
Telephone: 79632196
Fr John Downey Priest In Residence
36 Moneyneena Rd
Telephone: 79628375
Email: j.downey75@btinternet.com
PARISH OFFICE
9 High Street Phone: (028)79628248
Open Monday and Tuesday from 9.00 am until 3.00 pm
NOTICES FOR THE BULLETIN
Notices for the Bulletin should be received by 1.00 pm on Wednesday ballinascreenparish@gmail.com
Bulletins are presently only available:
Online at www.parishofballinascreen.com
On the noticeboard inside the front porch of Holy Rosary Church.
SVP HELPLINE
Helpline telephone number: 07710838050
BALLINASCREEN COMMUNITY SUPPORT GROUP
Please click the link https://www.parishofballinascreen.com/ballinascreen-community-support-gro for full details of Ballinascreen Community Support Group.
FEASTS OF THE WEEK
Tuesday 23: St Columban, abbot and missionary.
Wednesday 24: Saints Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions, martyrs.
WEEKDAY MASSES: MONDAY 22 NOVEMBER - FRIDAY 26 NOVEMBER
Holy Rosary Church:
Monday and Wednesday ~ 11.00 am
Friday ~ 7.30 pm
St Mary’s Coolcalm:
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday ~ 11.00 am
TRÓCAIRE ~ EMERGENCY COLLECTION
Fr Madden wishes to sincerely thank all those who contributed so generously to the emergency collection taken up to help support Trócaire in its vital work to alleviate the current humanitarian crisis in East Africa. This Trócaire collection in Ballinascreen Parish raised £7,515.
This money will be forwarded to Trócaire and will be used to support the people in Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan and South Kordofan where up to 30 million people are currently facing life-threatening food shortages. Thank you for your great support and generosity to Trocaire.
MONTH’S MIND MASS
Brendan McBride, Cavanreagh Road on Friday November 26 at 7.30 pm in Holy Rosary Church.
Annie McBride, Cavanreagh Road on Friday November 26 at 7.30 pm in Holy Rosary Church.
DEATHS
We extend our prayerful sympathy to the families and relatives of:
Annie Kelly, Mallon Villas;
Theresa Lannigan, Cordarragh;
Sheila Bell, Lissan.
ANNIVERSARIES
Sarah Quinn,
Patsy Heron,
Mamie O'Hagan,
John McDaid,
Seamus McKenna,
Brenda Kennedy.
BAPTISMS
We welcome into God’s family through the Sacrament of Baptism:
Padraig Christopher McAuley, Scutchers Lane;
Katie Heron, Glengomna.
CONFIRMATION DATES 2022
Proposed dates for Confirmation Ceremonies in Ballinascreen Parish are:
St Eoghan’s P.S. on Friday 4 March at 5.00 pm in St Eugene’s Church Moneyneena.
St Mary’s P.S. on Friday 11 March at 5.00 pm in Holy Rosary Church.
St Columba’s P.S. on Friday 25 March at 5.00 pm in Holy Rosary Church
Gaelscoil na Speiríní on Friday 1 April at 5.00 pm in Holy Rosary Church.
COMMUNION DATES 2022
Proposed dates for First Holy Communion Masses in Ballinascreen Parish are:
St Eoghan’s P.S. on Saturday 14 May at 11.00 am in St Eugene’s Church Moneyneena;
St Columba’s P.S. on Saturday 21 May at 11.00 am in Holy Rosary Church;
St Mary’s P.S. on Saturday 28 May at 11.00 am in Holy Rosary Church;
Gaelscoil na Speirini on Saturday 4 June at 11.00 am in Holy Rosary Church.
ONLINE BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE
Names of deceased loved ones who have died since November 2020 may now be added to this online book. Parishioners from Ballinascreen or Desertmartin who wish to have the name of their recently departed loved one added to this online book are invited to please email the name to ballinascreenparish@gmail.com
The online Book of Remembrance may be viewed on Ballinascreen Parish website. https://www.parishofballinascreen.com
If you submitted name(s) of deceased loved ones last year please do not resubmit these names again as their names are already in the Book of Remembrance.
RESOURCES AND ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES FOR NOVEMBER
A short booklet for families has been created to highlight the month of November as a time to remember and pray for our dearly departed. It also has information about a remembrance event at Knock Shrine. We hope it may bring comfort, solace and the light of Christ to many people during November. This booklet may be of particular interest to families and those who are housebound. This booklet and other appropriate resources may be downloaded from Derry Diocesan website: https://www.derrydiocese.org/news/november-family-prayer-at-home
PARISH ANNIVERSARY AND MONTH’S MIND MASSES
If parishioners wish to have their loved one prayed for at any Anniversary Friday Mass, you MUST please emailtheir name to Ballinascreen Parish Office by 12 noon on Thursday of the relevant week. e mail address is ballinascreenparish@gmail.com
PLEASE NOTE: First Anniversary and Month's Mind notices should be received the previous week in order for them to be placed in the Bulletin the weekend before the Friday Anniversary Mass.
HEALTH AND SAFETY NOTICE
Due to ongoing Covid 19 restrictions and the very great need for us to maintain social distance inside buildings, we remind you that only family members of those being remembered attend the Parish Anniversary Masses.
Please remain at home and follow the Mass on the parish webcam. As Covid numbers continue to be a cause for concern, there are only a limited number of seats available. Families remembering the Month’s Mind of a loved one or a First Anniversary must have precedence until the pandemic is over.
At Bishop McKeown’s request, those attending any mass or service in our churches must wear a face mask.
Thank you for your cooperation on these important matters.
PARISH COLLECTIONS
Sincere thanks to all who have returned parish envelopes, established standing orders, made online payments or used the ‘Donate’ button on Parish Website. Envelopes may be returned at any parish Mass, to Parish Office or any Parochial House.
Thank you for your generous support which is greatly appreciated.
SVP DONATIONS
Many thanks for many generous donations. To make a donation please place it in an envelope and mark it SVP. All donations appreciated.
THORNHILL MINISTRIES
Advent Oasis mornings offered by Thornhill Ministries on Saturdays 27 November and 11 December: 11:00 am - 12:00 noon. Led by Fr Paschal, each gentle hour helps us touch into the mystery of life and God-with-Us. To book and for Zoom link phone 07736832458 or email thornhillministries@derrydiocese.org
PRIORY INSTITUTE
The Priory Institute provides online theology courses to degree level. Attend Saturday lectures from the comfort of your own home. A short introductory lecture to discover if studying theology with them is right for you will be on Thursday 2 December at 7.00 pm. Question and Answer time available. For more details or to register visit their website or Email: enquiries@prioryinstitute.com or phone 003531 4048124.
ST COLM’S HIGH SCHOOL ~ DRAW WINNERS
Week 1: £100 Mrs Belaid, £50 Peter Doherty, £30 Mia O’Lone ~ Collector’s Prize: Eimhear McBride
Week 2: £100 Pat Walsh, £50 Cathal Kelly, £30 Conor Moran ~ Collector’s Prize: Eoghan Cleary
Week 3: £100 Matthew Caulfield, £50 Orla Connolly, £30 Dan Doherty. ~ Collector’s Prize: Aidan McMichael.
SERVICE OF LIGHT
The ‘North West Bereaved by Suicide’ Support Group is holding its annual Service of Light, on Sunday 5 December, at 5.30 pm, in the Foyle Search and Rescue HQ , Prehen, Derry. All welcome.
AL-ANON
Al-Anon provides a free, confidential, non-judgmental support service to individuals and families whose life is or has been affected by someone else drinking. All meetings are listed on the website www.al-anonuk.org.uk , or you may call the Confidential Helpline on 028 90682368 from 10.00 am until 1.00 pm or from 6.00 pm until 10.00pm.
TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS DRAW 2021
Desertmartin Parish is having a CHRISTMAS DRAW once again this year. There will be draws every day of the 12 days between Christmas Day and Wednesday 5 January 2022. Everyone’s ticket will be in for ALL the draws, which means you have 33 chances to win prizes. Total prize fund is £5,000.
TICKETS are £20 each, available from:
Coolcalm and Keenaught Churches before and after Mass,
Ballinascreen and Desertmartin Parish Offices
Fr. McGirr, Parochial House, 50 Tobermore Road.
Heron’s Gift Shop, Draperstown
Moneyneena Post Office.
A ticket would make a nice Christmas gift to send inside your Christmas cards to members of your family and friends this Christmastime.
If anyone would like a ticket posted to them, please contact Fr. McGirr on 028 79632196 or
email: desertmartinparish@gmail.com
PRIZES :
On the first 10 days there will be 3 prizes each day of £100.
On the 11th day the draw will be for 2 prizes of £500 and
On the 12th and last Day of Christmas there will be one final prize of £1,000.
Please let your family and friends know about our special Christmas Draw.
Thank you for your generous support of the Draw last Christmas. Good luck to everyone who enters the Twelve Days of Christmas Draw.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Classroom Assistant in Gaelscoil na Speirini 15 hours per week
Building supervisor 12.5 hours per week
Job details for both posts on EA Website.
Please contact Gaelscoil on 796 28445 or skelly745@c2kni.net for more details.
MARY’S MEALS ~ GIFT CARDS
Mary’s Meals are now bringing joy to over 2 million children with a daily meal in the children’s places of education. Their Double the Love Campaign runs until 31 January 2022, all donations up to a total of £1.6 million will be matched by a generous group of private donors. Every little act of love will go that little bit further during this period to help them reach the next child waiting, so please consider supporting this campaign and praying for its success. There are many ways to get involved including choosing a Mary’s Meals gift card or setting a place at their Big Family Christmas table- find out more at www.marysmeals.org.ukor phone 0800 6981212.
THE CHRISTMAS STORY
Thursday 25 – Sunday 28 November at Kilcronaghan Church, Wood Road, Tobermore. Christmas Story will be told through handcrafted creative pieces. For details phone Hilary on 07791545190 or email hilary473@btinternet.com
THE NET – NOVEMBER 2021
Sharing the fruits of the faith in the Derry Diocese, the November edition of ‘The Net’ is now on the Diocesan website - www.derrydiocese.org/news/the-net-november-2021 For coverage of faith stories email editorthenet15@gmail.com
Some articles in this month’s edition are:
Drawing God at St Mary’s P.S. Draperstown by Corinne Coyle
Mass for Deceased Young People
Celebrating World Youth Day
Young writers share thoughts on...
Pope’s ‘Click to Pray’ App
Sacredness of all creation
Spiritual life at Trinity College
Glenstal Abbey Retreat
Mini Mission in Banagher
Mullan HOPE Centre, Moville
Banagher Floral Workshop
Holy Souls Prayer and Purgatory
Addiction can only ever be beaten by going to Jesus
Synodal Pathway in Diocese of Derry
Is Sr Clare Crockett a saint? – Part 1
Eternal Life Saints we celebrate during November by Bishop Donal
Children’s Catechism Club – C3
SYNODAL PROCESS ~ WALKING TOGETHER
On Friday October 29, The Vatican released a statement extending the consultation period for the laity of the church to participate in local conversations about their faith and the church to August 2022.
This will allow us to plan a much more comprehensive and coordinated conversation in our diocese over the next few months. More details will follow accordingly. Please continue to pray the following Prayer for the Synod.
PRAYER FOR THE SYNOD
We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in Your name.
With You alone to guide us, make Yourself at home in our hearts; Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it.
We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder. Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions.
Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life and not stray from the way of truth and what is right.
All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time, in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen.
To learn more about the Synodal Pathway for the Catholic Church in Ireland please visit:
To learn more about the worldwide Synod please visit: https://www.synod.va/en.html
Please say each day in your prayers the following prayer for the success of the Synodal Process which is both old and new.
YEAR OF ST JOSEPH
We invite you to come to the Shrine of St Joseph in Holy Rosary Church and to place written petitions to St Joseph in the box provided. Please do not put money in your petition envelopes as all petitions will be burned unopened.
REGULATIONS FOR ATTENDANCE AT RELIGIOUS SERVICES
Since Monday 12 April, regulations on the number of people attending weddings, funerals and baptisms have been relaxed, so the following arrangements are now in place in Ballinascreen and Desertmartin parishes. All churches have been risked assessed and the number of places determined for each church is as follows:
Holy Rosary: 100
St Columbna’s, Straw: 100
St Eugene’s, Moneyneena: 100
St Patrick’s, Sixtowns: 50
St Mary’s, Coolcalm: 60
St Patrick’s, Keenaught: 100
These numbers do not include priests, sacristans, or musicians as they have already designated places.
While extra places are now available, we ask that families be mindful of those who are vulnerable, even if they have been vaccinated. Social distancing and hand sanitising are necessary requirements inside the church but a lack of social distancing outside the church and elsewhere is a potential danger that should not be lightly ignored. Many outbreaks of Covid 19 have occurred when large numbers have gathered in homes and other places where the protocols have not been followed.
Track and trace is obligatory at all weddings, funerals and baptisms. Families will be provided with a template on which all names and contact details of those attending a wedding, funeral or baptism must be recorded and once completed returned to the relevant Parish Office.
WEDDINGS
As well as providing a Track and Trace contact sheet, couples will receive a plan of the church where their wedding will take place so that they can prepare their own church seating plan. This plan will then assist the church stewards to direct guests to their designated seats as they arrive. The plan must be received by the Parish Office three days before the date of the wedding. For the distribution of Holy Communion, guests will be asked to stand in their place and the priest or Eucharistic Minister will distribute Holy Communion to them. Masks must be worn by all attending the wedding. The bridal party, with the exception of the bride and groom, must wear masks when they are in their place.
FUNERALS
Unlike a wedding where there is plenty of time to prepare a church seating plan, families will receive specially printed admittance cards and families may distribute these cards as they wish. These cards MUST be shown at the door of the church to one of the stewards. Please do not ask to be admitted into the church if you have not been given one of these cards. Families are requested to adhere to social distancing inside the church, and so sit in their ‘bubbles’ of two, three or more. Occasionally, stewards may have to respectfully request mourners to move to another seat to ensure proper social distancing is maintained. For the distribution of Holy Communion, mourners will be asked to stand in their place and the priest or Eucharistic Minister will distribute Holy Communion to them.
Face masks must be worn by everyone. A track and trace contact sheet must be completed the day before the funeral.
PRAYERS FOR OUR PROTECTION
The Irish Catholic Bishops have asked for prayers for those affected by the Coronavirus. Placing all our trust in the Lord, and asking Our Lady to intercede for us, the bishops invite everyone to pray these prayers:
EXTRACT FROM SAINT PATRICK’S BREASTPLATE
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.
MEMORARE
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to you,
O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To you I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy, hear and answer. Amen