No. 2052 ~ THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH
PARISH CONTACT DETAILS
Fr. Peter Madden PP VF
31 Sixtowns Road
Telephone: 79628376
Fr Michael McCaul CC
50 Tobermore Road, Desertmartin
Telephone: 79632196
Email: desertmartinparish@gmail.com
PARISH OFFICE
OPENING HOURS: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm.
9 High Street
Phone: (028)79628248
SAFEGUARDING
The Diocesan Designated Liaison Person (DLP) is Marie Gormley. To contact Marie Tel: 07596500793, or Email: mariegormley@derrydiocese.org
SVP HELPLINE
Helpline telephone number: 07710838050
SPERRIN FOODBANK
Tel: 07543420639
BALLINASCREEN COMMUNITY SUPPORT GROUP
Please click the link https://www.parishofballinascreen.com/ballinascreen-community-support-gro for full details of Ballinascreen Community Support Group.
NOTICES FOR THE BULLETIN
Notices for the Bulletin should be received by 1.00 pm on Wednesday, preferably by email.
SUNDAY VIGIL MASSES
Holy Rosary: 6.00 pm
St Patrick’s, Keenaught: 7.30 pm
SUNDAY MASSES
St Columba’s, Straw: 9.00 am
St Mary’s, Coolcalm: 10.00 am
St Patrick’s, Sixtowns: 11.00 am
St Eugene’s, Moneyneena: 12 noon
MASSES FOR THIS WEEK
Monday 30 December:
10.00 am ~ Holy Rosary Church - This Mass will be offered for the deceased members of the DDS.
Tuesday 31 December:
10.00 am ~ St Mary’s Coolcalm
Wednesday 1 January:
10.00 am ~ Holy Rosary Church
Thursday 2 January:
10.00 am ~ St Mary’s Coolcalm
Friday 3 January:
10.00 am ~ St Mary’s Coolcalm
7.30 pm ~ Holy Rosary Church.
FEASTS OF THE WEEK
Tuesday 31: St Sylvester. Died in 335 after being pope for 21 years.
Wednesday 1: Mary, the Holy Mother of God. This day is also the World Day of Peace.
Thursday 2: St Basil the Great and St Gregory Nazianzen, bishops and doctors of the Church.
Friday 3: The Holy Name of Jesus.
D.D.S. MASS
The 10.00 am Mass on Monday 30 December in Holy Rosary Church will be offered for the deceased members of the Derry Diocesan Society.
DEATHS
We extend our prayerful sympathy to the family and relatives of:
Peggy McStravock, Clonoe;
Henry McSorley, Leeds, formerly from Moyard.
ANNIVERSARIES
Gerard McAllister;
Mary B McKee;
Margaret Groogan;
Anne O’Kane;
Gerard McEldowney;
Pascal Kelly;
Dolores Meyler;
Keith Meyler;
Jimmy Rogers;
Donaugh McCallion;
Rose Slevin;
Mary Cassidy.
FIRST ANNIVERSARY MASS
Leon Toner, Glenelly Villas on Friday 3 January at 7.30 pm in Holy Rosary Church.
BAPTISMS
We welcome into God’s family through the Sacrament of Baptism:
Isla Marie Donnelly, Barrett St, Sydney, Australia;
Josephine Mai McKee, Cordarragh.
PRIESTS’ CHRISTMAS BOX COLLECTION
The priests of the parish wish to express their sincere thanks and deep appreciation to the people of the parish for their great kindness and generosity to them in the Priests’ Christmas Box Collection.
INVITATION TO 33 DAYS OF FAMILY PRAYER
Bishop McKeown will lead the diocese in 33 days of Family Prayer towards Consecration to Jesus Christ through Mary, as part of a diocesan programme for the Jubilee Year 2025, Pilgrims of Hope. It will be delivered online on the Diocese of Derry Facebook, each evening at 7.00 pm, starting Thursday 9 January and ending on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, Tuesday 11 February.
Bishop McKeown explains, ‘It is a journey I set out to make to entrust myself and my priesthood to Christ through the Mother of God. I extend an invitation to you and your families from the parishes of the diocese to join me.’ Details and times of the prayer programme with a video message from Bishop McKeown may be viewed at derrydiocese.org/consecration
JUBILEE 2025 TEACH US TO PRAY BOOK
The 2025 Jubilee officially opened on Christmas Eve with the rite of Opening of the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of St. Peter by Pope Francis.
For the occasion of the Jubilee Year of Prayer 2025, a Teach us to Pray handbook has been created. The handbook, inspired by the teachings of Pope Francis, is written as an invitation to intensify prayer, understood as a personal dialogue with God, and to lead readers to reflect on their faith, and their commitment in today's world, in the various contexts in which they are called to live. The handbook is freely available to download on the Derry diocesan website. Also printed at the end of this Bulletin is the Jubilee Prayer 2025 by Pope Francis.
THE NET
The current edition of The Net is now available in the church porches and on the Derry diocesan website. This paper has many interesting faith stories and news clips from around our diocese
BALLINASCREEN CREDIT UNION
December Quarterly Cash Draw Winners:
1st Prize - £10,000 - Mrs Mary Connolly, Moneyconey Road.
2nd Prize - £7,000 - Miss Denise Conway, Magherabrack Road, Plumbridge.
3rd Prize - £5,000 - Miss Eimear McEldowney, Cloane Road.
4th Prize - £3,000 - Miss Nadia Elalaoui, Glenelly Villas.
Next Quarterly Cash Draw will be held on Saturday 29 March 2025.
SAVE THE DATE!
2025 Derry Diocesan Pilgrimage to Knock will be on Sunday 15 June.
PARISH BAPTISMS 2025
Baptisms: Sundays at 3.00 pm. Bookings to be made please via the Parish Office: Tel. 028 79628248 or Email: ballinascreenparish@gmail.com
January 5 ~ St Eugene’s, Moneyneena.
January 12 ~ St Columba’s, Straw.
January 26 ~ Holy Rosary Church.
February 2 ~ St Patrick’s, Sixtowns.
February16 ~ St Eugene’s, Moneyneena.
February 23 ~ St Columba’s, Straw.
March 9 ~ Holy Rosary Church.
March 23 ~ St Patrick’s, Sixtowns.
March 30 ~ St Eugene’s, Moneyneena.
April 6 ~ St Columba’s, Straw.
April 13 ~ Holy Rosary Church.
GLENSHANE HOUSE DUNGIVEN
Glass Painting with Leona. 5 week free course starts on Wednesday 8 January at 7.00 pm. To register: Tel. 07399023003 or Email: info@limavadylips.co.uk.
DERRY DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES
Pilgrimage led by Bishop McKeown, from Monday 30 June to Friday 4 July 2025, leaving from City of Derry Airport. Price £849 plus insurance and single supplement if required. The Pilgrimage Office at 164 Bishop Street, Derry BT48 6UJ will not be open for booking until Saturday 1 February 2025, 11.00 am to 1.00 pm (and each following Saturday and Thursday at the same time unless notified). However, gift vouchers are now available from the Pastoral Centre, 164 Bishop Street Derry. Email enquiries to derrypilgrim@outlook.com
BABY MASSAGE CLASSES
New baby massage and reflexology classes begin Friday 10 January. To register or for more details please contact Rosie on 07749121208
PARISH ANNIVERSARY AND MONTH’S MIND MASSES
If you wish to have a deceased loved one prayed for at any Anniversary Friday Mass, you MUST please email their name to Ballinascreen Parish Office by noon on Thursday of the relevant week. Notices for First Anniversary and Month's Mind Masses should be received before the Wednesday of the previous week so that, they may be printed in the Bulletin the weekend before the Anniversary Mass
KNOCKNAGIN HALL
The Hall Committee wish to thank all their volunteers and patrons for their help and support throughout 2024. They also wish to all a prosperous New Year. They look forward to your patronage and continued support in 2025.
NEW YEAR PRAYER
Dear Lord,
We pray that this New Year will bring us closer to You.
May we take the time to get to know You.
Help us to truly celebrate the gifts You have graciously given us and use them to serve You and spread Your word.
May we also see and love you in all the people we meet, so that in turn, they can see You in us.
Let us accept You in our lives, in the way it pleases You,
as Truth, to be spoken,
as Life, to be lived,
as Light, to be lighted,
as Love, to be followed,
as Joy, to be given,
as Peace, to be spread about,
as Sacrifice, to be offered among our relatives, friends, neighbours and all people.
Amen.
THE JUBILEE PRAYER 2025
Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother
and the flame of charity enkindled
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope
for the coming of your Kingdom.
May your grace transform us
into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the
whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally.
May the grace of the Jubilee
reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread
the joy and peace of our Redeemer
throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed,
be glory and praise for ever.
Amen.
Pope Francis
