No.1888 ~ THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
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
Wednesday 10 Nov. ~ 7.30 pm - Annual Mass for Deceased (Webcam Only)
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 9: The Dedication of the Latern Basilica.
Wednesday 10: St Leo the Great, pope and doctor of the Church.
Thursday 11: St Martin of Tours, bishop.
Friday 12: St Josaphat, bishop and martyr.
WEEKDAY MASSES: MONDAY 8 NOVEMBER - FRIDAY 12 NOVEMBER
Holy Rosary Church:
Monday and Wednesday ~ 11.00 am
Wednesday 10 Nov. ~ 7.30 pm - Annual Mass for Deceased (Webcam Only)
Friday ~ 7.30 pm
St Mary’s Coolcalm:
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday ~ 11.00 am
ANNUAL MASS FOR DECEASED
On Wednesday November 10 at 7.30 pm a special Mass for all our deceased family and friends from Ballinascreen and Desertmartin will be broadcast from Holy Rosary Church. This Mass will ONLY be available on Ballinascreen Parish webcam, as it simply would not be possible to facilitate the huge numbers who would wish to attend.
At this Mass the names of all who have died, were waked or buried in Ballinascreen and Desertmartin since All Souls’ Day 2020 will be read out.
All who have been enrolled in our Online Book of Remembrance will be prayed for at this Mass also.
ONLINE BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE
The parish online Book of Remembrance, for all who have died since this time last year, will be open during the month of November. 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 before 9 November to ballinascreenparish@gmail.com
The online book will be available to view on the 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. All names in this online book, including those names submitted last year, will be remembered at the special Annual Mass for Deceased in Holy Rosary Church at 7.30pm on 10 November (Webcam ONLY).
TRÓCAIRE EMERGENCY COLLECTION
Next weekend (November 13 and 14), we will be holding an emergency collection to help support Trócaire in its work to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in East Africa. The Irish Catholic Bishops noted with deep concern the increase in the number of people in East Africa who are threatened by Covid-19, conflict and climate change. The emergency appeal calls for support for the people in Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan and South Kordofan where up to 30 million people are currently facing life-threatening food shortages. We pray for the emergency appeal with Psalm 146, “The LORD keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry.”
Please donate what you can NEXT weekend to help save lives.
To donate to this special emergency collection please place your donation in an envelope clearly marked TRÓCAIRE or use one of the SPECIAL COLLECTION envelopes at the back of your box of envelopes.
Thank you in advance for your support of this emergency collection.
DEATHS
We extend our prayerful sympathy to the families and relatives of:
Annie McBride, Cavanreagh Road;
Frances Wilson, Desertmartin;
Patsy Cassidy, Belfast and Sixtowns.
ANNIVERSARIES
Martha McLernon,
Mary McLernon,
Anne O'Kane,
James McGlade,
Elizabeth Quinn.
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
BAPTISMS
We welcome into God’s family through the Sacrament of Baptism:
Maria Grace Rocks, Drumenny Road, Cookstown;
Pearse Patrick McKay, Strawmore Road.
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.
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.
LAUDATO SI ~ PRAYERS FOR SUCCESS OF COP26
Today, Sunday 7 November, Bishop McKeown will offer Mass in St. Eugene’s Cathedral, Derry, for the success of the proceedings at COP26. Each parish, each school, each home - united with people of faith throughout the world - are invited to pray for our world at this time.
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.
KNOCKNAGIN HALL
Mental Health Talk (Coming out of Covid) by Hugo MacOscar on Monday 8 November at 7.30 pm.
Desertmartin Walk for Health Group meet at Dromore Church Desertmartin Thursday 11 November at 2.00 pm for an afternoon walk (weather permitting).
SPRED Group Meeting Monday 15 November from 7.00 pm until 8.30 pm
Exercise with Thomasina ~ Tuesdays at 11.30 am.
Line-Dancing ~ Wednesdays at 7.30 pm
Crochet with Celine Bleeks ~ Tuesdays from 7.00 pm until 9.00 pm ~ £5 per session
Friday sessions with Charmaine from 7.00 pm until 8.30 pm will continue for the next five weeks funded by Public Health Agency. Movement will be used to make participants feel good in body and mind. Come to share stories, talk, laugh and move to music. Places available.
Due to Covid Restrictions, it is important to register as numbers are limited.
To register please contact either Kathleen: 07764277809 or Anne: 02879642711 or Olive: 07887614094.
THE CHRISTMAS STORY
From Thursday 25 until Sunday 28 November at Kilcronaghan Parish Church, Wood Road, Tobermore. Christmas Story will be told through various handcrafted creative pieces. For more details phone Hilary on 07791545190 or email hilary473@btinternet.com
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
