Wishing
All Our Parishioners
A
Peaceful and Holy Easter
EASTER
WEEK
MASSES No 8.00 am
Mass from Easter Monday, 13th April to Easter Saturday,
18th April incl. It will recommence on Divine Mercy
Sunday, 19th April. Accordingly during the Easter
Week, there will be two Masses each day – 10.00am
and 7.30pm.
NO CONFESSIONS until
they resume on Monday 20th April.
DEVOTIONS this evening
at 6.00pm – Divine Mercy Novena.
TROCAIRE BOXES should
be returned to the Church during the Easter ceremonies.
BAPTISMS
We welcome: Erin Wilson, 10 Nicholson
Terrace who was baptised recently.
REQUIESCANT IN PACE
We extend our sincere sympathy to
the family and friends of
Patrick Campbell,
33 Four Seasons, Foyle Road and
Terence McCullow,
17 Alexander House. May they rest in
peace.
THE LARGE DEVOTIONAL CRUCIFIX
HAS BEEN RESTORED
On Holy Thursday afternoon we unveiled the restored
crucifix on the sanctuary of the Long Tower Church.
For most of the year this beautiful artefact of faith
stands in the western gallery. The upright standard
and cross beam are made of pine and this rests in
a sturdy base. The figure of Christ is cast in plaster.
The Grounds & Projects Committee has reconditioned
it as one of their numerous Centenary assignments.
As always, we are very grateful to the group for their
sterling work.
The crucifix used to be stored in the Upper Room
and would have been placed on the sanctuary during
Holy Week every year. Carrying it up and down the
stairs was not easy nor was it good for the fabric
of the crucifix itself. In 2004 we moved it to the
gallery so that it could be seen and venerated throughout
the year. We would be very interested to learn more
of its history. When was it acquired by Long Tower?
What year was it first displayed on the sanctuary
for Holy Week? If you know, please let us know.
THE LONG TOWER ONE HUNDRED
The final pay in night for the 100 Centenary Draw
is on Monday 4th May 2009. If you need to check the
balance owing on a ticket or to pay the final instalment
please do so at this time. Could any ticket holders,
who still hold ticket stubs, please return them on
the 4th May. We would like to take this opportunity
to thank the 100 Draw committee, all the promoters
and ticket holders for their dedication and support.
THE ENTHRONEMENT OF THE DIVINE MERCY IMAGE
takes place next Sunday at 3.00pm in Long Tower to
celebrate the Feast of God’s Mercy. Saint Faustina
of Poland received apparitions of Christ in the 1930s
in which He asked her to have His Image painted and
venerated throughout the world. He also revealed to
her that He wished the Sunday after Easter to be the
Feast of God’s Mercy – Divine Mercy Sunday.
What is so significant about the Novena and the Feast?
The Feast of Divine Mercy is like a second baptism.
Jesus told St Faustina that going to Communion on
Divine Mercy Sunday grants ‘complete forgiveness
of sins and punishment’ (Diary, Notebook II,
p. 286, par. 699, no.138) for those who have gone
to Confession (even during Lent). That means that
a soul who had sincerely fulfilled the requirements
of the Feast of Mercy and died after receiving Communion
on that Sunday would go straight to Heaven, without
any time in Purgatory, regardless of past life. God
is offering us the equivalent of a new baptism on
Mercy Sunday every year!
In preparation for this great feast, we are praying
the Novena each day at 9.30am and 7.30pm. The leaflets
are available in the church. If you cannot attend
each day you might like to do the prayers at home.
The Novena ends next Saturday, Easter Saturday.
MONTHLY MASS FOR THE BEATIFICATION OF MATT
TALBOT will take place in Termonbacca on
Monday, 13th April at 7.30 pm. All welcome.
A Present for Easter
The photographic print of the restored
opus sectile would make an ideal present for Easter.
The opus has been recently restored and the experts
say it is a masterpiece, an extremely rare work of
art. Pictures of these three grand panels behind the
high altar – the Ascension of Christ flanked
by St Peter and St Paul – are now on sale.
The restoration project is costing
over £20,000. To help us fund the restoration
we are selling prints. The mounted pictures are available
for purchase from the Long Tower Church and the Parochial
House. Cost: £19.95 or £45.
Please buy one. It can be your own memento of the
100th year of Long Tower. The proceeds go towards
the cost of the repairs and the general restoration
of the Long Tower.
DERRY SEARCH RESIDENTIAL
WEEKEND
The Star Residential programme has been specifically
designed to give young teens aged 15-20 the space
they need to explore their faith while also building
confidence, self esteem & valuable friendships.
The next Search Weekend will take place in Termonbacca
Retreat Centre on Friday 17th April 2009 at 8.15pm
and finishes on Sunday 19th April 2009 at 4.00pm.
If you are aged 15-20, looking for something different,
this is a weekend not to be missed! Limited number
of places available. Book early to avoid disappointment.
Full cost of this residential weekend, including fun,
sleep and food is £25. Contact Oonagh on 077
1170 7365 or www.derrysearchyouthgroup.org.
MOBILE PHONE LOST on
the ‘line’, Foyle Road on Friday, 3rd
April. Please contact the Parochial House on 7126
2301.
ENGAGED? Getting married within the next year?
Engaged Encounter is a recognised form of marriage
preparation. It is a communication enrichment workshop
designed for couples preparing for marriage. It will
take place in the Thornhill Centre, Derry on 6th and
7th June. Early booking is advised. For information
telephone 028 7930 0340 or 028 2763 8512 (after 4.30
pm).
LAST WEEK’S RENOVATION
COLLECTION £ 763.00
LAST WEEK’S ENVELOPE
COLLECTION £1950.00
WE GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGE
THE ANONYMOUS DONATIONS TO THE RESTORATION FUND: £10,
£5, £20, £10, £20, £10,
£5, £100, £50
SUICIDAL?
Counselling available
at ZEST, 15 Queen Street, 7126 6999.
P.S.
‘If people want to have hope and find meaning
in their lives, they need to take God out of the "parentheses".
(Pope Benedict XVI)
