DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY
THE ENTHRONEMENT OF THE DIVINE MERCY IMAGE
takes place today (Sunday) at 3pm 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!
Today at 3 o’clock Bishop
Hegarty will solemnly enthrone the Image in Long Tower.
All welcome.
BAPTISMS
We welcome:
Olga Natalie Chauhan, 16 Millbrook Park, Samantha
Jayne Flower and Rossa Joseph Molloy, 36 Carn Manor,
Séan Paul Mullan, 16 Braehead Road and Cormac
Columba Clarke, 16 Braehead Road, who were all
baptised recently.
REQUIESCAT IN PACE
We extend our sincere sympathy
to the family and friends of
Annie O’Neill,
76 William Street.
May she rest in peace.
A Present for Divine Mercy Sunday
The photographic print of the restored opus sectile
would make an ideal present for this great feast day.
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.
THE LONG TOWER
ONE HUNDRED
The final pay in night for the 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 HOLY FAMILY PADRE PIO PRAYER GROUP
will hold their monthly meeting in the Holy Family
Church, Ballymagroarty on Monday, 20th April, starting
with 7.30pm Mass. There will be two 1st class relics
of St Pio at the meeting. Everyone is welcome.
THE MONTHLY PRO-LIFE DEVOTIONS will
take place on Tuesday 21st April in St Columb's Church,
Chapel Road, Waterside, commencing with Rosary at
7.00pm followed by Mass at 7.30pm. Everyone welcome.
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 advisable. For
information telephone 028 7930 0340 or 028 2763 8512
(after 4.30 pm).
AGE CONCERN DERRY - GARDENING
COMPETITION 2009
Are you over 60? Do you have a garden, vegetable
plot or hanging basket that you are really proud of
and have put a lot of effort into cultivating? You
could win the Age Concern Perpetual Challenge Cup,
by entering the 2009 Age Concern Derry Gardening Competition.
The competition is open to all gardeners over the
age of 60 living in the Derry City Council Area. The
competition is divided into different categories within
geographical zones of the Derry City Council area
with prizes awarded for the best gardens, window boxes,
hanging baskets, vegetable plots and enclosed yard
or patio garden.
It doesn’t matter how big or small your garden
is; all entries are welcome! The closing date is Friday
8th May 2009. All entries must be in by this date.
The competition’s judges will visit gardens
in the last week of June and first week of July.
Further details and entry forms can be obtained from
Age Concern, Malvern House, 20 Chapel Road, Waterside,
BT47 2AN or by telephone 7134 7478 or by email at
dev.ageconcern@derrycityconnect.org
LAST WEEK’S RENOVATION
COLLECTION £ 870.00
LAST WEEK’S ENVELOPE
COLLECTION £2542.00
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)
