In this year for vocations we
continue to pray that God will inspire more vocations
to the priesthood and religious life.
BAPTISMS
We welcome:
Oísin O’Donnell, 75
Gleneagles, who was baptised recently.
REQUIESCANT IN PACE
We extend
our sincere sympathy to the family and friends of
Edward Mathewson, 38 Lisfannon Park,
Jean Mc Gilloway, 12 Deanery Street,
Michael Toland, 5 The Gables,
Theresa Conway, 62 Donal Casey Court
and
Beth McGirr, Greenhaw Lodge. May
they rest in peace.
A NEW WEB SITE FOR CHILDREN called
Yfaith.co.uk
is designed to cater to children between the ages
of 10 and 13, who have questions to ask and want to
learn more about life, relationships, spirituality
and the world around them.
POPE
JOHN PAUL II AWARD
If you are
aged 16-18 yrs you are invited to take part in the
Pope John Paul II Award. This award is for all young
people who would like to get involved in their local
parish and community. There are 3 levels to the award:
gold, silver and bronze and successful applicants
are awarded with a medal and certificate. This is
a wonderful opportunity to get involved in something
new and worthwhile. For full details or to apply check
out www.thepopejohnpauliiaward.com or contact 7126
4087.
FIRST FRIDAY Friday 3rd October is
the 1st Friday of the month.
VISITATION
OF THE HOUSEBOUND
FR COLHOUN will visit the sick in his care on Thursday/Friday,
2nd/3rd October.
Readers St Mark’s Team
&
Eucharistic
Ministers Team B will serve for the month
of October,
beginning on
Wednesday.
NEW STREET SIGNS
for Long Tower are in the pipeline. We have petitioned
the Council to put up some direction signs for our
church. All going to plan, they should be erected
in the near future.
PRAYER IN DAILY LIFE
This 8 session
course begins in Thornhill Centre on Thursday, 2nd
October from 10.30 am until 12 noon. Course costs
£4 per morning inclusive of light refreshments
on arrival. All welcome!
POINTS OF INTERCESSION (where faith
and life meet) and FOUNDATIONS IN LITURGY
(an appreciation of the worship of the Church) are
two 1 year evening courses (7.30 pm to 9.30 pm) to
be held in Thornhill Centre, beginning 6th and 7th
October respectively. For further details, contact
the secretary at 7135 1233.
IHCPT TO LOURDES 2009
Around five
hundred young people from all over Ireland spend a
week on pilgrimage in Lourdes with the IHCPT, The
Irish Pilgrimage Trust at Easter (www.ihcpt.com).
Applications welcome from young people with:
• A physical disability or illness (aged 11-18)
• A learning disability (aged 11-21)
• Jet Set Group-Physical Disability (18-25)
• Jet Set Group-Learning Disability (21-30)
• The organisation also has Family Groups for
very seriously ill children under the age of 9,
accompanied by a parent or close relative
The IHCPT covers
the cost of those young people selected to travel.
If you would like further information about the pilgrimage
please contact Therese on 077 3679 9119 or Damian
on 079 6831 2770. Closing date for applications: 31st
October 2008.
A CREGGAN STORY written by Madeline
McCully produced and directed by The Playhouse in
St Mary’s Community Centre, Creggan on Friday,
Saturday and Sunday, 3rd to 5th October at 8.00 pm.
Tickets are on sale at the door.
LAST
WEEK’S RENOVATION COLLECTION £ 665.00
LAST
WEEK’S ENVELOPE COLLECTION £2263.00
WE
GRATEFULY ACKNOWLEDGE THE ANONYMOUS DONATIONS TO THE
LONG TOWER RENOVATION FUND: £5, £20, £10,
£5, £5, £100, £20, £20,
£1000.
Long
Tower One Hundred
MONSTER
DRAW 2009
CLICK THE 'I' FOR MORE INFO
***
LIMITED NUMBER OF TICKETS REMAINING ***
To enter the Draw
Members of the committee will be available in the
Sacristy after each Mass today to sign up new members
and for giving out pre-booked tickets.
Tickets available:
Daily 10.00-2.30 pm, Parochial House
Please! Please give
the parish your enthusiastic support in this essential
fund-raising venture. The priests of the parish will
recite the Divine Office for the intentions and well-being
of all the promoters and the members every day until
the Centenary. Thank you!
KNIGHTS
OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
Calling men to
prayer!
A Knight of the Blessed Sacrament is a man who will
be prepared and inducted for veneration and protection
of the Eucharist when it is exposed on the altar.
He will commit to one hour’s Adoration on a
Wednesday, during which time he will wear a special
garment of veneration that marks him out as a protector
of the Blessed Sacrament. One definition of a knight
is a man who stands for a just cause or a special
lady. We readily think of holy men such as St Joseph
and St John the Evangelist who both appeared with
Our Lady in Knock. That level of sanctity will be
beyond what most of us can reach but we need not be
discouraged.
The calling to be a knight will have a lot of significance
for our parish as we prepare for the Centenary. It
invites men to be courageous in their faith, to show
leadership in prayer, to give example to their families,
to enhance their self-esteem, to claim their dignity
as dutiful servants of Christ, to protect the Eucharist
and to grow in love. True masculinity implies strength
with gentleness, the kind of qualities that come from
prayer.
Society tries to immerse men in a generally superficial
style of living, in a culture of obsession with sports,
of alcohol consumption and gambling. The Church invites
men to counteract the social trend, to be truly earnest
about their vocation as brothers, uncles, husbands,
fathers and grandfathers and to enrich their lives
with prayer and the Sacraments. A very profound way
of doing this is to become a Knight of the Blessed
Sacrament.
Long Tower is an ideal location for the Knights since
it was here that St Columba formed his community of
monks 14 centuries ago. That Columban spirit is alive
and well in Long Tower because to this day many men
here show great devotion to God. We would be very
grateful to any men who will volunteer. The benefits
are immediate and eternal.
Invitation to become a
Knight:
Preparation – Set aside
an hour for formation each Thursday of this month
(September), 8:15-9:15 pm, in Long Tower Sacristy,
beginning on Thursday 11th Sept.
Dedication – Devote
a specific hour for Adoration each Wednesday.
Fidelity – Be living
the Ten Commandments.
Age – Be 18 years or
older.
To volunteer – Please
collect a form in the Sacristy and return it by Tuesday.
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)
