|
St
Mary’s Church Bocan 9th December
2007—No 2
Second
Sunday in Advent
Beauty or the beast?
Thomas Merton writes in The Ascent
to Truth: One of the paradoxes of
our age, which has so far not distinguished
itself as an Age of Faith, is that
millions of men who have found it
impossible to believe in God have
blindly submitted themselves in human
faith to every charlatan who has access
to a printing press, a movie screen,
or a microphone. Men who cannot believe
in the revealed Word of God swallow
everything they read in the newspapers
(p.30).
So how about swallowing what we have
in today’s first reading: The
nursing child shall play over the
hole of the asp, and the weaned child
shall put its hand on the adder’s
den. They will not hurt or destroy
on all my holy mountain; for the earth
will be full of the knowledge of the
Lord [Is 11:8-9]. What an image!
When will we learn that peace is our
natural state? Fighting is foreign.
Don’t believe it? Then what
does being made in the image of God
mean? What we see is what we get.
If we see people as brutes, then brutes
they may become.
The earth will be full of the knowledge
of the Lord when we are.
Fr Tom Cahill SVD
Responsorial
Psalm
In his day justice shall flourish
and peace till the moon fails.
 |
Prepare The
Way
|
 |
Today’s
Readings
First Reading
Isaiah 11: 1- 10
Isaiah tells us of the attributes
of the future leader of the people
of Israel, and the time of peace over
which he shall rule.
Second Reading Romans 15:
4 - 9
Paul encourages us to live in harmony
with one another and according to
the way of Christ.
Gospel Matthew 3: 1 - 12
John the Baptists calls us to repent.
Money
Matters:
Weekly Offering, €1,500;
Retired Priests Collection, €1,300.
Thank you for your generosity.
All the sick of the parish
will be attended on Wednesday &
Thursday at the usual
times.
St Vincent de Paul Annual
Christmas
Appeal this weekend, 8th/9th December.
Please support generously.
Bocan Youth Club
– Rota. Friday, 14th December
– George Brennan, John Harkin,
Breedge McDermott, Philomena O’Brien.
Bazaar
A tremendous success – over
€5,000 for our Development Fund.
Our grateful thanks to all our sponsors,
organisers, all who helped on the
day – ticket sellers, stage
people, tea-makers, and especially
all who came along to support.
Major Prize winners were: Margaret
Shields, Evelyn Collins, Peggy McGrenaghan,
Marty Harkin, Colm McGrenaghan, Niall
McGee, John Paul Houghton, Mary McLaughlin
[mill], Maureen McElhinney, Mickey
O’Donnell, James McConalogue
Caoimhe McGonagle & Denis McDaid.
Hall Clean-Up
Volunteers are invited to come along
to the Hall at 8.30 pm on Wednesday
night for a pre-Christmas clean.
Whist Winners
1st Mary McDermott, Gleneely;
2nd Carrie McLaughlin, Culdaff;
3rd Gerard Doherty, Gleneely.
Lowest Score: Patricia Harkin,
Muff; Highest Score, Paddy McLaughlin,
Gleneely.
Draw Winners: [1st] Mary
Ellen Ruddy, Culdaff; [2nd] Carrie
McLaughlin, Culdaff [3rd] Betty Houten,
Culdaff.
The Whist is on every Friday night
at 8.45 pm €90 for a score of
178 or better.
Scoil Mhuire Gleneely Reunion
Meeting in Tuesday, 11 December at
8 pm in the School. Anyone wishing
to help is welcome.
Pre-Marriage Courses
Available in the Pastoral Centre,
Carndonagh on the following dates:
25th/26th January 08; 22nd/23rd February
08; 28th/29th March 08; 25th/26th
April 08; 30th/31st May 08. Courses
are from 8pm-10 pm on the Friday nights
and from 10 am – 5 pm on the
Saturday. Application forms from Fr
McGonagle or ring the Pastoral Centre
on 9374103 [between 10.30 am –
12.30 pm], or log on to www.accord.ie
Action Inishowen
FAS CE Scheme is due to start on 21st
January 08. Vacancies exist for an
administrator, an installer, environmental
workers and front office personnel.
Usual FAS conditions apply. If interested
please forward your name & PPS
No. to Action Inishowen Milbrae, Carndonagh
or phone 9374529.
Good & New Charity Shop,
Bridge St. Carndonagh
1-Week Clearance Sale – Monday
10th – Saturday, 15th December
from 10.30 am-5 pm [all stock must
go]. Loads of bargains on offer so
come along and support a worthy cause.
A Christmas Carol
by Christina Georgina Rossetti
In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.
Our God, heaven cannot
hold Him,
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign:
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable-place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty
Jesus Christ.
Enough for Him whom
cherubim
Worship night and day,
A breastful of milk
And a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.
Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air,
But only His mother
In her maiden bliss
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.
What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man
I would do my part, -
Yet what I can, I give Him,
Give my heart.
Prayer
of St Benedict
Gracious and Holy
Father,
Give us wisdom to perceive You,
diligence to seek You,
patience to wait for You,
eyes to behold You,
hearts to meditate upon You,
and life to proclaim You,
through the power of the Holy Spirit
of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
St Benedict c. 480 – c.
547
|
