| St
Mary’s Church Bocan
11th
January 2009
The
Baptism of Jesus
“You
are my Son, the beloved, my favour
rests on you.” Those
wonderful words, spoken to Jesus on
the occasion of his Baptism in the
Jordan, are spoken to each one of
us because of our baptism into him.
Just listen to God speak those words
from his heart into your heart now:
“you are my daughter, my son,
the beloved, my favour rests on you.”
Our major task is to live out that
love of God in our vocation. For you
as a couple committed in love, make
your life together full of the joy
of God’s love. Single people,
religious, priests, live out the same
vocation of love in different ways
but for the same purpose, to fill
the world with the presence and the
love of God. As a community of faith,
the parish is a gathering of all these
vocations so that, working with one
another, we can radiate that same
love to all those around us.
Fr. Johnny
Doherty, C.Ss.R.
As soon as Jesus was baptised he came
up from the water,
and suddenly the heavens opened and
he saw the Spirit of
God descending like a dove and coming
down on him.
And a voice spoke from heaven,
“This
is my Son, the Beloved; my favour
rests on him.”
Readings in the Parish
Missal - Parish Missal pp 55 &
1006
First Reading
Isaiah 42: 1-4.6-7
Here the prophet invites all to the
rich banquet of life God provides
for his people. In baptism we share
in the life of God.
Second Reading
1 John 5:1-9
Faith in Jesus leads us to love one
another and gives us the ability to
overcome evil. Jesus; baptism and
death bear witness to his identity.
Gospel Mark
1: 7-11
This tells us how Jesus was baptized
by John the Baptist in the river Jordan
and the signs that accompanied his
baptism.
Bocan Active
Retirement Group
The Culdaff Active Retirement Group
will resume on Friday, 16th January
at the usual time in the We Hall,
Culdaff. New members are most welcome.
All retired people, 55 and over, come
along for a good chat and a bit of
craic. We have a cup of tea, play
bingo, cards, dominoes, line-dancing
and carpet bowling.
Whist
1st: Ernie McLucas, Carn
2nd: John Doherty
3rd: Michael Doherty
Tickets
James McConalogue, Francis Doherty,
Ellen Ann Lafferty
Other Winners
Mick Hirrell, Jason Doherty, Seamus
Harkin
Whist every Friday at 8.45pm in Bocan
Hall. Snowball : €130 for 180
or more.
Bocan Community
De-Fib
All Garda Clearance Questionnaires
should be completed and handed to
the Secretary as soon as possible.
Without their completion we cannot
progress any farther with our application.
If you need help filling in the form,
contact PJ on 9379348. next Regional
Meeting on 12th January at 8 pm.
ACCORD Pre-Marriage
Courses
Courses will run from 8 pm –
10 pm on Friday evening and 10 am
– 5 pm on Saturday. [you must
attend complete course in order to
receive your Certificate]
Courses in Pastoral Centre, Barrack
Hill, Carndonagh
Friday 30th and Saturday 31st January
2009
Friday 27th and Saturday 28th February
2009
Friday 27th and Saturday 28th March
2009.
Application forms
from the Parochial House.
Notice
Board
Carmelite Retreat Centre
– A Mass for the sick with Eucharistic
Blessing on Tuesday night at 8 pm
in Termonbacca. All welcome to attend.
Cancer Support
& Social Club –
Meeting on Monday, 12th January at
7.30 pm [and every Monday night] in
Milltown House, Tulnaree, Carndonagh.
The group support those who have been
affected in any way by the diagnosis
of cancer, including family, friends
and carers. Newcomers are very welcome.
More information from Rita on 086
602 8993 / Deirdre 087 7634 596.
Activity
Fair and Public Information Day
– In Kathleen & Michael
Connolly Foundation, Malin Town on
Monday, 12th January from 3 pm –
8 pm. Facilitators will be in attendance
to demonstrate a variety of activities
and treatments. Among the groups present
will be Citizens Advice, Inishowen
Development, DeafHear & Irish
Wheelchair Assoc. More information
from Michael McHugh on 087 6735 184.
Job Club
Centre at Inishowen Development
Partnership – New training rogrammes
beginning in Buncrana and Carndonagh
very soon. More information from Aisling
on 9361376.
St Vincent
de Paul – A big thank
you for your support throughout the
year and particularly for the special
Christmas collection.
Ladies Badminton
resumes this Thursday in Bocan Hall
at 9 pm. A good way to get fit in
the new year.
5th Annual
Inishowen Ploughing Championships
on Mills’ Family Farm next Saturday,
17th January.
The
Deep End – No Empty Word
As a missionary in Indonesia I baptised
hundreds of babies, but only one adult.
Part of a Holy Saturday vigil, that
adult baptism hugely impressed the
congregation by the dignity of its
rite and the sincerity of its candidate.
Seeing an adult freely and joyfully
commit himself to Jesus for life in
public was a compelling sign of God’s
Spirit at work.
Today’s feast,
the Baptism of the Lord, is a reminder
of our own baptism. For those of us
baptised as babies it’s a non-event
because we can’t remember it.
Its impact is not what it might have
been had we been adult when baptised.
However, we have ratified what our
parents did on our behalf either negatively
by not discarding our faith, or positively
by making a conscious decision at
some stage of our life to continue
being a follower of Jesus.
Either way, today’s
reading Isa, 55:1-11, where God says
that God’s word does not return
empty but fulfils its mission, and
Mark 1:7-11, where God calls Jesus
his beloved son in whom he is well
pleased, applies to us baptised.
In baptism, God gives
us a mission. It’s a mission
to make God known to our world, especially
to those who do not know God. While
that mission is general to all baptised,
the way we carry it out is specific
to ourselves. Realising we have it,
and discovering how to carry it out,
gives purpose to our life –
and makes us the beloved son or daughter
in whom the Father is well pleased.
Fr Tom Cahill SVD
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