| Sunday
17th May 2009
Sixth
Sunday of Easter
The
Spirit of God’s love
Jesus said to his
disciples: “You did not choose
me; no, I chose you.” Anybody
who is involved in a team sport will
know the tension there is in wondering
if they will be picked for the team
and then the delight when they are
picked or the utter disappointment
when they are not. Jesus has picked
each one of us for his team of disciples
because the task of transforming the
world is so vast and because each
one of us has our own unique gifts
and opportunities for the task. Our
responsibility is to say yes to his
call and take our part in his mission.
As always this begins in our homes
with the most intimate relationships
of human life, to make those the best
they can possibly be. Our mission
is also to our faith community where
we have a special relationship in
the Body and Blood of Christ. And
it extends to the world in which we
live. This week we can refresh the
enthusiasm and joy of being chosen.
Fr. Johnny
Doherty, C.Ss.R.
Give thanks to
God for he is good: His love is everlasting.
Give thanks to the God of gods: His
love is everlasting.
Give thanks to the Lord of Lords:
His love is everlasting.
He alone performs great marvels: His
love is everlasting.
His wisdom made the heavens and the
earth:
He made the sun, the moon and the
stars: His love is everlasting.
 |
The
Lord has shown his salvation
to the nations.
|
 |
Sunday 17th
May 2009
6th Sunday
of Easter
First Reading
Acts of the Apostles 10: 25-26
The baptism of Cornelius, the first
pagan to receive the grace of baptism,
shows that God’s salvation is
offered to all.
Second Reading
John 4: 7-10
This reading contains what is probably
the most important statement ever
made about God.
Gospel John
15: 9-17
Jesus leaves his friends the supreme
commandment of love.
.
MASS
TIMES
No Mass on Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday—Fr
McGonagle on Retreat;
Friday, 10 am;
Saturday, First
Holy Communion Mass at 11
am.
Saturday,
Vigil, 8 pm;
Sunday,
8.30 am & 11 am.
Confessions
Saturday: 7.15 pm—7.45 pm
Anniversary
Mass
Saturday 16th May, Anniversary
Mass
John Doherty
Next Saturday
Vigil Mass 8 pm:
Paddy McLaughlin [Pat] Ballyharry;
Sunday, 11
am: Month’s Mind Mass
of Anne Donaghy.
Weekly
Offering €1,586; Development
Collection: €900. Thank you for
your generosity.
N.B. The Diocesan Purposes Collection
will be taken up with the Priests
Collection this weekend [no Development
envelope this week].
Knock celebrates
130th Anniversary
Sunday, 7th June. Anyone who has mobility
problems should contact the Pilgrimage
Office on 04871260293. Also, if anyone
would like to be part of eth choir
on that day please contact Sr. Perpetua
on 04871351233 for music and rehearsal
details.
Car Boot Sale
on Sunday, 7th June from 2 pm –
6 pm. To book a table or a car, contact
Angela on 0879028930 or Caroline on
0868872073.
Meeting
There will be a meeting on Monday
night at 8 pm in Bocan Hall for the
parents of children in 2nd Class about
making the refreshments for the Holy
Communion Day.
N.B There will be a practice for the
Holy Communion children in the church
on Thursday night at 8 pm.
Love’s
Demands
Love demands that we know what we
can give to others and how we give
it and this knowledge can only be
derived from our belief in ourselves
and in our connection with one another.
That belief rests on the fact that
when Our Lord told us to love one
another he was telling us to do something
that could be done. He did not tell
us what exactly to do on specific
occasions but rather he described
a habitual disposition to be maintained
by those who would love and be loved.
R.E.C. Browne 1906-1975
Inishowen
Gardening Club are holding
their annual PLANT SALE in Wesley
Hall, Bridge Street, Carndonagh on
Monday 25th May. Wide variety of plants
and garden sundries. More details
to follow.
Inishowen
Women’s Outreach
Calling all community groups in Inishowen!
Are you an organisation looking for
volunteers? Are you seeking to promote
your activities more widely and effectively
across the community? Are you seeking
ways to make the volunteer experience
more rewarding for your volunteers?
The Donegal Volunteer Centre is holding
a Volunteer Workshop, with Trainer
Tony Kearney, to help you towards
improving all aspects of the volunteer
experience. Where: Greenbank Hall,
Quigley's Point; When: Thursday 4th
June 10am-1pm. The workshop is free
of charge. Donegal Volunteer Centre
is funded by Department of Community,
Rural, and Gaeltacht Affairs and is
supported by Inishowen Development
Partnership. For more information
phone Sandra on 074 9126740.
Bocan
Defibrillator Group
Training Nights
Tuesday, 26th may and Thursday 28th
May at 9 pm in Bocan Hall.
Re-Certification will take place on
Wednesday 3rd June at 7.30 pm in Bocan
Hall.
Addiction
– The first step in recovery
Learn from the past, plan
for the future, live in the present
Dependence on alcohol, other drugs
or gambling presents life threatening
physical and mental health challenges
for individuals, stress and relationship
difficulties in families, financial
problems for all concerned, educational
issues for children and young people,
deaths on roads and crime on our streets.
An honest response to the following
questions will confirm evidence of
addiction.
Have you ever felt you should cut
down on your use of alcohol, other
drugs or the time and money spent
gambling?
Have people annoyed you by criticizing
your dependence on alcohol, other
drugs or the time and money spent
on gambling?
Have you ever felt guilty about
your dependence on alcohol, other
drugs or on gambling?
Have you needed alcohol or other
drug first thing in the morning
to steady your nerves or to get
rid of a hangover?
If you are concerned about your dependence
on alcohol, other drugs or gambling,
staff in White Oaks Rehabilitation
Centre R.O.I Tel: 074 9384400 or N.I.
Tel 00353 749384400 provide a confidential
counselling service for individuals,
couples or families. It has been said
that a journey of 1000 Km begins with
the first step, begin the journey
into recovery today.
The
Deep End- Appeasing God
Today’s First Reading [1 John
4:7-10] is a tricky one. Having just
told us the wonderful news that ‘God
is Love’ [v.8]John now seems
to undo it all by saying that God
‘sent his on to be the atoning
sacrifice for our sins’ [v.10].
Here we have that seemingly awful
image of God, as the one who demands
appeasement for the sins of humanity
by the death of his beloved Son. So
which is it? It can’t be both,
can it? How can a God who is love
possibly want the one he loves to
be slaughtered to appease him? To
put it bluntly: is there some way
of honouring the text without dishonouring
God?
Now you can try to resolve the dilemma
by saying it is God’s love for
us that compels him to send his son
to be killed. But, the possibility
that God could love human beings more
than his ‘beloved’ son
stretches the mind that little bit
too far, don’t you think? If
God, indeed, is love and totally independent
in how he expresses it, then why on
earth would he demand sacrificial
appeasement? Does that not smack of
hardness of heart, even vindictiveness?
You may introduce justice into the
equation and claim that divine justice
demands it. But is that not making
love subservient to justice? And love
is greater. Indeed, as Paul says in
1 Cor 13:13 ‘the greatest of
all is love’. Once God forgives,
justice goes out the door.
So, are love and demands for appeasement
mutually exclusive? If you find out,
let me know.
Fr Tom Cahill SVD
|
