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St
Mary’s Church Bocan
24th
February 2008
Third
Sunday in Lent
In
Flanders Fields
Most of the poems
from the Great War are very critical
of those that allowed it to happen.
This one goes against the current—not
really glorifying war, but accepting
its inevitability.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing,
fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short
days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel
with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies
grow
In Flanders fields.
John McCrae
- 1872-1918
Responsorial
Psalm
O that today you would listen to his
voice:
harden not your hearts.
First Holy
Communion & Confirmation Dates
The First Holy Communion will take
place this year on
Saturday, 24th May at 11 am.
The Sacrament of Confirmation will
be administered on
Wednesday, 2nd April at 5
pm.
Collection
Priests Collection, €1,578;
Development Collection, €1,000.
Thank you for your generosity.
Station Mass
Friday, 29th February at 8 pm in the
home of Stephen & Lorraine Miller,
Moneydarragh
Readings
1st In the First
Reading we are told how the people
tested God and God tested the people.
These narratives forewarn us that
our faith too will be tested but there
is the assurance that God is always
with us;
2nd St Paul proclaims
the foundations of Christian community:
God’s eternal and unconditional
love;
Gospel At the heart
of today’s Gospel is the gift
of living water welling up to eternal
life. The promise is fulfilled in
the Sacrament of Baptism.
Whist Winners
1st Gerard Doherty,
Ourt; 2nd Mickey O’Donnell,
Carn, 3rd Betty Houten, Culdaff.
Draw Winners: James
McConalogue, Cashel, Ellen Ann Lafferty,
Glengad, Mickey McCormick, Moville.
Other Winners: Mary
Ellen Ruddy, Culdaff, Phyllis Monagle,
Priestown, Phyllis Lloyd, Gleneely,
Brian Diver, Buncrana, John Doherty,
Malin Head, Paddy McLaughlin, Gleneely.
Snowball Next Week €65
for 183 or less. Friday Nights at
8.45 pm in Bocan Hall. Everyone welcome.
Youth Club Rota
Friday, 29th February: Marian Keddy,
Karen Clabby, Ilka McDermott, Mary
Collins.
Inishowen Women’s Outreach
Can you spare a few hours a week?
Women’s Outreach is offering
training for volunteers. Closing date
for next training is 20th March. Contact
9373337 [Mon-Fri 10 am] if you are
interested.
Scoil Mhuire, Gleneely
Enrolment forms are now available
from the School for the 2008/2009
School Year.
Carmelite Retreat Centre,
Derry
A One-Day Retreat for Senior Citizens
and their friends from Derry and surrounding
area will take place in Termonbacca
on Wednesday, 5th March from 10.30
am and finishing around 5 pm. Cost
is €18 and includes a 4-course
lunch. Payment at the Centre on the
day.
Serenity
House, Moville
Cancer Support Meeting,
Monday, 25th February at 7.30 pm.
Everyone welcome.
Book Club Meeting
on Tuesday, 11th March at 7.30 pm.
The book this month is “A Thousand
Splendid Suns” by Khalid Hosseini.
All are welcome.
Coping with Depression and
Anxiety? Names are being
taken for a six-week course which
is due to start shortly in Serenity
House. Contact 9382945 for more details.
Chiropodist, Deirdre
Britton, will be in Serenity House
on Friday, 29th February from 9.30
am. Appointments to 9360363 / 086
0666538.
Are you caring for an older
person? Would you like information
regarding entitlements, respite, support
groups and other support services?
Diane Donnelly, Carers Development
Officer is holding a number of Information
Drop-In Clinics in the Community Hospitals.
Carndonagh Community Hospital
– Monday 25th February from
12 Noon - 2 pm;
Buncrana Community Hospital
– Tuesday, 26th February
from 12 Noon – 2 pm.
If you have any queries contact Diane
on 087 27770103.
Woman
Woman was made from the rib of
man.
She was not created from his head
– to top him
Nor from his feet – to be stepped
upon.
She was made from
his side - to be equal to him;
From beneath his arm – to be
protected by him;
Near his heart – to be loved
by him.
(Anon)
The Deep End –
Sophisticated Slavery
In his book Seeking Spirituality
Ronald Rolheiser states that the incarnate
God is found first and foremost in
peoples’ homes. According to
him ‘The God of the Incarnation
is more domestic than monastic.’
The Israelites, in today’s First
reading [Exodus 17: 3-7], didn’t
see God that way. For them, he was
external : present in a burning bush,
in a pillar of fire and on a storm
tossed mountaintop. So external was
he that they doubted his presence
at all in time of difficulty . For
them, he was a fair-weather god.
When their basic needs were not met,
they complained loudly. Forgetful
of their recent past of slavery and
misery, they bemoaned their perilous
present and their uncertain future.
They wanted sustenance, security,
and comfort. Otherwise they would
resort to idols for what they wanted.
Are we, modern and sophisticated as
we like to think, all that different?
Don’t we too have our idols:
consumerism, entertainment, fashion,
popularity and image? Aren’t
we enslaved by the shop-till-you-drop
impulse, the must-have craving for
the latest fashions and trends, and
an insatiable appetite for praise
and popularity?
Could we say that our God is not just
domestic, but domesticated?
Fr Tom
Cahill SVD
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