St
Mary’s Church Bocan - 24th
June 2007—No 29
The
Birth of John the Baptist
Responsorial
Psalm
I thank you for the wonder of my being.
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God’s
world is beautiful, if we take
the time to open our eyes and
see. |
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Some
More Trees
A fine mist coats
each
leaf. Wind moves like speech
through laden boughs, a performance
which, given the chance,
will astonish
the morning.
Clouds, meanwhile, are agreeing
with me that I
should make an effort, at least try
to say exactly
what they are.
They hang there.
I stare at them, hoping soon
to be able to explain
how they were
invented.
The trees are surrounded
By charged air, bird noises,
Waves of light. Something emerges
from the centre
of the morning.
I watch it moving
Nervously, with reticence,
caught-up in its own defence.
John Ashbery
[The Vigil
Mass next Saturday (30th June) is
being offered for Willie Harkin on
his 1st Anniversary].
40-Hour
Exposition
next
Saturday & Sunday [30th June/1st
July]:
Saturday, 10 am—7 pm
Sunday: 12 noon—6 pm;
Holy Hour 6 pm—7 pm.
P.S.
To ensure that someone is present
at all times, please write your name
on the sheet provided.
Today’s
Readings
1st The word of the
prophet is like a sharp sword. It
comes with power;
2nd Paul describes
the role of John the Baptist;
Gospel John’s
birth is described in the gospel of
Luke .
Money
Matters:
Priests Collection
€1,675;
Development Collection,
€1,055. Thank you
for your generosity.
N.B. The Annual Peter’s
Pence Collection will be taken up
this weekend along with the Development
Collection [No Weekly Offering Envelope
this weekend].
Bocan Youth
Club Rota – 29th June
Gretta Doherty, Rosaleen McLaughlin,
Patricia Davenport, Sharon O’Donnell
.
N.B. Bocan Youth
Club Annual church-gate collection
will be taken up on the 7th/8th July.
Youth Trip to Croagh Padraig
- The trip takes place on
Sunday 22 July for those aged 18-30
and it will cost £35. The fee
includes the transport from Derry,
an official guide and dinner in Westport.
Places are limited so booking deadline
is 6th July. Forms can be had from
the Parochial House or telephone 04871
264087.
Parish Sports
The Annual Parish Sports take place
today, Sunday, 24th June, at 2 pm
in the field behind Kevin’s
Shop. A great day’s Craic is
guaranteed.
Culdaff
Water Sports Society
Fun Weekend – 13th-15th
July
This
year’s events are being held
in memory of Brian Houten with all
proceeds going to the RNLI. Events
on the weekend include:
Friday, 13th: Car
Treasure Hunt;
Saturday, 14th: Fun
Sponsored Cycle from Letterkenny to
Culdaff; 14 Mile Run; Duck Race; Over-40s
Football between Gleneely & Culdaff;
Sunday, 15th: [at
3 pm]
Raft Races
[Ladies, Men's, Mixed],
Junior [U-16’s and Senior
Kayak Races. Lots of other activities
will also be available.
If you wish to participate in any
of these events contact John Paul
on 086 860427 or Martina on 077 6264051
Young People
and Suicide
There will be a Youth Vigil in Ballymagroarty
Parish Church on Sunday, 24th June
from 7 pm – 11.30 pm. This vigil
is being held for all those affected
by suicide in any way and also for
all young people. This will be an
evening of prayer, drama, music, silence,
talks and healing. Its purpose is
to give hope and consolation to those
who are finding it hard to cope with
the struggles of life. Everyone welcome.
Blood Donors
needed in Carndonagh
The Unit will be visiting Carndonagh
on
Wednesday,
4 July, 3 pm – 4.45 pm &
7 pm – 9.30 pm;
Thursday,
5July, 2 pm – 4.45 pm &
7 pm – 9.30 pm.
Serenity
House
Certificate in Preparatory
Studies will be commencing
in Serenity House in September. It
is a 1-Year full-time course designed
for mature students who wish to progress
to third level studies. For details
contact Serenity House on 9382945
or email serenityhouse@eircom.net
Chiropodist,
Deirdre Britton will be in Serenity
House on 29th June at 9.30 am. To
make an appointment call 086 0666538
/9360363.
Serenity House
Active Retirement Association
are organising a trip to Tory Island
on Thursday, 19th July. For details
contact 9382945.
Cancer Support Group will
be going to the IOSAS Centre on Monday,
25th June followed by Mass in St Anthony’s
Retreat Centre, Dundrean, Burnfoot.
The bus will leave Serenity House
at 6 pm sharp. This will be the last
meeting of the Cancer Support Group
until September.
Carmelite Retreat
Centre
Mass with Healing Service on Tuesday,
26th June at 8pm. All are welcome
to attend.
Lourdes Pilgrimage
There are no more places available
on this year’s Pilgrimage.
Reflection
Ideals are like stars: you will not
succeed in touching them with your
hands, but like the seafaring man
on the ocean desert of waters, you
choose them as your guides, and following
them, you reach your destiny.
Carl Schurz [German politician
and general 1829-1906]
What’s in a name?
Quite a lot if the choices of many
parents is anything to go by. There
is a line of thought that holds names
are chosen with a view to their social
and economic advancement. The ironic
thing is that if a name becomes used
too much, then it can become devalued.
Currently, Jack, Sean, Conor, Adam
& James, while for females Emma,
Sarah, Katie, Amy & Aoife take
the top positions in Ireland [CSO
205].
John was the divine
non-traditional choice for Zechariah's
latest addition to the family. Names
can match personalities, and in this
case John is a very ‘strong’
name. As strong a name as Liviu Librescu,
a Romanian, Jewish Holocaust survivor
who became an aeronautics expert in
the USA. He was teaching a class when
Cho-Seung-Hui went on the rampage
in Virginia Tech College last April
[2007]. He got his students, most
not of his faith, to escape out the
window, while he, a man of 76, barricaded
the door and threw himself in the
path of the attacker.
In a culture which
so gauchely celebrates those who ruthlessly
kick obstructions out of the way to
get to the top, the example of this
man might encourage others to get
in the way of whatever threatens humanity.
Names are ennobled by the actions
of those who bear them or not. Could
we be described as someone strong
in spirit, like the Baptist who gets
in the way of evil in the world and
points to Christ. If so, then whatever
name you bear, it is divinely chosen
for you.
Tom Cox
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