Sunday 2nd March 2008

Fourth Sunday of Lent

The Rose Within

A man planted a rose and watered it faithfully, and before it blossomed, he examined it. He saw the bud that would soon blossom and also the thorns. And he thought “How can any beautiful flower come from a plant burdened with so many sharp thorns?” Saddened by this thought, he neglected to water the rose, and before it was ready to bloom it died.

So it is with many people. Within every soul there is a rose. The God-like qualities planted in us at birth grow amid the thorns of our faults. Many of us look at ourselves and see only the thorns, the defects. We despair, thinking that nothing good can possibly come from us. We neglect to water the good within us, and eventually it dies. We never realise our potential.

Some people do not see the rose within themselves; someone else must show it to them. One of the greatest gifts a person can possess is to be able to reach past the thorns and find the rose within others. This is the characteristic of love, to look at a person, and knowing his faults, recognise the nobility in his soul, and help him realise that he can overcome his faults. If we show him the rose, he will conquer the thorns. Then will he blossom, blooming forth thirty, sixty, a hundred-fold as it is given to him.

Our duty in this world is to help others by showing them their roses and not their thorns. Only then can we achieve the love we should feel for each other; only then can we bloom in our own garden.

If you need Him,He will be there for you.

PARISH NEWS, MEETINGS AND EVENTS

Deaths:
Please pray for the dead, especially:
Mary Murray, Clonkirk
Sinead McBride, NY/Meath
May Reilly, England /O’Neill Pk
John Murray, Roslea

Baptisms: We welcome into God’s community:
Conrad Patrick Reihill, Stephen Wang.

Do This in Memory Mass: For 2nd Class on Sun March 9th @ 9.30. School choir will sing at this mass.

World Youth Day July ‘08
Clogher Don Oige presents “Shamrocks Down Under”: Renowned flower demonstrator Fr Sean McAvoy will be in Cornagague Primary School on Thurs 6th March @ 8pm. Adm £7. All Altar Society Members invited.

Senior Choir: Last three practices in school at 8pm on Mon 3rd, Thurs 6th & Thurs 13th. Vigil Mass on Sat 15th will be broadcast so we need a full attendance.

Missionaries of Africa Church Gate Collection: On this weekend. Missionary Priests will speak at all Masses in the parish. Please give generously to this worthy cause.

Faith & Light: No Fiesta this Sun 2nd March. Next Fiesta on Sun 6th April.

SACRED HEART CHURCH , CLONES

Weekend Masses: Sat 7 pm (Vigil) Sun 9.30 am and 11.30am.
Confessions: Sat 10.20am; Sat 6.30—6.50; 1st Fri. 9.40am
Baptisms: By arrangement with the priest on Baptisms for the month
Marriage: By arrangement. Three month’s notice is required
Anointing Sick: At any time.

Masses for Week of February 24th
Sat 7pm Mary Flynn, Cara St &
All for whom Anniversary Masses were celebrated during the week

Sun 9.30 Mass
11.30 People of the Parish

Mon 7.30 Mass
10.00 Eamon McGuinness, Clonmore & James & Bridie Harlin, Ardee

Tues 7.30 James & Teresa Hanley, Longford
10.00 Patrick & Margaret McNamee, Jubilee Rd

Wed 7.30 Mass
10.00 Mary Brady & Deceased Relatives, Fermanagh St

Thurs 7.30 Andrew & Mary Green, Mt Salem
10.00 John Cunneen, Fermanagh St

Fri 10.00 Eddie & Eamon O’Connor, Jubilee Rd

Sat 10.00 Stan & Peggy Kerr & Joan Duffy, The Diamond
7pm (Vigil) All for whom Anniversary Masses were celebrated during the week

Sun 9.30 Jimmy Magee, Altertate
11.30 People of the Parish

Altar Society: M Beggan, S Lynch, C Monahan, G Cunningham, B Cassidy

ST. MACARTAN’S, AGHADRUMSEE

Masses: Sat 8pm(Vigil); Sun 10am. Fri 8pm;
Confessions: First Sat 7.30 pm. 1st Fri 7.30 pm
Baptisms: By arrangement with priest on Baptisms for month (See above)
Adoration : Wednesday 7.30pm—9.30pm

Sat 8pm Owen & Annie Beggan & Deceased Relatives, Mullinvaum

Sun 10am Betty Lambe, Crockawaddy

Fri 8pm James & Mary Maguire & Deceased Relatives, Dernacloy

Sat 8pm Hugh Pat Flanagan, Carnmore

Sun 10 Jim & Ellen Crudden & Kate McElroy, Knockawaddy

Eucharistic Adoration: M Lynch, M Flanagan, H Flanagan, H Crudden

Eucharistic Ministers: N Beggan, R Beggan

Servers: Team C Shannen Flanagan, Shauna Donohoe

GFC. Lotto: No Winner. Winning No’s 1, 14, 17, 19, jackpot now £2,300, thank you.

Finn Valley Club: March meeting will be held in Carncourt on Thurs 6th March @ 2.30pm. No T.Dance this month.

The Family that prays together
Stays together.

ST. ALPHONSUS, CONNONS

Masses: Sun 11.00 am.
Confessions: 1st Sun 10.40
Baptisms: By arrangement with priest on Baptisms for the month

Sun 11am. (2nd March) Jim & Madge Kennedy, Cloniston
(9th March) Mass

Altar Servers (9th) Michaela Maguire, Damien Connolly, Jessica Gavin

Reader (9th) Sean McCabe

Gift Bearers (9th) Vincent & Bernadette Smyth

Currin Lotto: No winner, winning No’s 4, 9, 25, 28, jackpot now €7,250, thank you.

Irish Catholic etc. on sale today.

Collectors for March:
(Vigil) Jim O’Reilly (NTB Rd), Marie Flanagan, Michael Fox (Jnr) Dan McPhillips
(9.30) Geraldine O’Reilly, Brendan Reilly, Raymond Hickey, Dessie McCabe
(11.30) John McManus, George Neeson, Kevin Hickey, Tom McGrane

COMMUNITY NEWS, ACTIVITIES, EVENTS

Parish Forum: Mon March 10th @ 8pm, in St Joseph’s Hall Extracts from ‘Parish Renewal’ by Donal Harrington to ponder - “The final outstanding element which people seek in their parishes today has to do with gifts and giftedness. If in the past much parish activity revolved around what the priest did, this will not be the case in the future. Today’s parish is about a sense of participation and an active involvement on the part of all” P65

“There has been a lot of change. Priests and others responsible for parish life cannot continue to operate as if nothing has changed. It is not enough to continue to focus energy on providing substantially the same services as before and think that somehow that is going to bring people back. Things are not going to return to what they were” P74.

World Day of Prayer: This year the Women’s World Day of Prayer Service is taking place on Fri 7th March @ 8pm in the Cassandra Hand Centre, Clones. Guest speaker on the night is Mrs Pat Flynn. The theme is “God’s Wisdom Provides New Understanding” and has been prepared by the women of Guyana. Leader of the prayer service is Mrs Caroline McMahon, organist is Mrs May Leech and soloist is Miss Amanda Snitzer.

Cookery Demonstration: Ticket’s are still available in the Forum office for cookery demonstration on Mon 3rd March @ 8pm with celebrity chef Frank Moynihan.

Gaelsciol Eois: Gaelscoil Eois & Paisti Eois are holding their annual Table Quiz in the Lennard Arms Hotel on Fri 14th March @ 9pm. This has proven to be a very enjoyable night in the past with great spot prizes and hampers. The quiz will be in ENGLISH with one round in Irish. Please come along and support your local Gaelscoil and Naoinra.

Heritage Town Tour: A Heritage Town Tour of Clones will take place on Sat 8th March starting from the Cassandra hand Centre @ 2pm. Tea served on our return to Centre. Adults €6, children Free. Everyone welcome. For further information contact the Cassandra Hand Centre 047 20626 or Clones Community Forum 047 52997.

Small Farm Holders Clinic: One to one clinic will be held in the Acorn Centre, Newbliss on Tues 4th March, 2.30—4.30pm. Assistance with farming issues, social welfare, medical cards, housing repairs, training, off farm employment, etc. No appointment necessary, just drop in.

Daffodil Day: Will take place on Fri 7th March. Anyone wishing to volunteer or donate daffodils on the day should contact Linda, 087 6325761 or P.J.,0872757876.

Irish Wheelchair Association Church Gate Collection: Will take place on Sat 8th & Sun 9th March. Please give generously.

Monaghan Carers: Are you caring for a family member, feeling isolated & need someone to talk to, we will provide a listening ear and from that will endeavour to provide the training, support and information that you require. Contact 042 97 54856.

"Life is not measured by the breaths we take
but by the moments that take our breath away."