“Alleluia Remains Our Song!”
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THE NET | APRIL 2020 1 ISSUE 53. APRIL 2020 PRICE - £1.50 The NET /€2.00 Sharing fruits of faith in Derry Diocese See inside... The NET celebrates 5th Anniversary Stay Awake - St Eugene’s Rosary Procession - Newtownstewart “Alleluia remains our song!” JPII Focus - Faughanvale Eucharistic Adoration - Claudy Remembrance Service - Ballinascreen Refugee Support - Steelstown Divine Mercy - Creggan in focus in People Stephen Doherty - Waterside Rita Moore - Long Tower Tina & Mickey Bradley - Buncrana Fr Michael Keaveny - Faughanvale Crockett Sisters - Long Tower Also featuring: Great community spirit as Cappagh Parish reaches out; Ardstraw East blessing on wheels; Derry youth inspired by uplifting ARISE event; Remembering Sr Clare Crockett; Excellent online youth and parish programmes, and much more... 2 THE NET | APRIL 2020 Easter Message from Bishop Donal Contents Alleluia remains our song! Parish deliveries Normally, we think of Lent as be extended for many weeks by to be changed forever. Copies of ‘The Net’ will be available a six-week season of the year. the threat of Covid19. Jesus turns the world upside in parishes again after restrictions, But this year, we are learning But, our belief in the down. that Lent is a season of the Resurrection of Jesus does tell The Resurrection says two as a result of Covid-19, are lifted. heart. us something about suffering - things. Firstly, death is never Alleluia remains our song! Without ongoing prayer, and about the faith with which the end of the story. We are Easter reflection from Bishop Donal ................................. p2 almsgiving and fasting, there we face the pandemic and all made for eternal life. As St Paul White Oaks giving people tools to live contented is no real discipleship of Jesus. the havoc that Covid19 has wrote, “Nothing can separate sobriety A Reflection by Marguerite Hamilton ................................ p2 Without a lifelong journey been wreaking around the us from the love of God made of dying to ourselves, we are world. visible in Christ Jesus our Diocesan online youth ministry programme .................. p3 not walking in the footsteps What we call ‘Easter Sunday’ Lord” (Romans 8:39). of Jesus. We are just expecting was meant to be the day after As one Preface of the Mass for Bishop Donal High praise for young people taking time out him to traipse around after us. the Sabbath, when those who the Dead says, “Life is changed, Jesus tells us that the Kingdom So, in the middle of our in solidarity with homeless .............................................. p4-5 So, the Easter that we had killed Jesus could awaken not ended”. of God in this world has begun long Lent, we can still be an Youth Sleep Out raises thousands for charities ............ p6 celebrate this year is not just with a happy heart. The Secondly, Easter does not just and that death, too, will be put Easter people and Alleluia what the calendar tells us is troublemaker was gone, and celebrate the belief that we under God’s feet (1 Cor 15:26). remains our song. And this Youth comment on Sleep Out experience ........................p7 the end of Lent – because our things could go back to the way shall live with God, snatched Death and tragedy may win year, our world needs to hear Lenten journey of enforced they were. But how wrong they from the jaws of death in this a battle; they have already lost that message of hope in an Ardstraw East Parish blessing on wheels! ........................p8 self-discipline looks like it will were! And their world was set world. The Resurrection of the war. especially strong way. Newtownstewart walks in the light by Ardstraw East Parish Pastoral Council .........................p8 Reflecting on the Holy Father’s monthly prayer intention, Marguerite Hamilton, of the Columba Community, Young people welcome public roles in Faughanvale ... p9 shares the story of White Oaks Rehabilitation Centre in accompanying those suffering from addiction. Ballinascreen remembrance service ............................... p10 Steelstown Craft Group supporting refugees ............... p10 White Oaks treatment giving people the tools to Jesus is amongst us! - Fr Anthony Prendergast in Claudy Parish .....................p11 Rita Moore reflects on 40 years live in contented sobriety of Long Tower Folk Group ..............................................p12-13 IN April, Pope Francis is asking us “to We look on it as the Lord’s Fr Michael Keaveny celebrates 69 years of priesthood p13 gift to us ….He will never be Prayers for Vocations & Seminarians...............................p13 pray that those suffering from addiction outdone in generosity when we follow His promptings. Derry youths inspired by uplifting ARISE event ........... p14 may be helped and accompanied”. At In writing the story of White Thornhill Spiritual Book Club Review Oaks, the immense generosity by Gerardine Doherty ........................................................... p14 White Oaks Rehabilitation Centre this invitation has a very real application for of people comes to mind. Great community spirit as Cappagh reaches out .........p15 Those who supported us in us in our day-to-day work. prayer, the business people The Morning of the Resurrection who gave interest free loans the work the Lord wanted us by Fr Stephen Quinn OCD .................................................... p16 for the purchase of the site and to be involved in, was to help practical help, the ladies who Irish Page by Fr Oliver Crilly those addicted to drugs and came and sewed curtains for Colm Cille agus Eoin Soiscealai..........................................p17 alcohol and their families. the 120 windows and made Addiction is often described the bedding, and the medical Buncrana couple share blessing of as a family disease, with every Divine Mercy Devotion ....................................................p18-19 personnel who assisted in member of the family affected negotiations with statutory by the chaos that surrounds White Oaks Rehabilitation Centre Pray for Divine Mercy “on us bodies. The Scripture - “there is and on the whole world” – Bishop Donal ...................... p19 the person who is addicted. a variety of gifts but always the year aftercare programme. As believers, isn’t this so Chaplet of Divine Mercy ...................................................... p19 We have found, in our same Spirit” - comes to mind. Often we talk about how the true in all our lives? There are almost 40-year journey as a Each gift was needed and used person has changed during many situations over which Divine Mercy message so necessary for healing wounds Community, that when the by Fr Joe Gormley ............................................................. p20-21 for the greater good of people treatment but society outside we have no control, but as we Lord has called us to a specific and to fulfil God’s plan in the remains the same. We believe come before the Lord in our work He has always given what Comforting thoughts and prayers shared ............... p22-25 life of our Community and the aftercare is a vital part of brokenness and sin the good we need to see it through. We Marguerite Hamilton, Columba those we are called to serve. treatment at White Oaks and news for us is that the love and Sr Clare Crockett still touching lives ................................p26 have depended on what are Community We opened White Oaks is aimed at giving people the mercy of Jesus, the one who is reputed to be the last written tools whereby they can live in always faithful, can restore us Remembering Sr Clare with Servant Sisters ..................p27 As a Community, we began in 2001 and based our words of St Columba...“those contented sobriety. to a new, fulfilled life of love a discernment process based programme on the 12 Step who trust in the Lord shall As a Community, we have and service. Each one of us has All Creatures Great and Small on the scripture text given to Model. At this stage, we have want for no manner of good learned so much from the a unique gift to offer. by Vera McFadden..................................................................p28 our founder, Fr Neal Carlin, treated 2,400 people and given things” (Psalm 34). residents at White Oaks and As we pray with Pope Francis “they that wait upon the Lord.” help to their families. We work My faith journey At White Oaks, we have been the 12 Step Programme. We during April, I ask you to keep This beautiful call to “wait with a group of 12 people who by Stephen Doherty ...............................................................p29 encouraged by these words have seen people set free from in your prayers the residents, on the Lord” encouraged the come for a 28-day residential and we see the Centre, nestled the chains of alcohol and drug families, staff and volunteers A Word of God for your Family Life Community to pray, fast and stay. The programme involves in the Donegal hills, beside the misuse that bind them, the at White Oaks and all who by Fr Johnny Doherty CSsR ..................................................p30 discern where He was leading one-to-one counselling, wild beauty of the Celtic Prayer great joy at reconciliation in struggle with addiction. Prayer for Priests ...................................................................p30 us to serve. We held all night group therapy, meditation, Pope’s Prayer Intention .......................................................p30 Garden, as a precious gift to us families, and we have been vigils, asked those who pray therapeutic