THE NET | JULY / AUGUST 2020 1 ISSUE 56. JULY / AUGUST 2020 PRICE - £1.50 The NET /€2.00 Sharing fruits of faith in Derry Diocese See inside... Bishop Francis Lagan RIP “We look forward with trust. That is what Peter, Paul and Patrick would ask us to do”. (Bishop Donal) Celebrating St Columba – Long Tower St Pio House – Galliagh Bishop Donal celebrating first public Mass in the Diocese in St Patrick’s Church, Pennyburn. Holy Family Honoured – Newtownstewart JPII Reflections – Malin Confirmation – Bellaghy First Communicants – Limavady in focus in People Oliver Barrett, Leckpatrick Kate McGranaghan – Strabane Moran Family – Desertmartin Hollie Frystal – Melmount Fr Columba Jordan CFR Also featuring: Fan the Flame, End of School Year Diocesan Mass, Search Rosary, DYC recruiting and other Youth News, College and Parish lockdown features, St Francis Men’s Prayer Group, Award for Bishop Donal, Children’s Catechism Club, Irish Page, Features & Quiz. 2 THE NET | JULY / AUGUST 2020 Contents Family and a sense of belonging CopiesParish of ‘The Net’ will deliveries be available in parishes again after restrictions, as a result of Covid-19, are lifted. are important human experiences Family and a sense of belonging are important human experiences – Bishop Donal.................................... p2 Bishop Francis Lagan RIP ........................................................ p2 Bishop Donal reflects on the Pope’s prayer intentions for July and August... Derry Youth Ministry scholarship ......................................... p2 Our Families. We pray that today’s families Maris, Star of the Sea. A smile, Diocesan ‘End of School’ Year Mass .................................... p3 a welcome, the chance to pray Bellaghy Confirmation a beautiful sacramental may be accompanied with love, respect and or to attend Mass can be a and child-centred occasion – Mgr Dolan .......................... p3 guidance (July). St Finlough’s Sistrakeel celebrate sacraments ............... p3 significant source of comfort. The Maritime World. We pray for all those Family and a sense of Fan the Flame 2020 ................................................................p4-5 who work and live from the sea, among belonging are important human experiences – not just Search brings ‘Light of Christ’ into many homes them sailors, fishermen and their families for sailors. In his July theme during lockdown by Martin McLaughlin ............................. p5 (August). for prayer, Pope Francis asks us not just to ‘pray for families’ Go forth and spread the Good News THERE was an advertisement prayer topic, I contacted – but to pray that they will by Hollie Frystal ...........................................................................p6 many years ago for a Belfast- a ship’s captain and asked Diocesan youth programme kept me busy be ‘accompanied with love, based removals company. The what challenges sailors face. and hopeful by Hollie Frystal .................................................p6 respect and guidance’. Families slogan went something like There is bad weather, the come in different forms.Bishop Donal at the 2019 Greencastle Maritime Service. A perfect role model for the young – this – Four-fifths of the world threat of piracy in parts of They often find themselves in We can inspire families to Carlo Acutis soon to be beatified is covered by water. The rest the globe and a strange life can accompany all families, situations that are not of their grow and mature because by Hollie, Peter and Oisin .........................................................p7 is covered by Morgans! The that leaves many sailors far whatever their starting point Youth pilgrimage plans cancelled... own making. There may be we have been given a divine Pope’s Prayer intention in away from their families for might be. Jesus knows that ...but hopes held out for 2021 by Lizzie Rea .......................p7 the ideal picture of mum, dad vision of human dignity and August is for those who work long periods of time. They everyone benefits when and children. But, for sailors our interdependence. Our in ships and boats on the four- often miss important family relationships are healthy and Pope John Paul II Award reflections ................................p8-9 and others, life is not that bodies are sacred because fifths of the world’s surface that events like births, marriages nourishing. Many people easy. All families deserve to be they are Temples of the Holy Why conversations about ‘Black Lives Matter’ is not land. or funerals. Many – especially have been hurt, when they accompanied with respect. Spirit. Our relationships are belong in the classroom by Deirdre McElholm ................p9 These millions of men and in developing regions – live have lost faith in others or in Grace can be at work in all between sacred people who women transport goods of all tough lives on board, often themselves. They may need Parish youth leader opportunities life circumstances. As we can are destined for eternal life. It sizes around the world – and exploited and even abused by a lot of encouragement to by Yvonne Rooney ....................................................................p10 see from how Jesus treated his believe that their life and their is God’s dream and not human New recruits welcome to join DYC ......................................p10 they trawl the seas to satisfy their employers under threat contemporaries, God takes circumstances could change reprimand that we need to let Happy end to challenging school year our almost insatiable hunger of sanction, long working us where we are. He will want everyone hear. in Newtownstewart ..................................................................p10 for seafood. Without those hours and no time off. Many for the better. Coming to belief to move us from where we In these weeks, we will be who work on the waves our suffer marriage breakdown in a God who has belief in us Desertmartin family share lockdown experience .........p11 are. But God does not start coming out of the lockdown. modern world could not exist. due to separation. A lot of men may take time Holy Family honoured in Newtownstewart Oratory .....p11 by telling us we should start We hope and pray that we will That is especially true for us and women pay a high price so Yes, children benefit from somewhere else. He met from growing up in stable not relapse into a second wave. College feature .....................................................................p12-15 who live on an island. that we can have the goods and Matthew and Zacchaeus the As we do so, Pope Francis asks Some of my own relations foods that we expect to pick up environments. An excessive tax collectors, the Samaritan us not to be too preoccupied Funds needed to complete St Pio House ........................ p16 from the Glens of Antrim so casually. emphasis on the rights of the woman and the woman caught with ourselves - and to Fr Columba off on sabbatical ............................................... p16 went to sea – and my mother The Catholic Church has had adult can lead to neglecting in adultery. From every place remember in prayer families lost two cousins who were a long-standing commitment the priority of children’s needs. An Bráthair Searlas and every situation, there is a who may have suffered a lot sailors. There is a very moving and outreach to sailors as they But adults need strong and Irish Section by Fr Oliver Crilly ..............................................p17 graced path that leads to God. because of the virus. And monument in Greencastle, Co arrive in foreign harbours. dependable environments in The heart of God knows where to remember those hidden Celebrating St Columba ................................................... p18-19 Donegal, dedicated to the large The ‘Apostleship of the Sea’ which they too can flourish. we have been – but the Father workers who spend their number of local people who and the Legion of Mary have That is why St Paul addressed Bishop Donal humbled by community service award p19 also sees what we can become. lives on boats. The fishermen were lost at sea – in war, in the done great work in Irish ports all those connections when Thus, the Pope’s prayer is from Galilee would not want merchant navy and in fishing. through seamen’s hostels, often he wrote to the Church in We look back with gratitude...and look forward with trust that our parish communities Ephesus (Cf Ephesians 5:21- us to forget their modern – Bishop Donal .........................................................................p20 When reflecting on thisdedicated to Our Lady, Stella develop big hearts which 6:4). counterparts. The love of Christ urges us on – Bishop Donal ..............p20 Parish Feature ......................................................................p21-26 Bishop Francis Lagan RIP Even difficult periods are times of grace Derry Youth Ministry – Bishop Donal ..........................................................................p26 priesthood when he quietly slipped away to his eternal rest St Francis’ Men’s Prayer & Friendship Group ................... p2 on the Feast of St Columba. Scholarship Special creation brings joy in time of sadness ............. p27 With restrictions on wakes However, all young people on their next stage in life. and funerals due to Covid-19, in senior cycle at school They will gain experience of My faith journey people found alternative ways by Oliver Barrett ........................................................................p28