THE NET | JANUARY 2021 1 ISSUE 61. JANUARY 2021 PRICE - £1.50 /€2.00 The NET “Wishing all a Sharing fruits of faith in Derry Diocese Happy New Year” See inside... Oratory Blessing - St Joseph’s Derry. “The Lord is my Shepherd, There is nothing I shall want, Diocesan School Mass - St Eugene’s. Fresh and green are the pastures, Where He gives me repose, Near restful waters He leads me, To revive my drooping spirit.” (Psalm 23) Golden Jubilee - St Mary’s Melmount. Ness Woods Waterfall, Co Derry. Divine Child Prayer – Termonbacca Diocesan Lourdes Mass - Steelstown. Colmcille 1500 – Long Tower Vocations - Fr Chris Ferguson in focus in People Fr Michael Mullan RIP - Ballerin. Katie Ascough - Called to More. Fr Patrick McGoldrick RIP - Buncrana. Mary O’Boyle - RE Advisor. Anne Friel DPC Chair - Glendermott. Also featuring: Young writers share thoughts on New Year, St Columba, Role of the young in shaping the world post-Covid, and Pope Francis’ moments of solitude; Diocesan Pastoral Council chair reflects on time of change as church; Faithful across the Diocese share hopes for 2021, Irish Page, Children’s Catechism Club, Quiz & Features and much more... 2 THE NET | JANUARY 2021 Bishop Donal reflects on the Pope’s prayer intention for January 2021 – “Human Contents fraternity...May the Lord give us the grace to live in full fellowship with our brothers CopiesParish of ‘The Net’ will deliveries be available in parishes again and sisters of other religions, praying for one another, open to all”. after restrictions, as a result of Covid-19, are lifted. Pray for the gift of forgiving hearts A reflection by Bishop Donal ....................................................p2 Faith & Life Reflection by Mary McMenamin ....................................................................p2 Pray for the gift of forgiving hearts Act of Consecration to the Most Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary ................................p2 THE great document on day and a favourite way to the Church from the Second power. Indeed, there are Celebrating 50 years of St Mary’s Church, Melmount Vatican Council, ‘Lumen those within the Catholic by Hollie Frystal .............................................................................p3 Gentium’, includes in its family who have adopted that first paragraph a powerful confrontational approach in Dedication of Oratory another landmark day sentence – “the Church is... church issues. in history of St Joseph’s School ...............................................p4 like a sacrament or as a sign Pope Francis’ call to human and instrument both of a very fraternity follows on from Bishop Donal pays tribute to schools for creativity in challenging times ..........................................p5 closely knit union with God his document of October It is with a faith full of hope and of the unity of the whole 3rd 2020, ‘Fratelli Tutti’ (FT). that we place our trust in God by Mary O’Boyle. ..............p5 human race.” His Encyclical Letter begins Catholic Schools’ Week launch The Bible story had begun with an analysis of ‘Dark by Therese Ferry.............................................................................p5 with Adam and Eve making Clouds over a Closed World’. a mess of the initial harmony He refers to the ‘throwaway’ Carmelite Novena a humbling into which they were created. world and ‘globalization and and touching time of prayer .................................................p6-7 The purpose of the Church progress without a roadmap’. Derry youth impressed by Dublin couple’s is, through the grace of Jesus, All of this leads, he suggests, to Focus on ‘Called to More’ ...................................................... p8-9 to speak about - and model both contempt for others and - that vertical relationship a widespread self-contempt. Our vocation is a gift to give thanks to God with God and the horizontal In any crisis, the temptation is by Fr Chris Ferguson .....................................................................p9 relationship between people. strong to build walls to protect Derry Diocesan Vocations’ Prayer...........................................p9 January is the month ourselves. Inside the walls, when Catholics are asked to those who see themselves as From seminary to parish life celebrate the Week of Prayer righteous can gather. That was – A tribute to the late Fr Patrick McGoldrick by Rose Ann O’Donnell. ............................................................p10 for Christian Unity. Jesus how the Pharisees reacted. had prayed that His followers But the Christian response Steadfast in prayer during long life would be so united that others to this reality, Pope Francis – A tribute to the late Fr Michael Mullan .......................... p11 would believe in Him (John proposes, is St Paul’s teaching Bishop Donal 17:21). For many outsiders, that the greatest danger is Young writers share thoughts on... Christian disunity is a source failing to love (cf 1 Corinthians Communities of the self- being famous! We have a lot of work to - Hopes for 2021 of scandal and makes Christ’s 13:1-13). He invites us to righteous can be very cold In a world where it is easy do in that respect in Ireland. - Relevance of St Columba today message seem incredible. prioritise ‘thinking and acting places, liable to constant to say that the bad enemy of There is a lot of healing to be - The role of the young in shaping the world post-Covid Much of the political world in terms of community’. (FT fragmentation! good us is out there – Russia, done and we have to start with - Pope Francis’ moments of solitude ............................ p12-15 in many countries is riven by 116) The pandemic has shown us China, capitalism, Islam etc our own backyard. Prayer for Bishop Donal launches Columban Year. ............................p16 bitter words and angry leaders. Loving people is more that the real heroes are those – Pope Francis encourages the gift of forgiving hearts is Diocesan Lourdes Mass of Remembrance ........................p16 Division by condemnation important than merely who care for others and not us to be bridge-builders and what we are asked to pray in seems to be the order of the championing laws. those who are famous, just for peacemakers. the first month of 2021. Ár nDúchas Spioradálta Irish Page by Fr Oliver Crilly..................................................... p17 This is a time of change for all of us as Church Reflection on Faith and Lifeby Mary McMenamin by Anne Friel, DPC Chair ......................................................p18-19 AS the New Year 2021 begins, Mary as this New Year begins. Most Sacred Hearts of Jesus We face many challenges...but I believe the Lord it is a time for reflection, I look with sadness on the and Mary’ in our homes. will build up the Diocese by Bishop Donal .......................p19 renewal of hope and new abortion laws that came into Mary mother of God pray Diocesan Pastoral Council .......................................................p19 resolutions. The first day of effect in 2019, which is one for us! St Columba Prayer ......................................................................p19 January is the feast day of Mary of most extreme abortion We pray that 2021 will bring Mother of God, a very special laws seen anywhere in the everyone peace, joy, good New Year blessing ...................................................................... p20 feast. There is no better way to world. Human life has been health and, most of all, faith! Looking forward to the blessings of 2021 with hopeful hearts ............................................................ p20-27 begin the New Year than with devalued here in Ireland by Our Lady. our governments and the Teach me to pray! St Therese of Lisieux St Pope John Paul II had a womb has now become one by Fr Stephen Quinn OCD ..................................................... p28 great devotion to Mary and of the most dangerous places Prayer for Priests ........................................................................ p28 demonstrated this throughout for a baby to be. The job of Pope’s Prayer Intention ........................................................... p28 his life on earth. When Karol our government should be to Wojtyla was a young boy of protect the most vulnerable in Our Hidden God Act of Consecration to the Most Sacred eight, he came home one day our society, but unfortunately by Fr Johnny Doherty CSsR...................................................... p29 from school to hear that his that is not the case today. Marriage and the Family Hearts of Jesus and Mary by Tom & Madeline McCully ................................................... p29 Most Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, dear mother had died. He ran We, as Christians, have an We consecrate ourselves and our whole families to you. straight to the local parish important role to play in these Evergreen treasures We consecrate to you our very beings and all our lives, church in Wadowice and ran troubled times. What can by Vera McFadden ...................................................................... p30 all that we have, and all that we love. up the aisle of the church, we do, you may ask. To put it To you we give our bodies, our hearts and our souls. where he knelt in front of the simply, we can pray! Children’s Catechism Club – C3 To you we dedicate our homes and our country. statue of Our Lady. Through The Rosary is a powerful by Veronica Harley ......................................................................p31