Sunday 20th December 2009

Fourth Sunday of Advent.

Elizabeth said: 'Blessed is she who believed that the promises made to her by the Lord would be fulfilled'. This week we celebrate the wonderful feast of Christmas. Mary is by far the best person to teach us what it is about, as she was very central to the first Christmas. The first thing she teaches us is that Christmas is primarily about Christ. How obvious that should be and yet it is about so many other things for so many people today. The second thing Mary teaches us about Christmas is that it is about God's extreme love for us as we are. Each one of us is so precious in God's eyes that Christmas would have happened even if we were the only person ever to live. It is a time to let go to that love. And the third thing is that it is about family - our love for one another in our homes and being a family together in our parish community.

Fr. Johnny Doherty, C.Ss.R.

Notices for the bulletin are also taken by email to mail@bellaghyparish.com Please mark this bulletin news and have all notices into the office by lunchtime On Thursdays.

Mass Times

CHRISTMAS CAROL SERVICE on

Sunday 20th December @ 6.00pm

All welcome to Parochial Hall afterwards for refreshments

Christmas Mass Times.

(St Mary’s Bellaghy)

Christmas Eve Vigil @ 8.00pm

Christmas Day @ 9.00am & 11.00am

Evening Mass at 7.30pm on Mon 21st,

Tues 22nd and Wed 23rd December.

No morning Mass on Christmas Week

Confessions (St Mary's Bellaghy)

Mon 21st, Tues 22nd & Wed 23rd after 7.30pm Mass.

(St Joseph’s Ballyscullion)

Christmas Eve Vigil @ 6.00pm

Christmas Day @ 10.00am

Confessions (St Joseph’s)

Sunday 20th Dec after 10.00am Mass.

There will be no Mass on Mon 28th or Tues 29th December 2009.
The exception being a funeral.

If there is a wedding or funeral in the Parish this Mass will be the Mass of the Day. The exception being First Friday.

Mass on Wed 30th Dec & Fri 1st Jan (First Friday) @ 7.30pm.
Mass on Thurs 31st Dec @ 9.30am

Wednesday 6th January is The Feast of the Epiphany
Vigil Mass on Tues @ 7.30pm Mass @ 10am on Wed 6th January.

The Nazareth Nuns Collection will be taken up after communion on that day. Please use envelope provided.

Baptisms During January

Sunday 10th Jan—Feast of The baptism of The Lord, anyone wishing to have their baby baptised during 11am Mass please contact the Parish Office. & Saturday 30th Jan @ 3pm.

PARISH EVENTS.

Confirmation—16th May 2010 @ 11am

First Communion—22nd May 2010 @ 11am

Choir Practice on Mon 8pm.

New members welcome

Useful Tel No’s

Fr Dolan 028 79386259
Email address
frdolan@bellaghyparish.com
Fr B O’Donnell 028 79642458
Fr O Crilly 028 25821190
Lifeline 0808 808 8000
Samaritans 08457 909090
Cruise 0844 477 9400
Cruise Bannside 028 25630900
PIPS 028 90755070
ACCORD 028 9023 3002
Pastoral Centre 79642983

The Sacred Heart Messenger.
The magazine costs £12.00 for the year ahead and should be paid as
soon as possible.

Altar Servers: W’days:Oisin McGuckin Vigil: Dean Martin
9am:Cara Fullerton 11am: Dara Lee

Christmas Day Vigil: Dean Martin 9am: Cara Fullerton 11am:Dara Lee

27th Dec: W’days: Dara Lee Vigil: Oisin McGuckin 9am: Dean Martin
11am: Cara Fullerton

3rd Jan: W’days: Cara Fullerton Vigil:Dara Lee 9am: Oisin McGuckin
11am: Dean Martin

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS SCHEDULE

Weekend 26th & 27th December

Vigil: Margaret Diamond, Margaret Larkin, Pius Diamond .
9.00am: Hannah Magee, Dympna Hughes , Kevin Toner .
11.00: Philomena Cassidy, Pat Brennan, Carmel Scullion
Weekdays: week commencing 20th December :
Morning: Breege Scullion Evening: Margaret Diamond

Recent Craft Fair
Many thanks to Lena, her family and friends who raised £685.00 for Church Building Fund and £200.00 for Marie Curie.

Deaths:

We offer our prayers and sympathy to the family and friends of

John McGrath,

Willie Kearney and

Peter McIvor who died recently.

Anniversaries:

Anthony Madden,Maeve Scullion, Terry McGuckin

Sunday 10th January 2010

Parish Volunteer Day an Appreciation Day

JANUARY SCHEDULES

Readers
Vigil: Marie Kilpatrick
9am: Anne Scullion
11am: Amy Quinn

Readers (Daily)
Mon: Fidelma McClenaghan
Tues: Madeline Scullion Wed: Brigid Scullion
Thurs: Anne Scullion Frid: Anne Scott

Altar Society— Mairead Diamond

Church Cleaners—The McGoldrick Family
(Edenreagh)

Car Park Attendants—Tommy Doherty/ Pius Diamond.

COLLECTORS:
Vigil Paddy Downey, Hugh Griffin, John Hendry
9am Sean McCloy, Piaras McCloy
11am Sean Rea. Patrick Griffin
Children’s Liturgy Teams January
Vigil: Denise Mc Mullan;
Kathleen O’Neill, Mary Brown.
11am: Fidelma McCleneghan; Anne Scullion, Madeline Scullion.

Parish Draw Winners ( Wk. 11.)

£500 Gerard McKenna, Castledawson 3153 Teresa Devlin
£200 Geraldine Bedell, Clady 3361 Philomena Cassidy
£200 Karl McErlean, Ballynease 3303 Majella Cassidy
£100 Ella Rose McErlean, William St 3162 Dolores Convery
Promoters please note—On Monday 21st December weeks 12 & 13 will be drawn. We will then have 1 stand alone prize of £1,000.
The Draw will resume on Monday 11th January 2010 with week 14.

St John Bosco Youth Club is now closed for the Christmas Holidays and will reopen on 13th Jan 2010. We would like to wish the Priests of the Parish and Parishioners a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Bellaghy GAA:

Dancing Class: Tuesdays at 7pm.
New members welcome.
Camogie Notes: U6 & U8 training every Mon night 5.45-6.45pm.
Training is indoors and new camogs welcome.

Monster Christmas Session
McKenna's Bar Sunday 27th December.

St Ergnat’s GAC.

Calendars £5 on sale from usual outlets.
Lotto Nos. 9, 11, 12, 18
£50 Eimear Brady
£25 Aiden McErlain & Owen McMeel
Jackpot £4050.
St Ergnats wishes all its members a Happy Christmas & peaceful New Year.

St Malachy's Castledawson

Congratulations to John Keenan on his election as Chairman of Derry GAA Co. Board

North West Regional College now offering a range of new part-time short courses beginning Jan. Tel 7127 6000.

African Aid Collection Frank Quinn from Ardboe thanks all parishioners for their generosity in the recent appeal.

Charity Concert for SMA in Magherafelt Parish Centre on Sun 17th Jan 2010 Tickets £15 - Tel 79632342 or 79631726

St Mary’s P.S & Nursery

Registration forms are now available from the school office. Nursery
children should be born between 2nd July 06 and 1st July 07. Primary One children should be four on or before 1st July 2010. All forms must be returned before 12 noon on Wed 20th Jan 2010 along with original birth certificate.

Huge thanks from children, staff and parents of St Mary’s P.S to Bellaghy Development Association who very generously donated £1500 towards new school library. We really appreciate their hard work and commitment to our local school community.

Friends of Africa are having a Christmas Cocktail Extravaganza Fundraiser on Sunday 27th Dec in The Wild Duck @ 9pm. Music by DJ PJ—should be a good nights craic.

St Joseph’s Ballyscullion

Mass Times

Sunday @ 10.00am

JANUARY SCHEDULES

Reader : Lorna Traynor

Collectors : Colm Scullion & George Laverty

ALTAR SOCIETY:
Monica & Claire McLaughlin &
Mary Sheridan

Eucharistic Minister for Next Sunday.
Edmund O’Donnell

Christmas Mass Times:

Christmas Eve Vigil at 6.00pm
(reader Helen Griffin)
Christmas Day at 10.00am
(reader Seamus Laverty)
Confessions Sunday 20th Dec
after 10.00am Mass.

Fri 1st Jan is First Friday: Mass at 8pm.

Wed 6th Jan is The Feast of the Epiphany
Vigil Mass on Tues 5th Jan at 8pm.

Parochial Hall Activities:
Monday @ 8.30pm BINGO
Lines £20.Houses £40
Snowball on last house £500
now on 45 numbers or £200
on usual full house.
Books £7. Flyer £1
Wed nights—WHIST
Ceili Classes Thurs 8-9.30pm

When the song of the
angel is still,
When the star in the
sky is gone,
When the kings and
Princes are home,
When the shepherds are
Back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among peoples,
To make music in the heart.

A Happy and Peaceful Christmas

To all our Parishioners

Weddings:
Weddings must be confirmed in
Person. If a wedding is postponed or cancelled please let us know right away.

Baptisms:
1st Saturday of the month &
3rd Sunday of the month

Notices for the bulletin are also taken by email to

mail@bellaghyparish.com

Please mark this bulletin news and have all notices into the office by lunchtime on Thursdays.

Accord (Catholic Marriage Care Service)
Provides confidential counselling for couples or individuals who are experiencing problems in their relationships.
Accord also runs marriage preparation courses throughout the year. For further information on our services call 796 42983