Weekly Bulletin 9th October 2022

Today is the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time:  In the Gospel today (Luke 17:11-19) we hear the story of the leper who was a Samaritan returning back to thank Jesus for healing him. We are now in the month of October, traditionally known as the month of the Rosary. Some find it difficult to pray the rosary. Others find that praying the Rosary using the beads as a useful way of keeping them focused on what they are doing. The beads are helpful and remind us to focus our minds and heart on prayer. Even if we are distracted, the beads call us back. As we seem busy in our lives, there’s always time for a quick decade since the rosary is as easy as prayer can get. Pope Paul V1 said: “As a Gospel prayer, centred on the mystery of the redemptive Incarnation, the Rosary is a prayer with a clearly Christological orientation. Its most characteristic element, in fact, the litany-like succession of Hail Marys, becomes in itself an unceasing praise of Christ.” Prayer is not merely our work but it is God’s work in us. We are told in the second reading today (2 Timothy 2:13) “We may be unfaithful, but he is always faithful…” Remember the old Penny Catechism had it that: Prayer is the raising up of the minds and hearts to God to adore Him, to bless his Holy Name, to praise his goodness and to return him thanks for all His benefits. This definition of prayer put a lot of emphasis on the work that we do when we pray. The new Catechism speaks of prayer being a relationship. It emphasises God’s work in us. It says that: Prayer is the encounter of God’s thirst with ours. God thirsts for us so that we may thirst for Him ( No: 2559). In the Gospel today we have the four aspects of all prayer

1. Petition – “They stood some way off and called to him, Jesus! Master! Have mercy on us” (Luke 17:13)
2. Praise – “Finding himself cured, one of them turned back praising God at the top of his voice” (Luke 17:15)
3. Adoration – “…and he threw himself prostrate at the feet of Jesus” (Luke 17:16)
4. Thanksgiving – “and thanked him!” (Luke 17:17)

Pope Francis in his homily on this Gospel remarks: “ Everything is his gift. He is our strength! Saying “thank you” is such an easy thing, and yet so hard! How often do we say “thank you” to one another in our families? These are essential words for our life in common. “Sorry”,   “May I”, “Thank You”. If families can say these three things, they will be fine. (13 October 2013)

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Feasts for the Week: Tuesday: St. John XX111 (1881-1963). He was elected Pope on 28 October 1958. He called the Second Vatican Council which opened on 11 October 1962.  Saturday: St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) She established Carmelite convents under a reformed rule and wrote much on prayer and the spiritual life

Thanks to the October cleaning group who gave of their time and energy in cleaning the Church last Wednesday evening. We appreciate your hard work on our behalf. Thanks also for the collection last week. It came to £1950. We appreciate your generosity and support of our work here in the Graan. Thanks also to our Ministers of the Eucharist, Readers and Singers who helped with the liturgy over the weekend. 

Graan Draw: Tickets are available at all the doors of our Church. The draw will take place on the 2 December 2022 and can be viewed on the webcam. It is the only fund-raising activity that we have we would appreciate your support by buying or selling tickets for us. Thank you to all who bought and sold tickets on The Diamond, Enniskillen.  

Ticket Selling Outlets: (Market Yard) in Lisnaskea – 14^th October, The Mart, Enniskillen  – 20 October. Irvinestown – 21^st & 22^nd October. McKeagney’s Tempo – 28 & 29 October. Belleek – 4 November. Supervalue, Newtownbutler – 11^th November. Martin Rooney’s Enniskillen 18 & 19 November. Dunnes Store, Enniskillen 24 & 25 November.

Shop is open:  Monday to Friday from 9.30am -7pm and Sunday from 9.30 -5pm                          

Guild Mass Cards:  We have a new selection of Christmas Mass Bouquets.

Confessions & Duty: Masses Mon to Fri @ 7pm. Sunday & Monday  – No Duty. Mass (10^th October)  @ 7pm –  Arthur.

Duty – 2pm to 5pm: Tues–  Brian.   Wed – Victor.    Thurs – Charles.   Fri –  Arthur.  Sat 5 – 6pm. Sat –  Charles.

Healing of the Family Tree Mass on Wednesday 19^th of October @ 7.30pm in St Mary’s Church, Arney with  Fr Gerry Campbell.