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The Bulletin

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PARISH OF DOWNPATRICK
3rd Sunday of Lent
Psalter Week 3 Year C
Missal Pages 123 - 127
Sunday 14th March 2004

COLLECTION WK 19: Offertory £2346, Loose Plate£448 ,Weekly Average of Standing Orders & Annual Payments £183, Total: £2,977

PRIEST ON DUTY:
Sun/Mon 14/15th March: Fr. F. Glavin Tel: 02844613203
Tues/Sat 16/20th March: Fr. P. Sheehan Tel: 02844613430
Parish Office Monday - Friday 12 Noon - 1pm & 6.15 -7.15pm Tel: 028 44612084

YOUR PRAYERS ARE REQUESTED FOR:
RECENTLY DECEASED: Maurice Paxon (Downpatrick & Spain),
ANNIVERSARIES:Michael Hanna, Margaret O'Neill, Thomas O'Neill, James Farrelly, Madeline Gilfedder, James Cunningham, Elizabeth & Gerad McComb,Margaret Quinn, Clare Hardiman, Brigid Smyth, Marie Tumelty, Ernest Stewart, Tom Campbell, William & Elizabeth Nolan, John Duffy, Margaret Fitzpatrick, Joseph Lannin, Jimmy Curran, Belle Magee, Charles & Maureen Moss, William & Mollie McCarthy, Margaret Tweedie, Philomena Sloan, Kitty Smyth, Margaret Deegan, James Galbraith, Margaret Harris, Daniel Milligan,

BAPTISMS: Ben Glennon, Keir Hardy,
PLEASE NOTE: 4 Weeks Notice Required for Baptisms.

EXPOSITION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT:
Every Saturday in St. Patrick's Church from 12 noon to 1pm.

ST. PATRICK'S DAY MASSES:
Masses for St. Patrick's day are as follows:
St. Patrick's: Vigil on Tuesday Night at 7.30pm, Wednesday - 8am, 10am, 12 Noon & 7.30pm.
St. Colmcille's: Vigil on Tuesday night at 7.30pm, Wednesday 11am.
St. Brigid's & St. Malachy's Vigil on Tuesday Night at 7.30pm

PARISH LENTEN PROGRAMME:
7.30am Mass for Lent each weekday morning in St. Patrick's Church
MORNING PRAYER of the Church will be recited daily during Lent, Monday - Saturday in St. Patrick's Church. Everyone Welcome.
DEVOTIONS: Every Sunday during Lent at 6.30pm
STATIONS OF THE CROSS:
Each Wednesday in St. Patrick's at 7.10pm

IRISH LANGUAGE COLLECTION:
A Collection in aid of the Irish Language will be taken up outside all the Churches in the Parish after all Masses (including Vigil Masses) on St. Patrick's Day. Please give generously.



CHANGE IN MASS TIME:
St. Patrick's 9.00am to 8.30am from Palm Sunday.
Following the recent changes in parish mass times, it has become apparent that Sunday funerals can now only be facilitated at the 10am Mass. A Sunday funeral at 12 noon Mass would cause congestion in the parish and distress to the bereaved. To allow for remains that might arrive for the 10am Mass it will be necessary to move the present 9am Mass in St. Patrick's to 8.30am. This will commence on Sunday 4th April (Palm Sunday).

EASTER VIGIL:
As a sign of unity and for practical purposes there will be one Easter Vigil in the parish, held in St. Patrick's - the largest church. There will be a morning mass in St. Brigid's and an extra morning mass in St. Colmcille's on Easter Sunday morning. The details of all the Easter ceremonies will be given later.

1000 CLUB:



NIGHT AT THE RACES:
In Jack Robinson's, Saul on Saturday 20th March from 8pm till late. Proceeds in aid of young people with learning disabilities going to Lourdes.

ST. PATRICK'S GRAMMAR SCHOOL:
Invite you to a Variety Concert in the School Gym on Sunday 14th March commencing at 7.30pm. Concert will feature School Choir, Traditional Groups, Drama and Knockevin Special School. Admission is Adults £5.00, Children £2.50. All proceeds in aid of School Lenten Campaign and Romanian Appeal.

DOWNPATRICK SCOUT GROUP:
Invite you to a "Night at The Races" on Saturday 27th March at 9.30pm in The Avenue Bar. Adverts £15, Race Sponsorship £25, Horses £5. Contact Scout Hall at 44839841

DOWNPATRICK THIRD WORLD GROUP:
Has raised some £35,000 for people in underdeveloped countries during the last six months. Among those helped are: Fr. Tom Morrisson, Medical Supplies in Brazil, Sr. Celine Farming implements & seeds in Uganda, Fr. Sexton Doran, Educational Day Care needs in Zambia, Fr. F. Mareddy, Providing educational opportunities for the poor in India, Sr. Davies, Provision of clean water supply to Hospice & Clinic in Kenya, Concern Worldwide, Trociare, Red Cross, Iranian Earthquake Victims, Jubilee Action - Beds, bedding for night shelter orphans in India. The Third World Group would like to thank everyone who helped provide 5,000 St. Brigid's Crosses which raised a total to date of £8,325. The Group invite you to support their Annual Fashion Show, being hosted by "The House of De Courcey" on Thursday, 25th March in Downpatrick Cricket Club. Tickets £10. Proceeds from this eveny will go towards providing housing units for displaced orphans in Rwanda.

RUSSELL GAELIC UNION:
Sunday 14th March: Minor Football - Downpatrick v Bryansford at Newcastle, 12 Noon. Reserve Football - Longstone v Downpatrick at Longstone, 5pm (all reserve players leave clubhouse at 3.30pm).
LOTTO: Winning numbers - 2, 15, 19, 20, jackpot not won. 1 match 3 winners gets £100. This week's jackpot £1800

SAVE THE CHILDREN:
Downpatrick Branch, Lenten Lunches at The Parish Hall, Church Avenue, every Thursday commencing until 1st April. Lunches made from 12pm to 2pm. Choice of home-made soup, cheese & wheaten bread, biscuits, tea or coffee. Donation £3. Everyone Welcome.

PATRICIAN YOUTH CENTRE:
Saturday 20th March: Junior Disco - Age 8 - 11 Years (Primary School only), 7pm - 9pm, admission £2.
Saturday 3rd April: Teenage Disco - Age Form 1 upwards. Please note: only those children attending secondary school at present will be admitted. Children attending primary school will be refused admission. Admission £3. 8pm - 11pm
Nightly Programme: Monday - Saturday, 7pm - 10pm. Primary Provision - Tuesday & Wednesday Afternoon, 3pm - 5pm. O'Connor School of Irish Dance every Thursday 3pm - 5.30pm age three and half years upwards, Ballet Steps every Saturday, 9.30am - 4.30pm age three and half years upwards.
ST. COLMCILLE'S YOUTH CLUB: Operational Monday & Wednesday evenings. Monday - Primary 6.30 - 8pm, Senior 8pm - 9.30pm, 16+ 9.30pm - 10.30pm.
Wednesday: Primary - 7pm - 8.30pm, Senior - 8.30pm - 10pm. Full details available from Y. Maguire @ 02844615488.

LEGION OF MARY:
It is intended to establish a separate branch of the Legion of Mary for Women in Downpatrick. Anyone interested should contact Frank O'Connor at 02844615262 for further details.

NOVENA TO ST. JOSEPH:
A Novena to St. Joseph. The Novena is printed on the back of this bulletin. parishioners are encouraged to do the Novena and to visit the Church during exposition to pray for vocations to the priesthood.










NOVENA TO ST. JOSEPH

SUNDAY 14th March:
Joseph The Missionary
"Joseph took the child and his mother and left for Egypt" (Mt 2:14)
He took them into a pagan land. The missionary task is to bring Christ into the lives of people, especially the disadvantaged.

MONDAY 15th March:
Joseph The Family Man
"Joseph went to David's town Bethlehem, because he was one of the house of David. (Lk, 2:4).
Though of the Royal family of David, he was ordinary and faced many problems such as Mary's pregnancy, the threat to the life of Jesus, exile, how to make ends meet. Ask Joseph to protect our families too - and strengthen the bonds of love in them.

TUESDAY 16th MARCH:
Joseph Man of Prayer
"Every year the parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival (Lk 2:41)
As husband and parent in the Holy Family, Joseph observed religious feasts; went to the Synagogue on the Sabbath; and prayed at regular daily times using the Psalms, etc. Ask Joseph to make us people of meaningful prayer both private and liturgical as we take part in Church worship.

WEDNESDAY 17th MARCH:
Joseph The Teacher
"And Joseph names him Jesus" (Mt. 1:25)
Apart from naming him, Joseph taught Jesus his prayers, brought him to the Synagogue, introduced him to the Scriptures and taught him all the religious practices of a devout Jew. Strong family guidance - Setting Christian standards of behaviour and worship are badly needed in families and society today.

THURSDAY 18th MARCH:
Joseph The Worker
"Isn't he the carpenter's son" (Mt. 13:15)
Joseph taught Jesus his trade. Joseph loved his work, knew its dignity, knew too the evil of unemployment in times of hardship. Work is not just a means of making money. It is a service to others, a sharing in the redemptive work of Jesus, a means of creating order and beauty and making the world a better place. Ask Joseph to help us appreciate the dignity of work and grant us meaningful and steady employment.

FRIDAY 19th MARCH:
Joseph Faithful Servant
"Who is the faithful and far-sighted servant whom the master has put in charge of his household" (Mt. 24:25)
Joseph's life was one of loving service. He served his family, his village, his neighbours and his God. He died peacefully in the arms of Jesus and Mary. No wonder he is revered as patron of a happy death. Grant us loving service and a happy death!

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Parish Office, Parochial House, 54 St. Patrick's Ave, Downpatrick, Co. Down, N. Ireland BT30 6DN

Tel: (028) 4461 2443 Fax: (028) 4461 9131 email: enquiries@parishofdownpatrick.org