Leckpatrick Parish

Season of Creation
A river of hope is beginning to flow throughout the world.
Every drop counts. Every prayer, every encounter, and every action can fuel a movement that invites us to listen to the wounds of our Common Home and respond with hope.
From different communities and regions, the call of Living Water reminds us that we are not alone: when we walk together, our hope becomes a river that can transform.
What drop of hope do you want to contribute?
Visit: Living Water Stories: A river of hope begins to flow around the world - Laudato Si' Movement

The Novena to Our Lady, Untier of Knots Novena begins after 7.30 pm Mass on Thursday 1st Oct in St Eugene’s Cathedral and continues each Thursday until 26th November.
Do you have “knots” in your life?
Knots of discord in your family, unresolved pain in relationships, or a lack of peace and joy in your home?
Sometimes life can feel like one overwhelming knot, especially when we face health challenges or burdens beyond our control.
This novena reminds us that sin never entangled Our Lady, and that Christ gave us His Mother as Our Lady, Untier of Knots. Through this devotion, we entrust our personal “knots” to her loving care - learning to let go and allowing her to gently untie what binds us.
All are welcome to join in prayer and reflection during this special time of grace.

Serving as a Priest
Are you 18+ and thinking or wondering about serving the Church as a priest of the Derry Diocese?
There will be an afternoon talk with time for prayer, discussion, questions & answers in Derry on Sunday 11th October.
For further details please contact Fr Pat O'Hagan at [email protected]

We are privileged to welcome Bishop Router to our pastoral area on Wednesday 23rd September to celebrate Mass in honour of St Pio at 7 pm in St Patrick’s, Murlog.
Tea/refreshments afterwards in Lifford Community Centre.
All welcome.

Tomorrow morning's service for the St Pio Triduum will be in the Sacred Heart Church at 7am and not the Church of the Immaculate as announced this morning.

Adult Safeguarding Training for Strabane (Camus)/Leckpatrick/Lifford (Clonleigh)

We have invited Mrs Briege O'Neill, Safeguarding Co-ordinator for the Diocese of Derry to facilitate Adult Safeguarding Training. Adult Safeguarding Training is relevant to clergy, sacristans, church secretaries, parish housekeepers, parish caretakers, pastoral or parish council members, adult prayer group leaders and members, SPRED group leaders, senior choir leaders, Legion of Mary volunteers, members of St Vincent de Paul groups, and Eucharistic Ministers to those people confined to their homes or visiting nursing homes / care homes and all those in the parish who are interested in safeguarding adults at risk and in need of protection.

Training will take place on Saturday 3rd October at 10.00 am Mass in Church of the
Immaculate Conception followed by training in St Patrick’s Hall from 10.30 am -
1.00 pm followed by a light lunch.
Please confirm your attendance by 1.00 pm on Thursday 1st October by contacting the pastoral office: tel 028 7188 2215 / email [email protected]

Triduum of Prayer in Celebration of the Feast of St Pio On Monday, Tuesday, and
Wednesday of this week, all are welcome to join in a triduum of prayer as follows:

Tuesday 22nd September
7.00 am: St Patrick’s Murlog
10.00 am: Immaculate Conception, Strabane, followed by Sacrament of Reconciliation
7.00 pm: St Mary’s Cloughcor (Liturgy / Talk)
Wednesday 23rd September
7.00 am: Sacred Heart, Derry Road
10.00 am: Immaculate Conception, Strabane
7.00 pm: St Patrick’s Murlog - Celebrant Bishop Router
People from all parishes in our pastoral area are warmly welcome to come along to
these Masses / liturgies. St Pio prayer cards are available from the churches and
Pastoral Office.

We take this opportunity to thank Bishop Donal McKeown for all that he has done through the diocese in his untiring service for the Lord and His people.
We wish him every good wish and God’s blessing in his well-deserved rest and retirement and assure him of our continued prayers. St John Vianney & St Pio intercede for us.

Thoughts on the Gospel (Matthew 20:1-16A)
Today’s parable tells a story of workers hired at different times of the day. Yet when payday comes, the master gives them the same agreed-upon wage. Naturally, those who worked longest expect more. They compare. They calculate. They feel that their
greater effort deserves greater reward. But the master reminds them that he has not cheated them. He has given them what was promised. The problem is not that they received too little, but that someone else received generosity.
Sometimes our greatest source of unhappiness is comparison. We look at another person’s blessing and ask, “Why them? What about me?”
Sometimes we become so focused on what we did not receive that we forget what God has already placed in our hands. We have survived days we thought would destroy us. We have received chances we did not deserve. We have people who love us. We have another morning to begin again. Gratitude changes our vision. Sometimes God
rewards our labour, surprising us with blessings we could never earn. That is grace. The
workers were hired to work. Likewise, whatever we do at home, at work, in ministry,
in our community, we should offer it faithfully. Not every good thing we do will be noticed. Not everyone will say thank you. Not every sacrifice will receive recognition.
But God sees. Your quiet service matters. The meal you prepare, the person you encourage, the ministry you support, the burden you carry silently, the prayer nobody knows about — God sees them all.
Some people may begin early. Others may begin late. Some may experience success quickly. Others may struggle for years before their breakthrough comes. But never conclude that you are forgotten because your blessing arrived late.
God knows your story. And when the day is finished, what matters most is not who started first, finished first, or appeared to receive the most, but that you remained faithful to the One who called you.