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Daily Readings
Sunday Readings
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Caring for the
Environment 'O Lord, how manifold are your works.
In your wisdom you have made them all.'
In today's media we are bombarded with
reports and warnings about the fragile state of the
planet. We have all become familiar with terms like,
'Global warming', 'carbon footprint' and 'energy efficiency'.
We are rightly told to use less and re-use more as
the very world that we enjoy is in danger.
So, do we, as Christians, have a duty
to be 'Green'?
We all know that in the beginning God
made the earth, the animals, the plants and man. He
looked on His creation and saw that it was good. The
Christian culture has always recognised that the creation
that surrounds us is a gift from God. We have been
given this gift to nurture and care for. So we must
therefore thank the Creator for this precious gift
and we do so by taking care of the things He has entrusted
to us. The Church teaches us that we may avail of
resources that our world gives but we must not use
more than we need especially if our greed deprives
others or inflicts irreversible damage. Man must not
'make arbitrary use of of the earth, subjecting it
without restraint to his will, as though it did not
have its own requisites and a prior God-given purpose,
which man can indeed develop but must not betray'.
We have a responsibility to leave the world in good
condition for future generations. So how should the
Christian treat the environment? We are bound by our
faith to appreciate and care for all of the gifts
God has given us. Human life is of course the most
important gift we are given. We have been given every
resource we need to survive and thrive in this world.
Yet the unfair distribution of the world's bounty
has left the majority of the people in poverty and
hunger. In caring for human life we must use all God's
gifts with responsibility and prudence. The saying
'To live simply, so that others may simply live' has
never been more true than in our present times. What
we use and what we waste affects the whole world and
all who dwell on it. So with respect for the Creator
and with love for our neighbour, we do, as Christians,
have a duty to be green.
Addiction - the first step in recovery
Learn from the past, plan for the future, live in
the present. Dependence on alcohol, other drugs or
gambling presents life threatening physical and mental
health challenges for individuals, stress and relationship
difficulties in families, financial problems for all
concerned, educational issues for children and young
people, deaths on the roads and crime on our streets.
An honest response to the following questions will
confirm evidence of addiction.
1. Have you ever felt you should cut down on your
use of alcohol, other drugs or the time and money
spent gambling?
2. Have people annoyed you by criticizing your dependence
on alcohol, other drugs or the time and money spent
gambling?
3. Have you ever felt guilty about your dependence
on alcohol, other drugs or the time and money spent
gambling?
4. Have you needed alcohol or other drug first thing
in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid
of a hangover?
If you are concerned about your dependence on alcohol,
drugs or gambling, staff at White Oaks Rehabilitation
Centre, Derryvane, Muff, provide a confidential counselling
service for individuals, couples or families. Contact
9384400. It has been said that a journey of 1000km
begins with the first step, begin the journey into
recovery today.
If you don't have
a sense of humour, you probably don't have any sense
at all!
Never look
down on anybody unless you're helping them up,
because it's nice to be important but it's more important
to be nice.
Accord Carndonagh are
looking for people to train as part of their Marriage
Preparation Course team. Contact 074 9374103 or email:
accordinishowen@eircom.net
If you have an item
of religious or community interest (non-commercial)
for the newsletter, please drop it in the letterbox
of the Parochial House
in Fahan or Burt, or in Grant's, Moness, Burt by Wednesday
night.
Review
of Safeguarding Practice in the Diocese of Derry
The
review is available on the Diocesan website www.derrydiocese.org.
Copies
of Monsignor Martin's response and relevant helplines
are posted on the church noticeboards.
Scalp Mountain
2012 - Some images from this inspirational
Sunday.
