Parish Announcements – 22nd May, 2022

PARISH PRIEST’S DESK

1. SOARING ON THE WINGS OF GRACE

We wish to encourage us to continue to soar on the wings of Grace this 2022 by:

• Attending masses regularly.
• Reading the Word of God daily.
• Spending time in prayer and adoration daily.
• Join a society and get involved in the Church Activities.
• Get a Mass Journal and write something from the homily every Sunday.
• Grow in the knowledge of the Faith and Church Doctrines.
  May God continue to bless us all!!! Amen

1. STEWARDSHIP: To encourage participation and commitment in the activities of the Parish, Stewardship Commitment forms were distributed at all the masses. Unfortunately, the turn-over of these forms were low. This is a special call to every parishioner to kindly return the filled forms indicating areas of fresh commitment to the affairs of the church. Submission can be done at the bulletin stand on Sundays and at the Parish Office on weekdays.

1. POWER CONSUMPTION: Due to the rising cost of diesel, we wish to inform our beloved parishioners that we may have to make some adjustments to our use of the generator in the Church. Kindly bear with us

1. SECURITY ALERT: We wish to call our attention to the increase in the level of insecurity especially before the 6am mass. Extra measures have been taken around the Church and Event Center. Parishioners should endeavour to be more conscious on their way to masses. May the Lord protect us from every evil. Amen.

          ……………..PARISH ANNOUNCEMENTS……………………

1. 2022 WORLD COMMUNICATIONS WEEK: This year’s World Communications Week celebrations begins today and ends next week Sunday May 29^th, 2022. The theme is “LISTENING WITH THE EAR OF THE HEART”. There shall daily talks at the 6:30pm mass and on Saturday at the 6:30am mass. Let us all endeavour to be in attendance and participate. Remember, the fourth existential need of humans is Communication. Below are the daily topics:
   Sun., 22^nd May-         Listening together for Spirit-Guided Decisions Mon., 23^rd May –       Building Faith through Listening
   Tues., 24^th May –       Listening to God in times of Suffering and Sorrow
   Wed., 25^th May –        Listening in Unwelcoming Cultures
   Thurs., 26^th May-      Patient Listening and Witnessing
   Fri., 27^th May –          Listening brings Confidence
   Sat., 28^th May –          Listening for Encouragement (Insightful listening) Special Media Programme for Youths on the topic: Effects of Social Media on Youths in Nigeria
   Sun., 29^th May –         Listening brings Unity
   
   Note: There shall be a special Communications collection at all Masses on Sunday 29^th May 2022.

1. ASCENSION THURSDAY: This Thursday, 26^th May, 2022 is the Solemnity of the Ascension, forty days after Easter. It is a holy day of obligation. We are all obliged to attend mass. Masses shall be at the usual times.

1. PENTECOST NOVENA: Our Parish Pentecost Novena holds from Friday May 27^th to Saturday June 4^th 2022 everyday beginning with the 6:30pm mass. It is oldest novena in the history of the Church and we are all expected to participate actively. Below are the topics for each day:

27^th, Fri., –      Come Unto Me All Ye That Labour and are Heavy Burdened (Matt. 11:28)
28^th, Sat., –      You are not Alone (John 14:15-16)
29^th, Sun., –      Watch and Pray (Luke 22:46)
30^th, Mon., –   Then came Jesus (Mark 6:47-51)
31^st, Tues., –    Break Camp and Advance (Deuteronomy 1:7)
1^st, Wed., –      My Presence will go with you (Exodus 33:14 – 19)
2^nd, Thurs., –  You can do all things (John 15:1-7) 
3^rd, Fri., –        You are the Apple of my Eyes (Isaiah 43:1-5)
4^th, Sat., –        The Anointing that Breaks the Yoke (Isaiah 10:27)
5^th, Sun., –       Rushing like the Mighty Wind (Acts 1:3)                 
Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on us!!

1. CHILDREN’S DAY CELEBRATION: Our Parish Children’s Day Celebration comes up on 28^th and 29^th May 2022. There shall be a Safe Kids Awareness Seminar on Saturday, 28^th May 2022 while on Sunday, 29^th May 2022 will be the social celebrations which will begin with the holy mass by 10am. Let us ensure our children participate actively.

1. SMALL CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY (SCC): SCC meetings have resumed and will take place at various community centers on Wednesday, 25^th May 2022 at 6pm. Scriptural reading: John 17:20-26. Please note that there will be no evening Mass or Society meetings during the SCC time. Kindly check the Parish notice board for the various centers. There shall be mass this Wednesday at Our Lady of Immaculate Conception SCC. Venue: 4^th Avenue, 40/41 Road, House 19B, Festac Town. All those living around should be in attendance.

1. CYON TEEN CAMP 2022: Register your teenagers for the second edition of Camp Sinai holding from 24^th July to 30^th July at Saint Gregory’s College, Ikoyi, Lagos. The camp is for baptized teenagers and will include daily Masses, tech training, vocational activities, classes, Benediction & Holy Rosary, sports and games, etc. Teen coaches, experts, priests and religious shall monitor all activities throughout the camp. Registration is on-going at the parish office while the camp tuition fee is only ₦20,000. You can pay to First Bank account: Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria Holy Family – 3079617777. You can also sponsor teenagers to attend the camp. Discount of ₦10,000 exists for families and friends who register 3 participants together. That means you pay ₦50,000 instead of ₦60,000 for 3 people. This offer lasts till the end of May. Registration ends on Sunday, June 19^th 2022.
   Camp Sinai… explore, discover, invent!

1. MAY DEVOTION: The 2022 May Devotion to Our Blessed Virgin Mary is ongoing. There are brief talks on various aspects of the Blessed Virgin Mary after Post-Communion Prayer from Mondays to Friday at 6:30pm Masses; Saturdays at 6:30am Mass and Sundays during Benediction. Let us all endeavour to attend and participate actively. We are also all encouraged to pray the Holy Rosary daily.

1. ARCHDIOCESAN SOLEMN ADMISSION: Today, our parish shall be hosting the Archdiocesan Solemn Admission Ceremony of the Confraternity of the Infant Jesus of Prague at the 10:00am mass. In place of our Parish Bulletin, we shall a special Brochure on sale for the occasion with important articles and information. Price: ₦200 only.

1. LAITY COLLECTION: Next Sunday, 29^th May 2022, there shall be a special Fifth Sunday collection in support of the Laity Council. Let us prepare to donate generously.

1. PLEDGE REDEMPTIONS: We wish to thank our dear parishioners for their sincere efforts in redeeming pledges made. We also use this medium to kindly appeal to all who are yet to redeem any outstanding pledge(s) for Harvest or Church Building to please do so at the Parish Office (Weekdays), the Harvest Booth opposite the Bookshop (Sundays) or pay directly to HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH, FESTAC- Zenith Bank: 1014506326. May God bless us all for our generosity.

1. DONATE A PEW: We wish to express our deepest appreciation to all our parishioners for your generosity at last week’s “Donate a Pew Project Launch for our New Church Building”. May God bless us all abundantly. Further donations and pledge redemption can be done to the account- Holy Family Catholic Church, Zenith 1011876127, at the Parish Office or at the Booth opposite the Parish Bookshop.

1. SUNDAY MASSES: Please be reminded that the mass time for Sundays has been returned to its pre-COVID schedule; 6am, 8am, 10am and 6pm (Main Church), 6am & 8am (Event Center) and 5pm benediction and vespers.

1. ALTAR BREAD AND ALTAR WINE: Due to increment in the purchase of Altar Bread and Altar Wine, the cost of Altar Bread and Wine for thanksgiving shall be sold for: Altar Bread- ₦1,500 (per Pack); Altar Wine- ₦3,000 (per Bottle) & ₦35,000 (a Carton). Payments and enquiries can be done at the Parish Office.

1. HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC PARISH LIBRARY: We are pleased to inform you that the Anthony Cardinal Okogie Reference (Parish) Library located beside the Anthony Cardinal Okojie Lower Hall is here to serve you better. At very affordable prices, we offer the following services: Photocopying, Lamination, Binding, Spiral Binding, Typing, Printing, Colored Photocopy etc. We also offer a vast range of books ranging from Literature to Accounting to Economics and a lot more. Working Hours: Mondays to Fridays. Time: 9am- 4pm. God bless you as you patronize us. For further enquiries on how to use to library or any of its services, please call: 09036389533 or 08169228063 (Ms. Chinwe).

1. We wish to encourage all Parishioners to read and study the word of God for at least 15minutes every day; which is about 1% of 24 hours. We are continuing with Philippians and Colossians. Take up this challenge faithfully as stated below and be enriched spiritually.

Day/Month	Bible Passages
23 May	Philippians	Chapter  2
24 May	Philippians	Chapter  3
25 May	Philippians	Chapter  4
26 May	Colossians	Chapter  1
27 May	Colossians	Chapter  2
28 May	Colossians	Chapter  3
29 May	Colossians	Chapter  4

1. RETURN TO THE SACRAMENTS: We wish to encourage those who have been estranged from the sacraments for one reason or the other especially the Holy Eucharist, to return to the Sacraments. Kindly meet any of the Priests if you are having any difficulty in this regard. May Christ grant us life through His Body and Blood. Amen.