Bulletin for 17th September 2023 - Bulletins are also available in PDF on our website! ... See MoreSee Less

Interested in becoming an Altar Server? Find out more and complete the form here: parishofloughgilly.com/altar-severs/ St. Brigids, Drumilly St Malachy's Primary School. BallymoyermSt Laurence O'Toole's Primary School Primary School ... See MoreSee Less

St Malachy’s Choir hopes to resume in the coming weeks.
Choir practice will resume this Thursday at 6.30pm in St Malachy’s Church. Parishioners from across the Parish welcome. Please Share St. Brigids, Drumilly St Laurence O'Toole's Primary School Whitecross community association St Malachy's Primary School. Ballymoyer Belleek Community Regeneration Group ... See MoreSee Less

Parish Bulletin for Sunday 10th September - Our Bulletin can also be viewed on our Parish Website - www.parishofloughgilly.com ... See MoreSee Less

Join us for morning Mass today at 10am in St Brigid's Church, this morning we welcome the pupils and staff St. Brigids, Drumillymilly for the beginning of year school Mass. ... See MoreSee Less

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A little Sunday Evening Reflection!!
Blessed Rolando Rivi (1931-1945) was a fourteen-year-old seminarian for the diocese of Reggio Emilia-Guastalla, Italy.

From his earliest days, he had longed to be a priest and, in those days, young boys were accepted to study for the priesthood as young as eleven - the age of Rolando - when he entered the diocesan seminary at Marola, on October 1st, 1942.

It was the custom of the time for seminarians - even those as young as Rolando - to be clothed in the cassock. Rolando wore his with great love because it identified him as belonging totally to Jesus.

World War II was raging and Rolando lost three uncles in the fighting. He was a great comfort to his grandmother in her grieving for three sons.

In September, 1944, 100 German soldiers occupied the seminary of Marola and Rolando and his fellow students were sent home. He took with him all his books so that he could continue to study.

Things had been relatively peaceful in his hometown of San Valentino until the summer of 1944, when gangs of Communist partisans began to rob, threaten and attack people.

They reserved an especial hatred for priests and the Church. Rolando's Parish Priest and mentor was badly beaten up by one of these violent mobs.

Young Rolando continued to wear his cassock, continued to publicly identify himself with Jesus Christ, despite the grave dangers that were arising. He and his friends endured many obscene insults because of their Catholic Faith. Things would soon turn very sinister.

On the Tuesday after Easter Sunday, 1945, having attended Mass and received Holy Communion, Rolando went to a quiet wooded area to study. It was there that a gang of Communists found him and abducted him.

They took him away, stripped him, and subjected him to three days of beatings, torture and humiliation. They rolled up his beloved cassock and used it as a football.

Because he was so young, some of the Communists wanted to release him; but the leaders decided to kill him "so that there will be one less priest in the future".

After torturing him for three days, they took him into a forest near Modena where a grave had been dug. They allowed him a few moments to pray. He prayed for his parents and those about to murder him. They shot him in the head and in the heart and buried him.

When his body was discovered by his father, the Parish Priest and others who had been searching, as well as two bullet wounds, he bore the marks of brutal torture.

"I will go to the Altar of God, to God, my exceeding joy, who gives joy to my youth" (Psalm 43:4). Blessed Rolando Rivi longed, with all his heart, to ascend the Altar of God as a priest, to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

At age 14 and 3 months, he offered himself, pouring out his own life's blood, as he went from this world, immediately, to the Altar of Eternal Glory in the Heavenly Homeland.

On Saturday October 5th 2013, Rolando Rivi was beatified during Mass celebrated in the city of Modena, by Cardinal Angelo Amato. The following day, during his Angelus address, Pope Francis referred to Blessed Rolando Rivi:

"I look at that blessed boy’s face and think of the courage it takes young people to be countercultural today. Blessed Rolando died repeating the words “I belong to Jesus.... Blessed Rolando Rivi, pray for us. And pray in a special way for all men called to the priesthood, that they will be faithful on their journey to seeing God’s face in Heaven". ... See MoreSee Less