Fourth Sunday of Advent

18th December 2011

Parish Mass Book page  90

 

                        

Mass Times and Intentions

                                     6.30 pm  Vigil  People of Parish

      
Sunday 18 Dec           11.00 am Alan Fitzgerald                                                                        

Monday                      10.00 am  Eucharistic Service

Tuesday                   10.00 am  Molly, Owen & Patrick Ruddy

Wednesday              10.00 am  Private Intention

Thursday                 10.00 am  Christopher Wilkes

Friday                      10.00 am   Mina & Joe Doyle

 Saturday                  7.30 pm  Carols        

                                  8.00 pm  Vigil  First Mass of Christmas

CHRISTMAS DAY  10.00 am  People of Parish

Please pray for

· all who are sick,

· all who have died recently

· all whose anniversaries occur at this time. 

Finance ...

Parish Offertory:  £342.55

                                                                                                                                                        Many thanks

Advent  To help us to celebrate the Advent season and prepare for Christmas there will be a  penitential service today at 4.00 pm.

There will also be Penitential service at

     St Wilfrid’s, Blyth, 20th December, 7.00 pm

RCIA   -  Journey of Faith 

On Tuesday evening at 7.00 pm in the meeting room, “Why the shepherds didn’t meet the kings. “The infancy narrative of Luke.”

Church Open for Prayer and Reflection

I have been considering having the church open more often for people to use for prayer and reflection.   I appreciate that there are security issues.  As an experiment for the Fridays in Advent, the church will be open from 8.30 am to 1.00 pm.  Since the decorating of the church will be taking place from after Mass until around mid-day I can’t guarantee much silence in the church during that time.

Christmas Candles

The lighting of candles around the edge of the balcony for the first Mass of Christmas seems to be successful so we will be repeating it this year.  So if you would like to have a candle lit for someone in your family please fill in the form in the Narthex and place in the box.  Any donations made will be for St Cuthbert’s Care Side by Side project.

Decorating the Church

Could I please have volunteers to help decorate the church for our Christmas celebrations.  I propose that this takes place after Mass on Friday 23rd December.  Mince pies and hot drinks available to keep the worker’s going!

St Cuthbert’s Care

During Advent, instead of a special collection, the wall safes at the back of church are available for your donations.

Christmas Charities

At the Masses for Christmas there will be a retiring collection and the money will be divided between two charities;  the first is Christian Solidarity Worldwide, which supports persecuted Christians across the world. It was decided at the Christ in the World meeting that as well as seeking to raise money we would be asking the parish to sign a petition asking the Government to support Coptic Christians  in Egypt at this difficult time. Please see in the narthex  The second charity is the De Paul UK  which as the name suggests is part of the same spiritual family as the SVP.  De Paul UK provides accommodation and support to young homeless people. For more information regarding both these charities see: www.csw.org.uk  &   www.depauluk.org

Carol Singing in the Red Lion

The parish has been asked to sing carols in the Red Lion for their Charity Night on Thursday 22nd December from 6.00 to 7.00 pm.  Half the money raised will be for their nominated charity Cancer and Leukaemia in Children (CLIC), the other half will go to our own Open House project.  All are welcome to help with the carol singing. Mulled wine will be available.

Young Adults Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

Father Lawrence Jones is organising this pilgrimage to the Holy Land for young people aged 18 –35 from 27th February – 5th March 2012 and I am also looking forward to being with them and to take part in this pilgrimage.  The cost of the Pilgrimage is now , £600, with a £200 supplement for a single  room.    This includes flights,  half  board accommodation and  expertise of  a  Catholic  guide.  The pilgrimage  covers  Jerusalem,  Bethlehem,  the Dead Sea,  Nazareth, Mount Tabor,  the Sea  of  Galilee,  Capernaum,  the  Mount  of  Beatitudes  and  much  more.    For  more  information,  those interested  should  contact  Fr  Lawrence  Jones  on  01670  513  410  as  soon  as  possible  or  email  ljonesys@yahoo.co.uk

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Christmas Masses

                                 24th December:       Carols at 7.30 pm

                                                                  Vigil Mass 8.00 pm

                                 25th December:       Mass 10.00 am

                                 31st December:       Vigil Mass 6.30 pm

                                 1st January:             Mass 11.00 am