Fourth Sunday of Advent

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Christmas Day

Feast of the Holy Family

 

23rd December 2012 to 6th January 2012

Parish Mass Book   -  page 90-105

 

Mass Times and Intentions

 

                                    6.30 pm Vigil  Dominic Devine

Sunday 23rd Dec                10.00 am  People of Parish

 

Monday 24th                 10.00 am  Sick Person (SG)

                                                                                                               

                                         8.00 pm  Vigil  First Mass of Christmas

                                                              (Carols from 7.30 pm)

CHRISTMAS DAY         10.00 am  People of Parish

 

Wednesday  26th             11.00 am  James & Sarah Craik

Thursday 27th                  10.00 am  Molly, Owen & Patrick Ruddy

Friday 28th                       10.00 am  Alfred & Lilian Arkell

                                

                                      6.30 pm  Vigil  People of Parish

Sunday 30th Dec               10.00 am  Jim Craik

     

Monday 31st Dec                10.00 am  Eucharistic Service

 

NEW YEAR’s DAY             11.00 am   Francis Reid McAlroy

 

Wednesday  2nd Jan          10.00 am  Jim Craik

Thursday 3rd Jan                     10.00 am  John & Sarah Sutherland

Friday 4th Jan                            10.00 am  Margaret Faulder

 

Please pray for 

· all who are sick,

 

· all who have died recently,

 

· all whose anniversaries occur at this time. 

 

Christmas Best Wishes

As we prepare  to celebrate the Birth of Our Lord I would like to take the opportunity to wish you and all your family the Joy, Hope and Peace of Christmas.  The shocking events of Newtown Connecticut are a painful reminder of the fragility of life and the brutality that exists in our world.  The celebration of the Word becoming Flesh, of the light shining in the darkness, a light the darkness could not overpower, is a vital reminder to us that the creative and redemptive power of God is ultimately greater than the destructive forces so evident in our world.  I hope that during the Christmas celebrations you have opportunity to reflect on God’s gift of His own self to us all  -  a gift to live in our hearts and give us peace, strength and hope for the future.  I would personally like to express my thanks for cards and gifts that parishioners have kindly given.  December has been one long party!  I hope you are all able to have some rest during the Christmas festivities and enjoy being with family and friends.  Let us remember those who will not be so fortunate.  The Christmas Day collection will go to Housing Justice, a Christian group, working on behalf of the homeless.  The reason  I have chosen this group is two fold  -  reforms to welfare are likely to have a big impact on some people being able to remain in their present homes and will be searching for other accommodation once the reforms come in to force in April.  Housing Justice will be campaigning o behalf of such people.  The other reason is that their chief executive, Alison Gelder, is the wife of Ian Smith who so kindly helped us during the mission.

Baptism

Next Sunday we will welcome Adam James Jones into God’s family in baptism.  We are asked to pray for Adam, his family, and all preparing for baptism.

 

Welcome

On behalf of the parish I would like to offer all those who are visiting the parish while they visit family and friends.  We hope you enjoy your time in the area and please feel free to join us for tea/coffee if you have joined us for 10.00 am Mass.

 

Tea/Coffee

Tea/coffee will be served after 10.00 am Mass on Sunday mornings in the Parish Hall.

 

Reconciliation   before/after 10.00 am Mass on Monday.  or reconciliation at St Aidan’s in Ashington today, (Sunday) at 4.00 pm.

 

Sick and Housebound

It is important that our sick and housebound feel they are part of the Church and are able to receive the sacraments.  If you are aware of any sick and housebound among your family and friends who are not able to attend Mass regularly due to illness or infirmity could you please let me know. 

 

Blue Christmas Service

Bishop Séamus will be leading a service for anyone who is finding it hard to look forward to Christmas due to bereavement, loss or other difficult situations.  It will take place at St  Mary’s Cathedral, Newcastle today at 3.00 pm and will be followed by light refreshments and a chance to chat. All are welcome.

 

Decorating the Church

The Church will be decorated for Christmas after 10.00 am Mass on Sunday , could we please have volunteers for this -  more helpers the merrier.  I have heard a rumour of mince pies being available to give sustenance to the workers! 

 

Christ in the World group will meet on Friday 4th January at 7.00 pm. The group will discuss  when forgiveness is difficult

 

Thanks  At the end of the year it is an opportunity to look back and reflect on all that has happened in the parish over the past twelve months.  I am aware of many blessings and give thanks to God for them.  I am acutely aware that the parish is dependent on so many people  being generous with their time, talents, energies, and resources, in so many different ways.  During the Mission week a list was read out of various activities that take place in the parish.  The list came to twenty nine, that is an indication of the extent and diversity of what is going on in the parish and I would like to thank everyone for their contribution.

 

 

Third Sunday of Advent

Third Sunday of Advent

16th December 2012

 

Parish Mass Book   -  page 87

 

 

Mass Times and Intentions

                                                   6.30 pm  Vigil People of Parish

     Sunday  16th Dec                     10.00 am  Fr Eddie Gibbons

                                                                                     

Monday                      10.00 am  Eucharistic Service

Tuesday                     10.00 am  Private Intention

Wednesday                10.00 am  Sick Person (BG)  

Thursday                    10.00 am  Sadie Fowler

Friday                         10.00 am  NBF

 

                                                 6.30 pm  Vigil Fred & Dominic Devine

     Sunday  23rd Dec           10.00 am  People of Parish

 

Sacrament of Reconciliation

 

Saturday 5.45 pm - 6.15 pm

and at any time upon request

 

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

 

Friday at 9.15 to 9.45 am

 

 

 Please pray for 

· Vincent Allison and all who are sick,

 

· Sadie Fowler and all who have died recently,

 

· all whose anniversaries occur at this time. 

 

Week of Mission and Jubilee Celebrations

 

For the benefit of those who did not see a bulletin last week I would like to express my thanks to all who contributed to the Mission and the Jubilee celebrations.  I am personally grateful to the parish for your generosity in giving me a laptop computer and a personalised stole with the theme of baptism.  All the feedback I have received about the mission has been very positive and I am welcome to hear of any further comments.  There is a sense that the positive spirit and energy that has come from the mission must not be allowed to fade away.  I am conscious of this and once we have had our Christmas celebrations I am happy to have further suggestions as to how we develop with the gifts and blessings we received from the mission week..  I will be discussing this with the spirituality group and the parish council early in the new year.  I know from myself, personally, I need space to reflect and acknowledge the many blessings of last week.

 

 

Penitential Dates for your diary 
This weekend, on Sunday at 4.00 pm we will have our Advent service of reconciliation as part of our preparation for Christmas.  There will be opportunities for individual confession with priests of the deanery.  If you are unable to get this afternoon there are still other opportunities:

 

· Tuesday 18th December     -   St Wilfrid’s, Blyth, 7.00 pm

· Sunday 23rd December      -   St Aidan’s, Ashington, 4.00 pm.

 

Christmas Liturgies at St Benet Biscop’s

 

The year groups will be celebrating their Christmas liturgies on the morning of the 20th December.  They are as follows:

 

9.00 to 9.30 am -  Years 7 & 8

9.35 to 10.05 am -  Year 9

10.10 to 10.40 am  -  Year 10

10.45 to 11.15 am -  Year 11

11.30 to 12 noon -  Years 12 & 13

 

Parishioners are very welcome to attend any of these liturgies.  Please go to Main Reception.

 

All the children from St Bede’s Primary School will join us on Thursday at 10.00 am  for their end of term Mass.

 

Christmas Masses

 

Monday 24^th December         7.30 pm Carols

                                              8.00 pm  Vigil First Mass of Christmas

 

Tuesday 25^th December       10.00 am  

 

Wednesday 26^th December  10.00 am 

 

Thursday 27th, Friday 28th December and Monday 31st January at 10.00 am

 

Tuesday 1^st January 2013    11.00 am 

 

The Church will be decorated for Christmas after the 10.00am Mass on Sunday 23rd December. All are welcome– the more helpers the merrier!

 

Sick and Housebound

It is important that our sick and housebound feel they are part of the Church and are able to receive the sacraments.  If you are aware of any sick and housebound among your family and friends who are not able to attend Mass  regularly due to illness or infirmity could you please let me know.  As we prepare for Christmas I certainly want those who cannot come to church to have access to the sacraments.

 

Northern Catholic Calendar

Copies of the Northern Catholic Calendar are now on sale at £2.50. The front cover features the stain glass window of St Benet which is in St Benet’s High School.

 

Christmas Candles

We will carry on the tradition of people nominating a loved one for the Christmas candles.  The box and the slips of paper are available in the Narthex.

 

Blue Christmas Service

Bishop Séamus will be leading a service for anyone who is finding it hard to look forward to Christmas due to bereavement, loss or other difficult situations.  It will take place at St Mary’s Cathedral, Newcastle on Sunday 23 December at 3pm and will be followed by light refreshments and a chance to chat. All are welcome.