Fourth Sunday of Advent

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Christmas Day

Feast of the Holy Family

22nd December 2013 to 5th January 2014

 

Mass Times and Intentions

 

                                     6.30 pm  Vigil  Fred & Dominic Devine

Sunday 22  Dec           10.00 am  People of Parish                    

 

Monday 23                     10.00 am  Eucharistic Service

Tuesday 24                    10.00 am  Francis Reid McAlroy

               

                                         8.00 pm Vigil  First Mass of Christmas

                                                                 (Carols from 7.30 pm)

CHRISTMAS DAY         10.00 am  People of Parish

 

Thursday  26                   11.00 am  Molly, Owen & Patrick ruddy

Friday 27                        10.00 am  Jim Craik

                                

                                     6.30 pm  Vigil  People of Parish

Sunday 29 Dec                10.00 am  Dorothy & Owen Tomlinson     

Monday 30                    10.00 am  Eucharistic Service

Tuesday 31                   10.00 am  Sick Person

 

NEW YEAR’s DAY       11.00 am  Private Intention

 

Thursday 2 Jan                 10.00 am  George Mullen

Friday 3 Jan                  10.00 am  Joe & Anthony Watson

 

                                  6.30 pm  Vigil  People of Parish

EPIPHANY 5th Jan       10.00 am  Alan & Pat Langan

 

Please pray for

 

· all who are sick, 

· all who have died recently,

 

· all whose anniversaries occur at this time.  

 

 

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.

 

Decorating the Church

The Church will be decorated for Christmas on Tuesday 24th December after 10.00 am Mass.   Could we please have volunteers for this -  more helpers the merrier. Mince pies and hot drinks will be available. 

 

Reconciliation   

 

There will be a penitential service today (22nd) at 4.00 pm.

 

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

 

 

Christ in the World group will meet on Friday 3rd January at 7.00 pm. The meeting will not be too serious where we will be sharing our “epiphanies of grace” in our lives and in our world.  Drinks and nibbles will be provided.

 

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. 

 

Refugee & Asylum Seekers

 

There will be a collection next weekend for tins of food and meat (not pork). For refugees and asylum seekers.  Please leave your donations in the Narthex.

 

Preaching of the Gospel of St Matthew with Fr Michael Winstanley for all clergy and laity on Thursday 16th January at St Michael’s Church, Houghton le Spring, 11.00 am to 3.30 pm.  Further details on poster in Narthex.

 

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.  It has been a very memorable life in the year of the church with the resignation of Pope Benedict and the Papacy of Pope Francis.  On a parish level the successful confirmation programme and the increasing involvement of young people in the parish is a sign of blessing and hope for the future also it was good to see an increased involvement of lay people with the pastoral care of the sick and housebound in the parish. We pray that our parish will continue to be  blessed in 2014.

 

                      

 

Third Sunday of Advent

 

Third Sunday of Advent

15th December 2013 

Parish Mass Book 88 

    

                                      Mass Times and Intentions

 

                                      6.30 pm  Vigil  People of Parish

Sunday 15  Dec         10.00 am  Andrew Wright                                                    

                                     

Monday                       10.00 am  Eucharistic Service

Tuesday                      10.00 am  Craik & Freel families

Wednesday                         10.00 am  Sick Person

Thursday                     10.00 am  Christopher Wilkes      

Friday                          11.00 am  Margaret Faulder

 

                                       6.30 pm  Vigil  Fred & Dominic Devine

   

Sunday 22  Dec          10.00 am  People of Parish 

 

Sacrament of Reconciliation

 

Saturday 5.45 pm - 6.15 pm

Wednesday’s   6.00 to 7.00 pm.

and at any time upon request

 

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

 

Friday 9.30  - 10.00 am

 

Gaudete Sunday

 

This third Sunday of Advent calls us to rejoice since the Lord is on his way.  We seek to bring out the joyful dimension of our waiting of the ‘Coming of the Lord’.

 

Advent Reconciliation

 

Bishop Seamus has asked that as happened in Lent confession is offered at a regular time throughout the diocese so for the Wednesday’s in Advent there will be confessions:

 

                St Bede’s Saturday’s        5.45 to 6.15 pm

                 "       "      Wednesday’s   6.00 to 7.00 pm.

                St Aidan’s          “              7.00 to 8.-00 pm

 

St Bede’s Advent service of reconciliation will be Sunday 22nd December at 4.00 pm. 

 

Christ in the World Group

 

The next meeting of the group will be on Friday 3rd January at 7.00 pm.  We will be exploring the notion of Epiphany with people being asked to share what signs of grace they see present in our world today.  Drinks and nibbles will be provided.

 

Liturgy Rotas

 

The new liturgy rota commences today.  If you are involved with the liturgy in any way copies of the rota (with notes attached) are available from the Narthex.  Please take a copy today.

Parish Ceilidh

 

My thanks to all who contributed to making the ceilidh last Saturday a great success.   It was lovely to see so many members from other churches in the area able to come.  To have such a strong ecumenical dimension to a parish event is very good to see. 

 

Survey on Family Life 

According to The Tablet over 10,000 responses have been made to the survey across England and Wales and over 650 in our diocese, and also 15 priests (including this one).   My thanks to all those who at least attempted to fill in the survey.  I appreciate it wasn’t particularly easy.

 

St Bede’s First School  pupils will join us for Mass on Friday which will be at 11.00 am.

 

Parish Pastoral Council 

 

At our meeting on Monday it was decided that the parish would seek to support and promote the next Papal World Youth day in Poland in August 2016.  There will be a meeting early in the new year for all interested parties.  It was also decided that in the light of the success of the Advent carol service and the need to evangelise there will be a post-Easter event publicised throughout the area.  More details later.

 

 

The Northern Catholic Calendar is on sale this weekend £2.50 each.

 

The Gospel of Joy

 

The title above is the English translation for  Evangellii Gaudium, which is the title of an Apostolic Exhortation by Pope Francis.  In the autumn of 2012 there was a synod of Bishops on evangelism and this is the Pope’s response to it.  For those who have access to the internet it can be located at http://www.vatican.evangelii-gaudium  For those who have not access to the internet it will be available at the bookshop at the Cathedral.  In this document the Holy Father calls us to proclaim and live out the gospel with the hallmarks of love, joy and mercy.  He links the call to proclaim the gospel to showing our concern and compassion for the poor and the vulnerable. 

 

Holocaust Memorial Evening   to be held at St Aidan’s Catholic Academy, Sunderland on Thursday 23rd January at 7.00 pm   Principal Speaker Eugene Black (Holocaust Survivor, prisoner number 55456).  Further details on poster in Narthex.

 

Catholic Newspapers

 

The Universe and Catholic Times next week will be a double issue.  The price of each will be £2.60.

 

Christmas  -  Advance Notice

 

             Tuesday 24th Dec   -  Mass 10.00 am

 

                                              -  Carols 7.30 pm

                                              -  Vigil Mass 8.00 pm

             Christmas Day         -  Mass  10.00 am

             Boxing Day               -  11.00 am

 

The 10.00 am Mass on Christmas Eve will be followed by the decorating of the church for Christmas.  All volunteers are very welcome, mince pies will be provided.