Last Sunday Mass Attendance – 641
Mass attendance on Christmas Day was
1,179.
Mass Intentions
This Sunday
|
(Sat) |
6.00pm |
People of the Parish |
|
|
10.00am |
Margaret Cushman RIP |
|
|
11.30am |
Richard Angel – Welfare |
|
Monday 10:30am |
|
CWL Intention |
|
Tuesday 10:30am |
Sixth day of the Octave |
Cornelius O’Shea – Welfare |
|
Wednesday 10:30am |
Of the Octave |
Maria Moody – Welfare (M Morley) |
|
Thursday 12Noon |
Mary Mother of God (World Day for Peace) |
Andrew Healey – Welfare |
|
Friday 9.30am |
SS Basil & Gregory Nazianzen |
Paddy & Nora Lorigan (M O’Leary) |
|
Saturday 9.30am |
Feria |
Maura Murray Welfare (M Kelly) |
Next Sunday 4th January – THE EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD JESUS
CHRIST
|
(Sat) |
6.00pm |
Chris Barrett RIP ( |
|
|
10.00am |
Pauline Smith RIP (L Rusmini) |
|
|
11.30am |
People of the Parish |
Welcome to Mass today and a special welcome
to any visitors to our parish during this Christmas season.
The Holy Family give us
a model for family life but we must not be put off by a falsely romantic view
of their situation. It was tough, it was
rough. God entrusted himself to an
ordinary Jewish family, with its ups and downs, its joys and its sorrows.
Likewise God entrusts
our families to us. For most of us the
family is the place where our attitudes are formed, the place which prepares us
for adult life. Let us thank God today
for our families – even if, perhaps, some memories may be happier than others –
and let us entrust them all to the everlasting love of God.
This week: Please
note the different times for daily Mass this week. Hopefully we shall have a full church on
Thursday – New Years Day – when we celebrate Mary Mother of God (Day for World
Peace) at 12 noon.
NO
Confession or Exposition on MONDAY 29th DECEMBER
Christmas season is very special and you are
encouraged to come to Mass during the week, even if you never usually have the
opportunity. Remember Christmas season
ends on the Feast of the Epiphany (6th January, although this year
transferred to Sunday 4th).
Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard
to make Christmas here a worthy celebration, including decorators, flower
arrangers, servers, musicians, readers, ministers and Welcomers.
The church looks
wonderful for Christmas and I do thank the faithful (but very small) band who decorated the
church this year. I do hope many more of you will volunteer for
working parties in 2009 – there really is so much to do – and with a
congregation of almost 1,000 people we should be able to share the load...
Another thank you – and a very special one to those
who presented ‘Now Thrice Welcome Christmas’ – our carol service held last
Sunday. It was a wonderful evening and
displayed the talents of our singers and readers. A particular thank you to Bill Morley who
compiled the service, which was both moving and entertaining.
Do you want to get fitter and trimmer for Spring? How about joining Firm Believers, our friendly inter-church
fun-fitness class. Suitable for all
levels of fitness and ability. Wednesdays 7.00-7:45pm in the Social Centre Coffee,
etc. after for those who wish. Please
wear Comfortable shoes and clothing, and bring a towel or mat to lie on. Cost £4.
No need to book – come and give it a try. All welcome.
|
One
time of the year the new-born child is everywhere, planted in Madonna’s arms
hay mows, stables in palaces or farms, or quaintly, under snowed gables
gothic angular or baroque plump, naked or elaborately swathed encircled by
Della Robbia wreaths, garnished with whimsical partridges and pears, drummers
and drums, lit by oversize stars, partnered with lambs, peace doves, sugar
plums, bells, plastic camels in set of three as if these were what we need
for eternity. But
Jesus the Man is not to be seen. We
are too wary, these days, of beards and sandalled Feet. |
Yet
if we celebrate, let it be that he has invaded our lives with purpose,
striding over our picturesque traditions, our shallow sentiment, overturning
our cash registers, wielding his peace like a sword, rescuing us into
reality, demanding much more that the milk and the softness and the mother
warmth of the baby in the storefront crèche, (only the Man would ask all, of
each of us) reaching out always, urgently with strong effective love (only
the Man would give his life and live again for love of us). Oh
come, let us adore him – Christ – the Lord. Luci Shaw 20th Century |
Teresa, the
family and I also thank you for your many cards and gifts, and also for your
Christmas offering which amounted to £3,603. We send you our warmest wishes for this holy
season and pray that you will know a little more of God’s love as revealed in
the Child of Bethlehem.
Happy
Christmas! – Fr Bryan
Church and Social Centre Rotas
|
Wednesday Coffee |
Church Cleaning 31st December |
|||
|
T Forde |
|
T |
B Bridle |
G Head |
Next Sunday 4th January
|
Bar |
Tellers |
Coffee 10.00am |
Coffee 11.30am |
|
|
J M |
L Floris U Floris I Webb |
M Harrington R Scott |
Readers
|
6.00pm Sat. |
10.00am |
11.30am |
|
L Pigott P Kenny |
L Benson A Prifti |
A Scripture P Bunnage |
Ministers of Holy Communion
|
6.00pm Sat. |
10.00am |
11.30am |
|
P Driscoll C Cahill M Cahill C Cosgrave P Cosgrave |
D Hairs M Howell M Kelly M Morley W Morley P |
M Ingledew M Jones J Longhurst D ONeil P Powell |
Welcomers
|
6.00pm Sat. |
10.00am |
11.30am |
|
J Callinan |
M Morley B Morley |
L Samuels J Samuels |