Newsletters
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FR DAVID WRITES
Today is the First Sunday of Advent and the beginning of the Church’s new year. This year follows the readings in the liturgical cycle ‘Year C’. These Sunday Gospels are drawn mainly from the Gospel according to St Luke. In Advent, we remember especially that Christ our Saviour is coming! At this new beginning, let us pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us through the coming season towards Christmas. Many thanks to all involved in last Sunday’s wonderful Christmas Market. Thank you also to everyone who supported it with such generosity. Finally, I celebrated the 13th anniversary of my priestly ordination last Monday. Thank you to the whole parish—by your presence, prayers and friendship you bring me so much joy and satisfaction in my way of life. May God bless all of you!
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Picture: By John Stephen Dwyer, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11102388
FR DAVID WRITES
Today is the solemnity of Christ, the Universal King. This is the last Sunday in Ordinary Time and the final Sunday in the Church’s calendar. Next Sunday will mark the beginning of a new liturgical cycle as we begin the First Sunday of Advent. Today (Sunday), please do visit our Christmas Market in the parish hall. With many thanks to those who have worked hard to organise this lovely event. If you would like to support Red Wednesday this week please do come to 10am Mass and exposition on Wednesday morning—wear something red!? There will also be an opportunity today for you to take Aid to the Church in Need information or to give towards their work. Have a lovely Sunday and a great week—best wishes to you all.
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FR DAVID WRITES
Today is Remembrance Sunday. The Requiem Mass for the fallen will be celebrated at the 10am Sunday Mass. This will be also be the Church Parade with representatives of our uniformed groups (the entire troops will not parade due to Covid precautions). We had a lovely Remembrance Assembly in the primary school on Thursday which was also Armistice Day. Thank you to everyone who came this week to support our CAFOD hunger lunch on Thursday, or to hear Fr Matt give his reflection at Mass on Friday. Thanks also to parishioners who joined us for the Deanery Mass last Tuesday or the Diocesan Mass last Wednesday. Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated.
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The Seven Sacraments by Jobas - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42894472
CONFIRMATION CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations and best wishes to the forty four young people who received the Sacrament of Confirmation here on Friday evening. Thank you to the candidates, sponsors and families. We also thank the team of catechists for helping to prepare the young people, and everyone who helped with the lovely celebration in church, either in preparing or celebrating the liturgy.
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ALL SAINTS & ALL SOULS
Today is the solemnity of All Saints. This is the feast of the Church Triumphant, where all the saints are gathered around the Lord. The witness and prayers of the saints spurs us on, and their powerful intercession helps us on our journey towards heaven. Tuesday is All Souls' Day. This commemoration of the faithful departed is not a feast but a day of prayer for the Holy Souls which spills over into the rest of November. There will be an extra Mass at 7pm that day to pray for our departed loved ones. We will continue our prayers and Masses for the faithful departed throughout the month.
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OCTOBER: PRAY THE ROSARY
Fr Johnson will expose the Blessed Sacrament and say the Rosary each morning Monday-Friday (7am Exposition, 7.15 Rosary) before the 8am Mass. Rosary before the 10am Mass on weekdays - all are welcome to join. On Sundays, there is a Rosary for persecuted Christians after the 10am Mass (in front of the Blessed Sacrament altar).
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FR DAVID WRITES
It has taken a long time to put things back together safely in the parish. Thank you to everyone who has helped so far, including with our new readers’ list, the church cleaners, singers and musicians, collectors, counters, florists and to other groups who have started back. We are now looking for help to start tea and coffee on Sunday mornings after the 10am and 11.15am Masses, and for volunteers to man the shop on Sunday mornings. Perhaps you did these roles before and would like to begin again, or maybe you are new to these roles—either way, your help would be great. Please speak to Fr David or Fr Andrew today, or contact the office during the week.
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FR DAVID WRITES
Today there is a pastoral letter from Cardinal Nichols, partly reflecting on some of our recent experiences as well as introducing the diocesan preparatory phase of the forthcoming Synod of Bishops (2023) on Communion, Participation and Mission. Friday was the CAFOD Harvest Fast Day and there will be a retiring collection for this at all Masses this weekend. Thank you for your generosity. Pope Francis hopes to visit Scotland in November to take part in the COP26 summit. Please keep this and the world's poorest in your prayers. Wishing you all a good weekend.
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SECONDARY SCHOOL TRANSFER
If your child is due to start at secondary school next September, the schools will be holding open days/evenings in the next couple of weeks. Please keep an eye on their websites for details of dates and times. Fr David will be available to sign school forms on Saturday 16th October from 5pm to 6.30pm. There is no need to sign up, but please do come at this time with all your forms ready to be signed. Most Catholic schools will not need a CCP, but some may still be using it so please check the information on the schools’ websites carefully. He will also be able to sign for other schools which require a priest’s reference.
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SECONDARY SCHOOL TRANSFER
If your child is due to start at secondary school next September, the schools will be holding open days/evenings in the next couple of weeks. Please keep an eye on their websites for details of dates and times.
Fr David will be available to sign school forms on Saturday 16th October from 5pm to 6.30pm. There is no need to sign up, but please do come at this time with all your forms ready to be signed. Most Catholic schools will not need a CCP, but some may still be using it so please check the information on the schools’ websites carefully. He will also be able to sign for other schools which require a priest’s reference.
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FR DAVID WRITES
It has been lovely these past few weeks to see many people and activities returning to the parish after such a long and difficult time. Today, we are pleased to have church music back at the 10am and 11.15am Masses. Thank you to readers, singers, musicians, church cleaners and many others who are beginning their roles and ministries once again in the parish this week. We are all very grateful. Last week, many young people returned to school and studies, and this week the Confirmation programme will begin. Please pray for all the people of the parish as we move into a new term and phase of new life! Please also pray for the seminarians of our diocese as I meet together with them and the Cardinal on Thursday at Allen Hall Seminary. Please continue to pray for vocations. God bless you all.