BULLETIN                                                    11 SEPTEMBER 2005                    

TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME OF YEAR 1


CHURCH SERVICES

Saturday 10 September
Confession on request from 4.45 to 5.15 pm
Vigil Mass at 5.30 pm
Sunday 11 September
Sunday Mass at 10.00 am
Sunday Mass at 12.00 noon
Monday 12 September
Eucharistic Service at 10.00 am
Reception of the body of Rona McNamara at 7.00 pm
Tuesday 13 September
Requiem Mass at 10.00 am for Rona McNamara
Wednesday 14 September
Mass at 10.00 am for John Stewart
Thursday 15 September
Mass at 7.00 pm for Annie McCormick
Friday 16 September
Mass at 10.00 am for Walter Jones
Saturday 17 September
Mass at 10.00 am for Mary McLellan


PARISH CENTRE EVENTS

Sunday 11 September
11.00 am Tea and Coffee after Mass
Monday 12 September
8.00 to 9.00 am
9.00 to 11.30 am
9.30 to 11.30 am
11.30 to 6.00 pm
5.30 to 6.30 pm
6.30 to 8.00 pm
7.00 pm
7.00 to 8.00 pm
Wrap-around Care for 3 to 5 year olds
Nursery
Parents and Toddlers
Wrap-around Care for 3 to 5 year olds
Rainbows
Brownies
Saint Vincent de Paul Society
Weight Watchers
Tuesday 13 September
8.00 to 9.00 am
9.00 to 11.30 am
11.30 to 6.00 pm
1.30 to 3.30 pm
7.30 pm
7.30 pm
Wrap-around Care for 3 to 5 year olds
Nursery
Wrap-around Care for 3 to 5 year olds
Country Dancing
Keep Fit
Ignatian Prayer Group
Wednesday 14 September
8.00 to 9.00 am
9.00 to 11.30 am
11.30 to 6.00 pm
5.00 to 6.00 pm
6.30 to 8.30 pm
7.30 pm
7.30 pm
Wrap-around Care for 3 to 5 year olds
Nursery
Wrap-around Care for 3 to 5 year olds
Street Dance for 13 to 18 year olds
2 B Slim
Special Religious Development (SPRED)
Finance Committee
Thursday 15 September
8.00 to 9.00 am
9.00 to 11.30 am
11.30 to 6.00 pm
1.00 to 3.00 pm
6.00 to 7.00 pm
6.00 to 7.30 pm
7.30 to 9.00 pm
Wrap-around Care for 3 to 5 year olds
Nursery
Wrap-around Care for 3 to 5 year olds
Thursday Club
Rainbows
Brownies
Girl Guides
Friday 16 September

8.00 to 9.00 am
9.00 to 11.30 am
11.30 to 6.00 pm
9.30 to 11.30 am
8.00 pm

Wrap-around Care for 3 to 5 year olds
Nursery
Wrap-around Care for 3 to 5 year olds
Parents and Toddlers
Private Party

PRAYERS
Please remember in your prayers:
   Jimmy Grant, Edna Hart and Rona McNamara who died recently;
   Mary Mitchell 2004, Mr and Mrs Daniel Brown, Bridget McLaughlin 1997,
   Jane McKechan 1998, Mary Crossan 1981, John Burns 1997,
   Patrick Joseph O'Hare 1955, Elizabeth Cawley 1997, John Marshall 2000,
   James Lawson 1992, Mary McLellan 2004, Walter Jones 1985,
   John Hazelton 1974 and Helen Mulhearn 2001
  
whose anniversaries occur at this time;
   and those who are sick.

SUNDAY COLLECTION
Last weekend's collection amounted to £661.64 - many thanks.
Banker's Orders amount to an average of £4000 per month. Each month £4000 is repaid to the Diocese for the building loan and levy.

RETIRED PRIESTS COLLECTION
Last weekend's collection for retired priests amounted to £454.35 - many thanks.

BANKER'S ORDERS
Paying your collection by monthly or quarterly banker's order makes money handling much safer. Banker's Order forms are available in the porch.

FATHER MATT SIXTY-FIFTH BIRTHDAY AND FORTY YEARS OF PRIESTHOOD
Father Matt has come to Ardrossan to be our Parish Priest. This year he is celebrating forty years in the priesthood and this month his sixty-fifth birthday. This is more than sufficient reason to have a party. Please join us on Saturday 24 September for a Celebration Mass at 5.30pm and afterwards at a party in the Parish Centre. There will be a bar, some music and a few surprise items. There will be a toast and a few words at about 7.00 pm. A light buffet will be available until 9.00 pm. You are welcome to stay for a while or just pop in for some food and a chat. The Centre will be open until 11.00 pm. Envelopes are available at the stall if you wish to make a donation to Father's presentation.

SOCIETY OF SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL ANNUAL MASS
The Annual Mass for the Sick will be celebrated by Bishop John Cunningham in the Good Shepherd Cathedral, Ayr on Wednesday 21 September at 7.30 pm. Tea will be available after Mass in the Cathedral Hall. Parishioner wishing to attend will be made most welcome. If transport is required, please contact a member of our Conference as soon as possible.

SAINT PETER'S WEBSITE
The number of visits to the new Saint Peter's website has far exceeded expectation. There have been over 1500 hits in less than two months. The website spans all years of the Church's existence from its opening in 1938 to the present day, the latter through the weekly bulletins. There are over 160 photographs of priests, parishioners and the building. We are keen to add more pictures and other information. Please try to have a look at the website at www.SaintPeterInChains.net. If you have photographs, a story or a suggestion, please contact the website author at WebsiteAuthor@SaintPeterInChains.net. For example, there may be an interest in starting a wedding photographs page. If you or your parents were married in Saint Peter's, these photographs could be included. Your opinions are valued. Thanks to all who have supported the venture.

SPECIAL RELIGIOUS DEVELOPMENT (SPRED)
The SPRED group needs volunteers to help with the Group. It meets in the Parish Centre on Wednesday evenings at 7.00 pm. If you would like more information, please contact Liz Petrie.

GOLDEN WEDDING CONGRATULATIONS:
Congratulations to Tom and Greta McGreevy on their Golden Wedding Anniversary on Saturday 10 September.

GLASGOW PHOENIX CHOIR CONCERT
There will be a concert by Glasgow Phoenix Choir in Saint Mirin's Cathedral, Paisley on Friday 30 September at 7.30pm. Further details are on the notice board.

ATHIESM
To the disciples' delight, the Master said he wanted a new shirt for his birthday. The finest cloth was bought. The village tailor came in to have the Master measured, and promised, by the will of God, to make the shirt within a week. A week went by and a disciple was dispatched to the tailor while the Master excitedly waited for his shirt. Said the tailor, "There has been a slight delay. But, by the will of God, it will be ready by tomorrow." Next day the tailor said, "I'm sorry it isn't done. Try again tomorrow and, if God so wills, it will certainly be ready." The following day the Master said, "Ask him how long it will take if he keeps God out of it.".



The difficulties of life are intended to make us better, not bitter.

Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when
our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.



READINGS
The readings for this weekend's Masses are shown below in English. They are available in eleven other languages
including French, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish by clicking on this link.


First
Reading           Ecclesiasticus 27:30 - 28:7
Resentment and anger, these are foul things, and both are found with the sinner. He who exacts vengeance will experience the vengeance of the Lord, who keeps strict account of sin. Forgive your neighbour the hurt he does you, and when you pray, your sins will be forgiven. If a man nurses anger against another, can he then demand compassion from the Lord? Showing no pity for a man like himself, can he then plead for his own sins? Mere creature of flesh, he cherishes resentment; who will forgive him his sins? Remember the last things, and stop hating, remember dissolution and death, and live by the commandments. Remember the commandments, and do not bear your neighbour ill-will; remember the covenant of the Most High, and overlook the offence.

Second Reading           Romans 14:7-9
The life and death of each of us has its influence on others; if we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord, so that alive or dead we belong to the Lord. This explains why Christ both died and came to life, it was so that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

Gospel           Matthew 18:21-35
Peter went up to Jesus and said, "Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?" Jesus answered, "Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times." And so the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants. When the reckoning began, they brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents; but he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he should be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, to meet the debt. At this, the servant threw himself down at his master's feet. "Give me time" he said "and I will pay the whole sum." And the servant's master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancelled the debt. Now as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow servant who owed him one hundred denarii; and he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him. "Pay what you owe me" he said. His fellow servant fell at his feet and implored him, saying, "Give me time and I will pay you." But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him thrown into prison till he should pay the debt. His fellow servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and reported the whole affair to him. Then the master sent for him. "You wicked servant," he said "I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me. Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow servant just as I had pity on you?" And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debt. "And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart."