BULLETIN       24 JUNE 2007

THE BIRTH OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST IN YEAR 3


CHURCH SERVICES

Saturday 23 June

Confession on request from 4.30 to 5.15 pm  
Vigil Mass at 5.30 pm

Sunday 24 June
Sunday Mass at 10.00 am
Sunday Mass at 12.00 noon
Monday 25 June
Mass at 10.00 am for Frank McGee
Tuesday 26 June
Mass at 10.00 am for Michael Fitzpatrick
Wednesday 27 June
Mass at 10.00 am for Susan Little  
Thursday 28 June
Vigil Mass at 7.00 pm for Teresa Usher
Friday 29 June
Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
Mass at 10.00 am for the Parish
Mass at 7.00 pm for Anna Conti and Andy Duncan   
Saturday 30 June
Mass at 10.00 am for Charles Coulter


PARISH CENTRE EVENTS

Sunday 24 June
10.00 am
11.00 am
4.00 to 7.00 pm

Children's Liturgy
Tea and Coffee after Mass
Private Birthday Party

Monday 25 June
2.00 to 3.00 pm
7.00 pm
7.00 to 8.00 pm

Cardiac Rehabilitation
Saint Vincent de Paul Society  
Weight Watchers

Tuesday 26 June

11.00 to 4.00 pm
2.00 pm
7.30 pm
7.30 pm

Key Housing
Ignatian Prayer Group
Keep Fit
Legion of Mary

Wednesday 27 June

12.00 to 4.30 pm
6.00 to 7.00 pm

Key Housing
Burakudo Karate Club

Thursday 28 June
2.00 to 3.00 pm

Cardiac Rehabilitation

Friday 29 June
9.00 to 4.00 pm

Key Housing

Saturday 30 June
7.00 pmWedding Reception

PRAYERS
Please remember in your prayers:
   Paddy Codd who died recently;
   Mamie Scotland, Ben Walsh 1985, John Flood 2003, Greta Murphy 1973,
   Michael Fitzpatrick 2006, Elizabeth Paterson, Joseph Sammons 1954,
   Harry Boyle 2006, James Little 1979, Margaret Burns 2006,
   Mary Nolan O'Hare 1995, Anne Convery 1997, Margaret McCann 2000,
   Annie McCabe 2002, John, Peter, Francis Jim and Paul Breslin,
   William Magee 1997, Peter McEvoy 1967, Margaret Donnelly 1953,
   Helen Taylor 1998, Rose McKenzie 1998 and James Conaghan 1999
   whose anniversaries occur at this time;
   Holly Nawarauckasgraham and Callum Coutts who were baptised recently and
   Simon Pollock and Lisa Walker who were married recently.


SUNDAY COLLECTION
Last weekend's collection amounted to £788.86 - many thanks. Banker's Orders amount to an average of £4300 per month. Each month £4000 is repaid to the Diocese for the building loan and levy.

PARISH CENTRE COLLECTION
Last weekend's collection for
the Parish Centre amounted to £370.12 - 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.


PARISH CENTRE DONATION
Many thanks to the Saint Vincent de Paul Society for their donation of £100 for the use of the Parish Centre.

PARISH CENTRE
During the month of July, the Parish Centre will be closed to allow the floor in the main hall to be treated and maintained. As a result, there will be no teas and coffees after 10.00 am Mass on Sundays.

SPECIAL RELIGIOUS DEVELOPMENT (SPRED) FAMILY MASS
We will be joined at the Vigil Mass on Saturday 23 June by five SPRED groups from the Diocese to celebrate their annual family Mass.

HCPT - THE PILGRIMAGE TRUST
Many thanks once again to the anonymous donor for the generous donation which will fund the fare of one child to Lourdes next Easter. Our target this year is to fund four children. Please watch for our fundraising events beginning with a sponsored cycle round Millport on Sunday 1 July. Many thanks to Esther Coulter. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us; Saint Bernadette, pray for us.

SCHOOL HOLIDAY
The school holiday for pupils is from Thursday 28 June to Wednesday 15 August.

50-50 CLUB
Congratulations to the following 50-50 Club prizewinners:
April: 166 J Delahunt £25, 198 T McGreevy £25, 239 B and A McGrath £25, 72 M Carrick £25
May: 141 L Shaw £25, 114 S Douglas £25, 139 Jean Coulter £25, 252 A Ramsay £25
Bonus: 39 A Calvert £100
The annual cheque was £1500. Thanks to members of athe congregation who assisted with the draw. Thanks for your continued support of the 50-50 Club. If you would like to join, please contact Myriame. There are eight vacant places awaiting renewal.

ANNIVERSARY MASS FOR FATHER LYNCH
Mass will be celebrated for the third anniversary of Father Michael Lynch's death on Monday 2 July at 7.00 pm.

HARMONIES FOR HUNGARY
A big thank you to all who gave donations, supported and helped in any way to make the Harmonies for Hungary concert such a success. The amount raised was £1200.

SAINT ANDREW'S ACADEMY FINAL CONCERT
'A Summer Concert' will take place in the Assembly Hall of Saint Andrew's Academy on Monday 25 June at 7.00 pm. Tickets cost £5 and £3.

THE INNOCENTS
A box is available in the porch for baby goods, for example, talcum
powder, lotion, shampoo and so on for The Innocents.

GOING INTO HOSPITAL
If you are going into hospital, please let the staff know you are a Roman Catholic in order that the Chaplain can be informed. The hospital does not routinely inform the chaplain about Catholic patients.

READERS
More people are required to read at 10.00 am Mass. If you can help, please volunteer.

DRUMALIS RETREAT CENTRE, LARNE
Drumalis Retreat Centre is undergoing extensive building work and to help with the cost, CDs have been made at a cost of £10 each. If you would like to help Drumalis by buying a CD or give a donation, please contact Moira Bingham.

SAINT MICHAEL'S COLLEGE AND ACADEMY
A Celebration Book, Saint Michael's College and Academy 1921-2007 is available at the stall at a cost of £5.00.

THANKS
Archie Blades' family would like to thank all those who phoned, visited, sent cards and offered prayers for Archie during his recent illness. They were all very much appreciated and he is now on the road to recovery.

CHILDREN'S LITURGY ADULT HELPERS
   24 June
      Pre-Fives: Frances a
nd Maria
      Primary 1 to 3: Elaine, Eileen and Anne

Many thanks to Clara Hyslop and all the parent helpers who assisted with the Children's Liturgy throughout the year. There will be no Children's Liturgy during the summer holiday.



  Crosses are ladders to Heaven.  

  Don't let other people's judgement influence your judgement of other people.  

  Good criticism is very rare but always precious.  



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           Isaiah 49:1-6
Islands, listen to me, pay attention, remotest peoples. The Lord called me before I was born, from my mothers womb he pronounced my name. He made my mouth a sharp sword, and hid me in the shadow of his hand. He made me into a sharpened arrow, and concealed me in his quiver. He said to me, you are my servant (Israel) in whom I shall be glorified; while I was thinking, I have toiled in vain, I have exhausted myself for nothing; and all the while my cause was with the Lord, my reward with my God. I was honoured in the eyes of the Lord, my God was my strength. And now the Lord has spoken, he who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, to gather Israel to him: It is not enough for you to be my servant, to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back the survivors of Israel; I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

Second Reading           Acts 13:22-26
Paul said: "God made David the king of our ancestors, of whom he approved in these words, "I have selected David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will carry out my whole purpose." To keep his promise, God has raised up for Israel one of David's descendants, Jesus, as Saviour, whose coming was heralded by John when he proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the whole people of Israel. Before John ended his career he said, "I am not the one you imagine me to be; that one is coming after me and I am not fit to undo his sandal." "My brothers, sons of Abraham's race, and all you who fear God, this message of salvation is meant for you.".

Gospel           Luke 1:57-66.80
The time came for Elizabeth to have her child, and she gave birth to a son; and when her neighbours and relations heard that the Lord had shown her so great a kindness, they shared her joy. Now on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother spoke up. "No," she said 'he is to be called John." They said to her, "But no one in your family has that name", and made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called. The father asked for a writing tablet and wrote, 'His name is John.' And they were all astonished. At that instant his power of speech returned and he spoke and praised God. All their neighbours were filled with awe and the whole affair was talked about throughout the hill country of Judaea. All those who heard of it treasured it in their hearts. "What will this child turn out to be?" they wondered. And indeed the hand of the Lord was with him. The child grew up and his spirit matured. And he lived out in the wilderness until the day he appeared openly to Israel.