BULLETIN
3
DECEMBER 2017
FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT IN YEAR 2
CHURCH SERVICES
Saturday
2 December
|
Our Lady's Day |
Sunday
3 December
|
Sunday Mass at 10.30 am for the congregation |
Monday
4 December
|
Memorial of Saint John Damascene |
Tuesday
5 December
|
Holy Mass at 10.00 am for Tony Gower |
Wednesday
6 December
|
Memorial of Saint Nicholas |
Thursday
7 December
|
Memorial of Saint Ambrose |
Friday
8 December
|
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the
Blessed Virgin Mary |
Saturday
9 December
|
Our Lady's Day |
The
Holy Mass intention list is just over two weeks ahead. Please notify anniversaries
as early as you can. Thanks. |
Saturday
2 December
|
Vigil Mass at 4.30 pm |
Holy Mass at 10.00 am |
Sunday
3 December
|
Sunday Mass at 10.00 am |
Sunday Mass at 11.30 am |
Monday
4 December
|
Holy Mass at 10.00 am | Service at 10.00 am |
Tuesday
5 December
|
Holy Mass at 10.00 am | Service at 10.00 am |
Wednesday
6 December
|
Holy Mass at 10.00 am | |
Thursday
7 December
|
Service at 10.00 am | Holy Mass at 10.00 am |
Friday
8 December
|
Holy Mass at 10.00 am | Service at 10.00 am |
Saturday
9 December
|
Vigil Mass at 4.30 pm |
Holy Mass at 10.00 am |
Sunday
3 December
|
11.30
am |
Tea
and Coffee after Holy Mass |
Monday
4 December
|
9.30
to 11.30 am 5.30 to 6.30 pm 6.30 to 8.00 pm 7.30 pm |
Parents
and Toddlers |
Tuesday
5 December
|
9.00
to 11.00 am 11.30 am 3.45 pm |
Cardiac
Rehabilitation |
Wednesday
6 December
|
3.45
pm 7.30 pm |
Irish
Dancing Ignatian Prayer Group |
Thursday
7 December
|
6.00
to 7.30 pm 7.30 to 9.00 pm |
Brownies |
Friday
8 December
|
9.30 to 11.30 am | Parents and Toddlers |
Saturday
9 December
|
6.30 pm | Private Function |
PRAYERS
Please remember in your prayers:
David Bonnar and Liz Wilson (Canada) who died recently;
Brian O'Hare 2009, Tom Reid 2006, Monica Tipping 2010, John Welsh 2009, Jim
Delahunt 2014, Martin Lehane 2015, Mary Martin 1983, Isabella McGoogan 1998,
Gordon Alexander Smith 1997, John Hughes 2010, Margaret
Anne Shanks 1994, Rose Smith 1999, Anne Thompson 1986, Robert Walker 2012,
Susan Connor 2009, Thomas Connor 2006, Joyce Feeney 2012, Jean Graham, Alexander
Merrick 2001, May Shanks 1990, Rose Smith 1999, Sarah Braniff 1961, Katherine
Fearon 1911, Janet Ferris 2013, Ann McCubbin, Robert Shanks 1996, Teresa
Dorans 2006, Philip Gargan 2012, Margaret Hughes 2006, James Mathieson 1999,
Gerard
McCulloch 1990, Anthony McGarvey 1996, John McKay junior 1972,
James McSorley 2010, Cassie Millen 2011, May O'Farrell 2013, Father Alec Smith
SDB 2008, John Tracy 1999, George Forbes 2014 and Agnes Martin 2007 whose
anniversaries occur at this time and those who are sick.
If deceased members of your family are not on our anniversary
list, please tell Father
Duncan, the parish office
or contact WebsiteAuthor@SaintPeterinChains.net.
SUNDAY MASS TIMES
Sunday Mass times
in Saint Peter's are 5.30 pm Vigil and 10.30 am. Sunday
Holy Mass times in other local parishes
can be seen here.
SACRAMENT OF FORGIVENESS
The Sacrament of Forgiveness is celebrated on Saturdays between 4.45 and 5.15
pm and at other times on request.
HOSPITAL
CHAPLAINCY
If a member of your family or a friend is sick, please let us know and give
us the details. Deacon Bill Corbett (01292 521208, 07904 248948, Rev.BillCorbett@btinternet.com)
is the chaplain to Crosshouse Hospital and is assisted by the priest on call
each week.
FINANCES
Bankers Orders for the Parish and Parish Centre amount to £3500 per
month. We are grateful for your generous support in collections. If you can
manage a little more from time to time, it would be a great help. A Standing
Order would make the handling of money so much easier. Have you signed a Gift
Aid form? If you are a taxpayer the Church would get 25p added to every £1
you donate.
COLLECTIONS
Last weekend's Offertory collection amounted to £576.61 and the Maintenance
Fund collection to £217.70 - thanks.
GIFT AID
The Inland Revenue now requires us to use a new style of Gift
Aid form. These are available at the back of the Church and on the parish
website. If you pay tax, please complete the new form and return it to the
box provided. This allows us to provide the additional information required
on the Gift Aid claim. Gift Aid is a vital source of income. All that is needed
is that you pay tax. You simply declare that you give funds to the Church.
We do the rest. Why not sign a form today? We get back an extra 25p for every
£1 you give the Church in your weekly collection or by way of a donation.
There is no need to cancel or renew it. We simply claim in the income we receive.
PARISH RECORDS
Our parish records are covered by the Data Protection Act and are for parish
use only. We cannot give out phone numbers or addresses. Please help us to
keep our records up to date using the cards provided.
BAPTISM
Last weekend, we celebrated the Sacrament of Baptism of Natalia Carroll, Luka
Mark Carroll and Sophie Carroll and we welcome them into the family of the
Church. Congratulations go to their parents and Godparents.
READERS
Next weekend's readers are Harry Sammons at 5.30 pm and Peter Brawley
at 10.30 am.
ALTAR SERVERS
Next weekend's altar servers are Group 1 at 5.30
pm and Group 2 at 10.30 am.
MUSIC MINISTRY
Next weekend's musician at the Vigil Mass is George McGrattan.
CHILDREN’S LITURGY
Next week's Children's Liturgy helpers are Emma
Paterson for the pre-fives, Geraldine Butcher and Andrena Hughes for Primaries
1, 2 and 3 and Jacqueline Smith and Maria Paterson-Kidd for Primary 4.
SUNDAY TEAS
Tea
and coffee will be served after the 10.30 am Mass in the Parish Centre next
Sunday.
ADVENT - A TIME OF PREPARATION
Advent is the start of the liturgical year in the Roman Catholic Church. This
year, in the Liturgical cycle, is Year B, in which we read the Gospel of Mark.
Advent is a period of preparation, extending over four Sundays before Christmas.
The Latin word adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly
used to refer to the Second Coming of Christ. The season of Advent anticipates
the coming of Christ from two different perspectives. First of all, it is
our celebration of Christ's birth at Christmas but second, it directs the
mind and heart to His Second Coming at the end of time. It is also a season
to be aware of the coming of Christ in our daily lives through grace. In the
Roman Catholic Church, the official liturgical colour for most of the season
of Advent is violet.
THE FOUR WEEKS OF ADVENT
During the first two weeks of Advent, we light the first two purple candles.
The Third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete (Rejoice) Sunday. On this day,
we celebrate that our waiting for the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day is almost
over. Rose is a liturgical colour that is used to signify joy, so we light
the single pink candle on the third Sunday of Advent. Then on the fourth Sunday
of Advent, the final purple candle is lit to mark the final week of prayer
and penance as we wait expectantly for the soon-coming birth of the King of
Kings.
SUNG EVENING PRAYER FOR ADVENT
Evening Prayer of the Church will be sung to mark the beginning of Advent
at Saint Margaret's Cathedral, Ayr, on Sunday 3 December at 6.00 pm. All are
welcome.
FOLLOW THE STAR
Seasonal Carols will be sung by The Harmonica Singers in the Church on Friday
8 December 2017 at 7.30 pm. There will be a donation programme and all are
welcome.
MEETING OF CHILDREN'S LITURGY VOLUNTEERS
There will be a meeting of the Children's Liturgy Volunteers on Wednesday
6 December at 7.00 pm in the Presbytery Conference Room.
VISIT FROM THE COMBONI SISTERS
The Missionary Sisters are here this weekend in Saint Peter's to sell their
special calendars for the New Year in support of their mission. Please bring
along some 'extra pennies' and give the Sisters your generous support. God
bless!
APPEAL FOR TOYS AND GIFTS AT CHRISTMAS
The group looking at homelessness in North Ayrshire is appealing for toys
and gifts for needy children aged between birth and eighteen years. There
is a greater need for gifts for teenagers. The toys and gifts will be distributed
by Social Work. They should be unwrapped as they will be wrapped centrally.
The toys and gifts should be brought to the Church by Sunday 10 December for
distribution in time for Christmas. We had an amazing response to this appeal
last year. Thank you.
THE STORY OF BEFANA
Befana was an old woman who lived in a small village in Italy. She was known
throughout the village for her wonderful baking and the cleanliness of her
kitchen and many had heard her say that she was so busy baking and cleaning
that she rarely had time to do anything else. One winter day, while Befana
was sweeping in front of her home, three travellers stopped to ask her for
a drink of water. They told Befana that they were astrologers - they were
often called the three wise men - who were following a star to the birth place
of the Christ Child. She kindly gave them water and then invited them to dinner.
After dinner, the astrologers prepared to continue their journey and asked
her if she would like to come with them to see the Christ Child. Befana shook
her head saying that she could not possibly take the time needed for such
a journey. She was secretly itching to get back to her cleaning and cooking.
Befana started being busy again but hours later she began to feel that she
had made a mistake. Befana decided to follow them. She quickly grabbed a basket
and filled it with gifts of all kinds. Befana travelled all through the night
but never caught up with the wise men and she never found the Christ Child.
Ever since that night, Befana stops at the home of every child at Christmastime,
leaving them gifts in their stockings. She hopes that one of the children
she visits will be the Christ Child at last.
Befana
the Housewife, scrubbing her pane
Saw three old sages ride down
the lane
Saw three grey travellers
pass her door
Casper, Balthazar, Melchior
"Where
journey you, sirs?" she asked of them
Balthazar answered "To Bethlehem
For we have news of a marvellous thing
Born in a stable is Christ the King"
"Give
Him my welcome!" then Caspar smiled,
"Come
with us, mistress, to greet the Child"
"Oh,
happily, happily would I fare
Were
my dusting through and I'd polished the stair"
Old Melchior leaned on his saddle horn
"Then send but a gift to the small Newborn"
"Oh, gladly, gladly I'd send Him one
Were the hearthstone swept and my weaving done"
"As
soon as ever I've baked my bread
I'll
fetch Him a pillow for His head
And
a coverlet too" Befana said
"When
the rooms are aired and the linen dry
I'll
look at the Babe" but the Three rode by
She worked for a day and a night and a day
Then, gifts in her hands, took up her way
But she never could find where the Christ Child lay
And still she wanders at Christmastide
Houseless,
whose house was all her pride
Whose
heart was tardy, whose gifts were late
Wanders
and knocks at every gate
Crying"Good
people, the bells begin!
Put
off your toiling and let love in"
MARRIAGE
MATTERS
Listening is a way of loving.
David, Paul and Mary listened to God and changed their plans and way of life.
Before marrying, we listened intently and consequently felt loved and cherished.
Today, with the pressures of everyday living, our listening can be impaired.
We need constantly to overcome the temptation to just 'hear' what's said and
work on listening with our hearts, eyes and full attention. 2
Samuel 7:1-5, 8-11, 16 Romans 16: 25-27 Luke 1:26-38