|
Saturday
28 December
|
Nuptual
Mass at 1.00pm
Vigil Mass at 4.30pm |
|
|
Sunday
29 December
|
Sunday Mass at 10.00am |
Sunday Mass at 11.30am |
|
Monday
30 December
|
Requiem Mass at 10.00am | Service of the Word at 11.00am |
|
Tuesday
31 December
|
Requiem
Mass at 10.00am |
Service of the Word at 11.00am |
|
Wednesday
1 January
|
Holy Mass at 11.00am | Holy Mass at 11.00am |
|
Thursday
2 January
|
Service of the Word at 11.00am | Holy Mass at 11.00am |
|
Friday
3 January
|
Holy Mass at 11.00am | Service of the Word at 11.00am |
|
Saturday
4 January
|
Vigil Mass at 4.30pm | Holy Mass at 10.00am |
There are no Parish Centre events in the coming week.
PRAYERS
Please remember in your prayers:
Jim McIntosh, Margaret Bonnar and Vera Brady who died recently;
Patrick Cahill 2010, Kit Keen 2012, Mary Dorian Stirling 1999, Anna Ferrie
2014, John Hendry 2015, May Kelly 2016, Alice Sibbald 2010, Terence Witt 2010,
Alfonso Agostini 1955, Brian Connick 2010, Father
Joseph Glendinning 1993, Catherine McAteer 2014, Joleen McIndoe
2015, William Twigg 1982, June Doherty 2010, Isabella Dougherty 2010, Charles
Patrick Hendry 1967, Father Andrew Karwemera 2002, Lizzie Macnamara, James
Murphy 1997, Thomas Bell 2019, Hugh Brown 1980, Susan Burns 1986, Maura Lapsley
2019, May Rollie 2007, Frank Clark 2009, Catherine Marroni 2012, Helen McGinn
2012, John McTiernan 2016, Sister Imelda CP 2000, Sister Marie Celeste CP
2000, Gerry Brown 2010, Tom McAvennie 2011 and Charles Retzbach 2000 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. If members
of your family or friends are in need of our prayers, please tell Father
Duncan or the parish office.
If they are in hospital, Reverend Bill Corbett on 01292 521208 - assisted
each week by the priest on call - is the chaplain to Crosshouse Hospital and
can be contacted through the ward. Ayr Hospital and the Ayrshire Hospice have
an on-call chaplaincy.
SUNDAY MASS TIMES
Sunday Mass times
in Saint Peter's are 5.30pm Vigil and 10.30am. Sunday
Mass times in other local parishes can be
seen here.
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
The Sacrament of Forgiveness is celebrated on Saturdays between 4.45 and 5.15
pm and at other times on request.
READERS
Next weekend's readers are Julie Coldwell at 5.30pm and Ami Paterson
at 10.30am.
MUSIC
MINISTRY
Next weekend's musicians are the Choir at 5.30pm and Catherine Kerr and Catherine
Boyd at 10.30am.
CHILDREN'S
LITURGY
Next week's Children's Liturgy helpers are Geraldine Butcher for the pre-fives,
Andrena Hughes and Frances Gemmell for Primaries 1, 2 and 3 and Jacqueline
Smith and Jacqueline Waugh for Primary 4.
SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY
Next Sunday is the Solemnity of the Epiphany. The Three Kings will be placed
in our Nativity. Also chalk will be blessed and distributed for the traditional
House Blessing.
WILL THE CHRIST CHILD COME?
One Christmas, we had an interesting experience that I would like to share.
Halfway through December, we were doing the regular evening things when there
was a knock at the door. We opened it to find a small package with a beautiful
ceramic lamb inside. We looked at the calendar and realized that the twelve
days of Christmas were beginning! We waited excitedly for the next night's
surprise and only then, with the gift of a matching shepherd, did we realise
that the lamb was part of a nativity set. Each night we grew more excited
to see what piece we would receive. Each was exquisitely beautiful. The children
kept trying to catch the givers as we slowing built the scene at the manager
and began to focus on Christ's birth. On Christmas Eve, all the pieces were
in place, but the Baby Jesus. My twelve-year-old son really wanted to catch
our benefactors and began to devise all kinds of ways to trap them. He ate
his dinner in the mini-van, watching and waiting, but no one came. Finally
we called him in to go through our family's Christmas Eve traditions - but
before the children went to bed we checked the front step. There was Baby
Jesus! Somehow, something was missing that Christmas Eve. There was a feeling
that things weren't complete. The children went to bed and I put out Christmas,
but before I went to bed I again checked to see if the Baby Jesus had come
-- no, the doorstep was empty. Missing that piece of the set seemed to have
an odd effect. At least it changed my focus. I knew there were presents under
the tree for me and I was excited to watch the children open their gifts but
first on my mind was the feeling of waiting for the ceramic Christ Child.
We had opened just about all of the presents when one of the children found
one more for me buried deep beneath the branches of the tree. He handed me
a small package from a former parishioner. This lady used to come to Church
now and again. She had no family and she didn't get many gifts to open so
I had always given her a small package - new dish towels, a good book - not
much, but something for her to open. I was touched when at Church on the day
before Christmas, she had given me this small package, saying it was just
a token of her love and appreciation. As I took off the ribbon, I remembered
my friendship with her and was filled with gratitude for knowing her and for
her kindness in giving me a gift. But as the paper fell away, I began to tremble
and cry. There in the small brown box was the Baby Jesus. He had come! I realised
on that Christmas Day that Christ will come into our lives in ways that we
don't expect. The spirit of Christ comes into our hearts as we serve one another.
We had waited and watched for him to come, expecting the dramatic 'knock at
the door and scurrying of feet' but he came in a small, simple package that
represented service, friendship, gratitude and love. This experience taught
me that the beginning of the true spirit of Christmas comes as we open our
hearts and actively focus on the Saviour. More than that, I want to open my
heart to him all year that I may see him again.
JUST
FOR A LAUGH …
Bill was in New York. He was patiently waiting and watching the traffic cop
on a busy street crossing. The cop stopped the flow of traffic and shouted
"Okay pedestrians". Then he'd allow the traffic to pass. He'd done
this several times and Bill still stood on the pavement. After the cop had
shouted "Pedestrians" for the tenth time, Paddy went over to him
and said "Is it not about time you let the Catholics across?"
THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY FAMILY
Today, the Church wants to awaken the exemplary spirit which reigned in Nazareth
in order that it may reign today in all our families. I think that the spirit
of the Holy Family was - above all else - a spirit of love, a spirit of faith
and a spirit of sacrifice. First of all - a spirit of love. It is a love which
is accepted mutually, it is sustained and it is endured, in spite of all defects
and limitations because God Himself has chosen and united his members. Secondly
- a spirit of faith. The spirit of love is based on a profound spirit of faith
and confidence. In the Holy Family of Nazareth, as in our family, it was necessary
to have mutual confidence, to demonstrate faith daily. Joseph had to have
blind faith in Mary. He had to believe in her in an extraordinary way. He
had to love her very much in order to believe so much in her, and Mary had
to believe in Joseph. She had to trust in his pure love, in his respect, in
his esteem. Thirdly - a spirit of sacrifice. The spirit of authentic love
and the spirit of profound faith carry with them the spirit of sacrifice.
For the Holy Family, sacrifices and sufferings began early on. Sacrifices
belong to family life. We all know it and we always experience it anew. Therefore,
a profound spirit of sacrifice is necessary for each family who is on the
way to the ideal of the Holy Family of Nazareth.
THANK
YOU
Margaret Swiercz would like to thank everyone for their support, love and
kindness, it is truly appreciated. Holy Mass will be offered for the intentions
of all.
HCPT LOURDES
GROUP 376
Esther Coulter will be taking part in the usual New Year's Day Dip across
from the Church at 12 noon. Members of the group will be available after each
Mass next weekend for sponsorship.
PIZZA AND PANTO
The Youth Ministry Office is inviting young people from across the Diocese
to join them for a bite to eat, some Panto Fun and a wee prayer to end the
night together. This event is free and taking place at 6.00pm on Sunday 29
December in the Parish Hall of Saint Margaret's Cathedral, John Street, Ayr.
For more information, see the poster at the back of the Church, phone 01387
252603 or contact Father Jim at Youth@GallowayDiocese.org.uk.
PARISH
STEWARDSHIP
Last weekend's Offertory collection amounted to £661.37 and the Maintenance
Fund collection to £244.08 - thanks very much.
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.
SUNDAY
TEAS
Tea and coffee will be served after the 10.30am Mass next Sunday in the Parish
Centre.
VISITORS
Are you visiting us for Holy Mass? Please know that you are very welcome.
During the 10.30 am Holy Mass outwith holidays, there is a Children’s Liturgy
provided for pre-school children, children in Primaries 1 to 3 and a Sacramental
Programme for children in Primary 4. After the 10.30am Holy Mass, tea, coffee
cakes and buns are available in the Parish Centre. At both of our weekend
Holy Masses, we have a second collection for Church maintenance.
ADVERTISER SUPPORT
Our advertisers would welcome your support. We are grateful for their continuing
sponsorship. We are grateful for the support of Mr and Mrs Sohal, Nisa Stores,
Glasgow Street for the weekly donation of tea, coffee and milk for the Sunday
teas.
PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS - MISSION STATEMENT
The Catholic Church in Scotland is concerned with the lives, safety, wholeness
and well-being of each individual person within God's purpose for everyone.
It seeks to safeguard the welfare of people of all ages who are involved in
whatever capacity with
the Church and its organisations. As a Church community, we accept that it
is the responsibility of all of us, ordained, professed, paid and
voluntary members, to work together to prevent the physical, sexual, emotional
abuse or neglect of children, young people and vulnerable adults.