SERVICES
AND GATHERINGS
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, public Church services and gatherings
are suspended till further notice. Father
Duncan
will celebrate Holy Mass privately every day and assures you of his prayers
for you and your family.
A READING FROM THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES - 2:42-47
The whole community remained faithful to the teaching of the apostles, to
the brotherhood, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. The many miracles
and signs worked through the apostles made a deep impression on everyone.
The faithful all lived together and owned everything in common. They sold
their goods and possessions and shared out the proceeds among themselves according
to what each one needed. They went as a body to the Temple every day but met
in their houses for the breaking of bread. They shared their food gladly and
generously. They praised God and were looked up to by everyone. Day by day
the Lord added to their community those destined to be saved.
A READING
FROM THE FIRST LETTER OF SAINT PETER - 1:3-9
Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy
has given us a new birth as his sons, by raising Jesus Christ from the dead,
so that we have a sure hope and the promise of an inheritance that can never
be spoilt or soiled and never fade away, because it is being kept for you
in the heavens. Through your faith, God's power will guard you until the salvation
which has been prepared is revealed at the end of time. This is a cause of
great joy for you, even though you may for a short time have to bear being
plagued by all sorts of trials; so that, when Jesus Christ is revealed, your
faith will have been tested and proved like gold - only it is more precious
than gold, which is corruptible even though it bears testing by fire - and
then you will have praise and glory and honour. You did not see him, yet you
love him and still without seeing him, you are already filled with a joy so
glorious that it cannot be described, because you believe and you are sure
of the end to which your faith looks forward, that is, the salvation of your
souls.
A
READING FROM THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN - 20:19-31
In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were
closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came
and stood among them. He said to them "Peace be with you" and showed
them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they
saw the Lord and he said to them again "Peace be with you. As the Father
sent me, so am I sending you." After saying this he breathed on them
and said "Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive,
they are forgiven, for those whose sins you retain, they are retained."
Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when
Jesus came. When the disciples said "'We have seen the Lord", he
answered "Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and
can put my finger into the holes they made and unless I can put my hand into
his side, I refuse to believe." Eight days later the disciples were in
the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed but Jesus
came in and stood among them. "Peace be with you" he said. Then
he spoke to Thomas "Put your finger here. Look, here are my hands. Give
me your hand. Put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe." Thomas
replied "My Lord and my God"' Jesus said to him "You believe
because you can see me. Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe."
There were many other signs that Jesus worked and the disciples saw but they
are not recorded in this book. These are recorded so that you may believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing this you may
have life through his name.
RECENTLY
DECEASED
Please pray for the Repose of the Soul of John Mullen, who died on 30 March
2020. His funeral service will be at Holmsford Bridge Crematorium in Dreghorn
on Tuesday 21 April at 9.30am. Please also pray for John McLaughlin who died
on 15 April 2020. His graveside service was at West Kilbride Cemetery on Saturday
18 April at 11.00am. May they rest in peace and rise in glory.
PARISH WEBSITES
In our difficult situation, please have a look at our parish websites to keep
up-to-date and informed. We have two at the moment - our original website
SaintPeterInChains.net
and our new website SaintPeterInChains.co.uk
where information, updates and resources are being added every day. Please
have a look and let us know what you think. The weekly bulletin will be posted
on both websites.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
The financial support and upkeep of the Parish is also drastically affected
by the present situation. Please try and hand in your Offertory envelopes
to the Parish Office when you can or better still, consider taking out a Banker's
Order for Saint Peter's as the social isolation will probably impact us
for the next months. Banker's
Order and Gift
Aid Declaration forms are available in the Parish Office and on our website.
If you would prefer that we email you or post the forms, please let the Parish
Office know. If you require any assistance in completing the forms, please
contact George at the Parish Office and he can speak to you by phone. Thank
you for all you do and for your solidarity and generosity. In
these difficult financial times, there is no obligation to give to the Sunday
Collection. If, however, you feel able to, you can donate by text message
to an account set up by the Diocese of Galloway. It is not possible to nominate
a particular parish so all text-giving donations will be shared among parishes.
To donate, text the word SUNDAY to 70085 followed by the number of pounds,
from 1 to 20. For example, SUNDAY 5 to 70085 gives £5. This message
would cost £5 plus one standard rate message charge. Thank you for all
your commitment and support.
PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF LOURDES
This is a very old prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes which seems very appropriate
in the light of our present situation. Thanks are due to Bernard McCormick.
O Holy Virgin, in the midst of your days of glory, do
not forget the sorrows of this earth.
Cast a merciful glance upon those who are suffering, struggling against difficulties,
with their lips constantly pressed against life's bitter cup.
Have pity on those who love each other and are separated.
Have pity on our rebellious hearts.
Have pity on our weak faith.
Have pity on those who weep, on those who pray, on those who fear.
Grant hope and peace to all. Amen.
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us! Abbe
Perreyve
AN OCEAN OF DIVINE MERCY FOR ALL OF US
The message of The Divine Mercy is simple. It is that God loves us - all of
us. And He wants us to recognise that His mercy is greater than our sins,
so that we will call upon Him with trust, receive His mercy and let it flow
through us to others. Thus, all will come to share His joy. The Divine Mercy
message is one we can call to mind simply by remembering ABC.
A - Ask for His Mercy. God wants us to approach Him in prayer constantly,
repenting of our sins and asking him to pour his mercy out upon us and upon
the whole world.
B
- Be merciful. God wants us to receive his mercy and let it flow through us
to others. he wants us to extend love and forgiveness to others just as he
does to us.
C
- Completely trust in Jesus. God wants us to know that the graces of His mercy
are dependent upon our trust. The more we trust in Jesus, the more we will
receive.
THOUGHTS
FOR THE DAY
Every day next week, Father
Duncan will celebrate Holy Mass privately, focusing
on these Thoughts for the Day taken from the Easter Sunday Urbi et Orbi -
for the city and for the world - blessing of Pope Francis.
A
message from Father Duncan on Sunday 19 April
2020
Today, l celebrate Holy Mass privately for the Parish. Like a new flame this Good News springs up in the night - the night of a world already faced with epochal challenges and now oppressed by a pandemic severely testing our whole human family. In this night, the Church's voice rings out "Christ, my hope, is risen!" - Easter Sequence. This is a different 'contagion', a message transmitted from heart to heart - for every human heart awaits this Good News. It is the contagion of hope - "Christ, my hope, is risen!" The Risen Lord is also the Crucified One, not someone else. In his glorious body he bears indelible wounds - wounds that have become windows of hope. Let us turn our gaze to him that he may heal the wounds of an afflicted humanity. Please be assured of my daily prayers for you and your family.
Today, l celebrate Holy Mass privately for the Parish and Francis McEvoy junior at his anniversary. May Jesus, our Passover, grant strength and hope to doctors and nurses, who everywhere offer a witness of care and love for our neighbours, to the point of exhaustion and not infrequently at the expense of their own health. Our gratitude and affection go to them, to all who work diligently to guarantee the essential services necessary for civil society, and to the law enforcement and military personnel who in many countries have helped ease people's difficulties and sufferings. Please be assured of my daily prayers for you and your family.
Today, l celebrate Holy Mass privately for the Parish and Duncan Lyon and Janie Aitken at their anniversaries. This is not a time for indifference because the whole world is suffering and needs to be united in facing the pandemic. May the risen Jesus grant hope to all the poor, to those living on the peripheries, to refugees and the homeless. In light of the present circumstances, may international sanctions be relaxed, since these make it difficult for countries on which they have been imposed to provide adequate support to their citizens and may all nations be put in a position to meet the greatest needs of the moment through the reduction, if not the forgiveness, of the debt burdening the balance sheets of the poorest nations. Please be assured of my daily prayers for you and your family.
Today, l celebrate Holy Mass privately for the Parish and Francis Smith at his anniversary and John McLaughlin who died recently. This is not a time for self-centredness because the challenge we are facing is shared by all, without distinguishing between persons. Among the many areas of the world affected by the coronavirus, I think in a special way of Europe. After the Second World War, this beloved continent was able to rise again, thanks to a concrete spirit of solidarity that enabled it to overcome the rivalries of the past. It is more urgent than ever, especially in the present circumstances, that these rivalries do not regain force, but that all recognise themselves as part of a single-family and support one another. Please be assured of my daily prayers for you and your family.
Today, I celebrate Holy Mass privately for the Parish and Archie and Jane McFarlane at their anniversaries. This is not a time for division. May Christ our peace enlighten all who have responsibility in conflicts, that they may have the courage to support the appeal for an immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world. This is not a time for continuing to manufacture and deal in arms, spending vast amounts of money that ought to be used to care for others and save lives. Rather, may this be a time for finally ending the long war that has caused such great bloodshed in Syria, the conflict in Yemen and the hostilities in Iraq and in Lebanon. May this be the time when Israelis and Palestinians resume dialogue in order to find a stable and lasting solution that will allow both to live in peace. May the sufferings of the people who live in the eastern regions of Ukraine come to an end. May the terrorist attacks carried out against so many innocent people in different African countries come to an end. Please be assured of my daily prayers for you and your family.
Today, I celebrate Holy Mass privately for the Parish, Agnes Ward and Alice Lynn at their anniversaries. This is not a time for forgetfulness. The crisis we are facing should not make us forget the many other crises that bring suffering to so many people. May he warm the hearts of the many refugees displaced because of wars, drought and famine. May he grant protection to migrants and refugees, many of them children, who are living in unbearable conditions, especially in Libya and on the border between Greece and Turkey and I don't want to forget the island of Lesbos. Please be assured of my daily prayers for you and your family.
Today, on the Feast of Saint Mark, l celebrate Holy Mass privately for John Mullen who died recently and Anthony Raymond Downes at his anniversary. Dear brothers and sisters, indifference, self-centredness, division and forgetfulness are not words we want to hear at this time. We want to ban these words for ever! They seem to prevail when fear and death overwhelm us, that is, when we do not let the Lord Jesus triumph in our hearts and lives. May Christ, who has already defeated death and opened for us the way to eternal salvation, dispel the darkness of our suffering humanity and lead us into the light of his glorious day, a day that knows no end. I wish you all a happy Easter! Please be assured of my daily prayers for you and your family.
POPE FRANCIS SURPRISES HOST WITH A CALL ON LIVE TELEVISION
"I am close, I am close to you all" Pope Francis said on Good Friday, making a surprise call-in to a live Italian television programme. "Good evening, Lorena. How are you?" the Pope said to the visibly surprised host of a religious show called A Sua Immagine - In His Image - on Italy's Rai 1 channel. The Pope called the show during the airing of a special for Good Friday. He has been celebrating the Holy week liturgies in Saint Peter's Basilica without the presence of the public due to the coronavirus pandemic. On the television program, Pope Francis said that during Holy Week he was thinking about Christ's crucifixion and the many sacrifices men and women were making during the global health emergency caused by Covid-19. "In these days, I am thinking about our crucified Lord - and the stories of the many crucified people, those of history and those of today, in this pandemic - the doctors, nurses, religious sisters, priests, who have died at the 'frontlines' like soldiers" he said. These men and women, he continued "have given their lives for love. They are resistant, like Mary, under their crosses, they and their communities, in hospitals, taking care of the sick." He said that today there are people "who die for love. This is the thought which comes to me in this moment."
SATAN'S CAR BOOT SALE
Once upon a time, Satan was having a car boot sale. There, standing in little groups were all of his bright, shiny trinkets. Here were tools that make it easy to tear others down for use as stepping stones - and over there were some lenses for magnifying ones own importance, which if you looked through them the other way, you could also use to belittle others, or even ones self. Against the wall was the usual assortment of gardening implements guaranteed to help your pride grow by leaps and bounds - the rake of scorn, the shovel of jealousy for digging a pit for your neighbour, the tools of gossip and backbiting, of selfishness and apathy. All of these were pleasing to the eye and came complete with fabulous promises and guarantees of prosperity. Prices, of course were steep - but not to worry! Free credit was extended to one and all. "Take it home, use it, and you won't have to pay until later!" old Satan cried as he hawked his wares. Business was brisk. One visitor, as he browsed, noticed two well worn and very plain tools standing in one corner - practically unnoticed. Not being nearly as tempting as the other items, he found it curious that these two tool had price tags higher than any other. When he asked why, Satan just laughed and said "Well, that's because I use them so much. If they weren't so plain looking, people might see them for what they were." Satan pointed to the two tools, saying "You see, that one's Doubt and that one's Discouragement and those will work when nothing else will - believe me!"
JUST FOR A LAUGH ...
In Ardrossan a Protestant man married a Catholic woman at Saint Peter's. After their marriage, he decided to convert to the Catholic Church. So he went to the priest and took instructions and was later baptised Catholic. He had one problem however. He couldn't get it into his skull that he was a Catholic man and no longer a Protestant. This became such a problem that he returned to the priest and asked for some advice. The priest told him that if he was to repeat the phrase "I'm a Catholic, not a Protestant" enough times the idea might penetrate his skull. The man left mumbling to himself, "I'm a Catholic, not a Protestant. I'm a Catholic, not a Protestant." The next Friday the priest decided to visit the newlyweds. He knocked on the door and was greeted by the wife. When he stepped in, he smelled something that should not be in a Catholic's home on a Friday. He asked the wife where her husband was and she replied that he was in the kitchen. The priest walked into the kitchen and saw the man pouring thick brown gravy on a thick hunk of roast beef. Aghast, the priest was about to explode when he heard the man mumble "You're a trout, not a cow. You're a trout, not a cow."
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.
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.