Fr. Agustin writes:We conclude the year 2006 celebrating this wonderful feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth. The feast is intimately connected with Christmas; it is in fact a Christmas feast which celebrates the Incarnation of the Son of God who was born into the fullness of the human condition and that fullness also involved a human family; Mary and Joseph. Our Saviour chose the family as the most suitable place to prepare himself to carry out his redeeming mission by living a hard-working and hidden life.
In this Sunday let us turn our eyes from the grotto of Bethlehem where Christ was born to the humble house of Nazareth where “Under the authority of Mary and Joseph Jesus increased in stature and wisdom” the wisdom of leading a life of humility, simplicity and praise. May the Holy Family be for all Christian families a model, an authentic school of the gospel, the place where we discover and experience the true meaning of love, unity and openness to life. With this hope I wish you all a Happy New Year!
White Flower Appeal
Next weekend 6/7 January, SPUC, the Society for the protection of Unborn Child, will be holding its annual White Flower Appeal at the end of the Sunday Masses. Please give generously to support their work to uphold the sanctity of human life.
Westminster Year Book
Westminster Year Books are now on sale in the repository – price £3 each. This is a valuable book for all to have with all kinds of information from times of Masses around the Dioceses to the age of priests!
Baptism Preparation
Next session for parents wishing to have children baptised will be on Monday 8th of Januaryat8.00pm in the Hesdin Hall. If you are planning to attend the meeting please contact Fr. Agustin.
Confirmation There will be a meeting led by Fr. Agustin and the team of catechists for all candidates, together with your parents, for the parish confirmation programme for 2007 in the Hesdin Hall at 7.30pm on Tuesday 16th January. It is essential you attend this meeting as we will be giving out important information about the meaning of confirmation and the programme.
From Fr. Michael Many thanks to all who helped in any way to making our Church so beautiful for the Christmas Season. Thanks to Andy Loughman and his team for the Christmas trees and Cribs. Grateful thanks to the flower ladies; altar servers; cleaners; collectors; Eucharistic Ministers; Readers; Choir; Folk Group and Adrian our organist. Thank you also to all those individuals who work so hard in many ways.
Grateful thanks too, for all the presents, Christmas Offerings and Cards received by both Fr. Agustin and myself.
I am also grateful to have received so many cards and presents for my 60th Birthday and of course the lovely birthday cake presented to me at the end of the Christmas Vigil Mass. I really did feel at a loss for words. A BIG Thank You to all.
Please Note
There will be no Evening Masses for two weeks as Fr. Agustin will be away next week and I will be away the following week. This weekend we welcome Fr. Michael O’ Boy from the Dept. of Evangelisation who will celebrate two Masses for us. We are most grateful to him.
Mass Intentions
for the Week 30th December – 7th January 2007
Saturday 30th December 18.00 Lucie Abela, R.I.P.
Sunday 31st December 8.30 For You, the People. Feast of the Holy Family 10.00 Siobhan Murphy, R.I.P. 000000000000000000000000000000000000011.30 John Sugrue, R.I.P. (Sung / English) 18.00 Dennis Curran, R.I.P.
Monday 1st January 10.00 Intentions of Mary O’ Brien (80th Birthday) Solemnity of Mary Mother of God
Bank Holiday
Tuesday 2nd January ` 10.00 Deceased Members of Carney Family SS Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen
Wednesday 3rd January 10.00 Professor Wynn
Thursday 4th January 10.00 Pat Craven, R.I.P.
Friday 5th January 10.00 Laura O’ Leary, R.I.P.
Saturday 6th January 10.00 John Sugrue, R.I.P
Sunday 7th January 8.30 Nick Vecchione, R.I.P.
.........................................................................10.30 Mary Holmes, R.I.P. (Folk) ......................... 11.30 Kurt Bachtler, R.I.P. (Sung / English)
.........................................................................18.00 For You, the People
PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK AND HOUSEBOUND:
Carmel Galanty, Mary Maloney, Ron Skew, Betty Douglas, Doreen Jones, Peter Flaherty,
Dolores Osborne, Christopher Redmond, Rose Pick, Lily Fehin, Edna Winwright, Eugene Barrett, Trevor Denham, Mary Worley, Ann Holland, Dorothy Rushbrook and Caroline Titley.
William (Billy) Smith
AND FOR THOSE WHOSE ANNIVERSARY OCCURS ABOUT THIS TIME:
Albert Poot, Ann White, George Burgh, Rev. Alexander Wells, Hugh Needham, Margaret Murphy, Alice Smith, Molly Lear, Marie Cartwright, Agnes Adamson, Evelyn Andrew, Thomas Watkins, Sean Kellegher, The Strom-Pedersen Family, Gerard Hickey, William Kelleher, Cyril Bransby, Teresa Sanderson, Joseph Constable, Edward Rock, George Grange, Bridget Atkinson, Dorothy Holland, Richard Bennett, Sister Theresa-Margaret Andrews, Daniel Benjamin, Marie Kirkpatrick, William Painter, George Baldock, Timothy Hennessy, Andrew Dove, Bridget Mary Foley, John (Jack) Parr.
Mass Intentions are now fully booked at Sacred Heart Church until the end of FEBRUARY 2007.
