4th Sunday of Easter (b)
4th Sunday of Easter. (b)
Times of Mass and Confession:
Sundays: Vigil Mass (Saturday) 6.00 p.m. &10.00 a.m.
Weekday: 9.00 a.m. (Monday – Friday)
10.00 a.m. (Saturday)
Confessions: After 10.00 a.m. Mass on Saturday.
Other times by arrangement.
Please remember the following parishioners, relatives and friends in your prayers:
Sick: Sally McDermott, Catherine Wilson, John McPartland, Mary McPheely, Annie O’Donnell, Molly Weir.
Anniv: Thomas Hand, Robert & Margaret Stafford, Bryan Webb.
Died: Maria Riccio, Nancy O’Keefe, Charlie Driver, Mary Love, Ruth Ross.
Today is the World Day of Prayer for Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life. There will be a retiral collection to help with the maintenance of our students preparing for ordination. There are also some prayer cards available as you leave Mass.
Today: Eucharistic Ministers, Church Cleaners, Servers and Readers’, please come to the sacristy to collect their new rotas.
Sunday there will be a celebration of the Children’s Liturgy during the 10.00 a.m. Mass This provides children of primary school age with an opportunity of coming together to pray and reflect on the Mass of the day. It is not a crèche. Latterly there seems to be fewer and fewer children coming forward to take part even though they are at Mass. This can be very dispiriting for those who give a lot of their time in preparing and leading these liturgies. Please encourage your children to take part.
Sunday: The Coffee Morning takes place after Mass this morning with the Brownies/Guides in charge. Why not pop round after Mass and meet up with fellow parishioners over tea, coffee bacon rolls etc which will be on sale.
Thursday: The tea/coffee and biscuits has resumed in the house after 9.00 a.m. Mass. All welcome. Many thanks to those who hand in their loose bronze coins and even small silver ones. These can continue to be handed in to the Card Stall at the weekend and the proceeds go to the Parish Project.
Thursday: The Keep Fit class has resumed in the Hall at 7.00 p.m. All are welcome to come along and take part. Numbers are dropping off so unless a few more come along the class may have to be cancelled in the near future.
Next Sunday is the first Sunday of May, the month traditionally devoted to Our lady. As in past years, you are invited to bring a flower, or flowers, which will be collected at the start of mass and placed at the statue of Our Lady over the Sundays of May
Diary Dates:
8th May: Final meeting of the parents of children in P7 prior to the celebration of their Confirmation and First Communion on May 27th. The meeting is at 7.00 p.m. in the Hall.
The pass keepers and Parish Pastoral Council members will continue to hand out the census leaflets after Mass. Please take one, complete and return it as soon as possible either in the box at the back of the Church or directly to Monsignor Tony. We need to have as accurate a record of Parishioners as possible for the Diocesan authorities. If there is someone living near you who goes elsewhere or has stopped going to mass please take a form for them and discreetly ask them to complete it. It is confidential and the details will not be passed on to anyone. There is also a part of the form which invites you to become more involved in the life of the Parish. Fewer and fewer people are actively involved in the Parish other than attending Mass here. A Parish has to be more than that. More and more is being asked of fewer and fewer and dare I say older parishioners to support and sustain all the things that happen here. Many of the groups are in real danger of closing down due to either parishioners moving away or existing members feeling they can no longer continue. I really hope and pray there will be an increase in volunteers in all areas of Parish life as a result of this initiative being undertaken by the Parish Pastoral Council with my full support and encouragement. The Council is meeting on 22nd May to begin collating the responses to it and it would be really helpful to have your replies by then.
Many thanks to those who organised and prepared everything for the Senior Parishioners’ Christmas party and to those who came along to take part and those who provided the entertainment, especially the boys and girls from the school. A good time seems to have been had by all although either I am getting older (no comment) or Senior Parishioners are getting younger.
With every best wish and blessing
to you, your families and those
who are dear to you
Monsignor Tony.
