14 December- 3rd Sunday of Advent
MASS INTENTIONS THIS WEEK
Saturday 13th 5.00pm Parishioners
Monday 15th 10.00am Elizabeth & Frank Wright RIP
Thursday 18th 10.00am Anne Stobbs RIP
Saturday 20th 5.00pm Cobham & Whittle families (living & deceased)
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MASS TIMES: SATURDAY VIGIL MASS at 5pm PARISH OFFICE: The Parish Office is open on Friday from 10am to 4pm |
PARISH NEWSLETTER
MASSES THIS WEEK
CONFESSIONS: Next confessions: last Saturday of the month – 27 December, 4.15pm to 4.45pm
READINGS FOR 14 DECEMBER
1st Reading: Isaiah 35:1-6, God himself will come and save you.
Psalm 146: Come Lord and save us.
2nd Reading: James 5:7-10, Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 11:2-11, Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?
Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; he has sent me to proclaim the good news to the poor. Alleluia.
Communion antiphon: Say to the faint of heart: Be strong and do not fear. Behold our God will come, and he will save us.
POPE’S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR DECEMBER
For Christians in Areas of Conflict
Let us pray that Christians living in areas of war or conflict, especially in the Middle East, might be seeds of peace, reconciliation and hope.
FEAST DAYS THIS WEEK
14 December – St John of the Cross
20 December – St Vincent Romano
21 December – St Peter Canisius
SERVICE OF RECONCILIATION – Sunday 14 December, 3pm
Advent is always a special time recommended by the Church to celebrate the sacrament of Penance by going to Confession in preparation for the feast of the Nativity. There will be a Service of Reconciliation on Sunday 14th December at 3pm at St Gregory’s Church, Weld Bank, Chorley PR7 3NW.
RED ADMIRAL BAND CONCERT – SUNDAY 21 DECEMBER at 2pm
The event is fast approaching…. just eight days away! The Events Group is very excited as this is the first non- religious event to take place in the church itself for decades. Doors will open at 1.30pm
Have you booked you seat? Many have, thank you. Today (Saturday) is the last day you can return your slip/remittance via the collection plate, otherwise all bookings will have to be put through the Presbytery letter box (inside door) by Thursday this week, or call Joy on 01704 822316.
(Please note there are no official tickets for the event but as folks have booked a list of names has been created which will be checked at the door as you, your family and friends arrive).
It will be wonderful to fill the church for the concert, a joyous occasion filled with carols and festive music by the Red Admiral Band, who have generously waived their fee to enable all proceeds to be given to Mary’s Meals. Please do try to support the band and the parish.
The Events group look forward to seeing you all next Sunday afternoon.
Ged Tyrer (Chairman SSP&P Fund Raising Group)
SS PETER & PAUL’S CHRISTMAS APPEAL FOR ‘MARY’S MEALS’
Thank you to all those who have generously donated to date.
This is the last week you can add to the total if you wish to be included for the draw to win the fabulous gifts displayed in the narthex. The draw will take place after Holy Mass next Saturday, 20 December.
If you have missed the explanatory leaflet and still wish to donate, please collect one from the narthex this evening. You can still be included in the draw if the donation is returned to the presbytery by Thursday 18 December. However, we will still be collecting further donations up Sat 3rd January 2026. This is when it will have to be forwarded to Mary’s Meals to ensure our parish donation benefits from being doubled by the sponsors of the charity.
Note: All the donations for Mary’s Meals can be gift aided, but you cannot gift aid the tickets for the Red Admiral concert on 21 December.
Ged Tyrer (Chairman SSP&P Fund Raising Group)
RED MISSION BOXES
Mission Today calendars for 2026 are now available from the table in the narthex for anyone who would like one. Please return (red) Mission boxes to church for counting. If you need someone to collect them, please contact Sandra Cobham on 01704 821609 and she will arrange collection. Thank you.
CAFOD’s WORLD GIFTS FOR CHRISTMAS
This Christmas, give your loved ones something exceptional and life-changing. Buying CAFOD’s virtual World Gifts makes a real difference for our sisters and brothers facing the injustice of poverty around the world. Choose from a range of beautifully illustrated cards, each representing a gift of hope, inspired by real people and real needs. Cards can be sent by post, as an eCard, or printed at home. You may also wish to purchase World Gifts and other gifts such as Advent calendars and jute bags at www.worldgifts.cafod.org.uk/ or pick up a catalogue in the narthex.
OFFERTORY ENVELOPES / GIFT AID / STANDING ORDERS!
If you are a taxpayer then you can easily help the parish to claim 25% extra on top of every donation you make – and it won’t cost you a penny! Eg: a donation of £10 per week would result in £12.50 going to the church. If you are able to use gift aid, please collect a form from the porch on your way out today, and return it to the Parish Office asap.
If you are a taxpayer who makes regular cash donations, please consider using an offertory envelope instead of just placing your ‘loose’ donations in the basket. This is really important: it can bring in more than £1000 to the church every year, as we’ll be able to claim gift aid directly on every donation you make. It won’t cost you anything at all, but it will make a huge difference to our finances.
Please contact the Parish Office if you’d like to use envelopes – they are free!
Even better – you can donate ‘painlessly’ each month by setting up a standing order with your bank. Forms are available in the porch.
PARISH MONTHLY LOTTERY – HAVE YOU JOINED YET?
Are you missing out on this monthly lottery draw? Letters are available in the narthex explaining how the lottery works and also how important this is for the parish. Please pick one up before you leave church.
DON’T FORGET! PARISH FOODBANK – DONATIONS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME
Thank you for donations already received, which have been taken to the foodbank centre at St Mary’s in Leyland. They are particularly short of tinned pasta, tinned meat / fish and puddings.
Please check that donations are well before their BB date!
Thank you all for your kind-hearted generosity. It makes such a big difference.
CATHOLIC PICTORIAL
Keeping you up to date with all the news from around the Archdiocese online: www.catholicpic.co.uk
Postal subscriptions are available: 3 issues = £9.50, 6 issues = £19 and 12 issues = £37.50.
Email enquiries@cpmmmedia.com or ring 0151 709 7567.
Digital copies are also available. Please use the phone number / email address above.
MASS INTENTONS
Mass intentions are welcome, not just for our dear departed, but for any other occasion eg in thanksgiving, successful outcome (exams / operation), wedding / anniversary blessings. Please write your name and intention, with the preferred date – if applicable – on a piece of paper and place in an envelope, along with your offering, either in the weekly offertory basket or through the presbytery door. It may not be possible to guarantee the specific date requested, for various reasons, however, every effort will be made to find a date as near as possible.
THE UNIVERSE CATHOLIC WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS
These are available to order directly from the publisher (www.thecatholicuniverse.com or call Michelle on 0743 661 7650. It can be posted to you each week. A 3 months print subscription is £42.00 – 6 months is £75.00 and the year at £140.00.
MAGNIFICAT
Now is a good time to buy a yearly subscription to Magnificat. It works out at less than £1 per week at £65 pa.
The Magnificat is published monthly. For each day, it contains the readings and prayers for Mass, with a meditation from the great spiritual writers of the Church throughout history and prayers for morning and evening inspired by the Liturgy of the Hours. You will also find the lives of the saints, articles on spiritual topics by contemporary writers, prayers at night, hymns, reflections and essay on a great example of Christian art in each issue.
Please order online at www.magnificat.com or phone Margaret Hiscock on 020 3882 9432.
MUSICAL TREAT FOR THE WEEK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbSIAmv2CaM&list=RDXbSIAmv2CaM&start_radio=1
A lovely rendition of Handel’s recit and aria from ‘the Messiah’, that evokes John the Baptist’s special mission in this week’s Sunday readings.
WITH EVERY BLESSING FOR A HAPPY AND PEACE-FILLED WEEK