17 December 2023 – 3rd Sunday of Advent

 

MASS INTENTIONS THIS WEEK

Saturday   16th         5.00pm  –  Knights of the Holy Sepulchre

Monday    18th       10.00am –  Cobham & Whittle families: living & deceased

Thursday  21st        10.00am –  LISCF

Saturday  23rd         5.00pm  –   Parishioners

LATEST  UP-DATE 

 MASS TIMES: SATURDAY VIGIL MASS at 5pm


 PARISH NEWSLETTER

OFFICE OPENING OVER CHRISTMAS
Friday 22 December: 9.30am to 12.30pm
Friday 29 December: 1pm to 4pm

MASSES THIS WEEK
Monday: 10am; Thursday Mass at 10am is followed by Exposition and Benediction (10.25am-11.00am)

CONFESSIONS: Confessions will now be heard on the last Saturday of the month – 30 December 4.15pm-4.45pm

CHURCH OPEN FOR PRAYERS BEFORE THE BLESSED SACRAMENT: Fridays, 11am to 1pm

READINGS FOR 17 DECEMBER
1st Reading: Isaiah 61:1-11, I exult for joy in the Lord
Psalm – Luke 1:46-50: My soul rejoices in my God.
2nd Reading: Thessalonians 5:16-24, May you all be kept safe, spirit, soul, and body, for the coming of the Lord.
Gospel Reading: John 1:6-8, 19-28, There stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me.
Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! The spirit of the Lord has been given to me.  He has sent me to bring good news to the poor.  Alleluia!
Communion antiphon: Say to the anxious, be strong and fear not, our God will come to save us.

POPE’S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR DECEMBER
Volunteer Organisations
Let us pray that volunteer, non-profit organisations committed to human development find people dedicated to common good and ceaselessly seek out new paths to international co-operation.

SAINTS & FEAST DAYS THIS WEEK
21 December – St Peter Canisius, Dutch Jesuit and friend of St Ignatius
23 December – St John of Kanty, a Polish priest, who advised his students: “Fight all error, but do it with good”.

CHRISTMAS WEEK MASSES
Sunday 24 December: carols from 4.40pm, Christmas Mass: 5.00pm (Priest’s Intention)
No Masses on Monday 25 December or on Thursday 28 December
Saturday 30 December: 5pm – Feast of the Holy Family (Parishioners)
Monday 1 January: 11.00am

GAZA COLLECTION
CAFOD is working with local people to provide aid to the people of Gaza.  One of their co-workers was killed when a bomb hit the Orthodox church which was providing refuge for 500 people.
If you would like to help, you’ll find CAFOD envelopes for your donations in the narthex.  Please gift aid if you can and we’ll collect your envelopes during Advent, then send the donations in the New Year.  Thank you in anticipation. 

FINAL CALL FOR DONATIONS – Mary’s Meals
Thank you to all those who have donated to date. It is wonderful to see all the donations arrive each week.
The closing date is 23 December (next Saturday) to add your gift to the total.
This deadline is important, to ensure the collection reaches Mary Meals before early January in order to benefit from the Supporters’ Double-Money offer.
If anyone wishes to donate but is unable to deliver the gift, please call Joy (01704 822316) and she will arrange collection.
Thank you. Ged Tyrer

PARISHIONER CONTACT DETAILS – GDPR
Please collect a GDPR Consent Form today (from the narthex) and complete with your contact details.  We last did this exercise in 2020 and it was invaluable in helping us to keep in touch with parishioners during the early years of pandemic lockdowns.  However, we are legally required to destroy this information after three years, therefore it would be enormously helpful if you could now provide up-to-date contact details.  These will be stored securely and used for church business only.  The information will be kept until 2026.  Thank you.  (Only 18 returned so far!)
Deadline: 31 December 2023

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.   Please see the Thank You letter in the narthex: 501 visits to the foodbank in October and 1300 food parcels were given out!  More help is needed.  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.

DECEMBER LOTTERY WINNERS
Mrs J Harrison,  Croston            £50 (44)
Mrs J Mckenzie,  Mawdesley      £30 (4)
Mr E Kelly,  Rufford                   £20 (32)

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.

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.

HOW TO DONATE TO THE CHURCH
Standing Orders
– Many find this an easier alternative to trying to remember to bring cash along each week.  Forms are available in the porch / from the Parish Office.  You can determine the amount and when it is deducted each month.  Please post compoleted forms to your bank.
Envelopes – easy, because they can be prepared before coming to church.  They afford some ‘privacy’ for the amount donated. Please contact the Parish Office so we can arrange this.
Cash / cheque donations each week and very gratefully received.
Gift Aid If you are a taxpayer then you can easily help the parish to claim 25% extra on top of every donation you make.  Eg: your donation of £10 per week could become £12.25  going to the church. Filling in a simple form to register your name and address means we can claim an additional 25% of your gift
Please collect a form from the narthex on your way out today, complete and return to the Parish Office.
THANK YOU for your continuing support and generosity in these very challenging times.

OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INVOLVED IN THE PARISH
Now that parish activities are starting up again, there are a number of opportunities to become a bit more involved in parish life, particularly: stewarding/welcomers, driving deliveries to St Mary’s foodbank every other week, singing with the choir, flower arranging, church cleaning, altar serving, fund-raising.  Help is welcome from all ages!  Please contact the Parish Office by email or ring on Fridays, in order to find out more.

       
       
       

MUSICAL TREAT FOR THE WEEK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufsfurSpPmM
A really rousing and joyful advent hymn this week – completely in line with Gaudete Sunday: Hills of the North Rejoice!  We don’t hear this hymn often enough, but the words are pure poetry and the melody is both easy on the voice and uplifting for the spirit and the ear.

WITH EVERY BLESSING THIS WEEK FOR PARISHIONERS & FAMILIES