7 December- 2nd Sunday of Advent
MASS INTENTIONS THIS WEEK
Saturday 6th 5.00pm Brian Forde RIP
Saturday 13th 5.00pm Parishioners
| LATEST UP-DATE |
|---|
|
MASS TIMES: SATURDAY VIGIL MASS at 5pm PARISH OFFICE: The Parish Office is open on Friday 12 December, from 1.30pm to 4.00pm |
PARISH NEWSLETTER
MASSES THIS WEEK
CONFESSIONS: Next confessions: last Saturday of the month – 27 December, 4.15pm to 4.45pm
READINGS FOR 7 DECEMBER
1st Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10, With righteousness he shall judge the poor.
Psalm 72: In his days shall justice flourish and great peace forever.
2nd Reading: Romans 15:4-9, Christ saves humanity.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 3:1-12, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia. Prepare the way of the Lord and make his paths straight. Alleluia.
Communion antiphon: Jerusalem arise, and stand upon the heights, and behold the joy which comes to you from God.
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
8 December – Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
9 December – St Juan Diego Cuanhtlatoatzin
10 December – Our Lady of Loreto
11 December – St Damasus I
12 December – Our Lady of Guadalupe
13 December – St Lucy
REFLECTION FOR THE 2nd SUNDAY OF ADVENT – Journey into Repentance
Advent is a penitential season, heralded first by the prophet Isaiah and echoed by St John the Baptist.
‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way. A voice calling in the desert. Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight his path’. (Isaiah 40:3).
According to a French proverb, ‘Years of repentance are necessary in order to blot out a sin in the eyes of men, but one tear of repentance is enough for God’.
Repentance then, is not a human work at all, but completely divine: it is the movement of the Holy Spirit within our hearts.
‘Repentance is not the work of man, as the prophet Jeremiah said: Make me repent, my Lord and I shall repent’.
(St John Chrysostom).
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.
THE CLOCK IS TICKING….!
RED ADMIRAL MUSIC CONCERT – Sunday 21st Dec 2025 at 2pm
… It is now only three Sundays away (including tomorrow). Thank you to all those who have returned their forms for the concert, it is appreciated. If you have not booked your place(s) we would be grateful if you would do so asap.
We are promised a wonderful afternoon of fabulous music with carols and seasonal music to get us into the Christmas spirit. Everybody is welcome, churchgoers, family and friends of all ages. And by attending you will also be helping Mary’s Meals as the Band have generously given their services free, so all the money raised will go to the charity.
PARISH CHRISTMAS 25 APPEAL: MARY’S MEALS
…Thank you to all who have already returned their envelopes with donations. Please remember that Mary’s Meals Supporters are again doubling all donations given by our parish, so each donation becomes very valuable. Icing on the cake: if you are able, please Gift Aid your donation as this adds a further 25% to the amount you give. In order to be included in the draw for the fabulous gifts on display in the narthex, (each donation slip gets one chance to win) your envelopes and slips must be returned by 13 December (next Saturday!). The tickets will be picked after Holy Mass on Sat 20 December. Please be as generous as possible, so those children can eat one decent meal each day.
If you are without leaflets for these events, please collect them from the narthex. Please do support us. Thank you.
Ged Tyrer (Fundraising & Events 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