SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
10TH DECEMBER 2023
| Sat 9 Dec | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 5.00pm | Parishioners’ Intentions | |
| St. Columba’s | 6.30pm | Frank & Gertrude Buddery | |
| Sun 10 Dec | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | Stephen Dale RIP | |
| St. Columba’s | 11.00am | Peter O’Callaghan recovery from illness | |
| Mon 11 Dec | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Patricia Karasiewicz | ||
| St. Columba’s | 10.30am | Joyce Backhouse RIP | |
| Tue 12 Dec | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Priests’ Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | Parishioners’ Intentions | ||
| Wed 13 Dec | St Lucy, V, M. Mem | ||
| St. Theresa’s | Private Intention | ||
| St. Columba’s | 9.30am | Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament | |
| 10.15am | Novena Prayer | ||
| 10.30am | Cath Carter RIP | ||
| Thu 14 Dec | St John of the Cross, P, D | ||
| St. Theresa’s | Priests’ Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | Private Intentions | ||
| Fri 15 Dec | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 10.00am | Henry Michael Lloyd | |
| St. Columba’s | Priests’ Intentions | ||
| Sat 16 Dec | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 5.00pm | Ruth O’Donnell RIP | |
| St. Columba’s | 6.30pm | John Black birthday | |
| Sun 17 Dec | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | Mary ”Cathy” Carney | |
| St. Columba’s | 11.00am | The Parish |
Please note if there is no time next to Mass it means there is no Mass for parishioners to attend that day but the Priests will say Mass privately.
LIVE STREAMING OF MASS:
Mass will be streamed from St Columba’s at 11.00 0a.m. this Sunday 10th December 2023.
www.facebook.com/thecatholicparishofstcolumbaandsttheresa
Christmas Mass Times – St Columba’s –
4th Sunday of Advent – Saturday 23rd December
6.30 p.m. Vigil Mass
Christmas Eve – Sunday 24th December
11.00 am Mass for 4th Sunday of Advent
4.30 p.m. Children’s Nativity Mass
Christmas Day – Monday 25th December
11.00 a.m. Mass (streamed)
Christmas Mass Times – St Theresa’s –
Christmas Eve – Sunday 4th December
4.30pm Carols followed by Vigil Mass 5.00pm
Christmas Day – Monday 25th December
9.30am Christmas Day Mass
Feast of St Stephen – Tuesday 26th December
12 noon ST THERESA’S ONLY!
The Holy Family – Sunday 31st December
9.30 am. – St Theresa’s
11.00 am. – St Columba’s
Mary Mother of God – Monday 1st January 2024
10.30am. – St Columba’s
Pope’s Prayer Intentions for December – For people with disabilities Let us pray that people with disabilities may be at the centre of attention in society, and that institutions may offer inclusion programmes that value their active participation.
WEDDINGS, BAPTISMS AND FUNERALS:
Please contact one of the Parish Offices to make your arrangements.
CONFESSIONS:
There will be Confessions after each weekday Mass until 11.30am.
St Columba’s: From 6pm before the 6.30pm Saturday evening Mass.
St Theresa’s: From 4.30pm before 5pm Saturday evening Mass.
RECENTLY DECEASED:
Please remember in your prayers Cath Carter, Joyce Backhouse and Desmond Dunne who died recently. May the Lord console their Family and friends. Cath’s Requiem will be held at 10.00am on Thursday 28th December at St Columba’s, and Desmond’s at 10.15am on Thursday 21st December at St Theresa’s.
ANNIVERSARIES:
Maureen Elizabeth Sheriffs
OFFERTORY:
St Columba’s: Loose plate £291.05; Planned Giving £156.50; Average Weekly SO – £574.00;
St Theresa’s: Loose plate & Planned Giving £244.90; Average weekly SO – £161.00.
THANK YOU for all your generous support.
PRAYING TOGETHER
We pray for:
- the residents of Woburn Drive, Halton Road, Dorset Place and Cotswold Close, Meynell Place, Marlowe Close, Palgrave Close and Tennyson Walk.
- For the Youth Clubs and Youth workers in our churches.
- For all young people in our community.
ST COLUMBA’S COFFEE ROTA
10th Dec – Rippon family for Camps International Humanitarian Collaboration
17th Dec – Richard Curtis for Altar Servers’ ‘Thank you’ Outing
Why not donate a little time to make tea and coffee after 11:00 Mass on Sunday? You can make some money for your favourite charity, too. Call Margaret Curtis 01244 318424 to book your date(s).
CHRISTMAS FLOWERS:
There will be a collection – at St. Columba’s – after both Masses next week end 16th/17th December for flowers to decorate the Church for the Christmas celebration. Thank you in advance for your continued support and generosity
ADVENT JOURNEY – HOSTING OUR KNITTED MARY, JOSEPH & DONKEY FIGURES
To focus our attention on Advent, we’re asking all households, particularly those with young children, to host our knitted Mary, Joseph and donkey for one or more nights to symbolise the journey to Bethlehem. The knitted family will arrive in Bethlehem, actually St Theresa’s crib, on Friday 22nd December during the Carol Service.
If you can host these small figures, (they’re no trouble) please add your details to the list in the church porch BY 3rd DECEMBER IF POSSIBLE.
ANGELS, SHEEP, DONKEYS, KINGS, ACTORS AND SHEPHERDS NEEDED!:
The children’s liturgy invites children of all ages to come and take part in St Columba’s Christmas Eve celebration Mass at 4.30 pm. For further information please contact Gillian Blatch at stcolumbaschurch2016@outlook.com and mark it for the attention of Gillian Children’s liturgy.
YOUTH GROUP:
The next meeting of our Parish Youth Group will be on Monday 11th December from 7-8.30pm in St Columba’s Church. Young people from Year 5 onwards are welcome. We would love to see you there!
Highlight from the High: You are invited to our school Christmas Fair on Tuesday 19th December from 4:30pm, entry fee £1, followed by Carol Service at 6:30pm. We are still welcoming book donations for one of our stalls. Thank you.
CONCLUSIONS OF FIRST SYNOD ON SYNODALITY IN ROME:
Proposals in the document released at the conclusion of the Synod (which began at the local level two years ago and in which we participated) include an expanded role for women in ministry, making lay involvement in decision making mandatory, an overhaul of the seminary system for training priests and a revision of the Church’s Code of Canon Law. On women deacons the Synod agreed that more discernment was necessary. While gay and lesbian Catholics were not expressly mentioned it was recognised that the Church had not adequately taken into account human experiences and the science. There is also a proposal to give ‘further consideration’ to the ordination of married men. Pastoral Councils, of clergy and laity, are to be made obligatory at parish and diocesan levels. The concluding session of the Synod will be held in the Vatican next autumn. The Synod is a consultative body and the Pope has the final say. (Summary of report in The Tablet, 4.11.23. Pauline Rourke)
RED MISSION BOXES, ST COLUMBA’S:
If you have a Red Mission box for collection, please leave it in the sacristy. When counted I can return your box to your home. Thank you, Margaret Curtis 01244 318424.
‘LAUDATE DEUM’ SENT TO PRIME MINISTER SUNAK:
On 4th October Pope Francis published his Apostolic Exhortation, Laudate Deum (Praise God), on the climate crisis. Ahead of the COP 28 meeting which begins on 30 November in Dubai, Salford bishop, John Arnold, has sent a copy to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in an appeal to take further action against climate change. Pope Francis said ‘the impact of climate change will increasingly prejudice the lives and families of many persons. We will feel its effects in the areas of healthcare, sources of employment, access to resources, housing, forced migrations, etc. Human beings must respect the laws of nature and the delicate equilibria existing between the creatures of this world. The most effective solutions will not come from individual efforts alone but above all from major political decisions on the national and international level’
CHRISTMAS MEMORY TREE:
A time to remember those who will not be able to celebrate Christmas this year. There will be a tree and cards on the side Altar (near the back door) at St. Columba’s to write your message and hang it on the tree. The message is the important thing, but if anyone wishes to make a donation there will be a basket for donations in aid of the Parish Third World Project.
LOURDES HOSPITALITY UPDATE:
Further to the recent AGM, the officers have been meeting monthly to discuss the issues raised and future plans. A face-to-face meeting for all members will be held on Saturday 20th January 2024 ( venue and time to be confirmed ). In the meantime, if you have any questions for us, please send an email to : secretary@teamshrewsbury.co.uk
Newsletter – Warning – Our printers close over the Christmas/New Year season, we will therefore be preparing three newsletters, early, the deadline date for all three for item inclusion will be Monday 18th December 9am at the latest. Please email or phone items to the compiler. Include your phone number in case of queries. If you can prepare items before this date that would be much appreciated. Urgent items received after that date can be verbally communicated.
Sunday 24 Dec – Harry Sweeney, harrysweeney45@gmail.com 01244 327462
Christmas Day 25 Dec – Amy O’Donnell, amyod@hotmail.com 07854 290897
New Year 31 Dec – Eileen Irwin, st.theresas@btinternet.com 01244 371660
Thought for the week: There comes a time when silence is betrayal. Martin Luther King Jr
We’re all in this together: Advent week 2 is represented by the second purple candle in our advent wreath, the peace candle. Our world, our communities and our families long for peace but the possibility can sometimes seem very remote. We started advent with the candle of hope on our wreath and we nurture that hope and we look and pray for peace. It may be inner peace, peace with others, putting aside differences, peace in our world! In those moments of quiet that you may have, please pray for peace. Our world needs peace, no matter how big the challenge.
ST COLUMBA’S CHURCH & HALL BOOKINGS
To arrange meetings etc. in either the Church, Newman Room or the Iona Chapel, please book through Carol Galvin, St. Columba’s Church Office, phone: 01244 624019, email: stcolumbaschurch2016@outlook.com, Office hours Monday to Friday 9.00am to 1.00pm
Hall availability can be checked by looking at St Columba’s Church website – section for Church Hall gives a calendar of events in the Hall. Then contact Sue Carr on 07553 114531 or email columbashallbookings@gmail.com to arrange booking.
PIETY STALL:
The Piety stall is now selling Christmas Cards, diaries and calendars. If you need anything else, I have a catalogue, please telephone me on 01244 329469. Many thanks.
CAFOD WORLD GIFTS
A range of virtual charity gifts that will delight the people you give them to and help transform the lives of families experiencing poverty. Catalogues available in the church porches along with Advent prayer cards.
NEXT WEEK’S NEWSLETTER:
10th December edition will be compiled by Rebecca Vaughan, phone:01244 318632 or Email: rebecca_vghn@yahoo.co.uk. Please include a phone number in case of queries, and please ensure that items are emailed or phoned to the compiler by 9.00a.m. on WEDNESDAY 13TH DECEMBER 2023