THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
17TH DECEMBER 2023
| 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 | |
| Mon 18 Dec | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Parishioners’ Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | 10.30am | Private Intention | |
| Tue 19 Dec | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Frank Lally RIP | ||
| St. Columba’s | Catherine (Kitty) McAlinden RIP | ||
| Wed 20 Dec | |||
| St. Theresa’s | Parishioners’ Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | 9.30am | Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament | |
| 10.15am | Novena Prayer | ||
| 10.30am | Bob Breen RIP | ||
| Thu 21 Dec | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 10.15am | Requiem Mass for Desmond Dunne RIP | |
| 1.30pm | Mass for St Theresa’s School | ||
| St. Columba’s | The Parish | ||
| Fri 22 Dec | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 10.00am | Joseph Russell RIP | |
| 6.30pm | Parish Carol Service | ||
| St. Columba’s | Priests’ Intentions | ||
| Sat 23 Dec | |||
| St. Theresa’s | 5.00pm | Frank & Mary Lally RIP | |
| St. Columba’s | 6.30pm | The Parish | |
| Sun 24 Dec | 4th Sunday of Advent – Christmas Eve | ||
| St. Theresa’s | 9.30am | Geoff Parry RIP | |
| 4.30pm | Carols & Readings followed by Mass at | ||
| 5.00pm | Parishioners’ Intentions | ||
| St. Columba’s | 11.00am | Edward Elwell & Family | |
| St. Columba’s | 4.30pm |
Children’s Nativity Followed by Mass. |
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.
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
Christmas Mass Times – St Columba’s
Christmas Eve – Sunday 24th December
4.30 p.m. Children’s Nativity Mass
Christmas Day – Monday 25th December
11.00 a.m. Christmas Day Mass (streamed)
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
LIVE STREAMING OF MASS:
Mass will be streamed from St Columba’s at 11.00 0a.m. this Sunday 17th December 2023.
www.facebook.com/thecatholicparishofstcolumbaandsttheresa
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.
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.
Desmond’s Requiem will be held at 10.15am on Thursday 21st December at St Theresa’s.
ANNIVERSARIES:
Fr Vincent O’Toole, Catherine (Kitty) McAlinden, Margaret Rose Allmark, Ruth O’Donnell, Francis Joseph Lally, Alfred Desmond Fox, Ellie Marsden.
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.
PARISH OFFICES CHRISTMAS CLOSURE:
The offices will close on Friday 22nd December and re-open on Tuesday 2nd January 2024. In an emergency please call 01244 371660.
CHRISTMAS GREETINGS:
Fr William and Fr Desmond wish everyone a Happy and Holy Christmas and thank you all for your support throughout the year.
CHRISTINGLE CAROL – 11.00A.M. MASS:
1. O sing about Christingle, your voices loud employ,
Your praises bring to God our King, for Jesus and His joy.
2. The orange of Christingle, the world reminds us of,
And how our God created us, and on us shed His love.
3. The candle of Christingle, with shining flame so bright,
Reminds us of our loving Lord, who is the world’s true light.
4. The red band of Christingle, which plainly we can see,
Reminds us of how Jesus Christ was killed upon that tree.
5. The four sticks of Christingle, with which the orb we spear,
Remind us how God cares for us, through seasons of the year.
6. The fruits of the Christingle, they have a special worth,
Reminding of the Spirit’s fruits as well as fruits of earth.
7. The whole of the Christingle, it is a joy to see,
It shines to show how God our Father loves both you and me.
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 24th Dec – Harry Sweeney, harrysweeney45@gmail.com 01244 327462
Christmas Day 25th Dec – Amy O’Donnell, amyod@hotmail.com 07854 290897
New Year 31st Dec – Eileen Irwin, st.theresas@btinternet.com 01244 371660
PRAYING TOGETHER
We pray for:
- The residents of Woodlea Avenue, Cornwall Road, Aldford Road, Blacon Avenue, Keats Terrace, Blacon Hall Road and Malvern Road.
- All Age Family Worship, Messy Church, Junior Church and Children’s Liturgy.
- All children who attend our churches each Sunday and their leaders.
OFFERTORY:
St Columba’s: Loose plate £207.10; Planned Giving £93.00; Average Weekly SO – £574.00; Candles £36.29; Wednesday Badminton £200.
St Theresa’s: Loose plate & Planned Giving £TBC; Average weekly SO – £161.00.
THANK YOU for all your generous support.
ST COLUMBA’S COFFEE ROTA
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).
CAKES FOR CLAIRE – THANK YOU:
Very many thanks to everyone who selflessly bought huge amounts of cake to raise funds for MIND on 3rd December in memory of our friend Claire Graham. We raised the astonishing sum of £410 on the day. Cakes By Annabel generated another £90 making a grand total of £500!! The generosity of our parishes is amazing at a time when everyone is feeling the pinch. What a tribute to our lovely friend. Thank you all.
A THANK YOU:
A big thankyou to all of those who worked so hard to make the “Oldies Do” last Saturday such a success. And also, to the Upton Community Choir for providing the entertainment.
CHRISTMAS FLOWERS:
ST COLUMBA’S – There will be a collection at St. Columba’s after both Masses this weekend 16th/17th December for flowers to decorate the Church for the Christmas celebration. Thank you in advance for your continued support and generosity
ST THERESA’S – If anyone would like to donate towards the Christmas flowers at St Theresa’s, please put your donation in an envelope marked “FLOWERS” and place in the Offertory basket. Many thanks.
NORA “NOREEN” OWEN (NEE MANNION):
Nora, who was a parishioner of St Columba’s for many years before she moved to Hampshire, passed away peacefully on 2nd December 2023, aged 96 at Abbotts Barton Nursing Home, Winchester, with her close family at her bedside. The funeral service will be held at St Peter’s Church, Jewry Street, Winchester on Friday 22nd December at 10.00 am, to be followed by a burial at Baunoge, Letterfrack, County Galway, Ireland on Friday, 12th January. Family flowers only. Donations, if desired to, Winchester Hospice Fundraising Charity can be made at www.steelsfunerals.co.uk.
HIGHLIGHT FROM THE HIGH:
Thank you very much for all the books donated to the school for the Christmas Fair. Please join us on Tuesday 19th December from 4pm in the CHS Hall; there are over 20 stalls for you to visit plus Santa’s Grotto. Carol Service at 6:30pm in the Lyceum (6th Form building). Limited free tickets on ParentPay
CAROL SERVICE – 6.30P.M. at ST THERESA’S:
Thank you all the people who are “hosting” our knitted Mary, Joseph and the donkey on their travels around Chester. They will arrive at St Theresa’s in time for the Carol Service when they will be carried up the aisle by children from the parish. The service will last approx half an hour and will be followed by refreshments in St Theresa’s Centre. All are most welcome.
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.
Thought for the week: Find out where joy resides and give it a voice far beyond singing. For to miss the joy is to miss all. Robert Lewis Stevenson
We’re all in n this together: This weekend sees our third candle being lit on our Advent wreath. The pink candle of Joy. Pink is the liturgical colour for joy and love in Christ. Pink vestments are only ever used twice in the church’s year, in the third week of Advent and the fourth Sunday of Lent. The third Sunday of Advent is Gaudete Sunday, so called as it is the Latin word meaning rejoice. It reminds us of the joy that the world experienced at the birth of Jesus. How will you find joy this week? How will you be that light in the darkness? Have a lovely week.
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.
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 donate, 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
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 are 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 Harry Sweeney, phone:01244 327462 or Email: harrysweeney45@gmail.com. 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 MONDAY 18th DECEMBER 2023