Newsletter: 15th December 2024

Newsletter: 15th December

Third Sunday of Advent

16.30 Confessions
17.30 VIGIL MASS

9.00 MASS
10.30 MASS (& Coffee)
12.00 Baptisms

No Coffee Morning
19.00 Mass

10.00 Mass

10.00 Mass with School

10.30 Mass

16.30 Confessions
17.30 VIGIL MASS

9.00 MASS
10.30 MASS (& Coffee)
12.00 Baptisms

CHRISTMAS MASS TIMES

Christmas Eve 5.30p.m.
with procession to the crib.
Christmas Day 10.30a.m

A SPECIAL INVITATION TO DECORATE OUR PARISH CHRISTMAS TREE

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ, we want our parish Christmas tree to reflect the warmth, love, and unique spirit of our parish family. This year, we invite each family to bring a bauble or decoration to hang on our tree. It can be something personal, homemade, or even a simple ornament that holds meaning for your family. By doing this, our tree will become a true symbol of the community we share – a tree adorned with the love and contributions of every family. You’re welcome to bring your decoration to Mass over the next few weeks or leave it in the basket provided in the Atrium. Let’s make this a beautiful, personal expression of our faith togetherness. Thank you for your generosity and creativity! Let’s make this Christmas truly special for our parish family. We will be decorating the Christmas tree after the 10:30 am Mass on the 4th Sunday of Advent.

RED BOX MISSIO

Thank you for your generosity £962.31 raised in the last four months.

ADVICE AS ENERGY BILLS CONTINUE TO RISE

If you, anyone you know, or someone in your wider parish community is in need of support around rising energy bills, Caritas Salford has put together some helpful advice on their website. You can find out more by visiting www.caritassalford.org.uk/fuel-poverty-challenges and can also find details on the website page on how to arrange a session with their energy advice service team.

PONSETTIAS

If you would like to donate a plant to decorate the church for Christmas please deliver your Poinsettia to church before 23rd December. Your kindness is much appreciated.

PARISH OFFICE HOURS

TUESDAY AND THURSDAY: 8.30 AM – 2.30 PM
WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY: 8.30 – 1.00 PM

ST MARY’S SYNOD JOURNEY

Bishop John remarked that the time has come to envisage a new future for the Church in our diocese. The challenge was to establish what we need to be now, in a changing world. Following on from the Big Listen, four themes emerged Nurturing Faith for tomorrow’s world, Building connections, Enabling access and fostering Christ-like care. We need your views. Please take a few minutes to complete a pink form after Mass in the Atrium or complete a short survey online . Click Here > Your opinions matter and we hope that you will support us in giving the parish here at St Mary and St Philip Neri a voice to help shape a new future for the Church in our Diocese.

CARITAS

Christmas Giving Campaign. Will you ‘Bee There’ this Christmas? | Caritas Salford . Donate to caritassalford.org.uk/donate or call 0161 817 2250 A donation of £5.00 will contribute towards a Christmas Meal and £8.00 will provide a personal care pack to support local people experiencing crisis.

RADCLIFFE BRASS BAND CHRISTMAS CONCERT

Thursday 19th December 2024 at St Mary’s Social Club Pine Street, Radcliffe. Tickets £6.00.

NEW PILGRIM OF HOPE BOOK LAUNCHED

Monsignor John Allen has harnessed his love of the geography and history of our diocese, penning a very special book which is being sold in aid of Caritas Salford. The book, Pilgrims of Hope, has been published in time for the start of the 2025 Jubilee Year which is also focussed on the theme of Pilgrims of Hope, and is available to purchase by visiting the Caritas website: caritassalford.org.uk/pilgrimbook

“Cheerfulness strengthens the heart and helps us to persevere”
St Philip Neri

Jubilee Year 2025

Pope Francis has decreed that 2025 will be a year of Jubilee, a holy year which happens every 25 years in the Catholic Church.

Find Out More

Our Synodal Journey

At the start of the Synodal journey, Bishop John reflected on the considerable changes our Church has witnessed over recent years, remarking that the time has come to envisage a new future for the Church in our diocese. The challenge was to establish what we need to be now, in a changing world.

Following on from the Big Listen, four themes emerged, namely:

Nurturing Faith for tomorrow’s world
Building connections
Enabling access and
Fostering Christ-like care

To move our Synodal journey forwards, theme gatherings have taken place to identify the key proposals for each of the above themes. We appreciate that not everyone was able to attend the gatherings and so to give everybody the opportunity to have their voice heard, we have placed an synod action box on the table in the Church atrium to allow you to include your proposals for each theme.

Summaries of the four themes, together with the four questions can be found beside the action box.

Alternatively, if you are unable to get to Church and would prefer to enter your proposals online, please follow the link below and complete the short survey. (Please can you ensure that all responses are submitted by 12pm on Sunday 15th December.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5DS5PF3

Your opinions matter and we hope that you will support us in giving the parish here at St Mary and St Philip Neri a voice to help shape a new future for the Church in our diocese.

STAY WITH US, LORD, ON OUR JOURNEY

THIS WEEK’S GOSPEL

In this second of the two Advent Sunday gospels about John the Baptist we first hear details about how to prepare for the coming of the Messiah. Luke is always aware of the dangers of wealth and money, so he concentrates on avoiding its misuse. First he teaches equal sharing with the needy, no hoarding but generosity. Then he turns to financial exploitation. Tax-collectors had to pay for the right to collect taxes, and would be tempted to extort a nice margin to cover their own needs. In the same way soldiers could be tempted to abuse their power by bullying those they were meant to protect. The second half of John’s task is to point away from himself towards Jesus, who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Luke’s gospel and the Acts of the Apostles are full of the Holy Spirit. Luke must have been vividly aware of the working of the Spirit in the Church, in its ministers of all kinds and in the life of the Christian communities. He warns also of the fierce fire which will purge away impurities; for John the Baptist the Messiah is a stern figure who will burn away the rubbish in human hearts to make room for the Spirit. What is the “rubbish” in my life which needs to be burnt away to prepare for the coming of Jesus?

BAPTISMS Please see Fr. Brady after Mass if you would like your child to be baptised. A baptismal certificate for one of the parents must be provided as evidence of baptism in a Roman Catholic Church before a baptism date can be given. We welcome parents and children and by attending Masses at the weekend on Saturday at 5.30pm, Sunday at 9.00am or 10.00am which fulfil the Sunday obligation. All Catholics are OBLIGED to celebrate Mass on EVERY Sunday.

BAPTISM CERTIFICATE COPIES REQUESTS For those requesting copies of baptism certificate the office can be contacted initially and the certificate can be collected at any of the weekend Masses. This is also to encourage people to come to Mass.

SICK AND HOUSEBOUND If you know of anybody who would like Fr Brady to visit, could you please give him their name and address with postcode and a contact telephone number. Thank you.

CHRISTMAS MASS INTENTIONS AND NEWSLETTER INCLUSIONS The practice of requesting a Mass to be offered for loved ones, living or deceased, is a beautiful and wonderful part of our Catholic Tradition. Continuing this long-standing practice, you can remember someone who has died recently or many years ago. The Mass can also make beautiful gifts for any special occasion: birthdays, anniversaries, in thanksgiving for a prayer answered etc. You can offer an intention for anybody who is struggling with a serious illness or other difficulties of life. Please hand in any Mass Intentions and items for the bulletin before Thursday as the newsletter is printed on Friday Morning. There are Mass Intention Envelopes provided on the table in the Atrium. Please provide a contact number with Mass Intentions so that any discrepancies can be resolved. Our Lady’s Lamp and Sanctuary Lamp are £5.00 and burn for seven days. Please place any intentions in an envelope with your donation and give to Father Brady or place in the Mass offering Box in the atrium. All newsletter items must be sent in by Thursday morning.

MASSES AND PRAYERS RECEIVED THIS WEEK

Lately Dead
Margaret Heys, Robert Fenton, John Lees.

Anniversary
Pat Burns, Graham Hadfield, Paul Barnes, Fr Michael Flatley.

Birthday Memory
Harry Rice, Elizabeth Keogh.

Sick
John Smith, Jeanette Moran, Daniel Kuhanga. Deanne Plummer, Michelle Clegg, Ann Timothy, Ann Richardson, Maureen Walsh, Geoffrey Hunt, Members of the Walker Family.

Christmas Masses
Frank Timothy, Graham Hadfield, Thomas Tanham. A Special Intention. Lynch Family in Ireland.

Other
Private Intention, Noel Moore ( Birthday )

This week the Sanctuary Lamp burns for:

The Eagleton and Daly Family
Monsignor Tom Mulheran.

This week Our Lady’s Lamp burns for:

Pat Burns. Margaret and Kevin Dilger. Jean and Graham Rice.

Lourdes TV

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