Newsletter: 24th December 2023

Fourth Sunday Of Advent

16.30 Confessions
17.30 VIGIL MASS

09.00 MASS
10.30 MASS
17.30 MASS OF CHRISTMAS

10.30 MASS OF CHRISTMAS

12.00 Mass

10.00 Mass
11.50 Funeral Service – Middleton Crematorium

17.30 VIGIL MASS

9.00 MASS
10.30 MASS

HAPPY CHRISTMAS
Fr Brady would like to wish you all a happy and holy Christmas and would also like to thank you for all the continued love and support that so many of you show to him.

May God bless you all and all those you love, both in this world and the next.

THANK YOU
to anybody who plays any part in cleaning, decorating our church for Christmas, and donating poinsettias.

God bless you and reward your generosity. The whole of your parish family thanks you.

MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF ST PAUL
Thank you for your kind donations of £389.58 received following the appeal on 9/10th December by Fr Augustine Franklin

2025 “PILGRIMS OF HOPE” JUBILEE
This Advent, Pope Francis invites people across the world to embark on a Year of Prayer in preparation for the 2025 “Pilgrims of Hope” Jubilee.

Over the coming weeks and months, the Diocese of Salford will be sharing a range of resources and ideas to help us journey together through this Year of Prayer. Head here to find out more >

CHRISTMAS CAKE WINNER
The lucky winner was Catherine Palmieri.

PILGRIMAGE TO WALSINGHAM
As we are no longer travelling as a parish to Walsingham in 2024, The Diocese of Salford is now accepting bookings for our 2024 pilgrimage to Walsingham.

If you would like to join next year’s pilgrimage, please fill out a booking form, available here: Booking Form >

You can get in touch by calling 0161 817 2214 or emailing here >

SCAM EMAIL
The Diocese of Salford has shared a warning about a scam email that has been circulated to some parishes in our diocese. The email comes from a “parish priest” Gmail account, features the parish priest’s name in the display name, and asks the recipient to purchase gift cards on behalf of the priest. Please be aware that this is not a genuine email.

If you come across any such email, please do not engage with it and simply delete it from your inbox.

If you are ever unsure about an email from the parish, please call the parish office and we’d be happy to advise. Thank you.

FATHER BRADY FAIRFIELD HOSPITAL ON CALL
26th December 8.30 a.m.- 6.00 pm
28th December 6.00 pm – 8.00a.m

STAY WITH US, LORD, ON OUR JOURNEY

THIS WEEK’S GOSPEL

As we prepare for the birth of Jesus, the final Sunday of Advent always focuses on Mary. What was the young girl Mary doing when the message came? Kneeling in prayer? Feeding the sheep? Fetching water? Sweeping the mud floor? What was she thinking? Engaged to be married, surely about her approaching wedding to Joseph and about the children she would mother. Then came the message which she could accept or refuse, the message on which hung the future of the world: her child would be different from all others. How ‘different’? Her thoughts were turned back to the promise to David. It had been read to her so often in the Bible, and now the words echoed in her mind as she listened to the angel say,’ His reign will have no end’. This would all be the work of the Spirit which she had so often heard about in Isaiah: ‘the Holy Spirit will come upon you’, the Spirit which was to come upon the Servant of the Lord, the Spirit of Emmanuel, ‘God with us’. Her young body was to grow, nourish and develop this child. Then she would have the child in her arms to cherish and shape as both Son of God and her own son. What sort of person was Mary? Would you have liked to get to know her? What is God’s plan for you?

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.

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. Thank you.

OUR LADY’S LAMP AND THE SANCTUARY LAMP These burn for seven days .Please place any intentions in an envelope with £5 in the Mass Offerings Box in the Atrium.

MASSES AND PRAYERS RECEIVED THIS WEEK

Lately Dead
Suzanne 0’Callaghan.

Anniversary
Adrian Moran, Patrick Moran, Jack Maguire, Bernice Moore, Patrick O’ Hara, David Bradbury, Mary & Kevin Dowling, Lucretia & Mary Conlon.

Birthday Memory
Rebecca Savery.

Sick
John Jones, Stephen Coffey.

Other
Intentions of Colette and Mr and Mrs Anigbo.

Christmas Masses
In Memory of Michael O’Carroll, In Memory of Molly & Jack Jones & family, In Memory of Mary and Charles Lomax, Malachy and Margie Naughton, Francis Walsh, Andrew James Walsh, Stella Mc Hugh, Terry O’Hara, James & Agnes T Walsh, Patrick and Elizabeth O’Hara, Sr Margaret Gaffney, Maureen Clarke, C& R Gaffney, For Special Intentions.

This week the Sanctuary Lamp burns for:

Lillian Mc Grail, The Barrett Family, Jean and Graham Rice.

This week Our Lady’s Lamp burns for:

Ann Eagleton.

Lourdes TV

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