Newsletter: 8th December 2024

Newsletter: 8th December

Second Sunday of Advent

No Confessions
17.30 VIGIL MASS

9.00 MASS
10.30 MASS (& Coffee)
12.00 Baptisms

10.00 Mass
10.30 Coffee Morning

10.00 Mass

10.30 Requiem Mass – John Lees

16.30 Confessions
17.30 VIGIL MASS

9.00 MASS
10.30 MASS (& Coffee)
12.00 Baptisms

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.

CHRISTMAS CHEER

A night of “fun” raising, Thursday 12th December at 7pm in the Atrium. Quiz, Lucky Tickets, Stand up Bingo, Roll a £1 for a boozy bottle. Mince Pies Mulled Wine ( bring your own Christmas Mug) Tea and Coffee available or please bring your own preferred festive drinks. Limited to 50, sign up list in the Atrium. Tickets will be distributed, please remember to bring on the night for lucky ticket prize.

CHRISTMAS GIVING IDEAS – CAFOD

At this time of year , we can all feel under pressure to buy more and consume more, whilst some people don’t have the basics. Put the true meaning back into Christmas with a World Gift from Cafod gift to transform lives of the poor and those in need. £20.00 will provide firewood to help a family warm their home or £7.00 for a watering can to help a farmer survive a drought. Order from World Gifts at cafod.org.uk/worldgifts or call 808 1400014. Gift Ideas and order forms available In the atrium.

PARISH OFFICE HOURS

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

CHRISTMAS GIVING TREE

Following the enormous success of the Christmas Giving Tree last year and your mazing generosity as a parish, we would like to repeat the event again this year. The Giving Tree will be available in Church between the 24th November and the 15th December. All donations will be given to those members of our parish community that are most in need. Your generosity will be gratefully received. A list of recommended donations will be found on the noticeboard in the atrium. Thank you in advance from the members of St Mary and St Philip Neri SVP.

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.

READERS/EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS

Please sign the Christmas list in the Atrium to assist in the two Christmas Masses

CHOIR

Rehearsal days will be Saturdays at 11 a.m, starting on 14th December 2024.
In the Church Atrium. All those who previously expressed an interest in joining, as well as any new interested members, are encouraged to attend.

UCM

The Union of Catholic Mothers here at St Mary’s regularly give donations to charities chosen by members. This November it was decided to donate to a local cause and the Millwood Special School, Radcliffe was chosen. A cheque for £100 has been given towards their fundraising for a special bed to help their wheelchair bound children rest during their day spent at the school.

MASS OFFERING BOX

The box that sits on the wall outside Fr’s Office has been broken in to and damaged so has been removed. If anyone knows about this, -please speak to Fr Brady.

STAY WITH US, LORD, ON OUR JOURNEY

THIS WEEK’S GOSPEL

Each year the two middle Sundays of Advent centre on John the Baptist, preparing the way for Jesus. John came to prepare a community of repentance, of those who would be ready for the Messiah. This was to be a community not of those who went around moping about their sinfulness, but a community of those who had changed their ways, that is, their whole system of values and priorities. The Hebrew concept of repentance which John proclaimed was a matter of turning round and going in the opposite direction. To be ready for the Messiah meant – and still means – just such a radical change of attitude. John himself had prepared by going out into the desert, for the Messiah was to come striding across the desert, as did Israel at the Exodus from Egypt. John’s clothing and his whole way of life showed his rejection of current materialism and his single-minded dedication. His is not primarily a negative point of view, for his quotation of Isaiah (reflected also in today’s first reading from Baruch), shows that the flattening of the hills and the filling of the valleys is a preparation for the Kingdom of peace and justice. A good deal of positive planning and of spade-work is needed if we are to be ready to welcome that Kingdom. What sort of change did John the Baptist ask from his listeners? Think of one change you need to make in your life to welcome 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.

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 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
Geoffrey Mitchell, Brian Utterly.

Anniversary
James and Michael Clegg, Alan Forrest.

Sick
Pauline Lancashire, Philip Mc Cormick, Jeanette Moran, Geoff Billington, Theresa Burns, Daniel Kuhanga, Deanne Plummer, Michelle Clegg,
Ann Timothy, Geoffrey Hunt, Maureen Walsh.

Birthday Memory
Bernard Higgens, Ethel Ashton.

Other
For the Holy Souls, Intentions of Mr and Mrs Anigbo
Carol Traynor ( Special Intention )
Lucilyn Rose Thanksgiving For 35 Years As An NHS Midwife and Birthday

This week the Sanctuary Lamp burns for:

For Those Who Are Grieving.

This week and next Our Lady’s Lamp burns for:

For Those Who Are Sick.

Lourdes TV

Please click on the red ‘Play’ button to watch Lourdes TV.