VOL. 24 NO. 04 20TH DECEMBER 2015
Father Ciaran Feeney Adm. 191 Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast, BT4 3JB.
Phone – 9065 4157. Website: www.st-colmcilles.net
E-mail: stcolmcilles@downandconnor.org
St. Joseph’s Primary School – www.stjosephsps.co.uk Phone – 9065 0039
St Colmcille’s Pre School – www.stcolmcilles-preschool.co.uk. Phone – 9047 2724
FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT – (Page 45, 452 & 490)
4th Week of Advent
Readings : Sunday Cycle C, Weekday Cycle 2, Psalter Week 4
Entrance Antiphon
Drop down dew from above, you heavens, and let down the clouds rain down the Just One; let the earth be opened and bring forth a Saviour.
1st Reading
(Micah 5:1-4) Out of you will be born the one who is to rule over Israel.
Psalm
God of hosts, bring us back; let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.
2nd Reading
(Hebrews 10:5-10) Here I am! I am coming to obey your will.
Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia! I am the hand maid of the Lord: let what you have said be done to me. Alleluia!
Gospel
(Luke 1:39-45) Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord?
Children
Mary rushed to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Elizabeth was having a baby too. Her baby jumped for joy when Mary arrived. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to Mary, “You are blessed and your baby is blessed. You are blessed because you believed God’s promises.”
Communion Antiphon
Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a son; and his name will be called Emmanuel.
MASS TIMES FOR COMING WEEK
Saturday
Sunday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Christmas Eve
Christmas
Day
6.30pm
9.30am
9.30am
Eileen Brogan
9.30am
Joseph Patrick McCullough
6.30pm
Colm McCoy
9.30am
Nora McKee
Confession at 6.00pm
11.30am
Midnight
11.00am
Christmas Masses
Christmas Eve – 6.30pm and Midnight
Christmas Morning – 9.30am and 11.00am
Please note there will be no Vigil Mass,
next Saturday, 26th December
Would those who are last to leave the Parish grounds in the evening please close the car park gates.
PARISH OFFICE AND BULLETIN
The parish office will close this Tuesday at 12.00 noon and will reopen on Monday 4th January. Material for the bulletins on Sunday 27th December and Sunday 3rd January need to be in the parish office by 10.00am this Tuesday morning.
YEAR OF MERCY
Pope Francis has announced an Extraordinary Jubilee Year, dedicated to living out in our daily lives the mercy which the Father constantly extends to all of us. By showing mercy to others, we are witnessing to our faith in God. The Year of Mercy began last Tuesday.
CTS BOOKLETS – for the Year of Mercy, are now available to purchase from the stand in the Church porch.
BAPTISM
The Sacrament of Baptism is one of the most joyful occasions both for the family and the Parish and everyone is welcome. The next Baptismal Course takes place on Tuesday 19th January in the Iona Room from 8.00pm to 9.30pm, where parents will receive their Baptismal pack and can arrange the date for their child’s Baptism. Baptisms in the Parish take place on the first and last Sunday of each month and attendance at the course is arranged through Philomena in the Parish Office.
PARISH FAMILY
To mark the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising – The Irish Catholic newspaper is publishing a special edition this week. The 40-page edition of the paper will set the context for the centenary celebrations and look at some of the neglected aspects of the celebrations, particularly: The humanitarian role of the pro-cathedral; How parishes coped with the carnage; The Catholic Faith of the leaders; The Church’s reaction to the Rising; A map of ‘Catholic Dublin’ at the time of the Rising; Insights from the archive; Reflections from Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, Mary Kenny, Martin Mansergh etc. and the morality of the Easter Rising.
DOWN & CONNOR DIOCESAN DIRECTORY – copies of the Down & Connor Diocesan Directory, price £3.00, are on sale at the back of the Church. Please put money in either of the Candelabra boxes. The Directory gives information about every parish in the Diocese, listing the names and addresses of the Priests and Religious, the times of Masses, Parish Schools, Pastoral and Spiritual organisations and useful contact numbers.
MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION – who take the Blessed Sacrament to the housebound, should sign their name on the list in the Sacristy on each occasion.
Opportunity – part time SPRED Coordinator sought to help support fellow parishioners with learning disabled in our Diocese. Duties include providing training for our groups, giving presentations, raising awareness, recruitment, administration and planning. 15 hours per week @ £8 per hour. For more information and to apply, please contact or send your CV to spreddc@gmail.com Closing date for applications, 3rd January 2016.
Lourdes 2016 – we are currently seeking doctors (post foundation training) and nurses (on the NMC live register) to join the volunteer staff of the Diocesan Pilgrimage (11-16thJuly 2016). For more information please email us at lourdes@downandconnor.org
THE WEDNESDAY WORD – is a national prayer mission which links parishes throughout the country through regular weekly prayer. The Wednesday Word contains the following Sunday’s scripture readings and reflections and is an excellent way of preparing to come to Mass. It is available each week at the back of the Church to take home. Please do consider starting to use this Christ centred, scripture based, method of praying, in spiritual solidarity with many parishioners throughout the country
MONEY MATTERS
Many thanks to all who contributed so generously to the collections.
The Christmas Voluntary Collection will be taken up at all Christmas Masses.
DECEASED
We pray for the repose of the souls of Lourdes Mistelro and Joseph Patrick McCullough, who died recently. We also remember all those whose anniversaries occur at this time of year especially:
Colm McCoy, Winnie McCallan, Bernard Murray, Eileen Brogan and Nora McKee.
BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT – we can be contacted on 074 5698 9458. Our members are Regiena Babu, Eithne Daly, Brenda McMeekin, David McMeekin, Celine Molloy, Joan Rogan and Lucy Traynor.
ADVENT
TAP Christmas Gift Cards – Shop Early for Christmas! The Annual Tanzanian Africa Project (TAP) Christmas Gift Cards, in support of our twinned parish in Moita Bwawani Tanzania, will be available from this weekend and all the weekends of Advent. Attractive Christmas Gift Cards for School Uniforms (£10), Sponsor a Catechist (£10) and Mother and Baby Care (£20) will be available in the Porch after each of the Masses during the season of Advent. We look forward to your usual generous support for this fundraising event.
TROCAIRE GIFTS – buy a Trocaire gift and make a lot more people happy. Booklets regarding this year’s Trocaire gifts are available at the back of the Church. For more
information log on to www.trocaire.org/gifts or call 080 0912 1200. “A gift works like a talisman for one who holds it: it brings prosperity at every turn.” Proverbs 17:8. Trocaire gifts have helped thousands of people in the developing world improve their lives and prosper despite being denied opportunity and suffering injustice at every turn.
LIVING YOUTH – Come and join us for our third Monthly Diocesan Youth Mass on this Sunday at 5.00 pm (Confessions and Music Practice from 4.30pm) in Holy Family Church, Newington Avenue. Refreshments after in the Church Gathering Space. All welcome.
COMING EVENTS
11th Belfast Scout Group, St. Colmcilles 50th Anniversary Dinner Dance – Plans are now very advanced for the Scout Group’s 50th Anniversary Dinner Dance. We have ex members and current members flying in from Seoul, Brussels, USA, Dubai, Glasgow, London, Leeds, and friends joining us from all parts of Ireland. We want all our ex members, friends and supporters to join us in celebrating our anniversary – 50 years of quality scouting in St. Colmcilles and 50 years of fun friendship and achievement. Because we can’t contact everyone, we need your help in spreading the word. We have established a dedicated facebook page which can be accessed via the scout troop facebook page and details of the dinner can be seen there. Tickets at £35 are now available from Paul Browne at 9029 1935.
SCHOOL INFORMATION
Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock – Open Morning on Saturday 9th January 2016 from 9.15am to 12.30pm for Year 7 Pupils and Parents. Principal’s Address 9.30am and 11.00am. Prospective Year 13 students are also welcome.
REPORTS
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL – our fourth and last collection in local shops raised £834.39 in Tesco Express. A truly magnificant sum making a total of £2,064.90 from our four collections. Particular thanks to our volunteers, where collecting took place in the most awful conditions. And thanks again to Tesco Express, The Spar, Asda Dundonald and Super Value Kings Square and to their extremely generous customers.
OTHER NOTICES
IRISH DANCE CLASSES – starting on Thursday 14th January 2016 from 3.00pm to 5.00pm in St Colmcille’s Parochial Hall. Age 4+. For more information or to book a place contact Nicola Oakes on 077 1892 7242 or email: leonardnicola@hotmail.com
NI Hospice and Children’s Hospice Charity Concert – Laganside Sinfonia. Join us on 29th December in St. Patrick’s Church, Donegall Street, Belfast at 7.30pm with music by Rachmaninov, Sarasate and Marquez, as well as a few seasonal carols and mystery encores! Entry is free, with a retiring collection in aid of NI Hospice and Children’s Hospice Charity Concert.
The Live Crib in Belfast – is now open at St Mary’s Church, Chapel Lane, Belfast. Come along to The Grotto and meet the Holy Family, Shepherds and Kings. Alsofeaturing: Henry and Poppy the donkeys; goats Emily, Billy and Gruff; sheep Sean and Larry; and Alpacas Chewy and Snowy. School groups, choirs and carol singers are welcome. The crib will run until 6th January 2016. Animals arrive at 10.30am and go home at 5.00pm each day. Entrance is free. Donations to the crib will go towards Tuesday’s Child Following Yonder Star Christmas Appeal for children in Gaza, Kenya, Nigeria and child boat refugees rescued in the Mediterranean. There will be prayers each day in the crib for peace for every child, born and unborn. For further details e-mail events@tuesdayschild.org.uk or text 078 0881 4807.
ALHomecare – we provide live-in carers for the elderly in their own home. Our service is a lot more affordable than nursing home care. Our service costs from 350 euro per week for a live-in carer. Our website is www.alhomecare.ie.
Interested in fostering? – Do you think you have the skills, patience and desire to support vulnerable young people- then we would like to talk to you. We are currently looking to recruit 8 foster carers in your local area. We offer a good financial package to support young people in placement. Please contact Action for Children duty social worker on 02890460500 or email: nioffice@actionforchildren.org.uk
2016 CENTENARY OF THE ANGEL OF FATIMA. – Pilgrimage to Fatima & Santiago de Compostela, from 9th to 18th August 2016. 3 Nights H/B Los Abetos Hotel Santiago, 6 Nights F/B Hotel Avenida Fatima. Visiting Pontevedra, Tuy & Balasar. Spiritual Directors are Fr Gerry McCloskey & Fr Sean Gilmore. Special Group Price £709 inclusive of tax & insurance. Full Religious Programme. For further details contact Joe Catney on 9071 4001 or 077 7642 5631. Early booking is advisable. Deposit secures.