14th December
THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT – (Page 25, 452 & 490)
2nd Week of Advent
Readings : Sunday Cycle B, Weekday Cycle 1, Psalter Week 3
| Entrance
Antiphon |
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near. |
| 1st Reading | (Isaiah 61:1-2, 10-11) I exult for joy in the Lord. |
| Psalm | My soul rejoices in my God. |
| 2nd Reading | (1 Thessalonians 5:16-24) May you all be kept safe, spirit, soul and body, for the coming of the Lord. |
| Acclamation | Alleluia, alleluia! The spirit of the Lord has been given to me. He has sent me to bring good news to the poor. Alleluia! |
| Gospel | (John 1:6-8, 19-28) There stands among you, unknown to you, the one who is coming after me. |
| Children | John the Baptist was God’s messenger who came to tell people about the light that would shine on everyone. John said that he was not the Messiah, nor the prophet Elijah, but he had come to prepare a straight path for the Lord. John baptised people with water but there was someone coming who would baptise with the Holy Spirit. John was not even good enough to untie his sandals. |
| Communion
Antiphon |
Say to the faint of heart: Be strong and do not fear. Behold, our God will come, and he will save us. |
MASS TIMES FOR COMING WEEK
| Saturday | Sunday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| 6.30pm
Jim Forrester |
9.30am
Maurice Melville |
9.30am
|
9.30am
|
9.30am
|
9.30am
Anointing of the Sick |
| Confessions at 6.00pm | 11.30am
|
|
Could those who are last to leave the Parish grounds
in the evening please close the car park gates.
PARISH WEBCAM
Parishioners are invited to view parish Masses and other parish services with the help of the parish website: www.st-colmcilles.net where you will find the Webcam. Click on ‘WEBCAM’ and scroll to view. The picture quality has been greatly enhanced recently. The Webcam is normally on 24 hours a day. It should also work on iphones, ipads and Android devices. The sound is normally only on during Mass and other Church services.
PARISH FAMILY
SUNDAY MISSALS – our stock of missals has decreased by 70+ over the past months. Perhaps you have borrowed one to reflect more on a Sunday’s readings, or in the hustle and bustle of meeting friends on the way out of Church have forgotten to leave the missal behind. At this time of the year with more visitors coming to our Church we need to have sufficient missals available. Please, can you look around your home and car to see if you find one of our missing missals and return it to the Church next Sunday. Thank you for your cooperation!
BOOKING OF PAROCHIAL HALL – Pat is available from Monday to Friday for bookings. Parishioners wishing to book the Parochial Hall need to speak to Pat on 9067 1036 from 7.00pm to 8.00pm on these evenings.
BAPTISM – we welcome into the parish family Madeleine Kate Murphy who was baptised in St. Colmcilles last weekend.
DECEASED – We pray for all those whose anniversaries occur at this time of year especially;
Jim Forrester, Maurice Melville, Kay O’Neill, Pauline Trainor,
Edward Trainor and Marie Kerr.
BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT – we can be contacted on 074 5698 9458. Our members are Regiena Babu, Eileen Brogan, Eithne Daly, Maire Devine, Brenda McMeekin, David McMeekin, Celine Molloy, Joan Rogan and Lucy Traynor.
MONEY MATTERS
Many thanks to all who contributed so generously to the collections.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR BAPTISM IN OUR PARISH
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 this Tuesday evening 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.
ADVENT
ADVENT PRAYER SPACE – Advent is the liturgical season that precedes and prepares for Christmas. It is a season of hope and longing, of joyful expectation, of prayerful and peaceful preparation. Advent refers to the “Coming of the Christ-child into the world” but also the “Second Coming of Christ” – the Advent of Our Lord. The traditional colour of Advent is VIOLET. The Advent wreath with its evergreen leaves and candles symbolises the approach of Christmas when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Light of the World.
ADVENT REFLECTIONS – our Advent reflections have begun well. This Thursday, we will view and reflect on the DVD titled “Jesus Christ Today” an excellent topic for our Christmas preparation. Join us in the Iona room for coffee and scones, immediately after the 9.30am Mass.
O COME, O COME TO OUR ADVENT SERVICE – next Sunday at 6.00pm in the Church. A musical celebration of the Christmas journey. Take time out from the hustle and bustle to listen to Advent music, hymns and carols performed by our Choir and by an 80 strong cast of children from our Primary School. Admission is free but a retiring collection will be taken up with the proceeds going towards Cancer Focus.
CHRISTMAS MASS BOUQUET CARDS – are available in the Parish office or Sacristy after Masses.
TAP CHRISTMAS GIFT CARDS – give a really worthwhile Christmas present this year – a Christmas Gift Card to support our Tanzanian Africa Project and our twinned parish of Moita Bwawani.. Choose from 3 life-changing themes. Buy a year’s School Uniform for a Masaai Child for £10. Sponsor a Catechist to spread the Word of God, also for £10. Give pre-natal medical care to Masaai mothers-to-be with our Mother and Baby Care for £20. Cards on sale in the Church porch this weekend and each weekend up to Christmas.
TROCAIRE’S 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.
PENITENTIAL SERVICES
“The Lord your God is in your midst,… He will renew you by his love.” (Zephaniah 3)
Next Saturday St. Colmcille’s 7.30pm
Next Sunday St. Brigid’s 4.00pm
Monday 22nd December Holy Rosary 7.30pm
Tuesday 23rd December Drumbo 7.30pm
DIOCESAN VOCATIONS
VOCATIONS WEEKEND FOR YOUNG MEN – in Drumalis Retreat House, Larne from Friday 13th to Sunday 15th February 2015.
VOCATIONS EVENING – in the Parish of Saintfield on Thursday 30th April 2015. For more information on vocations please contact Father Kevin McGuckien on 9508 8030.
THIS WEEK
Advent Reflections – the last of our Advent reflections will take place in the Iona Room this Thursday after the 9.30am Mass. The Emmaus Series DVD is titled “Can Prayer Be a Satisfying Experience?” Come join us for refreshments before the session begins.
Scripture and Prayer Group – our last meeting for the year will be this Tuesday evening in the Committee Room at 8.00pm. We will reflect on characteristics of Mark’s Gospel and selected Christmas readings.
ARE YOU AWARE – that the St Colmcille’s Parent and Toddler group meets in the Parochial Hall every Wednesday during the school term at 10.00am? All children from newborn to pre-school age are welcome, along with their parents or carers. Come along for a chat and a cup of tea while the children play and make friends, and if you know of anyone else who might like to come, please pass on this invitation. We extend a special invitation to men caring for young children.
PARISH BREAKFAST – this Friday morning at 10.00am for St Colmcille’s parishioners. Please add your name to the list at the back of the Church by this Wednesday morning and indicate your preferred choice of breakfast.
COMING EVENTS
Habitat for Humanity-Global Village Project – a Team from St Colmcille’s and Gilnahirk Presbyterian Church is participating in a Building Project in India during the last week of July and the first week of August 2015 in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland and Habitat for Humanity India. The Project is centred in Savda Ghevra which is located on the western outskirts of Delhi. If you are interested in participating in this project please contact John Barry on 9065 4395 or jb654395@yahoo.co.uk or Patricia Corbett on 078 0131 5158 (evenings). Alternatively you can leave your details on a Habitat form which can be found at the back of the Church or in the porch.
SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY CHRISTMAS APPEAL
The St Vincent de Paul annual appeal was launched on 18th November and we at St Colmcille’s will be collecting donations up to next Sunday. As with last year, we would like to request only cash and vouchers so that our families can buy exactly what they need. Cash is required to buy the essentials such as vegetables, meat and other fresh food. Money is also more practical as it may be used towards a top up card for the electric or gas meters or to buy heating oil stamps.
Your donations can be popped into our normal collection boxes with our members at the Church exits any time up to Sunday 21st December.
SVP Envelopes marked as Gift Aid can be found at the Church porch. If you are a UK tax payer then using the Gift Aid envelope will enable us to claim the money back from government increasing you donation.
As most of our families live near a Tesco store this will be the best supermarket voucher to donate. Heating oil stamps can be purchased from many oil suppliers or you can specify on the envelope if you wish us to spend your donation on fuel.
The change from food hampers to money and vouchers ensures more controlled and healthier diets for our families; those who suffer from allergies, diabetes or other conditions or those we help from different cultures will be able to purchase food suitable to their own special dietary needs.
In these difficult times for everyone this is another “ask” from you, the parishioners, but every year we get such tremendous support for this appeal and we thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity. No matter how small (every £1 counts) all donations help to relieve the dreadful pressure our families suffer.
We will let you know after Christmas, how your donations have been used but for now thank you so much for your invaluable kindness and support.
For further information on what SVP contributes to our society, check the web site at SVP.IE
SCHOOL INFORMATION
OUR LADY AND ST. PATRICK’S COLLEGE, KNOCK – Open Morning on Saturday 10th January 2015, from 9.15am to 12.30pm. Principal’s Address 9.30am and 11.00am. all Year 7 Pupils and Parents are invited . Prospective Year 13 students are also welcome.
St. Dominic’s Grammar School – for girls Open Day on Saturday 10th January 2015 from 9.30am to 1.00pm. Principal’s Address at 9.30am and 11.30am. Primary 6 and Primary 7 pupils are welcome
OTHER NOTICES
St Peter’s Cathedral – the Cathedral Clergy, Director of Music and Schola Cantorum invite you to a service of Advent Readings and Carols by Candlelight this Sunday at 4.30pm
St Malachy’s College Christmas Carol Concert – takes place in Sacred Heart Church, Oldpark Road Belfast this Sunday at 7.00pm. Admission is free and we can promise you an evening of varied and uplifting music.
SOS NI – would like to invite you to a festive evening with the Concentio Chamber Choir, this Monday, at 8pm in Stormont Presbyterian Church. Doors open at 7:30pm. Admission is free but there will be a collection on the night, all proceeds will go towards SOS NI.
NI Hospice – Lights to Remember – Christmas is a time filled with joy and celebration; but for many people, it is also an extremely difficult time. At Christmas our thoughts often turn to those who are sadly no longer with us. This is why we have our Lights to Remember appeal each year. Our appeal focuses on a very special Christmas tree at Hospice, lit by thousands of lights, all individually sponsored. Our appeal this year is extra special as we hope to raise additional funds that will help complete the rebuild of our Hospice at Somerton House. Our annual Lights ceremony will take place this Thursday. The evening starts with refreshments at 6.30pm followed by our Lights ceremony at 7.30pm at Dominican College, Fortwilliam, Belfast. This will be followed by a torchlight procession to Hospice on Somerton Road where the tree lights will be switched on at 8.15pm. By sponsoring a light on the Hospice tree in memory of your loved one, or by making a donation, you can help us continue caring for local people facing terminal illness this Christmas and beyond. To sponsor a light or find out more call 9077 7123 or visit nihospice.org.
IHCPT – want to bring a smile to the face of a young person with a disability and make their year? Then join us (IHCPT) in Lourdes this Easter (5th to 11th April). IHCPT bring young people aged 11-30 with varied abilities to Lourdes each year from Easter Sunday until the following Saturday. We are looking for carers (aged 18 or over) to make 2015 for these young people. You can get more information on this experience by visiting http://www.irishpilgrimagetrust.com. If you are interested please contact Kate Acton on 079 6653 6515.
THE WAY OF ST JAMES – Camino de Santiago. Sections from the Pyrenees to Santiago from 22nd to 28th May 2015. 6 Nights Hotel Accommodation, with Breakfast and dinner daily; Coach and back-up car with group throughout; Walk leader with group throughout; All airport and local taxes; Travel insurance included. Flying from Dublin Airport. Cost – £715.00. Seats are limited. Single room supplement is extra. £50.00 deposit secures a seat. For further details contact Jean Reynolds on 4483 0979 or email: jeanreynolds@hotmail.co.uk
PILGRIMAGE TO FATIMA – from Thursday 25th June to Thursday 2nd July 2015. 7 nights full board en suite £589.00 fully inc. free insurance, free tax, free coach to airport. For more information contact the Spiritual Director Rita O’Neill on 075 5435 4157.