Newsletter 19th December 2020 – 4th Sunday of Advent

Dear Parishioners,

Please prayer for Father Kevin’s recovery and that he may return to the parish and celebrate Mass the Christmas Masses. We wish to give thanks to Father Michael Bell who will celebrate the Saturday Vigil and Sunday Mass, Father Michael O’Donoghue from Newark who celebrated the second group for First Holy Communion Mass on Saturday and Father Stephen Dye from Oakham who has celebrated the Funeral of Jane Clarke on Friday and will celebrate the Funeral Mass of Gordon Clarke this coming Monday.

Wishing you and all your families a very Happy Christmas and blessings for the New Year.

A huge thanks to everyone who helps in the Parish in the various areas of our Parish Life: Church, Hall, House, our School, and our community.

Thank you to our stewards and helpers for all their care, time and enthusiasm shown in the months since we were allowed to open the Church in the Summer. Not only do they show us to our seats but they stay behind to clean the seats when we have gone. Their commitment allows our Church to remain open, providing comfort to so many of us. Thank you! 

Christmas 

Our 5pm Christmas Eve is now fully booked. There is still space at Midnight Mass and 9.30am Christmas Day Mass.

Bishop Patrick has asked us to remind all parishioners that like Easter, the Nativity of the Lord is one of the two solemnities in the Ordinary Form of the Church’s liturgical calendar which has its own Octave. The Church regards each day in an Octave as if it were the solemnity itself. So, for example, the prayers for Holy Mass during the Christmas Octave refer to each day as if it were still Christmas Day. 

This means that, liturgically, each of the days from 25 December to the 1 January is ‘Christmas Day’. So, you can come and celebrate the mystery of Christmas at any of the Masses during the Octave days.

Please book for Mass, please don’t just turn up as we will be extremely busy. Due to the strict restrictions we have to abide by to keep our Church open, we cannot allow more than our allocated number of spaces meaning we may not have room. 

A place must be booked via the parish web site www.stmaryscatholicchurch.co.uk    

or

Richard and Teresa Wilk (Landline: 01476 562517 or Mobile 07743308128) will take all telephone bookings.

God Bless

Andrew

2020 19th December – 4th Sunday of Advent – Download