BULLETIN          9 SEPTEMBER 2007

TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN YEAR 3


CHURCH SERVICES

Saturday 8 September

Confession on request from 4.30 to 5.15 pm
Vigil Mass at 5.30 pm for James McGrattan  

Sunday 9 September
Sunday Mass at 10.00 am
Sunday Mass at 12.00 noon
Monday 10 September
Requiem Mass at 10.00 am for Margaret Nicol
Tuesday 11 September
Mass at 10.00 am for Claire Neilson
Wednesday 12 September
Mass at 10.00 am for Pat, Ina and Pat Junior McClure  
Thursday 13 September
Mass at 7.00 pm for Annie McCormick
Friday 14 September
Mass at 10.00 am for Jimmy Mulhern  
Saturday 15 September
Mass at 10.00 am for Andrew McCarroll


PARISH CENTRE EVENTS

Sunday 9 September
11.00 am
2.00 pm

Tea and Coffee after Mass
Christening Party

Monday 10 September
9.00 to 11.30 am
9.30 to 11.30 am
12.30 to 3.00 pm
12.30 to 3.30 pm
2.00 to 3.00 pm
5.30 to 6.30 pm
6.30 to 8.00 pm
7.00 pm
7.00 to 8.00 pm
7.30 to 9.00 pm

Nursery
Parents and Toddlers
Nursery
Key Housing
Cardiac Rehabilitation
Rainbows
Brownies

Saint Vincent de Paul Society  
Weight Watchers
Stevenston Musical Society

Tuesday 11 September
9.00 to 11.30 am
9.30 to 11.00 am
12.30 to 3.00 pm
1.00 to 3.00 pm
7.00 pm
7.00 pm
7.30 pm
Nursery
Kindergarten
Nursery
Thursday Club
Saint Anne's Guild
Keep Fit
Legion of Mary
Wednesday 12 September
9.00 to 11.30 am
9.30 to 11.00 am
12.30 to 3.00 pm
6.00 to 7.00 pm
7.00 to 9.00 pm
Nursery
Kindergarten
Nursery
Barakuda Karate
Special Religious Education (SPRED)
Thursday 13 September
9.00 to 11.30 am
9.30 to 11.00 am
12.30 to 3.00 pm
1.00 to 2.30 pm
2.00 to 3.00 pm
7.00 to 7.30 pm
7.30 to 9.00 pm
Nursery
Kindergarten
Nursery
Kindergarten
Cardiac Rehabilitation
Brownies

Guides
Friday 14 September
9.00 to 11.30 am
9.30 to 11.30 am
12.30 to 2.30 pm
Nursery
Parents and Toddlers
Nursery
Saturday 15 September
8.00 pmPrivate Party

PRAYERS
Please remember in your prayers:
   Margaret Nicol who died recently;
   Florence Slavin 1998, James Moore 1998, Father Martin McCluskey 1996,
   Mary Mitchell 2004, Gladys Moore 2006, Mr and Mrs Daniel Brown,
   Bridget McLaughlin 1997, Jane McKechan 1998, Mary Crossan 1981,
   Samuel Cambridge 2005, John Hazelton 1974, Nan Cadies 2006,
   John Burns 1997, Patrick O'Hare 1955, Elizabeth Cawley 1997
   and John Marshall 2000 whose anniversaries occur at this time;
   and Ailee Dickson who was baptised recently.

SUNDAY COLLECTION
Last weekend's collection amounted to £848.37 - many thanks. Banker's Orders amount to an average of £4300 per month. Each month £4000 is repaid to the Diocese for the building loan and levy.

BANKER'S ORDERS
Paying your collection by monthly or quarterly banker's order makes money handling much safer. Banker's Order forms are available in the porch.

XAVERIAN MISSION COLLECTION

Last weekend's collection for
the Xavierian Missiions amounted to £1139.75 - many thanks.


RETIRED PRIESTS' COLLECTION
The annual collection for Retired Priests will take place on the weekend of 22 and 23 September. Gift Aid envelopes, which are available at the stall, should be used for this collection.

DOORS OPEN DAY
£162 was raised for Christian Aid from the sale of teas and coffees in the Parish Centre on Doors Open Day on 2 September
.

FATHER JOHN
Father John thanks you all for your prayers during his holiday in Africa. Prayers are now asked for his Uncle Joseph Macha who is ill in hospital.

CHILDREN'S LITURGY
The Children's Liturgy will resume next Sunday for 3 to 5 year olds and Primary 1 to 3. Parent helpers are needed for this important Liturgy. After 10.00 am Mass, Annie Watt will be in the Parish Centre for those who wish to volunteer and complete the necessary Disclosure Scotland forms. Three forms of identification will be required - one with a photograph, for example, a passport or driving licence, utility bill, birth certificate or previous Disclosure Scotland Number and National Insurance Number.

INTERESTED IN KNOWING MORE ABOUT THE CHURCH?
Are you thinking about becoming a Catholic? Are you just wanting to know more? Are you returning after a time away from Church? Are you just curious? The Enquiry Group meets in Saint Peter's Presbytery, on Thursday 4 October at 7.30 pm.

TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PAPAL VISIT
A pamphlet by the Bishops' Conference of Scotland is available at the stall to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Papal visit to Scotland. Please take one.

SCOTTISH INTERNATIONAL RELIEF - PLEASE CAN YOU HELP?
Sc
ottish International Relief (SIR) works with some of the poorest people in the third world countries such as Malawi, Liberia, Peru, Ecuador, India and Uganda, amongst others. SIR offers help by collecting unwanted clothes, bedding, bric-a-brac and tools. They then send the goods donated as aid or raise funds through shops for overseas projects. The Portakabin at the side of the Children's Centre will be open from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm and 6.00 pm to 8.00 pm from Monday 10 to Friday 14 September to receive goods. SIR will be visiting Saint Peter's on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 September when raffle tickets will be on sale for Mary's Meals. Photographs of the last two years' visits by Scottish International Relief are on the Pictures page.

FATHER MATT HOLIDAY
Father Matt will is on holiday from 3 to 19 September.

THE INNOCENTS
A box is available in the Porch for baby goods, talcum powder, lotion, bottles, shampoo and so on. Please contact Josephine if you can help.

THANKS TO SAINT CLARE
Grateful thanks to Saint Clare for favours received - KCB.

PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES
Next year marks the 150th Anniversary of the Apparitions at Lourdes. There will be an eleven day trip by coach and mini-cruise between 13 and 23 May 2008. The cost is £552.00 based on two people sharing a twin or double room. The single room supplement is £159.00. Further details are on the notice board in the porch. Booking forms are available from Father David Borland on
DavidBorland@LineOne.net.

CHILDREN'S LITURGY ADULT HELPERS
   16 September
      3 to 5 Year Olds: Frances and Maria
      Primary 1 to 3: Marko and Marieanne

   23 September
      3 to 5 Year Olds: Maria and Frances
      Primary 1 to 3: Andrena and Theresa

TWO LUMBERJACKS
Two lumberjacks were in a tree-cutting contest. Both were strong and determined, hoping to win the prize. But one was hardworking and ambitious, chopping down every tree in his path at the fastest pace possible, while the other appeared to be a little more laid back, methodically felling trees and pacing himself. The go-getter worked all day, skipping his lunch break, expecting that his superior effort would be rewarded. His opponent, however, took an hour-long lunch; then resumed his steady pace. In the end, the eager beaver was dismayed to lose to his 'lazier' competitor. Thinking he deserved to win after his hard work, he finally approached his opponent and said, "I just don't understand. I worked longer and harder than you, and went hungry to get ahead. You took a break, and yet you still won. It just doesn't seem fair. Where did I go wrong?" The winner responded, "While I was taking my lunch break, I was sharpening my axe.".


  It's good to have money and the things money can buy but it's good, too, to check up  
once in a while and make sure you haven't lost the things that money can't buy.  


READINGS
The readings for this weekend's Masses are shown below in English. They are available in eleven other languages
including French, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish by clicking on this link.

First Reading           Wisdom 9:13-18
What man can know the intentions of God? Who can divine the will of the Lord? The reasonings of mortals are unsure and our intentions unstable; for a perishable body presses down the soul, and this tent of clay weighs down the teeming mind. It is hard enough for us to work out what is on earth, laborious to know what lies within our reach; who, then, can discover what is in the heavens? As for your intention, who could have learnt it, had you not granted Wisdom and sent your holy spirit from above? Thus have the paths of those on earth been straightened and men been taught what pleases you, and saved, by Wisdom.

Second Reading           Philemon 9-10.12-17
This is Paul writing, an old man now and, what is more, still a prisoner of Christ Jesus. I am appealing to you for a child of mine, whose father I became while wearing these chains: I mean Onesimus. I am sending him back to you, and with him - I could say - a part of my own self. I should have liked to keep him with me; he could have been a substitute for you, to help me while I am in the chains that the Good News has brought me. However, I did not want to do anything without your consent; it would have been forcing your act of kindness, which should be spontaneous. I know you have been deprived of Onesimus for a time, but it was only so that you could have him back for ever, not as a slave any more, but something much better than a slave, a dear brother; especially dear to me, but how much more to you, as a blood-brother as well as a brother in the Lord. So if all that we have in common means anything to you, welcome him as you would me.

Gospel           Luke 14:25-33
Great crowds accompanied Jesus on his way and he turned and spoke to them, "If any man comes to me without hating his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes and his own life too, he cannot be my disciple. Anyone who does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. And indeed, which of you here, intending to build a tower, would not first sit down and work out the cost to see if he had enough to complete it? Otherwise, if he laid the foundation and then found himself unable to finish the work, the onlookers would all start making fun of him and saying, 'Here is a man who started to build and was unable to finish.' Or again, what king marching to war against another king would not first sit down and consider whether with ten thousand men he could stand up to the other who advanced against him with twenty thousand? If not, then while the other king was still a long way off, he would send envoys to sue for peace. So in the same way, none of you can be my disciple unless he gives up all his possessions.".