BULLETIN                                                22 JULY 2018

SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME IN YEAR 2



CHURCH SERVICES
Saturday 21 July  

Our Lady's Day
Mass at 10.00am for Eleanor Gallacher RD
Vigil Mass of Sunday at 5.30pm for Robert and Angus McCrae A

Sunday 22 July  

Sixteenth Sunday of the Year
Sunday Mass at 10.30am for the congregation

Monday 23 July  

Feast of Saint Bridget
Holy Mass at 10.00am for Winifred Brennan RD

Tuesday 24 July  

Holy Mass at 10.00am for Betty Diamond RD

Wednesday 25 July  

Feast of Saint James
Holy Mass at 10.00am for Jackie McMurdo A

Thursday 26 July  

Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne
Holy Mass at 10.00am for Helen Gallacher RD and all our grandparents

Friday 27 July  

Requiem Mass at 10.00am for Brian McNulty

Saturday 28 July  

Our Lady's Day
Mass at 10.00am for Mary Robertson RD
Vigil Mass of Sunday at 5.30pm for Thomas Burns A and Eddie Cunningham A

  

Abbreviations - A anniversary, RD recently deceased, SI special intention

The Holy Mass intention list is just over two weeks ahead. Please notify anniversaries as early as you can. Thanks.
Any changes to the above times caused, for example, by a funeral will be notified on the home page of this website.


SAINT MARY'S AND SAINT JOHN'S CHURCH SERVICES
 
Saturday 21 July  




The Church is closed for renovation.
Holy Mass at 10.00am
Vigil Mass at 4.30pm
Sunday 22 July  

Sunday Mass at 11.30am

Monday 23 July  
Requiem Mass at 10.00am
Tuesday 24 July  
Holy Mass at 10.00am
Wednesday 25 July  
Holy Mass at 10.00am
Thursday 26 July  
Holy Mass at 10.00am
Friday 27 July  
Holy Mass at 10.00am
Saturday 28 July  

Holy Mass at 10.00am
Vigil Mass at 4.30pm


PARISH CENTRE EVENTS
Sunday 22 July  

11.30 am
12.30pm

Tea and Coffee after Holy Mass
Private Function

Monday 23 July  
7.00pm

Saint Vincent de Paul Society

Tuesday 24 July  
9.00 to 11.00am

Cardiac Rehabilition

Wednesday 25 July  

 

Thursday 26 July  

6.30 to 7.30pm

Pilates


PRAYERS
Please remember in your prayers:
Brian McNulty, Mary Robertson (Prestwick), Ellen McLaren Wardrope and Richard Northcote (formerly Saltcoats) who died recently;
Margaret Donnelly 1953, Rebecca Murray 2004, Esther Ferry 2010, Moira Cook 2012, Angus MacRae 2013, Julia Petrie 2009, Alex Quigg 1997, Annie Quigg 1972, Isabella Aldridge 2010, Eddie Cunningham 1992, May Steele 2014, Elizabeth Fitzsimmons 1999, Elizabeth Murray 2005, Annie Walsh 1969 and Elizabeth Byers 2009 whose anniversaries occur at this time and those who are sick.
If deceased members of your family are not on our anniversary list, please tell Father Duncan
, the parish office or contact WebsiteAuthor@SaintPeterinChains.net.

SUNDAY MASS TIMES
Sunday Mass times in Saint Peter's are 5.30pm Vigil and 10.30am. Sunday Mass times in other local parishes can be seen here.

SACRAMENT OF FORGIVENESS
The Sacrament of Forgiveness is celebrated on Saturdays between 4.45 and 5.15 pm and at other times on request.

HOSPITAL CHAPLAINCY
If a member of your family or a friend is sick, please let us know and give us the details. Deacon Bill Corbett (01292 521208, 07904 248948, Rev.BillCorbett@btinternet.com) is the chaplain to Crosshouse Hospital and is assisted by the priest on call each week.

FINANCES
Bankers Orders for the Parish and Parish Centre amount to £3500 per month. We are grateful for your generous support in collections. If you can manage a little more from time to time, it would be a great help. A Standing Order would make the handling of money so much easier. Have you signed a Gift Aid form? If you are a taxpayer the Church would get 25p added to every £1 you donate.

COLLECTIONS
Last weekend's Offertory collection amounted to £668.35 and the Camboni Sisters collection to £951.81 - thanks.

READERS
Next weekend's readers are Liz Devine at 5.30pm and Robert Cooper at 10.30am.

ALTAR SERVERS
Next weekend's altar servers are Group 1 at 5.30pm and Group 2 at 10.30am.


MUSIC MINISTRY
Next weekend's musicians are George McGrattan at 5.30pm and Andrena Hughes at 10.30am.

CHILDREN’S LITURGY
The Children's Liturgy resumes in September.


SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM
We welcome to the family of the Church Conor Thomas Kane who will baptised next Saturday. Congratulations to Conor's parents and Godparents.


THE PRAYING HANDS
Many of us would have seen the picture of The Praying Hands but would almost certainly not have heard the moving story behind this popular picture. Here is the story. Back in the fifteenth century, in a tiny village near Nuremberg, lived a family with eighteen children - eighteen! In order merely to keep food on the table for this family, the father worked almost eighteen hours a day at his trade and any other paying chore he could find in the neighbourhood. Despite their seemingly hopeless condition, two of the elder children, Albrecht and Albert, had a dream. They both wanted to pursue their talent for art but they knew full well that their father would never be financially able to send either of them to Nuremberg to study at the Academy. After many long discussions at night in their crowded bed, the two boys finally worked out a pact. They would toss a coin. The loser would go down into the nearby mines and, with his earnings, support his brother while he attended the academy. Then, when that brother who won the toss completed his studies, in four years, he would support the other brother at the academy, either with sales of his artwork or, if necessary, also by labouring in the mines. They tossed a coin on a Sunday morning after Church. Albrecht Durer won the toss and went off to Nuremberg. Albert went down into the dangerous mines and, for the next four years, financed his brother, whose work at the academy was almost an immediate sensation. Albrecht's etchings, his woodcuts, and his oils were far better than those of most of his professors and by the time he graduated, he was beginning to earn considerable fees for his commissioned works. When the young artist returned to his village, the Durer family held a festive dinner on their lawn to celebrate Albrecht's triumphant homecoming. Albrecht rose from the table to drink a toast to his beloved brother for the years of sacrifice that had enabled Albrecht to fulfil his ambition. His closing words were "And now, Albert, blessed brother of mine, now it is your turn. Now you can go to Nuremberg to pursue your dream and I will take care of you." All heads turned in eager expectation to the far end of the table where Albert sat, tears streaming down his pale face, shaking his lowered head from side to side while he sobbed and repeated, over and over, "No ..no ...no ..no." Finally, Albert rose and wiped the tears from his cheeks. "No, brother. I cannot go to Nuremberg. It is too late for me. Look ... look what four years in the mines have done to my hands! The bones in every finger have been smashed at least once, and lately I have been suffering from arthritis so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast, much less make delicate lines on parchment or canvas with a pen or a brush. No, brother - for me it is too late." One day, to pay homage to Albert for all that he had sacrificed, Albrecht Durer painstakingly drew his brother's abused hands with palms together and thin fingers stretched skyward. He called his powerful drawing simply Hands but the entire world almost immediately opened their hearts to his great masterpiece and renamed his tribute of love The Praying Hands. The next time you see a copy of that touching creation, take a second look. Let it be your reminder, that no one - no one - ever makes it alone! Remember them in your prayers.

JUST FOR A LAUGH ...
A Parish had a pompous priest they wanted to get rid of. They prayed that he would leave. They recommended him everywhere but no one would have him. Finally, he received a call to be Parish Priest in another place. The Sunday he resigned he said "When I came here five years ago, Jesus led me here - and now Jesus is leading me away." When he was finished the organist stood and said "Let's all sing 'What a Friend We Have in Jesus.'"

SUNDAY TEAS
Tea and coffee will be served after the 10.30am Mass next Sunday in the Parish Centre by Jennifer's and Niamh's team.

IN AND AROUND THE CHURCH
Tremendous work has been done on the extensive perimeter railings around the grounds with hours of work saving the Parish a great deal of money. I would sincerely like to thank the two painters for all the hard work and generosity over the last few weeks. The chairs in the Parish Centre have been recovered with the Saint Ninian's Tartan - made famous as a specially designed tartan for the visit of Pope Benedict to Scotland. Again, this has involved a lot of time and energy to get the new coverings just right. The reception of the Parish Centre has also been repainted and is looking very smart. Door hooks have been placed on the Church side doors to make access - especially for wheelchair users - easier. One of the storage areas has been tidied up and any rubbish put in the skip. Tree bark has been put on the flower beds, new plants planted and some indentations in the car park filled in. We'll still have to find a solution to the kneelers in Church so that they don't fall down. We've got one suggestion that might work. If you have any ideas, just let me know. Sincere thanks for all the commitment and generosity! God Bless!

REFUGEE PHOTO EXHIBITION FROM JUSTICE AND PEACE
There will be a special Refugee Photo Exhibition from Justice and Peace from Wednesday 25 July until Monday 6 August in the Parish Centre. Please come along for a look and a visit.

FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF HUMANE VITAE
Perhaps no other encyclical in the history of the Church has received so much ridicule and caused such controversy as Humanae Vitae. Even today, fifty years later, it still evokes heated discussions and debates, often from people who have never read the document. Yet when encouraged to read the encyclical, one quickly learns of its profound teaching and defence of God's divine plan for human sexuality, marriage, family and life. The Church, in this encyclical, is preaching Good News and is pro-love and pro-life. Pope Paul VI begins by highlighting an understanding of God as Love, and how this love overflows into new love and new life. The human persons God creates have an immutable dignity - being made in the image and likeness of a loving God - and have an immortal destiny. The beauty of Catholic Church teaching on human sexuality is based on the dignity of the human person. The gift of life is a most precious gift - to be cherished and respected - which enables us to anticipate and strive for eternal life where there will be an everlasting enjoyment made possible by union with our loving Father. God has bestowed upon spouses an 'extremely important mission of transmitting human life' - the wondrous gift of being co-creators with Him in the creation of new persons. Having and raising children is an act of immense generosity and immeasurable responsibility. It enables human persons to participate in an act of inestimable value, assisting God in bringing a new immortal soul into existence.

CHURCHES HOUSING ACTION NORTH AYRSHIRE (CHANA)
We have had a further meeting about establishing a Care and Share Lunch Club in the Kirkgate Church, Saltcoats for those who are homeless. We agreed that we would start on Friday 14 September. We are looking for more volunteers. If you are interested in helping in any way please contact CHANA on 07585 665751. The next meeting is on Friday 3 August in Kirkgate Church, Chapelwell Street, Saltcoats, KA21 5EA at 11.00am.

MARY'S MEALS - ANNUAL RAFFLE AND TEXTILE COLLECTION
The annual raffle and textile collection for Mary's Meals will run from Saturday 18 to Sunday 19 August at 12 noon. Just a few bin bags filled with textiles could generate enough funds to feed a child for a whole school year - approximately £13.90. We are currently feeding over 1.2 million children in fifteen countries across the world! Please note that we are only able to collect textiles in any condition - for example, clothes, household textiles, shoes, bags et cetera. Thank you for your continuing support of Mary's Meals and we look forward to visiting your parish.
                      Mary's Meals


SCOTTISH CATHOLIC EDUCATION SERVICE PARENT GROUP
To help parents contribute to the developments in Catholic schools, there will be a Gathering of Catholic Parents on Saturday 18 August 2018 from 9.30am to 2.30pm in Saint Charles' Parish Hall, 5 Union Street, Paisley. Places are free but booking is essential. To book please contact parents@sces.uk.com.


GIFT AID
The Inland Revenue now requires us to use a new style of Gift Aid form. These are available at the back of the Church and on the parish website. If you pay tax, please complete the new form and return it to the box provided. This allows us to provide the additional information required on the Gift Aid claim. Gift Aid is a vital source of income. All that is needed is that you pay tax. You simply declare that you give funds to the Church. We do the rest. Why not sign a form today? We get back an extra 25p for every £1 you give the Church in your weekly collection or by way of a donation. There is no need to cancel or renew it. We simply claim in the income we receive.

VISITORS
Are you visiting us for Holy Mass? Please know that you are very welcome. During the 10.30 am Holy Mass outwith holidays, there is a Children’s Liturgy provided for preschool children, children in Primaries 1 to 3 and a Sacramental Programme for children in Primary 4. After the 10.30 am Holy Mass, tea, coffee cakes and buns are available in the Parish Centre. At both of our weekend Holy Masses, we have a second collection for Church maintenance.


ADVERTISER SUPPORT
Our advertisers would welcome your support. We are grateful for their continuing sponsorship. We are grateful for the support of Mr and Mrs Sohal, Nisa Stores, Glasgow Street for the weekly donation of tea, coffee and milk for the Sunday teas.

PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS - MISSION STATEMENT
The Catholic Church in Scotland is concerned with the lives, safety, wholeness and well-being of each individual person within God's purpose for everyone. It seeks to safeguard the welfare of people of all ages who are involved in whatever capacity
with the Church and its organisations. As a Church community, we accept that it is the responsibility of all of us, ordained, professed, paid and voluntary members, to work together to prevent the physical, sexual, emotional abuse or neglect of children, young people and vulnerable adults.