BULLETIN                                  2 JUNE 2019

SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER IN YEAR 3



CHURCH SERVICES
Saturday 1 June  

Memorial of Saint Justin
Holy Mass at 10.00am for Natalie Hults A
Seventh Sunday of Easter
Vigil Mass at 5.30pm for all those who are in hospital

Sunday 2 June  

Seventh Sunday of Easter
Holy Mass at 10.30am for Saint Peter's congregation

Monday 3 June  

Requiem Mass at 10.00am for Dennis Kelly

Tuesday 4 June  

Holy Mass at 10.00am for John McGorran RD

Wednesday 5 June  

Memorial of Saint Boniface
Holy Mass at 10.00am for Bobby, Kenny and Brian A

Thursday 6 June  

Memorial of Saint Boniface
Holy Mass at 10.00am for Ian McCormick RD

Friday 7 June  

Feast of the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Holy Mass at 10.00am for expectant mothers

Saturday 8 June  

Our Lady's Day for Easter
Holy Mass at 10.00am for those being received soon into the Church
Solemnity of Pentecost
Vigil Mass at 5.30pm for Julia Paterson A, Alison Dunn A and John Maher A

  

Abbreviations - A anniversary, MM month's mind, 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 1 June  
Vigil Mass at 4.30pm
Holy Mass at 10.00am
Sunday 2 June  
Sunday Mass at 10.00am

Sunday Mass at 11.30am

Monday 3 June  
Service of the Word at 10.00am Service of the Word at 10.00am
Tuesday 4 June  
Holy Mass at 10.00am Service of the Word at 10.00am
Wednesday 5 June  
  Holy Mass at 10.00am
Thursday 6 June  
Service of the Word at 10.00am Holy Mass at 10.00am
Friday 7 June  
Service of the Word at 10.00am Service of the Word at 10.00am
Saturday 8 June  
Vigil Mass at 4.30pm Holy Mass at 10.00am
 
PARISH CENTRE EVENTS
Sunday 2 June  

11.30am

Tea and Coffee after Holy Mass

Monday 3 June  

9.30 to 11.30am
5.30 to 6.30pm
6.30 to 7.30pm
7.00pm

Parents and Toddlers
Rainbows
Brownies
Saint Vincent de Paul Society

Tuesday 4 June  
9.00 to 11.00am
5.00 to 8.00pm

Cardiac Rehabilitation
Irish Dancing

Wednesday 5 June  

9.30 to 11.30am
1.00 to 3.00pm
5.00 to 8.00pm
7.30pm

Parents and Toddlers
Knit and Knatter
Irish Dancing
Ignatian Prayer Group

Thursday 6 June  
   
Friday 7 June  
9.30 to 11.30am
11.00am
Parents and Toddlers
Tea, coffee and chat in the Snug after Benediction

PRAYERS
Please remember in your prayers:
Dennis Kelly, John McGorran, and Ian McCormick who died recently;
James Lane 1995, William McMullan 1939, Tony O'Brien 2015, Peg Brown 1991, Annie Daniels 2014, Fitzpatrick and Fitzsimmons families, Susan Giffney 1972, Mary Kelly 1985, Teresa McEvoy 2014, Greta McGreevy 2009, Janette Smyth 2007, Susan Boylan, Helen Cambridge 1980, Annie Daniels 2014, Margaret Fisher 1905, Jim Glass, Denis Long 2005, Monsignor Brendan Murphy 1988, Ted Procter 2012, James Boyle 2008, Gilbert Marshall 2007, Father Michael Masterson 1997, Rose McKenzie 1996, Neil O'Connell 1992, James Conaghan 1999, Mary Walsh 1954, May Boyle 2013, Father Ninian Currie OFM 2009, Alison Dunn 1994, Martha Johnston 2013, Margaret O'Neill 2009, Patrick Clark 2002, Michael Collins 2009, Charles Coulter 2007, Stephen McIntosh 2015, Julia Paterson 2017 and George West 1997 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. If members of your family or friends are in need of our prayers, please tell Father Duncan or the parish office. If they are in hospital, Reverend Bill Corbett on 01292 521208 - assisted each week by the priest on call - is the chaplain to Crosshouse Hospital and can be contacted through the ward. Ayr Hospital and the Ayrshire Hospice have an on-call chaplaincy.

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.

READERS
Next weekend's readers are Harry Sammons at 5.30pm and Alfie Agostini 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 Catherine Kerr and Catherine Boyd at 10.30am.

CHILDREN’S LITURGY
Next week's Children's Liturgy helpers are Jacqueline Waugh for the pre-fives, Claire Sweenie for Primaries 1, 2 and 3 and Andrena Hughes and Frances Gemmell for Primary 4.

ANNUAL APPEAL FROM THE XAVERIAN FATHERS
We sincerely welcome the Xaverian Fathers to Saint Peter's this weekend. Father Ian will be making the annual missionary appeal. Please give as generously as you can. Thank you!


REQUIEM MASS FOR DENNIS KELLY
Please pray for the Repose of the Soul of Dennis Kelly who died on 19 May 2019. His Requiem Mass on Monday 3 June at 10.00am
will be followed by Cremation at the Clyde Coast and Garnock Valley Crematorium, Dalry, KA24 5LE. May he rest in peace and rise in glory!

RETREAT AFTERNOON
The Legion of Mary invites you to an afternoon Retreat at Saint Peter's on Saturday 8 June 2019 starting at 12 noon and finishing for 4.00pm. The retreat afternoon includes Rosary and Benediction and an input from Father Duncan on Mary - the greatest disciple of all time. Everyone is very welcome!

SPECIAL MASS AT SAINT JOHN'S TOWER, AYR
Bishop Nolan will celebrate Mass on 24 June at
7.00pm in the grounds of Saint John's Tower in Ayr to mark the Solemnity. The tower is all that remains of Ayr's original parish church, which was dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, the patron saint of Ayr. The Church was built in the late twelfth century. The building, however, is not specifically mentioned in documents until 1233. Notable visitors to the Church include Robert the Bruce, who held Parliament at the Church in April 1315, James IV, who made numerous offerings for Masses to be said in Saint John's and possibly Mary Queen of Scots, who is said to have 'supped and slept at Saint John's in Ayr', although this may be a reference to the town rather than the church. Saint John's was Roman Catholic until 1560 when it became a Reformed Church, under an Act of Parliament, after John Knox led the Protestant Reformation in Scotland. John Knox is known to have preached in Ayr, having had strong links with Ayrshire. His second wife came from Ochiltree.



EXPLAINING GOD
One of God's main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn't make grown-ups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way he doesn't have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers. God's second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like priests and things, pray at times beside bedtime. God doesn't have time to listen to the radio or televisiom because of this. Because he hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in his ears, unless he has thought of a way to turn it off. God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So, you shouldn't go wasting his time by going over your mum's and dad's head asking for something they said you couldn't have. Atheists are people who don't believe in God. I don't think there are any in Ardrossan. At least there aren't any who come to our Church. Jesus is God's Son. He used to do all the hard work, like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn't want to learn about God. They finally got tired of him preaching to them and they crucified him. But he was good and kind, like his Father, and he told his father that they didn't know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said okay. His dad - God - appreciated everything that he had done and all his hard work on earth, so he told him he didn't have to go out on the road anymore. He could stay in heaven. So, he did. And now he helps his dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones he can take care of himself without having to bother God - like a secretary, only more important. You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time. You should always go to Church on Sunday because it makes God happy and if there's anybody you want to make happy, it's God! If you don't believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can't go everywhere with you, like on school trips, but God can. It is good to know He's around you when you're scared, in the dark or when you can't swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids. But - you shouldn't just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and he can take me back anytime he pleases - and that's why I believe in God.
           This was written by an 8-year-old named Danny Dutton for a homework assignment to 'Explain God'.

JUST FOR A LAUGH
Agostini drops some buttered toast on the kitchen floor and it lands butter-side-up. He looks down in astonishment, for he knows that it's a law of nature of the universe that buttered toast always falls, butter-side-down so he rushes round to the presbytery to fetch Father McVicar. He tells the priest that a miracle has occurred in his kitchen but he won't say what it is, so he asks Father McVicar to come and see it with his own eyes. He leads the priest into the kitchen and asks him what he sees on the floor. "Well" says the priest, "it's pretty obvious. Someone has dropped some buttered toast on the floor and then, for some reason, they flipped it over so that the butter was on top." "No, Father, I dropped it and it landed like that!" exclaimed Agostini. "Oh, my Lord," says Father McVicar, "dropped toast never falls with the butter side up. It's a miracle - no, wait. It's not for me to say it's a miracle. I'll have to report this matter to the Bishop and he'll have to deal with it. He'll send some people round to interview you, take photographs and so on". A thorough investigation is conducted, not only by the Diocese but by scientists sent over from the Curia in Rome. No expense is spared. Then, after eight long weeks and with great fanfare, the Bishop announces the final ruling. "It is certain that some kind of an extraordinary event took place in Agostini's kitchen, quite outside the natural laws of the universe. Something has definitely happened which cannot be explained by earthly means. Yet the Holy See must be very cautious before ruling a miracle and all other explanations must be ruled out. And so, unfortunately for that very reason, in this case, it has been declared 'No Miracle' because they think that Agostini may have simply buttered the toast on the wrong side!"


PRIESTS FOR SCOTLAND - ENQUIRERS' DAY
Are you discerning a vocation to the Diocesan Priesthood? Are you wanting to know more about how to apply for the Priesthood in Scotland? Priests for Scotland is holding an information day on Saturday 15 June from 10.00 am to 3.00pm. To book a place, please contact your Vocations Director, Father Martin Chambers at Martin.Chambers@gallowaydiocese.org.uk or email the National Vocations Office at office@pfs.org.uk.

COME AND JOIN THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME
A new initiative at Saint Peter's is to try and get our young adults together for a regular meeting and service in the parish. Maureen and Anne McGuire will be supporting the initiative. The first, informal get-together will be on the parish Feast Day, Sunday 30 June after Holy Mass. Spread the word!

FORMATION FOR MINISTRY GROUP
The next meeting of the Formation for Ministry Group will be on Wednesday 5 June at 7.00pm in the Presbytery.

DIOCESAN LOURDES FUND ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP
Envelopes for the Diocesan Lourdes Fund Annual Membership are available on the pews. Please take one and return it to the box at the back of the Church next weekend. Thank you.

50/50 CLUB
Congratulations to the 50/50 Club May winners - 179 Margaret McAuliffe, 57 Aidan Hughes, 136 Elizabeth Petrie and 196 Kevin Meina who each win £25. Please bring any outstanding payments up to date before the June draw. Many thanks to all members for their continued support. New members are welcome at any time. Just contact the 50/50 Club promoter, Myriame Sammons on 469006.

SAINT PETER'S RAINBOWS AND BROWNIES
Parents please note there will be no meeting of Saint Peter's Rainbows and Brownies this Monday due to the school holiday. We return next Monday at usual times. Thank you.

BIG THANK YOU FOR THE SCOTTISH CATHOLIC INTERNATIONAL AID FUND (SCIAF) WEE BOXES
A big thank you to all our parishioners who handed in their SCIAF Wee Boxes. The amount raised so far is £1467.70.

REFURBISHMENT OF THE CHURCH ORGAN
Saint Peter's has a very fine organ, called a Walker Organ. It desperately needs a complete refurbishment and repair. At the moment, it is not working. The costs are extensive and will include an entire month of work. The estimate is around £9000. If any parishioner would like to make a special contribution to the Church organ, please add it to the second collection at the weekend Masses or hand it in to Father Duncan or the Parish Office, marked Organ Collection. Thank you in anticipation for all your support and generosity.


COLLECTIONS
Last weekend's Offertory collection amounted to £593.33 and the Maintenance Fund collection to £260.97 - thanks very much.
The Organ Fund stands at £440.00 - thank you!

APPEAL FROM THE XAVERIAN FATHERS
This weekend, we welcome the Xaverian Fathers who will be making an appeal for their ministry and missionary work. Please be as generous as you can. Thank you!

IN AND AROUND THE CHURCH
I'm very grateful for work and repairs being done recently. The perimeter wall fence has been repainted along with the back garden fencing and doors and benches. New door hooks have been placed at the front Church door, loose tiles have been repaired at the Parish Centre and a new Tabernacle Key chain has been organised. Thank you for all the hard work!

NEW EMAIL ADDRESSES
To comply with the recent changes to Data Protection Act, Saint Peter's has two new email addresses. If you are contacting the Parish Office, please use Ardrossan@GallowayDiocese.org.uk. If you wish to contact Father Duncan personally, then use Duncan.McVicar@GallowayDiocese.org.uk - thanks!

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.


THE POWER OF BEAUTY
How many times have we been challenged over the years by someone who has left the Church or harbours distrust for anything Catholic? A common misconception that they are quick to express is that the Church simply must sell all the religious art at the Vatican and other major basilicas around the planet to help the poor. What's the purpose, they'll argue, for all the grandeur? If the Church were really concerned about our troubled world, then surely this type of effort would go a long way in sending a Christian message of charity and more importantly, they'll claim, to make a real difference. They forget, refuse to acknowledge or are unaware of all the good the Church does through various Catholic organisations, religious orders, missions, and volunteer agencies, working diligently and quietly in every corner of the earth to address many crucial humanitarian needs. They also have yet to understand, whether consciously or subconsciously, how beauty in its many forms touches the soul and reveals the glory of God. I was glued to the news coverage of the devastating fire at the famous Notre Dame cathedral in Paris during Holy Week. In addition to the heroic efforts of the fire chaplain and others who risked safety to save precious relics, as well as the people on the street praying the Hail Mary or spontaneously singing Ave Maria, I was moved by the comments from the people on the street about what Notre Dame meant to them. A statement from an American woman was particularly powerful. She called in on her mobile phone to share her feelings, choking back the tears as she was telling the news anchor on live network television that visiting the Cathedral has caused her to think about becoming Catholic. She explained that, although she never considered herself to be all that religious, her many visits to Notre Dame made it impossible for her not to be transcended and to wonder how such a place could be built with human hands. The magnificence of the cathedral was just so overwhelming that she was eager to acknowledge very publicly that it brought her to another place. Despite the strongly secularised culture of France and Europe - with so many cynics, critics and fallen-away Catholics - nearly a billion pounds was raised in fewer than two days. Is it possible that this tragedy is turning into a triumph of sorts? That those who may have criticised the majesty of such sacred places in the past are now realising how such grandeur and beauty touches our hearts, minds and souls? As Saint Paul tells us in Romans, 'all things work for good' (Rom 8:28). For whatever reason, God allowed this to happen - not to mention it happened during the holiest of weeks - giving us another chance to rise up again and recognise God in beauty.

SUNDAY T
EAS
Tea and coffee will
be served after the 10.30am Mass next Sunday in the Parish Centre by Sadie's, Marie's and Phyllis's team.

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 10.30am 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.