BULLETIN                   22 DECEMBER 2019

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT IN YEAR 1



CHURCH SERVICES
Saturday 21 December  

Memorial of Saint John of the Cross
Holy Mass at 10.00am for Lawrence and Theresa Tumilty A
Feast of The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Vigil Mass at 5.30pm for Maureen McGarvey and Martin and Liz McGarvey

Sunday 22 December  

Fourth Sunday of Advent
Holy Mass at 10.30am for Saint Peter's congregation

Monday 23 December  

Holy Mass at 10.00am for Andrew and Joe McGarvey, Collette and Mark Sherritt and Dillon Sherritt

Tuesday 24 December  

Shepherds' Mass at 5.30pm
Mass of the Holy Night at 8.30pm

Wednesday 25 December  

Solemnity of The Nativity of the Lord
Holy Mass at 11.00am

Thursday 26 December  

Feast of Saint Stephen
Holy Mass at 12.00 noon for Tom McKay A, John Doran A and Jessie Brown A

Friday 27 December  

Requiem Mass at 10.00am for Jim McIntosh

Saturday 28 December  

Feast of the Holy Innocents
Holy Mass at 10.00am for Arturo and Cosimo Farro A
Feast of The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Vigil Mass at 5.30pm for John Hendry

  

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 21 December  
Vigil Mass at 4.30pm
Holy Mass at 10.00am
Sunday 22 December  
Sunday Mass at 10.00am

Sunday Mass at 11.30am

Monday 23 December  
Requiem Mass at 10.00am Service of the Word at 10.00am
Tuesday 24 December  
Vigil Mass at 4.30pm
Holy Mass at midnight
Vigil Mass at 6.30pm
Wednesday 25 December  
Holy Mass at 11.00am Holy Mass at 9.30am
Thursday 26 December  
Friday 27 December  
Holy Mass at 11.00am Service of the Word at 11.00am
Saturday 28 December  
Nuptual Mass at 1.00pm
Vigil Mass at 4.30pm
 
PARISH CENTRE EVENTS
Sunday 22 December  

11.30am
1.00pm

Tea and Coffee after Holy Mass
Private Function

PRAYERS
Please remember in your prayers:
Jim McIntosh who died recently;
Ellen Barrett 1984, Ted Boyle 1975, Tom Braniff 2003, Gerry Coogans 2015, Doris Coulter 2012, Jenny McAree 2003, Andrew McAteer 1983, David Mills 2014, Jean Orr 2008, Peggy Hamilton, Patrick McLaughlin 1998, Father George Thompson 2016, Theresa Tumilty 2016, Mereno Berti 2003, Sister Anne Delahunt 2011, Peggy McLaughlan 2006, Samuel McMail 2016, Bessie Delahunt 2006, Tom McKay, Bessie O'Rourke 2005, George Scott 1973, Jessie Brown 1975, Tom Finn 1993, Anne-Marie Jenkins 2005, Sister Mary McCann, Isobel O'Hare Rae 2004, Patrick Quinn 1969, Margaret Shanks 1966, Margaret Clarkson 2003, Molly Cosgrove 1994, Jim Lindsay 2013, Catherine McEvoy 2009, Arthur Robertson, Arturo Farro 1994, Catherine McCulloch 2012, Rose Murphy 2009, Thomas O'Connell 1957, May Shanks 1990 and Maria Tomelty 2014 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 RECONCILIATION
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 Marade Griffin at 5.30pm and Peter Brawley at 10.30am.

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

CHILDREN'S LITURGY
There will be no Children's Liturgy next Sunday.


CHRISTMAS MASS TIMES
Please make sure you get the Christmas Card with the times of Masses today. You could use the card to invite a family member or a neighbour to our Christmas Celebrations. It's time 'to come home' for Christmas. Please note that on 24 December, there will be a short Carol Service beginning at 5.10pm before the First Mass of Christmas at 5.30pm. The Vigil Mass at 8.30pm will be preceded by a Carol Service which begins at 8.15pm.

REQUIEM MASS FOR JIM McINTOSH
Please pray for the Repose of the Soul of Jim McIntosh who died recently. His Requiem Mass on Friday 27 December at 10.00am will be followed by his interment at Ardrossan Cemetery. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

THE BEST GIFT OF ALL
It was nearing the holiday season in Rumania, time for our orphans to hear, for the first time, the traditional story of Christmas. We told them about Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem. Finding no room in the inn, they went to a stable where the baby Jesus was born and placed in a manger. Throughout the story, the children and orphanage staff sat in amazement as they listened. Some sat on the edges of their stools, trying to grasp every word. Completing the story, we gave the children many things to build their own manger. The orphans were busy assembling their manger as I walked among them to see if they needed any help. All went well until I got to one table where little Misha sat. He looked to be about six years old and had finished his project. As I looked at the little boy's manger, I was startled to see not one but two babies in the manger. Quickly, I called for the translator to ask the boy why there were two babies in the manger. Crossing his arms in front of him and looking at this completed manger scene, the child began to repeat the story very seriously. For such a young boy who had only heard the Christmas story once, he related the happenings accurately - until he came to the part where Mary put the baby Jesus in the manger. Then Misha started to ad-lib. He made up his own ending to the story as he said "And when Maria laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had a place to stay. I told him I have no mamma and I have no papa so I don't have any place to stay. Then Jesus told me I could stay with him. But I told him I couldn't, because I didn't have a gift to give him like everybody else did. But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. I thought maybe if I kept him warm, that would be a good gift. So I asked Jesus "If I keep you warm, will that be a good enough gift?" And Jesus told me "If you keep me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave me. So I got into the manger, and then Jesus looked at me and he told me I could stay with him - for always." As little Misha finished his story, his eyes brimmed full of tears that splashed down his little cheeks. Putting his hand over his face, his head dropped to the table and his shoulders shook as he sobbed and sobbed. The little orphan had found someone who would never abandon him, someone who would stay with him - for always. I've learned that it's not what you have in your life, but who you have in your life that counts.

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES
A teacher from a primary school asks her students to write an essay about family time and what they would like God to do for them. In the evening, while marking the essays, she read one that made her very emotional. Oh God, tonight I ask you something very special - make me into a television. I want to take its place. Live like the television in my house - have my own special place, and have my family around me. To be taken seriously when I talk. I want to be the centre of attention and be heard without interruptions or questions. I want to receive the same special care that the TV receives when it is not working - have the company of my dad when he arrives home from work, even when he is tired. And I want my mum to want me when she is sad and upset, instead of ignoring me. And I want my brothers to fight to be with me. I want to feel that the family just leaves everything aside, every now and then, just to spend some time with me. And last but not least make it that I can make them all happy and entertain them. Lord I don't ask you for much. I just want to live like every TV!! After reading it her husband said "Poor child = who are his parents?" She looked up at him and said "We are his parents - our son wrote that!"

JUST FOR A LAUGH …
Ducking into confession with a turkey in his arms, Brian said "Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. I stole this turkey to feed my family. Would you take it and settle my guilt?" "Certainly not" said the Priest "As penance, you must return it to the one from whom you stole it." "I tried" Brian sobbed, "but he refused. Oh, Father, what should I do?" "If what you say is true, then it is all right for you to keep it for your family." Thanking the Priest, Brian hurried off. When confession was over, the Priest returned to his residence. When he walked into the kitchen, he found that someone had stolen his turkey.

OUR BISHOP'S CHRISTMAS BLESSING
When a child is born we wonder what will the future hold for this child, what will this child achieve in its life? As we celebrate the birth of the child Jesus, born in a manger, we know how his future played out, we know what his life achieved. We know that for Jesus in his life there was pain and suffering, as there is in ours. The celebration of Christmas does not take away that pain or make the struggles we face in life disappear. But Christmas is still a time of joy for we know that we are not alone and that God is with us no matter what problems life throws at us. The joy of Christmas is the joy of knowing that the one we love, and the one who loves us, is with us, by our side. And no one loves us more than God. May God's peace and joy be with you this Christmas. +William Nolan

THE OX AND THE ASS
As a young boy, one of my favourite traditions was to help my grandmother set out her porcelain Nativity set on top of her television. But why the ox and ass? Remember Isaiah 1:3. One of the images Isaiah uses to show the people's utter ignorance of God is this, 'The ox knows its owner and the ass its master's crib, but Israel does not know me, my people do not understand" (Isa. 1:3). In all the busyness of this time, one of the most beautiful gifts we can offer Jesus is a time of dedicated adoration before the Blessed Sacrament or in your private devotions. Use this time to reflect specifically on how all of Creation is called to worship the Lord, signified by the Nativity animals. Prayerfully read Psalm 19, 97-98, 148, the Song of the Hebrew boys in the fire (Daniel 3), Rev. 5:13 or Saint Francis's Canticle of Creation during your adoration time. The great irony of Isaiah is non-rational animals - the ox and the ass - know their Creator, a term of personal intimacy, and understand who He is, namely their God and Creator but his own people do not. Ask the Lord for the grace to know Him better through these seasons and recognise and discern him more clearly in the ordinary circumstances, conversations and events you will experience.

EMERGENCY CALL-OUT AT HOSPITAL
Father Duncan will be on emergency call-out for the Ayrshire Hospitals from Sunday 22 until Christmas Eve. Please keep all the sick and those in hospital over Christmas in your thoughts and prayers.

HCPT LOURDES GROUP 376
Esther Coulter will be taking part in the usual New Year's Day Dip across from the Church at 12 noon. Members of the group will be available after each Mass next weekend for sponsorship.


PIZZA AND PANTO
The Youth Ministry Office is inviting young people from across the Diocese to join them for a bite to eat, some Panto Fun and a wee prayer to end the night together. This event is free and taking place at 6.00pm on Sunday 29 December in the Parish Hall of Saint Margaret's Cathedral, John Street, Ayr. For more information, see the poster at the back of the Church, phone 01387 252603 or contact Father Jim at Youth@GallowayDiocese.org.uk.


PARISH STEWARDSHIP
Last weekend's Offertory collection amounted to £583.38 and the Maintenance Fund collection to £230.24 - thanks very much.


ORGAN APPEAL
The Organ Appeal - has now raised a fantastic amount of over £7300 for the repair and refurbishment of our Church organ. The appeal has now closed. A special word of thanks to everyone who has contributed to this appeal over the past months. Thank you for your support and your generosity!

CHURCHES' HOMELESS ACTION NORTH AYRSHIRE (CHANA)
CHANA would like to provide Christmas presents for those in the hostels and supported accommodation this year. We are appealing for gift sets of toiletries, new pyjamas, hats and gloves, mostly for men. Please use the CHANA box provided or hand them in to the Ardrossan Hostel in Princes Street. Thanks once again for your continued generosity.

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.

SUNDAY TEAS
No tea and coffee will be served after the 10.30am Mass next Sunday in the Parish Centre.

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 pre-school 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.