SERVICES
AND GATHERINGS
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, public Church services and gatherings
are suspended till further notice. Father
Duncan
will celebrate Holy Mass privately every day and assures you of his prayers
for you and your family.
WE ARE AN EASTER PEOPLE
Firstly, I want to wish everyone a very blessed and a most wonderful Easter
- Happy Easter! Finally it is Easter! I love Easter! As we celebrate this
special day and season we are reminded that we need to be an Easter People!
That is, people who know that Jesus is alive and he is not dead and because
he lives, so shall we live forever! We need to tell our faces this! Saint
Augustine said we need to be an Alleluia People from the top of our heads
to the bottom of our toes. We do so much during the Lenten Season to do Penance
and we now need to do something that will make us grow in this most important
season of Easter. Easter reminds us of the six things that every Catholic
is called to do - share with others the joy of knowing Jesus Christ, pray,
celebrate the sacraments regularly, love my neighbour as myself, use the gifts
that I've been given wisely and forgive as I have been forgiven. Be
not afraid! These are the words that God speaks to us again and again through
His Holy Word. Be not afraid. Why? Because he is with us! He is in us! We
need to breathe him in and be still with him, even in the midst of all the
fear and uncertainty around us. As it says on a sign in front of the Tabernacle
in Saint Peter's - Be still and know that I am God! (Psalm 46:10). The Lord
is calling us to hand everything over to him, to let him be God, to give him
full control over our lives and our future. In his arms is our peace! I would
encourage you to use this time to be with the Lord, to allow Him to hold you
each day. He must be your first love, as you are his. Spend time each day
with His Word - more than the news on television! There he will reveal himself
to you in a very intimate way. Allow yourself to be so grateful to be able
to spend time with your family. Love them, and appreciate them and treasure
the time you get to spend with them, even though you might all drive each
other nuts! Just think, you could have to live with me - you are blessed!
If you are alone or your family is not in the area, remember that you are
never alone - Jesus and the angels and saints are with you. Claim his promise
- So do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right
hand. (Isaiah 41:10) You are never alone! Okay, I am not going to lie. This
is going to be a hard Easter without a physical congregation and I know it
is going to be even harder for you! Do please have a look at our websites
and our weekly Bulletin to keep the contact alive. There are many opportunities
for the live-streaming of Holy Mass. The truth of the Resurrection at Easter
lead us to the promise fulfilled that love is stronger than hate, light is
stronger than darkness and life is stronger than death! In the end, Jesus
wins and we win in Him! We are Easter People. Please know that you are in
my daily prayers and I ask you to remember me in your daily prayers as well.
I count on them! Happy Easter! God bless you. Father
Duncan
RECENTLY DECEASED
Please pray for the Repose of the Soul of John McLaughlin. His Graveside Liturgy
is on Friday 17 April 2020 at 1.00pm for close family only at Ardrossan Cemetery.
May he rest in peace and rise in glory!
PARISH WEBSITES UPDATE
Due to the lockdown and all its consequences for us as a parish community,
communication is becoming a real priority and a real need. At the moment,
we are blessed with two websites - the original Saint
Peter's website and the new parish
website thanks to Colin Mulhern. Both are running and provide valuable
news updates and resources for praying at home. If you can, please have a
look and keep the communication going in these difficult times. The latest
parish bulletin is posted on both websites. Please make it available to others.
Thank you!
FINANCIAL
SUPPORT
The financial support and upkeep of the Parish is also drastically affected
by the present situation. Please try and hand in your Offertory envelopes
to the Parish Office when you can or better still, consider taking out a Banker's
Order for Saint Peter's as the social isolation will probably impact us
for the next months. Banker's
Order and Gift
Aid Declaration forms are available in the Parish Office and on our website.
If you would prefer that we email you or post the forms, please let the Parish
Office know. If you require any assistance in completing the forms, please
contact George at the Parish Office and he can speak to you by phone. Thank
you for all you do and for your solidarity and generosity. In
these difficult financial times, there is no obligation to give to the Sunday
Collection. If, however, you feel able to, you can donate by text message
to an account set up by the Diocese of Galloway. It is not possible to nominate
a particular parish so all text-giving donations will be shared among parishes.
To donate, text the word SUNDAY to 70085 followed by the number of pounds,
from 1 to 20. For example, SUNDAY 5 to 70085 gives £5. This message
would cost £5 plus one standard rate message charge. Thank you for all
your commitment and support.
EMAIL
SCAM
Some parishioners have received an email, purportedly from Father Duncan,
asking for money. This is a scam. Please do not give funds to the sender.
Legitimate ways to donate to the Church are by text-giving
to the Diocese of Galloway, Banker's
Order or sending a donation, ideally by cheque, to the Church's postal
address, 1 South Crescent Road, Ardrossan, Ayrshire, KA22 8DU. Any method
not mentioned on this website is fraudulent.
THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY
Every day, Father
Duncan will celebrate Holy Mass privately, focusing
on these Thoughts for the Day taken from a wonderful spiritual classic Searching
for and Maintaining Peace by Jacques Philippe. We pray for the gift of inner
peace in this time of pandemic.
NOT
EVERYTHING IS CANCELLED
Not
everything is cancelled.
Sun is not cancelled.
Spring is not cancelled.
Friendships are not cancelled.
Love is not cancelled.
Reading is not cancelled.
Affection is not cancelled.
Music is not cancelled.
Imagination is not cancelled.
Kindness is not cancelled.
Conversations are not cancelled.
Hope is not cancelled.
Prayer is not cancelled.
Easter is not cancelled
A CORONAVIRUS POEM
Someone called Vivienne from Spain wrote the poem.
The earth whispered but you did not hear.
The earth spoke but you did not listen.
The earth screamed but you turned her off - and so I was born.
I was not born to punish you. I was born to awaken you.
The earth cried out for help.
Massive flooding - but you didn't listen.
Burning fires - but you didn't listen.
Strong hurricanes - but you didn't listen.
Terrifying tornadoes - but you didn't listen.
You still don't listen to the earth when ocean animals are dying due
to pollutants in the waters.
Glaciers melting at an alarming rate. Severe drought.
You didn't listen to how much negativity the earth is receiving.
Non-stop wars. Non-stop greed.
You just kept going on with your life no matter how much hate there
was.
No matter how many killings daily.
It was more important to get that latest iPhone than worry about what
the earth was trying to tell you.
But now I am here and I've made the world stop in its tracks.
I've made you finally listen. I've made you take refuge.
I've made you stop thinking about materialistic things.
Now you are like the earth - you are only worried about your survival.
How does that feel?
I give you fever as the fires burn on earth.
I give you respiratory issues as pollution filled the earth's air.
I give you weakness as the earth weakens every day.
I took away your comforts, your outings.
The things you would use to forget about the planet and its pain.
And I made the world stop.
And now China has better air quality.
Skies are clear blue because factories are not spewing pollution unto
the earth's air.
The water in Venice is clean because the gondola boats that pollute
the water are not being used.
You are having to take time to reflect on what is important in your
life.
Again, I am not here to punish you. I am here to awaken you.
When all this is over and I am gone, please remember these moments.
Listen to the earth. Listen to your soul.
Stop polluting the earth. Stop fighting amongst each other.
Stop caring about materialistic things and start loving your neighbours.
Start caring about the earth and all its creatures. Start believing
in a Creator.
Because next time I may come back even stronger.
Signed
Coronavirus
PRAYER DURING A PANDEMIC
May we who are merely inconvenienced remember those whose lives are
at stake.
May we who have no risk factors remember those most vulnerable.
May we who have the luxury of working from home remember those who must
choose between preserving their health or paying their rent.
May we who have flexibility to care for our children when their schools
close remember those who have no options.
May we who have to cancel our trips remember those that have no safe
place to go.
May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic
market remember those who have no margin at all.
May we who settle in for a quarantine at home remember those who have
no home.
As fear grips our country, let us choose love.
During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each
other, let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbours.
Amen. Cameron
Bell
JUST
FOR A LAUGH …
An
American photographer on holiday was inside Westminster Abbey taking
photographs when he noticed a golden telephone mounted on the wall with
a sign that read £10000 per call. The American, being intrigued,
asked a minister who was strolling by what the telephone was used for.
The minister replied that it was a direct line to heaven and that for
£10000 you could talk to God. The American thanked the priest
and went along his way. Next stop was in Lincoln. There, at the cathedral,
he saw the same golden telephone with the same sign under it. He wondered
if this was the same kind of telephone he had seen in London and he
asked a nearby nun what its purpose was. She told him that it was a
direct line to heaven and for £10000 he could talk to God. "Okay,
thank you" said the American. He then travelled to York, Durham
and Liverpool. In every cathedral he saw the same golden telephone with
the same £10000 per call sign under it. The American, upon leaving
the north of England decided to travel to Scotland to see if the Scots
had the same phone. he arrived at Saint Peter's in Ardrossan and again,
as he entered the Church, there was the same golden telephone, but this
time the sign under it read 50 pence per call. The American was surprised
so he asked the priest about the sign. "Father, I've travelled
all over England and I've seen this same golden telephone in many churches.
I'm told that it is a direct line to heaven but in England the price
was £10000 per call. Why is it only 50 pence here?" The priest
smiled and answered "You're in Scotland now, son - it's a local
call."
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.
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.