Bulletin 6 September 2020

SERVICES AND GATHERINGS
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, public Church services and gatherings are limited till further notice. Father Duncan will live-stream Holy Mass every day and assures you of his prayers for you and your family.

A READING FROM THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW (Matthew 18:15-20)
Jesus said to his disciples "If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you. Yhe evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community and if he refuses to listen to the community, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector. I tell you solemnly, whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven. Whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven. I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them."

REFLECTION
Two weeks ago, we heard about Jesus establishing a 'Church' on the rock of Saint Peter's faith. The Lord knew well enough that this community of faith would not always work the way it should. Iis made up of human beings, after all! So today, he talks about what to do when things go wrong. There are three main points in this Gospel. Firstly, Jesus gives authority to the Church on earth to sort out its problems, even to the point of heaven accepting the judgments of the faithful and responding to their prayers. Secondly, this authority is guaranteed by the presence of Jesus 'where two or three are gathered'. Thirdly, the Church must be persistent in seeking reconciliation - the door is not to be closed, but effort after effort must be made to bring people together again. Whether we identify with the Church at parish, Diocese or a global level, we must remember that our community belongs to the Lord and must welcome his presence and walk in his ways - even when we fall out with one another! One final point is that in the developing response to wrongdoing, the climax is to 'treat someone like a pagan or a tax-collector'. While we may immediately think we understand what this is saying, just pause for a second and ask yourself - how did Jesus treat pagans and tax collectors?

THE LORD'S DAY AT HOME
If you are housebound or self-isolating at this time, please use these prayers to unite yourself with the worship of the Universal Church, and your own parish, this Sunday. If alone, read or say these prayers quietly to yourself. If with another, or in a family, someone should read the Gospel and others respond. It might be suitable to find a special, quiet place at home for your Sunday prayers.

SAINT PETER'S AND SAINT BRIDE'S CHURCH SERVICES

	Saint Peter's - All Masses are live-streamed and public unless otherwise stated.	Saint Bride's - All Masses are public unless otherwise stated.
Saturday 5 September Our Lady's Day Twenty-third Sunday of the Year	Holy Mass at 10.00am for Enis Delahunt at his anniversary Private Vigil Mass at 5.30pm for Margaret Harvey who died recently
Sunday 6 September Twenty-third Sunday of the Year	Holy Mass at 10.30am for our parishes	Holy Mass at 12.15pm for our parishes
Monday 7 September	Holy Mass at 10.00am for John Mullen and Margaret Taylor who died recently
Tuesday 8 September Feast of the Nativity of Our Lady	Holy Mass at 10.00am for Angela Holloway Friel at her anniversary and Gerry Bellew as a special intention Private
Wednesday 9 September Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great	Holy Mass at 10.00am for Margaret Bannon who died recently and James Kent as a special intention
Thursday 10 September	Holy Mass at 10.00am for Janice Connor and Anna Higgins who died recently *Private*
Friday 11 September Feast of the Dedication of the Diocesan Cathedral	Holy Mass at 10.00am for Lorraine Hayes and Karen Gilchrist who died recenly	Holy Mass at 12 noon
Saturday 12 September Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Mary Twenty-fourth Sunday of the Year	Holy Mass at 10.00am for Geraldine Kent as a special intention Private Vigil Mass at 5.30pm for Kevin Rennie as a special intention

SAINT MARY'S AND SAINT JOHN'S CHURCH SERVICES

	Saint Mary's Church, Saltcoats	Saint John’s Church, Stevenston
Twenty-third Sunday of the Year	Vigil Mass at 4.30pm
Sunday 6 September Twenty-third Sunday of the Year	Holy Mass at 10.00am	Holy Mass at 11.30am
Monday 7 September
Tuesday 8 September Feast of the Nativity of Our Lady	Holy Mass at 10.00am
Wednesday 9 September Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great		Holy Mass at 10.00am
Thursday 10 September	Holy Mass at 10.00am
Friday 11 September Feast of the Dedication of the Diocesan Cathedral		Holy Mass at 10.00am
Saturday 12 September Twenty-third Sunday of the Year	Vigil Mass at 4.30pm

PARISH CENTRE EVENTS

Wednesday 9 September	9.00 to 11.00am	Slimming World
Scallywags Aftercare is on Monday to Friday from 3.00pm to 6.00pm during term time and 8.00am to 6.00pm during school holidays.

PRAYERS
Please remember in your prayers:
John Clarke, Frances Stalker, Anthony Brennan, Cathie Slimman;
Margaret Harvey, Margaret Taylor, Margaret Bannon, Janice Connor, Anna Higgins, Lorraine Hayes, Karen Gilchrist, Ritano Betti, John Mullen and Audrey Orlege who died recently;
Margaret Brodie 1964, Mary McGlynn 2010, Frank Morrison 2004, Jimmy Mulhearn 1992, Rona McNamara 2005, Marie White née McManus 1997, Ellen Vance 2012, Catherine Campbell 2003, James Duffin 1960, Margaret Logan 2013, William Loudon 1977, Joan McKnight 1976, Margaret Walsh 2015, Harry Kaye 2000, Susannah Kemp 1948, James Moore 1998, Florence Slavin 1998, Father Martin McCluskey 1996, Tom McLaren 2014, Cathie Hilferty 2009, Mary Mitchell 2004, Gladys Moore 2006, Mary Otto 2008, Mr and Mrs Daniel Brown, Samuel Cambridge 2005, Mary Crossan 1981, John Hazelton 1974, Jane McKechan 1998 and Bridget McLaughlin 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.

SAINT PETER'S NOTICES

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM
We welcome to the Family of the Church Freya and Charlotte Howie who will be baptised this Saturday. Congratulations to their parents and Godparents.

PARISH STEWARDSHIP
The Offertory Collection for the weekend of 30 August amounted to £833.39 and the Maintenance Fund collection to £100.00 - many thanks.

DONATIONS
The parish received recently donations of £500, £100 and £50. Sincere thanks to parishioners for their support and generosity in these difficult times.

LIVE-STREAMING OF MASS
All our Celebrations of Mass and other services are live-streamed, starting five minutes beforehand. You can access them every day by going to our websites. On SaintPeterInChains.net, in the top right corner, click on Live Streaming at Mass Times. On SaintPeterInChains.co.uk, click Services in the red menu bar, select Mass Times then scroll down to Click here to view Mass.

STANDING ORDERS - PLEASE THINK ABOUT IT
The Parishes have taken quite a 'knock' through lockdown when public Mass was not available for sixteen weeks. This has had a huge impact on our parish finances. Could you consider taking out a Standing Order? It would be of great benefit to our parish. Forms are available from the Parish Office and here. Thank you

CHURCH PIETY STALL
If you should require anything from our Stall, for example, Mass Cards, religious items, et cetera, please ask Betty Craig and she will organise it for you. We hope you can still support our Piety Stall.

IN AND AROUND THE CHURCH
This week, two door-stoppers have been fitted to the Parish Centre main doors, so that the door can remain open and will also make deliveries easier.

SAINT BRIDE'S NOTICES

PARISH STEWARDSHIP
The Offertory Collection for the weekend of 30 August amounted to £229.00 - many thanks.

VOLUNTEERS
We are obliged to provide two stewards for each Mass. If you can help out at any of our services, please get in touch on HowiePhyllis@yahoo.co.uk or 01294 822320. Thank you.

100 CLUB
Subscriptions are now due and still only £12 for the year! Please put your payment in an envelope, marked 100 Club, together with your name and put it beside the Pink Bucket as you leave the Church. We appreciate your contributions to the 100 Club over the years and in this strange time, we really rely on it. Thank you.

A SIMPLE EXPLANATION OF THE MASS - PART 14
After the priest, deacons and extraordinary ministers receive the Body and Blood of Christ, the congregation processes to receive Our Divine Lord. Our Church tells us that it is desirable that all who are in a state of grace receive both the Body and the Blood of Christ. By doing so, the sign of the Eucharistic banquet is more clearly evident. In ministering the host and the chalice, the priest, deacon or extraordinary minister utters the words "Body of Christ" or "Blood of Christ" as appropriate. On our part, we bow slightly before we take the bread and chalice - an act of reverence for our Divine Lord - then respond: "Amen" Yes, I believe that you are fully present in the bread and wine. Communion is a great moment of intimacy between the Lord and the members of his body. We come forward, not as isolated individuals, but as brothers and sisters in Christ. We come forward, not in a sluggish way, but with reverence and love for him who is the life of the world. By exclaiming our "Amen" to the minister's words "Body of Christ" we are really proclaiming that I believe, Jesus, that you are the bread of life - really and truly present in this piece of bread and chalice of wine. I believe, Jesus, that you are the power that can transform my life. I believe that these people are my brothers and sisters and part of the one Body of Christ. I accept, Jesus, the challenge to become your bread for others and to build up your Body in the world.

PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in this Holy Sacrament of the altar. I love you above all things and I passionately desire
to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come spiritually into my soul so that I may unite myself wholly to you now and forever. Amen.

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 making their rent.
May we who have the 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 Bellm

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
You came to me discouraged and began telling me about the problems in the world. Then, in the midst of our conversation you asked me, "Do you think the world will ever change?" I replied "The world will certainly change. The question is, will it change for the better or for the worse? The world will change if you and I keep changing. While you and I keep changing for the worse, the world will change for the worse - but when you and I start changing for the better, the world will change for the better.

THE ANT AND THE CONTACT LENS
Brenda was a young woman who was invited to go rock climbing. Although she was scared to death, she went with her group to a tremendous granite cliff. In spite of being scared, she put on the gear, took a hold on the rope and started up the face of that rock. Well, she got to a ledge where she could take a breather. As she was hanging on there, the safety rope snapped against Brenda's eye and knocked out her contact lens. Well, here she is on a rock ledge with hundreds of feet below her and hundreds of feet above her. Of course, she looked and looked and looked, hoping it had landed on the ledge but it just wasn't there. Here she was, far from home, her sight now blurry. She was desperate and began to get upset so she prayed to the Lord to help her to find it. When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens but there was no contact lens to be found. She sat down, despondent, with the rest of the party, waiting for the rest of them to make it up the face of the cliff. She looked out across range after range of mountains, thinking of that Bible verse that says 'The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth'. She thought 'Lord, you can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf and you know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me.' Finally, they walked down the trail to the bottom. At the bottom there was a new party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out "Hey! Has anybody lost a contact lens?" Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across the face of the rock, carrying it. Brenda told me that her father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer and the contact lens, he drew a picture of an ant lugging that contact lens with the words 'Lord, I don't know why you want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it and it's awfully heavy - but if this is what you want me to do, I'll carry it for You.' I think it would probably do some of us good to occasionally say "God, I don't know why you want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it's awfully heavy but if you want me to carry it, I will." God doesn't call the qualified - he qualifies the called.

JUST FOR A LAUGH ...
Lost on a rainy Friday night, a priest stumbles into a monastery and requests shelter there. Fortunately, he's just in time for dinner and was treated to the best fish and chips he's ever had. After dinner, he goes into the kitchen to thank the chefs. He is met by two brothers."Hello, I'm Brother Michael, and this is Brother Francis." "I'm very pleased to meet you. I just wanted to thank you for a wonderful dinner. The fish and chips were the best I've ever tasted. Out of curiosity, who cooked what?" Brother Charles replied "Well, I'm the fish friar." Father turns to the other brother and says "Then you must be ..." "Yes, I'm afraid I'm the chip monk …"

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
It is now possible to make online donations to Saint Peter's. Details are on the Donations page and this News page. Thanks for your generosity.

WEEKLY BULLETIN
If you would like to receive the weekly Bulletin and updates by email, please get in touch with the parish office and send us your email address. If you know of someone who would like to be included on the mailing list, please let us know - 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.

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.