CHURCH OF SAINT PETER IN CHAINS, ARDROSSAN  •  A Family of Parishes  •  SAINT BRIDE'S CHURCH, WEST KILBRIDE

                                                        

Meeting people where they are - leading them to where God calls them to be!


BULLETIN                                          7 FEBRUARY 2021

FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME IN YEAR 2

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 MARK (Mark 1:29-39)
On leaving the synagogue, Jesus went with James and John straight to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon's mother-in-law had gone to bed with fever and they told him about her straightaway. He went to her, took her by the hand and helped her up - and the fever left her and she began to wait on them. That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils. The whole town came crowding round the door and he cured many who were suffering from diseases of one kind or another. He also cast out many devils but he would not allow them to speak because they knew who he was. In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house and went off to a lonely place and prayed there. Simon and his companions set out in search of him and when they found him they said "Everybody is looking for you." He answered "Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can preach there too, because that is why I came." And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out devils.

REFLECTION
From the initial amazement of the people of Capernaum last week, we see Jesus becoming quite a 'hit'! The crowds gathered round his door testify to that. Jesus generously gives himself to those crowds, healing and helping - but this is not why he came. There is a temptation in this - the temptation to give in to worldly fame and fortune, to exploit being a celebrity and simply enjoy the attention of the crowds. Jesus simply will not do this - it is not why he came. You can imagine the excitement of his disciples - "Things are going great - look at the crowds!" And similarly, you can imagine their puzzlement when Jesus says he is going to leave the town to visit other places. "Why leave - it's going so well here!" - but Jesus returns to that little phrase 'that is why I came'. Those words describe his commitment to his mission. Why are we here? What is our mission in this world? Let us pray today that we may have a vivid and driving sense of our mission and purpose and keep to it despite the distractions and temptations of the world.

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 CHURCH SERVICES
 
All Masses are live-streamed and private unless otherwise stated.

Saturday 6 February  
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time  

Vigil Mass at 5.30pm for Mary McSpurran who died recently and James Meechan at his anniversary
Sunday 7 February  
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time  
Holy Mass at 10.30am for our parishes
Monday 8 February  
Memorial of Saint Josephine 
Bakhita  
Holy Mass at 10.00am for Michael McManus and Paul Quay who both died recently and Catherine McAleavy at her anniversary
Tuesday 9 February  

Holy Mass at 10.00am for Cesare Michelini who died recently and Leo Muldoon at his anniversary

Wednesday 10 February  
Memorial of Saint Scholastica  
Holy Mass at 10.00am for Nick Donnelly who died recently
Thursday 11 February 
Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes 
Holy Mass at 10.00am for Sadie Cunningham who died recently
Friday 12 February 
Holy Mass in time of pandemic at 10.00am for Sadie Gallagher who died recently

Saturday 13 February  
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time  

Vigil Mass at 5.30pm for Jeanette Burry who died recently, her family and Peggy McKechan at her anniversary

SAINT MARY'S AND SAINT JOHN'S CHURCH SERVICES
 
 
All Masses are live-streamed and private unless otherwise stated.
All Masses are live-streamed and private unless otherwise stated.

Saturday 6 February  
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time  

Vigil Mass at 4.30pm  
Sunday 7 February  
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time  
Holy Mass at 10.00am

Holy Mass at 11.30am
Monday 8 February  
Memorial of Saint Josephine 
Bakhita  
   
Tuesday 9 February  
  Requiem Mass at 10.00am
Wednesday 10 February  
Memorial of Saint Scholastica  
  Holy Mass at 10.00am
Thursday 11 February 
Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes 
Holy Mass at 10.00am  
Friday 12 February 
  Holy Mass at 10.00am

Saturday 13 February  
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time  

Vigil Mass at 4.30pm  

PRAYERS
Please remember in your prayers:
Jim Boyle and Canon Archie Brown;
Ann Taylor, Joseph Taylor, Jeanette Burry née Scott, Cesare Michelini, Nick Donnelly, Michael McManus brother of Canon Matt, Paul Quay, Monsignor Joe Boyd and Jo Carswell sister of Margaret Swiercz, Sadie Gallagher and Josephine Atkins who died recently;
Sarah Cunningham 1977, Patrick McGinn 1999, Marie Pellegrini 2020, Pamela McIntosh 1999, James Akins 1980, Baby Sophie Kerr 2008, Canon Sam McGinness 2009, Cesare Scott 2002, Maude Cullinane 1960, Jim Burns 2011, Catherine Cahill 1977, Sadie Cunningham 2019, Mary Delahunt 2008, John and Margaret Fitzsimmons 1985, Father G J Giblin SCJ 2001, Margaret Osprey 2018, Allan Carrick 2011, Ann Jane Fitzsimmons, Sadie McAloon 2011, Eliza Jane McKay, Oonagh McVeigh 2011, Canon Robert McCliment 1967, John McIlhatton 1954, James Meechan 2019, Chrissie Welsh 2006 and Aileen Whiston 2015 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.



ONE IN TEN PEOPLE THINKS COVID PANDEMIC HAS STRENGTHENED THEIR FAITH
A new study shows that just one in ten British people believes the Covid-19 crisis has strengthened their faith. The poll, conducted by Pew Research, asked 14276 adults across fourteen developed countries about the impact that the pandemic has had on their beliefs. Just 14 per cent of Britons said that the situation had strengthened their faith, compared to 28 per cent of Americans. Countries with the lowest rates of those who felt like the pandemic had positively strengthened their faith include Sweden at three per cent and Denmark at just two per cent. In Spain and Italy, classed as two of Western Europe's more religious countries, approximately one in six people said their own religious faith has grown due to the pandemic. On average, people across the fourteen countries did not think that the crisis has had a distinctly positive impact on their faith, with 85 per cent of respondents saying their religious faith had not changed much as a result of the virus. Pew also discovered that many people felt that other areas of their support network were being bolstered through the crisis. Indeed, 41 per cent in both the United Kingdom and United States indicated that they were much more likely to say that family bonds had been strengthened during the pandemic.

ASH WEDNESDAY
Ash Wednesday is one of the most popular and important holy days in the liturgical calendar. Ash Wednesday opens Lent, a season of fasting and prayer. Ash Wednesday comes from the ancient Jewish tradition of penance and fasting. The practice includes the wearing of ashes on the head. The ashes symbolise the dust from which God made us. As the priest applies the ashes to a person's forehead, he speaks the words "Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return". Alternatively, the priest may speak the words "Repent and believe in the Gospel." Ashes also symbolise grief, in this case, grief that we have sinned and caused division from God. Following the example of the Ninevites in the Old Testament, who did penance in sackcloth and ashes, our foreheads are marked with ashes to humble our hearts and reminds us that life passes away on Earth. Ash Wednesday is on 17 February this year and is a day of fasting and abstinence. Our Churches will probably be closed so I'll include a Penitential Prayer to be said on Ash Wednesday in the next Bulletin.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS FOR LENT
The Stations of the Cross refers to the fourteen images depicting Jesus' Passion that we see in many Churches. These stations are a meditative exercise that has been around since before the Middle Ages. The purpose of the exercise is to make a spiritual pilgrimage through what is arguably the most dramatic moment of Christ's life. Each station is a profile in character and each one is a demonstration of Jesus' integrity. We can learn what it means to be truly human - and by this I mean the kind of human that God wants us to be - by meditating on these events. The Stations reveal the lowest point in Jesus' life and, in turn, the Stations resonate with the difficult times we experience in life as well as the tough times that we hold in our memories. In this way, the Stations appeal more to the heart than they do to the head. When we take Jesus's suffering into us and ponder the events he experienced in our hearts, we are stirred from spiritual sleepwalking. The point of the exercise is to nudge us into thinking about how, as Christians, we are supposed to be imitating Christ's life. The Prayers of the Stations of the Cross can be found on our parish websites. They will also be live-streamed from Church every Friday before Mass at 9.30am. Please join us if you can. We begin on Friday 19 February at 9.30am.

SAINT PETER'S 50/50 CLUB
2020 has proved a very difficult year in the life of our parish and 2021 is still tough on everyone. Since we cannot meet with each other, not even at Church, we cannot have our usual 'Sign-Up' meeting in the Parish Centre. We are grateful to those who responded in renewing their membership by post or letterbox drop to the Promoter, Mrs M Sammons at 30 Seafield Court, Ardrossan, KA22 8NS. We ask members to do the same at your earliest convenience by sending your cheque for £15 in the post made payable to Saint Peter's 50/50 Club and including your name and address or alternatively cash by letterbox drop to the Promoter at the above address. Please do not send cash in the post. Thank you for your continued support.


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.

A GLASS OF MILK
One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin penny left and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it so slowly and then asked, How much do I owe you?" You don't owe me anything" she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness." He said "Then I thank you from my heart." As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit. Many years later that same young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognised her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day, he gave special attention to her case. After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words. 'Paid in full with one glass of milk' - signed Dr Howard Kelly. Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed 'Thank you, God, that your love has spread broad through human hearts and hands.' Like many top doctors of his day, Dr Kelly, who lived from 1858 to 1943, charged enormous fees. However, Audrey Davis wrote that he often treated people for free. For every patient Dr Kelly charged for his services, he treated three for free. There's a saying which goes 'Bread cast on the water comes back to you'. The good deed you do today may benefit you or someone you love at the least expected time. If you never see the deed again at least you will have made the world a better place - and, after all, isn't that what life is all about?

JUST FOR A LAUGH ...
After a very long and boring sermon, the parishioners filed out of the Church saying nothing to the priest. Towards the end of the line was a thoughtful person who always commented on the sermons. "Father, today your sermon reminded me of the peace and love of God!" The priest was thrilled. "No-one has ever said anything like that about my homilies before. Tell me why." "Well - it reminded me of the Peace of God because it passed all understanding and the Love of God because it endured forever!"


SUNDAY OBLIGATION
Sunday obligation to attend Holy Mass remains suspended for the time being and availability is restricted for those wishing to attend. Some of our parishioners are working during the week and can only attend at the weekend. Therefore, to make Holy Mass available to everyone we would be grateful if you wish to attend Mass and are able to attend on a weekday please do so, leaving seats for those parishioners working during the week. Thank you.

STANDING ORDERS - PLEASE THINK ABOUT IT
The parishes have taken quite a 'knock' through lockdown when public Mass is not available. This has had a huge impact on our parishes' 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

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.