You may have noticed the commercial world is further hijacking Advent and Christmas by using terms such as ‘festive season’ ‘hosting season’ ‘winter festivities’, all the more reason then, for us to send Christmas cards which reflect the reality, namely, the birth of the Christ child. Amongst others, various charities, one of which is, ‘Aid to the Church in Need’ (a charity which particularly supports the persecuted Church) produce beautiful Christmas cards, with both Greek icons and Renaissance images of the Nativity, which are available for you to purchase in the narthex / lobby/ church porch. Purchasing their cards supports the persecuted Church and reminds all of us, that it is the Christmas Season into which we will be entering after Advent. P.S. when buying stamps for your Christmas cards, do ask for the ‘Christmas stamps’ in doing so, others, over-hearing your request, will be reminded of the reason for the season. On the weekend of the 29th November and 6th December, the parish ‘Christmas’ repository will be selling items in the parish hall after the Masses. If you don’t have a Christmas crib for the family this would be an opportunity to buy one to use as a ‘centre piece’ at home, perhaps adding figures to it, year by year.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION PROGRAMME The children’s books and Bibles have now arrived and will be given out with the first ‘parent’s crib sheet’ at the end of the weekend Masses over the next couple of weekends. Parents need to work through the first chapter of the book with their child/ren before the first meeting on Thursday 20th November at 5 pm. The catechist will review this first chapter with the children, while parents, with Fr. Ian, will look at the next chapter, chapter 2. Donations towards the cost of the books and Bibles would be welcome. CONFIRMATION PROGRAMME 2025 /2026 There will be an initial meeting for those who applied for the programme and one parent on Thursday 13 th November at 7 pm to outline expectations of candidates and the programme itself. The programme will get underway in January. Many thanks.
As we enter into the month of November there is a new ‘Rosary Circle Chart’ on the noticeboard, to encourage us all to pray for vocations to the Priesthood. The ‘Chart’ lists the 20 decades of the Rosary and a number of columns for people to put their initial or a tick in a box to indicate they will commit to praying the particular decade each day for the month of November, and hopefully, this will create a number of ‘circles’ praying for this intention. This is a very simple spiritual exercise many of us could join in with; at least 20 people praying one decade of the Rosary each day, so the whole of the Rosary is prayed for this particular intention, thus creating a ‘Rosary Circle’. Let it be said, however, that anyone can join the Rosary Circles at any time.