A Christmas Celebration in Words and Carols

Listen to the Christmas Story
Watch it being acted out
Sing along as the carols fit the story

Sunday 16th December at3.00 pm at Saint Columba’s Church, Port Erin

Music by Rushen Silver Band

Refreshments will be served afterwards in the Church Hall

There will be a retiring collection in aid of Smile Train - A charity providing surgery and support for children with cleft lip and cleft palate in developing countries.

Everyone Welcome

Bingo Night and supper at the Kursaal at the Palace Hotel, Douglas

Tuesday 11^th December:
Tickets are £20— includes supper and 10 games of Bingo! For tickets, please contact: Annette (457826), Michelle (624741) or Sheila (475990).
Raffle prizes gratefully received.

 

 

Guild of Saint Stephen for Altar Servers

All Altar servers from our three parishes are invited to the saint Stephen’s Day Mass at 12 Noon, Saint Mary of the Isle, Douglas on Boxing Day – 26^th December which is the Feast of Saint Stephen.

Our new Servers will received their Guild Medal at this Mass.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.30 pm Family Mass on Christmas Eve

Would any children who know they are coming to this Mass please come along to Saint Mary’s Church on Sunday 23^rd December at 4.00 pm for a run-through of the Music for the Mass.

 If you, or a neighbour or friend, are bringing your little ones to this Mass and they have a Shepherd or Angel Costume which they have worn for their School or Playgroup Nativity, then it would be lovely if they would wear it again for that Mass! Thank you

Month of the Holy Souls

Many thanks for your response to the Pious List in November. As well as having a Mass for the Holy Souls each day in November, we will have a Mass for the Holy Souls on the First Friday of each month and also have a lamp at one of the Altars in Saint Mary’s church burning for the Holy Souls in that following week.

Many thanks. It is good that we continually remember in prayer those who have ‘gone before us, marked with the Sign of Faith’.

A Festival of Cribs

A Festival of Cribs will be held at Saint Mary of the Isle, Douglas next Saturday, 15^th December, 9.00 am – 6.00 pm. Come along to get some ideas of the variety of crib and manger scenes from different parts of the world. Tea, coffee and cakes available throughout the day, together with some Christmas cards and gifts from the Holy Land. No entrance fee... just a voluntary collection which will be sent to the Christians of the Holy Land.

 

If you have a crib which is particularly significant to your family and/or which has a special history or origin, would you lend it for the exhibition? If you could write a couple of words to explain to others why the crib is significant then we will display this as well.

 

If any individual or group would like to make a floral or craft depiction of the Bethlehem Manger Scene then we would be delighted to display it. Thank you

 

A Time for thinking of others...

Throughout the year we need to keep the concerns and difficulties of others very much at the forefront of our minds. However at Christmastime there is perhaps even greater opportunity to do this through the various good causes and charities which are supported through our communities. Here are some ways which you might like to consider.

Bring a Gift...

As in years past, we encourage you (regardless of age!) to bring a small gift with you to our Christmas Masses which will then be shared with less fortunate children and families in our area. The gift could be a child’s game, toiletries or small clothing items (gloves, scarf or the like) . They will all be used well and gratefully received!

SVP Appeal

The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SVP) do great, but often unseen, work throughout the year. We will take a Collection at our Masses in support their work next weekend, Sunday 16^th December.

Advent Lunches

Soup and a Roll in Saint Mary’s Presbytery after the 12.10 Mass on the Tuesdays of Advent. No Charge – but donations gratefully received for local charities.

Advent Alms

We have placed at the back of the three churches, envelopes marked ‘Advent Alms’ which can be used for any donations you wish to make to local charities during this Season. Funds will then used for the work of the SVP, the Salvation Army and other local charities.

Christmas Gift Ideas

www.cafod.com
www.friendsoftheholyland.org.uk
www.sendacow.org.uk
www.svp.org.uk

 

 

 

 

 

All Island Christmas Youth Service

Will be held at Saint German’s Anglican Cathedral, Peel on Saturday 8^th December from 7.00 pm until 9.00 pm.

All ages welcome for an interdenominational service of Interviews, hymns and songs and drama  with refreshments!) further information from hub@sumt.im

Holy Land Pilgrimage

The Catholic Pictorial, the magazine of the Archdiocese, is organising an 8 day pilgrimage to the Holy Land, 11^th to 19^th February 2013. The cost will be £1,150 and the flight departs from Manchester.

For further information please contact Kim or Fiona on 0151 709 7657.

Advent Lunches

Soup and a Roll in Saint Mary’s Presbytery after the 12.10 Mass on the Tuesdays of Advent. No Charge – but donations gratefully received for local charities.

If you are in Douglas

for shopping or for business don’t forget that Saint Mary’s Church is open through the day (until about 6.00pm). It is a delight to see that so many people pop in during the day for a moment of prayer, to light a candle, to enjoy the peace.

Flower Arrangers at Saint Mary

Christmas: Please could all our arrangers contact Sue by email s.magee@psac.sch.im or telephone 675432 after 6.00 pm and let her know if they are/are not available to arrange at Christmas.

We can arrange from the afternoon, Saturday December 22^nd, Sunday 23^rd, after 11.00 am mass until 6.00pm and finish if need be on Christmas Eve morning. Please check the notice board at the back of church in the coming weeks for more details.

Festival of Cribs: I am hoping to do a floral crib for this event, if anyone can help or has any ideas please let me know and we can get together. I intend to arrange on Thursday, 13^th December after 6.00 pm.

 

 

 

Christmas with the Salvation Army

This Sunday afternoon at the Gaiety Theatre from 3.00 until 4.30 pm. Featuring the Band, Songsters and junior Musicians of the Salvation together with the Friday Lunchtime Community Choir and members of the Broadway Theatre Company. Tickets £1.00.

In aid of the Salvation Army IOM Christmas Appeal.

S.V.P. Christmas Party

The annual SVP Christmas Party for Parishioners will be held on Saturday 8^th December from 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm in St Peter’s Church Hall, Royal Avenue Onchan.

Tickets available from members of SVP. Santa has been booked. Ages and numbers of boys/girls coming please to SVP members to ensure Santa brings enough presents.

Coming …Ready or Not!

We now enter‘with avengance’ that time of year when the pressure for busy-ness is all around – the busy-ness of the party season, the Christmas wrapping season and the added pressure of ‘this will make for the best Christmas ever’!

 

Of course the present straightened circumstances in which we find ourselves may reduce the expenditure somewhat – but the pressure is still there to spend that extra little bit because the invoice will only come next year ; but next year comes around very quickly.

Happy New Year

Today we begin a new Liturgical Year with the First Sunday of the Advent Season.  In the season of Advent we wear the Liturgical Colour purple which is a regal colour but also a colour of expectation. The Gloria is omitted from the Sunday Masses – so that its reappearance at Christmas makes all the more impact! The Alleluia is still sung, because Advent is not a Penitential season in the same was as Lent.

Something many of us associate with Advent is the Wreath and the lighting of the Candles week by week. While this is not actually foreseen as part of the Liturgies of Advent, it is very much part of our preparation as we listen to the readings of the Sundays of Advent as they develop our sense of expectation and fulfilment of God’s loving plan in the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Saint Anthony’s Offertory Envelope Scheme

The new pack starts this weekend and are available for collection at the back of Church. If you would like to join, please enter your name and address on the sheet on the porch table or see Brendan Caley or telephone him on 625075. It is confidential and makes no difference to what offering you give, but helps the accounting.

With you always

Once again, any thanks to all who came along to the two sessions last week. Our theme was ‘ reconciliation’ and the children, and families and indeed the whole parish community are invited to come along on the Monday or Wednesday of this coming week when the children make their First Confessions – and the rest of us make our Nth confession!

Including the Reconciliation services this coming week, that will make four meetings at which the children and their families have looked at different aspects of Baptism, done a Treasure Hunt in the churches, and reflected on Belonging and Reconciliation. In the New Year we look at Holy Communion and Confirmation in preparation for the Celebration of these Sacraments in May of next year.

 

 

Parish Mass Books

Today you will notice that we have new Parish Mass Books. They run through from the first Sunday of Advent until the end of Eastertide 2013. You will notice that they are slightly thicker than the last ‘Books – this is because they have included the texts of some of the newer Eucharistic prayers which will sometimes be used at Mass, as well of course as all the Sunday Masses and the Holy week Services for next year.

They cost us £2.00 per book – so if you would like to make a contribution to the expense of the books then it would be gratefully received (either through the regular collection or in one of the boxes at the back of the churches )

 

 

Gospel of Saint Luke

Please take away with you from Mass this weekend.... a copy of the Gospel of Saint Luke, which is the Gospel read through this coming Liturgical Year. If you have a copy already then pass it on to someone who may not have one! Plenty to go around...

Services of Reconciliation across the Island

Monday 3^rd Dec - 6.30 pm at Saint Anthony, Onchan
Wednesday 5^th Dec - 6.30 pm at Saint Mary of the Isle, Douglas
Monday 10^th Dec - 4.30 pm at Our Lady Star of the Sea, Ramsey
Monday 10^th Dec - 7.00 pm at Our Lady Star of the Sea, Ramsey
Thursday 13^th Dec - 7.00 pm at Saint Columba, Port Erin