Sunday 10 December 2023
Second Sunday of Advent
All three Churches of our parish have been transformed this past week and are full of the signs of Advent and the early joy that comes with Christmas and the birth of the baby Jesus. My sincere thanks to all those who have prepared the Advent wreaths, decorations, cribs, and Christmas trees at St Saviour, St Mary of the Angels, and at Our Lady Star of the Sea. The churches are looking beautiful. Thank you.
Meanwhile, inside this week’s Parish Newsletter are several invitations: Carol Services at St Saviour, Our Lady Star of the Sea, and at St Mary of the Angels Catholic Primary School, an invitation to join other Christians in our town community to sing Carols in the Port Arcades this coming Saturday, and the whole parish Christmas Celebration next Sunday, following the 11am Mass. All welcome to all of these festive occasions and anticipating the happiness and joy of Christmas. God bless us in the week ahead
Father Edmund
Advent Begins!
The second week of Advent begins, with the opening verses of Mark’s Gospel
Parish Prayer
Requests
Please pray for: Christine Brown, Sean Reilly, Kath Leahey, Jim Shepherd, Baby Isaac, Joanne, Michael, Sophie, Elliott, David, Nicola Gormley, Karen Seymour, Mavis O’Donnell, Baby Alana, Chris Laycock, Honora Ellis, Marie, Sheila, Pat Doyle, and Geoff Whelan.
Please pray for repose the souls of: Brenda Lyth, Patrick Stewart, Marie Woosey, Don Costelloe, Edwina Dyke, Michael McCone, Moya Carus, Geoff Thompson, Nuala Price, Gertrude Jones, and Giacomo Gianlombardo, and Patrick Shiels.
Christmas Celebration
There will be a Parish Family Christmas Celebration on Sunday 17 December following the 11am Sunday Mass at Our Lady Star of Sea (from 12noon). The event will offer sausage and bacon butties, hot drinks, Irish coffees, live Christmas music, with a number of stalls - including the popular Tombola - and a special guest appearance from a visitor from the North Pole. All welcome to come together for this special celebration, just a week before Christmas. There will be a raffle, and prizes donated for the raffle would be gratefully received.
Christmas Masses
This is our first Christmas with only one priest and the first following the change to three Masses from six Masses. Our experience so far has been that St Saviour is almost full to
capacity, St Mary of the Angels is at capacity, and Our Lady Star of the Sea offers the greatest capacity above and beyond what the Sunday Mass attendance would be at either St Saviour
and St Mary of the Angels.
Advent Carol Services
Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School Advent Carol Service
Our Lady Star of the Sea Church on Thursday 14 December at 6pm. All welcome! There will be Carols, Readings, and the placing of the baby Jesus in the Manger.
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St Saviour Catholic Primary School Carol Service
Mrs Baird and the school would like to invite parishioners, families, and friends to a Carol Service to be held at St Saviour Church on Monday 18 December at 6pm. The children will lead us in a time of Carols, Readings, and the acting out of the Nativity story. All welcome! Hot drinks and mince pies to follow. Please speak with me (Fr Edmund) if you’re willing to help with refreshments.
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Ellesmere Port and Hooton Youth Group and Little Sutton Scouts Carol Service
At St Mary of the Angels Church on Tuesday 19 December at 6.30pm. All welcome!
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St Mary of the Angels Catholic Primary School Junior Carol Concert
St Mary of the Angels Catholic Primary School on Thursday 21 December at 2pm. Tickets will be needed for this performance, because of the demand. Please contact the school if you would like to go: 0151 329 3524, admin@smota.co.uk
Appeal from the St Vincent de Paul Society
Chris Hotchkiss writes: Dear Friends, stocks in our small foodbank are now at a low level. Your continuing support keeps the food bank going and we are in need of some items. They are:
Tea bags (packs of 80)
Small jars of coffee
1kg bags of sugar.
Fray Bentos tinned meat pies.
If you could help in any way it will be much appreciated.
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Please feel able to drop any donations into the Sacristy before or after the Mass you usually attend. I can pass on to the SVP. Thank you to the SVP for the work with those most in need in our community and parish.
Gospel of John Study Group
The Gospel of John Group meets this week on Tuesday 12 December at 6.30pm. Please read chapter 16 and chapter 17 ahead of meeting. All welcome as we enter into the final quarter of the Gospel of John. We will meet, God willing, on Tuesday 19 December and then pause for the Christmas and New Year period, resuming Tuesday 9 January 2024.
New Catholics
Over the next four weeks or so, we will have three members of our parish become Catholics and receive the Sacraments of Confirmation and their first Holy Communion. Please pray for Vicky, Craig, and Jacqueline who will be received into Full Communion on Sundays 10, 17, 31 December respectively. Prayerful congratulations to them and to their families!
Ecumenical Partnerships
Tomorrow (Monday) I will be meeting with Canon Gordon McGuiness and then this coming Wednesday I will be having a meeting/ catch up with Reverend Antony Dutton, the Vicar of St John the Evangelist, Great Sutton to share ideas and ways of working in the year ahead into 2024.
Tree Lights and Crib: Ready for Christmas
