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OUR CLUSTER PLANS FOR ADVENT
- Each Sunday between 4.00pm and 5.00pm at St Gregory’s: Cluster Advent Circle…a time of quiet reflection.
- Saturday 15th December: 3.30pm: St Catherine’s: Cluster Christmas Carol Service.
- Monday 17th December: 7.30pm: St Gregory’s: Cluster Advent Evening of Reflection – with Sr Jeannette and Sr Christine. All welcome.
d) Our Celebration of Forgiveness: 4th Sunday of Advent (23rd/24th). There will be visiting Priests.
e) Cluster Advent Outreach:
1) Christmas Gifts for the less fortunate:
Each year we encourage our children to be aware of those who Christmas who are less fortunate than they are. This year we invite children to buy and wrap a gift for a child and bring it along to Mass on 15th/16th December to ensure that we have plenty time to distribute them. It would be most helpful if the gift could be tagged indicating whether it is suitable for a boy, a girl or both and also the age range.
2) Jericho House Appeal:
The Jericho Team from St John Vianney’s and St Gregory’s write: ‘There is a box at the back of each church for our Jericho Christmas appeal for the homeless. The items required are shown on the box (tin of tuna, tin of baked beans, tin of ham or meatballs, tin of fruit, chocolate biscuits, snack size chocolate bars, 20 tea bags). All contributions are required by Wednesday 12th December. Many thanks for your continued support.’Betty Harkins writes: ‘Once again the St Catherine’s ‘Jericho’ team are looking for your ever-generous help in providing items for Christmas parcels for the homeless. If you would like to help, the parcels we make up will consist of: A tin of Tuna, tin of baked beans, tin of ham or meat-balls, tin of fruit, packet of chocolate biscuits, snack-size chocolate bars, 20 tea-bags. Boxes will be available today and next Sunday, into which you can place the item or items you wish to contribute. If you would prefer to make a cash donation to Jericho, a separate basket will also be available outside the Church. Such donations will be kept separate from Society funds, and used exclusively for weekly food purchase for the Jericho Kitchen. (Up to 100 men and women are fed regularly each week at the Jericho centre by SVDP members and other volunteers). Many thanks for your continuing generosity. If you have any questions please see me or phone 664 9420).’
A Cluster Initiative on the Second Vatican Council and for the Year of Faith:
Fr Mike writes: ‘Several weeks ago I indicated in a Mass at St Catherine’s the intention to give a series of teachings on the Second Vatican Council and that these would take the place of the homily at Sunday Mass on perhaps six weekends. Having considered this with the St Catherine’s Parish Council and with Fr Jock it was agreed that a better way to proceed might be to have a couple of sessions at Sunday Mass describing in broad terms the context, the process and the membership of the Council: and addressing questions like: what happened, who was there, and the various agendas of those taking part.
Then the plan would be to offer, on some Saturday mornings, an opportunity to look a little more closely at what the Church teaches especially in relation to the Second Vatican Council. This would require some reading of the Church’s teaching. The books would cost £25 but happily there are some funds available to help anyone who would find such an outlay too difficult. It is hoped to start this process early in the New Year. There is a list at the back of the Church today for those who wish to register for the Saturday mornings and would like to order a copy of the books. Details of the dates of the Saturday meetings will be available next week. The books are user-friendly and are written in straightforward, everyday English.’CHRISTMAS MASSES:
Christmas Eve: 6.00pm: St Gregory’s (Children’s Mass)
8.00pm: St Catherine’s
8.30pm: St Gregory’s Syro-Malabar Mass
12 midnight: St John Vianney’s (Carol Service: 11.30pm(After Midnight Mass there will be refreshments in the Hall. Come along for a mince pie and a glass of mulled wine.
Christmas Day: 10.00am: St Gregory’s (Children’s Mass)
THIS WEEK:
Sunday 9th December: 7.30pm: St John Vianney’s Hall: Cluster Pilgrimage to Greece – follow-up Meeting for all those interested in the Cluster pilgrimage to Greece. It is important that, by Sunday, we have a good idea of how many people would like to participate. If you are interested, but can’t come along to this meeting, could you please let Fr Jock or Gerry Mulvenna (0131 666 2463 or gmulvenna@blueyonder.co.uk) know.
Monday 10th December: 7.30pm: St John Vianney’s Parish House: St John Vianney’s Parish Pastoral Council Meeting.
Tuesday 11th December: 7.30pm: St Joseph’s House, Little Sisters of the Poor, 43 Gilmore Place: Vocations Mass. Parking available. Refreshments after the Mass. All welcome.
Friday 14th (and 21st) December: 1.30pm-2.30pm: The Lauriston Jesuit Centre: The Gospel of Luke. The second in a series of three lunchtime talks led by Fr Jim Crampsey SJ. ‘Advent 2012 heralds the third year of the Sunday Lectionary. Once again we will hear the Gospel of Luke. It contains some favourite incidents and stories which do not appear in the other Gospels. In these three Advent talks, we can make a start at looking at various questions.’Saturday 15th December: 3.30pm: St Catherine’s: Christmas Carol Service: Alisa Winters writes: ‘Please join us for a festive gathering with carols, stories, laughter and Christmas cheer as we set up the Christmas crib and light the lights on the tree. Mulled wine and mince pies will be served in the hall afterwards. All welcome.’
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SUNDAY 9th December (SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT)
MONDAY 10th December
TUESDAY 11th December (Memorial of St Damasus)
WEDNESDAY 12th December (Memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe)
THURSDAY 13th December (Memorial of St Lucy)
FRIDAY 14th December (Memorial of St John of the Cross)
SATURDAY 15th December
SUNDAY 16th December (THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT)
IN THE COMING WEEKS:
Monday 17th December: 7.30pm: St Gregory’s Hall: Reflection Evening with Sr Christine and Sr Jeannette. All most welcome.
BITS N’ PIECES:
Photocopying of Newsletter: We hope to put in place a rota of six to eight people, so that each person is only required once every couple of months. We already have 5 volunteers from St Gregory’s (thank you, Charlie McAuley, Brian Cairney, Sr Jeannette, Catherine and Annette Hannan)….please, if you are willing to join the team – training will be on offer – can you contact Fr Jock or Maureen Wallbanks (258 1802).
Edinburgh Pastoral Counselling: Depression, anxiety, problems with drink or drugs? Sadness or loneliness, family problems, domestic violence, anger out of control, lost hope? If you need to talk with someone who will respect your faith, please phone 0794 411 1209.
Useful Telephone Numbers:
The Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) 0131 658 5243
Crimestoppers 0800 555 1111
Lothian and Borders Police – non emergency 0131 311 3131
Victim Support 01896 751 212
Free Confidential Drugs Information and Advice 0800 587 5879
Scottish Domestic Abuse Helpline 0800 027 1234
Shelter’s Free Housing Advice Helpline 0808 800 4444