Barbara Wall, Kitty Stubbs, Bertha Appleton, Flo Mullen, Jimmy Carson, Emily Kearney, Christine McDonald, Dennis Lynch, Annie Hodgson, Joe Donkin, Olive Atkinson, George Gallagher, Susan Parker, Ethel Fagan, Denise Calvert, Jimmy McAuliffe, Marie Moore. Also please pray for Alice Josephine Gooch and Veronica Davidson who died during the week. 

CYCLE OF PRAYER  -  ADVENT & CHRISTMAS

During Advent and Christmastide we are asked to pray for these intentions:

Openness to the Word of God, Migrants and Refugees; Expectant Mothers. 

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS

Our Christmas celebrations start today, at 8pm when we have Carols and readings followed by our first Mass of Christmas at 8.30pm.  Mass on Christmas Day is at the usual time, 9.30am, and our children will help us celebrate. The Eucharistic Prayer is for children—and adults!  So please join in the responses.

CHRISTMAS 100 YEARS AGO

Christmas 1906 was on a Tuesday. The previous Sunday (23rd Dec.), there was no catechism for the children but Rosary, Sermon and Benediction was still celebrated at 6.30pm. Baptisms were celebrated at 3pm and on Friday at 10am. 24th December, the vigil of Christmas Day was a day of Fasting and Abstinence. Permission had been given for Midnight Mass and Holy Communion. Confessions were held on Monday at 6pm. Mass on Christmas Day was celebrated at 8am, 9,30am and 11am and there was Benediction after the late Mass. There was no service on Wednesday evening and the final note says “Flowers”. The Banns of marriage were read for Bernard McDermott of Ropery Road and Catharine Donnelly of Trimdon Street, and George Bellamy & Violet English of Booth Street.

Christmas 1956 4th Sunday of Advent 23rd December. Parishioners were told “Never miss Mass on Sundays through your own fault,  Parents: Get your children up for Mass on Christmas Day!”. On Christmas Eve there were confessions from 12 noon ’til 10pm, Benediction was “given” on Christmas Day, immediately after the last Mass. Midnight Mass as usual and all other duties during the week were as usual. An appeal was made for offering for flowers. There was a Christmas Draw on 23rd December at the social in the Hall. Many tickets for this social were still out and had to be returned by “2 o’clock today”. The Draw was followed by a Whist Drive. There was no Cedhile the following Friday as there was a dance at Wetheralls instead. There was a Cedhile on 2nd January and an appeal of old and new members.

Christmas Eve was a day of Fasting and Abstinence. On Christmas Day there was a 2nd collection at all Masses which was for the priests of the parish “you will not forget to be generous to them” !

Masses on Christmas Day were at Midnight, 7am, 7.30am 8am, 8.30am, 9.30am, 10am, 10.30am, 10.30am and 11.30am.

CHRISTMAS CARD DONATIONS TO GRACE HOUSE APPEAL

Donations in lieu of Christmas Cards totalling £55 have been made to Grace House Appeal.

Noreen Newton, Bill & Mary Duncan and Diane English give their love and prayers to all within the parish community for a happy and holy Christmas and a blessed & peaceful New Year.  

POLISH MASS

Dear fellow countrymen and you who speak Polish, in the name of Bishop Kevin Dunn, we welcome you into our Diocese and all of you who live in different parishes.

In order so that you can participate in the liturgy of your own language and also to get to know each other, I am inviting you to a Polish Mass, which I will be celebrating on the last Sunday of each month at 4pm at St Mary’s Church, Bridge Street, Sunderland.

Confessions will be available for half an hour before Mass begins and after the Mass tea will be available in the Parish Hall - Fr Jan Milcz CSsR

RNID

Do you struggle to hear the homily at Mass or always have to ask people to repeat what they have said? If so you may wish to  take a five minute, confidential telephone hearing check by dialling (. For more information see the notice board or see www.breakingthesoundbarrier.org.uk

CONGRATULATIONS !

Congratulations and prayerful good wishes go to Kathryn Lennox and Jamie Hill

who will be married here on Friday 29th December 2006 at 1pm

THANK YOU!

Thanks to your generosity, the sale of cooking apples raised £105 for Fr Joe in Peru and £30 for Fr Daiy Sebastian in India. A special thank you for the kind donation in loving memory of Catherine Hughes who died 12th July 2003 

WHITE FLOWER APPEAL

On the weekend of  6th/7th January there will be a retiring collection for  the White Flower Appeal.

USED STAMPS

A letter has been received from Father Eddie McGettrick who is from St Patrick’s Missionary Society, to thank everyone for all the used stamps they have donated in the past year. Last year almost 21,000 Euros were made to help with the Foreign Missions. They asked to remind every one to please continue to give all their used stamps and old telephone cards. All collectors are remembered in their daily Masses and prayers

JOURNEY IN FAITH

Our Journey in Faith begins again on Thursday 11th January at 7pm and will continue through January and conclude on 1st February. Please join us especially if you are interested in Baptism or  First Communion.  All are welcome