BULLETIN                 15 MARCH 2020

THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT IN YEAR 1



CHURCH SERVICES
Saturday 14 March  

Our Lady's Day
Holy Mass at 10.00am for for those suffering through the effects of addiction
Third Sunday of Lent
Vigil Mass at 5.30pm for Mick Reilly A and Elizabeth McGee A

Sunday 15 March  

Third Sunday of Lent
Holy Mass at 10.30am for Saint Peter's congregation

Monday 16 March  

Requiem Mass at 10.30am for Gerry Swan

Tuesday 17 March  

Feast of Saint Patrick
Stations of the Cross at 9.30am
Holy Mass at 10.00am for Ian and Rose Traynor A and Mary Gribben A

Wednesday 18 March  

Holy Mass at 10.00am for Isabel Rodgers MM and Chris Callaghan RD

Thursday 19 March  

Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Virgin Mary
Holy Mass at 10.00am for Rose Fisher (Greenock) RD

Friday 20 March  

Holy Mass at 10.00am for Sheena Mooney RD

Saturday 21 March  

Our Lady's Day
Holy Mass at 10.00am for Veronica Stevenson A
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Vigil Mass at 5.30pm for Christopher McManus A

 

                        Abbreviations - A anniversary, MM month's mind, 6MM six month's mind,
                                                RD recently deceased, SI special intention

The Holy Mass intention list is just over two weeks ahead. Please notify anniversaries as early as you can. Thanks.
Any changes to the above times caused, for example, by a funeral will be notified on the home page of this website.


SAINT MARY'S AND SAINT JOHN'S CHURCH SERVICES
 
Saturday 14 March  
Vigil Mass at 4.30pm
 
Sunday 15 March  
Sunday Mass at 10.00am

Sunday Mass at 11.30am

Monday 16 March  
Service of the Word at 10.00am Service of the Word at 10.00am
Tuesday 17 March  
Service of the Word at 10.00am
Requiem Mass at 10.00am for Ian Neal
Wednesday 18 March  
Requiem Mass at 10.00am for Louise Barr Service of the Word at 10.00am
Thursday 19 March  
Service of the Word at 10.00am Holy Mass at 10.00am
Friday 20 March  
Holy Mass at 10.00am Service of the Word at 10.00am
Saturday 21 March  
Requiem Mass at 10.00am for Ann Marie Dickie
Vigil Mass at 4.30pm
 
 
PARISH CENTRE EVENTS
Sunday 15 March  

11.30am

Tea and Coffee after Holy Mass

Monday 16 March  

9.30 to 11.30am
5.30 to 6.30pm
6.30 to 7.30pm
7.00pm

Parents and Toddlers
Rainbows
Brownies
Saint Vincent de Paul Society

Tuesday 17 March  
9.00 to 11.00am
5.00 to 8.00pm
7.30 to 9.00pm

Cardiac Rehabilitation
Irish Dancing
Ignatian Prayer Group

Wednesday 18 March  

8.30 to 11.30am
9.30 to 11.30am
1.00 to 3.00pm
5.00 to 8.00pm

Slimming World
Parents and Toddlers
Knit and Knatter Group
Irish Dancing

Thursday 19 March  
7.00pm Safeguarding Training module 2
Friday 20 March  
9.30 to 11.30am
11.00am
Parents and Toddlers
Tea, coffee and chat in the Snug after Benediction
Scallywags Aftercare is on Monday to Friday from 3.00 to 6.00pm during term time and 8.00am to 6.00pm during school holidays.

PRAYERS
Please remember in your prayers:
Gerry Swan, Chris Callaghan, Rose Fisher who died recently;
Mary Coulter 1978, David Magee 2014, Peter McCarroll 1940, Isabella McHugh 2019, Elizabeth Walsh 2005, David Gallagher 2011, Mary Boyce Gillies 2012, Theresa McDermott 2000, George Agostini 2006, Maureen McKenzie 2014, Janis McSkimming 2010, James Murray 1972, Rena Scullion 2008, Canon Michael Farrington 2009, Margaret McLaughlan 2005, Thelma Carrick 2005, Annie Boyle O'Hare 1967, Celio Staffieri 2017, Mary Catherine Teggart 1999, Thomas West 2005, Bessie Brown 1982, Peggy Gray 2010, Addie Hissey 2009, Margaret McMillan 2009, Margaret Jane Brennan 1964, Betty Kelly 2011 and Hugh Taylor 2016 whose anniversaries occur at this time and those who are sick.
If deceased members of your family are not on our anniversary list, please tell Father Duncan
, the parish office or contact WebsiteAuthor@SaintPeterinChains.net. If members of your family or friends are in need of our prayers, please tell Father Duncan or the parish office. If they are in hospital, Reverend Bill Corbett on 01292 521208 - assisted each week by the priest on call - is the chaplain to Crosshouse Hospital and can be contacted through the ward. Ayr Hospital and the Ayrshire Hospice have an on-call chaplaincy.

SUNDAY MASS TIMES
Sunday Mass times in Saint Peter's are 5.30pm Vigil and 10.30am. Sunday Mass times in other local parishes can be seen here.

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
The Sacrament of Forgiveness is celebrated on Saturdays between 4.45 and 5.15 pm and at other times on request.

READERS
Next weekend's readers are Margaret Munn at 5.30pm and Patricia Milligan at 10.30am.

MUSIC MINISTRY
Next weekend's musicians are George McGrattan at 5.30pm and Catherine Boyd and Catherine Kerr at 10.30am.

CHILDREN'S LITURGY
Next week's Children's Liturgy helpers are Emma Paterson for the pre-fives, Maria Paterson-Kidd for Primaries 1, 2 and 3 and Jacqueline Smith and Linda Martin for Primary 4.

LENTEN PENANCE SERVICES IN THE THREE TOWNS
There will be three Lenten Penance Services where we can go to Confession and receive God's mercy and forgiveness. These are on Monday 30 March at 7.00pm in Saint Peter's, Tuesday 31 March at 2.00pm in
Saint Mary's Church, Saltcoats and Wednesday 1 April at 7.00pm in Saint John’s Church, Stevenston.There is no better way to prepare for Easter.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS
The Stations of the Cross will be visited every Tuesday during Lent at 9.30am before Mass. Our first Stations of the Cross will be offered for healing. The First Letter of Peter tells us 'He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep but have now returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.'


PASTORAL VISIT FROM BISHOP NOLAN
Bishop Nolan will be coming to Saint Peter's next weekend for his annual pastoral visit. We welcome his visit and pray for his ministry as the shepherd of the Diocese.

REQUIEM MASS FOR GERRY SWAN
Please pray for the Repose of the Soul of Gerry Swan who died on 29 February 2020. His Requiem Mass on Monday 16 March at
10.30am will be followed by his cremation at the Clyde Coast and Garnock Valley Crematorium in Dalry. May he rest in peace and rise in glory!

EXPLAINING GOD ...
One of God's main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn't make grownups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way he doesn't have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers. God's second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on since some people, like priests and things, pray at times beside bedtime. God doesn't have time to listen to the radio or television because of this. Because he hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in his ears, unless he has thought of a way to turn it off. God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps him pretty busy. So you shouldn't go wasting his time by going over your mum and dad's head asking for something they said you couldn't have. Atheists are people who don't believe in God. I don't think there are any in Bolton. At least there aren't any who come to our Church. Jesus is God's Son. He used to do all the hard work, like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn't want to learn about God. They finally got tired of him preaching to them and they crucified him. But he was good and kind, like his Father, and he told his father that they didn't know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said Okay. His dad - God - appreciated everything that he had done and all his hard work on earth so he told him he didn't have to go out on the road anymore. He could stay in heaven. So he did. And now he helps his dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones he can take care of himself without having to bother God - like a secretary, only more important. You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time. You should always go to Church on Sunday because it makes God happy and if there's anybody you want to make happy, it's God! If you don't believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can't go everywhere with you, like on school trips, but God can. It is good to know He's around you when you're scared, in the dark or when you can't swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids. But ... you shouldn't just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and he can take me back anytime he pleases. And... that's why I believe in God.
              Written by an eight-year-old called Danny Dutton. He wrote it for a homework assignment to Explain God.

THE GIFT OF CONFESSION IN LENT - SAFEGUARD YOUR HEART
As Catholics are encouraged to make going to confession a significant part of their lives during Lent, Pope Francis offered some quick tips to help people prepare for the sacrament of penance. The Pope listed thirty key questions to reflect on as part of making an examination of conscience and being able to 'confess well'. The Holy Father calls this 'Safeguard your heart'. Christians need to guard and protect their hearts 'just as you protect your home ... with a lock'. "How often do bad thoughts, bad intentions, jealousy, envy enter?" he asked. "Who opened the door? How did those things get in?"
The questions include:
  • Do I only turn to God when I'm in need?
  • Do I take attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation?
  • Do I begin and end the day with prayer?
  • Am I embarrassed to show that I am a Christian?
  • Do I rebel against God's plan?
  • Am I envious, hot-tempered, biased?
  • Am I honest and fair with everyone or do I fuel the 'throwaway culture?'
  • In my marital and family relations, do I uphold morality as taught in the Gospels?
  • Do I honour and respect my parents?
  • Have I refused newly conceived life?
  • Have I snuffed out the gift of life? Have I helped do so?
  • Do I respect the environment?
  • Am I part worldly and part believer?
  • Do I overdo it with eating, drinking, smoking and amusements?
  • Am I overly concerned about my physical well-being, my possessions?
  • How do I use my time?
  • Am I lazy?
  • Do I want to be served?
  • Do I dream of revenge, hold grudges?
  • Am I meek, humble and a builder of peace?
Catholics should go to confession, the Pope said, because everyone needs forgiveness for their sins, for the ways 'we think and act contrary to the Gospel'. Confession is meant to be a sincere moment of conversion, an occasion to demonstrate trust in God's willingness to forgive his children and to help them back on the path of following Jesus, Pope Francis wrote.

JUST FOR A LAUGH …
Here are some of the funny things that you can read in Parish Newsletters:
  • Everyone is excited about the upcoming wedding of Brad and Melody. They are having a 'country style' wedding. Everyone is invited to join them as they exchange cows in the Church courtyard on 7 June.
  •  Remember, we'll be gathering with other area churches for the singing in the park on Sunday night. I want to remind the choir and all sinners to be at the park by 4.30pm. for warm up and sound checks.
  • The Seniors Group will have a picnic on Saturday. Each person is asked to bring a friend, a vegetable or dessert in a covered dish. Meat and drinks will be furnished.
  • We are especially thankful that when Sister Dora was at death's door, the Lord and her doctors pulled her through.


LENT IN THE WORDS OF POPE FRANCIS
Make sure you get a little card at the end of Mass today with suggestions of Pope Francis for Lent. Please take some along for family and friends and keep it with you during these forty days of grace.

GALLOWAY DIOCESE NEWS
Please make sure you get your copy of the latest issue of the Galloway Diocese News. There is a great picture of Saint Peter's in this issue.

RENOVATION OF THE HMS DASHER MEMORIAL PLAQUE
Saint Peter's has a Memorial Plaque for the tragedy of the HMS Dasher on the front wall of the Church. We hope to get it cleaned and renovated using 23.5 carat gold for the letters. A special costing of £117 has been given to us. We are trying to raise this from the Parish and the British Legion. If you are able and would like to make a donation towards the renovation of the Memorial Plaque, please hand it in to Father Duncan or the Parish Office. God bless you!

IN AND AROUND THE CHURCH
I am very grateful for all the work being done in and around the Church. The wall repair is finished and the fence has been repainted, gutters in the Parish Centre have been cleaned and washed out, the Tabernacle light switch has been repaired and replaced, the faulty gate lock is being replaced, door locks in the Parish Centre have been replaced and the Church lantern lights have been refixed and repositioned. Sincere thanks to all our Parishioners for their support and hard work!

COLLECTION ENVELOPES FOR 2020-21
Collection envelopes are now ready and can be collected from the stall. If you do not have collection envelopes and would like some, please ask Father Duncan or call at the Parish Office

SCOTTISH CATHOLIC INTERNATIONAL AID FUND (
SCIAF) WEE BOX APPEAL
From 21 February to 20 May 2020 all donations to the SCIAF Wee Box appeal will be doubled by the United Kingdom Government. You can collect your Wee Box pack at the back of the Church or from the stall.

TOILETRIES FOR HOMELESS PEOPLE
During Lent, the Saint Vincent de Paul Society usually collects toiletries for the Ozanam Centre in Glasgow which supports homeless people. There are collection baskets in the porch. Please be as generous as you can. Thank you!


DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND
Once again, the Diocese will be travelling to the Holy Land to walk in the footsteps of Our Lord. This year's pilgrimage takes place from 12 to 19 October and we will stay in Bethlehem and Tiberias. Booking forms are available in the sacristy or from Father David Borland at David.Borland@GallowayDiocese.org.uk.

ACROSS PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES BY JUMBULANCE
Across is organising a pilgrimage to Lourdes by Jumbulance leaving from Kilmarnock on 23 April and returning on 2 May 2020. Everyone on pilgrimage has an essential role to play from the assisted pilgrims to the chaplain, doctor, nurses and lay helpers. The pilgrimage costs £850 per person. This includes travel to and from Lourdes and full board accommodation. Further information and application forms can be obtained by contacting the Group Leader, Alison Neil on 07749 555955, Alison.Neil@hotmail.co.uk, www.across.org.uk or 02035 421800.

PILGRIMAGE TO KNOCK SHRINE
Knock Pilgrimages is planning a pilgrimage to Knock Shrine on 14 June 2020, costing £699 per person sharing. The single supplement cost is £100. Prices includes a flight from Edinburgh with 10kg hand luggage, all transfers, five nights in Knock House Hotel with breakfast and dinner, excursions and lunches on days. The contact is Patricia on 01268 762278, 07740 175557 or KnockPilgrimages@gmail.com Knock Pilgrimages is ATOL Protected.


EMBRACING CHANGE SPIRITUALITY GROUP 2020
The Embracing Change Spirituality Group has been dedicated to the rediscovery of the Holy Scriptures and to give us the opportunity to focus on the Word of God, Father Mark Kelly will lead us in talks on the Gospels throughout the year at various parishes across the deanery on several Tuesdays at 7.00pm. The dates and venues are 24 March in Saint Brigid's Church, Kilbirnie, 26 May in Saint Mary's Church, Largs, 25 August in Saint John's Church, Stevenston, 24 November in Saint John Ogilvie's Church, Irvine. Scripture is at the heart of everything the Church does. The Word of God shapes our prayer and worship. The Bible shows us how to understand the world, how we are called to live and relate to each other. Don't miss this opportunity to come together as a deanery to listen to and reflect on the Scriptures during this year.

WEST SIDE STORY IN GLASGOW
Aidan McGrath of our parish is is appearing in West Side Story at the end of May this year at the Theatre Royal in Glasgow. We have special prices for tickets. If you would like to go, please let the Parish Office know well in advance. Tickets will cost around £28 each. If a sizeable group would like to go, we could hire a coach. A suggested date would be Friday 29 May at 5.00pm. West Side Story marries stunning choreography to a matchless songbook as it translates Romeo and Juliet to 1950s Manhattan. It's the story of the Jets and the Sharks, two rival gangs who make New York's mean streets even meaner, but it's also passionate, tender and deeply romantic - the greatest love story ever told.

PARISH STEWARDSHIP
Last weekend's Offertory collection amounted to £6818.48 and the Maintenance Fund collection to £258.72 - thanks for all your support and generosity.

HOSPITAL CHAPLAINCY
If a member of your family or a friend is sick, please let us know and give us the details. Deacon Bill Corbett (01292 521208, 07904 248948, Rev.BillCorbett@btinternet.com) is the Chaplain to Crosshouse Hospital and is assisted by the Priest on call each week.

SUNDAY TEAS
Tea and coffee will be served after the 10.30am Mass next Sunday in the Parish Centre by Sadie, Marie and Phyllis.

VISITORS
Are you visiting us for Holy Mass? Please know that you are very welcome. During the 10.30 am Holy Mass outwith holidays, there is a Children’s Liturgy provided for pre-school children, children in Primaries 1 to 3 and a Sacramental Programme for children in Primary 4. After the 10.30am Holy Mass, tea, coffee cakes and buns are available in the Parish Centre. At both of our weekend Holy Masses, we have a second collection for Church maintenance.


ADVERTISER SUPPORT
Our advertisers would welcome your support. We are grateful for their continuing sponsorship. We are grateful for the support of Mr and Mrs Sohal, Nisa Stores, Glasgow Street for the weekly donation of tea, coffee and milk for the Sunday teas.

PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS - MISSION STATEMENT
The Catholic Church in Scotland is concerned with the lives, safety, wholeness and well-being of each individual person within God's purpose for everyone. It seeks to safeguard the welfare of people of all ages who are involved in whatever capacity
with the Church and its organisations. As a Church community, we accept that it is the responsibility of all of us, ordained, professed, paid and voluntary members, to work together to prevent the physical, sexual, emotional abuse or neglect of children, young people and vulnerable adults.