CHURCH OF SAINT PETER IN CHAINS, ARDROSSAN  •  A Family of Parishes  •  SAINT BRIDE'S CHURCH, WEST KILBRIDE

                                                        

BULLETIN                                          29 NOVEMBER 2020

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT IN YEAR 2

SERVICES AND GATHERINGS
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, public Church services and gatherings are limited till further notice.
Father Duncan will live-stream Holy Mass every day and assures you of his prayers for you and your family.

A READING FROM THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK (
Mark 13:33-37)
Jesus said to his disciples "Be on your guard, stay awake, because you never know when the time will come. It is like a man travelling abroad. He has gone from home and left his servants in charge, each with his own task and he has told the doorkeeper to stay awake. So stay awake, because you do not know when the master of the house is coming, evening, midnight, cockcrow, dawn. If he comes unexpectedly, he must not find you asleep and what I say to you I say to all - Stay awake!"

REFLECTION
There can be something of a disconnect with the Word of God this Sunday. All around us, people are putting up Christmas decorations, preparing as best they can for a festive season in the midst of a pandemic and looking for moments of 'comfort and joy' - and then we get a Gospel about the end of the world and the Second Coming of Jesus and a stern warning to "Stay awake"! Is the Church so out of step with the real world? Not at all - we often hear people talking about the 'real meaning of Christmas'. While for many that simply means Nativity Plays and religious Christmas cards, we believe that the real meaning of Christmas is much more profound. Jesus is real, he has walked among us and he will come again. This is the 'real meaning' we must hold on to. The overpowering power of Christ's love is not something to fear, but something to long for - and it is something that no virus, no pandemic, no tragedy or disaster, not even death itself can take from us. This is what we must be awake to, filled with longing, love and expectation. In a year when we may be without many of the elements that we think make for a joyful Christmas, let us focus more and more on those things that are always with us - the love of God revealed in Jesus. Let us long for him more and more!

THE LORD'S DAY AT HOME
If you are housebound or self-isolating at this time, please use these prayers to unite yourself with the worship of the Universal Church, and your own parish, this Sunday. If alone, read or say these prayers quietly to yourself. If with another, or in a family, someone should read the Gospel and others respond. It might be suitable to find a special, quiet place at home for your Sunday prayers.

SAINT PETER'S AND SAINT BRIDE'S CHURCH SERVICES
 
Saint Peter's - All Masses are live-streamed and
                          public unless otherwise stated.
Saint Bride's - All Masses are public
                          unless otherwise stated.

Saturday 28 November  
Our Lady's Day   
 
  
First Sunday of Advent  

Holy Mass at 10.00am for Wee Joe McIver
  Private

Vigil Mass at 5.30pm for Maria Reid at her anniversary and K Collins in thanksgiving
 
Sunday 29 November  
First Sunday of Advent  
Holy Mass at 10.30am for our parishes Holy Mass at 12.15pm for our parishes
Monday 30 November  
Solemnity of Saint Andrew, 
patron saint of Scotland
  
Holy Mass at 10.00am for Michael Doherty at his anniversary and Alan Whitelaw and Theresa Loudon who both died recently Holy Mass at 10.00am
Tuesday 1 December 
Requiem Mass at 10.00am for Margaret Taylor
  Private
 
Wednesday 2 December  
Holy Mass at 10.00am for John Finnigan who died recently and Margaret McGregor as a special intention  
Thursday 3 December  
Memorial of Saint Francis  
Xavier
  
Holy Mass at 10.00am for Sadie McAtee as a special intention and Hugh Toye
  Private
 
Friday 4 December  
  
Holy Mass at 10.00am for John Higgins at his month's mind and Emma Hackett at her anniversary Holy Mass at 12 noon

Saturday 5 December  
Our Lady's Day for Advent  
   
 
Second Sunday of Advent  

Holy Mass at 10.00am for Alistair MacMillan
  Private

Vigil Mass at 5.30pm for Kathleen Fraser and Jean Strachan who both died recently
 

SAINT MARY'S AND SAINT JOHN'S CHURCH SERVICES
 

Saturday 28 November 
   
 First Sunday of Advent  

Vigil Mass at 4.30pm  
Sunday 29 November  
First Sunday of Advent  
Holy Mass at 10.00am

Holy Mass at 11.30am
Monday 30 November  
Solemnity of Saint Andrew, 
patron saint of Scotland
  
   
Tuesday 1 December 
Holy Mass at 10.00am  
Wednesday 2 December  
Funeral Holy Mass at 10.00am
Thursday 3 December  
Memorial of Saint Francis  
Xavier
  
   
Friday 4 December  
  
Funeral Holy Mass at 10.00am

Saturday 5 December  
 Second Sunday of Advent  

Vigil Mass at 4.30pm  

PRAYERS
Please remember in your prayers:
Anthony Brennan, Cathie Currie, Maria Hilferty and Cathie Slimman;
John Clarke, Margaret Tracey, Stephen Weideger, Alan Whitelaw (Glasgow), Jean Strachan, Kathleen Fraser (Saltcoats), Charlotte Hutchison, Margaret Marshall, Theresa Loudon (Saltcoats), John Finnigan, May Bruin and Jane McNeil who died recently;
James Allen 2003, Molly Ball née Cahill 2011, Ann Hackett 1998, Andy Stevens 1995, Gribben family, Janie McGonigle 2012, Mary Bridget Timmons, Jack Collins 1970, Margaret Hamilton 1992, Collette McKibben 2003, John McNamara 1997, Elizabeth Theresa Walsh 1970, Jim Wallace 2014, Brian O'Hare 2009, Tom Reid 2006, Monica Tipping 2010, John Welsh 2009, Jim Delahunt 2014, Martin Lehane 2015, Mary Martin 1983, Isabella McGoogan 1998, Gordon Alexander Smith 1997, John Hughes 2010, Margaret Anne Shanks 1994, Rose Smith 1999, Anne Thompson 1986 and Robert Walker 2012
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.

SAINT PETER'S NOTICES

MASS BOOKINGS
To book for Mass, please call the Parish Office on 01294 464063 between 9.00 and 11.00am on Mondays to Fridays.

REQUIEM MASS FOR MARGARET TRACEY
Please pray for the Repose of the Soul of Margaret Tracey who died on Sunday 15 November, aged 70. Her Requiem Mass on Tuesday 1 December at 10.00am will be followed by her interment at Ardrossan Cemetery.

THERESA LOUDON
Anne and George McGrattan and the Loudon family send thanks for the many Mass cards and expressions of sympathy on their loss of Theresa. We are very grateful. God bless.

DIOCESAN PRIESTHOOD
Are you thinking about Diocesan Priesthood in 2021? The Catholic Church in Scotland is now inviting enquiries from those considering applying for seminary. For more information please contact Father Martin Chambers by email at Martin.Chambers@GallowayDiocese.org.uk

CHURCHES HOMELESS ACTION NORTH AYRSHIRE
CHANA has teamed up with the Ayrshire based charity Night Before Christmas and is asking people to support it by donating to the Just Giving page https://www.JustGiving.com/nb4cc. Alternatively, cash can be put in an envelope marked CHANA and placed in the Church collection. It would be good to have all donations by 7 December. Night Before Christmas will provide Christmas boxes for forty-six children under twelve, ten teenagers and sixty adults who are in supported accommodation or the hostel in North Ayrshire. CHANA has donated £400. Many thanks to those who have donated to CHANA and the Just Giving page.

PARISH STEWARDSHIP
The Offertory collection last weekend amounted to £437.80 - many thanks.

CHURCH PIETY STALL
We now have lovely Christmas cards in stock at the stall.

LIVE-STREAMING OF MASS
All our Celebrations of Mass and other services are live-streamed, starting five minutes beforehand. You can access them every day by going to our websites. On SaintPeterInChains.net, in the top right corner, click on Live Streaming at Mass Times. On SaintPeterInChains.co.uk, click Services in the red menu bar, select Mass Times then scroll down to Click here to view Mass.


SAINT BRIDE'S NOTICES

ADVENT BOOKLET
We are delighted with the response to our Advent booklet and so far eighty have been distributed. If you haven't received one, please get in touch. It is also available on our website at StBridesChurch.co.uk.

EXTRA MASS
Father Gerry Hamill has very kindly offered to celebrate Mass on Monday 30 November as it is Saint Andrew's Day. From next week, he will celebrate Mass on Tuesdays at 10.00am. Any Mass attended throughout the week during the Covid-19 pandemic counts as your Sunday obligation.

OFFERTORY COLLECTION
The Offertory Collection last weekend amounted to £174.00 - many thanks.

PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in this Holy Sacrament of the altar. I love you above all things and I passionately desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come spiritually into my soul so that I may unite myself wholly to you now and forever. Amen.

WATCHING, WAITING, DESIRING
This weekend marks the start of Advent. The word Advent refers to the coming or arrival of a notable person, thing or event. In the Christian sense of the term, of course, it refers to the coming of Christ - both his first coming in Bethlehem and his second coming when all will be consummated in the eternal Marriage of the Lamb. "Be watchful! Be alert!" says Jesus in this Sunday's Gospel. "You do not know when the time will come." What keeps us alert and watchful? - desire. The final words of the Bible express the summation of human longing 'The Spirit and the bride say come!' Great saints like Augustine, Gregory and Bernard all tell us that Christ keeps his bride waiting to increase and stretch her desire. Desire is the faculty that not only pines after the divine gift but also receives it when it is given, so the wider our desire, the more we are capable of receiving. Christ wants us to be as wide open to his gift as possible, stretched in our desire unto infinity, because that's what he has to offer us - the wild ecstasy of infinite bliss in union with him. Come Lord Jesus, come!


THE INNKEEPER'S TALE
They think I'm some kind of cruel, heartless landlord. Someone must have told them that - but they're wrong, just plain wrong and it's time to set the record straight, once and for all. People say I'm an innkeeper then came that census the governor thought up - taxation, pure and simple! People from all over the province flooded into town that week - filled us clean up. I must have gotten in and out of bed ten times that night, stumbling over bodies to get to the door. "No more room, sorry folks. No more room. Come back in the morning. We have a couple of families leaving then." I just couldn't make any more room. That's the honest truth. But I did make room for one more couple. Joseph was a burly man with big arms and strong hands, down from Nazareth, I think he said. He wouldn't take no for an answer. I would say "No, I'm sorry" and he'd tell me about his Mary. Well, when I saw Mary she was just about as pregnant as a woman can get and awfully pale. The barn - that would just have to do, I told myself and led them and their donkey out back. Joseph said "We sure are grateful, sir." Then with a serious look, he asked me "Do you know where I can find a midwife in these parts? We might need her tomorrow or the next day." That man didn't know much about having babies, it was plain enough to see. I ran to Sarah's house and pounded on the door until her husband came. I stopped a moment to catch my breath. "And tell her to hurry." By the time we got back to the barn, Joseph had prepared some soft, clean hay for Mary and wrapped her up in a blanket, wiping the perspiration off her brow and was speaking softly to her. Sarah sent me to get my Rachel and then pushed Joseph and me out of the barn. "This ain't no place for men" she said. We waited just outside in the shelter of the barn for hours, it seemed like. Well, all of a sudden, we hear a little cry. "You've got a baby boy" Sarah was saying as we peeped around the corner. She hands the young-un to Rachel and she wraps it up in those swaddling bands she had saved. Cute little thing, I tell you. Well, Joseph goes over to Mary and gives her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. The lantern was blowing almost out, the cattle were lowing softly and baby Jesus was asleep in his mother's arms. By the time I got back, Rachel was in bed and I was about ready to put out the light, step over sleeping bodies and get under the warm covers, when I heard some murmuring out by the barn. I'd better check, I told myself. When I peeped in, I saw shepherds. Raggedy, smelly old shepherds were kneeling down on the filthy barn floor as if they were praying. The oldest one was saying something to Joseph about angels and the Messiah - and the rest of them just knelt there with their heads bowed, some with tears running down their faces. I coughed out loud and Joseph looked up. I was almost ready to run those thieving shepherds off when Joseph motioned to me with his hand. "It's okay" he whispered. "They've come to see the Christ-Child." The Christ-Child? The Messiah? That was when I knelt, too - and watched and prayed and listened to the old shepherd recount his story of angels and heavenly glory and the sign of a holy baby, wrapped in swaddling bands to be found in a manger. My Lord, it was my stable where the Christ-Child was born and my manger he rested in - my straw, my lamp, my wife Rachel assisting at his birth. The shepherds left after a while. Some of them leaned over and kissed the sleeping Christ-Child before they departed. I know I did. I'll always be glad I made room in the barn for that family - that holy family. You see, I'm not some mean innkeeper. I was there. I saw him. Oh, I believe in him, I tell you - and, mark my words, if you'd seen what I've seen, you'd be a believer, too.

JUST FOR A LAUGH ...
• Hamish says to Wullie "Christmas is on a Friday this year". Wullie says "Let's hope it's not the thirteenth."
• Hamish spies a letter lying on his doormat. It says on the envelope 'Do Not Bend'. Hamish spends the next two hours trying to figure out how to pick it up.

CHURCHES HOMELESSNESS ACTION NORTH AYRSHIRE (CHANA) AT CHRISTMAS TIME
CHANA usually coordinates donations of gifts to help the most vulnerable in communities across North Ayrshire. Covid restrictions mean a different tack is required this year and CHANA has teamed up with the Ayrshire-based charity Night Before Christmas. CHANA is asking people to support Night Before Christmas by donating to the Just Giving page which is already up and running https://www.JustGiving.com/nb4cc or people could put cash in an envelope marked CHANA and put it in the collection. Presents for those in need will be bought and distributed by Night Before Christmas. CHANA has donated £400. Thank you.

SUNDAY OBLIGATION
Sunday obligation to attend Holy Mass remains suspended for the time being and availability is restricted for those wishing to attend. Some of our parishioners are working during the week and can only attend at the weekend. Therefore, to make Holy Mass available to everyone we would be grateful if you wish to attend Mass and are able to attend on a weekday please do so, leaving seats for those parishioners working during the week. Thank you.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
It is now possible to make online donations to Saint Peter's. Details are on the Donations page and this News page. Thanks for your generosity.

STANDING ORDERS - PLEASE THINK ABOUT IT
The parishes have taken quite a 'knock' through lockdown when public Mass was not available for sixteen weeks. This has had a huge impact on our parishes' finances. Could you consider taking out a Standing Order? It would be of great benefit to our parish. Forms are available from the Parish Office and here. Thank you

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.


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.