St Mary’s Catholic Church Chorley



CHORLEY AND PRESTON HOSPITALS: Please contact St Joseph's Chorley (262713) if any member of your family is admitted into Chorley Hospital and needs a visit. Please, by making a request for the visit, make sure that the ward staff understand that you would like the RC Chaplain to come and administer the Sacraments to your loved one, the ward staff will call the Chaplain on his bleep/phone. For the chaplaincy service at Royal Preston Hospital please ring 01772 522435. For the chaplaincy service at Wigan Infirmary T. 01942 822324.

WORLD GIFTS FROM CAFOD. If you would like to give a gift with a difference, have a look at the World Gifts brochure. You can find it at the back of the church. I have bought a nanny goat, some chickens, and a Queen Bee for a needy family. A present with a difference! A family will have milk, eggs and honey to eat or to sell.

CHORLEY COMMUNITY HELPLINE - WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU

If you need help, then please ring 0800 368 8452. Do not suffer in silence, there are many good willing people ready to help you. Chorley Council is working with other partnership agencies to assist any person who needs help.

MASS IS LIVESTREAMED: You can try St Gregory’s (Sun 09.30, 11.00; M.W.F 08.30 Tu.Th.Sat 10.00) , St Joseph’s Harpers Lane, St Joseph’s Withnell, St Mary’s Leyland and St Mary’s Brownedge close at hand. Further afield Salford or Shrewsbury Cathedrals, the Walsingham shrine, Bournemouth Oratory, Arundel, Portsmouth, Northampton, Armagh cathedrals, Ealing Abbey, even Blarney Co Cork! mass- also has lots of churches in the USA, Ireland and further afield.

FREE CHRISTMAS LUNCH is available in the Town Hall on Christmas Day. There are 3 sittings, and you need to book: 12 noon. 13.30 and 15.00. If you will be on your own on Christmas Day and would like to have lunch with other people or if you would like to have a home delivery of food, please contact 07462 294603. This is being organised annually by our friends from St Laurence’s. We have sent a donation to St Laurence’s to assist with the financial needs. If you would like to volunteer to help, please ring the same number. Thank you.

SUNDAY GOSPELS FOR CHILDREN ON YOUTUBE:

HOLY FATHER’S PRAYER INTENTION FOR DECEMBER

We pray that our personal relationship with Jesus Christ be nourished by the Word of God and a life of prayer.

Parish Priest: Fr. Francis Marsden

Deacon Norman Arrowsmith

Tel: 01257 262537

E-mail: stmaryschorley@yahoo.co.uk

Parish website: stmarys-

Parish Office: 11.00 -13.00, 14.00 -16.00 Tues – Fri.

Other times – By appointment only.

PARISH CENTRE: closed until the Lockdown is lifted.

270122 or 07971 025985 (Manager – Heather Roscoe)

LIVERPOOL ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESAN TRUSTEES INC. Registered Charity No. 232709

St Mary’s Catholic Church, Chorley

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT (B)

GAUDETE SUNDAY

13TH DECEMBER 2020

A man came, sent by God. His name was John. He came as a witness, a witness to speak for the light, so that everyone might believe through him. He was not the light, only a witness to speak for the light.

This is how John appeared as a witness. When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ he not only declared, but he declared quite openly, ‘I am not the Christ.’ ‘Well then,’ they asked, ‘are you Elijah?’ ‘I am not’ he said. ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ So they said to him, ‘Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?’ So, John said, ‘I am, as Isaiah prophesied: a voice that cries in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord.’

Now these men had been sent by the Pharisees, and they put this further question to him, ‘Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the prophet?’ John replied, ‘I baptise with water; but there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal-strap.’ This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising John 1:6-8,19-28 

Sun 13th THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Sat 17.00 Mass – Les Paminter (A)

09.15 – 09.45 Confessions in the presbytery garden, or house porch if raining.

10.00 Mass – Andrew Waddington (A)

Mon 14th St John of the Cross

12.00 Mass – Parishioners

Tues 15th

12.00 Mass – Nasser Soheili (LD)

Wed 16th

12.00 Mass – Pamela Margaret Ball RIP

Thurs 17th

12.00 Mass – Horace, Raymond and Frederick Leigh RIP

Fri 18th

12.00 Mass - Beatrice Lea RIP

Sat 19th

Sun 20th FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Sat 17.00 Mass – Hilda Lopaczynski RIP

09.15 – 09.45 Confessions in the presbytery garden, or house porch if raining.

10.00 Mass – Ann and Eric Smith RIP

EXPOSITION OF THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT: MON- FRI 11.15–13.00

N.B. CONFESSIONS: It’s too dark now to have them in the garden on Saturday evenings before Mass, so they will be on Sunday morning instead. 09.15 – 09.45.

We are heating the church for all the Masses; however, we must maintain opening the church doors for adequate ventilation against the virus. If you feel the cold, please sit on the side aisles. Thank you.

WRAP UP WARM. THE CHURCH DOORS MUST REMAIN FULLY OPEN

Newsletters and newspapers are available in the plastic box in the outdoor porch, or inside the foyer. Also, you can find sympathy cards etc in the plastic box. Catholic newspapers are at the back of the church in the normal place. Please support the Catholic papers, they are very informative and a good read.

IF YOU DO NOT FEEL WELL – please do not come to Mass. Cold, coughs and sneezes and viruses are best kept at home!

VOLUNTEER STEWARDS NEEDED to welcome parishioners and sanitize after Mass. Would the volunteers like to regroup. Please contact Michael Hall for the rotas. Exposition 11.15-13.00 Mon-Fri. PLEASE NOTE: The church opens at 11.15 am and closes at 13.00 during the week. Thank you.

Please pray for the sick and the housebound: Emily Atkins, Kevin Bailey, Brigid Cain, Michael Collins, Hughie Daly, Kathleen Durkin, Elmo, Paul Eastham, Yvonne Finlayson, Desmond Gorman, baby Hope, Jacob Hughes, Edward Lacey, Debbie MacFarlane, Paul McBeth, William Morris, Paulina & Pawel Pikula, Molly Redhead, Canon Bert Shaw, Eileen Snape, Mgr. Jan Szponar, Terry Tingey, Bridget Trimm, Muriel Wilson, Ann Woodruff, Agnes Young and parishioners in The Adelphi, The Gables, Westwood, Gillibrand Hall.

RECENTLY DECEASED: John Francis Waring (73) who died on 9th December in Royal Preston Hospital. Requiem Mass on Monday 21st December at 09.30 followed by committal at Charnock Richard Crematorium. Frank was President of the St Mary’s Conference and in the District Conference for many years. He suffered a stroke some years ago and since then has been a patient in Gillibrand Hall. Josie Noblett who died on 10th December. A member of St Chad’s Parish, Josie for many years ran the Chorley Walsingham Association. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord….

ANNIVERSARIES: Andrew Waddington, Canon Joseph Cartmell, Walenty Grzelczyk, Maria Sadowska, Edward Maga, Philip Pass.

READERS: Sat. 12th Dec 17.00. Kinga Grzeczynska. Sun.13th Dec. 10.00. Marion Herbert. Sat. 20th Dec. 17.00. Stan Wilson. Sun. 20th Dec. 10.00. Margaret Arrowsmith.

Christmas Eve: 17.30. Gillian Sharples Christmas Day: 09.30. Tracy O’Neill

Please read from the Ambo by the Baptismal Font. Readings will be provided for you.

Mass books – Please check your drawers for old Mass books and return them to the parish office. Many thanks.

FLOWERS FOR CHRISTMAS FOR THE CHURCH

We have decided that the best way to decorate our church for Christmas, is to ask our parishioners to donate a red poinsettia. Each poinsettia can have a dedication card, which you will find in the narthex. You may want to dedicate your flower to a loved one, or a special anniversary, special birthday, or a thanksgiving to God for getting us to Christmas after the most extraordinary year. It is up to you. Each poinsettia will be most gratefully received. Could I ask that you bring in your donation TO THE PARISH OFFICE from Monday 21st up to Wednesday 23rd. Thank you very much.

THE CHRISTMAS TREE. After a lot of thought we are going to buy a medium size Christmas tree and the dedicated team of St Mary’s Elves will be sorting out the decorations. We would like to invite you to make or send in a tree decoration in memory of a loved one who has died. We will hang your decoration on our tree, which you will find on the Sacred Heart Altar. There will be a special bauble for the NHS Staff of our hospitals, Carers and Emergency Services. Please bring in your decorations NO LATER than Friday 18th at 5pm. They need ‘resting’ before they can be put on the tree.

HOLY MASS FOR COVID-19 VICTIMS DURING CHRISTMAS

If you know of anyone who has died from COVID – 19 or related illnesses and would like them remembered at Holy Mass, please send in their names and a Mass will be offered during Christmas week for the named Souls. Please mark your envelope CHRISTMAS WEEK - HOLY SOULS MASS.

CHRISTMAS MASSES

Christmas Eve Mass at 17.30 Carols on CD at 17.00 and Christmas Day at 09.30. Carols on CD at 09.00. You are warmly invited to our Christmas Masses, but you must have a ticket. Each family member (not including babies) must have a ticket. Each Mass can hold 120 people under the COVID RULES. Tickets are not transferable to any other Mass. If you cannot come to the Mass, please return the ticket for someone else to use. Thank you. Tickets are available from the parish office or at Masses. First come first served applies. You will be asked for your Track & Trace details when you order your ticket. After Mass, please leave your ticket on the pew, indicating that the area needs cleaning.

Please note that you may wish to watch Christmas Masses Livestream. The Sunday Obligation Rule is still suspended. It is also possible to come to any Mass during the Christmas Octave for your Christmas Mass.

CHRISTMAS POSTERS for your homes are available at the back of the church. Please take one or take one for a neighbour, friend or member of your family.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download