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Newsletter for Christmas 2014
Served by the Diocese of Clifton Registered Charity Number 233977
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Psalter 4 & Proper of Season Mass Page 90
21st December 2014
Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son (Luke 1: 26-38)
“the only true riches
are those that make us
rich in virtue”
9.30
Pope st Gregory the great
St Gregory the Great 10, St James Square, GL50 3PR
St Thomas More Princess Elizabeth Way, GL51 7RA
Parish Priest:
Canon Bosco MacDonald VF
Assistant Priest: Fr Frank Wainwright
Fr David McDonald
Deacon:
Rev. Robin Littlewood
Parish Websites:
www.stgregorys.org.uk, www.stthomasmorechurch.org.uk
Schools:
St Gregory’s RC Primary School, St James Square GL50 3QG
St Thomas More RC Primary School, Lewis Road, Hesters Way GL51 OHZ
All Saints’ Academy, Blaisdon Way, Cheltenham GL51 OWH
Sacred Hearts Moorend Road, Charlton Kings, GL53 9AU 01242 524932
of Jesus and Mary
Parish Priest:
Christmas and New Year Mass Times
21st
01242 523737
01242 523737
Sunday
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Day of Prayer for Expectant Mothers
5.00pm (Sat) St Thomas More
People of the Parish
5.30pm (Sat) Sacred Hearts
Mackey & Roach Families RIP
8.15am
Sacred Hearts
Mayne Family Intention
9.30am
St Gregory
Dec’d Members of the
Murphy Family RIP
10.30am
Sacred Hearts
People of the Parish
11.15am
St Gregory
People of the Parish
4.15pm
Sacred Hearts
Mass in Polish
6.00pm
St Gregory
Private Intention
22nd
Monday
Weekday of Advent II
9.15am
Sacred Hearts
Rita Stanley RIP
9.30am
St Gregory
Nora Heaney RIP
23rd
Tuesday
Weekday of Advent II
10.00am
Sacred Hearts
Earnie Watters RIP
7.00pm
St Gregory
Ted Power RIP
24th
Wednesday
Weekday of Advent II
9.00am
Sacred Hearts
Simon Mariapa RIP
9.30am
St Gregory
Bob & Sheila Williams
(Confessions after Mass at St Gregory’s)
6.00pm
St Gregory
First Mass of Christmas
11.30pm
St Gregory
Carols & Readings followed by
Midnight Mass
11.30pm
Sacred Hearts
Readings & Carols followed by
Midnight Mass
25th
Thursday
Solemnity of The Nativity of
The Lord (Christmas)
8.00am
St Thomas More
Private Intention
8.15am
Sacred Hearts
Private Intention
9.30am
St Thomas More
People of the Parish
9.30am
St Gregory
People of the Parish
10.30am
Sacred Hearts
Ruby Allen RIP
11.15am
St Gregory
Private Intention
10.30am
Sacred Hearts
Ruby Allen RIP
26th
Friday
Feast of St Stephen,
The First Martyr
10.00am
St Gregory
Peter Egerton Holland RIP
10.00am
Sacred Hearts
Davey & Senior Families RIP
27th
Saturday
Feast of St John, Apostle
and Evangelist
10.00am
St Gregory
Intentions of the Moore Family
10.00am
Sacred Hearts
Private Intention
28th
Sunday
Feast of The Holy Family of
Jesus, Mary & Joseph
5.00pm (Sat) St Thomas More
Kevin & Nora Heaney RIP
5.30pm (Sat) Sacred Hearts
Giraldi & Grech Families RIP
8.15am
Sacred Hearts
Flanagan & Love Families RIP
9.30am
St Gregory
People of the Parish
10.30am
Sacred Hearts
People of the Parish
11.15am
St Gregory
Private Intention
4.15pm
Sacred Hearts
Mass in Polish
6.00pm
St Gregory
Private Intention
Fr Paul Brandon Parish Website:
29th
Monday
9.30am
30th
St Gregory
Tuesday
10.00am
7.00pm
31st
Sacred Hearts
St Gregory
Wednesday
9.30am
10.00am
St Gregory
Sacred Hearts
1st JAN 2015 Thursday
10.00am
10.00am
2nd
St Gregory
Sacred Hearts
Friday
9.30am
10.00am
3rd
9.30am
10.00am
4th
St Gregory
Sacred Hearts
Saturday
St Gregory
Sacred Hearts
Sunday
5.00pm (Sat)
5.30pm (Sat)
8.15am
9.30am
10.30am
11.15am
4.00pm
6.00pm
5th
9.30am
6th
7.00pm
7th
9.30am
7.00pm
8th
9.30am
9th
9.30am
10th
9.30am
St Thomas More
Sacred Hearts
Sacred Hearts
St Gregory
Sacred Hearts
St Gregory
Sacred Hearts
St Gregory
Monday
St Gregory
Tuesday
St Gregory
Wednesday
St Gregory
St Gregory
Thursday
St Gregory
Friday
St Gregory
Saturday
St Gregory
www.sacredhearts.org.uk
Feast of Saint Thomas
Becket, Bishop & Martyr
Anton & Margrit Walliman RIP
Sixth Day within The
Octave of The Nativity
Karmy & Boniface Families RIP
Anne Bevan RIP
Seventh Day within the
Octave of the Nativity
James Mulcahy RIP
Private Intention
Solemnity of Mary, Mother
Of God
Agnes May Nicholson RIP
Private Intention
Memorial of Saints Basil the
Great & Gregory Nazianzen
Lucila Caravana RIP
Tom O’Connor RIP
Weekday of Christmas Time
Harry Meigh RIP
Justice & Peace
Solemnity of The Epiphany
Of The Lord
People of the Parish
People of the Parish
Private Intention
Private Intention
Ruby Allen RIP
Private Intention
Mass in Polish
People of the Parish
Weekday of Christmas Time
Private Intention
Weekday of Christmas Time
Intentions of Mildred Dimery
Weekday of Christmas Time
Luke Brannan
Latin Mass
Weekday of Christmas Time
Holy Souls
Weekday of Christmas Time
Peter Lucassi RIP
Weekday of Christmas Time
Bob & Vera Hegarty RIP
Dear Friends,
He's got his father's nose, his mother's eyes, Auntie
Elsie's dimple and his grandad's hair (or lack of it!). The
story is repeated endlessly each day when family and
friends gather around the new baby.
Jesus is just like his dad. In fact, he's the image of our
unseen Father in heaven. It's tempting to stay with the
baby in the manger, with all the familiar story of
shepherds, angels, ox and ass, and to forget the real
reason why Christ was born.
Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary so that by looking at
him we might glimpse something of God the Father.
Jesus came to reveal the Father. When we look at the
life of Jesus we see God incarnate. When we listen to
his teachings we hear how God would have us live.
When we respond in faith to Jesus we are committing
ourselves in trust to the God who made us.
Our religion would be a very dry affair if it were nothing
more than allegiance to a set of rules or ethics, to
commandments or a moral philosophy. But the centre of
our faith is not a doctrine but a person, the person of
Jesus. Knowing what we are like, God chose to become
like us by sending his Son to take our human nature.
Jesus knew what frailty was, what joy and laughter was,
what suffering was and what it was like to yearn for
fulfilment. He knew this because he was born into our
human condition and is able to sympathise with us in all
we go through. When we become Christians it is not a
code of behaviour that we take on board but a
friendship, a relationship with a person: the second
person of the Trinity.
And so as we look at Jesus we see his Father in him.
We see a God of love and forgiveness, a healer and
enabler. We glimpse the creative Spirit who inspires,
challenges, uplifts us and makes us holy.
All that the baby in the crib wants is for us to know his
Father. When he came to his final days he would say, "I
made your name known to them... so that the love with
which you loved me may be in them, and I in them".
Look at the child in the manger. He looks just like his
dad. In fact, he's God with skin on.
Thank you to all who volunteer in our parish throughout
the year, but especially at this time of year preparing for
our lovely celebrations at Christmas: to our other
priests, deacon, our musicians and singers, altar
servers, sacristans, flower arrangers, church cleaners,
readers, Eucharistic Ministers, hospital visitors,
welcomers, collection organisers, childrens’ liturgy
helpers and those who give us hospitality in the Old
Priory after Mass. Also to those who work in the parish
office and in the Old Priory, and to the many individuals
who give their time in so many ways to St Gregory’s and
to St Thomas More. I would like to remember too, those
who support our parish schools as governors, teachers
and parents, not to mention the children and friends of
the schools. Much of the work is done quietly, behind
the scenes, without fuss. Space doesn’t permit me to
mention you all, but thank you for whatever you are
doing to help in our parishes. Fr Frank, Fr David and
Deacon Robin join me in wishing you and your loved
ones every joy and blessing at Christmas.
Canon Bosco MacDonald Parish Priest
Our Prayers are asked for:
Sick: Liz Sawaf, Sue Ball, Claire Young, Sean Murphy,
Helen Stanbury, Grace Stevens, Olive Whelan, Bruce
Francis, Jenny Dabrowska, Teresa Patterson, Bernie
Warner, Deirdre Kelleher, Helen Dorothy Gorry, Denise
Ellis, Kevin Dunn, Christopher & Clifford Brown, Margaret
Ellis, Julia & Danny Barr, Teresa & Paddy O’Kelly, Bridie
& Terry Ruck, Angela Savidge, Pauline Crosbie, Emily
Cousins, Rey Lluisma, Lilian Martin, Bridget Garvey,
Geoffrey Garvey, Pat Donovan, Maddie Read,
Dan
Perry, Pete Thacker, Mary Costello, Adrian Davis, Lisa
Partridge, Norma Greener, George & Renee Cullen,
Dillon Bright, Michael Bolger, Alan Finch, Sheila Deneher.
Deceased: Raffaele Berghella RIP.
Anniversaries: Evaline Evans, Edith Cheal, Thomas
Bleddyn, Peter Holland, Dinah Mary Swain, Betty Ohlson,
Margaret Raper, Pat McDonald, John Powell, James
Sherry, Bridget Sherry, Anthony & Margaret Walliman,
Clara Bristow, Catherine Smith, Norah Mary Heaney,
Emily Newcombe, Janet McCann, Minnie Griffin,
Veronica Canavan, Helen Beavan, Vi Moriarty, Margaret
Balster, Harry Meigh, Mary Whyte, Paul Habgood,
Margaret Vinicombe, Pat Boddington, Anthony R.M.
Kelly, James Arthur Peers, Ronald Pearce, Daniel
O’Connor, Kevin Patrick Hunt, Christopher Toner.
Bereaved
Christmas is a special time for those who have been
bereaved during the year. The bereaved have fond
memories of their loved ones and, naturally, may feel
somewhat sad at Christmas time. The parish family of
clergy and lay people will remember the bereaved in
prayer during this Christmas season.
New Year’s Day
Please note that on New Year’s Day, 1st January 2015
Mass will be at 10.00am, celebrating the Solemnity of
Mary, Mother of God. Please note that there will be no
Benediction and Exposition at St Gregory’s on that day.
Thank God
At Christmas time we thank God for our own families, and
we can pause on this feast to remember those families
who are forced into exile like Jesus, Mary and Joseph. As
individuals we are called to build up the unity of our own
family units. As a nation we are called to the defense of
those larger families of peoples who are torn apart by
violence, oppression or ethnic self-interest. Pray for
peace.
Parish Office
Please note that
the parish office
will be closed from
Wednesday, 24th
December and will
re-open
on
Monday,
5th
January. The next
Newsletter will be
published
on
Sunda y,
11th
January 2015.
Welcome at
Christmas
The
Christmas
Masses in our
parishes
are
among the most
well attended of the whole year, thanks be to God, and
we welcome through our doors many visitors and
newcomers. We are looking for a number of volunteers
to help provide a warm welcome to those coming to
our Masses this Christmas, and to act as welcomers at
the door, and ushers to help direct people to seating,
and provide them with what they need in order to fully
participate in our Masses.
Finance
Last week’s offertory collection came to £1,347.93
(SG), £311.17 (STM) which includes £71.43 from the
Kerala community. £103.00 Bingo (STM). Last week’s
collection for Church flowers raised £405.09 (SG) and
£69.94 (STM).
Thank you for your generosity.
Traditionally the Offertory at the Christmas Masses is
for the personal use of the priests of the parish.
Envelopes into which offerings may be placed, are
attached to the Newsletter.
Baptisms
Congratulations and welcome to Nell Margarita Peelo,
Samuel Dobosz and Oliver Dobosz who were baptised
last weekend at St Gregory’s. We welcome these
children into the family of the Church, and offer our
love & prayers to them and their families.
Flowers and greenery
Thank you for your generous donations last weekend
towards Church flowers. Flowers and greenery for
Christmas will be most welcome and it would be
appreciated if these were left in Church on Monday.
Parish Project
Thank you to the Holy Infant Jesus Circle of Friends
who raised £45.00 for the Parish Project, when they
celebrated Gaudete Sunday on the 14th December.
Caritas
Please send in material for the Lent edition of Caritas
by 18th January. Articles, prayers, poems, reflections
and book/film reviews with a Lent/Easter theme are
especially welcome. Please send to ‘eventide
[email protected]’ ’ or to the Parish Office marked
'The Editor'.
Fourth Sunday - Feast of the Holy Family
On Sunday, 28th December, we invite all families to
the 9.30am Mass (Families up Front).
All are
welcome.
RCIA - Journey in Faith
After the Christmas break, our RCIA ‘Journey in Faith’
Group will start up again on Thursday, 22nd January,
7.00pm-9.00pm. Please continue to keep our candidates
in your prayers.
Traidcraft
Heartfelt thanks from the Traidcraft team for all your
support this year, which helps fight poverty through trade,
helping people in developing countries to transform their
lives. Sales hasve enabled us to donate £500 for
CAFOD. Congratulations to Julia Hawthorne who was
the winner of the Christmas hamper.
55 Social Club
A social club with approximately 40 members, which
meets every other week on Thursdays, in The Old Priory.
Outings and speakers are a few of the things we offer.
New members are always welcome. Next meeting: 8th
January.
STM Breakfast Club
The next Breakfast Club will meet on Saturday, 3rd
January from 09.30am-11.00am, at St Thomas More
Parish where Dean Carbin will be talking. Invite your
friends too for a good chat and prayer.
Youth SVP
The Youth SVP will be collecting donations/items for the
Homeless, at all Masses on the 10th/11th January. We
need: good quality warm clothes, new toiletries, new
underclothes, gloves, socks and warm hats, sleeping
bags. Please note: no duvets, thank you. Therefore,
please check through your wardrobes and for smaller
items, every little helps! Thank you.
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is really St Nicholas, whom the Dutch called
“Sinter Klaas”. But how did the connection with Christmas
come about for this saint whose feast day is December
6th? Nicholas was born in the fourth century, probably at
Patara in Lycia which is in modern-day Turkey. When a
vacancy came up for the diocese of Myra in Turkey,
Nicholas was appointed archbishop. The story is told that
there was a family in his diocese that had three very poor
sisters who all wanted to get married but hadn’t enough
money for a dowry. Wanting to help them without
embarrassing them, Nicholas waited until the middle of
the night and then climbed onto the roof of their house
and dropped three bags of money down the chimney.
The coins fell into the stockings that the girls had hung up
to dry. He thus became associated with the tradition of
giving gifts at Christmas. Nicholas is known as the patron
saint of children, and is often depicted with children
gathering around him. His symbol is three gold balls.
2014 Statistical information for our Parishes
Baptisms
Alexander James Nicholls, Ruben Xavier Phelps Garcia,
Oscar Ray James Blenkinsopp, Stephan William
Horbaczewski, Isabella Grace Morris, Gennaro Leopoldo
Bifulco, Neve Angela Fraser Watney, Nina Danuta
Skowron, Amy Sofia Altamirano, Benedict Luke Rolfe,
Thomas Guy Theodore Rolfe, Meredith Rose Abbott,
Stefan Colbert, Oliver Perka, Ella Mai Frewin, Isaac John
James Winter, Isabella Yara Savage, Florence Elise
Harrison, Elliot Ian Harrison, Kian John Michael
Clemmens, Molly Louise Brazier, Ada Michelle Fyrne,
Finian Nolan-Williams, Marcus Harrison Hay,
Jack Alexander Perry, Zoe N. Thorogood, Chloe J.
Thorogood, Lylah LouLou Elizabeth Wicks, Jack
Thomas Wicks, Isabella Julia Snape, Lily Ann Marie
Neveu, Jessica Rose Robinson, Oscar Luke Oldacre,
Zuzanna Wcisto, Ethan Gerard Montague, Quentin
Ward Gannon, Ian Patrick Moriarty, Emilee Elizabeth
Rose Murphy, Keyon Patrick Shortman, Thomas
Ochieng Haigh, Maximus Christiano, Amelia Ruth
Elena Dutton, Ethan Carl Dutton, Angel Ropafadzo
Madzongwe, Milly Ann Kathleen Pargeter, Phillippa
Zizo Pukwawa, Bertie Christopher John Wood,
James Peter Joseph Blanch, Lola Niamh Patricia
Blanch, Evalynn Mary June Byrne, Arthur Timothy
Seamus Murphy, William St John Thornton-Norris,
Nicholas Ozga,
Emily Edwards, Dylan Joseph
Warin,g Henry Albert Gould, Lena Antkowicz, Lewis
Charles Thatcher, Darcy Rose Byrne, Roksi Mary
Byrne, Ella Mae Banks, Nell Margarita Peelo, Oliver
Dobosz, Samuel Dobosz.
Marriages
Aileen Coffey to Paul Ward-Jones, Aimee O’Connor
to Steven Grindle, Elizabeth Salter to Sean Kennedy,
Pauline O’Donnell to Patrick Connolly, Clare
McQuaide to John Hargrave, Roberta Laherty to
Andrew McDonough, Aimie Moore to Tom Bartlett,
Cecilia Steven to Max Bitterlin, Victoria Mudway to
Rikki Hatch, Anne Miles to Richard Johnes, Katie
Bevan to James Whittaker, Catherine Maher to Leigh
Grazebrook, Anna Corbett to Laurence Dollard, Kate
Jehan to Gareth Jones, Hayley Lewington to Michael
Molloy, Anna Allen to Elvio Rodriques, Kathryn Henry
to Steven Waite, Stephanie Goodall to Philip Rush.
Receptions into Full Communion
Debra Jane Body, Christopher Ross Berry, Avela
Onke Pukwana, Stephen Powell and Philip James
Summers.
First Holy Communions
Joshua Trigg, Sarah Bogath, Constantin De Chabot,
Julia Gornisiewicz, Juliusz Grzelak, Jakub Kubinak,
Karol Malek, Alan Matthews, Igor Mikolajczyk, Jerry
Roisin O’Connor, Josephine Osojca, Stephanie
Osojca, Cassian Pichler-Roca, Daisy Powell, Martha
Powell, Zuzanna Rudkiewicz, Sofia Tariega, Kamil
Tarnawka, Jacek Wawrzuta, Michal Wiaz, Seth Abilli,
Ciara Bates, Joseph Bond, Hollie Brown, Shannon
Cairns, Michael Calizon, Wiktoria Chojnacka,
Elizabeth Ciereszko, Nara Ellen Cox-Sonora, Eryk
Czolowski, Emilia Ford, Beau Gelsana, Jansen
Gelsana, Holly Grant, Joshua Jan Hale, Olivia
Iwanowski, Hannah Joyce, Carl Line, Sophia Lucassi,
George Martin, Jet Kenji M. Merez, Robyn
O’Loughlin, Nathan Lewis Papa, Dana Louise Pejoto,
Hannah Plant, Malachy Ross, Vince Verdadero,
Joseph Warren, Martha Watson, Edie Bailey, Tyler
Driscoll, Aleksandra Janasinska, Aoife Jenkins,
Amelia Jenkins, Gabriela Konska, Konrad Kut,
Honorata Modrejweska, Jakub Radzimowski, Maria
Semiao, Carlos Stevenson and Callum Sullivan.
Confirmation Candidates
Obehi Abebe, Michael Arkwright, Ifeyinwa Atuche,
Declan Austin, Ian Bernales, William Cooper, Edward
Courtman, Sarah Cribben, Concetta Di Pasqua,
Riccardo Di Vita, Emilie Dore-Green, Alexander
Dynes Martinez, Caroline Fitzsimmons,
Colette Gardner, Abigail Goh Man Ru, Jacqueline Goh
Man Zhen, Samantha Gorman, Natalie Gruszkiewicz,
Sophie Heppenstall, Simona Hmilanska, Jacob
Holbrook, Niamh Jenkins, Mary Johnston, David
Kolodziejczyk, Emma Lake, Melissa Licata, Elizabeth
Laurence, Christopher Luckyn Malone, Charlene Luke,
Jasmine Maddock-Lyon, Dominic McClaran, Dylan
McCormack, Patryk Miasek, Richard Morgan, Michael
Pochmara, Jaqueline Ransley, Lindsay Smarowsky,
Natalia Skowron, Charlotte Steed and Francesca
Stevenson.
Deaths
Clara Alice Bristow, Harry Joseph Meigh, James Arthur
Peers, Christopher Toner, Stephen James Togher, Paul
Edward Mason, Michael Perehinec, Barbara Anne
Sowter, Dennis Egwin Probert, William Patrick Wallace,
James Belcher Fletcher, Gerard David Keenan, Alice
Rose Lawson, Susan Miles, Mary Pauline Jones, Dennis
Francis Conlon, Walter White Nelson, Christopher Kelly,
Bernadette Mander, James Joseph Gallagher, Patrick
Wallace, David Gerald Windle, Bryan May, Joseph
Carter, Maureen Meyer-DyhrenFurth, Raymond John
Walters, Vincent O’Donnell, Joanna Bishop, Gerard
Francis Oliver McCarney, Elaine Wilkinson, Margaret
Hoskins, Linda Margaret Rotundo, Mary Rose Knight,
John Ryan, Margaret Joyce Marsh, John Patrick Feeley,
Muriel Grieve, Alice Johnson, John William Pearce,
James Frederick Gatrell, Gabriel Oliveira Da Costa,
Mary Moss, Miroslawa Makowiecka, Joseph Anthony
Bagan, Patrick Martin, Daniel Patrick John Regan,
Eileen Myrtle Hunt, Catherine Georgeovich, Michael
Wilfred Harman, Peter Raymond Lucassi, John Joseph
Barry.
“Real” Date of Christmas
No one knows the actual date on which Jesus was born. In
fact, we're not absolutely sure about the year either. The
gospels tell us that Jesus was born while Quirinius was
governor of Syria, and that puts the year at approximately
6BC. It was a Syrian monk, Dionysius the Little, who in the 6th
century devised our present system of dating things from BC
and AD. Unintentionally, working from the evidence he had at
hand, he started the AD period a few years late. Although it is
obvious that Christ was born, the first mention of celebrating a
feast of Christmas comes in 354AD in a calendar of
Philocalus. So we trace the feast back to that period.
However, there was already a pagan festival in Rome on
December 25th called "Sol Invictus" or the festival of the
"Unconquered Sun". This was because they thought
December 25th was the winter solstice, the day on which the
sun reached its lowest before rising unconquered as the days
grew longer and longer. So in the early fourth century, as the
Roman Empire changed its religion to Christianity, the feast of
Christ's birth was put on this pagan festival day to encourage
new converts to celebrate Christ's birth. From now on it was
not simply the sun which was feasted. It was the "Sun of
Justice" and the "Dawn from on high".
Prayer
God our Father, help us to remember that Christmas is the
birthday of your Son, Jesus. Help us to welcome Him
gladly and to make room for Him in our hearts. Help us to
share our happiness with others so that lots of people
may have a HAPPY CHRISTMAS.
AMEN.
HAPPY NEW YEAR