Sunday: Mass, 11.00am, Glenock
Novena
to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 6.00-7.00pm, Oratory. Blessing of the Sick
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: Mass 10.00, Oratory. Rosary, 9.45am
Thursday: Mass 7.30pm, Oratory (6:30
Adoration, 7pm Confessions, 7.15pm Rosary)
Friday: Vigil of the Immaculate Conception
– Oratory, 7:30pm
Saturday (8th December) –
Holyday Mass, 10am, Oratory
Vigil
Mass, 6.00pm, Oratory. Confessions, 5.30pm
LATIN MASS – Saturday 8th December, 12
noon in St Mary's Church, Aughabrack, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the
restoration of the Latin Mass in the diocese.
STAY AWAKE AND STAND READY! (GOSPEL
OF ST LUKE 21:25-28, 34-36)
Today, the First Sunday of Advent, is the first day of
the new Church year. It is Year C in the liturgical calendar. On most Sundays of
this year we will listen to the Gospel of Saint Luke. Advent gets its name from
the Latin word adventus, meaning ‘arrival’
or ‘coming’. It is given to us as a contemplative moment (four weeks) in the Church
calendar in which we are invited to prayerfully prepare for the celebration of the
Birth of Our Lord. The preparation of which Jesus speaks in today’s Gospel, however,
is preparation for the coming of the Lord at
the end of time, when God will take all creation to Himself. Jesus tells us
to be ready for that day. He asks that we live our lives in close relationship with
God, remaining attentive to His constant presence around us and within us. We achieve
this through prayer, through the Sacraments
of Reconciliation and the Eucharist and through witnessing to the values of the Gospel in
our everyday lives. If we do our best, when God calls us to Himself, we will be
well prepared for that day and for the promised reward of the everlasting joys of
His heavenly home. Come Lord Jesus!
FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION – SATURDAY 8 DECEMBER –
A Holy Day of Obligation, binding all Catholics to attend Mass. Masses: Friday – Vigil 7.30pm (Oratory),
Saturday – 10am Mass (Oratory). We celebrate the Conception of Mary who was, from
the first instance of Her existence in the womb of Her mother Anne, by a singular
grace, privilege and gift from God, preserved from all stain of original sin. This
was to prepare Her to be Mother of Jesus, so that the Son of God would come into
the world in an immaculate vessel. The purest of mothers could bear and teach the
divine Son.
“I am the Immaculate Conception.”
(Our Lady to St Bernadette in Lourdes, 1858))
REQUIESCANT IN PACE
Our prayers are asked for
the souls of those whose anniversaries occur at this
time:
Lily
McCallion, Elizabeth Canning, Lila
McCrea, William O'Goan (Senior)
53 CHILDREN NEEDED – ROSARY
PHOTO To be taken today, Sunday, after 11 o'clock Mass in Glenock. The photo will
feature on our new Facebook page, website and the newspapers. This is the launch
of the Family Rosary for Advent. We will have Rosary beads and a treat for each
child after Mass. Please linger and take part.
FAMILY ROSARY FOR ADVENT:
You are invited to pray the
Rosary in your home each day of Advent, as a spiritual preparation for the Nativity.
Rosary leaflets are available at the church doors. Each day Fr Colhoun will pray
the Divine Office for the households able to make this commitment. If you would
like to write your family name (address not needed) on the page in the church porch,
the priest will put your intentions before God each day of Advent. If you live alone
and would like to pray the Rosary in your home, you too can add your name to the
list. Advent this year lasts from Sunday 2nd December until Monday 24th December.
“The family that prays together
stays together.” (Fr Patrick Peyton, the Rosary
Priest)
SUNDAY COLLECTION: £775. Donation for Glenock: £20. Thank you very
much!
ONLINE ADVENT CALENDAR – on website www.catholicbishops.ie.
Each day of Advent, starting today, we can open a virtual door on the calendar.
Behind each door there is content aimed at helping us to pray and to prepare to
to share fully and appreciate the true meaning of Christ’s coming into our lives.
Could you take time to access the Advent Calendar each day? It is good spiritual
preparation for the celebration of the Birth of our Saviour.
YOUCAT – Sacred Heart Room,
Oratory, Monday evenings, 7-8pm. Pope John Paul Award candidates should attend.
Symbolism of the Advent Wreath
The Advent Wreath draws us
to focus on the advent (coming) of the Light of Christ into the world. The wreath
is made of evergreens, signifying everlasting life. The circle of the wreath, which
has no beginning or end, symbolises the eternity of God, the immortality of the
soul, and the promise of everlasting life in Christ. Cones and berries can be used
to decorate the wreath. These are symbolic of the fruits of salvation. The four
candles, representing the four weeks of Advent, are lit gradually – one on each
Sunday of Advent – and this, combined with the liturgical colours of the candles,
symbolises our expectation and hope in the Coming of Christ; not only His First
Coming into the world, but His Second Coming at the end of history. Three candles
are purple, the penitential colour used in Advent and Lent. One candle is rose.
The rose candle is lit on the third Sunday, known as Gaudete Sunday – the Sunday of rejoicing and joyful expectation of the
imminent Celebration. (Gaudete Sunday
parallels with Laetare Sunday in Lent).
The light signifies Christ, Light of the world. The white candle in the middle represents
Christ, and is lit on December 25th.
'I
am the light of the world.
Whoever
follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life' (John 8:12).
JOB – Derry Diocesan Trust: Part Time Financial and Administrative
Secretary, at Long Tower Parish, Derry. 25 hours per week. Visit www.derrydiocese.org for full details. .For application
pack, email office@derrydiocese.org. Derry Diocesan Trust is an Equal Opportunities
Employer.
FACEBOOK – We have set up
a new Facebook page for the parish. Please LIKE the page and FOLLOW it.
@ardstraweast
