WEEKDAY MASSES / OTHER SERVICES

CHRISTMAS PERIOD PARISH OFFICE OPENING
Thursday 29 December: 9.30am to 12.30pm

CHURCH OPEN THURSDAY 29 DECEMBER: 10am – 12noon for visits to the Blessed Sacrament and quiet prayer, meditation.

COVID / ‘FLU AWARE & SUNDAY OBLIGATION
If you have a cough / sore throat / feel generally unwell with cold-like symptom, please take a Covid test right away.      If it’s positive, then please stay at home, keep it to yourself and get better soon!
Whilst the Sunday Obligation has been restored, the Archdiocese advises parishioners to pray and watch Mass online/TV at home, if they are unwell with coughs and colds – especially at the moment, with so many infections doing the rounds.

READINGS FOR 25 DECEMBER
1^st Reading: Isaiah 52:7-10, All the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God
Psalm 97: All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God
2^nd Reading: Hebrew 1:1-6, God has spoken to us through his Son.
Gospel: John 1:1-18, The Word was made flesh and lived among us.
Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! A hallowed day has dawned upon us.  Come you nations, worship the Lord, for today a great light has shone down upon the earth.  Alleluia!
Communion antiphon: All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

INTENTIONS THIS WEEK
We join Pope Francis’ prayer intention for December
For volunteer not-for-profit organisations
We pray that volunteer non-profit organisations committed to human development find people dedicated to the common good and ceaselessly seek out new paths to international cooperation.
We join Pope Francis’ prayer intention for January
For educators
We pray that educators may be credible witnesses, teaching fraternity rather than competition and helping the youngest and most vulnerable above all.

CHRISTMAS MASS TIMES
Mass for Christmas Day – 25 December, here at Our Lady’s is at 9.15am
St Oswald’s Longton will have two Masses on Christmas Eve: 5pm and 7pm

SPECIAL FEASTS THIS WEEK
25 Dec – Nativity of the Lord
26 Dec – St Stephen, martyr
27 Dec – St John, apostle
28 Dec – Holy Innocents
29 Dec – St Thomas Becket
30 Dec – Holy Family
31 Dec – St Sylvester I, pope

CHRISTMAS CAROL SERVICE & FAYRE – THANK YOU!
Many thanks to everyone who contributed to last Sunday’s Christmas Fayre & Raffle – either by donating prizes and/or coming along to enjoy the fun.  An impressive £260 was raised – a very encouraging start to our fundraising for refurbishments and repairs to our church hall.
Special thanks to Philippa and Martin McGrath for providing the very welcome hot drinks and the wonderful festive bakes – and to Paul Allison for running the very successful raffle.  Prizes are available for collection from the sacristy.
Finally, very sincere thanks to Margaret, Linda, members of the choir and readers for the moving carol service that preceded the Fayre.  Altogether, it was a very special evening.

OUR NEXT COFFEE MORNING
As the first Sunday of the month falls on 1 January, it’s been agreed that the first coffee morning of 2023 will be held after 9.15am Mass on Sunday 5 February.

FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE – The Guiding Star
Lord, the sight of the guiding star
brought hope, courage and joy
to those who had journeyed to find you. 
When our journey seems long,
when hope seems far away,
when our courage is failing
fill us with faith and trust;
shine your light on our fears,
lift our hearts with your joy. 
Help us to recognise you
in our brothers and sisters
throughout the world;
show us how we can work together
so that we may all come to share in the life
promised to us by Jesus,
the Saviour of us all.  Amen 
https://cafod.org.uk/Pray/Christmas-prayers 

As we celebrate the birth of Our Lord, may I take this opportunity to thank those who do so much, in so many ways for our parish, and thank you all for your prayerful support throughout the year.
Happy Christmas everyone! 

VATICAN SYNOD – “Enlarge the space of your tent”
A working document has been circulated around the archdioceses, inviting a response from bishops around the world. Chairs of Deanery Synodal Councils attended a meeting on 28^th November to learn more about the process and the key points.  These will be discussed in deaneries, which will then provide feedback to Archbishop Malcolm. The document is 56 pages long and available online via this link.
https://www.synod.va/content/dam/synod/common/phases/continental-stage/dcs/Documento-Tappa-Continentale-EN.pdf
Our deanery Synod Council met earlier this month at St Gregory’s, Chorley to discuss this paper and the Archbishop’s summary of it.  Diane attended, to represent Our Lady’s parish.
The main purpose of this forum, at the moment, is to contribute to the Archdiocesan response to the document “Enlarge the space of your tent”.  If you would like to learn more about this process, there is a helpful overview on the Bishops Conference website: cbcew.org.uk/synodal-church where there is a very clear diagram which explains the order of consultations (on pages 51 and 52 of “Enlarge the space of your tent”).

KEEPING WARM THIS WINTER
We have access to blankets, snuggle blankets, ‘oodies’ and treated wood (for wood burners).  Please contact the Parish Office if you know of locals (neighbours, friends, any age), who could do with some help. 
Please do all you can to help us publicise details of local Warm Spaces

COST OF LIVING CRISIS
Our  LOCAL warm spaces include:

• Tarleton Library (opening hours Monday to Saturday),
• Christian Centre, Moss Lane (Monday mornings, 9.30am to 12.30pm) and
• Holy Trinity church, Tarleton (Monday – Saturday 9am to 4pm; Coffee & Chat: Fridays 10am to 12 noon).
• Hesketh Bank Community Centre (Mondays – Saturdays)

Warmth, hot drinks, light refreshments, good company, help and advice are on offer at all these places. 
Our local residents’ charity, Hesketh Bank & Tarleton helpers provides lunches every Friday: 12am to 2pm at Hesketh Bank Community Centre.

PLEASE CONSIDER OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INVOLVED IN YOUR PARISH
We are very grateful for offers of help already, with regards to gardening jobs and keeping the grounds of the church neat and tidy.  Thank you!
However, there are still a number of opportunities for our parishioners to become a bit more involved in parish life and your help is both needed and much appreciated.  Areas where help is needed include with the Little Church group on Sundays, singing with the choir, flower arranging, church cleaning, altar serving and some serious fund-raising.  Help is welcome from all ages, and advice / training will be provided. Please contact the Parish Office by email or ring on Thursdays, in order to find out more.

HELP FOR RESIDENTS & OUR LOCAL FOODBANK: We will continue to support the amazing work being done by Rev Dave Dickinson at All Saint’s in Hesketh Bank, by collecting non-perishable foodstuffs for local families.  Thank you for all donations made so far.  They are helping to support three local families who are really struggling at the moment.  This is likely to increase as fuel prices start to have an effect this autumn and winter.  Please let Diane Mackley know if you have any concerns about neighbours over the next few months and we’ll do our best to help them, 01772 815508.