Christmas 2009
The Family of Holy Cross, twinned with Our Lady Star of the Sea, Freetown, Sierra Leone. Website – holycrosscottingham.org.uk
Weekday Masses are at 9.00 except for Tuesday when Mass is at 7 pm The church is open from dawn till dusk every day.
Newsletter for Christmas 2009. Masses tomorrow, Saturday, the Feast of St Stephen, will be at 10.00 am and 6.30 pm and on Sunday at 10.00 am (The Feast of the Holy Family). During the coming week Fr Bill Steele will be saying the Masses and Fr Peter Corcoran will be with us next weekend.
Mass Intentions: Midnight Mass – Bernard Proctor Christmas Morning at 10.00 am – Day Family Intentions
Saturday – St. Stephen's Day – 10.00 am – Dick Hainsworth 6.30 PM – Monica Williamson's mother Sunday – 10.00 – Micky Jo Gallagher (103)
Orbiting the Moon on Christmas Eve 1968, the crew of Apollo 8 read the opening chapters of Genesis to a worldwide audience of millions, signing off with "Merry Christmas, and God bless all of you on the good Earth." When negotiating the first human steps on the Moon, Buzz Aldrin brought a blessed wafer with him. "I ate the tiny Host," he wrote, "and swallowed the wine."
Thank You: Irena, Gwen, Peter, Pat, Dermot and Peter who spent Monday morning cleaning the church in preparation for Christmas. There is a list in the porch for anyone who might like to be involved in this most necessary job. We'll try an produce a rota in the New Year. The more we get, the less often you'll have to do it! Just a couple of hours once a month?
On the night before Christmas, theologian Karl Rahner hears God whispering to us: "When you celebrate tomorrow, say to me, 'You are here. You have come. You have come into everything that exists, into everything that we are'. Say only that one thing. That is enough. It is Christmas. Light the candles. They have more right to exist than all the darkness. It is the Christmas that lasts forever." And then, in that silent moment, the serious wonder of it strikes us: it is we ourselves, lit from within by the radiance of God, who are called to be those candles of hope, shining incarnate light on a world and a Church lost too often in the dark.
Other Birthdays around this time: Kirsty O'Reilly is a Christmas Day baby! Mary Davidson celebrates her birthday tomorrow, the Feast of St Stephen. Her husband Mike celebrates his birthday on New Year's Eve as does Basil Berry! (He'll be 90!). Sorry Basil, but it's too important to pass over! Peter Penna, Jacob Wilbourne, Anita, Terri Riddiough and Catherine Leach (20 on December 27th) also have celebrations!
The kingdom that the Nativity heralds is to be as much on earth as it is in heaven. Where there is hope of a better future, indifference is not an option. Listen to what Pope Benedict has to say as we start a new decade. "Can we remain indifferent before the problems associated with such realities as climate change, desertification, the deterioration and loss of productivity in vast agricultural areas, the pollution of rivers and aquifers, the loss of biodiversity, the increase of natural catastrophes and the deforestation of equatorial and tropical regions? Can we disregard the growing phenomenon of 'environmental refugees', people who are forced by the degradation of their natural habitat to forsake it… in order to face the dangers and uncertainties of forced displacement? Can we remain impassive in the face of actual and potential conflicts involving access to natural resources?" Thus, updating the famous remark of Pope Paul VI, "If you want peace, work for justice", he says, "If you want to cultivate peace, protect Creation." It can be done. And this is the message of hope that these despondent times need to hear.
Many thanks for all your cards and gifts. It's been a tough time for you in the card business, what with my two hospital visits in March and November! Not that any gift was better than any other, but maybe one of the 'best' came via a phone call on Monday evening from my back surgeon's wife! "I've a ticket for you for the Manchester United game on Sunday!" And the best present of all would be a Hull City victory! I saw this letter in the paper during the week: "My fourth granddaughter, Gigi, was fizzing with excitement this week at the prospect of her third Christmas and innocently produced a word that will delight the politically correct everywhere. I do hope that 'Presmas' has no chance of entering the vernacular."
Doing what for Christmas: Bear Grylls (Adventurer) - 'We have breakfast then rush to church. It is a key part of the day, with everybody coming together as a community. Christmas is about gratitude for all our blessings, not least because on that day the Son of Man was born, and he came to heal, mend and unite us.' Dylan Jones (Editor of GQ) – 'An extravagant breakfast, and then I'll turn on the tree lights and every other light in the house, pretending it's already dark. We will go to church in the morning, and then nip home, open the champagne and start cooking.' Penni Vincenzi (Author) – 'We're very, very traditional: log fires, holly, mistletoe, crackers, big tree. Christmas Eve is carols on the radio, and a big supper by candlelight. Then Midnight Mass.'
Church Decoration: Lots of people are responsible for the church looking as it is, both young and old! A special thanks to Diana and Chris for the lovely crib and also to Shirley for the painted backdrop. Every year they come up with something new and thought provoking!
Kingstown Hospital Radio 1350 AM: If you tune in tonight between 5 and 6 pm you just might hear me again! But then again you've probably heard enough of me already!
Our Christmas Concert on Wednesday evening was a great success! A big thank you to Joe Rawcliffe for putting it all together and for bringing along his Ceilidh Band to help with the entertainment. Amongst the acts were Arthur Burgan, Ella Haswell, Mary Chapman, Rachel Ward (7) and her brother Matthew (3) and Mum, Annie Everitt, Anita, Sophie (Howlett aged 2), Ruairi on the drums, Saskia, Annette and Mum (from Holland), Diana and friends, Ray Parker, myself and Gwen, Jean Longhorn and Steve Haswell on the button accordion. It lasted three hours with a break for mulled wine and hot mince pies! And the raffle raised over £80 for Diane and the twins in the Cameroon. Thanks to everyone who helped make it a success and we will follow it up with another Spring Concert generously offered by Jock from the Band. Watch this space. And the Service of Reconciliation on Tuesday evening was very well attended, despite the awful weather. If you want to write his address is c/o The Vatican, Italy. (Post script Annie fell in the snow while walking her dog after the concert and broke her arm in three places and spent the night in Hull Royal. Please keep her and all the sick of the parish and those in Castle Hill over Christmas, especially Barry, Kathleen's husband, in your prayers.
Thank you again for all your cards, gifts, thoughts and words of encouragement these past few weeks. Any items for next week's newsletter should be sent to John McNicholas via or by phone 876812.
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