SUNDAY DECEMBER 16TH 2007 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT GAUDETE SUNDAY
THE FAMILY OF HOLY CROSS AND THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS
3 CARRINGTON AVE, COTTINGHAM, E YORKS HU16 4DU
Tel: 01482 847763 Fax: 01482 845225
Email: Website: holycrosscottingham.org.uk
Parish Priest: Father Pat Day BA, BD
Vigil Mass at Holy Cross – Saturday – 6.30 p.m. Sunday Morning at Holy Cross – 10.00 a.m. Holy Name – 11.00 a.m.
Weekday Masses: Holy Name – Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9.15 a.m.
Holy Cross – Tuesday – 7.00 p.m. Thursday – 9.00 a.m. Saturday – 9.00 a.m.
Holy Cross: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament all day Saturday from after morning Mass and ending with Benediction at 6.00
Holy Name: There is Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament from 10.00 – 11.00 a.m. on Fridays.
Holy Name Choir rehearses on Tuesdays from 6.45 – 7.30 p.m. (Use the sacristy entrance at the rear.)
Holy Cross Church is open all day from dawn to dusk. Tea and coffee are served after both Sunday Masses.
“In those days, ten people of nations of every language will take a Jew by the sleeve and say: ‘We want to go with you since we have learned that God is with you.’”
SUNDAY DECEMBER 16TH 2007 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT GAUDETE SUNDAY
Today’s Readings: Who would not want to sing Isaiah’s beautiful song? The prophet paints a picture of such hope and possibility that the people cannot but be encouraged. The deserts will bloom, the people will return. These are surprisingly relevant words. Scientists are warning us that if we don’t work to preserve forests and peat land our earth will be parched. ‘Poverty and degradation of the environment are locked in a vicious circle’ we are warned. ‘Future wars will be about water’ we are told. Isaiah’s vision needs to be put again before us as he too links the flourishing of the earth with justice for the poor. Notice how both John and Jesus ask questions. Surely a good way to proceed, even for a preacher! ‘Ask him, is he the one?’ ‘What did you go out to see?’ Jesus responds indirectly, ‘tell John what you have seen, ‘the blind see, the lame walk.’ Of course John and his disciples know the words of Isaiah and will make the connection. This is not a warlike Messiah but one who will empty himself out for his people and who like John will suffer rejection. If you want to know who John is, who Jesus is, hear what they say and see what they do. Both of them live far from fine clothes and palaces: John in the wilderness, Jesus among the poor.
Christmas Mass Times:
Christmas Eve: Holy Cross – 9.00 a.m. Midnight Mass preceded by carols at 11.30 p.m.
Christmas Eve: Holy Name – Vigil Mass of the Nativity at 7.00
Christmas Day: Holy Cross – 10.00 a.m. Holy Name – 11.00 a.m.
Congratulations to Holy Name School: Eight Year 5 pupils (aged 9/10) from Holy Name School attended an event at the KC Stadium organised by Youth Enterprise. The topic was “Our World” which introduced important aspects of global trade, helping the children to understand that just as friends, families and communities rely on each other, so do the nations of the world. The children listened to speeches from a descendant of William Wilberforce, local dignitaries and the High Commissioner of Mauritius. Through a trading game the children learned about Fair Trade and how less developed countries interact with and rely on more developed communities. The children also took part in an International Marketing Challenge; they had to consider the challenges of world marketing – Place, Price, Product and Promotion. This final challenge was a competition between the 21 schools attending the event. I am very pleased to say the pupils from Holy Name won the challenge; this was achieved through the children using their initiative and working together as a team. The children won fantastic prizes including a Wilberforce Commemorative Medal, £25 each in Gift Vouchers and £300 for the school to be spent on an enterprising activity.
Mass at Holy Name School: I will be saying an end of term Mass there on Thursday at 11.00 and you are all welcome to come along and listen to the most wonderful school choir!
Kidney Transplant: Please keep in your prayers Pat Britton’s daughter Clare who had a kidney transplant last Sunday night at St. James’s Hospital in Leeds. Clare, aged 32, has suffered from diabetes since the age of 14 and has been on regular dialysis for the past three months. A kidney became available on Sunday, she got the call, an ambulance took her to Leeds and after five hours of cross-matching the kidney with her blood, it was decided to go ahead with the transplant. Miraculously, out of the 15,000 people on the waiting list, Clare was the only match for the kidney available! Pat’s mobile number is 07769966117 if you want to talk to her.
Heart and Lung Transplant: Parishioner Chris Brown has recently gone on to this list so please keep him and Evelyn in your prayers as they hope for something to come up.
Advent Reconciliation Service: As is our tradition at this time of the year, you will have the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation in a relatively painless atmosphere during our Tuesday evening Mass this week which begins at 7.00 p.m.
Congratulations to Joseph Caley who played the Male Lead, the Prince, in The Nutcracker at Birmingham Royal Ballet last weekend. The reviews said: “Wonderful! Amazing!” Joe, aged 21, is a soloist with the Royal Ballet but soon should be a Principal Dancer. Our congratulations go to his parents John and Carol, to his grandparents Roy and Brenda Caley and to his aunt Adele!
Lunch Club Christmas Celebration: This Wednesday at noon in The Garden Room for a full Christmas Dinner! It’s ticket only and I think they’ve all been snapped up! So why announce it? Just to make you feel envious and as the chance to say a big Thank You to the helpers at both the Lunch Clubs for all your dedicated and hard work during the year.
Christening: Congratulations to Benjamin David Firth who was Christened here last Sunday, and to his parents Vicky and Lee. Evelyn and Chris (transplant fame!) are his great aunt and uncle. And a special thanks to Teresa Ulyatt for all the help she gave the family in their preparation for the big day.
Radio Humberside: If you tune in around 7.20 a.m. on Monday, you just might hear my dulcet tones as I review the papers. It’s amazing the number of people who recognise me by my voice, or is it?
The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Cardinal were sunbathing “au naturel” by the side of the River Thames when a pleasure craft passed by full of people. Immediately the Archbishop covered his lower regions with his hands whilst the Cardinal covered his face. When the boat had passed the Archbishop asked the Cardinal why he hadn’t covered his “bits” he replied: “Where I come from I am recognised by my face!”
“Peace on Earth”: The cost of war – if you want to get some idea of what the war in Iraq is costing [estimated $8 billion a month] have a look at these websites: www.costofwar.com shows a counter like a taxi meter, with the numbers increasing every second. www.casualties.org gives the numbers of US military killed and wounded, which, as at Sept. 07, stood at 3,801 and 27,753 respectively. The numbers of Iraqi casualties is unknown but estimates can be found on www.iraqbodycount.net Another way to count the cost of war is to note that, according to the UN Development Fund for Women, whereas in the 19th century civilian casualties accounted for 5% of the war dead, in World War I, the total number of civilians killed had climbed to 15% of total wartime casualties, in World War 2, civilians made up 65% of the victims of war. By the mid-90’s, civilians were over 75% of the war dead. And today, over 90% of those killed in war are civilians. You never hear our politicians or military chiefs acknowledging these facts.
Christmas Lights at Holy Cross: And we are indebted to Geraldine and Rodger for the lovely white twinkling lights between the house and the church, and also to Peter, John S. and Jim N. (and myself) for the rest of the lights you can see!
Village Fraternal: Can I thank Gwen (and Peter) for feeding the local ministers on Wednesday here at Holy Cross. Eight of us sat down to a lovely meal that went on from 12.00 until 2.30 p.m. Nobody wanted to leave, the food was so good! A lot of business was discussed as well! You’ll hear more about it today at Mass.
Prayers for the Sick and their carers: Fred Higginson, Dick and Aggie Hainsworth, Clare Britton, Bernard Proctor, Betty Eagan, Peter Watts, Margaret Price, Geoff Land, Rolf Kennedy, Peter Heath, Paddy Falvey, Sheena Pike, Margaret Norton, Roy Caley, Joan Bottery, Fred Knapp, Pat Bickerstaffe, Kath Stead, Lilian Fowlston, Ivy Behan, Irene Pluntree, Andrea Gardham.
Church Christmas Decoration: Next Saturday from 10.00 a.m. onwards, we’ll be putting up the tree and decorating it, and doing all sorts of other fun things, singing carols and eating. Why not come along and bring your parents and grandparents and anyone else you can find? And bring some ‘goodies’ too!
Counters this week: Anne and Geoff Land.
Next week: Teresa and Les Ulyatt.
Holy Name SVP Conference: Many thanks for your lovely gift last week. It will be much enjoyed and maybe even shared out!
The CWL Christmas Party for the ladies of the parish on Monday was a great success. Terry’s ‘fun’ games and quizzes certainly raised the temperature by quite a few degrees and the ‘candle-lit’ toilet proved quite a hit! Thank you, ladies of the CWL, for a wonderful evening, me and forty ladies! I’m still recovering!
Bishop Terry’s Episcopal Ordination will be at the Cathedral on Friday January 25th. at 12 noon. I have two tickets each for anyone at either Holy Name and Holy Cross who might like to attend the ordination and the reception at the Riverside Stadium (home of Middlesbrough FC). If you let me have your names today and I will draw them from a hat (or mitre even!). That’s probably the fairest way. I can take all five in my car to Middlesbrough.
Bene Merenti Medal: At Mass tonight we will present this Papal Award to Peter Dyas for all his efforts at fundraising over the years. He was proposed by Peter Watts for his work at St. John Fisher School, our own fundraising and sending over sixty children to Lourdes. Peter has also been involved in many other charitable activities over the years, helping to raise somewhere in the region of £1,000,000. Congratulations from all of us, Peter.
Cold Church: Some have been complaining about the lack of heat in the Priory Room end of the church. Some of the radiators don’t appear to have been working. We called out the plumbers (three came on Wednesday at 5.00) and they informed me that someone had turned off the radiators. Please, please leave them well enough alone, you may turn down the thermostat but please turn it back on again! Did I feel a wally?
Churches Together Carol Singing: And we’re having two sessions this year! The usual one outside the Methodist Church next Saturday from 11 – 12 noon and a Pub Crawl Carol Singing Session this Thursday, meeting outside the Fair Maid at 7.00 p.m. and moving on to The Blue Bell, The Duke and the King Billy. The quality of the singing may improve as the evening passes! Fancy a fun night out? Just turn up!
Father Tony: The tribute to him in the “Tree Aid” winter magazine went: “Tree Aid would like to pay tribute to long-term supporter Father Anthony Storey. Like us he was an avid tree fan, telling us that ‘The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The next best time is today’ and that ‘The two most important things in life are to love – and to plant trees’. Through a gift in his Will to Tree Aid and gifts in memory donated at his funeral, Father Anthony leaves the legacy of living trees that will continue to benefit people long into the future.”
Reconciliation Service at St. Charles: This Tuesday at 7.00 p.m. and there will be All Day Christmas Confessions next Saturday from 10 – 5.00 p.m. also at St. Charles.
St. Mary’s College Christmas Carol Service: This will take place at the Marist Church this Thursday at 7.00 p.m. and will include the school orchestra and staff choir amongst other attractions. It’s always a most enjoyable evening.
Anniversaries this coming week:
Saturday – Stephen Merivale (Ann’s father)
Sunday – Annie Bingham (Joan Horbury’s grandmother)
Monday – Sylvia Lord (Tony’s sister)
Tuesday – Maureen Croll (Sheila Levett’s sister) and Margaret Hope
Wednesday – Molly Willoughby
Thursday – William Wainwright and Hilda Cuss
Friday – Olive Parker-Kirton (Ray’s mother), Betty Jackson (Phil’s sister-in-law), Pearl Clarke (Dave’s mother) and William Hall
Saturday – Catherine Proctor (Bernard’s mother), Stefan Skolik, Leonard Park (John Gray’s brother-in-law) and Marjorie Tindle (Joan Horbury’s sister)
Sunday – Billy Fletcher (Barbara Avery’s father), William Thurston (Jan Mounce’s father) and George Stephenson (John’s brother)
Mass Intentions for the coming week:
Saturday – 6.30 – Kathleen Hamilton (RIP)
Sunday – 10.00 – Holy Cross – Pam Gorman
Sunday – 11.00 - Holy Name – Special Intention
Monday – 9.15 – Holy Name – The Potter Family
Tuesday – 7.00 – Edna Holwell
Wednesday – 9.15 – Holy Name – Jean Fletcher (RIP)
Thursday – 9.00 – Patrick Hamson (B)
Thursday – Holy Name School – 11.00
Friday – 9.15 – Holy Name – The Newmarch Family
Saturday – 9.00 – The Parishioners
Saturday – 6.30 – Harry and Christopher Williams
Sunday – 10.00 – Mary and Fred Gorman
Sunday – 11.00 – Holy Name – Special Intention
Letter of the Month from The Africa Magazine – December:
Dominic Priest writes: “Cottingham, Freetown and Bo. In the July/August issue of Africa, Hilary Lyons wrote that she would love to see the Country Cloth of Sierra Leone incorporated into the liturgy. At the Sunday Mass in Holy Cross parish in Cottingham, near Hull, Fr. Pat Day, our parish priest, wears a chasuble, one of many made and sent to us by the Star of the Sea Parish, Sierra Leone. In 1992 Archbishop Ganda from Sierra Leone visited our parish. The following year Fr. Storey, our much loved parish priest who died recently, the late Sheilagh Priest, a school teacher and two teenagers, Kirsty O’Reilly and Rachel Ulyatt visited Sierra Leone and set up a twinning arrangement between our parish and Star of the Sea parish, Freetown and an orphanage in Bo. It is an arrangement that has been helpful and beneficial to all involved. In October 1999, a fire occurred in Holy Cross destroying most of our sacristy including the vestments. Although Sierra Leone was embroiled in a civil war, upon hearing of the fire Star of the Sea produced and sent us a complete set of vestments in time to celebrate the Millennium. The good relationship continues. In February 2007, a group of nine, including our parish priest, went on a ten day visit to Star of the Sea and to the orphanage at Bo.” [And for this Dominic wins a book prize].
Sierra Leone Jewellery will again be on sale at both Masses this weekend, the opportunity to get some ‘different’ Christmas presents and to help the folk at the Vocational School over there. We are again indebted to Jacqui and Helen for all their hard work doing this.
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