SUNDAY NOVEMBER 16TH 2008 THIRTY-THIRD WEEK OF THE YEAR
TWINNED WITH 'OUR LADY STAR OF THE SEA PARISH' JUBA, FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE
TELEPHONE: 01482 847763 E-MAIL: WEBSITE: holycrosscottingham.org.uk
MASSES: Saturday Vigil Mass – 6.30 pm; Sunday – 10.00 am; Mon, Wed, Thurs, Fri & Sat – 9.00 am. Tues – 7.00 pm
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: Saturday from after morning Mass until Benediction at 6.00 pm
The church is open all day from dawn till dusk. Tea and coffee are served after the Sunday morning 10.00 am Mass.
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 16TH. 2008 THIRTY-THIRD WEEK OF THE YEAR
Today's Gospel: Use your talents! – "A man found an eagle's egg and put it in a nest of a barnyard hen. The eaglet hatched with a brood of chicks and grew up with them. All his life the eagle did what the barnyard chickens did, thinking he was a barnyard chicken. He scratched the earth for worms and insects. He clucked and cackled. And he would thrash his wings and fly a few feet into the air. Years passed and the eagle grew very old. One day he saw a magnificent bird above him in the cloudless sky. It glided in graceful majesty among the powerful wind currents, with scarcely a beat of its strong golden wings. The old eagle looked up in awe. 'Who's that?' he asked. 'That's the Golden Eagle, the king of the birds,' said his neighbour. 'He belongs to the sky. We belong to the earth – we're chickens.' So the eagle lived and died a chicken, for that's what he thought he was."
Bishop Terry's Report on the parish: "Dear Pat, Thank you very much for putting so much effort into my visitation of Holy Cross 22/26/27 October 2008. It was good to witness so much of the parish life: *Visit to St. Mary's College and meet with young people who came, or are coming to Lourdes, the Fair Trade Group, the Junior SVP. *Visit Castle Hill Hospital Chaplaincy and take Holy Communion to the sick. *Visit Fr. Michael O'Connor and anoint him. *Meeting with many individuals and group members over a light lunch. *Celebrate the Vigil and Sunday Mass and meet with parishioners in a social atmosphere. *Meet with the Parish Council, the SVP, the CWL, the Sierra Leone Action Group. *Meet with individual parishioners who had made an appointment. *Formal meeting with Parish Priest. All in all it was a wonderful experience of your people's faith and devotion and a testimony to your enthusiastic, joyful, challenging and enabling ministry in which you are so ably assisted by so many committed and able parishioners. Please pass on my thanks and appreciation for everything that happens in the parish, local area, and further afield due to the presence of the Catholic Parish of Holy Cross. It was very interesting to visit the hospital and see what great developments are happening there. It would certainly be important to bear in mind the need for a full time chaplain if ever we were in the fortunate position to provide one. It is obvious that the parish is a generous one, ably led by your example. I suggested as I was leaving that perhaps a new set of chalices might be in order to enhance and add even more dignity to the liturgy. Pat, keep up the great work and use your special gift of "parrhesia" for the Church – it's a Greek word meaning "Holy Cheek" or "Holy daring"! Yours sincerely, Bishop Terry."
Appreciation: Kathleen and Arthur extend their very grateful thanks to all those who have given them lifts during the past few frustrating weeks; and also to those who arranged some of the lifts on their behalf without having to be asked.
"It is a trick of the devil which he employs to deceive good souls; to incite them to do more than they are able in order that they may no longer be able to do anything." (St. Vincent de Paul)
Birthdays last week: And both on Wednesday! Monica Cook and Rachel Dex. Congratulations to you both! And Helen Woodmansey has her 23rd.Birthday today, Sunday.
This past week: Alina and Steve had the christening of their first child Stephanie Rachel on Sunday at 1pm. Alina's mother and two brothers came over from Poland for the celebration. Our Blessing of the Graves on Sunday drew about 15/20
the graves of those with no one here to pray for them. And good to spend some time with Fr. Tony and Fr. Mac at the end. Cornelia arrived early for Mass on Monday, at about 9am for 6.45pm Mass! But she came into the house and regaled some of us with stories of her "Dutch Resistance"! The priests of the area had a Deanery Meeting at Hessle on Wednesday. A visit to Hallgate Infant School on Thursday to talk about Diwali of all things! Chris Leech's first Anniversary on Friday with some of St. Mary's staff coming along to support Phil. Kath Thomas's funeral also on Friday, she died in Castle Hill on Nov. 8th. Patrick Clinch's Christening on Saturday afternoon, first child of Sarah and Baby Travis Greenley's Christening today, Sunday at noon.
Remembrance Sunday: Thank you to all who lit candles for the deceased of the parish and to Terry Dent and Arthur Burgan for their 'bits and pieces' from the Two World Wars and to Peter Watts for the Two Minutes Silence and Exortation.
Parishioner of the Week: Edward 'Monet' Fullerton, starring in The Cottingham Times. A lovely painting, Edward, reminding me of the style of Claude Monet.
Marie Curie 'Bowen' Day: Mike Barlow, local Bowen Therapist, is organising a charity event in aid of Marie Curie. It will be at the Methodist Church here in the village on Saturday 29th. November from 10 – 4pm. For this unique charity event Mike will be offering Bowen treatments for just £5. If you have an injury, ache, pain or are suffering with the stresses of life please come and try a treatment and in doing so support this worthwhile cause.
Remembering Sharon Barwick: To celebrate her birthday, her friends are having a Coffee Morning at Sacred Heart Church Hall on Saturday 29th. November from 10.30 – 12.30pm All proceeds will go to Marie Curie Cancer Care.
Channel Swim: Saturday evening parishioner Pauline "Polly" Burton is doing the 'Aspire Channel Swim-22 miles". The Charity works with people with spinal cord injuries. See her at Mass if you'd like to support her.
Christmas in the Church: The Hull Savoyards will be performing here at Holy Cross on Thursday December 11th. at 7.30pm. Tickets are £5 on the door. Spread the news!
From 'Down Under': A classmate from Perth emailed me this week. He's in Perth. His parish, St. Joseph's in Subiaco, is the busiest in W. Australia with 135 weddings, 320 baptisms,
$2.5m restoration project, are in the process of completing a $20m Parish Medical Centre and Offices plus a Piazza. A different world altogether! But give me Cottingham any day!
Want a Piano? Annie has one on offer, recently tuned and in need of re-homing. Must be collected. Phone 876955
The Parish Music Group and Choir meet every Friday evening in the Upper Room (behind the organ) from 7 – 8pm. Have you an instrument or even just a voice? You'll be welcome!
Guitars for the Prison: Jan Woodmansey works in The Wolds Prison and is looking for guitars as she has started lessons for the offenders. Can you help? Have you one lying unused? Her phone number is 845496
Walsingham Association of Hull: We are having a Coffee Morning on Saturday 22nd. November at the Marist Parish Hall from 11 – 1pm. Admission is £1
Christmas Fayre and Table Top: Marist Church Hall on Saturday November 29th. 2 – 4pm. Cake Stall, Fair Trade, Jewellery, Mulled Wine, Craft Stall, Car Wash and Raffle all in aid of the Church Youth Group. You can 'hire' a table for £5. For more information contact Nicky or Micki on 470086
Scripture in Advent and Christmas: "Getting the most out of the Liturgy of the Word." Come and hear Fr. Jim O'Brien, University Chaplain and Scripture Scholar, on Saturday Nov 29th. 10 – 12pm at St. Charles Parish Centre. Charles Street.
The Credit Crunch: Some Help? Free stocking fillers from cosmetics to books and DVDs are available by searching online for free samples. Try www.free-stuff.co.uk www.smartfreestuff.co.uk www.freeinuk.co.uk or wwwfreebielist.com. At www.freecycle.org, people offer all sorts of items for no cost. Check www.myvouchers.co.uk. You can get discounts for limited periods from stores such as the Body Shop and Debenhams by applying for a special code. And some price comparison sites: www.pricerunner.co.uk www.kelkoo.com or www.xpert4u.co.uk And for the cheapest price for food check out www.mysupermarket.co.uk
Interested in finding out more about the Catholic Church? Then come and join us in the house on Fridays from 6 – 7pm.
Holy Cross Register of Parish Activities: You can collect your copy of this very useful document, listing all the activities going on in the parish and who to contact if interested. They are in the porch.
Holy Cross in the Old Days: I found this letter recently from Norma Toker of Greatfield. "As a young child I used to attend Sunday Mass with my father, sisters and brothers. He was a convert. He put up the Crucifix at the entrance of the Church of the Holy Cross many years ago. He was a gardener, handyman and a friend of long standing to Mr. Roters who had a house alongside the church. I believe that a Madam Hicks (as we were told to address her) was housekeeper to Mr. Roters. She also ran a dancing school of ballet for the children of Cottingham. She used to give us children some food and a drink after Mass, as we had to walk from the North Hull Estate to church, while we waited for our father to come and take us home. Mr. Roters had a statue of 'Our Lady' in his back garden. It was made into the likeness of a grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes. I also knew many people (parishioners),
milliners shop in Prospect St. They owned a big house down Thwaite St. (?). We used to go there for choir practice."
Book Sale in The Garden Room after the Sunday morning Mass. See Gwendoline about ordering any books you're having difficulty finding. She'll find them for you!"
CAFOD Supporters Day: Tackling HIV and AIDS, Saturday Nov. 22nd 10 – 4pm at English Martyrs Parish Hall, Dalton Tce. York. Meet some of CAFOD's overseas staff and hear them speak, one of whom, Joe Turay, is from Sierra Leone. Teresa can gift a lift to anyone interested – 845355
The Call of Creation (God calls us to renew the face of the earth) – CAFOD Advent Service, Wednesday 3 December at St. Charles Church. The homily will be preached by Bishop Terry. 6.30 for 7pm start.
Mass Intentions for the coming week:
Saturday – 6.30 – Paddy Falvey
Sunday – 10.00 – Jim Gardham OBE
Monday – 9.00 – Service of the Word and Holy Communion
Tuesday – 7.00 – Private Intention of Chris and Pauline
Wednesday – 9.00 – John and Mary Gavin
Thursday – 9.00 – Mamie Hyland
Friday – 9.00 – Elsie Murphy (A)
Saturday – 9.00 – The Parishioners
Saturday – 6.30 – John Baker (A)
Sunday – 10.00 – John Franks
Anniversaries this coming week:
Saturday – Albert Stephenson
Sunday – Margaret Woods-McConville, Barbara Watson
Tuesday – Margaret Hope, Catherine Tatum
Wednesday – Alfred Stock, Alfred Shipley, Walter Cross and Bill Tomlinson
Thursday – Ivy Beavers
Friday – Edward Parker, Joseph Bell and David Frank
Saturday – Patrick Day (1923), Brenda Parker, Albert Nixon, Thomas Hirst, Helen Robinson, Liz Woods-McConville, Mona White and John Baker.
Sunday – Doris Hirst
Congratulations to Mary Rowe: Two weeks ago Mary became a Grandmother for the first time! Her daughter Andrea and Graham had their first child, George William, who weighed in at seven pounds and thirteen ounces. Mary was lucky to be in Ireland with Andrea for two weeks before and after the birth.
A Reflection – A Piece of Wood:
Every possibility is sleeping in such a piece of wood.
It depends on you, how you look at it, what you see in it.
Some useless obstacles in your way, fuel to light your fire, material to build a fence around your isolation,
to build a house – a door – a table.
OR a challenge, waiting just for you,
to be set free, to be called to life.
The woodcarver, the artist, sees it like that.
He takes it in his hands and sees the hidden life
and makes it speak of growth and death, joy and pain
and all the mysteries of life.
All this is contained in a piece of wood.
Our whole life, the world around us
is like such a piece of wood.
It depends on us, how we look at it, what we see in it.
Shouldn't we all be artists?
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