Fourth Sunday in Advent Year C 22nd December 2024

St John the Evangelist Parish
Aurs Rd., Barrhead G78 2RW
 
Fourth Sunday of Advent Year C
22nd December 2024  
 
Rev Monsignor John Canon Tormey: Parish Priest
Rev Joseph J McGill:   Assistant Priest
Email: [email protected]  Tel- 0141 881 0769
Website: www.stjohns-barrhead.org
 
Mary Hallan:    Safeguarding Co-Ordinator: [email protected]
 
LAST WEEK’S COLLECTIONS
First Collection GA: £515.25  NGA £912.85
Building Fund: GA £60.00
Monthly Standing Orders: £4,271.50
 
                      
Scan for Christmas Masses in our Diocese
 
Christmas Mass times for St John’s Barrhead
Vigil 6pm (with Nativity Play at 5.30pm)
Midnight (with Carols at 11.30pm)
Christmas Day Mass 11am
New Year’s Day Mass 11am
 
No Wednesday early morning 7.30am Mass during the Christmas Holidays.
Christmas Rotas for Ministers in Sacristy
 
Response to Psalm: “Bring us back, O God; let your face shine forth, and we shall be saved. ”
 
Festive coffee morning in the church hall this Sunday 22nd December after 10am mass.  The parents of St Mark's Primary and the parish would love you to join us for this coffee morning. There will be live music, home baking, a wonderful raffle with some great prizes, craft activities for children and even maybe a very special visitor. Home baking donations/raffle prizes would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks 

Presentation for Fr Joe Balmer
16 January at 7pm Mass, followed by reception in Parish Hall. Collection will be made in January for Fr Joe’s presentation.

Carols in the Cathedral: Join Bishop John Keenan and the Diocesan Choir for the annual Carol Service in St Mirin's Cathedral, Friday 27th of December at 2pm. Refreshments in the hall afterwards. All welcome!
 
Catholic Mothers 2025 Planners.
For anyone looking for a practical and soulful Christmas gift, we are selling the Catholic Mothers planners 2025.
Have a look at the link below to see just how much this planner offers. Everything from cooking recipes to daily reflections, arts and crafts ideas to keeping track of every day life! 
https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/68762073/catholic-mothers-planner-2025
You can get a copy by contacting Rachel Callaghan on 07508835310 or [email protected]
PRICE: £25.99 (60% of money goes back into sustaining Catholic Mothers Association 40% split to our local group in Barrhead and St John’s parish)
 
“Catholic Families for Life” Newsletter from the National Commission for Marriage, Family and Life - latest version can be found at www.marriagefamilyandlife.org.uk
 
 
We pray for those who have died recently           
Patrick ’Pat’ Layden, (Neilston), Mary Crossan
Janet Connelly, John Rippey, John Marshall
 and for those whose anniversaries
occur at this time: Susan McKee, Sheila McKee, Betty Walker, Patrick Kearney, Frank and Margaret Stewart,
Archie and Mary Hughes, Harry McKelvie, Elizabeth Geddes Thomson, Mark and Irene Clougherty, Isabel McGauley, Michael Stuart, Gerard Barr, Carol Anne Burns, Kelly Anne Sanders, Billy McCann, Kathleen McCreadie, Sarah Quinn, James Darcy, Roseann Hannigan, John and Jean Herrity, Joseph Millar, Frances Macenan, Walter and Catherine McCready,
and the sixth month’s mind of Eddie McGuire,   
 
Church Cleaning. Can you please spare an hour on a Thursday after 10am Mass to help clean our church. Thanks very much. Fr John
 
St Luke’s High School First Friday Prayer Group.
We will ask our young people to add your intentions to their oratory prayer book.
You can add names at this website: https://forms.office.com/e/LZiW6ZAtiU
 
Advent Giving Appeal 2024 – Supporting Families in Need:   
We have given out an amazing £2580 in vouchers to help families in St Luke’s, St John’s and St Mark’s Schools. A huge thanks to everyone who has been so generous in helping families cope with so many expenses at this time of year. God bless you.
 
Lourdes Hospitalité: Booking is now open for the Diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes, 28th June-3rd July 2025. Booking is currently via the Tangney Tours website, booking forms will be available soon. If you have a life limiting, chronic medical condition or a taking regular medication you should register with the medical/nursing team. If you wish to come to Lourdes as part of the medical/nursing or helper team, please attend the meeting on 7th January at 7pm in St Ninian’s, Gourock. If you would like to come to Lourdes as a registered sick pilgrim please come to the meeting on 26th January at 2pm in St Ninian’s, Gourock. If you have any questions, please contact Anne Louise pilgrimage co-ordinator on 01475 638132
 
Advent Activity Pack: CELEBRATE have create a brilliant family resource, the Advent Online Family Activity Pack, which can downloaded from here for free https://www.celebratetrust.org/onlinefamilyactivitypacks Children can cut out their own manger and Baby Jesus, with Advent Matchbox Manger which can also be downloaded for free from their website from here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScj0GxNXsRV9sL4oJPiDS1ShLDKIGMaEufhQ6T7ksh5nCwmhg/viewform  
 
Think Vocation: Thinking about Diocesan Priesthood in 2025? The Catholic Church in Scotland is now inviting enquiries from those considering applying for seminary. If you think God is calling you to be a priest, please get in touch with Fr John Morrison, our Diocesan Vocations Director, tel: 01418892602 or email: [email protected]
 
Justice and Peace. Please see all the latest articles on the work for justice and peace in Scotland. (Bishops’ Conference)
www.justiceandpeacescotland.org.uk.

Special Guest Podcast: Tune in to our special guest podcast where Sancta Familia Media look back on the Papal Nuncio’s visit to the Diocese. Listen now on the Diocesan website www.rcdop.org.uk/podcast or on all major streaming platforms.

Barrhead Food Bank Donations.
Thank you to every one who has donated to the collection basket at the entrance to the church. Your donations have been most gratefully received.
 
Times of Sunday Masses: Sat Vigil 4pm. Sun: 10am, 11.30am, 5pm.
Weekdays: Mon to Saturday 10am. Workers Mass: Each Wednesday at 7.30am
Daily Adoration in Church: 9.00am – 9.55am.
In Oratory: 10.30am-9pm on Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
Daily Rosary: 9.25am.
Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confessions): Monday to Friday 9.30am -9.50am      
Saturday: 10.30 am – 10.50am & 3.15pm – 3.45pm
 
Funerals next month:  
3rd January Mrs Mary Crossan 10am Mass
7th January Mrs Janet Connelly 10am Mass
 
 
Mens’ Spiritual Exercises, 31 March – 5 April 2025: A 5-day version of the Ignatian Exercises offered specifically for men (whether lay or ordained), this retreat will be preached by the Benedictine Monks of St Joseph’s Abbey, France. Founded in 1988, this community has retained its charism of a specific apostolate to men and of engaging them through a shortened version of the Ignatian Exercises. One-to-one direction will be offered alongside the talks. Priests are welcome to attend and concelebrate or celebrate their own Mass.
For more information and to book: https://christianheritagecentre.com/events/mens-spiritual-exercises/
 
Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration – Christmas Closure
The Oratory will close for the Christmas Holidays at 7.00 pm on Friday 20 December, re-opening at 10.30 am on Monday 6 January.
 
 
St John’s, Barrhead Finance 
Parishioners wishing to set up standing orders to complete a standing order form and gift aid declaration, if applicable and return them to the parish priest. These forms can be obtained from the parish website or from the Sacristy.
Thank you. Jackie Brett. Diocesan Finance.
 
Holy Year Leaflet
Please take home the prayer and information leaflet for the Holy Year 2025.