| Parish of Our Lady and St Cuthbert
The Catholic faith community serving North Carrick
TWENTY-FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME beginning Sunday 18th September 2005
ENTRANCE PROCESSION Sing my soul 620
GLORIA Gloria, Gloria in excelsis Deo. Gloria, Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Lord God, heavenly King, peace you bring to us; we worship you, we give
you thanks, we sing our song of praise. Jesus, Saviour of all, Lord God,
Lamb of God, you take away our sins, O Lord, have mercy on us all. At the
Father’s right hand, Lord, receive our prayer, for you alone are the Holy
One, and you alone are Lord. Glory Father and Son, glory Holy Spirit, to
you we raise our hands up high, we glorify your name.
FIRST READING Isaiah 55:6-9 Seek the Lord while he is still to be
found, call to him while he is still near. Let the wicked man abandon his
way, the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn back to the Lord who will
take pity on him, to our God who is rich and forgiving; for my thoughts
are not your thoughts, my ways not your ways — it is the Lord who speaks.
Yes, the heavens are as high above the earth as my ways are above your
ways, my thoughts above your thoughts.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Response: And he will raise you up on eagle’s wings,
bear you on the breath of dawn; make you to shine like the sun and hold
you in the palm of his hand.
SECOND READING Philippians 1:20-24. 27 Christ will be glorified in my
body, whether by my life or by my death. Life to me, of course, is Christ,
but then death would bring me something more; but then again, if living in
this body means doing work which is having good results — I do not know
what I should choose. I am caught in this dilemma: I want to be gone and
with Christ, which would be very much the better, but for me to stay alive
in this body is a more urgent need for your sake. Avoid everything in your
lives that would be unworthy of the gospel of Christ.
GOSPEL Matthew 20:1-16 Jesus said to his disciple: ‘The kingdom of
heaven is like a landowner going out at daybreak to hire workers for his
vineyard. He made an agreement with his workers for one denarius a day,
and sent them to his vineyard. Going out at about the third hour he saw
others standing idle in the market place and said to them, “You go to my
vineyard too and I will give you a fair wage.” So they went. At about the
sixth hour and again at about the ninth hour, he did the same. Then at
about the eleventh hour he went out and found more men standing round and
he said to them, “Why have you been standing here idle all day?” “Because
no-one has hired us” they answered. He said to them, “You go into my
vineyard too.” In the evening, the owner of the vineyard said to his
bailiff, “Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the
last arrivals and ending with the first.” So those who were hired at about
the eleventh hour came forward and received one denarius each. When the
first came, they expected to get more, but they too received one denarius
each. They took it, but grumbled at the landowner, “The men who came last
,” they said, “have done only one hour, and you have treated them the same
as us, though we have done a heavy day’s work in all the heat.” He
answered one of them and said, “My friend, I am not being unjust to you;
did we not agree on one denarius? Take your earnings and go. I choose to
pay the last-comer as much as I pay you. Have I no right to do what I like
with my own? Why be envious because I am generous?” Thus the last will be
first, and the first, last.
PREPARATION OF GIFTS HYMN Give me joy in my heart 274
HOLY, HOLY Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and
earth are full of your glory. Hosanna, hosanna in the highest. Blessed is
he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in
the highest.
MEMORIAL ACCLAMATION He is Lord! He is Lord! He is risen from the dead
and he is Lord! Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord.
LAMB OF GOD Cantor: … you take away the sins of the world All: have
mercy on us, have mercy on us, grant us peace.
COMMUNION HYMN Deep calls to deep 235 Be still and know 163
RECESSIONAL HYMN Though the mountains may fall 688
Father Stephen G McGrattan
Our Lady and St Cuthbert’s Presbytery, 28 Dailly Road, Maybole, KA19
7AU Telephone: 01655 882145 Email: saint.cuthbert@virgin.net
LITURGY FOR THE TWENTY FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Sunday Masses Saturday Vigil at 6.30 pm Sunday at 10.00 am
Weekday services Monday, Tuesday at 9.00 am Wednesday at 7.00 pm
Thursday, Friday at 9.00 am
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament Monday after Mass until 9.45 am
Wednesday after Mass until 7.45 pm
Mass intentions this week Sat: Helen Ferns Sun: John McEwan
Sacrament of Confession After Vigil Mass and when requested
Sacrament of Baptism Forms are available in the sacristy
Sacrament of Marriage At least six months notice is required
HALL DIARY Tuesday 14th, 7.00-8.30 pm Dailly Road Residents’
Association Thursday 16th, 6.00-8.00 pm Residents’ Association Youth Club
Friday 17th, 6.00-7.00 pm Tae Kwan-Do class Saturday 18th, 10.00-11.00 am
Muay Thai Boxing class The hall is available for hire. For bookings
contact Jim McDermott (882592 or jim.mcdermott@virgin.net)
CARE OF THE SICK AND HOUSEBOUND Please pray for our parishioners who
are sick, especially Linda Connolly, Jim Gallagher, Janet White and
Margaret Manning. Please also remember in your prayers Nora Hempkin who
died recently- may she rest in peace. Do you know of someone who is sick
or housebound? Perhaps they would like someone to stop by for a chat or
need some help with their shopping. Please contact Elizabeth Meek
(883419), Marian Davidson (883017) or speak to Father Stephen. If you need
transport to get to a hospital appointment or to visit someone you know,
please contact Elizabeth Meek (883419), Alex Kelly (882970) or speak to
Father Stephen. They will try to help in whatever way they can.
PARISH DIARY Monday 13th, 5.00-5.30 pm Children’s Choir (for details
contact Donna McKay on 882947) Thursday 16th, 7.00 pm Saint Vincent de
Paul Society meeting in the sacristy
MINISTERS FOR SUNDAY CELEBRATIONS OF THE EUCHARIST THIS WEEK AND NEXT
WEEK
Please contact Alex Kelly (882970) if you are unable to minister at a
Saturday Mass and Nancy Flanagan (882458) if you are unable to minister at
a Sunday Mass. All ministers are asked to gather in the sacristy five
minutes before Mass for a moment of prayer together.
Items for inclusion in this newsletter should be given in writing to
David Kiltie (882644 or david.kiltie@virgin.net)
Last week’s collection £425 Thank you
It was a long but worthwhile day. At 7.30am Eileen, Ellen, Brenda and I
met at the Greenside, all dressed in white and carrying our picnics. None
of us knew quite what to expect from the day, but we were hoping that our
small contribution might help to make a difference.
At Ayr station, buses were waiting to take us to Edinburgh. On the
buses were people from other Churches and groups, and our co-ordinator was
Norma Duncan from the World Development Movement.
The organisation was impressive - over 800 buses converged round the
Meadows, which was a sea of white with two stages, marquees from many
organisations, food stalls and port-a-loos. The atmosphere was festive but
purposeful and the numbers exceeded all expectations. The organisers
estimated that 100,000 might come; in fact, there were over 250,000.
There were speakers from the Churches, the media, workers from Africa,
trade unionists and comedians. Cardinal Keith O’Brien read a message from
Pope Benedict XVI.
Each organisation had its own assembly point. SCIAF’s was at the far
side of the Meadows, and as we headed towards it I became separated from
the others - with everyone dressed in white it was impossible to find
them, and mobiles only work if you have exchanged numbers! (We eventually
met up again on the bus.) Liz and Andrew Kerrigan had travelled from
Glasgow and they marched too.
The first marchers set off at midday and soon Edinburgh was encircled
by a band of white.When these first marchers re-entered the Meadows it was
clear that it would be hours before everyone would get round the route. It
was a hot day, and the patience and good humour of those who stood in
queues for two hours or more was impressive. When we boarded our bus at
6pm to return to Ayr we were tired, hot and a little sunburned. We had met
people from all over Britain who had travelled much further than us to
make their voices heard. Everyone was glad to be there - surely such a
turn-out would convince the G8 leaders that the time has come to act
positively to cancel debt, improve trade justice and give more and better
aid.
HALL DIARY Thursday 7th, 6.00-8.00 pm Residents’ Association Youth Club
Saturday 9th, 10.00-11.00 am Muay Thai Boxing class
The hall is available for hire. For bookings contact Jim McDermott on
882592 or e-mail jim.mcdermott@virgin.net
There are prayer request cards on the table in the church porch which
parishioners are invited to fill in as appropriate. The requests should be
placed in the box beside the cards and the local ecumenical prayer group
will pray for the person or circumstance.
The prayer group meets at 7 Kildoon Drive every Tuesday at 7.30pm until
9pm, sharing on Scripture and praying for our nation and personal
requests. If you would like to know more, please speak to Fr. Stephen and
he will put you in touch.
Edinburgh rally report by Caroline Fox
Please pray that the fight against terrorism will be joined by all
nations.
The gospel today is difficult for us who live in a world of trades
unions and equal pay. It seems unjust to get the same pay for one hour’s
work as for twelve.
However, Jesus is talking about rewards relating to the kingdom of
heaven not the world of work. The time when we turn to him is not so
important as the fact that we do turn.
None of us “deserves” eternal life. We just cannot earn it, no matter
how hard we try or how long we work at it. The right of entry to eternal
life is a free and generous gift, which we can accept or reject – a gift
earned by Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. So whether we accept Jesus
early or late in life, the reward is the same. The key question which
opens the gate to eternal life is not “When did you start with me?” but
“Have you been working in my vineyard?”
God’s way of thinking and of doing things is different and far above
ours. His judgements are more generous than ours. Thankfully God rewards
everyone as he judges – not as we judge.
The passage is a very re-assuring one - as workers in the vineyard of
Jesus we can rely totally on his generosity to fulfil his promises.
The Church gives us many opportunities to be in this vineyard with
Jesus, especially the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist where the
generosity of God is most manifest – in giving us his Son through his word
and in the Body and Blood of Christ, in forgiving our sin, and in
bestowing gifts of peace, protection and healing. The encounter with Jesus
in the Mass is a sure way of accessing the treasures of heaven.
A new season of welcoming enquirers to the Catholic faith is about to
start after the holidays.
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) has been completed
for the four new Catholics we had the privilege of sharing with last year.
If you know of anyone who wants to know a bit more about the Catholic
faith, please let Fr. Stephen or Ellen Hawkes know. There is no commitment
required - just interest. Please pray that people will have the courage to
come along and that all of us will encourage them to do so. The first
session will be a very open informal social occasion, with a chance to
meet the people who joined us last year and the members of the parish RCIA
team.
PARISH DIARY Thursday 29th Sep. 7 - 9pm NHS Ayrshire and Arran Review
of Service meeting in Town Hall HALL DIARY Wednesday 21st Sep 8.15pm
Ayrshire Muay Thai class
Thursday 22nd Sept 6-8pm Residents’ Assoc Youth Club Friday 23rd Sept
6-7pm Tae Kwan Do class
Saturday 24th Sept 10-11 am Muay Thai boxing class
The hall is available for hire. For bookings contact Jim McDermott on
882592 or e-mail jim.mcdermott@virgin.net
Please contact Alex Kelly (882970) if you are unable to minister at a
Saturday Mass and Nancy Flanagan (882458) if you are unable to minister at
a Sunday Mass. All ministers are asked to gather in the sacristy five
minutes before Mass for a moment of prayer together.
MINISTERS FOR SUNDAY CELEBRATIONS OF THE EUCHARIST THIS WEEK AND NEXT
WEEK
PRAYER REQUESTS There are prayer request cards on the table in the
church porch which parishioners are invited to fill in as appropriate. The
requests should be placed in the box beside the cards and the local
ecumenical prayer group will pray for the person or circumstance.
2006 PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND
Bishop Maurice Taylor will lead a Scottish inter-diocesan pilgrimage to
the Holy Land from 8th-15th March 2006.
The cost of the trip is £688 (inclusive of all taxes). For further
information please see the notice board or contact Bishop Taylor, 41
Overmills Road, Ayr, KA7 3LH (Telephone 01292 285865).
Please buy a brick...
Parish funds have to meet the shortfall of £4,000 needed to pay for our
boundary wall.
You can help raise this sum by buying a brick on the paper walls in the
church and hall for £1.
The prize for the winning brick (which Fr Stephen selected before
brick-buying started) is the Peugeot pictured on the organ case.
The draw will take place on September 4th. Please try to buy up all the
bricks before then. Thank you.
Fr Stephen and parishioners of Our Lady and St Cuthbert’s extend a warm
welcome to all our visitors We hope you feel at home.
26th Sunday Year A READER BIDDING PRAYERS EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS
PASSKEEPERS PROCESSION OF GIFTS SERVERS 24th Sep Robert Malone Eileen
Hamilton Ellen Hawkes Irene Hewitt Robin Donald Jim Hawkes Sprott family
Jonathan & Michael Lewis Owen & Phoebe McDowall Stephen Zagorski 25th Sep
Ellen Hawkes Wilma Valdrighi Betty McCaffery David Strang Jim McDermott
Dennis McCaffery Jean Harvey Chris Malone Patrick & Roisin McCallum Justin
McQuillan Ali Roy, Liam Menzies 25th Sunday Year A READER BIDDING PRAYERS
EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS PASSKEEPERS PROCESSION OF GIFTS SERVERS 17th Sep
Nancy Flanagan Alex Meek Doreen Donald Pat Sloan Kate Sprott David Malone
Murdoch family Jamie Cron Alice Mackie Paul & Amy Strang 18th Sep Robert
Malone Nancy Flanagan Marian Davidson Margaret Kiltie Cindy McEwan Jim
Campbell Kerrigan family Kyle & Paige Campbell Kieran Porte, Meave Murphy,
Ross Malone Justice & Peace latest
Thanks
MRS VAL BANNERMAN
Mrs Bannerman leaves St Cuthbert’s Primary at the end of August. She
has accepted our invitation to join parents, children and parishioners for
the children’s Mass on Sunday 4th September at 10 am. After Mass we will
have the chance to say thank you and farewell in the hall.
A thank-you card has been received from Stuart and Sarah Green for all
the hard work in getting the church ready for their wedding.
The next Justice & Peace group meeting will be held on 10th October at
7 pm in the parish house. Chair of the group, Caroline Fox, writes: On the
agenda of the United Nations Summit in New York this week there was a
pledge to combat poverty, but many activists who took part in
MakePovertyHistory events around the time of the G8 fear that much of the
aid promised then was misrepresented. Analysis of the $25billion
(£13.6million) a year announced in July shows that only $8billion is new
money. The rest had already been announced by G8 governments. Charities
working in Africa accuse the G8 of double accounting and massaging the
figures. The UN Summit was due to discuss the implementation of its
millennium development goals to end poverty, but the USA has tabled 750
amendments which will effectively seek to bury mention of the targets.
This prayer of commitment was said at Mass at Sacred Heart Church in
Edinburgh on July 2:
We believe in a future where poverty is history. We believe in change,
change in ourselves and in the world. We believe in God, who loves and
guides us. We believe in life, full of opportunity and hope. Today, we
commit ourselves to change, to life and to God. We commit ourselves to
working towards a world where poverty is history.
Let us remain committed.
A day well spent!
Last Sunday, 11th September, a number of parishioners went on our
annual parish pilgrimage which this year was to the National Lourdes
Shrine in Carfin.
They joined in the celebration of Mass led by Cardinal Keith O’Brien,
and Bishop John Cunningham of our own Diocese of Galloway was the
preacher. The service was attended by Catholics from across Scotland.
Fr Stephen told local newspapers this week, “Our pilgrimage is more
than just an excursion because it reminds parishioners of the reasons why
they are united as a Christian community.”
“The pilgrimage,” he added, “involves journeying together, praying
together and, of course, eating together.”
The group and Fr Stephen took opportunities to strengthen friendships,
and returned tired but happy after a day well spent.
AS SEEN IN OTHER CHURCH BULLETINS:
"People are like tea bags--you have to put them in hot water before you
know how strong they are." "God so loved the world that He did NOT send a
committee." "How will you spend eternity? Smoking or Non-smoking?" "Do not
wait for the hearse to take you to church." "Forbidden fruit creates many
jams."
From 2nd -23rd Oct Pope Benedict XVI will preside at the 11th general
assembly of the Synod of Bishops, a meeting expected to address difficult
issues such as the decision-making structure in the church, divorce,
abortion, the declining appeal of the priesthood and the drop in the
number of Catholics who attend Mass on Sundays.
The bishops and others are said to be keen to see the Synod become a
decision-making body rather than an opportunity for offering advice to the
Pope.
The official theme is, "The Eucharist: Source and Summit for the Life
and Mission of the Church." Representing a change in format, there will be
one hour of open discussion at the end of each of the days on which formal
speeches are made and each bishop will be asked to limit his six minute
speech to one of the four main parts of the synod's working document. NEW
BISHOP
Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Fr Philip Tartaglia as the new Bishop
of Paisley. The announcement was made on 13th September in Rome. The new
Bishop-elect succeeds Bishop John Mone who retired in October 2004 after
16 years as Bishop.
Reacting to the announcement, Fr. Tartaglia said; "I am deeply honoured
to have been nominated Bishop of Paisley by Pope Benedict XVI. I ask the
priests and people of the diocese to pray for me as I prepare to begin my
ministry as a bishop. I look forward to working with them to continue to
build up the life of the Church in our diocese. For the past 16 months, I
have been Rector of the Pontifical Scots College in Rome, a post I have
really enjoyed. The death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, the subsequent
conclave and election of Pope Benedict XVI were momentous and
unforgettable events, and made my time in Rome especially memorable."
Latest winners in the “150 Club” draw are: £25 Betty McGarry (no. 3)
£15 Mary Waugh (no. 113) £10 Margaret Malone (no. 47)
Free courses
Community Education courses for autumn will once again be friendly and
informal and provide the opportunity to learn locally. The classes are all
led by experienced tutors and the teaching style is friendly and informal
with an emphasis on learning at your own pace.
Classes will start from Tuesday 20th Sept and will run for 12 weeks
free of charge. They will be held in the Carnegie Building and include:
Computing for beginners - Mondays 9.30am – 11.30am and 1.00pm – 3.00pm,
Tuesdays 6.30pm – 8.30pm, Thursdays 9.30am – 11.30am. Drop in session –
Wednesdays 1pm – 3pm: This is not a class but a chance to drop in and
brush up your skills, get expert help to sort out problems, or to learn
something new! (no need to book for this session) Family learning courses
- Coffee, childcare and a chance to relax whilst learning more about
parenting skills, stress management, assertiveness building and cooking
for health. To find out more please contact Carol George, Community
Education office, Carnegie Building, 1 High Street Maybole or call 01655
882105.
It’s the 1945 day at Culzean today, Sunday 18th September, from 10.30am
to 5pm and there will be 1940s vehicles including jeeps and ambulances,
Pathe newsreels, a Fairground, a British Army Field Kitchen, Jives
performed by dance schools, George Formby and Max Miller impersonators,
"It Ain't Half Hot Mum" style concert parties, Maybole Pipe Band, and
lots, lots more.
BUY A BRICK FOR THE BOUNDARY WALL!
This weekend is the last chance to buy a brick to help clear the
boundary wall costs. If you’ve bought one already, why not buy one more.
The winner of the Peuegot 206 will be announced after 10 o’clock Mass next
Sunday, 25th September. Thank you very much for your generosity.
CHILDREN’S CHOIR
The children’s choir which was formed before the summer has been an
excellent help for us all to worship God in song at our monthly children’s
Masses. Thanks to all involved! The time for the rehearsal will change
from a Monday night to Sunday after 10 am Mass from next Sunday, 25th
September. |