Parish newsletter

3rd Sunday of Easter

Dear Parishioners

What does the new life of the Resurrection mean for you?

The gospel read at Mass this Sunday, (John 21: 1-15), helps us to realise that we will get nowhere in life by ourselves. We need the presence of Christ and his love to touch our hearts and enrich us through our faith and prayer, through the sacraments and through the love we receive from our fellow Christians.

Our response to our love for Christ is often seen in our love for others, especially those in need. To do this, we have to overcome our own selfishness and fears that can prevent us from being open to the world beyond us.

It is this sense of welcoming the challenge of the world that lies beyond us that will not only give us a share in the calling of our Risen Lord,  but will also help us deal with whatever life may demand of us in carrying out our response to the challenge.

So what would your answer be to the question Jesus asked of Peter: “Do you love me?”

May the glory and the promise of this joyous time of year bring peace and happiness to you and those you hold most dear. And may Christ, Our Risen Saviour, always be there by your side to bless you most abundantly and be your loving guide

Fr. Patterson


Mass to view on line

Mass is live streamed from our Cathedral. Visit the Cathedral website for times this week.

Alternatively, you may like to follow Mass from the Holy Name, JesmondVisit the website for Mass times this week.


Mass Intentions

With the exception of Sunday and Tuesday, Fr. Patterson will celebrate Mass privately during the week for the following Intentions. You are encouraged to wear face coverings when attending Church, unless you are medically exempt.

  • Monday – No Mass today
  • Tuesday: 10.00 in St. Patrick’s Church – Teresa Smith
  • Wednesday – Celia Morley
  • Thursday – 11.00 Wedding Service for Kamil Zurek and Sophie Moffatt                                             
  • Friday – Eileen Buck
  • Saturday -Fr. Patterson’s Intentions
  • Sunday: 10.00 in St. Patrick’s Church – For the intentions of all our parishioners

When you are unable to celebrate Mass with us in Church, you may wish to make this act of spiritual communion:

Lord Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.

In case you are not aware, a parish priest is obliged to celebrate Mass for the “Intentions of the Parishioners” every Sunday or Holydaywhich prevents him from fulfilling personal intentions on those occasions.


Current Diocesan COVID Controls

In keeping with the National Guidelines for Churches issued by the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales the following  arrangements for St. Patrick’s Church are as follows:

  • If you are displaying any symptoms of Covid-19 you should stay at home.
  • Hand sanitiser will continue to be offered as you enter and leave church.
  • You are encouraged to wear a face covering during the celebration of Mass.
  • Indoor congregational singing can take place with a general encouragement that face coverings are worn.
  • Although there is no formal social distancing by way of seating, we ask that when you take your seat, you are sensitive to the needs of other people who are already in a bench and may not be comfortable if you “snuggle up” to them. We have plenty of seating space.
  • We will, for the time being, continue to invite you to come forward for Holy Communion, row by row from the front. Holy Communion will continue to be distributed under one kind only. At the end of Mass, you may leave at your leisure.
  • It is still important to ventilate our buildings. This has the effect of diluting and dispersing viral particles.
  • Welcomers will be on hand to greet you and care for you.

Please keep in your prayers:

  • all our parishioners who are sick, housebound or in hospital.
  • all those near and dear to us whose memories we cherish at this time and,
  • Ambrose Mulroy who has died. May he rest in peace.

A Prayer for Carers, Nurses and Doctors

Lord Jesus, who healed the sick and gave them new life, be with doctors, nurses and carers, as they act as agents of your healing touch. In desperate times, keep them strong yet loving; and when their work is done, be with them in their weariness and in their tears. Amen.


A time to pray

Please join together in prayer for the 174,912 people who have died in our country from the coronavirus. (Friday’s figure)

Gracious God, as we remember before you the thousands who have died from the coronavirus, surround us and all who mourn with your compassion. Be gentle with us in our grief, protect us from despair and give us grace to persevere and face the future with hope. We make this prayer in Jesus Christ our risen Lord. Amen.


A Prayer for the Ukraine

Lord God, hold the people of Ukraine deep in your heart. Protect them from violence, from political gamesmanship, from being used and abused. Give the nations of the world the courage and the wisdom to stand up for justice and the courage to care generously. Take from us those traits that see us pursuing our own needs and wants before those of others. Teach us how to live in love and dignity and respect, following your ways. We ask this in your name and for your sake. Amen


A Prayer for Eastertime

Risen Christ, when darkness overwhelms us may your dawn beckon. When fear paralyses us may your touch release us. When grief torments us may your peace enfold us. When memories haunt us may your presence heal us. When justice fails us may your power ignite us. When apathy stagnates us may your challenge renew us. When courage leaves us may your spirit inspire us. When despair grips us may your hope restore us. And when death threatens us may your resurrection light lead us. Amen


Bishop Barron’s Sunday Sermons

Each week Bishop Barron offers a Sunday sermon.


St. Alban’s Church

Fr. Patterson had a fruitful meeting with Bishop Robert last week to discuss the possible reopening of St. Alban’s Church. The Bishop is very supportive of the care and attention Fr. Patterson has taken to accomplish a reopening.

The Bishop expressed his concern that the current level of support offered by parishioners is not what was hoped for, but agreed with Fr. Patterson, that we could proceed with the reopening of the church, initially for a Saturday Vigil Mass only, to assess the level of need and support.

The Bishop asked that the situation should be reviewed at the end of the summer.

Bishop Robert also advised that the responsibility for securing adequate help and support and the organisation of that support in St. Alban’s should lie with the parishioners themselves. This is becoming increasingly more important in parishes throughout the diocese due to fewer priests, their age profile and their associated health issues. In the light of the Bishop’s advice, Fr. Patterson has invited Terry and Christine Harbron to coordinate this work.

In the days ahead, they will be contacting those of you who have offered to help inviting you to join rotas and establish work patterns and I am grateful to them for accepting this role.

The first step will be for the Church to be deep cleaned and DBS checks carried out on volunteers whose role demands safeguarding checks. When these are complete, and the rotas have been prepared, we can set a date for the reopening of the Church.

We still need much more support in every aspect of parish life, so if you feel able to help in any way at all, please contact Terry and Christine by telephoning 0191 469 8697. Please avoid calling at weekends and after 6pm.

Fr. Patterson hopes that you will respond positively to this opportunity to play your part in rebuilding our parish family.


Keys to St. Alban’s Church

If you currently hold a key to St. Alban’s Church would you please return it to St. Patrick’s Presbytery ideally during the course of the coming week. Simply place it in an envelope with a note of your name, to enable us to identify the keyholder, and post it through the letterbox at St. Patrick’s. For security reasons keys should not be posted through St. Alban’s presbytery door.


St. Patrick’s Church is in need of your support

We would like to invite parishioners to come forward and support the next phase of the re-opening of St. Patrick’s Church.

We wish to re-establish rota’s for the following roles and ministries in St. Patrick’s Church:

  • Reading at Mass on weekdays and/or Sundays
  • assisting as a Eucharistic Minister for the distribution of the sacred host on weekdays and/or Sundays
  • preparing light refreshments in the parish centre after Sunday Mass
  • supporting our “welcomers” by offering to help with the opening of the Church for Mass and tidying up afterwards on weekdays and/or Sundays and, of course welcoming fellow parishioners and visitors to our church.
  • assisting with the childrens’ liturgy if/when we are in a position to restart it
  • to join in the music ministry whether as an instrumentalist or singer
  • to help with counting the collection

The more support you give will make it less demanding on any individual or group/team.

Please indicate your offer of support by emailing felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk or by telephoning Maureen on 07526 232124 on Friday, 6th May between 6pm – 7pm. This number will not be available at any other time.

Parishioners who have, in recent months, made offers of help will automatically be included in the rotas.


Refreshments after Mass

Refreshments will next be served in St. Patrick’s parish centre after Mass on Sunday,  15th May.


St. Patrick’s Health and Safety Representative

Every parish must have a nominated Health and Safety representative to look after your well-being whilst on Church property. Fr. Patterson is grateful to Joanne McShane for offering to act in this capacity. Should you have any health and safety issues, please speak with Joanne.

Fr. Patterson would like to thank George Hodgson for having served as our Health and Safety Representative for many years and is now enjoying his retirement!


Taking the collection during Mass

Although no collection is taken during Mass, by way of passing baskets along the benches, we do hope you will support our church financially by placing your offering in the boxes at the entrances to the church. Alternatively you may consider contributing by standing order the details for which are found below.


Your Offertory contributions

Many of you during the past two years have chosen to make your offering by standing order or by bank transfer and we are most grateful to you for doing so. It is hoped that you will continue to make your offering in this way. To reduce the demands on parish administration, we invite more of you to consider making your offering in this way whether you are in the gift aid scheme or not. The bank details you require are:

St. Alban’s HSBC bank account name: DHN Pelaw St Alban, Sort code: 40-34-18, Account No: 92010984

St. Patrick’s HSBC bank account name: DHN Felling St Patrick, Sort code: 40-34-18, Account No: 52010453

If you are a tax payer and are not a member of the parish gift aid scheme please consider joining the scheme, it costs you nothing and the parish benefits by being able to reclaim the tax you have already paid on your offering. The parish receives 25p of every £1.00 you give from HMRC. All that is required, is for you to complete a simple form which does not involve you disclosing any personal financial information and is held securely by the Diocesan Finance Office. To obtain a form, or for more information, please email St. Patrick’s Gift Aid organiser at stpatrick.giftaid@outlook.com

For the time being, enquiries concerning the Gift Aid scheme for St. Albans Church should be directed to Fr. Patterson at felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk.


The Little Sisters of the Poor Appeal

The Sisters at St Joseph’s Home in Newcastle are finding the current economic climate increasingly more difficult. The measures they have had to implement to keep their residents safe during the pandemic have had a huge impact on the daily running costs of the Home. If you would like to support their annual appeal place your donation in an envelope marked “Little Sisters” and place it in the boxes as you enter the Church next Sunday, 8th May. Those of you with boxes of envelopes should have an envelope included in your box. Alternatively, secure, online donations can be made by visiting: www.littlesistersofthepoor.co.uk/donate-here/


Joe’s Place – Easter hamper raffle.

Thanks to those who bought tickets for the Easter Hamper raffle which raised £100.00 for Joe’s Place. The prize has been claimed. Thanks to the parishioner who donated the hamper.


The Diocesan Refugee Project

Your ongoing support of this project would be welcomed.  It supports over 400 asylum seekers. The project tries to provide them all with a bag of food and those who are destitute also receive a supermarket voucher. Donations of sugar, biscuits, tinned fish in oil, tins of tomatoes and chick peas may be left on the table to your right as you enter the front of St. Patrick’s Church or on any table if you enter by the rear door. They are particularly in need of toiletries and shampoo. Please note: baked beans and tinned meat are not required.


Minsteracres Retreat Centre Open Day

On Bank Holiday Monday, from 11am – 3pm, there will be an opportunity to visit the Grade II Listed House and beautiful grounds situated just off the A68 south of Riding Mill. With exhibitions, tours, spaces for reflection, guided walks through the grounds and plenty of tea, coffee and cakes in the refectory, it’s the perfect opportunity to discover more about this Passionist retreat centre in the picturesque Northumberland countryside.  The magnificent avenue of giant Californian redwoods (Sequoia) is an inspiring sight with an immediate calming presence. 


The wearing of Face Coverings

Several parishioners have expressed their concerns that fewer people are wearing face coverings in shops and on public transport and of course there is no longer an obligation for them to do so. Sometimes they find themselves the only one on a bus or on the Metro wearing their face covering and feel self conscious.

But Covid has not gone away. So here is something for you to think about. If you enter a place where another person is wearing a face covering and you are not – why not put a face covering on for the benefit of the person who is already wearing one. Like Covid , a person’s vulnerability to the virus is not visible! A face covering might provide a clue!


Please get vaccinated

The Bishops have issued a statement declaring that the principal means of protecting people who attend Catholic Churches in England and Wales is through participation in the Government vaccination programme. Those who are fully vaccinated will have significant personal resilience against major illness from the Covid-19 virus and its variants. The Catholic Church has promoted the participation of all in the vaccination programme as part of its mitigation of virus transmission in church and ancillary buildings.

Pope Francis also urges us to do so.


ZOE Covid weekly update – COVID cases in free fall but for how long?

Professor Tim Spector this week says it’s a relief to see that cases in the UK are continuing to drop. Tim shares the results of the Zoe ear ringing survey to find out just how bad it is for some of you after catching COVID, as well as symptoms common in cancer sufferers.

In a separate blog, the updated symptoms of Omicron are discussed.

Data from the Office of National statistics may also be of interest to you with 1 in 25 people having Covid in England.


Parish News by Email

If you are aware of parishioners who would like to receive the Newsletter and other news from the parish by email, please ask them to email Fr. Patterson at felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk and they will be added to our contact list.


Parish newsletter

2nd Sunday of Easter

Dear Parishioners

I hope you were able to enjoy Easter and maybe spend time with those you love dearly.

I would like to thank everyone who felt able to join us in St Patrick’s Church for the celebration of the Holy Week Services and for Mass on Easter Sunday morning. There were some very genuine tears of joy shed as parishioners met afterwards in the parish centre, where they enjoyed each others company over tea and coffee.

I am also grateful to those who were able to minister and read in our liturgies and for our welcomers who continue to look after us so well during our time in Church.

Thank you for your cards and gifts, but especially for your support, understanding, patience and prayers as we move forward slowly but surely together learning to live and worship safely with Covid.

Some of us, like Thomas in the gospel, may still have our doubts about what the future holds. But let us seek in prayer and worship the depth of faith that will lead us, like Thomas, to discover the presence of the Risen Lord in our lives.

May God bless us and keep us safe.

Fr. Patterson


Mass to view on line

Mass is live streamed from our Cathedral. Visit the Cathedral website for times this week.

Alternatively, you may like to follow Mass from the Holy Name, JesmondVisit the website for Mass times this week.


Mass Intentions

With the exception of Sunday and Tuesday, Fr Patterson will celebrate Mass privately during the week for the following Intentions. You are encouraged to wear face coverings when attending Church, unless you are medically exempt.

  • Monday – Mary Rafferty and Betty Knight 
  • Tuesday: 10.00 in St. Patrick’s Church – Evelyn May and George Craig
  • Wednesday – Catherine Palmer
  • Thursday – LDM Murray Family
  • Friday -Brian Quigley
  • Saturday -Fr Patterson’s Intentions
  • Sunday: 10.00 in St. Patrick’s Church – For the intentions of all our parishioners 

When you are unable to celebrate Mass with us in Church, you may wish to make this act of spiritual communion:

Lord Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.

In case you are not aware, a parish priest is obliged to celebrate Mass for the “Intentions of the Parishioners” every Sunday or Holydaywhich prevents him from fulfilling personal intentions on those occasions


Current Diocesan COVID Controls

In keeping with the National Guidelines for Churches issued by the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales the following  arrangements for St Patrick’s Church are as follows:If you are displaying any symptoms of Covid-19 you should stay at home.

  • Hand sanitiser will continue to be offered as you enter and leave church.
  • You are encouraged to wear a face covering during the celebration of Mass.
  • Indoor congregational singing can take place with a general encouragement that face coverings are worn.
  • Although there is no formal social distancing by way of seating, we ask that when you take your seat, you are sensitive to the needs of other people who are already in a bench and may not be comfortable if you “snuggle up” to them. We have plenty of seating space.
  • We will, for the time being, continue to invite you to come forward for Holy Communion, row by row from the front. Holy Communion will continue to be distributed under one kind only. At the end of Mass, you may leave at your leisure.
  • It is still important to ventilate our buildings. This has the effect of diluting and dispersing viral particles.
  • Welcomers will be on hand to greet you and care for you.

Please keep in your prayers:

  • all our parishioners who are sick, housebound or in hospital and,
  • all those near and dear to us whose memories we cherish at this time especially Eileen Buck. Evelyn May Craig, Paul Hughes, Betty Knight and Teresa Smith.

A Prayer for Carers, Nurses and Doctors

Lord Jesus, who healed the sick and gave them new life, be with doctors, nurses and carers, as they act as agents of your healing touch. In desperate times, keep them strong yet loving; and when their work is done, be with them in their weariness and in their tears. Amen.


A time to pray

Please join together in prayer for the 173,352 people who have died in our country from the coronavirus. (Friday’s figure)

Gracious God, as we remember before you the thousands who have died from the coronavirus, surround us and all who mourn with your compassion. Be gentle with us in our grief, protect us from despair and give us grace to persevere and face the future with hope. We make this prayer in Jesus Christ our risen Lord. Amen.


A Prayer for the Ukraine

Lord God, hold the people of Ukraine deep in your heart. Protect them from violence, from political gamesmanship, from being used and abused. Give the nations of the world the courage and the wisdom to stand up for justice and the courage to care generously. Take from us those traits that see us pursuing our own needs and wants before those of others. Teach us how to live in love and dignity and respect, following your ways. We ask this in your name and for your sake. Amen


A Prayer for Eastertime

Risen Christ, when darkness overwhelms us may your dawn beckon. When fear paralyses us may your touch release us. When grief torments us may your peace enfold us. When memories haunt us may your presence heal us. When justice fails us may your power ignite us. When apathy stagnates us may your challenge renew us. When courage leaves us may your spirit inspire us. When despair grips us may your hope restore us. And when death threatens us may your resurrection light lead us. Amen  


St. Alban’s Church

Fr. Patterson is grateful for the offers of support he has received in the hope that we may be able to reopen St. Alban’s Church. He is meeting with Bishop Robert this week to discuss the way forward and will, of course, share with you the outcome of his discussions.


Sick and Retired Priests Collection – Sunday, 24th April, 2022

This Collection is administered by the Northern Brethren Fund, a group of diocesan priests who aim to raise funds every year to help give grants to our sick and retired priests. Each month, the NBF offers £450 to our sick and retired priests which amounts to £15,750.00 per year.

Like most charities, our Sick and Retired Priests Fund has suffered during the pandemic. In 2019, the Collection raised £21,465; in 2020 it raised £7,908; and in 2019, it was £5,928.

Please do what you can to support our sick and retired priests, some of whom you will know. They have dedicated their lives to the work of the Church in our Diocese and are now living with the frailty of the ageing process. Offerings may be placed in the boxes at the entrance to St. Patrick’s Church in an envelope marked Retired Priests.

It has been brought to my attention that those of you with boxes of envelopes do not have an envelope in your box for this collection. Instead the printer included two envelopes for the Little Sisters of the Poor Collection which is next Sunday. Simply write “Retired Priests” on one of those envelopes should you wish to contribute to the collection for sick and retired priests or use your own envelope.   


Joe’s Place – Easter hamper raffle.

Joe’s Place, held in St. Joseph’s parish hall, Gateshead, is open every Wednesday to support some of the most vulnerable people in our area. Run by a team of volunteers, Joe’s Place is a drop-in centre with a difference, offering table service and a choice of free, hot and cold food and refreshments from a varied menu.

As well as food and shelter, the volunteers also provide friendly conversation and a listening ear and are able to guide anyone in need of additional support to agencies and organisations able to help.

They are always grateful for financial support to assist their work. This Sunday there will be a raffle of an Easter hamper after Mass in St. Patrick’s parish centre with light refreshments. Tickets are £1.00 and will be on sale before Mass outside at the top door of the Church and after Mass at the back of Church. The proceeds will go to Joe’s Place.


The Diocesan Refugee Project

Your ongoing support of this project would be welcomed.  It supports over 400 asylum seekers. The project tries to provide them all with a bag of food and those who are destitute also receive a supermarket voucher. Donations of sugar, biscuits, tinned fish in oil, tins of tomatoes and chick peas may be left on the table to your right as you enter the front of St. Patrick’s Church or on any table if you enter by the rear door. They are particularly in need of toiletries and shampoo. Please note: baked beans and tinned meat are not required.


Cafod’s Humanitarian Appeal for the Ukraine.

If you wish to support the Appeal, donations may be left in the boxes at both entrances to St. Patrick’s Church or put through the letterbox of St. Patrick’s presbytery. Please mark your envelope Ukrainian Appeal. For security reasons, envelopes should not be put through the letterbox of St. Alban’s Presbytery. Alternatively you may donate directly to Cafod.  Fr. Patterson is grateful for further donations amounting to £15.00 for this appeal and a donation of £5.00 for Cafod’s Afghan Appeal.


Your Offertory contributions from 1st April, 2022

For the past two years, as a result of the pandemic, we have been left with a large number of unclaimed sets of weekly offering envelopes which came at a considerable cost to our parishes. With the uncertainties of the year ahead, we will only be issuing envelopes for the coming financial year to those of you who are in the parish gift aid scheme and are not already contributing by standing order or bankers order.

As non gift aid envelopes no longer need to be individually recorded, we ask that those of you who are not in the gift aid scheme, might bring your offering in an envelope of your own or simply place your offering in the box provided in the church as “loose plate.” Alternatively you may take a set of envelopes from St. Patrick’s Church dating back to 2020/21 which may be used. You do not have to use the number that was allocated to you in the past—any box will do.

Many of you during the past two years have chosen to make your offering by standing order or by bank transfer and we are most grateful to you for doing so. It is hoped that you will continue to make your offering in this way, which saves on administration costs. For those of you who gift aid your offering, tax can still be reclaimed from the standing order method of contributing. We invite more of you to consider making your offering in this way whether you are in the gift aid scheme or not. The bank details you require are printed below.

If you are a tax payer and are not a member of the parish gift aid scheme please consider joining the scheme, it costs you nothing and the parish benefits by being able to reclaim the tax you have already paid on your offering. All that is required, is for you to complete a simple form which does not involve you disclosing any personal financial information and is held securely by the Diocesan Finance Office.

To obtain a form, or for more information, please email St. Patrick’s Gift Aid organiser at stpatrick.giftaid@outlook.com

For the time being, enquiries concerning the Gift Aid scheme for St. Albans Church should be directed to Fr. Patterson at felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk

The details for bank transfers/standing orders and cheques are as follows:

St. Alban’s HSBC bank account name: DHN Pelaw St Alban, Sort code: 40-34-18, Account No: 92010984

St. Patrick’s HSBC bank account name: DHN Felling St Patrick, Sort code: 40-34-18, Account No: 52010453


The wearing of Face Coverings

Several parishioners have expressed their concerns that fewer people are wearing face coverings in shops and on public transport and of course there is no longer an obligation for them to do so. Sometimes they find themselves the only one on a bus or on the Metro wearing their face covering and feel self conscious.

But Covid has not gone away. So here is something for you to think about. If you enter a place where another person is wearing a face covering and you are not – why not put a face covering on for the benefit of the person who is already wearing one. Like Covid, a person’s vulnerability to the virus is not visible! A face covering might provide a clue!


Please get vaccinated

The Bishops have issued a statement declaring that the principal means of protecting people who attend Catholic Churches in England and Wales is through participation in the Government vaccination programme. Those who are fully vaccinated will have significant personal resilience against major illness from the Covid-19 virus and its variants. The Catholic Church has promoted the participation of all in the vaccination programme as part of its mitigation of virus transmission in church and ancillary buildings.

Pope Francis also urges us to do so.


ZOE Covid weekly update – As COVID falls, why are so many people still in hospital?

Professor Tim Spector this week, as well as sharing the real case data, looks at how our rates of hospitalisations compare internationally, including looking at what’s happening in China. He’s also sharing fascinating data on cancers: which are most common, when people get them and who gets them.

In a separate blog, the updated symptoms of Omicron are discussed.

Data from the Office of National statistics may also be of interest to you with 1 in 17 people having Covid in England.


Parish News by Email

If you are aware of parishioners who would like to receive the Newsletter and other news from the parish by email, please ask them to email Fr. Patterson at felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk and they will be added to our contact list.


Parish newsletter

Easter Sunday

Dear Parishioners

Might I take this opportunity to wish you and your families all the blessings of the Easter Feast.  I hope you will feel able to join me for Mass on Sunday at 10am in St. Patrick’s Church.

Easter is a Feast which brings the promise of a new and eternal life lived out in God’s presence. A new life that can also be experienced in our own time and place through the witness of those who believe.

Whilst it doesn’t take away all that is going on around us in the world, it does give us hope and through the lives of believers that hope can become a reality for everyone.

It takes us back to the words of the prophet Isaiah which we heard read on Palm Sunday:-

“The Lord has given me a disciple’s tongue.
So that I may know how to reply to the wearied he provides me with speech.
Each morning he wakes me to hear, to listen to his word.
The Lord has opened my ears.
For my part, I made no resistance, neither did I turn away.
The Lord comes to my help.”

May God bless us and keep us safe from harm. 

Fr. Patterson


Mass to view on line

Mass is live streamed from our Cathedral. Visit the Cathedral website for times this week.

Alternatively, you may like to follow Mass from the Holy Name, JesmondVisit the website for Mass times this week.


Mass Intentions

With the exception of Sunday and Tuesday Fr. Patterson will celebrate Mass privately during the week for the following IntentionsYou are strongly recommended to wear a face when attending Church, unless you are medically exempt.

  • Monday – Baptism of  Amelia Lockerbie
  • Tuesday: 10am in St. Patrick’s Church – Paul Hughes
  • Wednesday – Molly Bell Thursday
  • Brian Grace Jnr
  • Friday: 10am in St. Patrick’s Church – Funeral Service for Joan Elliott
  • Saturday – Fr. Patterson’s Intentions 
  • Sunday: 10am in St. Patrick’s Church – For the intentions of all our parishioners

When you are unable to celebrate Mass with us in Church, you may wish to make this act of spiritual communion:

Lord Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.

In case you are not aware, a parish priest is obliged to celebrate Mass for the “Intentions of the Parishioners” every Sunday or Holydaywhich prevents him from fulfilling personal intentions on those occasions.


Current Diocesan COVID Controls

In keeping with the National Guidelines for Churches issued by the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales the following  arrangements for St. Patrick’s Church are as follows:

  • If you are displaying any symptoms of Covid-19 you should stay at home.
  • Hand sanitiser will continue to be offered as you enter and leave church.
  • You are encouraged to wear a face covering during the celebration of Mass.
  • Indoor congregational singing can take place with a general encouragement that face coverings are worn.
  • Although there is no formal social distancing by way of seating, we ask that when you take your seat, you are sensitive to the needs of other people who are already in a bench and may not be comfortable if you “snuggle up” to them. We have plenty of seating space.
  • We will, for the time being, continue to invite you to come forward for Holy Communion, row by row from the front. Holy Communion will continue to be distributed under one kind only. At the end of Mass, you may leave at your leisure.
  • It is still important to ventilate our buildings. This has the effect of diluting and dispersing viral particles
  • Welcomers will be on hand to greet you and care for you.  

Please keep in your prayers this week:

  • all our parishioners who are sick, housebound or in hospital and,
  • all those near and dear to us whose memories we cherish at this time especially Molly Bell and Brian Grace Jnr.

 A Prayer for Carers, Nurses and Doctors

Lord Jesus, who healed the sick and gave them new life, be with doctors, nurses and carers, as they act as agents of your healing touch. In desperate times, keep them strong yet loving; and when their work is done, be with them in their weariness and in their tears. Amen.


A time to pray

Please join together in prayer for the 171,396 people who have died in our country from the coronavirus. (Thursday’s figure)

Gracious God, as we remember before you the thousands who have died from the coronavirus, surround us and all who mourn with your compassion. Be gentle with us in our grief, protect us from despair and give us grace to persevere and face the future with hope. We make this prayer in Jesus Christ our risen Lord. Amen.


A Prayer for the Ukraine

Lord God, hold the people of Ukraine deep in your heart. Protect them from violence, from political gamesmanship, from being used and abused. Give the nations of the world the courage and the wisdom to stand up for justice and the courage to care generously. Take from us those traits that see us pursuing our own needs and wants before those of others. Teach us how to live in love and dignity and respect, following your ways. We ask this in your name and for your sake. Amen


A Prayer for Eastertime

Risen Christ, when darkness overwhelms us may your dawn beckon. When fear paralyses us may your touch release us. When grief torments us may your peace enfold us. When memories haunt us may your presence heal us. When justice fails us may your power ignite us. When apathy stagnates us may your challenge renew us. When courage leaves us may your spirit inspire us. When despair grips us may your hope restore us. And when death threatens us may your resurrection light lead us. Amen


St. Alban’s Church

Fr. Patterson is grateful for the offers of support he has received in the hope that we will be able to reopen St. Alban’s Church. He is meeting with Bishop Robert in ten days time to discuss the way forward and will, of course, share with you the outcome of his discussions.


Sick and Retired Priests Collection

The Collection for the Sick and Retired Priests of our Diocese will be taken next Sunday, 24th April.

This Collection is administered by the Northern Brethren Fund, a group of diocesan priests who aim to raise funds every year to help give grants to our sick and retired priests. Each month, the NBF offers £450 to our sick and retired priests which amounts to £15,750.00 per year.

Like most charities, our Sick and Retired Priests Fund has suffered during the pandemic. In 2019, the Collection raised £21,465; in 2020 it raised £7,908; and in 2019, it was £5,928.

Please do what you can to support our sick and retired priests, some of whom you will know. They have dedicated their lives to the work of the Church in our Diocese and are now living with the frailty of the ageing process. Offerings may be placed in the boxes at the entrance to St. Patrick’s Church in an envelope marked Retired Priests. Those of you with boxes of envelopes should have an envelope in your box for this collection.    


The Diocesan Refugee Project

Your ongoing support of this project would be welcomed.  It supports over 400 asylum seekers. The project tries to provide them all with a bag of food and those who are destitute also receive a supermarket voucher. Donations of sugar, biscuits, tinned fish in oil, tins of tomatoes and chick peas may be left on the table to your right as you enter the front of St. Patrick’s Church or on any table if you enter by the rear door. They are particularly in need of toiletries and shampoo. Please note: baked beans and tinned meat are not required.


Cafod’s Humanitarian Appeal for the Ukraine.

If you wish to support the Appeal, donations may be left in the boxes at both entrances to St. Patrick’s Church or put through the letterbox of St. Patrick’s presbytery. Please mark your envelope Ukrainian Appeal. For security reasons, envelopes should not be put through the letterbox of St. Alban’s Presbytery. Alternatively you may donate directly to Cafod.  Fr. Patterson is grateful for further donations amounting to £15.00 for this appeal and a donation of £5.00 for Cafod’s Afghan Appeal.


Your Offertory contributions from 1st April, 2022

For the past two years, as a result of the pandemic, we have been left with a large number of unclaimed sets of weekly offering envelopes which came at a considerable cost to our parishes. With the uncertainties of the year ahead, we will only be issuing envelopes for the coming financial year to those of you who are in the parish gift aid scheme and are not already contributing by standing order or bankers order.

As non gift aid envelopes no longer need to be individually recorded, we ask that those of you who are not in the gift aid scheme, might bring your offering in an envelope of your own or simply place your offering in the box provided in the church as “loose plate.” Alternatively you may take a set of envelopes from St. Patrick’s Church dating back to 2020/21 which may be used. You do not have to use the number that was allocated to you in the past—any box will do.

Many of you during the past two years have chosen to make your offering by standing order or by bank transfer and we are most grateful to you for doing so. It is hoped that you will continue to make your offering in this way, which saves on administration costs. For those of you who gift aid your offering, tax can still be reclaimed from the standing order method of contributing. We invite more of you to consider making your offering in this way whether you are in the gift aid scheme or not. The bank details you require are printed below.

If you are a tax payer and are not a member of the parish gift aid scheme please consider joining the scheme, it costs you nothing and the parish benefits by being able to reclaim the tax you have already paid on your offering. All that is required, is for you to complete a simple form which does not involve you disclosing any personal financial information and is held securely by the Diocesan Finance Office.

To obtain a form, or for more information, please email St. Patrick’s Gift Aid organiser at stpatrick.giftaid@outlook.com

For the time being, enquiries concerning the Gift Aid scheme for St. Albans Church should be directed to Fr. Patterson at felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk

The details for bank transfers/standing orders and cheques are as follows:

St. Alban’s HSBC bank account name: DHN Pelaw St Alban, Sort code: 40-34-18, Account No: 92010984

St. Patrick’s HSBC bank account name: DHN Felling St Patrick, Sort code: 40-34-18, Account No: 52010453


Poverty Challenge

In the coming months many of us face steep rises in the cost of living and the hardship that will involve. Perhaps this is something we need to address in our shared parish after Easter and discover ways in which we may be able to offer support and reassurance to others. If you would be interested in coming together to reflect on this issue some time after Easter please contact Fr. Patterson on felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk.

Caritas, the social action agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, has released a free booklet to increase our awareness of Catholic Social Teaching on poverty which may be of help to us in our local situation.  A few printed copies will be available at Mass on Sunday in St. Patrick’s Church.


The wearing of Face Coverings

Several parishioners have expressed their concerns that fewer people are wearing face coverings in shops and on public transport and of course there is no longer an obligation for them to do so. Sometimes they find themselves the only one on a bus or on the Metro wearing their face covering and feel self conscious.

But Covid has not gone away. So here is something for you to think about. If you enter a place where another person is wearing a face covering and you are not – why not put a face covering on for the benefit of the person who is already wearing one. Like Covid , a person’s vulnerability to the virus is not visible! A face covering might provide a clue!


Please get vaccinated

The Bishops have issued a statement declaring that the principal means of protecting people who attend Catholic Churches in England and Wales is through participation in the Government vaccination programme. Those who are fully vaccinated will have significant personal resilience against major illness from the Covid-19 virus and its variants. The Catholic Church has promoted the participation of all in the vaccination programme as part of its mitigation of virus transmission in church and ancillary buildings.

Pope Francis also urges us to do so


ZOE Covid weekly update – Official symptoms finally updated as COVID rates set to stay high

Professor Tim Spector in the update this week, looks at the latest rates which finally appear to be coming down, as well as which UK regions are dropping the fastest. He also highlights the importance of paying attention to unusual skin symptoms with COVID, and looks at some insights from the health profiles and diet survey on heartburn and snacking .

In a separate blog, the updated symptoms of Omicron are discussed.

Data from the Office of National statistics may also be of interest to you with 1 in 14 people with Covid.


Parish News by Email

If you are aware of parishioners who would like to receive the Newsletter and other news from the parish by email, please ask them to email Fr. Patterson at felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk and they will be added to our contact list.


Parish newsletter

Palm Sunday

Dear Parishioners

This Sunday, Passion or Palm Sunday, marks the beginning of Holy Week.

It is a week full of opportunities to deepen our awareness of God’s infinite love for us so that we, in turn, may reflect that love in the everyday life situations we encounter Jesus’ suffering and death on the Cross is the ultimate sign of love; for true love involves an element of sacrifice.

During the past two years we have made many sacrifices to try and control the transmission of the coronavirus and we are still encouraged to make personal sacrifices  for the sake of the common good as we learn to live with Covid-19.

We are also aware of the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Ukraine who live with the ravages of war and we must continue to pray for them and support them in whatever way we can.

Prayer is the way forward for us all and I do hope you will feel able to join us in St. Patrick’s Church:

  • for the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday at 6pm
  • for the Solemn Celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday at 3pm and,
  • to share in the joy of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday at 10am

 The Church is as safe as we can make it for you.

  • You will be welcomed and invited to sanitise your hands as you enter and leave;
  • We strongly recommend you wear a face covering especially when singing
  • Although there is no formal social distancing by way of seating, we ask that when you take your seat, you are sensitive to the needs of other people who are already in a bench and may not be comfortable if you “snuggle up” to them. We have plenty of space
  • We will, for the time being, continue to invite you to come forward for Holy Communion, row by row from the front.
  • At the end of Mass you may leave at your leisure

We also hope to be able to offer you light refreshments in the parish centre after Mass on Easter Sunday morning.

The reading from the prophecy of Isaiah below, which is read at Mass on Palm Sunday, may be worthy of your reflection each day during the course of the coming week:-

 “The Lord has given me a disciple’s tongue. So that I may know how to reply to the wearied he provides me with speech. Each morning he wakes me to hear, to listen to his word. The Lord has opened my ears. For my part, I made no resistance, neither did I turn away. The Lord comes to my help.”

Remember too, that although it may have disappeared from the headline news, cases of Covid-19 continue to rise in our region. The latest figures from the Office of National Statistics cite 1 in 13 people currently have Covid in England. Many of us will be aware of someone who has the virus or is self-isolating, you may even be one of them. Please pray that they will make a full recovery. This is particularly important, as more cases of “long Covid” are beginning to emerge.

The Public Health message is still to act cautiously and to consider wearing a face covering especially in an indoor environment when we are in the company of people we do not usually mix with.  Please respond in a positive way for the sake of each other’s well-being.

May God bless us and keep us safe from harm.

Fr. Patterson


Mass to view on line

Mass is live streamed from our Cathedral. Visit the Cathedral website for times this week.

Alternatively, you may like to follow Mass from the Holy Name, JesmondVisit the website for Mass times this week.


Mass Intentions

With the exception of Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, Fr. Patterson will celebrate Mass privately during the week for the following Intentions. You are strongly recommended to wear a face when attending Church, unless you are medically exempt.

  • Monday – Celia Morley
  • Tuesday: 10am in St. Patrick’s Church – Jimmy Connolly
  • Wednesday – In Thanksgiving (GO)
  • Thursday: 6pm in St. Patrick’s Church – The People of Ukraine
  • Friday: 3pm in St. Patrick’s Church – The Solemn Celebration of the Lord’s Passion
  • Saturday – There is no Mass celebrated today
  • Sunday: 10am in St. Patrick’s Church: For the intentions of all our parishioners

When you are unable to celebrate Mass with us in Church, you may wish to make this act of spiritual communion:

Lord Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.

In case you are not aware, a parish priest is obliged to celebrate Mass for the “Intentions of the Parishioners” every Sunday or Holydaywhich prevents him from fulfilling personal intentions on those occasions.

Please keep in your prayers this week:

  • all our parishioners who are sick, housebound or in hospital and,
  • all those near and dear to us whose memories we cherish at this time especially Jimmy Connolly and Elizabeth Knock

 A Prayer for Carers, Nurses and Doctors

Lord Jesus, who healed the sick and gave them new life, be with doctors, nurses and carers, as they act as agents of your healing touch. In desperate times, keep them strong yet loving; and when their work is done, be with them in their weariness and in their tears. Amen.


A time to pray

Please join together in prayer for the 169,759 people who have died in our country from the coronavirus. (Friday’s figure)

Gracious God, as we remember before you the thousands who have died from the coronavirus, surround us and all who mourn with your compassion. Be gentle with us in our grief, protect us from despair and give us grace to persevere and face the future with hope. We make this prayer in Jesus Christ our risen Lord. Amen.


A Prayer for the Ukraine

Lord God, hold the people of Ukraine deep in your heart. Protect them from violence, from political gamesmanship, from being used and abused. Give the nations of the world the courage and the wisdom to stand up for justice and the courage to care generously. Take from us those traits that see us pursuing our own needs and wants before those of others. Teach us how to live in love and dignity and respect, following your ways. We ask this in your name and for your sake. Amen


The Lenten Journey 

Father Denis McBride C.Ss.R. is leading a free online retreat during Lent. 

A video will be added to the Redemptorist website every Sunday, and they will be available throughout the Lenten season, so you can re-watch them at your leisure.


Lenten Reflections

The Diocesan Vicariate for Faith and Mission has produced the final part of a booklet of Lenten reflections which you may find of value during Lent. Unfortunately the booklet is too large to make printed copies available.


Bishop Robert Barron asks, “Do you want to grow in your faith this Lent?”

For several months during the early stages of the pandemic, we were able to offer those of you who have access to the internet, the opportunity to engage in a variety of video presentations by Bishop Robert Barron.

During Lent this year, Word on Fire offer the opportunity to engage in more talks and videos with the ability to access those videos you have watched in the past and it is free of charge.


Bishop Barron’s Sunday Sermon

Each week Bishop Barron offers a Sunday sermon.


The Diocesan Refugee Project

Your ongoing support of this project would be welcomed.  It supports over 400 asylum seekers. The project tries to provide them all with a bag of food and those who are destitute also receive a supermarket voucher. Donations of sugar, biscuits, tinned fish in oil, tins of tomatoes and chick peas may be left on the table to your right as you enter the front of St. Patrick’s Church or on any table if you enter by the rear door. They are particularly in need of toiletries and shampoo. Please note: baked beans and tinned meat are not required.


Holy Places Collection

If you wish to contribute to the collection for the Holy Places next Sunday, please place your offering in the boxes at the entrance to St. Patrick’s in an envelope marked Holy Places. Those of you with boxes of envelopes should have an envelope in your box. 


Cafod’s Humanitarian Appeal for the Ukraine.

Fr. Patterson is grateful for donations received for this appeal during the course of the week totalling £30.00. If you wish to support the Appeal, donations may be left in the boxes at both entrances to St. Patrick’s Church or put through the letterbox of St. Patrick’s presbytery. Please mark your envelope Ukrainian Appeal. For security reasons, envelopes should not be put through the letterbox of St. Alban’s Presbytery. Alternatively you may donate directly to Cafod.


Your Offertory contributions from 1st April, 2022

For the past two years, as a result of the pandemic, we have been left with a large number of unclaimed sets of weekly offering envelopes which came at a considerable cost to our parishes. With the uncertainties of the year ahead, we will only be issuing envelopes for the coming financial year to those of you who are in the parish gift aid scheme and are not already contributing by standing order or bankers order.

As non gift aid envelopes no longer need to be individually recorded, we ask that those of you who are not in the gift aid scheme, might bring your offering in an envelope of your own or simply place your offering in the box provided in the church as “loose plate.” Alternatively you may take a set of envelopes from St. Patrick’s Church dating back to 2020/21 which may be used. You do not have to use the number that was allocated to you in the past—any box will do.

Many of you during the past two years have chosen to make your offering by standing order or by bank transfer and we are most grateful to you for doing so. It is hoped that you will continue to make your offering in this way, which saves on administration costs. For those of you who gift aid your offering, tax can still be reclaimed from the standing order method of contributing. We invite more of you to consider making your offering in this way whether you are in the gift aid scheme or not. The bank details you require are printed below.

If you are a tax payer and are not a member of the parish gift aid scheme please consider joining the scheme, it costs you nothing and the parish benefits by being able to reclaim the tax you have already paid on your offering. All that is required, is for you to complete a simple form which does not involve you disclosing any personal financial information and is held securely by the Diocesan Finance Office.

To obtain a form, or for more information, please email St. Patrick’s Gift Aid organiser at stpatrick.giftaid@outlook.com

For the time being, enquiries concerning the Gift Aid scheme for St. Albans Church should be directed to Fr. Patterson at felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk. 

The details for bank transfers/standing orders and cheques are as follows:

St. Alban’s HSBC bank account name: DHN Pelaw St Alban, Sort code: 40-34-18, Account No: 92010984

St. Patrick’s HSBC bank account name: DHN Felling St Patrick, Sort code: 40-34-18, Account No: 52010453


Church cleaning

Fr. Patterson wishes to thank those parishioners who came along to clean St. Patrick’s Church for our Easter celebrations last Friday evening


St. Patrick’s Church Heating

The heating has now been repaired at a cost of £2091.96!


Poverty Challenge

In the coming months many of us face steep rises in the cost of living and the hardship that will involve. Perhaps this is something we need to address in our shared parish after Easter and discover ways in which we may be able to offer support and reassurance to others. If you would be interested in coming together to reflect on this issue some time after Easter please contact Fr. Patterson on felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk.

Caritas, the social action agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, has released a free booklet to increase our awareness of Catholic Social Teaching on poverty which may be of help to us in our local situation. A few printed copies will be available at Mass on Sunday in St. Patrick’s Church.


St. Alban’s Church – A final call for your support

It has always been Fr. Patterson’s hope, and still is, that we would be able to reopen St. Alban’s Church once the Covid restrictions had been removed.

To achieve this, a bank of volunteers are required to assist with all aspects of parish life. A Roadmap was prepared in June, 2021 outlining the roles and the level of help needed. This was widely circulated and has been recirculated on several occasions since, accompanied by frequent appeals for volunteers in the Parish Newsletter and by word of mouth.

On 5th March, 2022, a Gathering was held in St. Alban’s parish room for prospective volunteers. At this meeting, Fr. Patterson explained both the level of help required and the nature of the roles which were needed to be filled. He renews his thanks to those who have offered to help so far. However, volunteers are still required in the three areas below if we are going to be able to reopen the Church.

We will need to make a decision about the future of our church after Easter, so this is a final appeal for your support.

Fr. Patterson has discussed our situation with Bishop Robert who is supportive of the efforts we have made, and continue to make, to reach out for volunteers. Fr. Patterson will be meeting with the Bishop after Easter to review the situation following this final appeal for your support.

The following essential roles still need to be filled:

Weekday Mass

Eight volunteers, to work in pairs on a rota, to open the Church 30 minutes before a weekday Mass or service, to prepare the Church for those services, to tidy up afterwards and to lock the Church. These volunteers must be available to open and prepare the Church for funerals, weddings and any other services which may take place. A degree of flexibility, when it comes to days of the week and times of services, is necessary.

Saturday Vigil Mass

Ten volunteers, to work in pairs on a rota, to open the Church 30 minutes before Mass on a Saturday evening; to prepare the church, to tidy up afterwards and lock the church. To fill the votive candle stands and to remove used candles; to welcome people as they arrive offering them a Mass book/hymn book, to organise the taking of the collection.

A degree of flexibility may be needed in this role if, sometime in the future, the time of the Vigil Mass is brought forward to 5.30pm. In the review of the time of the Vigil Mass carried out in 2019, 49% of the parishioners who took part requested Mass be celebrated at 5.30pm. We were unable to meet that request, as some of the volunteers opening the church at that time felt unable to accommodate the earlier time. It is therefore important, for those who may be considering offering to open the Church on a Saturday, to bear in mind, before coming to a decision, the possibility of the Vigil Mass being celebrated earlier in the future should the need arise.  

Counting and banking

Twelve volunteers, to work in teams of four on a rota, to count and record the collections; to empty the candle boxes; to prepare the money for banking and to take it to the bank. This is a weekly commitment. The Diocesan Code of Practice advises that, for safeguarding reasons, counting teams should ideally be composed of four people and a minimum of two people should be engaged in the banking process

Why so many volunteers?

Volunteering should not be burdensome, hence the number of volunteers we are seeking in the above roles. This will minimise the demand made on any individual or group/team and will assure cover when volunteers may not be available due to family commitments, sickness, holidays or unforeseen circumstances. However there is a need to be able to commit to a particular role on a rota basis.

Please give serious thought as to whether you could help in any of the above roles and inform Fr. Patterson at felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk or telephone 0191 495 2277. Alternatively you may contact Terry and Christine Harbron by telephoning 0191 469 8697.

Please get in touch by Saturday, 16th April so that Fr. Patterson can have a further discussion with Bishop Robert after Easter.

Please avoid telephoning either number after 6pm or at weekends. Emails are welcome anytime.


Please get vaccinated

The Bishops have issued a statement declaring that the principal means of protecting people who attend Catholic Churches in England and Wales is through participation in the Government vaccination programme. Those who are fully vaccinated will have significant personal resilience against major illness from the Covid-19 virus and its variants. The Catholic Church has promoted the participation of all in the vaccination programme as part of its mitigation of virus transmission in church and ancillary buildings.

Pope Francis also urges us to do so.


ZOE Covid weekly update – Official symptoms finally updated as COVID rates set to stay high

Professor Tim Spector in the update this week, addresses the NHS official list of symptoms finally being updated after their lobbying for more than 2 years! He also discusses the latest data and what we’re seeing in case rates among regions and age groups.

In a separate blog, the updated symptoms of Omicron are discussed.

Data from the Office of National statistics may also be of interest to you.


Parish News by Email

If you are aware of parishioners who would like to receive the Newsletter and other news from the parish by email, please ask them to email Fr. Patterson at felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk and they will be added to our contact list. The Newsletter may also be found on our parish website


Parish newsletter

5th Sunday of Lent

Dear Parishioners

The Bishops of England and Wales have issued the following statement:- As the Government has now lifted the Covid-19 restrictions and exhorted all people to adopt the recommendations of the “Covid Response: Living with Covid-19” document, the principal means of protecting people who attend Catholic Churches in England and Wales is through participation in the Government vaccination programme. Those who are fully vaccinated (i.e. two routine vaccinations plus booster) will have significant personal resilience against major illness from the Covid-19 virus and its variants. The Catholic Church has promoted the participation of all in the vaccination programme as part of its mitigation of virus transmission in Church and ancillary buildings. Alongside the positive effects of covid vaccination, it should be stressed that any people displaying symptoms of Covid-19 should stay at home and not participate in acts of worship in church.

In keeping with the National Guidelines of the Bishops Conference of England Wales, Bishop Robert has eased the Diocesan protocols and recommends the following points as methods of good practice against the transmission of the virus in our churches. After discussion with our stewards it was agreed that the following will be adopted in St. Patrick’s Church from Easter Sunday

  • Hand sanitiser should be available for all to use at places of entry and exit to our churches.
  • Those who wish to wear a face covering may do so during a Mass or service in Church.
  • There is no requirement for social distancing, but we should continue to be sensitive to the wishes of other people.
  • Singing can occur although there is a general encouragement to wear face coverings while singing.
  • Holy Communion must continue to be distributed under one kind only.
  • It is still important to ventilate our buildings. This has the effect of diluting and dispersing viral particles

Bishop Robert goes on to say that “it is important that we continue to be mindful of our local prevailing conditions in terms of viral infection and transmissions and local adaptations should be put in place. It is also important to consider the demographic of your parish communities, appreciating that some people continue to be more vulnerable to infection than others. In those circumstances you may wish to adjust the level of controls accordingly so that people feel comfortable.”

Your ongoing support of the Diocesan Refugee Project would be welcomed. The project supports over 400 asylum seekers. They try to provide them all with a bag of food and those who are destitute also receive a supermarket voucher. Donations of sugar, biscuits, tinned fish in oil, tins of tomatoes and chick peas may be left on the table to your right as you enter the front of St. Patrick’s Church or on any table if you enter by the rear door. They are particularly in need of toiletries and shampoo. Please note: baked beans and tinned meat are not required.

Cases of Covid-19 continue to rise in our region. The latest figures from the Office of National Statistics cite 1 in 13 people currently have Covid in England. Many of us will be aware of someone who has the virus or is self isolating, you may even be one of them. Please pray that they will make a full recovery. This is particularly important, as more cases of “long Covid” are beginning to emerge. The Public Health message is still to act cautiously and to consider wearing a face covering especially in an indoor environment when we are in the company of people we do not usually mix with.  Please respond in a positive way for the sake of each other’s well-being.    May God bless us and keep us safe from harm.

Fr. Patterson


Mass to view on line

Mass is live streamed from our Cathedral. Visit the Cathedral website for times this week.

Alternatively, you may like to follow Mass from the Holy Name, JesmondVisit the website for Mass times this week.


Mass Intentions

With the exception of Sunday and Tuesday, Fr. Patterson will celebrate Mass privately during the week for the following Intentions. Face coverings should be worn when attending Church, unless you are medically exempt.

  • Monday – Leonard Robinson.
  • Tuesday: 10.00 in St. Patrick’s Church – Pat Donald
  • Wednesday – Sheila Fletcher
  • Thursday – The sick, their families, NHS staff & Care Workers
  • FridayJames Fagan (AM)
  • Saturday – Fr. Patterson’s intentions
  • Sunday: 10.00 in St. Patrick’s Church – For the intentions of all our parishioners

When you are unable to celebrate Mass with us in Church, you may wish to make this act of spiritual communion:

Lord Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.

In case you are not aware, a parish priest is obliged to celebrate Mass for the “Intentions of the Parishioners” every Sunday or Holydaywhich prevents him from fulfilling personal intentions on those occasions.


Please keep in your prayers this week:

  • all our parishioners who are sick, housebound or in hospital and,
  • all those near and dear to us whose memories we cherish at this time especially Pat Donald

 A Prayer for Carers, Nurses and Doctors

Lord Jesus, who healed the sick and gave them new life, be with doctors, nurses and carers, as they act as agents of your healing touch. In desperate times, keep them strong yet loving; and when their work is done, be with them in their weariness and in their tears. Amen.


A time to pray

Please join together in prayer for the 165,570 people who have died in our country from the coronavirus. (Friday’s figure)

Gracious God, as we remember before you the thousands who have died from the coronavirus, surround us and all who mourn with your compassion. Be gentle with us in our grief, protect us from despair and give us grace to persevere and face the future with hope. We make this prayer in Jesus Christ our risen Lord. Amen.


A Prayer for the Ukraine

Lord God, hold the people of Ukraine deep in your heart. Protect them from violence, from political gamesmanship, from being used and abused. Give the nations of the world the courage and the wisdom to stand up for justice and the courage to care generously. Take from us those traits that see us pursuing our own needs and wants before those of others. Teach us how to live in love and dignity and respect, following your ways. We ask this in your name and for your sake. Amen


The Lenten Journey 

Father Denis McBride C.Ss.R. is leading a free online retreat during Lent. 

A video will be added to the Redemptorist website every Sunday, and they will be available throughout the Lenten season, so you can re-watch them at your leisure.


Lenten Reflections

The Diocesan Vicariate for Faith and Mission has produced the final part of a booklet of Lenten reflections which you may find of value during Lent. Unfortunately the booklet is too large to make printed copies available.


Bishop Robert Barron asks, “Do you want to grow in your faith this Lent?”

For several months during the early stages of the pandemic, we were able to offer those of you who have access to the internet, the opportunity to engage in a variety of video presentations by Bishop Robert Barron.

During Lent this year, Word on Fire offer the opportunity to engage in more talks and videos with the ability to access those videos you have watched in the past and it is free of charge.

Bishop Barron’s Sunday Sermon

Each week Bishop Barron offers a Sunday sermon.


Prayer and Reconciliation

There will be a time for private prayer before the Blessed Sacrament on Friday, 8th April from 10-10.30 am with the opportunity of Sacramental confession for those who wish. If you choose to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a face covering must be worn. Please use the Church Street entrance which will be open at 9.50am.


Holy Places Collection

If you wish to contribute to the collection for the Holy Places next Sunday, please place your offering in the boxes at the entrance to St. Patrick’s in an envelope marked Holy Places. Those of you with boxes of envelopes should have an envelope in your box.   


Cafod’s Humanitarian Appeal for the Ukraine

Fr. Patterson is grateful for donations received for this appeal during the course of the week totalling £30.00. If you wish to support the Appeal, donations may be left in the boxes at both entrances to St. Patrick’s Church or put through the letterbox of St. Patrick’s presbytery. Please mark your envelope Ukrainian Appeal. For security reasons, envelopes should not be put through the letterbox of St. Alban’s Presbytery. Alternatively you may donate directly to Cafod – please mark your envelope Ukrainian Appeal.


Your Offertory contributions from 1st April, 2022

For the past two years, as a result of the pandemic, we have been left with a large number of unclaimed sets of weekly offering envelopes which came at a considerable cost to our parishes. With the uncertainties of the year ahead, we will only be issuing envelopes for the coming financial year to those of you who are in the parish gift aid scheme and are not already contributing by standing order or bankers order.

As non gift aid envelopes no longer need to be individually recorded, we ask that those of you who are not in the gift aid scheme, might bring your offering in an envelope of your own or simply place your offering in the box provided in the church as “loose plate.” Alternatively you may take a set of envelopes from St. Patrick’s Church dating back to 2020/21 which may be used. You do not have to use the number that was allocated to you in the past—any box will do.

Many of you during the past two years have chosen to make your offering by standing order or by bank transfer and we are most grateful to you for doing so. It is hoped that you will continue to make your offering in this way, which saves on administration costs. For those of you who gift aid your offering, tax can still be reclaimed from the standing order method of contributing. We invite more of you to consider making your offering in this way whether you are in the gift aid scheme or not. The bank details you require are printed below.

If you are a tax payer and are not a member of the parish gift aid scheme please consider joining the scheme, it costs you nothing and the parish benefits by being able to reclaim the tax you have already paid on your offering. All that is required, is for you to complete a simple form which does not involve you disclosing any personal financial information and is held securely by the Diocesan Finance Office.

To obtain a form, or for more information, please email St. Patrick’s Gift Aid organiser at stpatrick.giftaid@outlook.com.

For the time being, enquiries concerning the Gift Aid scheme for St. Albans Church should be directed to Fr. Patterson at felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk

The details for bank transfers/standing orders and cheques are as follows:

St. Alban’s HSBC bank account name: DHN Pelaw St Alban, Sort code: 40-34-18, Account No: 92010984

St. Patrick’s HSBC bank account name: DHN Felling St Patrick, Sort code: 40-34-18, Account No: 52010453


Church cleaning

Volunteers are invited to help with the cleaning of St. Patrick’s Church for Easter on Friday, 8th April at 6pm. Please enter by the Church Street Entrance.


St. Patrick’s Church Heating

The heating has now been repaired with the purchase of a new motor and wiring loom. We await the invoice!


Poverty Challenge

In the coming months many of us face steep rises in the cost of living and the hardship that will involve. Perhaps this is something we need to address in our shared parish after Easter and discover ways in which we may be able to offer support and reassurance to others. If you would be interested in coming together to reflect on this issue some time after Easter please contact Fr. Patterson on felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk.

Caritas, the social action agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, has released a free booklet to increase our awareness of Catholic Social Teaching on poverty which may be of help to us in our local situation. A few printed copies will be available at Mass on Sunday in St. Patrick’s Church.


St. Alban’s Church – A final call for your support

It has always been Fr. Patterson’s hope, and still is, that we would be able to reopen St. Alban’s Church once the Covid restrictions had been removed.

To achieve this, a bank of volunteers are required to assist with all aspects of parish life. A Roadmap was prepared in June, 2021 outlining the roles and the level of help needed. This was widely circulated and has been recirculated on several occasions since, accompanied by frequent appeals for volunteers in the Parish Newsletter and by word of mouth.

On 5th March, 2022, a Gathering was held in St. Alban’s parish room for prospective volunteers. At this meeting, Fr. Patterson explained both the level of help required and the nature of the roles which were needed to be filled. He renews his thanks to those who have offered to help so far. However, volunteers are still required in the three areas below if we are going to be able to reopen the Church.

We will need to make a decision about the future of our church after Easter, so this is a final appeal for your support.

Fr. Patterson has discussed our situation with Bishop Robert who is supportive of the efforts we have made, and continue to make, to reach out for volunteers. Fr. Patterson will be meeting with the Bishop after Easter to review the situation following this final appeal for your support.

The following essential roles still need to be filled:

Weekday Mass

Eight volunteers, to work in pairs on a rota, to open the Church 30 minutes before a weekday Mass or service, to prepare the Church for those services, to tidy up afterwards and to lock the Church. These volunteers must be available to open and prepare the Church for funerals, weddings and any other services which may take place. A degree of flexibility, when it comes to days of the week and times of services, is necessary.

Saturday Vigil Mass

Ten volunteers, to work in pairs on a rota, to open the Church 30 minutes before Mass on a Saturday evening; to prepare the church, to tidy up afterwards and lock the church. To fill the votive candle stands and to remove used candles; to welcome people as they arrive offering them a Mass book/hymn book, to organise the taking of the collection.

A degree of flexibility may be needed in this role if, sometime in the future, the time of the Vigil Mass is brought forward to 5.30pm. In the review of the time of the Vigil Mass carried out in 2019, 49% of the parishioners who took part requested Mass be celebrated at 5.30pm. We were unable to meet that request, as some of the volunteers opening the church at that time felt unable to accommodate the earlier time. It is therefore important, for those who may be considering offering to open the Church on a Saturday, to bear in mind, before coming to a decision, the possibility of the Vigil Mass being celebrated earlier in the future should the need arise.  

Counting and banking

Twelve volunteers, to work in teams of four on a rota, to count and record the collections; to empty the candle boxes; to prepare the money for banking and to take it to the bank. This is a weekly commitment. The Diocesan Code of Practice advises that, for safeguarding reasons, counting teams should ideally be composed of four people and a minimum of two people should be engaged in the banking process

Why so many volunteers?

Volunteering should not be burdensome, hence the number of volunteers we are seeking in the above roles. This will minimise the demand made on any individual or group/team and will assure cover when volunteers may not be available due to family commitments, sickness, holidays or unforeseen circumstances. However there is a need to be able to commit to a particular role on a rota basis.

Please give serious thought as to whether you could help in any of the above roles and inform Fr. Patterson at felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk or telephone 0191 495 2277. Alternatively you may contact Terry and Christine Harbron by telephoning 0191 469 8697.

Please get in touch by Saturday, 16th April so that Fr. Patterson can have a further discussion with Bishop Robert after Easter.

Please avoid telephoning either number after 6pm or at weekends. Emails are welcome anytime.


Please get vaccinated

The Bishops have issued a statement declaring that the principal means of protecting people who attend Catholic Churches in England and Wales is through participation in the Government vaccination programme. Those who are fully vaccinated will have significant personal resilience against major illness from the Covid-19 virus and its variants. The Catholic Church has promoted the participation of all in the vaccination programme as part of its mitigation of virus transmission in church and ancillary buildings.

Pope Francis also urges us to do.  


ZOE Covid weekly update – 1 in 13 people have COVID in new record highs

Professor Tim Spector, in the data this week, shares how COVID symptoms have changed over time and gives some advice and reassurance on how to prepare for the lack of free testing in the UK. He also shares interesting research on gut disease and how eating a lot of plants has an impact on gut and digestive problems.

In a separate blog, the updated symptoms of Omicron are discussed.

Data from the Office of National statistics may also be of interest to you.


Parish News by Email

If you are aware of parishioners who would like to receive the Newsletter and other news from the parish by email, please ask them to email Fr. Patterson at felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk and they will be added to our contact list.