4th Sunday of Easter
Dear Parishioners
Thanks to the generosity of our volunteers, we are able to open St. Patrick’s Church for Mass on Tuesday at 10.00am, when no booking will be needed, and on Sunday at 10.30 when booking will be required. Parishioners are welcome to attend both Masses.
To reserve a place for Mass on Sunday, 2nd May, please telephone 07526 232124 on
Wednesday, 28th April between 10am – 11am
Friday, 30th April between 5.30pm – 7.00pm
Please note a further change in the booking time on Wednesday
This number will be unavailable outside of the above times. Bookings cannot be made via the presbytery telephone number nor by email and can only be made for the approaching Sunday and not for any other dates. Text messages cannot be accepted as a method of booking.
You will be encouraged to provide your name and telephone number to comply with the NHS Test and Trace system and also the number in your family if you are attending as a household. Under the current restrictions you must only sit with members of your own household or bubble and not mix with people from other households. On arrival at the church you will be welcomed by a steward and your name will be checked against the booking list.
For Mass on Tuesday, where booking is not required, you are invited to bring your Test and Trace details in an envelope and place them in the box in Church.
Please remember you are under no obligation to attend Mass. The Sunday obligation is still suspended. You should not come to Church if you are experiencing any signs of Covid-19 or feeling unwell in any way.
As you will discover from our “Covid Page” in this Newsletter, there is still a need In the weeks and months ahead to look after one another, especially by complying with the restrictions and to continue to pray that the Lord will watch over us and keep us safe.
Lord God, keep us under the shadow of your protection
during this time of pandemic. Sustain and support the anxious
and fearful and lift up all who are brought low
so that we may rejoice in your comfort
knowing that nothing can separate us from your love
in Christ Jesus our Risen Lord.
God bless you all
Fr. Patterson
Mass to view on line
Mass is live streamed from our Cathedral on Sunday at 11.30 am and on weekdays at 12.05 pm. These Masses may be viewed live or anytime later.
Alternatively, you may like to follow Mass from the Holy Name, Jesmond celebrated live at 10.00 am on Sunday or anytime later.
Mass Intentions for the coming week
With the exception of Sunday and Tuesday, I will celebrate Mass privately during the week remembering the following Intentions:
- Monday – Evelyn May and George Craig
- Tuesday: 10.00 in St. Patrick’s Church – Paul Hughes
- Wednesday – Patrick and Rose Wright and Patricia Jameson
- Thursday – The sick, their families, NHS staff & Care Workers
- Friday – Private Funeral Service
- Saturday – Fr “P’s” intentions
- Sunday: 10.30am in St. Patrick’s Church – For the intentions of all our parishioners – booking necessary
When you are unable to celebrate Mass with me 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 Holyday, which 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
- all those near and dear to us whose memories we cherish at this time especially Evelyn May Craig and Paul Hughes and,
- Joan Barrett who has died. “Receive Lord into tranquillity and peace the soul of your servant whom you have called from this life. May she be taken up into glory with your Son in whose great mystery of love we are all united. Amen.”
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 127,385 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.
World Day of Prayer for Vocations
“For each one of us the Lord has a vocation, that place God wants us to live our lives, but we must seek it.” “The Lord’s call is not an intrusion into our freedom; it is the loving initiative whereby God encounters us and invites us to be part of a great undertaking.
God desires that our lives do not become banal and predictable, imprisoned by daily routine, or unresponsive before decisions that could give it meaning. The Lord does not want us to live from day to day, thinking that nothing is worth fighting for, slowly losing our desire to set out on new and exciting paths.
If at times he makes us experience a “miraculous catch”, it is because he wants us to discover that each of us is called – in a variety of ways – to something grand, and that our lives should not grow entangled in the nets of an ennui that dulls the heart.
Every vocation is a summons not to stand on the shore, nets in hand, but to follow Jesus on the path he has marked out for us, for our own happiness and for the good of those around us. (Taken from the Message of Pope Francis for the World Day of Vocations).
News from our School
Due to a number of families relocating, there are now some places available in selected year groups within our school. If you know of any families with school aged children who are looking for a school place, please ask them to get in touch with Mrs Bridon, the Head Teacher on 0191 469 3251.
Roadmap Step 2 (from 12 April)
These are the changes that came into effect on 12th April:
- More businesses will open, but indoor settings should be visited alone, or with household groups.
- Outside, six people or two households can meet. We are still not permitted to meet indoors before 17th May at the earliest.
- All shops are allowed to open.
- Hairdressers, beauty salons and other close-contact services can open.
- Restaurants and pubs are allowed to serve food and alcohol to customers sitting outdoors.
- Gyms and spas can reopen, as can zoos, theme parks, libraries and community centres.
- Members of the same household can take a holiday in England in self-contained accommodation.
- Weddings – up to 15 people; Funerals – up to 30 people, with 15 at wakes.
- Children may attend any indoor children’s activity.
- Care home visitors will increase to two per resident.
- Driving lessons can resume, with driving tests restarting on 22 April.
Government scientist warns of summer surge in cases – BBC News
To some extent the future is in our hands
The UK will likely see a “summer surge” in Covid cases as lockdown is relaxed. Professor Adam Finn, of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, says modelling points to a rise in cases, as many adults are not immunised. He said the UK was still “vulnerable” and the dates for easing restrictions may need adjusting.
The Prime Minister has said there is nothing in the data to suggest the next step in easing lockdown cannot go ahead as planned, but he went on to say that most scientists were “firmly of the view” that there would be a third wave of the disease at some point this year. Last Tuesday, 20th April, for the first time since September, UK government figures showed fewer than 2,000 Covid patients in hospital
Professor Finn told BBC Breakfast the prime minister was right that the UK will see a further wave of Covid-19 cases.
“The models that we’ve seen on JCVI clearly point to a summer surge in cases as the lockdown is relaxed, because there are still many people in the adult population who’ve not been immunised,” he said. He went on to say that there was “quite a wide range of uncertainty” over how big the wave would be “because it depends on how quickly the vaccine rollout continues” as well as how many people come forward for vaccination. It also depends on how people behave as the lockdown is gradually relaxed.
The sense that the problem is all over, I’m afraid is a flawed one, we’re still in a vulnerable situation, and there are still significant numbers of people who potentially could be harmed by this infection if this happens.”
New Offertory Envelopes – to collect or be delivered.
The new boxed sets of Offertory envelopes, beginning Sunday, 4th April, 2021, are now available and may be collected from St. Patrick’s Church after Mass on Sunday or after Mass on a Tuesday if you could let us know you will be attending. It may be possible to deliver some boxes. If you would like your box delivered please contact Fr. Patterson at felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk.
During the course of the pandemic several parishioners have chosen to contribute by Bank Transfer or Standing Order and it is hoped they will continue to do so in the long term rather than use envelopes. This facilitates the financial administration of the parish. Please consider contributing by Standing Order. The details needed are provided below.
Your ongoing financial support is welcomed and needed
Fr. Patterson renews his thanks to you for your offerings during these difficult times especially to those parishioners who regularly contribute to parish funds by bank transfer helping to meet the regular financial commitments of our churches.
Should you wish, you may drop your envelopes through the presbytery letterbox. For security reason, envelopes should not be put through the letterbox of St. Alban’s Presbytery.
The parish is still able to reclaim the tax from Gift Aided offertory contributions made by bank transfer. It would be helpful to enter your name and Gift Aid envelope number as the reference when making the transfer.
The details for bank transfers 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
