3rd Sunday of Easter
The following celebrations will take place during the days ahead.
- Saturday: (13th Apr) 6pm Mass in St. Alban’s Church: The Parishioners Intentions
- Sunday: (14th Apr) 10am Mass in St. Patrick’s Church: Anne Semos
- Tuesday: (16th Apr) 10am Mass in St. Patrick’s parish centre: Dec Wright & Bradley families
- Thursday: (18th Apr) 10am Mass in St. Patrick’s parish centre: Pat Donald
- Saturday: (20th Apr) 6pm Mass in St. Alban’s Church: Special Intention (Harbron)
- Sunday: (21sr Apr) 10am Mass in St. Patrick’s Church: The Parishioners Intentions
- Tuesday: (16th Apr) 10am Mass in St. Patrick’s parish centre: Joyce McTaff
Mass to view on line
Mass is live streamed from the Holy Name, Jesmond. Visit the website for Mass times this week.
When you are unable to celebrate Mass 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
Please keep in your prayers:
- all our parishioners who are sick, housebound or in hospital
- all those whose memories we cherish at this time and,
- Mgr Phil Carroll (in retirement), Deacon John Hawthorne and Francis Crilly who have died. May they rest in the peace of the Risen Lord.
A Prayer for the troubled world
Prince of peace, in a world of conflict and violence
we pray that the peace you came to bring
may become a reality in the world of our own time. Amen.
Think Tank – with an eye to our future
Bishop Stephen wrote in his pastoral letter last weekend:- “Jesus wills His followers with all their faults and failings to be His presence in the world. The Church is not an optional add on to Jesus’ ministry. The Church, the People of God, you, me, all of us, are chosen and willed by the Lord to be His presence here and now. We must be together; we must be in Communion. Jesus prayed we would be one. No factions, no divisions, no isolating from one another. If that happens then we will never meet the risen Christ let alone share Him with others. As we discern our calling, be present in communion.”
In the light of those words and with the challenges that lie ahead of us, Fr. Patterson would like to invite you to a “Think Tank” to explore how we might prepare for the future as we will inevitably face some changes. We must try to build a new and solid bank of helpers who will be able to support one another and your new parish priest in the months and years ahead.
It is a time of great hope and opportunity and we all have a part to play, so please try and attend this gathering which is open to everyone from St. Alban’s and St. Patrick’s. It will take place on Monday, 15th April at 6.30pm in St. Patrick’s parish centre.
Try not to allow your lives to be consumed by the emptiness of the tomb, but rise to the joy and hope of the new life of the Resurrection
Serving those who have served us well -The Northern Brethren Fund
The annual collection for the Sick and Retired Priests of the Diocese will be taken this weekend, 6th/7th April, and the Fund will remain open until 28th April for donations. This collection goes to support our Sick and Retired Priests who have served our diocese over many years. The “Superiors” of the Fund, who are priests of the Diocese, wish to ensure that this Fund is also there for future retired priests. Recent years have been very difficult and income has drastically declined. The Superiors invite you to consider donating to this Fund in recognition of all the priests who have served in our parishes over many years. Should you wish to make a donation please place your offering in an envelope marked “NBF” and place it in one of the collections boxes at the entrances to our churches. Those with boxes of envelopes should have an envelope. If you wish to Gift Aid your donation to this appeal, please complete a special Gift Aid Declaration Form for the NBF which are obtainable from Fr. Patterson.
Shout out for Catholics from Hong Kong
A gathering will be held on 21st April, 2024, providing an opportunity for Catholics from Hong Kong to socialise together. It will be held at St Anne’s RC Church, Winlaton, NE21 5RW, from 2pm. Fr. Bruno will be available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Mass, in Cantonese, will be celebrated at 3pm. Tea and dinner will be available after Mass for anyone interested. Please register ahead for ease of co-ordination. For further details and enquiries, please contact Maria Tel: 07901 194226.
Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes. 2024
The Diocesan Pilgrimage takes place from 26th July – 2nd August, 2024. For further details, visit the diocesan website.
Using your car on behalf of the parish
The Diocesan Health and Safety Officer has asked us to make parishioners aware of the following:-
If a driving related task is being completed by a volunteer on behalf of a parish, it is highly recommended that the volunteer informs their car insurance provider of their voluntary role.
A suggested approach a volunteer might make with their car Insurance provider where they are completing a task on behalf of the parish might be as follows:-
I engage in some purely voluntary activities for my local church for which I am not reimbursed in any way. (Two examples follow) (a) Every fortnight, I am asked to collect two fellow parishioners from their homes and transport them to our Church and back home after the Church service. (b) Each week I transport collection money from my church, which has been donated during the previous week, to the local Post Office. I would be grateful to know if my voluntary role needs to be noted by you against my current car insurance policy.
If their response is that you need to pay an additional premium, ask for a quote as to what the additional cost would be and if you feel it is unreasonable for you to pay, please inform your priest or Health and Safety representative. Terry Harbron is the representative for St. Alban’s and Joanne McShane is the representative for St. Patrick’s.
If your role is purely voluntary and not formally arranged by the parish or Diocese, the need to inform your insurance would not apply.
Mobile phones
If you are attending any services in St. Alban’s Church or St. Patrick’s Church you are asked to ensure that your mobile phones are “turned off” as silent mode is not always silent. Please be considerate of each other at all times. Thank you.
Gift Aid Scheme
Are you aware that if you are a UK tax payer and make an offering to our church collection you could join the Gift Aid Scheme enabling our parishes to gain an extra 25% of your offering, at no extra cost to you. If you feel you could be a part of the Gift Aid Scheme, please email the Parish Gift Aid Organiser, John Gillum at stpatrick.giftaid@outlook.com for further details or have a word with Fr. Patterson.
Your offerings are our sole source of income
Although we do not take a collection at Mass by passing round a basket, we do hope you will feel able to make an offering towards the upkeep and running costs of our churches in one of the boxes you will find at the entrances to our churches. Alternatively you may consider making your offering by Standing Order the details of which are below.
For St. Alban’s: Account name: DHN Pelaw St Alban: Sort code: 40-34-18 Account No: 92010984
For St. Patrick’s: Account name: DHN Felling St Patrick: Sort code: 40-34-18 Account No: 52010453
