MESSAGE ON THE 2ND SUNDAY OF ADVENT (YR B)
Friday 8th December 2023
My dear people,
I am very grateful to all of you who have made comments and suggestions about the plans for the proposed refurbishments to the church building in order to increase its capacity both in terms of seats and other uses. The architects have proposed changes to the initial plans to reflect the comments received. These are now on our website and on the notice board in the gathering space. There will be a further consultation with the architects on 19th December 2023 at 7:45pm in the church meeting room. Please come and share your observations and concerns about our church’s refurbishments.
My proposal to change the times of Masses on a Sunday morning has generated wonderful discussions and conversations among you. Members of the Leadership Team have received responses and feedback which have been sincerely welcomed. As a result, the PLT has discerned that there is a need for more time to unpack and reflect upon the feedback received. There will be further communication next week to highlight in greater detail the need for more time between Masses. In fact, the discussions have brought about other reasons, apart from the flow of traffic, to indicate the need for an hour between Masses. These will be communicated next week. As usual, feedback and responses will be welcomed and very much appreciated.
Our Carols by Candlelight will be held this coming Sunday 10th December in the evening at the CRC Hall. You are invited to arrive at 5pm for the sausage sizzle as well as some activities for the children. We will start the carols from 6.30pm. I hope to see many of you there. The Christmas Raffle will also be drawn on the day and tickets for the raffle continue to be on sale this weekend after all the Masses.
There will be a Memorial Mass tonight at 7pm here in our church, to pray for the repose of the soul of Jim Sheedy and also to honour his life. Members of the community of St George Preca Catholic Primary School, where Jim was the Principal from 2018 to 2022, will look after the different ministries at Mass and our 10:30am choir will look after the music at the Mass. There will be a small gathering after Mass where we will be able to share our stories and memories of Jim.
Earlier this year, I announced that a parish pilgrimage to the Holy Land was being organised for next year. Owing to the situation in Israel at the moment, we have no option but to cancel this pilgrimage. Hopefully, we will be able to go to the Holy Land in 2025 or 2026. So, this is simply postponed. Instead of the Holy Land Pilgrimage, we are organising one to Europe – a Marian Pilgrimage and Saints of Italy Pilgrimage. We will go to Fatima, Lourdes and Loreto and also visit shrines associated with other saints such as our own Patron Saint, St Catherine of Siena as well as St Anthony of Padua, St Teresa of Avila, St Francis of Assisi and St Padre Pio to name a few. A few days will also be spent in Rome. I strongly encourage you to consider coming on the pilgrimage since these can be wonderful experiences of encounters with Our Lord through the lives of the Saints whom he has inspired to live holy lives. There is a flyer about this on our website. Should you like to check a more detailed itinerary, please email the parish office and the details will be sent to you.
We continue turning to our patron saint and we ask for her intercession.
St Catherine of Siena, Pray for us.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Fr Richard Rosse PP