Sunday 20th December 2020

SAINT ROBERT OF NEWMINSTER PARISH
Parish Priest: Fr. Michael Dever – Tel. 0161 224 1498
Website. www.stmaryslevenshulme.co.uk
Email. info@stmaryslevenshulme.co.uk
St. Mary of the Angels & St. Clare Church, Elbow St, Levenshulme, M19 3PY
St. Richard Church, Sutcliffe Avenue, Longsight, M12 5TN
Resident at St. Mary’s Presbytery: Fr. Laurence Gambella, Assistant Priest & Hospital Chaplain and Fr. Martin Dowd, Chaplain to the Central M/c Hospitals.

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT
                        “Stay with us, Lord, on our Journey”

COVID-19: Church Guidance: Please sanitise hands on entering and follow safe distancing and instructions from the stewards. Sanitise hands again on exiting church by the side doors. All those who attend church must wear a face covering. Those that are exempt for medical reasons or children under 11 remain exempt. Please note for safety reasons toilets are closed.

Church Opening Times – 20th to 26th December
Sunday 20th December
9.15am Mass at St. Richard’s
10.30am & 12 noon Mass at St. Mary’s
Monday 21st December
9.15am Mass at St. Richard’s
Tuesday 22nd December
9.30am Mass at St. Mary’s
Wednesday 23rd December
9.15am Mass at St. Richard’s
Thursday 24th December – Christmas Eve :
9.30am Mass at St. Mary’s
6.30pm First Mass of Christmas at St. Richard’s
8.00pm First Mass of Christmas at St. Mary’s
Friday 25th December – Christmas Day
9.15am Mass at St. Richard’s
10.30am & 12 noon Mass at St. Mary’s
Saturday 26th December – Feast of St. Stephen
11.00am Mass at St. Mary’s
5.00pm Vigil Mass at St. Richard’s
6.30pm Vigil Mass at St. Mary’s

Feasts of the Week
Monday 21st December: St Peter Canisius
Wednesday 23rd December: St John of Kanty
Friday 25th December: THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD
Saturday 26th December: St. Stephen, The First Martyr

Pray for the Sick and Housebound and all those who are suffering from the coronavirus and others who are sick at this time, including Ellen Regan, Tom Mitchell, Eileen Regan, Cath Dixon, Eamonn Walls, Mary McGlade, Maureen Woods, Benny Woods, Christine Jackson, Mark Graham, Mary Dunne, Jackie Clare. May the Good Lord strengthen and comfort them. Pray also for all who care for the sick.
Under the data protection law (GDPR) we need ‘explicit consent’ to print in the newsletter the names of those sick parishioners for whom we are praying. If you would like your name or that of a relative added to the Sick List please be aware that if it is for a relative he or she MUST give their consent for their name to be published in the weekly newsletter.

Lately Dead: Pauline Ryan, Georgina Gormley, Anthony Boyle, Michael O’Hare, Peter Murphy.
Anniversaries: Chacko Joseph, Tom Cassidy.
Birthday Remembrance: Sadie Deeney (80th)

WHAT HAPPENS IF I GO INTO HOSPITAL?
If you are admitted as a patient, please ensure the Chaplains’ Office is informed that you would like to be visited by a Catholic Minister. This has to be done by you or a relative. Tel. 0161 276 4247 (Central Manchester Hospitals).

CHRISTMAS MASSES
Bishop John invites us to revive the ancient custom of the Christmas Octave this year. We will do this by inviting everyone who is able to do so, to attend a Christmas Mass on at least one of the days during the Octave from Christmas Eve through to New Years Day. This would reduce the demand on Christmas Day to a number we could accommodate in both St. Richard’s (26) and St. Mary’s (46) and remain Covid safe. During the Christmas Octave Both churches will have ‘Family Benches’ so families will be able to celebrate Christmas together on one of the days during the time between Christmas Day and New Years Day.

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM BISHOP JOHN
I’d like to wish you all a happy Christmas, different and difficult though it may be this year. If you have a crib at home this Christmas, or even just a picture on a Christmas card of Mary and Joseph, the baby in the Manger. There may be shepherds around, or the ox and the ass, but the important thing is that there’s silence. No-one is saying anything, they’re just rejoicing in the birth of Jesus. There’s no need for words. It’s just a simple prayer being there. I wonder what your Christmas is like this year. It’s probably quite different to the one you would normally have planned. You may be with some of your family, or may have decided that this year you simply can’t be together. But we are together. We are together in hope. I wonder what Mary must have been thinking as she gazed on that child. The angel Gabriel had made great promise to her that this was all part of God’s plan, but she must have been a little bit confused, pondering all of these things in her heart. What is God’s plan, allowing me to be here 70 miles from home, giving birth to this baby – God’s son – here in a stable. He’s got some plan, but I’m not quite sure what it is. You and I have got to live with that sense of hope, that in all the brokenness and the sadness of our world, particularly in this last year of the pandemic. Let’s see how our priorities may change, how our faith may be strengthened as we look again at how we can be Ambassadors for Jesus, how we may be Missionary Disciples and proclaim the love of God in our actions of everyday. I hope that this Christmas, even though it is different and for some rather disappointing, that it can still be an important moment of prayer and a reminder to us all that Jesus is here among us, and that he’ll guide us.
God bless you, as we celebrate Christmas together, and may the Lord stay with us always on our journey.
+ John

PARISH CHRISTMAS RAFFLE
Thank you to all who supported our Christmas Raffle which took place yesterday (Saturday 19th). Thanks to all who bought tickets, sold tickets and donated prizes. In total £984 was raised which was a magnificent achievement.

NEWSLETTER: Please pass on a newsletter to a neighbour or anyone who you think might appreciate it.

ST. MARY’S APF/MILLHILL – RED BOX HOLDERS
Due to the Coronavirus collectors are unable to visit your homes, therefore, Red Box holders may drop off their red box at the parish office weekdays (except Wednesday) from 8.30am to 1pm or bring it along to the church at Mass time and hand it in at the Sacristy. If you are unable to come to church please telephone the office on 0161 248 8836.

SAINT ROBERT OF NEWMINSTER PARISH

CHRISTMAS MASS TIMES