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Watch this space for a Parish online Carol Service! We are going to try our first Zoom meeting for everyone to join in with - more information to follow....

Congratulations Pope Francis!

Yesterday was the 51st anniversary of Pope Francis' priestly ordination!

To mark the happy occasion, let us join together in prayer for our Holy Father:

A PRAYER FOR THE POPE

V. Let us pray for Francis, our Pope.

R. May the Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies. [Psalm 40:3]

Let us pray.

O God, Shepherd and Ruler of all Thy faithful people, look mercifully upon Thy servant Francis, whom Thou hast chosen as shepherd to preside over Thy Church. Grant him, we beseech Thee, that by his word and example, he may edify those over whom he hath charge, so that together with the flock committed to him, he may attain everlasting life. Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Our Father.

Hail Mary.

Thank you to Deacon Vincent for sharing your Reflections for 3rd Sunday in Advent (Year B)

"1st Reading Prophet Isaiah 61: 1-2, 10-11.

Isaiah is the most quoted Prophet in the Gospels. In Luke’s Gospel, he records that Jesus took this theme from Isaiah for his very brief sermon to the people of Nazareth. In Matthews Gospel Jesus picks up the theme of those who mourn shall be comforted in the Beatitudes. Then in the final section of this reading we have a very consoling image of the Lord, dressed in splendour and as the earth yielding its flowers in a garden, so shall the Lord make justice and integrity arise in the sight of the nations. This is a very stimulating reading. This is the type of Church we should be preparing for the Lord’s second coming. We need to cleanse the people of God to make us fit to meet the Lord. This is the plan for Advent, we need to go back to our source, Jesus Christ, the Lord and follow him and establish integrity and justice as our base structure.

Responsorial Psalm Luke 1: 46-50, 53-54.

This is Mary’s song in answer to Elizabeth’s declaration that Mary is the Mother of her Lord. It is a very dramatic and revolutionary statement of God’s way of viewing the people of God. This statement of Mary’s was forbidden to be read in some dictatorships, as they saw at fomenting revolution. It is worth exploring the full implications of following the Gospel life. This Sunday and through the week we have the opportunity to measure ourselves against the planned life of the Gospels, and retune ourselves into the Lord’s ways.

2nd Reading St. Paul’s 1st Letter to the Thessalonians 5:16-24.

Here we have the conclusion of the earliest surviving New Testament document. The farewell conveys his absolute dependence on God, on the love that Christians should have for one another. God has called us, and he will not fail us. We need to have confidence in God, and always thank Him in Christ Jesus for this what God wants us to do, and so become perfect and holy. That is God’s desire for us, so we should always be Joyful that we have been called by Him.

The Holy Gospel According to John 1: 6-8, 19-28.

This Gospel, together with all the other Gospels describe John’s mission as the Prophet Isaiah’s quotation 40:3 “a voice of one crying in the wilderness.” This passage is all about pointing to Jesus “the one who is coming after me.” John’s Gospel is constantly translated as the Jews did this or that, but it might be less contentious to think of them as Judeans, as this is the same word used in Greek for both. The opening of the mission of Jesus is established and recognised by John the Baptist as superior to his own mission. John’s mission is one of preparation for the Messiah (Jesus Christ). It was designed to invite the people to amend their lives and so be able to recognise the Christ when he appeared among us.

All this week’s readings are to help us prepare ourselves to receive the arrival of Emmanuel (God with us), not just for the festival, but for his second triumphal coming in glory, so that we will be able to go out and meet him with confidence, by following the Gospel Life.

We have been called and chosen let us travel with confidence that God is with us.

God Bless you All. Deacon Vincent. "

Gospel of the Day (St John 1,6-8.19-28)

A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites (to him) to ask him, "Who are you?" he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, "I am not the Messiah."So they asked him, "What are you then? Are you Elijah?" And he said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." So they said to him, "Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?" He said: "I am 'the voice of one crying out in the desert, "Make straight the way of the Lord,"' as Isaiah the prophet said." Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet?" John answered them, "I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie." This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.