17th Sunday of the Year (B)
The following celebrations will take place during the days ahead.
- Saturday: (27th July) 6pm Mass in St. Alban’s Church: The Parishioners Intentions
- Sunday: (28th July) 10am Mass in St. Patrick’s Church: Desmond Costelloe
- Tuesday: (30th July)10am Mass in St. Patrick’s parish centre: Kathleen Falconer
- Friday: (2nd Aug) 9.30am Funeral Service in St. Patrick’s Church: Anne Bell
- Saturday: (3rd Aug) 6pm Mass in St. Alban’s Church: Kathleen and Bill Harland
- Sunday: (4th Aug) 10am Mass in St. Patrick’s Church: The Parishioners Intentions
Mass to view on line
Mass is live streamed from the Holy Name, Jesmond. Visit their parish website to discover the times for the coming 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
- Fr. Cornelius O’Connor, Anne Bell and Margaret Joyce, who have died. May they rest in the peace of the Risen Lord
Prayer for our Country
Almighty God, Ruler of all the peoples of the earth, forgive our shortcomings as a nation, purify our hearts to see and love the truth, give wisdom to our leaders, and steadfastness to our people, and bring us at last to that city of peace whose foundations are mercy, justice, and goodwill, of which you are the designer and builder; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Update your Contacts’ list for our parishes
Please note that the parish email address has changed to felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk
Our new Parish Priest
Fr. Patterson was able to announce last weekend that Bishop Stephen has appointed Canon Martin Stempczyk as the new parish priest of St. Alban’s, Pelaw and St. Patrick’s, Felling. He will reside in St. Patrick’s Presbytery and will move to Felling towards the end of the week beginning Monday, 2nd September. Fr. Patterson will be leaving us on Tuesday, 3rd September to take advantage of his retirement in the Sacred Heart Presbytery, North Gosforth. Please keep them and one another in prayer in the weeks ahead so that we may continue to be guided by the Spirit of the Living Lord.
The Annual Blessed John Ingram Walk
The Walk will take place on Sunday 28th July, 2024 and will be led by Fr. Luke Wilkinson. If you wish to join the Walk please meet at St Andrew’s Anglican Church, Newgate Street, Newcastle at 14.30. The Walk ends at St Edmund’s Chapel, High Street, Gateshead with an Ecumenical Service followed by refreshments. Non walkers are invited to gather at St Edmund’s at 3.30pm.
A call to our parents
If you are bringing your child(ren) up for a blessing at Holy Communion, would you please ensure they cross their arms over their chest before approaching the minister to avoid any possible confusion. Thank you so much.
Father Joseph O’Brien
We offer our prayerful congratulations to Joseph who was ordained to the priesthood on Saturday, 20th July in St. Mary’s Cathedral, Newcastle. He will spend his summer assisting Canon Paul Douthwaite in Hartlepool before returning to Rome to complete his Canon Law studies.
Mission Appeal
We have been unable to host a visit from the Comboni Fathers to make their Mission Appeal in our parishes this year. As such, we will have a retiring collection for their work in both churches next weekend 3rd/4th August. Please note this is a retiring collection and baskets will be offered for your donations as you leave the church.
A Tour of our Cathedral
The Newman Tyneside Circle invites you to a guided tour of St Mary’s Cathedral, Newcastle (with particular attention to the stained glass windows, including the new Kevin Nichols window). The tour will take place on Tuesday, 6th August, at 2pm and will be followed by discussion and refreshments.
Prayer for the Fourth World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, 28th July, 2024
Lord, faithful God, you who created us in your image, you who never leaves us alone and who accompanies us through every season of life. Do not abandon us, take care of us and grant us, once again, the ability to discover ourselves and recognise that we are your children. Renew our hearts with your Word. Do not allow anyone to be cast aside. May your Spirit of love fill us with your tenderness and teach us to say: “I will not abandon you!” to those we meet on our journey. With the help of your beloved Son, may we not lose the taste for fraternity and may we not conform to the sadness of loneliness. Help us to look to the future with renewed hope and make the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly a day without loneliness and a day abundant with the first-fruits of your peace. Amen
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 the need to inform your insurance would not apply.
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
Safeguarding
The Parish operates in accordance with Statutory Safeguarding Guidance and the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA) and Diocesan policies and procedures at all times. Each of our churches has a Parish Safeguarding Representative indicated on the Safeguarding posters displayed in each church.