Fifth Sunday of Easter, 2020
Dear Parishioner
Here is our parish Newsletter for the 5th week of Easter.
Please rest assured that I continue to pray for you all in the hope that you are keeping well and remain in good spirits.
I suspect we are all waiting to hear our Prime Minister’s announcement this Sunday evening about how the Government wants us to approach the future in the next phase. There is a great deal of speculation, some more informed than others, but we must wait and listen to him ourselves.
Hopefully we will all be accepting of whatever measures we are asked to follow. As a nation we seem to have done so well up to now by following Government instructions, may we continue to do so for the well-being of everyone.
The following prayer may help us to refocus our minds and hearts:
“Almighty and eternal God, our refuge in every danger and to whom we turn in our distress, in faith we pray that you might look with compassion on the afflicted, grant eternal rest to the dead, comfort to mourners, healing to the sick, peace to the dying, strength to healthcare workers, wisdom to our leaders and the courage to reach out to all in love, so that together we may give glory to your holy name through Christ our Lord.”
Please remember our parishioners who do not have internet access, why not give them a ring and share the news with them.
Please take care of yourselves. Try to pray every day and strive to read your bible, God’s Word can offer great comfort in times of trial. Pray for each other and please pray for me.
Keep an eye out for one another in keeping with Government advice, remembering that some parishioners are self isolating
May the Risen Lord bless you all
Father Patterson
Mass to view on line
Mass is live streamed from our Cathedral on a Sunday at 11.30 and on weekdays at 12.00. These services may be viewed live or anytime later at
Bishop Robert Barron or Fr. Steve Grunow from Word on Fire, continue to celebrate daily Mass from the bishop’s private chapel which is available anytime after 13.15 UK time.
More information and support may be found on our Diocesan website.
Mass Intentions
I continue to celebrate Mass privately every day and as I suspect it will be quite some time before we are able to reopen our churches I propose to fulfil during this coming week the following Mass Intentions which remained unsaid when we had to close our doors:
- Monday – Brida and Ken Clay
- Tuesday – Margaret Cullen
- Wednesday – Jim and Michael McErlane
- Thursday – The sick, NHS & Care Workers
- Friday – Special Intention (L)
- Saturday – Fr “P’s” Intentions
- Sunday – For the intentions of all our parishioners
As you are unable to celebrate Mass with me, 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.
Masses for the Sick and their Families, NHS Front-Line workers and those working in Social Care
Every Thursday one of our Bishops will be celebrating a special evening Mass for the sick, their families, NHS staff, and those working in Social Care.
Mass this coming Thursday, 14th May, will be celebrated by Bishop Robert from St. Mary’s Cathedral at 19.00.
Diocesan Day of Prayer
Bishop Robert has also made Thursday, 14th May a Diocesan Day of Prayer for the sick and their families, and all who support them. This day of prayer will begin at 10.00 with an online stream of Divine Office from St. Mary’s Cathedral, led by Fr. Michael McCoy. Further information including liturgical and prayer resources will be made available on the Diocesan website.
Liturgical Restrictions
The celebration of Mass in church along with the celebration of all other Sacraments and sacramentals is suspended until such time as we are allowed to reopen our churches.
Funeral Masses and Funeral Services are not permitted in our churches. A simple funeral service may be celebrated at the graveside or at the crematorium where numbers attending are limited. These Local Authority restrictions are made in the light of the latest guidance from the Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities, the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management and central Government. The funeral director will guide you in this regard.
Please keep in your prayers this week:
- all our parishioners who are sick, housebound or in hospital
- all those near and dear to us whose memories we cherish at this time especially Jim and Michael McErlane and,
- Teresa Smith who has died. “Receive Lord into tranquillity and peace the soul of your servant whom you have called from this life. May she be taken up into glory with your Son in whose great mystery of love we are all united. Amen.”
A Prayer for Carers, Nurses and Doctors
Lord Jesus, who healed the sick and gave them new life, be with doctors, nurses and carers, as they act as agents of your healing touch.
In desperate times, keep them strong yet loving; and when their work is done, be with them in their weariness and in their tears. Amen.
Stations of the Light
Stations of the Light is a spiritual journey with Christ that takes you through fourteen of the most inspiriting events of His post-Resurrection life on earth, up until Pentecost.
Could Jesus be calling you to be Catholic Priest?
An online course of reflection and discussion is an opportunity to ask that question. The course will take place using ZOOM at 19.15 on Mondays beginning Monday 11th May. To find out more, please contact Father Christopher Warren at vocations@rcdhn.org.uk.
An ear to hear
As part of the pastoral care the Diocese offers during this COVID-19 lockdown, a number of qualified counsellors and listeners have generously made themselves available to anyone who may be troubled by the negative effects of the situation.
These can be contacted through St Mary’s Cathedral Listening Service on 0191 232 6953 and the Northumberland Listening Service on 07732 980740.
Charitable Donations
Some members of St. Alban’s Parish Working Party have asked that we might support the following charitable causes with donations from our “Charity Box.” Fr. Patterson considers their request to be most appropriate at this time so £1000.00 has been sent to Cafod’s Coronavirus Crisis Appeal; £250.00 to our Diocesan Destitute Asylum Seekers Fund and £250.00 to the Felling Food Network. Thanks must go to all our parishioners who have made this possible by your support of the Charity Box week by week.
Your weekly offering is greatly valued and is our sole source of income
Our churches remain closed at present, so I would ask those of you who may feel able, in what I am aware may be difficult times for us all financially, to consider contributing your weekly offering by bank transfer directly into the parish account. It will help us meet our ongoing financial commitments. I am very grateful to those of you who have already chosen to do so.
Alternatively, you might put aside your envelopes each week and bring them along to church once we can reopen and celebrate Mass and socialise together.
The details for bank transfers
St. Alban’s HSBC bank account name: DHN Pelaw St Alban, Sort code: 40-34-18, Account No: 92010984
St. Patrick’s HSBC bank account name: DHN Felling St Patrick, Sort code: 40-34-18, Account No: 52010453
