20th Sunday of the Year (B)

The following celebrations will take place during the days ahead.

• Saturday: (17th Aug) 6pm Mass in St. Alban’s Church: Billy, Eileen, Bernadette & Liam Brannigan
• Sunday: (18th Aug) 10am Mass in St. Patrick’s Church: The Parishioners Intentions
• Tuesday: (20th Aug)10am Mass in St. Patrick’s parish centre:  Ellen Farrell
• Thursday: (22nd Aug) 10am Mass in St. Patrick’s parish centre: Safe Delivery
• Saturday: (24th Aug) 6pm Mass in St. Alban’s Church: The Parishioners Intentions
• Sunday: (25th Aug) 10am Mass in St. Patrick’s Church:  Maureen Johnson

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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.

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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

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Please keep in your prayers:

• all our parishioners who are sick, housebound or in hospital and,
• all those whose memories we cherish at this time

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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

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Mass Intentions

Fr. Patterson is very grateful for the generous Mass Offerings you have been and continue to hand in. 

Unfortunately he will be unable to celebrate all of the Masses that have been handed in over recent weeks before he leaves us. Rest assured, Fr. Stempczyk will celebrate them in due time after his arrival.

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Our new Parish Priest

We are looking forward to welcoming our new parish priest 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 after almost 32 years, to take advantage of his retirement in the Sacred Heart Presbytery, North Gosforth. Please keep them and one another in prayer in the coming weeks so that we may continue to be guided by the Spirit of the Living Lord.

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Help with tea and coffee

We would value some more help with making teas and coffees after Sunday Mass in St. Patrick’s parish centre. Please let whoever is making the refreshments this weekend know if you would like to help and be added to the next rota. Alternatively email the parish office felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.

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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.

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Cleaning of St. Alban’s Church

We would be very grateful for volunteers who would be able to help with the cleaning of St. Alban’s Church on Friday, 6th September at 9am.

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A Liturgy Day for Readers

This is an opportunity for those who proclaim the Scriptures at Mass to look at the background of why we are going to be using a new translation of the Scriptures at Mass. It will take place on Friday, 15th November, 2024 at St. Aloysius, Hebburn from 10.30am – 3:30pm. If you would like to attend, please contact the parish office at felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk. Other dates and locations may be found here Liturgy & Prayer – Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle (diocesehn.org.uk) (Please note the booking fee of £15 per person will be paid for by the Parish).

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Marriage Preparation

Would you feel able to volunteer as a Marriage Preparation Course Facilitator? Are you a confident communicator? Would you like to help couples prepare for the Sacrament of Marriage? Marriage Care is looking for volunteer couples and individuals who would like to train with them in this exciting role. For more information, please contact Moira Graham at marriagecare.tyneside@gmail.com

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How Local Church Communities can become Guardians of Creation

To promote the theme of this year’s Season of Creation, this online event will showcase how dynamic parishes can offer an inspirational model for others to enable them to take meaningful action for the environment. It takes place online on Wednesday, 4th September, 2024 from 7pm – 8pm

A panel of experts and parish innovators will discuss how to promote greener practices within our local communities in a variety of settings. They will share their experiences and offer best practice and success stories with the goal of inspiring parishes to reduce their environmental footprint and enhance biodiversity.

Organised in collaboration with CAFOD and St Mary’s University, Twickenham the speakers will be:

Dr Roland Daw: A Senior Lecturer in Strategy and Entrepreneurship at St Mary’s University, Twickenham. He has been studying sustainability and decarbonisation in the voluntary sector since 2014.

Kirsty Wright: Head of Property for the Diocese of Plymouth. She holds a degree in Building Surveying & the Environment and sits on the Historic Churches Committee, a statutory committee established by the Patrimony Committee of the Bishops’ Conference, overseeing Listed places of Worship.

A Parish Example: We will also hear from a parishioner who has helped their parish work towards the CAFOD Live Simply award.

Chairing the event: Neil Thorns, CAFOD’s Director of Advocacy

It is an online event and you are asked to register should this be of interest to you. You can register online using the form at the end of the news piece on CAFOD’s website where this link will take you

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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

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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.

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

The Feast of the Baptism of Jesus celebrated in our churches this weekend, reveals his exalted identity as the “Son of God” and was the starting point for all that Jesus would undertake – his self-giving ministry, death and Resurrection.

As the Christmas season in the life of the Church draws to a close, we move into what is called “Ordinary Time”, the time when we are asked to put into practice what we have celebrated at Christmas.

On the day of our own baptism, God named us as his beloved sons and daughters. Like Jesus, all that we undertake must flow from who we are – God’s children.

This means that we, too, must humbly submit ourselves to God’s wise and loving plan for our lives and there is nothing “ordinary” about that.

So let us ask the Lord today to make us faithful to our own baptismal promises.  Let us thank him for the privilege of being joined to his mission of preaching the “Good News” by our transparent Christian lives of love, mercy, service and forgiveness. 

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Are you feeling unwell – remember the old slogan “Coughs and sneezes spread diseases”

If you are feeling unwell or have any cold, flu or Covid symptoms, particularly a persistent cough, you should consider staying at home rather than coming to church for your own well-being and for that of others.

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Mass Intentions

Fr. Patterson will celebrate Mass for the following Intentions during the coming week. With the exception of Wednesday and Friday, all Masses and Services are open to everyone.

• Monday: No Mass
• Tuesday: 10am in St. Patrick’s Church: Funeral Service for Mary Forster
• Wednesday: (Private Mass) Evelyn May and George Craig
• Thursday:  10am in St. Patrick’s parish centre: Annie Donald
• Friday: (Private Mass) Private Intention
• Saturday: 6pm in St. Alban’s Church:  For the Intentions of all our parishioners
• Sunday: 10am in St. Patrick’s Church:  Paul Hughes

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Mass to view on line

Mass is live streamed from our Cathedral on a Sunday. Visit the Cathedral website.

Alternatively, you may like to follow Mass from the Holy Name, Jesmond. Visit the website for Mass times this week.

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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.

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Please keep in your prayers:

• 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 Annie Donald and,
• Mary Forster who has died. May she rest in the peace of Christ.

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A Prayer for those who are ill and for those who care for them

Merciful God, we entrust to your loving care those who are ill or in pain. Comfort and heal them, and restore them to full health and strength. Grant perseverance and resilience to all who are caring for the sick, empower them with your Spirit, so that through their care many will be restored to health; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

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Pope Benedict XVI

A Mass for the repose of the soul of the late Pope Benedict XVI will be celebrated in St Mary’s Cathedral on Monday, 9th January at 12.05pm. Bishop Séamus will preside at this Mass and all are welcome to attend. The Mass will be live-streamed to the Cathedral YouTube page.

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Parish Boundaries

Following recommendations from the Diocesan Boundaries Commission and consultation with parishes, partnerships, schools and the Council of Priests, the boundaries of each parish within the diocese have been reviewed and where necessary revised. A map showing the boundaries of our parishes is displayed on the noticeboards and can be viewed on the Diocese website.

In addition to the various canonical and pastoral reasons for having clear boundaries for each parish, the maps will assist our Diocesan schools with the implementation of their admission policies.

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Thanks

Fr. Patterson is grateful for a donation of £30.00 towards the cost of heating St. Patrick’s Church. He is aware that many of you are carefully monitoring your own heating costs at present. You may be interested to learn that the cost of heating St. Patrick’s Church, parish centre and presbytery for the month of December was £2,723.86.

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The Diocesan Justice and Peace Refugee Project

The following letter has been received from the organisers of the above project:-

“We would like to thank all our parish, group and individual donors for the amazing support you have shown the project during 2022. Thanks to your generosity, we have been able to support over 1000 people over the year with basic food and toiletry bags. Each month over 400 people who are seeking asylum in our area benefit from the project. In addition to that, we are able to provide supermarket vouchers to those who receive no government support. Thank you for your continued support and for being willing to welcome the stranger in our midst.”

Should you wish to support this project, donations of sugar, biscuits, tinned fish in oil, tins of tomatoes, chick peas, toiletries and shampoo may be left on the table to your right as you enter the front of St. Patrick’s Church or on any table if you enter by the rear door. A basket is also available in the porch of St. Alban’s Church and in our school.

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St. Alban’s Church

Due to plumbing issues, there are no toilet facilities available in St. Alban’s Church for the foreseeable future.

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Bishop Barron’s Sunday Sermons for Advent

Each week Bishop Barron offers a Sunday sermon.

Christmas Eve
6:00 pm – First Mass of Christmas in St Patrick’s Church, Felling

Shared parish celebration incorporating Lessons and Carols, will be celebrated in St Patrick’s Church, followed by mulled wine, soft drinks and mince pies served in the parish centre.

Christmas Day
09:30 am – Family Mass in St Alban’s Church, Pelaw.

There is no Mass in St Patrick’s Church on Christmas Day.

From Saturday 5 October 2019 our Saturday masses will be held at 6.00 pm in St Alban’s Church, Pelaw. Vigil masses on Holy Days will be held at 6.30 pm in St Alban’s Church, Pelaw.

When:  Saturday 15 September 2018 – 11.00 am to 3pm
Entrance: Free, fully accessible with car parking onsite and nearby

Come and enjoy the splendor of our magnificent church and learn all about the contribution women of our parish have made over the last century through our visual displays.

Find out more
A handy guide to St Patrick’s RC Church, Felling

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• Download a printable version of the Guide
• Visit Heritageopendays website