St Peter’s Catholic Church London Road, Gloucester GL1 3EX

Tel: 01452 523603 Email: info@stpetersgloucester.org.uk

Parish website: www.stpetersgloucester.org.uk Diocesan website: www.cliftondiocese.com

Diocese of Clifton Registered Charity No. 233977

Parish Priest: Monsignor Liam Slattery VG liam@stpetersgloucester.org.uk Assistant Priest: Fr Gerry Walsh gerry.walsh@cliftondiocese.com Deacons: Rev Colm Robinson, Rev Tim Meadows Parish Secretary: Mrs Thérèse English secretary@stpetersgloucester.org.uk Parish Office: Tuesday - Friday 9.30am-1.30pm

Sunday Mass Times 6.00pm (Sat), 9.00am, 10.30am, 2.15pm (Polish), 5.30pm

Reconciliation/Confessions Saturday: 10.30am-11.30am & 5.15pm – 5.45pm

Schools

St Peter’s Catholic Primary School. Tel: 01452 524792. Web: www.st-peters-pri.gloucs.sch.uk St Peter’s Catholic High School & Sixth Form Centre. Tel: 01452 520594. Web: www.st-petershigh.gloucs.sch.uk

21st December 2014 – 4th Sunday of Advent (Year B)

Mass Text Responsorial Psalm: I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord. Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! I am the handmade of the Lord; let what you have said be done to me. Alleluia! Preface: II of Advent Eucharistic Prayer: III

Next Sunday – Holy Family Genesis 15:1-6. 21:1-3. Hebrews 11:8. 11-12. 17-19. Luke 2:22-40.

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR AT ST PETER’S CHURCH Sunday December 21st: 7.00pm: Carols by Candlelight Monday December 22nd: 9.30am: Mass- Weekday of Advent Tuesday December 23rd: 9.30am: Mass - Weekday of Advent 11.00am: Funeral Mass 7.00pm: Parish Penitential Service Wednesday December 24th: 9.30am: Mass - Weekday of Advent 10.00am -11.00am: Confessions 3.30pm: Children’s Crib Service 6.00pm: Christmas Vigil Mass 11.30pm: Carols 12.00am: Christmas Midnight Mass Thursday December 25th: 9.00am: Dawn Mass of Christmas Day 10.30am: Day Mass of Christmas Day 2.15pm: Christmas Day Polish Mass Friday December 26th: 10.30am: Mass - Feast of St Stephen 2.15pm: Polish Mass Saturday December 27th: 10.30am: Mass - Feast of St John 11.00am – 11.30am: Confessions 5.15pm -5.45pm: Confessions 6.00pm: Vigil Mass for Holy Family Sunday December 28th: 9.00am: Mass - Feast of Holy Family 10.30am: Mass - Feast of Holy Family 2.15pm: Polish Mass 5.30pm: Mass - Feast of Holy Family Monday December 29th: 10.30am: Mass – Feast St Thomas Becket Tuesday December 30th: 10.30am: Mass – Octave of Christmas Wednesday December 31st: 12.00pm: Mass – Octave of Christmas Thursday January 1st: 12.00pm: Mass – Mary, Mother of God 2.15pm: Polish Mass Friday January 2nd: 9.30am: Mass – Ss Basil & Gregory Saturday January 3rd: 10.00am: Mass – Weekday of Christmas 10.30am-11.30am: Confessions 3.00pm: Filipino Monthly Mass 5.15pm-5.45pm: Confessions 6.00pm: Vigil Mass for Epiphany

PARISH OFFICE: Will close on December 23rd and reopen on January 2nd. NEWSLETTER: There is no newsletter next weekend. LAST WEEKEND: Mass Count –723 Offertory - £1577.45

MASS TIMES & INTENTIONS WEEK BEGINNING DECEMBER 21ST: 6.00pm (Sat) (George Hicks Anniv). Sunday 9.00am (Rosemary Henry RIP). 10.30am (Villaflor Soril-Thanksgiving). 2.15pm - Polish Mass. 5.30pm (People of the Parish). Monday 9.30am (Linda Harvey RIP). Tuesday 9.30am (Elaine & George Fray RIP). 11.00am (Funeral Mass for Kathleen Faragher) Wednesday 9.30am (Peter Staley RIP). 6.00pm (Bernie Howlett RIP) 12Midnight (People of the Parish) Thursday 9.00am (Barbara Chudzikiewicz RIP). 10.30am (Celebrant’s Intention). 2.15pm-Polish Mass. Friday 10.30am (Jim Doyle RIP - 1st Anniversary). 2.15pm-Polish Mass. Saturday 10.30am (Jim Byrne RIP). 6.00pm (Philomena Tweed RIP). MASS TIMES & INTENTIONS WEEK BEGINNING DECEMBER 28TH: Sunday 9.00am (People of the Parish). 10.30am (Merle and Stanley Earl RIP). 2.15pm - Polish Mass. 5.30pm (Ints of Pat O’Ryan and Family). Monday 10.30am (Peggy Harvey RIP). Tuesday 10.30am (John ‘Skip’ Harris & Adrian Harris RIP). Wednesday 12.00pm (Ints of Lal Slattery and Family). Thursday 12.00pm (People of the Parish). 2.15pm-Polish Mass. Friday 9.30am (Tom Hieron Anniversary). Saturday 10.0am (Patrick Joyce RIP). 6.00pm (Intentions of Sr Sheila). ADVENT PENITENTIAL SERVICES: With the opportunity for individual confessions within Gloucester Deanery as follows: Monday December 22nd at 7.00pm in Our Lady’s Churchdown. Tuesday December 23rd at 7.00pm in St Peter’s Gloucester. THE SEASON OF CHRISTMAS: For many people Christmas is over by December 26th when life resumes to its normal activities. The Church, on the other hand, observes an Octave of Christmas until January 1st and an extended Christmastime until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Christmas combines the celebration of all three epiphanies (“showing forths” or manifestations) of Christ – his epiphany to the Magi at his birth, his epiphany to St John the Baptist at his baptism in the Jordan and his epiphany to the disciples and the opening of his public ministry by the miracle of Cana. In a very real sense, the early Church did not celebrate individual historical ‘events’, but she celebrated the ‘mysteries of Christ’. These could not be perceived in isolation from the other great mysteries of Christ; his life, passion death, resurrection, ascension and glorification. The Christmas mystery of Jesus’ birth, the incarnation of God, is the dawning of the great mystery of our salvation in Christ. HAPPY CHRISTMAS: Mgr Liam, Fr Gerry, Fr Donal, Deacons Colm and Tim wish all parishioners and their families a happy, holy and peace filled Christmas and a safe journey to those travelling over Christmas. EPIPHANY: Feast of the Epiphany is celebrated on Sunday January 4th.

CHRISTMAS COLLECTION: The offertory collection at the masses on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day is your gift to Mgr Liam and Fr Gerry and makes up much of their yearly income LECTIO DIVINA: Starts again on Monday 5th January. PRAYERS FOR THOSE WHO ARE ILL: Andrea Brushneen, Alison Blake, Sarah Anderson, Marie Cunningham, Jessie Hall, Cheryl Loy, Norah King, Charlie Slade, Deacon Tim Meadows, Edmundo Padilla, Daryl Paris, Christopher Browne, Clifford Browne, Hayley Fox, Florence Stephens, Liam McGonnell. RIP: Your prayers are asked for those who died recently: Kathleen Farragher. Her coffin reception takes place on Monday 22nd December at 4.30pm. Her funeral mass takes place on Tuesday at 11.00am followed by burial at Coney Hill Cemetery. CATHOLICISM: Continues on Wednesday 7th January at 7.00pm in church. REPOSITORY: A cheque for £2000 was given to Mgr Liam for parish funds for the proceeds of Repository shop sales. Many thanks to Breda Smith and her team of volunteers, and to all who support the Repository. BAPTISMS: We welcome into the family of the church Georgia Ashton baptised this weekend. ST PAUL’S YEARLY SUNDAY MISSAL 2015: Is on sale from the parish office or on e of the clergy priced £6.50. RETIREMENT CLUB: Tickets available for the Panto on 7th January at the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham. Cost £14.40. Tel 529170 if interested.

ST PETER’S PRIMARY SCHOOL: Thank you to all those who supported the St Peters Primary School Chaplaincy team at their Cake and Carol afternoon. It was a truly festive event enjoyed by all. In total, the children were able to raise £133.56 towards the Ebola Appeal. They were extremely proud of the result and look forward to planning more events to welcome all parishioners into the school in the New Year.

Vocation Matters -21st December – Fourth Sunday of Advent “The Holy Spirit will come upon you” In Greek there are two words for ‘time’: ‘chronos’ and ‘kairos’. Chronos is the normal passing of time. Kairos relates to appointed times; times loaded with meaning. These are often referred to as ‘kairos moments’. The Christmas Season is a time for kairos moments because, pondering on the Word made Flesh, innocent and vulnerable in a manger, we glimpse a vision of God’s love; we glean our calling to be children of God; and we see who we are called to be with for time and eternity. We have to grasp these kairos moments. They are pure gift. They will help us on our journey of discerning God’s will because they enlighten our hearts and minds to the truth.