Franciscan Newsletter: the Nativity of the Lord

ST. WILFRID’S CENTRE currently has sufficient sugar so no sugar at present please. Tea and coffee are still very welcome. If you wish to Franciscan donate sugar you can place it in the S2 Food Bank box. Thank you. Church of St. Francis of Assisi 277 Sandygate Road, Sheffield S10 5SD The new HALLAM DIOCESE YEARBOOK AND ORDO 2017 is Telephone 0114 263 0383 available for £3.65 in the Narthex. It gives details of the Parishes, Mass Email: [email protected] times, priests, deacons and religious in the Diocese, plus Diocesan [email protected] organisations, societies and hospital and health care chaplains. Website: www.stfrancisrc-sheffield.org.uk SCRIPTURE NOTE The Gospel which is read at Midnight Mass Registered Charity No. 512021 reminds us that the real point of Christmas is the birth of Jesus, Parish Priest: Fr Kevin Thornton God’s gift to the world. Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus stresses Parish Deacon: Stephen Parker especially the poverty of the family: Christ comes to the poor and is YEAR A - PSALTER WEEK 1 greeted by the poor. Mary and Joseph are displaced persons, and THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD can find no decent place for the baby to be born. There is no space in Mass Book pg 98/103. Preface I pg 66. the living-quarters and he has to be put in a feeding-trough among Eucharistic Prayer III pg 28. the animals. He is greeted not by the rich presents of the magnificent wise men from the East, but by impoverished hired shepherds, guarding flocks in the winter night. He is born to be the patron of the homeless and of displaced persons. But Jesus is also the fulfilment of the hopes of the Old Testament. The families both of John the Baptist Christmas Night Mass (People of the and of Jesus are eminently faithful to the prescriptions of the Law, Saturday 24th 8:00 pm waiting for the salvation promised to Israel. In the Temple Jesus will Parish) be greeted by Simeon and Anna, the representatives of fidelity to the Sunday 25th 10:00 am Christmas Day Mass (Private Intention) Old Law. The birth of Jesus at Bethlehem shows that he is born as Monday 26th 10:00 am St. Stephen (Fr. John Tomblin) the heir to the promises to David, that God would build David a house St. John (John & Jenny Rockett - Tuesday 27th 7:30 pm of everlasting sovereignty, whose king would be the Son of God and Golden Wedding) would call God his Father. Wednesda Holy Innocents (Jack McHale) 28th 10:00 am What does the Christmas story tell us about Jesus? y St. Thomas of Canterbury (William Thursday 29th 10:00 am PARISH PRAYER Freeman) Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph Heavenly Father, pour down on our Church your Holy Spirit, the fire of Friday 30th 10:00 am your love. Give us the courage, the wisdom and the faith to be salt for (Veronica Andrews) the earth and light for the world. Saturday 31st 11:15-11:45 Sacrament of Mercy (Confession) Help us to build warm and welcoming communities of faith in our 12 noon (Thomas, Sheila & Stephen Watson) families, our neighbourhoods, our Parish. May we carry the Good News by word and action into all our environments, especially those which are Thank you for last week's OFFERTORY COLLECTION. hostile and hurting. Together with Mary, the first evangeliser we entrust all our efforts into Father Kevin wishes you all a very HAPPY, HOLY AND PEACEFUL the care of the Divine Spirit, who fills and renews the face of the earth. CHRISTMAS. Amen. Thank you to those people who gave some of their valuable time to  Rooted for age 15+, 7pm to 9pm (pizza served just before 7pm) at St come and adore Jesus in the BLESSED SACRAMENT last Sunday. William of York on Wednesday 18th January 2017.

A huge thank you to all who helped with the INTERNATIONAL CRIB The CATENIAN ANNUAL DINNER DANCE will be on Saturday 28th EXHIBITION for making it a great success. It was a pleasure to see so January 2017 at the Royal Victoria Hotel. This is great opportunity to many of our parishioners enjoying cribs from all over the world. We dress up and join parish friends and their families for a night of great raised £242.88 for the Hallam Bethlehem Fund and for school lunches in food and 'not so great' dancing. If interested, contact Dom on Uganda. Susanne Staub. [email protected].

There will be an EVENING MASS on Christmas day at St Marie’s The HALLAM NEWS for January is available in the narthex free of Cathedral at 6:30pm. Everyone welcome. charge.

PLEASE PRAY for Alan, Alexander, Alison, AM, Benjamin Lewis, Fr Bill REFLECTION A fire has been lit Bergin, David Skinner, Dorry Kennedy, Eileen Jones, Ellen Dalton, Ian Baxter, Jim Foley, John Denzil Joseph, John Hayes, John Rowan, Sr In our times, Christmas has become very commercialised and very Julia Duignan, J&E.D, JTD, Karen Kilbride, Kathleen Giblin, KC, pagan. Many people are lured into overspending and excessive eating Leonora, Margaret Hanour, Margaret Paget, Mary Hunt, Mary Rigby, and drinking. However, these abuses must not blind us to the true May Leonard, Nancy Lennon, Rachel Grace, Roger Kemp, Fr Roy meaning of Christmas. When thick smoke rises up, catches in your Pannell, Tony Mulchrone, Willow Grist and Yvonne Reaney, who are throat, and brings tears to your eyes, it is because a fire has been lit. sick, for Jack McHale, William Freeman and Vera Dalton, lately dead Ever since the coming of Christ, a bright fire has been burning on our and for Veronica Andrews and Sheila Watson whose anniversaries earth, a fire that will never die. At this fire we experience the warmth of occur about this time. God’s love, and the glow of human fellowship. Let us not be afraid to come in out of the cold and warm ourselves at this fire. On New Year’s Eve in St Marie's Cathedral, there will be a VIGIL OF So happy Christmas, everyone! PRAYER starting at 8pm followed by Mass at midnight to usher in the New Year. Everyone is welcome.

ST. FRANCIS 200 CLUB. The Grand Winter Prize Draw will take place after 11am Mass on Sunday 1st January 2017. Please come to join in the celebration as we witness the draw to find the lucky £100 winner. Free wine and other refreshments will be available and all are welcome.

There will be an EPIPHANY CONCERT of Carols and Christmas music at St Vincent's Church at 7:30pm on Friday 6th January 2017. Tickets are £3 and available from Katherine Rice on 2665273. All proceeds go to St. Justin's.

HALLAM YOUTH MINISTRY invites young people to join them for an evening of beautiful music, fun activities, inspirational speakers and free pizza. See the posters in the narthex for more details.  RiseUp for years 7 to 9, 6pm to 8pm (pizza served just before 6pm) at St William of York on Friday 13th January 2017.