Parish of St Gerard Loughshore Pastoral Community

Welcome to Celebrate Today ’s Liturgy Sunday 24th December 4th Sunday of Advent

Mass Times Daily Monday to Friday 9.30am Plus Thurs Novena Mass 7.30pm

Weekends Saturday 9.30am & 6.30pm Vigil (Sat) Sunday 9.30am & 11.30am : 7pm

Holy Days Vigil 7.30pm Morning 9.30 & 11.30am Confessions Wednesday & Friday mornings after 9.30am Mass & Saturday 5.30pm to 6.30pm or by arrangement at the Parochial House Baptisms 2nd & 4th Sundays of each month @ 12.45pm or by appointment Novena Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novena held every Thursday @ 7.30pm Contact Details Priests Fr Gerard Cassidy CSsR/PP Fr Pat Mc Laughlin CSSR/CC Parish Office Mon– Fri (1pm to 5 pm ) 722 Antrim Road Newtownabbey BT367PG Telephone (028) 90774833 Email [email protected] Website www.stgerardsparish.co.uk *Please note the new Website address* Church Services : MCN Media Webcam May They Rest In Peace Recently Deceased John Friel

Anniversaries Donal O’Neill : Maureen Taggart : Bernard Girvan : John Donaghy : John & Rosemary Murray :Bridget Kelly Daniel Bingham Lena & James Boylan : Elizabeth Morgan

We also remember all those whose names are on the Parish List of the Dead Offertory Collection—This week’s Counters H. Rafferty : D. O’Neill : S. O’Neill No 2nd Collection this week Christmas Collection will be taken up at all Masses over the Christmas period In today’s Liturgy of the Word : 1st Reading : King David wants to build a great house for God. But Jesus, David’s descendent, will be born in a humble manger in Bethlehem. 2nd Reading : St Paul urges us to give glory to God. This is our calling and our full happiness: ]the giving of glory. Life becomes glorious when we give glory. The Gospel : For the second time this Advent, we hear the gospel of the Annunciation to Mary. For the second time we hear her generous “Yes” to God’s plan

Christmas Message from Bishop Noel Treanor : copies of the message are available at the back of the Church

2018 Diocesan Directory : 2018 issue now available at back of Church £3.00each

Towards Peace : Christmas and New Year is often a time when we are reminded of our deeper selves and deepest hopes, and deepest pain. The vision of Towards Peace aims to provide a safe supportive space for people who have been affected by abuse in a Church context.

Towards Peace offers that spiritual help for those who are seeking to explore the spiritual impact of the abuse and would like a space to reflect on the impact of the trauma on your relationship with God and spirituality, Leaflets are available at the back of the Church or contact www.towardsoeace.ie

World Meeting of Families : Copies of the official Icon will be available at the back of the Church.at all Masses over Christmas You are asked to take a copy home and pray together the official WMOF2018 prayer. An explanation of the icon is available on www.worldmeeting2018.ie/Icon

LOUGHSHORE PASTORAL COMMUNITY

St Mary’s on the Hill Fr Darren Brennan CC Mass Times : Sunday 10am & 12noon Holydays .7.30am & 9.15am St Bernard’s Fr Patrick Sheehan PP/VF Mass Times: Vigil (Sat) 6.00pm Sunday 9am:11am :1pm :6pm Holydays 10am 7pm St Mac Nissi’s Fr Brendan Beagon PE/CC Mass Times Vigil (Sat) 7.00pm Sun 10.30am Holydays Vigil 7pm

St Nicholas Carrickfergus Fr Peter Owens PP Mass Times Vigil (Sat) 6pm Sunday 11.30am Holydays : as announced Our Lady of Lourdes Whitehead Mass Times Sunday 9.30am Holydays : as announced

Loughshore Parishes Fr David Delargy PP Fr Samuel Kerr PE/CC St Mary’s Greencastle Mass Times Vigil (Sat) 7pm Sunday 12noon Holydays As Announced Star of Sea Whitehouse Mass Times Vigil (Sat) 5.30pm Sunday 10.30am Holydays As Announced St James Whiteabbey Mass Times Sundays 11.30am Holydays As Announced St Colman’s Greenisland Mass Times Sundays 10.00am Holydays As Announced

School Open Evenings

Primary 6 & 7pupils and their parents are invited to the following Open Nights.

St Malachy’s College : Wed & Thurs 10/11th Jan @ 7pm Trinity College : Wednesday 10th & Thursday 11th January @ 7.00pm (Chance to win mini ipads) St louise’s College : Thurs 11th Jan @ 4.30 & 6.30pm St Dominic’s : Saturday13th Jan 9.30am to 1.00pm Aquinas Diocesan Grammar : Saturday 13th January @ 9.00am to 1.00pm St Mary’s Christian Brothers : Thurs 18th Jan @ 7.30pm St Mary’s Nursery School Gray’s Lane : Open Enrolment Afternoon Monday 8th Jan (7.00pm to 8.00pm) If your child is in pre-school year come along & meet staff Applications must be returned by Wednesday 10th January

Our Lady of Lourdes PS (Park Lodge)) : It is time to apply for PS places for September 2018. Any child whose 4th birthday falls on or before 1st July 2018 will have reached compulsory school age for Sept. Closing date for Applications is strictly Wednesday 10th January 2018 (12noon). Please note that this date is only 2 days after the school rreopens after Christmas Holidays.

Laganside Sinfonia “A Century On” Charity Concert : will be held in Girdwood Community Hub on 30th December @ 7.45pm Admission is free with a retiring collection—all profits will go to the Welcome Organisation to help with the homeless. Contact www.lagansideinfonia.co.uk for more details. Living Youth - World Meeting of Families Volunteering : Living Youth is leading a Youth Group from the Diocese to Dublin this Summer to volunteer at the World Meeting Of Families Congress and to attend the Papal Mass. Trip from 22nd to 26th August and will be for those aged 16-25. Cost £100 per person. To register asap contact 90232432 or email [email protected] with name, contact number, parish & DOB. Fatima 2018 Pilgrimage : 12-19th July 2018 £629.00 F/Board/tax free coach transfers. For more info. please contact Rita O’Neill at either 90623186 or 0793 485 0000 Medjugorje Irish Centre Pilgrimages 2018 : 7 nights B&B and guaranteed Airport Shuttle Service from 279Euros per person . Book any flight /anytime and shuttle will be available. To book contact 0035314434510 or email [email protected]

St Gerard ’s Film Group : A DVD recording of the opera Les Dialogues des Carmelites will be shown on Tues 30th Jan @ 6.45pm in the Church. New Parishioner Registration : In order to keep parish records up to date, we would request that all new parishioners, anyone not already registered and anyone who has moved house within the parish, contact the Parish Office (90774833) to register. This can prove necessary when looking for References etc.. Experienced Childminder : Vacancy for child under school age. Also a vacancy for school pickup from Park Lodge school Contact Claire 0782 574 2200 for more details Experienced Lecturer : available for Maths tuition from GCSE to Undergrad Maths & Refresher Maths. Antrim Rd area Contact 0772 021 1822 for details

1st Friday : This is 1st Friday week and the priests will visit the sick & housebound. ( Fr Gerry will do his calls on Saturday). If you, or any of your family, would like a priest to call please contact the parish office 9077 4833 Do This In Memory”: Preparation for children making their 1st Communion this year will be held this Sunday (17th) @ 11.30am Mass

St Gerard’s Junior Choir & Instrumental Group : This Sunday @ 11.30am Mass. Rehearsals will held at 10.30am prior to the Mass. Dates for the remainder of the year are as follows 28/01/18 : 25/02/18 : 11/03 /18 : 22/04/18 : 20/05/18 : 10/06/18. We welcome all children (P4 upwards) interested in singing or playing an instrument. St Gerard’s Children’s Liturgy Group : will commence this Sunday (3rd) @ 11.30am Mass. Baptism Course : The next Baptism Course (for 1st time parents) will be held on Monday 15th January 2018 @ 8.00pm in the Parochial House . To register please contact Parish Office 9077 4833 St. Gerard ’s Parish Pastoral Council : will meet this Sunday 10th December @ 8.15pm North Belfast Foodbank : Donations of food can be made as usual— a Shopping List of goods required is at the back of the Church— Please leave donations as usual.

Live Christmas Crib : The Grotto St Mary’s Church Chapel Lane opened last weekend . The crib runs daily until Christmas Eve from 10.30am to 5.30pm and from 29th Dec to 6th January . Prayers daily at the following times Angelus 12noon, Rosary 2.30pm & Divine Mercy 3pm. Children welcome to come dressed as Nativity characters. Proceeds form the crib to Tuesday’s Child also Children in Gaza, Kenya & Sudan

St Gerard’s Community : Fr Gerry; Fr Pat & Fr. Brendan would like to wish all parishioners a very

Happy & Holy Christmas & peaceful New Year