THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR DAY OF SPECIAL PRAYER FOR EDUCATION 5th February 2012

Important Diary Dates - Click here to see all diary dates

This weekend we welcome Fr Martin Coyle, our Salesian Provincial, who will preside at each Mass.

CONFIRMATION AND OTHER SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION PROGRAMMES
The First Communion preparation programme is now well underway – The next meeting for parents will be on Wednesday, 14th March at 8.00pm (Parish Hall). The children have had their first experience of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and are continuing with their preparation at home and either in school or with the parish catechist. Each child has been allocated a parish prayer sponsor.
The Confirmation preparation programme will begin with a meeting for parents on Wednesday, 22nd February at 7.00pm (Parish Hall). A letter of invitation will be sent to each young person whom we have identified as a potential candidate. Should our lists not be up to date – please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Should there be any adults in our parish community of families who would like to know more about their Catholic faith, to become a full member of St Gregory’s Catholic Community or to explore the possibility of receiving the Sacraments that they may have ‘missed’ Fr Francis would be very grateful for the opportunity of (initially) a brief conversation with them to discuss the options that might be available. Between now and Easter is an ideal time for prayer, reflection and re-thinking (from both sides) what may be some old difficulties. Depending on circumstances, it may be possible and appropriate to deal with either individuals or small groups. (Frequently, it is not really convenient to speak of important matters either before or after Mass, so please don’t hesitate to phone 572108).

NB:
St Gregory’s School Admissions information – 0300 123 5012 and/or cheshireeast.gov.uk

Prayer intentions:
Please remember in your prayers the following parishioners and relatives/friends of parishioners who have died recently:Albert Ashe, David Griffiths, John Dudley, Doris Denton, Pauline Mayers, Darryl (Jimbo) Beckett, Gerard McAlinden, Monica McKearney, Simon Booth, Brian Donohue, Fr Lawrence Martin SDB, Isabel (Topsy) Hartley, Norman Smith, Sheila Clarke, Maurice Cracknell, Ian Hughes, Dot Rutter, Andrew Jackson, Eric Seal, Joan Lamb, Thomas Tune, Fr Chris Jenkins, Laurence Holmes, Anne Stanier, Jeff Denby, Rowland Coles (Fr Coupe’s brother-in-law), Helen Bryan, Margaret (Peggy) Law, Irene Barker, Molly Galgani, James Millington, ‘JJ’, Jim Dalzell Keith Barnett, Arthur Hughes, Paul Clowes, Ellen Arbuthnott, Winifride Ullmann and Veronica Piearcey.

Kindly pray for the following, whose anniversaries occur this month:
E.Cookson, George Cregan, G.T.Duigan, Dorothy Webb, Philip Webb, M.S.Butcher, John Gibson, Isabella Coupe, Raymond McKernan, Mary Jane Heapey, Patricia Lyster, Walter Egan, Mavis Lomas, Martha Ellen Brogden, Harry Woods, Frank McKernan, William Murtagh, Claire Wrigley, Joan Onslow, Daniel Wymbs, Alice Helliwell, John Michaux, Catherine Doran, Mary Gerrard Toole, Christine Anne Mary Marsh, Edith Hibbert, Joseph Ingley, Sydney Hassell, Sheila Anne Kelly, Lewis Page, Maureen Doyle, Kay Hinge, Andrew Michael Horrocks, Leslie Clarke, Marjorie O’Shea, Gabrielle Shirley, Kathleen Butterworth and Ann Wild.

Please remember in your prayers those members of our parish who are either sick (in hospitalor nursing home), elderly, or housebound; especially -
Terence Boardman, Christopher Brown, Brenda Clarke, Dr Jean Coope, Margaret Fallon, Zena Greeve, Joan Hall, Jimmy Jennings, Gordon and Betty Oldfield, Doreen Russell, Howard Stanier, Pearl Murtagh, Roy and Margaret Miller, Chris McCumesky, John Webb Jenkins, Irene Wild, Michael Ashworth, Kathleen Goss, Paul Vernon, Philip Booth, Norah Parsons, David Handbury, Margaret Griffiths, Margaret Yarwood, Kathleen Pearce, Steve Phythian, Jean Samuels, Diana King, Bernadette Hubert, Mark Boardman, Margaret Rose, Noel Sweeney, Phil Moy, Rose Maher, Austin Kirwin, Angela Tan, Joanne Humphreys, Pamela Walters, Kathryn Cowan, Roslyn Taylor, Maria O’Callaghan, Joe Meakin, Paula and Michael Parkyn, Rose Barber Jones, Baby Daniel, Baby Dexter and Eleanor Lane.

Please pray also for a number of special intentions for which our parish prayers have been requested.

A number of people have asked for our prayers for their intentions. Please remember all who are in need of God’s healing, strength and guidance at this time.

Donations to Salesian Charities
Recently, I have been asked about the possibility of making donations to Salesian work in the Horn of Africa. The staff at our Provincial Office have been able to set up a facility for on-line donations to our own charities. Please ask me for further details.

PLEASE NOTE: Some Salesian publications are now available (at very little cost) on Kindle through Amazon – search on David O’Malley and Michael Cunningham.
The Salesian Bulletins and Calendars are a gift from the Salesians, please take these for yourselves, for your family and for anyone else whom you think would appreciate them. Please also take a Parish Diary

THE 50TH INTERNATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS – Notice from Fr Pat Munroe
This will take place in Dublin, 10th – 17th June 2012. The theme chosen by Pope Benedict is “The Eucharist Communion with Christ and with one another”. The Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales have expressed a wish that the Church in our country support the Church in Ireland by participating in some part or all of this special event. If you are interested in going as a Parish /LPA group contact your Parish Priest or Fr Pat Munroe on pat.munroe@btinternet.com, delegate for Shrewsbury Diocese. You will find practical and pastoral information by visiting www.iec2012.ie Registration for Congress is now open on registration@cssl.ie. It is recommended that you are part of a group.

Barnabus
your generous gifts for the homeless have been gratefully received – thanks to those involved in the transporting of the gifts. As part of our Parish ‘Covenant with the Poor’, we have pledged to continue our support for this charity. Please continue to give what you can, when you can, in the line of toiletries, tinned goods, and socks/underwear. The ‘big brown Barnabus box’ remains at the back of church.

Clothing: Boxer shorts (medium), Thongs, Socks.

Eucharistic Ministers
If anyone feels able to undertake this Ministry after suitable preparation, please speak to Fr. Francis

The Prayer of the Church
Currently, we have started to recite Morning Prayer from The Prayer of the Church before Mass on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. All are welcome to take part.

First Communion Preparation (Catholic Children at non-Catholic Schools)
Do you have a child attending at a non-Catholic school? Would you like your child to be prepared to receive Holy Communion?
If your child is in Year 3 or above this September, they are eligible to join the Parish First Sacraments Programme.
Please contact Fr Francis as soon as possible, as the Programme gets underway this month.

Lectio Divina
The Lectio Divina Group meets every Tuesday evening
8.45 – 10.00pm (prompt) at 2 Legh Road Prestbury.
Lectio Divina is a Benedictine way of praying with scripture, and the group will focus on the Gospel of the following week.
All are welcome and if you would like more information call Helen on 572410

Project 2030
In your 20s? The twentysomethings have a regular programme of events for Catholics in their 20s.
Things coming up include:
Snowden, visit Chester Zoo, week in Taize, weekend in London, Edinburgh Festival, visit the Holy Land.
If you’d like to receive more details of these and other events locally contact hugh@project2030.fsnet.co.uk or text/ring Clare on 07950 202205.

Hospital Visiting
If you know of any parishioners who are in hospital and would like to be visited, please give the details to Father Mageean who will arrange for a visit.

Readers
Some readers have requested Mass leaflets for the following week. These are always available from the vestry. Just pick one up after Mass.

Parish Hymn Books.
From time to time we replenish our stock of parish hymn books. If you would like to dedicate a hymn book to a loved one who has died, we are able to do this by putting a dedication in the front of the book. If you wish to remember someone in this way just ask Father Francis or Pat Cohen. A donation of five pounds goes towards the cost of the hymn book.

St Gregory's Parish is now a FAIRTRADE Parish

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