Category Archives: Christmas

Christmas at our 3 churches

advent, Christmas

At the beginning of Advent we published our special information sheet for Advent and Christmas. In case you missed the times and places of Christmas Masses, here are those details again.

First however, a change of time for our Carol Service on Tuesday 20 December. Rather than a separate parishes service at 7pm, we are now invited to join our Primary school for a beautiful carol service at the earlier time of 6pm on the same day, Tuesday 20 December at St Brigid’s Church.

Masses for Christmas

Christmas Eve

Vigil Masses: 6pm St Paul’s,  6pm Christ the King,  8pm St Brigid’s

Christmas Day

 Morning Masses:  9am St Paul’s 9am Christ the King 10.30am St Brigid’s

(no evening Mass)

We always welcome people at Christmas that we perhaps do not see on other occasions. Some, especially family, may be visiting for Christmas, others may be “resting” Catholics. Either way, let’s remember to let that welcome be both real and warm. We do not want to be like those people in Bethlehem who could not find room for the Holy Family. We do not want people to feel that they are not welcome in our churches. However small the stable may have been, the miracle is that there is room for all!

Fr Matthew.

Advent and Christmas

advent, Christmas,

This Tuesday we celebrate our Advent Service at 7pm at St Brigid’s. This will mark this important season in a beautiful and creative way. Please join us in the church or via live-streaming. During Advent we will be seeking support for our Food Market.

Booking is necessary for any of our six Christmas Masses as follows:

Full details for our Advent and Christmas activities are on our 3 Churches Advent and Christmas Info Sheet.

Christmas – the mass of Christ

Christmas

December 25th draws near! In many languages it is simply known as “The Birth” as in Italian Natale or Spanish Navidad, and probably French Noel. All these come ultimately from the Latin “natalis” – the birth. In Germany it’s Weinachten Holy Night.
Yet the English speaking world makes it more clearly Christ-centred – the word Christmas is a shortened form of “Christ’s Mass”. It is the day when we celebrate the Mass of Christ! Well, of course we can celebrate the Mass any day, and surely every Mass is a Mass “of Christ”. Yet there is a profound link between the Birth of Christ and the Mass of Christ, and that link can be found in the meaning of the season we are celebrating now. The coming of Christ – the Jesus who comes in every Mass is the same one who came at Bethlehem so long ago. When we receive Holy Communion it is a personal Advent, a personal coming of Jesus to us, yes, a personal Bethlehem.
So to observe and celebrate Christmas without the Mass is not being true to the meaning of the word – the Mass of Christ. But it also breaks that link between the Feast and the Eucharist – the God who Comes.


Our Masses for Christmas will again follow a pattern similar to past years:
Christmas Eve – 6.00pm St Paul’s, St Brigid’s and Christ the King. 10.00pm Christ the King Church
Christmas Day – 9.00am St Paul’s, 10.00am Christ the King, 11.00am St Brigid’s


Remember also we have our 3 Churches Carol Service one week earlier, on Wednesday 18 December at 7pm in St Brigid’s. Do invite friends etc to a Christmas Mass, and / or the Carols, and spread the celebration of the Coming of Jesus.

Fr Matthew