PARISH OF OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION
EAST LANE, STAINFORTH.DN7 5HA

PARISH NEWSLETTER: 7TH JANUARY 2024

The Epiphany of the Lord – Year B

Parish Phone: 07553 216866 Priest: Fr Joe Okeke 01405 812248

Parish email: churchstainforth@gmail.com

Day Jan COMMEMORATION SERVICES INTENTIONS
Sat 6th Weekday of Christmas 6pm Vigil Mass in Stainforth Frank McKone
Sun 7th The Epiphany of the Lord 10.30am Mass in Moorends People of both Parishes
Mon 8th Baptism of the Lord
Tue 9th Weekday
Wed 10th Weekday No Mass Today

2-4pm Asylum outreach in Hall
Thu 11th Weekday
Fri 12th St Aelred of Rievaulx, Religious
Sat 13th St Hilary, Bishop, Doctor of the Church 6pm Vigil Mass in Stainforth Jan Kotek
Sun 14th 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 10.30am Mass in Moorends People of both Parishes

Please remember in your prayers all the sick and housebound of the Parish especially: Ronnie Neilson Jnr, Robert Bailey, Louise Bradley, Billy Mournian, Jim Mason, Ernesto Robertson, Margaret Howe, Keith Watson, Derek Ward, Mary Fretwell, Berni Robertshaw, Frank and Sue McDermott, Joan Wilkinson, Michael McEvoy, Lilian Hollidge, Jenny Thomas and Erika Ramsey. Please pray also for those who care for the sick and all who grieve.

Remember also those whose anniversaries occur around this time: James (Jack) McAvoy, Beatrice Alice Maughan, Ethelreda Howard, Mary Lanaghan (7th Jan), Catherine Kershaw, Veronica Edith Fish, William Richardson, Jan Kotek (8th Jan), Thomas McGarry, Michael Joseph Smullen (9th Jan), Sylvia Maughan, Michael Reddy (10th Jan), Brenda McLoughlin, George Doherty, Harold Molyneux, Jack Milan (11th Jan), Mary Elizabeth Breslin, Audrey Joan Kitchen, Catherine (Kit) Young (12th Jan), Thomas Egan (13th Jan). May they rest in peace.

NOTICES

THE SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD: REFLECTION. Having come to our world and in His all Powerful and omnipresent nature, God is everywhere. However, His omnipresence is not experienced and felt by everyone especially those who are yet to know Him and how best to worship Him. And so, in the manifestation of Christ as God to the whole gentile nations and the world at large, God makes Himself available and accessible to all who search and seek Him with sincere hearts. God manifests Himself to all peoples in various forms, events, changes and chances of life, but it is only the honest and sincere seeker that recognises the manifestation of God. Though the Magi in their thirst for God and desire to render Him a befitting worship and reverence, presented very costly and significant gifts to the infant King Jesus; but in return for such treasurable gifts, they received even a far more invaluable gift namely, a first class knowledge and experience of the Saviour of the world. However, as the Church presents them before us today as models and practical examples to follow in our reverence and worship of God, she equally warns us not to follow the path of Herod and the Jewish leaders of His day.

FATHER OKEKE leaves us on Sunday to spend some time with his family in Nigeria and Father Andrew Batare from the SMA Fathers in Manchester will be back with us to celebrate Mass on Saturday evenings. Our Wednesday morning Mass will resume when Father Joe returns from his break. We wish Father a safe journey and a happy holiday and look forward to him returning refreshed in February.

NEXT SUNDAY 14th January is Peace Sunday and for his theme for the World Day of Peace this year, Pope Francis has chosen ‘Artificial Intelligence and Peace’. Whilst this might seem a strangely technical theme, we do need to think about the consequences of the advances in Artificial Intelligence for peace and justice.

PRAYER FOR PEACE SUNDAY. God our creator and sustainer, we thank you for the gifts of creativity you have given us, for the ability to explore science and understand your creation. We ask your forgiveness for the times we have used science for evil and not for good, for war and not for peace. Make us vigilant as we develop technology, that violence and discrimination may not take root, that injustice and inequality will not be fuelled, that the poor and vulnerable will not pay the cost. May all that we create contribute to peace and justice. Amen

PLEASE DON’T FORGET the peoples of Ukraine and Israel/Gaza as the turmoil and suffering continues with no sign of peace. We pray for them and many other ordinary people in the world who are caught up in conflict and injustice.

FOOD BANK. Donations are vital to the Food Bank and ensure it continues to operate. Last week the Foodbank delivered to 11 homes and 39 people came to collect from St Mary’s Church. Many thanks to all who contribute.

PARISH SAFEGUARDING: Contact is Carol Flanagan. Bulletin Produced this week by Anne

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