Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

As we ponder the current conflicts around the world (“wars and rumours of wars”), let us beg the gift of the peace that the world can neither give nor disturb – because it comes from Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is our Peace. We especially pray for Catholics in the Holy Land, Lebanon and Syria, as well as the Catholics of Ukraine.

Let us renew and deepen our union with Our Divine Lord & Redeemer, Holy Mary (His Mother & ours), & St Joseph, this Christmas. In addition to the beautiful Masses of Christmas Day, I urge you to attend as many Masses as possible during the great Octave of Christmas – this is truly a privileged time of grace. I wish each of you, your family & friends, a Blessed & Merry Christmas, and all the graces necessary to remain faithful disciples of the Lord in 2025. I will remember all parishioners, living and dead, at the Altar of God.

In Domino et Domina,

Fr Glen Tattersall PP

EPIPHANYTIDE HOUSE BLESSINGS

Fr Murphy will be offering Epiphany house blessings during January. On the eve before Epiphany, water is blessed in a special ceremony commemorating the visit of the Magi to the Christ child. During Ephipanytide, therefore, homes can be blessed and consecrated to Christ with Epiphany water by a priest using the special Epiphany house blessing.

If your home has not been blessed or it has been a while since you have had a priest visit, Fr Murphy will be offering house blessings for registered parishioners during January.

Registered parishioners can register interest before January 3rd in one of the following ways:

• Sending an email to Father Murphy with your name, the days, dates and times in January that suit you, and your address. Address:

• Sign up using the sign-up sheet in the church vestibule.

Father will be in contact in due course to confirm dates and times. He will do his best to visit as many as possible, and given the geographical distances between some parishioners, will likely group to the same day visits of parishioners living nearby each other.

Please note that:

• You must be a registered parishioner of the Newman Parish.

• To best accommodate time and geographical distance, it is best to indicate as many dates and times as possible.

• That it may not always be possible for the priest to stay for a meal; in this case a cup of tea is best.

• If Father is not able to visit during Epiphanytide, visits will be organised for the other two great feasts where water is blessed: Easter and Pentecost.

Vespers and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament will be celebrated today at 3.45 pm.

There will be NO Confessions heard on Christmas Eve night or on Christmas Day. Confessions will be heard as usual before and during all Masses today (Sunday, 22nd December), and after the morning Masses on 23rd & 24th December.

Festival of Christmas: please note the special Mass schedule for Christmas Day. The final Mass will be offered at 10 am (there is no evening Mass on Christmas Day). Throughout the Octave of Christmas, we have a special programme including daily Solemn Mass. Remember that Christmas does not finish on 25th December! The Octave is a time of grace. On St John’s Day (Friday, 27th December), the blessing of wine in honour of St John follows the Solemn Mass. Please place any wine you wished to have blessed in the baptistry area before the 11 am Mass that day.

Liturgical catechesis: Sundays from 9.30 – 10.00 am Understand and follow the Mass. Lessons for newcomers on the meaning of the Mass and how to follow it in 12 short conferences of 30 minutes on Sundays 9:30 am – 10.00 am. All are welcome – please bring your Missal. The class is held in the school hall.

Christmas offering envelopes are now available in the vestibule and in the pews. Your offerings are for the support of the clergy who serve the Parish of St John Henry Newman. Offerings should be placed in the first collection over the next few weeks. Thank you for your generosity.