St Mary's Catholic Church
Chapel Lane, Belfast BT1 1JJ
Tel: 028 9032 0482

Mass times:   Monday - Thursday 9.00am & 1.00pm Friday - Saturday 9.00am, 1.00pm & 6.00pm Sunday 10.00am & 11.00am (Irish) Exposition:   Daily after 9.00am mass until 1.00pm   Friday - Saturday after 1.00pm mass until 6.00pm Confessions:   Saturday 12noon - 12.55pm & 5.00pm - 5.55pm   Monday 12noon - 12.55pm

Masses for the week

Healing Service St Peter's Cathedral

Wednesday 15th Feb at 7pm.
Theme: Praying for those with cancer.
Speakers: Sr Eibhlin Hegarty; Bro. David Jardine.

EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS – DUBLIN 10th - 17th June 2012

The 50th International Eucharistic Conference will be held in Dublin from Sunday, June10th to Sunday June 17th. The theme of the Conference is: “Communion with Christ and with one Another.”

The daily topics will be as follows:

R.C.I.A: is the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. It is for those of other faiths or no faith who wish to enquire into what Catholics believe. It is also for those who for one reason or another drifted away from the Catholic faith and would like to return to practice their faith again. Ring 028 9032 0482/ e-mail administratorofstmarys@btinternet.com

FEBRUARY 11th, FEAST OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES:
“WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FORTHE SICK”

A Special mass in St. Mary’s with anointing of the sick and infirm will take place on Sunday 12th February at 2pm. Everyone welcome. Confessions will be heard from 1.30pm. Our choir will be with us to enhance our celebration.

I mbliana tá BPF ag ceiliúradh 40 bliain d’ardchaighdeán oideachais a sholáthar do pháistí ó gach carn den chathair. Beidh dinnéar ceiliúrtha san Óstán Europa ar an Satharn 24 Feabhra ar 19:00. Tá ticéidí ar fáil in oifig na scoile. Tuilleadh eolais ar fail ar 028 90301598

Bunscoil Phobal Feirste this year celebrates forty years of high quality educational provision to children from every part of the city. There will be a celebratory dinner in the Europa Hotel on Friday 24 February at 19:00 to mark the occasion. Tickets are available from the school office. Please call 028 90301598 for more information.

Fatima

First Down and Connor Diocesan Pilgrimage to Fatima: This will take place from 14th-21st August 2012. It is hoped to run this pilgrimage every two to three years. Details along with booking forms have already been sent by the tour operator to all parishes. Fr Gerry McCloskey and Fr Sean Gilmore have been appointed as Pilgrimage Directors.

Adoption

There are children needing adoptive families now. Family Care Society is presently seeking adoptive families who would be interested in parenting children aged between 0 – 8 years and who need the love and attention of a caring and understanding family. Could this be you? For further information please contact Family Care Society on: Belfast 9069 1133 or Derry 7136 8592 .

Catholic Singles

Catholic Singles is an organisation which helps single adult Catholics of all ages meet, either one to one or through social events. Please tel. 0161 941 3498, visit the website www.catholicsingles.org.uk or email info@catholicsingles.org.uk

Eucharistic Congress Mass

If you would like to apply for a ticket for the final Mass of the Eucharistic Congress, in Croke Park on 17th June 2012 you can get an application form from the Sacristy. A contribution of £10 applies to each place booked to help cover the cost of the celebration. Please note that applications must be in at the address indicated on the application form by Sunday 18th March.

Help Needed - Fundraising

This message has to do with fundraising for the Church Development. People keep telling me you must apply for Lottery funding and for Cultural funding etc. because what is being done in providing a hall at St Mary’s is for the benefit of the old and young of the resident community and further afield. Also, of course, the face lift to the surrounds of St. Mary’s, the most famous historic building at city centre, will aesthetically, greatly enhance the city centre for its neighbours and visitors. We must always remember that St Mary’s is an oasis of peace at city centre for all cultures and for peoples of all faiths and none.

I hear what people are saying to me and believe it, but none of the Fr. J’s has any expertise in this field. Even if we had, it is better that members of the community take ownership of the development and take responsibility for looking into any source of funding that is out there. After all, priests come and go but the community stays as it has done since 1783. St Mary’s belongs to the community. Therefore we need a small group of people from the immediate parish or elsewhere to take responsibility for going about this. I do know someone who could help with advice about sources of funding and how to go about it but due to work commitment is unable to be further involved. PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH YOUR OFFER TO BECOME INVOLVED. The Christmas message is a challenge to become more involved – a giving more of ourselves. That’s what God was doing when he got involved with us and our world at Christmas.

Thanks everyone for £127.75 from sale of St Bridget’s crosses at St Mary’s.

Lifeline: Is a new regional 24/7 helpline, calls are answered by trained counsellors, to deal with, suicide, self-harm, abuse, trauma, depression, their number: 0808 808 8000, this number is free from landlines and mobiles.

Last Sunday’s Offertory Collection: £981

This Week’s Offertory: Heating and electricity

Next Week’s Collection: Sick and retired priests

Building Fund appeal:

Thanks for the generous response by those who contributed to date. This is an on-going appeal. So please keep it in mind and remind others. You will understand that due to few numbers resident in our parish, our weekly Sunday Offertory income is low. Daily, we cater for big attendances when there is no collection, except for the generosity of those who contribute to the collection box in the porch.