Dear friends,
Merry Christmas! This week’s mailing will be understandably brief – and it begins with my thanks: thank youfor your kind cards, gifts and Christmas wishes to the clergy; and thank you for everything that so many of you have done to ensure the worthy celebration of the Christmas feast.
This weekend, we will celebrate the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph – and our Masses will be at the usual times of 6pm on Saturday, and 10.30am on Sunday.
(This Sunday will also be the final opportunity to contribute to this month’s appeal in aid of St Luke’s Hospice.)
This time next week, on New Year’s Day, Thursday, 1 January 2026, there will be a Sung Mass at 12 noon, in honour of Mary, the Holy Mother of God: this will be followed by a bring-and-share parish lunch (including complimentary alcoholic and soft drinks), to which all are welcome – but please let Pat know what you intend kindly to contribute – and also if you can stay briefly afterwards, to help clear up and clear away. (Volunteers are also requested to help set up the Hall, on Wednesday next week, after the 9.30am Mass.)
Advance notice that there will also be a party after the Confirmation Mass, on Sunday, 8 February 2026, when we will be joined by Bishop Jonathan. Again, if you are able generously to provide food and/or help for this meal, please let Pat know.
Please collect your 2026 Freewill Offering Envelopes from the church. We are very grateful to those who offer regular financial support to St Mary’s via the envelope scheme – and anyone who would like to sign up should speak to me or to David Griffiths, our interim hon. Treasurer. However, the most efficient way to support our parish’s ministry and mission is either by Standing Order (contact us to request bank account details), or via the Parish Giving Scheme: this online initiative is a simple and secure way to make your offertory contribution to the Church via Direct Debit. (The Parish Giving Scheme will also collect any Gift Aid applicable to your donations – allowing us to reclaim the income or capital gains tax paid on your gift, thereby increasing its value by 25%, at no extra cost to you.) Thank you to everyone who – as members of our parish family, gives regularly and sacrificially: without this, our witness to God’s love would not be nearly as effective as we endeavour to make it.
And so may the love of the Holy Family, and the peace of the Christ Child, be yours this Christmas-tide, and always,
Fr Richard