ST ANDREW’S ST PETER’S ST PHILIP’S ST THERESA’S Admin Office:
126 Victoria Street 9 Carmondean Centre The Lanthorn Kilronan Park
Craigshill Deans Kenilworth Rise 41 Main Street
Livingston Livingston Dedridge, Livingston East Calder
EH54 5BJ EH54 8PT EH54 6NY EH53 0ES
T: 01506 432141 T: 01506 438787 T: c/o 01506 880918 T: 01506 880918
Pastoral Team:
Fr Kenneth Owens, Fr Simon Hughes, Fr Peter Krakowiak SAC & Fr Tony Lappin
Email: [email protected] PPC Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Livingston and East Calder Catholic Parishes
Website: www.livingstoncatholicparishes.co.uk
SVDP Contact Numbers:
St Andrew’s: 07757 123114 St Peter’s: 07796 662264
St Philip’s: 07502 031701 St Theresa’s: 07548 115446
Confession:
St Andrew’s: Sat 9am & 4.30pm
St Peter’s: Sat 10am
St Philip’s: Sat 9am
St Theresa’s: Sun after 11.30am
Adoration:
St Andrew’s: Tue 10am to 12.00pm
Thu 7pm to 9pm
Sat 4.30pm to 5pm
St Peter’s: Sat 10am to 10.30am
Sun 8.30am to 9am
St Philip’s: Sat 9am to 9.15am
Morning Prayer:
St Philip’s: Tue, Thu & Sat
9.15am
SUNDAY 17 DECEMBER 2017
Third Sunday of Advent - B
The subject of the gospel is the same as that of last Sunday:
the witness of John the Baptist who summons all to faith in
Jesus.
More firmly even than Mark, John casts the Baptist in the role
of witness to the light. The Baptist declares that he is not the
Messiah. Nor is he Elijah, who was expected to precede the
Messiah (Mal 3:23-24). Nor is he the prophet (like Moses)
who was to come (Deut 18:15). He is merely the voice of the
wilderness prophet of Isaiah (40:3). His task is to prepare the
way for the Messiah, who is already among the people, though
they do not recognise him.
Youth Club Pilgrimage to Rome: The children in our Youth Group can sign up to go to Rome in May. If you don’t have a
brochure, copies are available at the back of the church this Sunday or call the parish office. Look out for the children who
will be bag packing in Morrisons on Friday 29 December from 9.00am to 1.00pm. Please give generously to them.
Advent Reconciliation Service: The service for our four parishes will be on Tuesday 19 December at 7.00pm in St Andrew’s.
CIC: The class will next meet on Saturday 23 December at 10.30am in St Andrew’s hall.
TAPP Theatre Group: Everyone will be contacted about rehearsals over the Christmas break. By the way folks … I can do
many things for you but there’s one thing I cannot … learn your lines for you!
Celtic Football Raffle: The winner of the signed Celtic football was Anne Hendry (St Andrew’s parish). Thank you to everyone
who supported this raffle; £600 was raised.
Christmas Mass Times:
Next Sunday’s Readings (24.12.17): 2 Samuel 7:1-5. 8-12. 14. 16; Psalm 88; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38ed
Recently Deceased: Phyllis Morgan, Netta Hood, Agnes McKenna, Pauline Dwyer Anniversaries (December): Robert Storrar,
Margaret O’Kane, Mary Preston
Shared News …
ST ANDREW’S ...
Baptism: Please pray for Elliot Johnstone who will be baptised today, Sunday.
Fairtrade: Stall this weekend, 16 & 17 December.
Children’s Liturgy: There will be no children’s liturgy on Sunday 24th at
11.30am. The Vigil Mass for Christmas at 7.00pm on the 24th will be a
children’s Mass and ALL children are invited to come along in their nativity
costumes (angels, shepherds, kings, etc.) Two children have been asked to
take the parts of Mary and Joseph. We have some extra costumes - if your
child wishes to use one, please bring them along early. All children in
costume please meet in the shalom chapel by 6.50pm and we will process
into the church at the beginning of Mass. Any questions, please see one of
the catechists after 11.30am Mass on the 17th or 24th.
Sunday Teas: Thanks to everyone who supported the 29th West Lothian
Scout Group over the last couple of months. They raised £72.55 (November)
and £63.82 (December).
Last Sunday’s Collection: £813.29; Building Fund: £165.18; 200 Club: No 20 &
No 154; Sanctuary Candle: Fr Jeremy
MALAWI MAIZE GRINDER TARGET £5,000
Current total = £5,305.50
Tremendous effort and well done to everyone! What a great Christmas present to get. We have reached the set
total and this will benefit not only Fr Matthew’s parish but also their income.
ST PHILIP’S ...
SCIAF Real Gifts: Could you swap one or two of
your usual gifts for Real Gifts this Christmas? You
could bring true joy to families who really need
it. Cards will be on sale today from £10.
Livingston South Community Church Carol
Service: Everyone is welcome to join LSCC at
their Carol Service tonight (Sunday) at 6.30pm in
Murieston Hall.
Fairtrade: Sales from the Christmas stalls came
to £570.00. In addition, goods sold from the
Fairtrade catalogue amounted to £1.023.62. A
big thank you to all our regular Fairtrade
supporters.
Last Sunday’s Collection: £418.86; Church Stall:
£70.00; Parish Debt: £20.00; 200 Club: No 61 S
Ward; Sanctuary Candle: Andy Mason RIP
St Andrew’s St Peter’s St Philip’s St Theresa’s
Sunday 24 December 7.00pm TL
12 midnight TL & PK
7.00pm SH
9.00pm Polish PK
7.00pm KO 5.00pm KO
Monday 25 December 9.30am Polish PK
11.30am TL
9.30am SH
11.00 Polish PK
9.30am KO 11.30am KO
Tuesday 26 December 9.30am KO
11.00am Polish PK
ST THERESA’S…
Baptism: Please pray for Rhys &
Liam Nisbet who will be baptised
on Saturday 23 December.
Friday 22nd: The school children
will join us for Mass at 9.00am.
Carol Service: There will be a
short Carol Service starting at
4.45pm before the Vigil Mass at
5.00pm on Christmas Eve.
Last Sunday’s Collection:
£378.24; Bonus Ball Winner: No
50 St Theresa’s
ST PETER’S …
No Mass on the 19th: There is no
Mass at 6.30pm on the 19th as the
Advent Reconciliation Service for
the four parishes is at 7.00pm at St
Andrew’s Church.
Christmas Tree: This year we are
having a real tree in the church. It
will go in place on Saturday 23rd
ready to be lit for the Christmas
Vigil. You are invited to bring in a
bauble for the tree, perhaps in
memory of someone no longer
with us at Christmas time. The
children are then welcome to help
me decorate the tree after Sunday
morning Mass.
SVDP Appeal: Thank you very
much everyone for responding so
generously this year to the SVDP
Giving Tree Appeal. No-one will
ever know the people who will
receive the gifts … that’s real
charity!
Happy birthday, Fr Simon from
everyone in St Peter’s!
Last Sunday’s Collection:
£1,015.74; Church Stall: £86.05
INTRODUCTION OF POLISH TRADITION OF OPLATEK (CHRISTMAS WAFER) IN OUR 4 PARISHES COMMUNITIES -
CHRISTMAS 2017
The Christmas wafer (pronounced opwatek) is a central European Christian Christmas tradition celebrated in Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, Slovakia (and by Poles worldwide) during Christmas. Sharing of bread is the most ancient and beloved of all Polish Christmas traditions. This thin wafer made of flour and water, is similar in taste to the hosts that are used for communion during Mass. The Christmas wafer is shared before the Christmas Eve supper. The head of the household usually starts by breaking the wafer with his wife and then continues to share it with everyone at the table. Wishes for peace and prosperity are exchanged and even the pets and farm animals are given a piece of it. This tradition dates back many centuries when thin, flat bread was baked over an open flame and then shared with the family gathered around the fire on Christmas Eve. Patterns would be cut onto the bread to make breaking easier. This is why today it still has patterns on them, usually of Nativity scenes.
The Christmas wafer symbolises the unity of the family which many consider to be the main pillar of society. According to beliefs, the bond of unity should exist between family members. The father is seen as the link in the unbroken chain of One Body, One Bread, One Christ and One Church, while other family members join him in this eternal procession. The wafer also symbolises forgiveness and reconciliation. The breaking of the Christmas wafer is a custom that began in Poland in the 10th century and is practised by people of Polish ancestry around the world wherever they live and worship. Many parishes with big number of Poles adopt this meaningful tradition of 'family liturgy' as Bethlehem means 'the house of bread' and Jesus has decided to stay among us as a simple piece of bread in the Eucharist.
This bread in the form of Christmas wafer (oplatek) is available for you as a gift from the Polish community to you and your families during our joint Christmas masses.
We hope to share it with many of you at the beginning of our FIRST POLISH CHRISTMAS NIGHT ON SATURDAY 27th JANUARY 2018 in the LANTHORN - as a sign of unity and reciprocal appreciation of our different customs and traditions in our common Roman Catholic Church.
May you have a blessed Christmas
Błogosławionych Świąt
Fr. Peter Krakowiak SAC
DATE ST ANDREW’S ST PETER’S ST PHILIP’S ST THERESA’S FEAST DAY
Sun 17 Dec 9.30am Polish PK
11.30am Mass TL Paul McLay RIP
9.30am Mass SH People of the Parish
5.30pm Mass SH Kitty Marzella RIP
9.30am Mass KO People of the Parish
11.30am Mass KO Johnnie McGinlay
3rd Sunday of Advent -
Year B
Mon 18 Dec No Service
No Service No Service 9.00am Mass TL Donor’s Intention
Monday 3rd week of Advent
Tue 19 Dec 9.30am Mass TL Owen Mullen RIP
No Service 9.30am Mass KO William Caffrey
No Service Tuesday 3rd week of Advent
Wed 20 Dec 9.30am Mass TL Kathleen & Tom Carr-Pollock
9.30am Mass SH Conway Family
No Service 6.00pm Mass KO Donor’s Intention
Wednesday 3rd week of Advent
Thu 21 Dec 9.30am Mass TL Mortimer Family
No Service
9.30am Mass KO John Linstrum
No Service Thursday 3rd week of Advent
Fri 22 Dec No Service 9.30am Mass SH Ella Conway RIP
No Service 9.00am Mass KO Owen Mullen RIP
Friday 3rd week of Advent
Sat 23 Dec 9.30am Mass TL 5.30pm Mass TL Nolan Family RIP
9.30am Mass SH Bernard Traynor RIP
6.30pm Polish PK
9.30am Mass KO Hannah Moffat
No Service Saturday
3rd week of Advent
Sun 24 Dec 9.30am Polish PK
11.30am Mass TL
John & Mary Gorman TL
7.00pm Mass TL
Midnight Mass TL & PK
9.30am Mass SH Jean Maxwell RIP
7.00pm Mass SH People of the Parish
9.00pm Polish PK
9.30am Mass KO Julio Gonzalez RIP
7.00pm Mass KO People of the Parish
11.30am Mass KO Matt & Kathleen Dobie
5.00pm Mass KO
Fourth Sunday of
Advent - Year B
WIADOMOŚCI POLSKIEJ WSPÓLNOTY W LIVINSTON
Drodzy - mamy czas adwentowych rekolekcji, gdy jasnogórski kaznodzieja mówi nam za Izajaszem,
że Pan posłał mnie, by głosić dobrą nowinę ubogim, by opatrywać rany serc złamanych. Oby w
ten czas po dobrych spowiedziach wielu z nas mówiło: Ogromnie się weselę w Panu, dusza moja
raduje się w Bogu moim, bo mnie przyodział w szaty zbawienia! Wszyscy wraz z psalmistą
śpiewajmy: Duch mój się raduje w Bogu, Zbawcy moim. Słowa z listu do Tesaloniczan niech nam
przypomną o ważnych cechach chrześcijanina na Adwent, na święta i na całe nasze życie: Zawsze
się radujcie! nieustannie się módlcie! w każdym położeniu dziękujcie!
Ewangeliczna opowieść o Janie Chrzcicielu zawiera esencję adwentowego przesłania: Jam głos
wołającego na pustyni: Prostujcie drogę Pańską. Adwent jest zaproszeniem do odwagi i radości,
bo to one są miarą nadziei. Jeśli mimo naszych niepowodzeń i zmęczenia grzechami zagości w nas
wewnętrzna radość, to urodzi się Jezus - Nadzieja dla świata. Radujmy się, bo Pan jest blisko w
przygotowywanych świętach. Pamiętajmy, że On staje się bliższy im głębiej udaje się nam
spotkać z Nim w sakramentach i w naszych wspólnotach. ks. Piotr