Bhileag 28th March 2021

Churches  reopen for Public Mass: this weekend our Churches are all open again for public Holy Mass. We begin our reopening with the celebration of Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week- the most important week in the churches year. Please note that all the Churches will be open during Holy week. Therefore if you cannot go along to one of the Masses or services then please go into the church for your own private prayer- following the guidelines of wearing a face covering and using the hand sanitiser as you enter and leave the church.

Please note that there is still no obligation to go to Sunday Mass -so if you prefer to go to Mass through the week then treat that as your Sunday Mass.

Reserve seat for Mass: if you wish to go to Mass you will once again have to reserve a seat. This is for “track and trace purposes”. Therefore please phone /text /email Canon John Paul and say which Mass you would like to go to.

Palm Sunday Cross: for those unable to go to Palm Sunday Mass there will be Palm Crosses left in the Church porch of Northbay & Castlebay Church. The Palm Cross this year will remind us all that this past year has been a difficult year for everyone because of the “lockdown”. Everyone has had to carry a heavy Cross but a Cross we carry with our Lord Jesus.

Good Friday: is a day of fast and Abstinence-we refrain from eating meat. Also please note that during the Good Friday service at 3pm there will be no veneration (kissing) of the Cross due to Covid 19 restrictions. Instead it will only be the Priest who will kiss the cross. However Canon John Paul encourages you to bring your Rosary along with you to the Good Friday service (and the Stations of the Cross later that day) when the appropriate time comes for veneration the congregation will kneel together and kiss the Cross on their own Rosary.

Fr. David Stewart: at the last minute we now have the “good news” that Fr. David will be coming to the island for Holy Week. He will be here from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday and will help Canon John Paul with the Holy Week Masses and Services and will be available for Confessions. Fr. David received the vaccine jab six weeks ago and he has been keeping to himself in the parish of St. Aloysius in Glasgow. Fr. David will be staying over in the Chapel House on Vatersay for the week. We look forward to welcoming him to the island……sadly from a 2m distance!!

Holy Week Masses & services: please see the reverse side of the Bhileag for a timetable of Holy Week Masses and services and confession times.

Gift Aid envelopes: the new batch of Parish Gift Aid envelopes has arrived for this new finance year. Once the Masses resume the envelopes will be brought to the church and can be picked up there.

SCIAF Wee Boxes: can be handed into the Church from Holy Thursday (1st April) onwards.

Borve Graveyard: Canon John Paul is keen to get names put forward for a new Borve graveyard committee. If you would like to put you name forward or to put someone else’s name forward then please contact Canon John Paul (by phone or by email). The Committee is there to help maintain the old Borve Graveyard and to help in fundraising for its upkeep especially in grass cutting and general maintenance and manage the Graveyard bank account. Canon John Paul would like to thank the last committee of Ronnie, Annie Jean and Mary Anne for their faithful service and support to Borve graveyard.

Prayers for the Faithful departed: We remember those whose anniversaries which occur about now…………………. Kathleen Boyd (Glen), Fiona Scott/MacNeil (Glen), Patricia Buchanan (Horve & Ardveenish), Hugh Francis MacLean (Vatersay) Murdo MacNeil (Castlebay) Paul Hillhouse (Rhu & Northbay), John & Margaret MacNeil (Borve), Katie & Angus MacNeil (Scurrival), John MacKinnon (Castlebay), Catherine & Lawrence Todd (USA), Neil & Mary MacKinnon (USA), Katie Ann & Allan MacKelvie (Glasgow). Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.