Bhileag 29th July 2018

Recent Funeral: we remember in our prayers the repose of the soul of ALEXANDER MacLEAN

(El a mhol), who died on Saturday 21st July in Glasgow at the age of 88. The Requiem Mass took place in St. Brendan’s in Craigston on Saturday 28th July and thereafter he was laid to rest in Cuithir cemetery. Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.

Fr. Emmanuel Alagbaoso: has now finally arrived on the island and will be staying in Our Lady Star of the Sea chapel house for the next few weeks. After that he will move into the chapel house on Vatersay and that will be his home for the next couple of years.

Fr. John Paul: will be away this week on his Summer Holiday. He will be away from Wednesday 1st August till Wednesday 15th August. While he is away Fr. Emmanuel will look after the parishes.

Wedding: this coming Tuesday 31st July there will be a Wedding in St. Barr’s in Northbay at 2pm. We pray for Nicola MacKinnon & Nicholas Piot who have travelled over from Switzerland to get married on Barra. It would be nice to have the choir come along and help in the hymns of the marriage service.

Vatersay Sunday Mass: next Sunday (5th August)  there will be Mass on Vatersay at 4pm.

Pastoral & Spiritual Priorities of the Diocese: Bishop Brian is keen to meet parishioners from around the island Deanery and to look at the pastoral/spiritual priorities of the Diocese. Bishop Brian has asked for 5 parishioners from each parish to go along to a meeting on Saturday 11th August from 1pm-3pm in St. Mary’s Hall in Griminish in Benbecula. If anyone would like to go from the island on behalf of the parish please let Fr John Paul know- it would be nice to send a few parishioners over to the meeting.

Fr. John MacMillan Mass: on Friday 17th August Fr. John Paul will celebrate a Gaelic Mass in thanksgiving for the life, works and Priesthood of Fr. John MacMillan. The Mass will be at 12 Noon in St. Brendan’s in Craigston. This year a Gaelic book will be published (hopefully for October this year) on the life of Fr. John MacMillan- so it will be a lovely opportunity to remember Fr. John in a special Mass of thanksgiving. After the Mass there will be a walk to the grave of Fr. John in the old graveyard in Borve. Later that day there will be a ceilidh in the Heritage Centre. All Welcome.

St. Brendan’s Church: Fr. John Paul would like to get the outside of Craigston Church painted this Summer. We will hopefully get a group together to look at how best to approach painting the church and possible dates to do it.