Bhileag 4th April 2021

WEEKDAY MASS:

Monday 5th April….No Mass

Tuesday 6th April….10.00am  EOLIGARRY

Wednesday 7th April…12 Noon  CRAIGSTON

Thursday 8th April… 10.00am NORTHBAY

Friday 9th April…..10.00am VATERSAY

Saturday 10th April.. No Morning Mass

NEXT WEEKEND

10th  & 11th April  2021

2nd Sunday of Easter

Saturday Vigil Mass..4pm & 6pm CRAIGSTON

Sunday Masses…. 9.30am   NORTHBAY

11.30am   CASTLEBAY  

CHURCH NOTICES

Reserve a seat for Mass: sadly it is one of those annoying things just now that we have to do- to book a seat for Mass. We are familiar with what to do now. If you wish to go to Mass please phone /text /email Canon John Paul and let him know which Mass you would like to go to. We are now getting back into routine for returning back to Mass. If there is a Mass you are happy to put you name beside and you wish to keep to that day and time every week then your name will be allocated to that day and time and to a particular seat in the Church -unless you unable to go and therefore you would have to inform Canon John Paul.

Fr. David Stewart: will head back to the mainland this week. We appreciate Fr. David’s time in helping Canon John Paul with the Holy Week Masses and devotions especially during these difficult times of various restrictions. We thank you Fr David for spending his Holy Week here on Barra & Vatersay.  Hopefully we will see him back after the Summer. Moran Taing!

Holy Water Bottles: During the Easter Sunday Masses an important part of the Mass is to renew our Baptismal promises and to have water blessed and then sprinkled upon us. During the Mass water will be blessed and bottles of Holy Water will be given out at the end of Mass for parishioners to take home and sprinkle in their homes for an Easter Blessing. Everyone will be given 2 Holy water bottles or more if needed. Please use one bottle as soon as you can when you get home and bless your home. The extra Holy Water bottles will be left in the Church porches of all five churches. Therefore if you are passing the Church you are welcome to take home a Holy water bottle with you. If you have a neighbour who would appreciate some Holy Water then please pick up a bottle for them-there will be plenty bottles. Canon John Paul thanks the family who gave up their time to fill all the Holy Water bottles!! Moran Taing!

Singing Hymns: sadly we are unable to sing hymns in our churches just now but we have been able to record some hymns to help us celebrate the Easter Triduum Masses. Canon John Paul wishes to thank those parishioners who recorded themselves and sent their Hymns to Canon John Paul. Thank you to Stephen Kearney for organising the download of hymns for Canon John Paul. Also thanks to our own John Joe in Edinburgh for sending his hymns, Psalms and Mass parts too. Everything now is digital and it is lovely we can play our part to make our hymns more local!!  Moran Taing uile!

Thank You: Canon John wishes to thank those who have quietly prepared our Churches for Easter especially during these times of restriction. Thank you to the beautiful flower displays in all five Churches. All the Churches look so beautiful for Easter. Thank you. Moran Taing!

Borve Graveyard: Canon John Paul is keen to get names put forward for a new “Borve Graveyard Committee”. Already three names have been put forward and Canon John Paul is very grateful to those who have put their names forward. If you would like to put your name forward or to put someones 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.

Prayers for the Faithful departed: We remember those whose anniversaries which occur about now:- Eachan MacNeil (Tangusdale), Flora Campbell (Glen), Donald John MacMillan (Craigston), Peggy MacKinnon (Ardveenish), Archie Buchanan (Horve), Bella MacInnes, Iain MacIntyre (Brevig), Peter McGhie (Blantyre), Donald John Nicholson (Bolnabodach). Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.

Children’s Sacraments: as soon as the Children return back to class after the Easter Holidays we plan to move forward with First Confessions and First Holy Communions. We now have 2 large groups of Children who will be preparing for their Sacraments. Last year we were unable to carry on with the Sacrament classes because of the lockdown. Therefore we now have a larger group than usual. We will work on a plan of getting these children ready for their sacraments.

Canon John Paul & Fr. David Stewart wish everyone a very happy & Holy Easter. May the Risen Lord Jesus bless you all and all your families and our islands this Easter.