Bhileag- Sunday 31st December 2017

News from Fr. Peter Banyard: Fr. Peter sends his prayerful best wishes to everyone for a Happy & Holy New Year of 2018.

Thank You: Fr. John Paul would like to thank everyone who helped out in preparing our churches for Christmas- a lot of hard work went into preparations of all five churches. Thank you to all who helped at the Christmas Masses which were so beautiful. Thank you for all the cards and lovely gifts that you have given too. Thank you for all your love, kindness and support over the year which has been a very difficult year for us all but we now look forward to a new year in all our lives and in the life of the island. Thank you and God Bless!

Happy New Year: Fr. John Paul would like to wish everyone a happy and holy New Year. May God bless us all, bless all our families and keep us all safe and bless all our loved ones at the beginning of a New Year. May God bless us all in 2018. Bliadhna Mhath Ur!

First Saturday Devotion: Last year we had the centenary of the apparitions of Our Lady in Fatima. Our Lady after her final apparition encouraged Sr. Lucia to reveal to the world the devotion of “The First Five Saturdays”. A devotion in which Our Lady asks us that on the first Saturday of each month we go to Mass, go to Confession, pray the Rosary and then meditate in front of the blessed Sacrament on the Mysteries of the Rosary. So this devotion will begin this year on the first Saturday of January (6th January) in Our Lady Star of the Sea. Many wonderful graces and places are given when the faithful gather in prayer on the First Saturday of each month and to do it for 5 consecutive Saturdays. So let us make a big effort this year to embrace this devotion on the first Saturday of each month. There are some leaflets at the church entrance in regard this devotion.

Fatima Holy Hour: last year the “holy hour for Our Lady of Fatima” was very successful.
Fr. John Paul will continue to do this again this year- on the 13th Day of each month at 12 Noon there will be Rosary and Exposition in St. Vincent’s in Eoligarry.

Recent Baptism: we warmly welcome into the family of the Church LIAM MacLEAN who was baptised last Friday 29th December in Our Lady Star of the Sea. May God bless Liam and his parents Neil & Maria and the Godparents with love, health and happiness.

Vatersay Sunday Mass: next Sunday 7th January at 4.00pm in Our Lady of the Waves & St. John.