Welcome to our parishes

Please note, the time for Mass at Stella on Sundays is now 10:15 am

Shoe box appeal. Please see below this weekend’s bulletin for details of this year’s appeal. Completed boxes need to be at the back of Church before Sunday, 3rd November.

ST. AGNES’, CRAWCROOK &

ST. MARY & ST. THOMAS AQUINAS’, STELLA.

Parishes’ Landline & answering machine: 0191 4142749;

Parish Priest: Rev. Fr. J. G. Rose

Retired in residence at St. Agnes’, Crawcrook: Rev. Fr. J. James.                                                          

28th Sunday of the Year.   13th October, 2024.

Confessions:-No Confessions this week.; Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: No Exposition this week

Please pray for:  the sick – Mark Armstrong; Jenny, Kathleen & Simon Burns;Pat Butler;D. C.; Chloe Cant; Tommy Carr; Valerie Coleman; Michael Hogan; Pat Keen; Avril & Paul Kimmitt Joyce Madine; Margaret March; Annie O’Connor; Jessica Rich; Natasha Rose; Matthew Stewart; Fr. Alan MacKnight.

200 Club £30 Winner. This week’s £30 winner: V. Price, no. 70. Congratulations Val!

Offertory Processions. This week:- Sat. 5.00p.m. Noah Potts & Family;   Sun. 10.15a.m. Scarlett Knox & Family.

                                      Next week:- Sat. 5.00p.m. Talia Proud & Family; Sun. 10.15a.m. Martha McMullen & Family.

First Confession & First Holy Communion Group 2024/25.

Please keep these children and their parents in your prayers:- STELLA:- Ava Brown; Oakley Bush; Olivia Coff; Fearne Cunny; Oscar Davidson; Zoe Davison; Harry Elliott; Catherine Foster; Darcey Gill; Evie Graham; Nathan Gray; Nathaniel Jones; Scarlett Knox; Martha McMullen; Jonah Minto; Penny Peart; Noah Potts; Talia Proud; Eden Rawlinson; Samuel Reay; Hannah Redpath; Maisie Reed; Luke Russell; Fearne Smith; Akshith Sony; Teddy Tarpey; Amelia-Rose Tully; Sophie Underwood; Eduardo Watson; Mateo Watson; Harlow Williams.

The Parishes’ Piety Stalls.

The Christmas stock has arrived already and is now on display both at St. Agnes’ and Stella. Our previous supplier for Stella had reduced the range of religious cards this year, but after searching, we came up with another. The large square cards are of extremely high quality, and due to the discount offered to us, we are able to offer these at the reduced price of £3.95 (rather than £4.95). Why not take a look after our Masses today? 

Friends of St. Agnes!

The Friends are on the move this week! On Tuesday, they will be heading off to the Centenary Ladies’ Group for an afternoon of entertainment! 

The November Book.

2024 seems to have flown by, such that within weeks, we will once again be into November, the Month of the Holy Souls. We will be compiling a November Book for each of our churches, which will be used at each Mass right the way through November, with Masses being offered several times each week for all whose names are inscribed therein.

All being well, there will also be Mass celebrated at St. Agnes’ on Monday and Saturday mornings too. So for the first time in many years, there will be daily Mass in Crawcrook. Holy Mass will also be celebrated each week throughout the year for all whose names are enclosed in our November Book, as a constant reminder of those who have gone before us, handing their faith on to us.

There are the usual brown envelopes available at the back of church. The names of family and friends can either be written on the front, or if the list is lengthy, please do feel free to enclose the names on a sheet of paper together with your donation. Envelopes can be placed in the box at the back of church.

Thank You!

Many thanks to all who turned out at St. Agnes’ last week to lend a hand in cleaning our church. It’s far from easy to keep on top of the dust with all the exposed brickwork, but the valiant efforts of the team of volunteers have made a tremendous difference.

St. Agnes’ Preparation Programme for First Confession

& First Holy Communion… …Parents’ Meetings.

Fr. James has organised the meetings for this year’s programme. I am very grateful to him for generously offering to take the lead on the 2024/25 programme in conjunction with the two catechists, following previous years’ programmes at St. Agnes’. The first two meetings will be for parents only.

The first will be this week, on Tuesday, 15th starting at 7.00 p.m. at St. Agnes’. The second will take place next week, on 22nd October. Each of these sessions will be on the theme of The Sacrament of Penance/Confession/Reconciliation.The prospective candidates are:- Isabel Fleck; Ellen Fox; Alfie Harbisher; Baux Lee-Scott; Rex Mallenby; Joe Shepherdson and Frances Stapley.

Weekday Mass Times. Please note that our Mass times this week differ from the norm. Do check the times before you leave home. I am very grateful to Fr. James for offering to celebrate Mass here at St. Agnes’ this coming Wednesday and Thursday… …and our Sunday 9.00 a.m. too! Thank you!!!

Welcome!  We welcome my uncle back to Stella this week. He will be celebrating Masses both at weekends and on weekdays at Stella whilst I am away. He also has responsibility for both St. Agnes’ and Stella parishes in my absence. Please note that the Stella weekday Masses will all be celebrated at 9.15 a.m.

Volunteers List.

Our parishes at St. Agnes’ and Stella rely so much on dedicated teams of volunteers. Just before I went away, I received notification that the diocese is asking for a comprehensive list of parish volunteers. This was to be completed during October. As I am currently away, the completion of such will need to be delayed until November… …and now will take place on the weekends of 2/3 and 9/10 November. I understand that it will be simple and straightforward… …oh dear!

Safeguarding. The latest report from the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency can be found on the diocesan website. This follows an interim audit in May. It highlights the tremendous progress made thus far under the leadership of Bishop Stephen. The CSSA will carry out a full audit of the diocese in November.

Weekly chuckles… …memories of Father Ted?!

Little Emily was complaining to her mother that her stomach hurt.

Her mother replied, “That’s because it’s empty. Maybe you should try putting something in it.” The next day, the local curate was over at Emily’s family’s house for lunch. He mentioned having his head hurt, to which Emily immediately replied,  “That’s because it’s empty. Maybe you should try putting something in it.”


2024 Shoebox Appeal for Eastern Europe.Leaflets are now available from the back of Church giving details of this year’s Shoebox Appeal, run by the charity Link To Hope. The boxes are delivered to families and elderly people in Ukraine, Moldova, Romania and Bulgaria, who are marginalised and living in very poor circumstances. The leaflets contain details of suggested items that can be included, and also those that can’t, so that the boxes meet the Customs standards we need to adhere to. Please leave completed boxes at the back of Church before Sunday, 3rd November. We are happy to accept donations of individual items chosen from the lists, and we will ensure they will also be included.If you have any questions about the appeal or the charity, please get in touch Karen Kelly.Please also pray for those who oversee this appeal and the volunteers who travel overland to deliver the shoeboxes to those in need, that their efforts will be blessed. May each filled box be a sign of the love of Christ, in the lives of those who receive them