TO
ST. MARY & ST. THOMAS AQUINAS’,
STELLA.
Landline & answering machine: 0191 4142749;
Mobile Number: 07971 354750
Priest in Charge: Rev. Fr. J. G. Rose www.stellachurch.co.uk Facebook: Stella Church
Fifth Sunday of Easter. 28th April, 2024.
| Saturday 27th April Vigil Mass. | 5.00 p.m. | Dorothy Gunson. |
| Sunday 28th April 5th of Easter. | 10.00 a.m. | Michael & Norma Kavanagh. |
| Monday 29th ( St. Catherine of Siena.) | 9.15 a.m. | Peter Rose. |
| Tuesday 30th (St. Pius V.) | 9.15 a.m. | The November Book. |
| Wednesday 1st May (St. Joseph.) | 6.00 p.m. | Deceased Members Lawson & Stokoe Family. |
| Thursday 2nd (St. Athanasius.) | 9.15 a.m. | Maureen Daley. |
| Friday 3rd (SS Philip & James.) | 6.00 p.m. | Muriel Hirst. |
| Saturday 4th May (The English Martyrs.) Vigil Mass. | 10.00 a.m. 5.00 p.m. | Our Lady’s Intentions. Living & Deceased Members Todd Family. |
| Sunday 5th May 6th of Easter. | 10.00 a.m. | Lily Rochester & Eddie Smith. |
Confessions:- Daily after Mass & Saturday; Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: Saturday, 4.15 – 4.45 p.m.
Please pray for: the sick – Mark Armstrong; Joyce Madine; Doreen Hodgson; Jessica Rich; Annie O’Connor; Natasha Rose; D. C.; Matthew Stewart; Margaret March; Bocis Buiuc; Avril & Paul Kimmitt & Pat Brewster.
Recently deceased:- Monsignor Philip Carroll (Mass of Reception at St. Agnes on Wednesday at 7.00 p.m. – Requiem at the cathedral on Thursday at 12.05 p.m.; Thomas William Robson (funeral at Mountsett on Thursday, 11.45).
Offertory Procession:- This week:- Sat.: Henry Phipps & Family; Sun.: Aila Shaw & Family;
Next week:- Sat.: Thomas Rafferty & Family; Sun.: Isobel Snowball & Family.
200 Club Winner. This week’s winner: S. Meikle no. 160. Congratulations Sarah!
First Holy Communion Programme 2023/24.
Please keep our children and their families in your prayers as they continue their preparations for receiving Jesus in Holy Communion in June:- Anya Armstrong; Izzy Batsford; Ava Baxter; Isaac Beadling; Clara Cantrill; Leon Chmiel; Emily Coleman; Molly Coyne; Finlay Curry; Logan Dalziel; Luis Deacon; Pippa Dobson; Thea Exley; Emmie Fitzgerald; James Foster; Carys French; Lucha Hamilton; Kristian Hutchinson; Euan Kimmitt; Bert Lamb; Anna Langford; Emily Langley; Lewie Miller; Henry Phipps; Amber Preece; Thomas Rafferty; Isaac Rawlinson; Isaac Rosa; Aila Shaw; Katie Smith; Isobel Snowball; Phoebe Stephenson; Agnes Thew; Ilianna Thompson; Lucas Wheeler; Ella Williams; Ella Wilson.
Service of Prayer for Christian Unity. In Ryton Methodist church hall on Sunday, 12th May at 2.30 p.m.
Annual May Procession.
Our May Procession will be next Sunday, 5th May, beginning at 9.45 a.m. in the back walled garden, concluding with the celebration of our Sunday Mass. Many of you will remember the May Processions from your own childhood. Hopefully, we will be able to provide our children and grandchildren with the same happy memories of faith in our turn.
PLEASE NOTE – Car Parks Closed on weekdays THIS WEEK!
The team at Whole Tree, Ryton, will once again be carrying out the work on our trees this week.. Consequently, there will be no parking in the front or car park Monday to Friday… …even if the gates are open!!! Normally, the gates will be closed and locked when work is being carried out, but obviously the contractors will need to come and go on occasions… …they may need the occasional Costa and Greggs sausage roll too!!! Access for our Masses will be via the side door.
Parish Summer Fayre – a Date for the Diaries… …iphones etc etc.!
We’ve settled on a date for the annual parish summer fayre… …apparently, it doesn’t interfere with Wimbledon! The date for the fayre this year will be Sunday, 7th July. Please do remember to leave the day free and to mark it in your diaries and electronic gadgets. It’s always a great day of fun for all family members, and I’m told that there are some new stalls for this year’s event!
Jubilee Celebrations – Advanced Notice!
Some of you will be aware that Fr. Noel Colahan, one of my eminent predecessors here at Stella, will be celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of his Ordination on 14th June – 60 years of service to God and the people of our diocese. We will be celebrating with him at a special Mass on Friday, 7th June, the feast of the Sacred Heart, followed by a ‘do’ in the parish room.
Addressing our needs in the future.
Bishop Stephen has asked all deaneries to reflect once more on the future, especially in light of ever dwindling clergy numbers. Here, we have been asked to consider how we would work with only two parish priests. Please note, this is not to say that our current five priests will suddenly become two: we are simply being asked to consider options to help prepare for the future. However, we need to be ready and prepared for the day when there will be, in all likelihood, only two parish priests covering our partnership parishes.
After careful prayer, discussion and reflection amongst the deanery clergy to Bishop Stephen’s invitation, we are proposing that we prepare for the future based on forming two new parishes, each served by one priest, from the following groupings of parishes:-
Tyne Valley:- Crawcrook; Prudhoe and Stella parishes.
Derwent Valley:- Blaydon; Chopwell: Highfield and Winlaton parishes.
This configuration has had an initial positive response from Bishop Stephen and the episcopal council. We need to hear your thoughts on this proposal too, together with suggestions as to how we can work towards this future.
More Chuckles… …?!
Two blondes were working on a house. The one who was nailing down siding would reach into his nail pouch, pull out a nail and either toss it over his shoulder or nail it in.
The other, figuring this was worth looking into, asked, “Why are you throwing those nails away?”
The first explained, “If I pull a nail out of my pouch and it’s pointed toward me, I throw it away because it’s defective. If it’s pointed toward the house, then I nail it in!”
The second blonde got completely upset and yelled, “You fool! The nails pointed toward you aren’t defective! They’re for the other side of the house!”
An important and very well publicized murder trial was soon to begin. In preparation for the trial, the tiresome jury selection process took place, each side hotly contesting and dismissing potential jurors.
One prospective juror, Dan O’Keefe, was called for his question session. He was asked, “Property holder?”
Dan replied, “Yes, I am, Your Honour.” Then he was asked, “Married or single?”
Dan responded, “Married for twenty years, Your Honour.”
Then the judge asked, “Formed or expressed an opinion?” Dan stated with certainty, “Not in twenty years, Your Honour.”