EIN HARGLWYDDES SEREN Y MôR - OUR LADY STAR OF THE SEA
LLANDUDNO

Fr Jones’s Newsletter - Sunday 21 December 2008

Dear Parishioner,

On Tuesday I visited John Bright High School at the invitation of the Head Teacher, Mrs Perry.  She wanted to show me the trees the school has planted in memory of the Statham Family, for Reece was a pupil at the school.  The trees are planted in a triangle of carefully cultivated and weed-free ground at the back of the school.  Two flowering cherries have been so positioned as to overarch four smaller trees, symbolic of David and Michelle caring for their children.  It has been beautifully done and will be very impressive in years to come when the trees mature.  The idea came from the school children themselves, while the friends of Reece did the planting.  The complex has been set at the back of the school where it can be easily viewed from Cwm Road, even when the school is closed.

As well as this thoughtful and expensive gesture in remembrance of the family ( and a plaque created by the metal-work department of the school gives the memorial’s explanation), Mrs Perry gave me a £235 cheque towards Feed My Lambs, the charity so close to Michelle’s heart.  Congratulations to the School on what it has done! 

Mrs Perry is retiring as Head Teacher at the end of this term.  We wish her, after twelve years at the helm, a very fulfilling and peaceful retirement.

Now, what about Christmas?

First of all, I would like to thank the SVP, and you yourselves for providing the wherewithal, for the hampers they have prepared for the poor and homeless.  John-Barry Murphy, who counsels these unfortunate gentlemen (for men they mostly are) will handle the distribution.  Also a huge thank-you to a donor who wishes to remain anonymous and who has given us a substantial sum of money for the poor.  We hope to use this to get some of the homelss out of the caves on the Orme and under a proper roof for at least the duration of Christmas. 

Confession is a vitally important ingredient of Advent.  I was glad to see a goodly number of parishioners at the Advent Penitential Service on Wednesday evening, with many children and young people there too.  If you missed that service, there will be further opportunity for you to get to the Sacrament.  Confessions will be heard on Christmas Eve from 4pm to 5pm.  Please try to get to the sacrament before Christmas.

The Children's Mass is on Christmas Eve at 530pm, just as it was last year.  Again the children will help me to build the Crib at this Mass.  (I am grateful to David Swann’s two lads for putting up the Christmas Tree for us).

Midnight Mass will be preceded by half an hour’s carolling.  Once again I am delighted to tell you that our Midnight Mass will be accompanied by the Amici del Canto Choir, just as it was last year.  They will add flavour and vigour to the carol-singing by interspersing the community singing with pieces of their own.  The Christmas Morning Mass will be, as usual, at 930am

I am also delighted to tell you that on St Stephen’s Day, at the 10am Mass, seven of our Altar Servers will be enrolled into the Guild of St Stephen.  These are: Ffion Williams, Megan Williams, Isaac Williams, Sam Crossland, Lynette Mutisya, Annabel Chmara and Naomi Hughes.  These have already proved themselves faithful in their serving and worthy to be honoured in this way.  It is traditional at this Mass that the whole team of Altar Servers attends, supporting their colleagues as they are enrolled into the Guild, and celebrating their Patron, St Stephen, their inspiration for life as Catholic Christians.

God bless you, 

       Fr Antony Jones.