Llandudno -
Our Lady Star of
the Sea
Parish
Priest: Fr Antony Jones STL - Telephone: 01492 860546 [Email]
Sunday December
17th 2006
Dear Parishioner,
Who are you? Are you married with kids, worrying for them and
committed to their welfare? Are you divorced? Are you
married for the second, or even the third time? Are you a single
parent struggling to make ends meet, but also hoping to have love in
your life again? Are you gay or lesbian? Well, if you are,
then you belong to us, because you belong to Christ. The Good
News is that Christ is the Host here at Mass today and He welcomes you
as part of his Body. The words from the Gospel are addressed to
you: Peace be with you.
I am sitting down to write this newsletter on Friday evening. I
have just come back from Ysbyty Glan Clwyd after giving the Last Rites
to Kevin Carroll. He, as you probably know, is the young man who
was found severely injured on the streets of Llandudno this morning
(Friday). At the moment the police do not seem to know whether it
was a hit-and-run or a mugging. Either way, it is utterly
tragic. Our prayers are with him, and indeed with his mother,
father and two sisters, who are facing their tragedy with exemplary
Christian courage and faith. Our hearts indeed go out to them.
There’s been a lot of activity going on in the Old Confessional this
week. I would have preferred the action to have been going on in
the new confessional, but there you go!
What’s been happening in the old confessional (the one near the
sacristy door) is that it has been converted into repository.
From the early weeks of the New Year there will be available there a
supply of Bibles, crucifixes, rosaries, statues, and mass-cards.
The repository will be officially open after the main week-end Masses,
but in an emergency you will be able to access it after the weekday
Masses too. This will be an important additional service to the
Parish.
Mrs Des Blease is the current repository holder, but she will need some
further assistance to cover the three weekend Masses. I am sure
you will rise to the occasion.
The confessional has been utterly transformed and you will be impressed
when you see it. I am delighted with it. Rob Williams has
been the carpenter responsible, and his work is second to none. I
told him I would give him a plug in the Newsletter. If you need a
carpenter to do any kind of work in your home, you will find none
better. And that is guaranteed. Rob, a recent convert to
the Faith, has done a considerable amount of work already for the
Church, including creating that wonderful Cross we use on Good Friday.
Once again I applaud you for your generosity to the Feed My Lambs
crusade. Between these last two weeks we have raised over a
thousand pounds for the starving children. Your reward will be
rich in heaven.
It used to be the tradition that the collections taken at Christmas
went to the parish clergy. This no longer prevails. So, I
have decided that the collections at the three Masses will go to
children’s causes: the collection at the 530pm Children’s Mass will go
to the School; at Midnight, to Ty Gobaith, the Children’s Hospice; and
at the 930am Mass, to Sr Jean.
And may God bless you all in your final preparations for Christmas.
God bless you,
Father Antony Jones