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
Sixth Sunday of Easter. 5th May, 2024.
| Saturday 4th May Vigil Mass. | 5.00 p.m. | Living & Deceased Members Todd Family. |
| Sunday 5th May 6th of Easter. | 10.00 a.m. | Lily Rochester & Eddie Smith. |
| Monday 6th | ||
| Tuesday 7th (St. John of Beverley.) | ||
| Wednesday 8th | ||
| Thursday 9th The Ascension – Holy Day. | 6.00 p.m. | The November Book. |
| Friday 10th (St. John of Avila.) | 9.15 a.m. | Our Lady’s Intentions. |
| Saturday 11th May Vigil Mass. | 5.00 p.m. | John Sloan. |
| Sunday 12th May 7th of Easter. | 10.00 a.m. | Catherine Cruddas. |
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:- Pat Brown (funeral service at Stella on 13th May at 10.00 a.m.); baby Scoot Sayers (Service at Satwell Crematorium on 23rd May); Colin Grayson (service at West Road Crematorium on 28th May). R.I.P.
Offertory Procession:- This week:- Sat.: Thomas Rafferty & Family; Sun.: Isobel Snowball & Family;
Next week:- Sat.: Isaac Rawlinson & Family; Sun.: Lucas Wheeler & Family.
200 Club Winner. This week’s winner: P. McCraw no.7. Congratulations Paulette!
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.
200 Club.
The boxes of 200 Club envelopes can now be collected. Fancy joining The Club? We have a few numbers spare. £1 dues per week can be made via the weekly pink envelopes, quarterly or annually. Contact Alice or Mary if you would like to take a number.
Annual May Procession. Our May Procession takes place today, Sunday, at 9.45 a.m. in the back walled garden, concluding with the celebration of our Sunday Mass. Many 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.
Holy Day of Obligation. Thursday is the feast of The Ascension, a holy day. Mass at Stella will be at 6.00 p.m.
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 deanery’s parishes.
After careful prayer, discussion and reflection amongst the deanery clergy, 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.
Second Collection this Weekend. Just a reminder, that with this weekend being the first in the month, there will be our usual second collection. The May collection is taken for the Lay Training Fund and World Communications. Please use your yellow envelopes for this collection. Thank you.
Service of Prayer for Christian Unity. In Ryton Methodist church hall next Sunday, 12th May at 2.30 p.m. – music from the Stella Music Group. Ryton Methodist will also be open for prayer on Saturday 11th from 7a.m. to 7p.m., with prayer stations. If you would like to cover one of the prayer hours, please give your name to Marie Wheeler or Karen Kelly.
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 for all you tennis fans! 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.
More Chuckles… …?!
Two small-town merchants were visiting New York City for the first time to attend a conference.
There was a large party thrown, with lots of food and drink. At the end of the party, they both staggered outside.
One guy crossed the street, while the other stumbled into a subway entrance.
When the 1st guy reached the other side of the street, he noticed the other emerging from the subway stairs.
“Where ya been?” he slurred.
“I don’t know,” gushed the other guy, “but you should see the train set that guy has in his basement!”
As I shopped, the following announcement came over the department store’s PA system…
“If someone here has a convertible with the top down, it just started raining… Towels are located in aisle five.”
Q: What do you call a bunch of tractors parked in front of a McDonald’s on Friday night in Iowa?
A: A Year 11 Prom.