Fr. Aaron Writes 25th December 2022

May I take this opportunity to wish all parishioners a very Happy and Blessed Christmas. I hope that the celebration of the birth

of the Christ-child will bring your families some peace and joy. Perhaps we all feel a general sense of fatigue and uncertainty as

we come to the end of one year and begin another, but as we gaze into the crib and look into the eyes of the infant Jesus and

the faces of Mary and Joseph, I hope we can, like them, enjoy the wonder of this event which changed the course of human

history and continues to inspire goodness, peace and hope.

What are our hopes and dreams for Christmas and the New Year? I pray that faith in God and the power of Christ may be

restored in the lives of all, especially those who despair and have no hope, in those who find themselves lost with no direction

in life and that the poor, the suffering and the destitute may find peace, restoration and stability.

We hold in our hearts a prayer for peace in our troubled world, we pray for an end to division amongst peoples and nations and

for unity in society and in the church.

Only in this baby, whom we gaze upon with love and joy, will we find true peace, a true understanding of who we are, the

meaning of our existence and the promise of a future. I hope especially for young people and young adults that they may find

their home and purpose in Jesus, the Word made flesh, our Emmanuel.

Be assured of my closeness with all of you at this time, especially the sick and housebound, those who find Christmas a painful

and difficult time and, of course, the bereaved and the dying.

Enjoy these days as much you can, have a good rest and I look forward to seeing you at our Christmas services.

Christmas Masses – Masses on Christmas Eve will be at 5pm, 9pm and 12 Midnight, with carols beginning at 11:30pm. Children

are warmly encouraged to attend the 5pm Mass dressed as characters from the Nativity story.



Masses on Christmas Day will be at 8am, 9:15am and 11:15am.

St Stephen’s Day - A Special Mass for Altar Servers will be celebrated at 12 noon on St Stephen’s Day, Monday December 26th,

where a number of servers will be enrolled into the Altar Serving Guild of St Stephen.

Parish Patronal Feast of St John the Evangelist – A Solemn Mass will take place on Tuesday 27th December at 12 noon,

followed by a party in the Hall.

Christmas Collection – Your generosity in the collection over the Christmas weekend is much appreciated. This is one of the

main sources of income for priests in our diocese, as we do not receive a salary. I know times are tough, so your offering is

received with much gratitude and thankfulness.

With every prayer and good wish,

Fr Aaron