Hall bookings: Margaret McGrath (01563 542130) Safeguarding co-ordinator: Margaret McGrath (01563 542130)

Crosshouse and Ayr Hospitals: In emergencies ask hospital staff to page on-call priest chaplain. For regular visiting: Crosshouse Hospital: Fr Stephen McGrattan (crosshousehospital@gallowaydiocese.org.uk or 01563 521832)

Ayr Hospital: Deacon Robert Mackie (ayrhospital@gallowaydiocese.org.uk or 07703 751403)

Standing orders: £731.08. Weekly collection: £888.20. Building Fund (to Organ Fund): £547.65. Retired Priests: £43. Peter’s Pence: £5. Organ Restoration Fund: £1,010. Sponsor a Pipe: £560. SVDP £20. Urualla Appeal: £100.

Organ Restoration Fund total to date: £81,609.43.

£60,000 £70,000 £80,000 £90,000 £100,000

Thank you for your generous support of the parish and the Organ Restoration Project.

Parish Priest: Reverend Stephen G McGrattan St Joseph’s Presbytery, 15a Hill Street, Kilmarnock, KA3 1HB

Telephone: 01563 521832 ● Web: www.rckilmarnock.org.uk Parish office email and for newsletter items (by 10 am Thursday): kilmarnock.stjoseph@gallowaydiocese.org.uk

Fr McGrattan’s email: stephen.mcgrattan@gallowaydiocese.org.uk Facebook: St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Kilmarnock ● Twitter: @RCStJosephs

Parishes of the R C Diocese of Galloway (www.gallowaydiocese.org.uk). Charity number SC010576.

LITURGY AND OUTREACH FROM SUNDAY 10th – SUNDAY 17th OCTOBER 2021

Please visit “St Joseph’s Church, Kilmarnock” YouTube channel for Masses which are livestreamed.

Date Time Gathering Mass Intention Saturday 9th 10.00 am .............. Mass in St Matthew’s Church 5.30-5.45 pm ....... Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) in the sacristy 6.00 pm ................ Vigil Mass .......................................................................................... Stephen McLinn (RIP) Sunday 10th 11.00 am .............. Mass ..................................................................................................... Sarah Green (RIP) Monday 11th 10.00 am .............. Mass ..................................................................................................... Eugene McMahon (RIP) Tuesday 12th 10.00 am .............. Mass ..................................................................................................... Mary Carrick (RIP) After Mass ........... Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (until 10.45 am) 12.00 noon .......... Organ Recital by Aaron Hawthorne Wednesday 13th 10.00 am .............. Mass ..................................................................................................... Jean Campbell (RIP) After Mass ........... Recitation of the Rosary Thursday 14th 6.00 pm ................ Mass ..................................................................................................... Iain McKay (Ann) Friday 15th 10.00 am .............. Mass ..................................................................................................... Geraldine Kennedy (RIP) Saturday 16th 10.00 am .............. Mass in St Matthew’s Church 5.30-5.45 pm ....... Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) in the sacristy 6.00 pm ................ Vigil Mass .......................................................................................... Special Intention Sunday 17th 11.00 am .............. Mass ..................................................................................................... John Loughran and Penelope Brady (Ann)

The church is open from Monday to Friday from 10 am until 4 pm for prayer. Entrance through side door.

SYCAMORE: Sycamore is an informal course about the Christian faith and its relevance for life today. In this time when communities are rebuilding after 18 months of disruption and isolation, it gives people a safe space to meet others, share ideas, explore their beliefs, and think about questions that really matter in a welcoming setting.

After 11.00 am Mass on Sunday, 24th October, you are warmly invited to come to the hall for soup, followed by a pilot Sycamore session. People of all ages are welcome, and nobody will be left on their own.

Following the pilot session, there will be six sessions taking place on Mondays at 7.00 pm, commencing on 1st November. Each session will last around an hour, although there will be a celebration meal for the final session on 6th December.

REQUIESCAT IN PACE: Please remember in your prayers Fr George Smith (African Missionary) who passed away on Monday 4th October at Nazareth House Care Home after a long illness. Fr George’s brother, Joe Smith, is a parishioner of St Joseph’s. We extend our condolences.

ST JOSEPH’S IS NOW ON TWITTER: You can follow the parish on Twitter: @RCStJosephs.

FR KIERAN BRADY, CSsR: Fr Kieran will be resident in the presbytery while assisting in Troon for some time. He will be around the parish so please make him feel welcome.

St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Kilmarnock

THE SUNDAY NEWSLETTER The Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sunday 10th October 2021

SPONSOR A PIPE FUNDRAISING APPEAL: As part of our Organ Restoration Project, we are offering you the chance to sponsor an organ pipe. Your individual donation will help towards the cost of the restoration. We will recognise your generosity with a commemorative certificate, and, with your permission, your name will be recorded in our public Book of Sponsors. Sponsor a Pipe forms are available in the porch. You can also sponsor a pipe in memory of a loved one or as a birthday, Christmas, wedding, wedding anniversary, First Communion or Confirmation gift to someone.

As we embark on a major restoration project of the pipe organ, which is itself a generous legacy from the past, please consider any small way you can help to make the instrument a precious gift for the future.

For more information about the pipe organ and the restoration project visit the parish website: http://www.rckilmarnock.org.uk/organ-restoration-project/

IN PREPARATION FOR COP26: The human environment and the natural environment deteriorate together; we cannot adequately combat environmental degradation unless we attend to causes related to human and social degradation. In fact, the deterioration of the environment and of society affects the most vulnerable people on the planet: “Both everyday experience and scientific research show that the gravest effects of all attacks on the environment are suffered by the poorest”…… we have to realise that a true ecological approach always becomes a social approach; it must integrate questions of justice in debates on the environment, so as to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. (Laudato Si’ 48-49) 

Prayer for World Leaders ahead of COP26 We pray that all world leaders may truly listen to those

whose lives are currently being devastated by the climate catastrophe even if they cannot be physically present at

COP26.

Prayer for the People of Scotland We pray for an openness to listening to and understanding the impact that climate change is having on our sisters and

brothers in the Global South.

For those with far-reaching responsibilities We pray that those with responsibility for industry and

commerce will engage with people of the Global South in a just way respecting their environment and their culture.

LOURDES PILGRIMAGE: Last year the decision was made to postpone the 2021 Lourdes Pilgrimage till 2022. Unfortunately, after meeting representatives of Galloway Lourdes Hospitalité, Youth for Lourdes, the Medical Team and Lady Helpers, the decision has now been made to postpone the Pilgrimage for another year.

This decision is made with deep regret, since the Pilgrimage is a highlight of diocesan life and of great spiritual benefit to those who take part.

The covid pandemic, as we know, has not gone away. It is still affecting our parishes and is hindering the preparations and the fundraising necessary for the pilgrimage to take place. At the same time the NHS is under stress and this makes it difficult for our volunteer medical staff to carry out the extensive assessment that is made of each assisted pilgrim.

It also seems unlikely that we will be able to recruit the many volunteer medical staff, helpers and youth leaders who are required.

To ease our disappointment at not being able to go to Lourdes next year we have arranged a diocesan Lourdes Day at Carfin Grotto on Sunday 12th June 2022.

A provisional date has been set for the next Pilgrimage to Lourdes: 3rd to 10th July 2023. Please put this date in your diary, and pray that, God willing, there will be no more postponements. + William Nolan, Bishop of Galloway

SYNOD ON SYNODALITY: Next Sunday, the parishes of the world will mark the opening of the Pope’s Synod at the weekend Masses.

Simply, synodality means “journeying together”. A “synod on synodality” is a meeting about journeying together! The Church’s global Synod on Synodality 2021-23 is an initiative of Pope Francis to listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to the Church, to the People of God, to listen to one another, and to make a common journey together of communion, participation and mission. The Pope has called for a very participative process, engaging all the faithful, which will prepare for this Synod.

This process will conclude with a meeting of bishops in Rome in 2023. In preparation for their meeting, the local churches are invited to involve as many of the baptised as possible to respond to a fundamental question: How does this “journeying together” take place on different levels (from the local level to the universal one), allowing the Church to proclaim the Gospel; and what steps in the Holy Spirit inviting us to take in order to grow as a synodal Church (that is, a Church journeying together)?

A diocesan core team will reach out to parishes and others to invite them to be actively involved in this important synodal journeying together over the next weeks.

REGISTRATION FOR THE SACRAMENTS FOR CHILDREN IN PRIMARY 4: A letter from the priests of the Kilmarnock parishes has been sent to parents/carers of children in primary 4 from St Andrew’s Primary and Mount Carmel Primary. The letter is an invitation for the children who are baptised to register to receive the sacraments of Reconciliation in December 2021, Confirmation in February 2022 and Holy Communion in May 2022. If your child attends a non-denominational school and you would like to register them for the sacraments, a copy of the letter is available in the porch or from Fr Stephen.

ST MATTHEW’S YOUTH HUB: The Hub has restarted on Mondays from 6-8pm. It is open to any young person who is in Secondary School. The Youth Hub Leader will be one of the Salesian Sisters who will run the sessions helped by our own volunteers.

SING FOR JOY! You are invited to the Fellowship of Kilmarnock Churches re-launch event, Sing for Joy!, on Sunday 31 October from 3 to 4 pm. This will take place at Centrestage’s Ayrshire Arts Academy in the former Kilmarnock Academy building, which has been transformed into one of the finest venues in Ayrshire. Every part of the building is now accessible to wheelchairs and there are ample accessible toilets.

You are invited not only to sing, but to listen to St Kentigern’s Church’s Reachout Praise Band and singers from Centrestage’s Gospel Choir. You may also like to meet friends at Centrestage’s excellent cafe, which will be open from 2 pm.

Normally there is no need to book a ticket for the Fellowship's gatherings, but in these Covid times numbers will be restricted. We therefore have to ask you to book a ticket either by phone at 01563-522108 or online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/centrestagecommunities/t-pjqaae

Tickets are free, but donations to cover costs will be welcome.

PROVIDING SOLAR-POWERED LIGHT FOR THE IHM SISTERS’ JUNIORATE SCHOOL IN URUALLA: The Sister of the Immaculate Heart of Mary are helping the fundraising efforts to provide solar-powered light for the Juniorate school in Urualla, Nigeria run by the sisters. If you are able to make a donation, please complete the form at the stall in the porch and leave the donation there. Thank you.

SUNDAY TEAS: After 11 am Sunday Mass tea and coffee is served in the church hall. All are welcome. More volunteers to serve teas on a rota basis are requested. Please speak to Margaret McGrath or Fr Stephen.

SOCIETY OF SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL: The St Vincent de Paul Conference in St Joseph’s has supported those in need for over 150 years. The activity of the Conference was interrupted by the pandemic, although the Food Bank has been running during most of that time with the support of other volunteers. To rebuild the activity of the Conference more volunteers are needed. To find out more please speak to Alistair Thomson, Tom Murphy or Fr Stephen McGrattan.

FLOWER ARRANGERS: If you are able to be part of a team which arranges flowers for the church on a rota basis please speak to Fr Stephen.

RETURNING CHOIR MUSIC: Choir members who attended practices for Holy Week and Easter in February/March 2020 before the first COVID lockdown are respectfully requested to return all choir music as soon as possible via the box marked ‘Choir Music’ which is located at the back of the church. Thank you.

OCTOBER IS A MONTH FOR MISSION: Mission Sunday, the day of prayer for the Mission of the Church, especially for parts of the world where the Church is young, takes place each year on the second last Sunday of October.

During the month of October we are invited to pray for the mission of the Church and reflect on how we are part of that mission. A calendar for reflection made available in the Missio Scotland magazine distributed last Sunday is printed again in this week’s newsletter.

WE STAND BEFORE YOU, HOLY SPIRIT (A prayer to build community among the People of God)

We stand before you, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in your name.

With you alone to guide us, make yourself at home in our hearts;

Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it.

We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder.

Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions.

Let us find in you our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life

and not stray from the way of truth and what is right.

All this we ask of you, who are at work in every place and time,

in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen.

MINISTRY ROTAS FOR THIS WEEK AND NEXT WEEK

Readers Minister of

Communion Altar Servers Sunday Teas

Children’s Liturgy

Welcomers Bidding Prayers

Saturday 9 October 6.00 pm

H Rameckers, V Dagostino, J Rameckers

A Gorman Julia, Ben, Sofie,

Joseph

C Power M McGrath

M McGrath

Sunday 10 October 11.00 am

E Bohan, E Gallagher, M McGrath

L Dorrian Dominika, Luca, Matthew, Marilyn

Anne & Mike Timmons

Emma Woods

A & T Kerr M McGrath

Saturday 16 October 6.00 pm

F Donachie, K McGhee, A Davidson

C Power Julia, Ben, Sofie,

Joseph

C Power H Rameckers

H Matthews

Sunday 17 October 11.00 am

E Maxwell, J Kavanagh, L Hand

G McGee Dominika, Luca, Matthew, Marilyn

Anne & Gerry Smith

Anne Dorrian

M McGrath R Murphy

H Matthews