St. Paul’s News     

Parish Summer Fayre

New Date Sunday 13th June after Mass.  The PPC are now asking for support for the Summer Fayre.  We are looking for donations of books, bric a brac, home baking and bottles for the stalls. Anyone wishing to help with the stalls please see a member of the PPC.  A list of all the stalls we hope to have is available in the porch.  Mary who is organising the home baking is looking for other keen bakers to help out. Please contact Mary Platt on 612485

 200 Club

Thank you to all who wish to be part of the 200 club.  A list is still available in the porch for anyone who wishes to join up.  Please arrange annual subscription before the May draw. 

 Collection

£1589.50.  Many thanks.

Parish Choir

The Choir practice on Tuesday evenings at 7pm.  All are welcome to join.

Communion to the Sick

This week Nursing Homes.

Tuesday Club

Meets on Tuesday at 2pm.   All are welcome.

Diocesan Youth Forum

Any teenagers in the parish wishing to meet up with other teenagers from across the Diocese are invited to the above forum in St. Matthew’s Kilmarnock on Saturday 5th June. See me for further details.

World Youth Day

The 26th World Youth Day will take place in Madrid 16th-21st Aug 2011.  Any young person aged 16 by 31 Dec 2011 is eligible to go.  If anyone is interested please contact me.

Fr. Gabriel Kigozi

Fr. Gabriel is seriously ill at the moment and is being treated at the Beatson Unit in Glasgow.  He is currently receiving Chemo Therapy and this will be the case until the end of May.  He is presently in good heart.  Please keep him in your prayers.

Christian Aid

Envelopes for the annual Christian Aid appeal are available today.  There will be no street collection in the Belmont area.

Neophytes Mass

The Mass celebrating those coming into the Church at Easter will take place on Pentecost Sunday 23rd May at 3pm in the Cathedral. All are welcome to attend.

Parish Pastoral Council

The Parish Finance committee will meet on Tuesday 25th May at 7pm and the PPC will meet on 26th May after Mass.

Terrie McKenzie RIP

After a long illness Terrie, formally of Carrick Gardens died in Ayr Hospital last week.  A service will be held at Masonhill Crematorium this Monday at 11.15am.

450th Anniversary of the Reformation

To mark this event two services will be held in the summer.  Firstly in the Auld Kirk on Sunday 13th June and then in St. Margaret’s Cathedral on Sunday 5th September at 2pm.

Church Internal Renovations

Please excuse the delay in internal work  in the church.  We are still assessing the feasibility of lowering the Altar and moving it forward.  This will probably be possible but I’ve no idea of the cost as yet.  All the other renewal work depends on the above in terms of the timetable of work.

St. Francis Xavier’s News

Communions to the Sick

This week I’ll be visiting Patna.

Toilets and Hall Kitchen

In the light of the views expressed at the recent parish meeting we intend to modernise  the kitchen with a few new units sink, fridge and cooker.  We will convert the toilet into a disabled toilet and modernise that.  Francis Rooney is going to draw up a plan for the toilet and kitchen and once the plan is approved we will move on with that work.

Plans for the New School

I’m hoping some time this month to have a copy of the plans for the new school to share with you.  Obviously parents of children in the school will see these first through the school.

First Communion/Confirmation

Ryan and Ewan will be celebrating these Sacraments next Saturday . 

Parish tidy up day

Now that the outside work has been done around the hall and church I hope that one Saturday afternoon in June we might get a team together to tidy up the grounds.

General Church News

Special Collection for Communications

This Sunday after Communion there will be a special collection for Communications.  A  letter on communications and preparations for the Papal visit is available in the porch.

Papal Visit

Some details are now emerging concerning preparations for the Papal visit and transportation to and from Glasgow.  The planning is very centralised and no parish is able to simply do its own thing.  The plan involves those coming the greatest distance i.e. Northern Ireland, North England and the Highlands and Islands will arrive last at Bellahouston and leave first after the Mass.  Those living nearest Bellahouston are expected to be first in and last out.  One bus company is co-ordinating all transport arrivals, departures and parking.  We will be told when to be expected at the bus parks and plan accordingly.

Bishop Taylor 60th Anniversary of Ordination

If you wish to make a contribution towards a parish gift  to Bishop Taylor please pick up one of the special envelopes available now in the porch.  Any thoughts on what gift to give him?

Canon McSorley 50th Anniversary of Ordination

I’ll be passing on the congratulations of both parishes to Canon Patrick Provost McSorley on the occasion of his Golden Jubilee in the Priesthood on Friday 18th June.

Eucharistic Exposition and evening Prayer of the Church

To mark the end of the Easter Season and Solemnity of Pentecost there will be an hour of Prayer in the Cathedral on Sunday 23rd May at 6.00pm.  During this time of prayer the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed and the evening prayer of the Church will be sung.

Queen Margaret Academy Reunion

Did you start QMA in 1983? If you did a reunion is taking place on Saturday 29th May at 7.30pm at Floyds on Maybole Road.  Tickets available costing £5 from Sharon Rae on 289721 or raeshar@googlemail.com or Amanda on 265007 or can be bought at the door.  See letter in porch.

Faith Today

A new monthly publication by the Bishops of England and Wales concerning topical Church issues has been sent to all parishes.  Anyone wishing to subscribe should contact me.  The ONLY parish copy is available in the porch for you to look at.  Do not remove.

Special Collections

I’m very concerned about the number of collections we are asked to have in the parish.  This month we have the Building fund collection, Communications Sunday collection, Christian Aid collection and we have just heard there is to be a special collection on Pentecost Sunday to help pay for the Papal visit.   We also have to take up the Church Students collection, though I’ll put that off until the summer.  Your generosity is outstanding but I don’t want to push your goodwill too far.  If you have any thoughts please let me know.