Adoration of the Magi by Gentile da Fabriano (1423) Uffizi Galery, Florence, Italy. See reverse of newsletter for details of symbolism.

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SCARBOROUGH CATHOLIC PARISHES

Divine Office: Week 4

Day of Prayer for Expectant Mothers

WEEK COMMENCING 24 DECEMBER 2017

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT – YEAR B

Maligayang pasko

NADOLIG LLAWEN

Nollaig Chridheil

Fröhliche Weihnachten

Ħ

Feliz Navidad Feliz Natal

Joyeux Noël

Canon Eddie Gubbins and Fr Albert Schembri wish you a Blessed & Happy Christmas

MASS TIMES FOR WEEK COMMENCING 24 DECEMBER 2017: FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Saturday 23 4pm St Edward’s Vigil

Sunday

Christmas

Eve

24 9.30am

10am

11.30am

5pm

8pm

8pm

12 midnight

St Peter’s (Polish)

St Joseph’s

St Peter’s

St Peter’s (Carols from 4.30pm)

St Joseph’s (Carols from 7.30pm)

St Peter’s (Polish)

St Peter’s (Carols from 11.30pm)

See printed copy for Mass Intentions

Monday:

Christmas

Day

25 8.30am

10am

11am

St Edward’s

St Joseph’s

St Peter’s

Tuesday 26 10am St Joseph’s St Stephen

Wednesday 27 9.30am St Peter’s St John the Evangelist

Thursday 28 4pm St Edward’s Holy Innocents

Friday 29 9.30am St Peter’s St Thomas of Canterbury

Saturday: 30 9.30am St Peter’s

SYRO-MALABAR MASS: normally 4th Sunday of the month at 4pm at St Edward’s Church.

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION:

Saturdays St Edward’s 3.15 - 345pm

Sundays St Joseph’s 9.15 - 9.45am

Saturdays St Peter’s 10 - 10.30am

EXPOSITION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT:

Tuesday St Joseph’s 9 – 10am Thursday St Edward’s 4.30 – 5pm

Saturday St Peter’s 10 – 10.30am

REGULAR PARISH GROUPS (more info from parish office)

FATIMA ROSARY St Peter’s: 9am Fridays; St Joseph’s: Thursdays after Mass

STATIONS OF THE CROSS Fridays after Mass (St Peter’s)

SACRED HEART Devotion Fridays after Mass (St Peter’s)

OUR LADY of Perpetual Help devotion 3rd Wed. monthly (St Peter’s after Mass)

MOTHERS’ PRAYERS Tuesdays 12.30pm (St Peter’s Parish Centre upper room)

DIVINE MERCY Devotion Fridays at 2.45pm (St Peter’s)

LEGION OF MARY Saturdays 10.30am (St Peter’s Parish Centre)

LIFE ASCENDING prayer group: 2nd Thursday monthly 10am (St Joseph’s bungalow)

EMMAUS Scripture sharing fortnightly 2pm Thursday afternoons (St Edward’s)

SVP (St Vincent De Paul Society) 7.30pm first Monday of month (St Peter’s Parish Centre)

UCM (Union of Catholic Mothers) 1.30pm (winter), 7pm (summer) third

Tuesday monthly (St Peter’s Parish Centre)

PARENTS & TODDLERS Term time weekly Mondays 9.30am (St Joseph’s Bungalow).

YOUTH CLUB 6.30-8pm Fridays at St Augustine’s School during term time

CRAFT GROUPS: St Peter's - last Tuesday of month; St Joseph's –

normally 2-4pm fortnightly (bungalow).

BARROWCLIFF CHURCHES TOGETHER LUNCH 12pm to 1pm

every 4th Tuesday of the month at Wreyfield Methodist Church

OUR LADY’S PRAYER GROUP 1st Thursday of the month 2pm to 4pm

(St Joseph’s Bungalow)

YOUTH CLUB Fridays, term-time weekly from 6.30-8pm at St

Augustine's. For children in Years 5,6,7 & 8. £1 subs. Lots of

activities. See posters for more info.

BOOKINGS of Parish communal areas should be made through the Parish office

MASS ATTENDANCE St Edward’s Vigil: 95 St Joseph’s 10am: 203 St Peter’s 11.30am: 166 St Peter’s 5pm: 35 Total (inc. 61 children): 499

OFFERTORY COLLECTION St Edward’s 6.30pm: £163 St Joseph’s 10am: £205 St Peter’s 11.30 & 5pm: £296 Gift Aid envelopes total £548 Standing orders (weekly av.): £524 Total: £1,736

NOTICES FOR VISITORS TOILETS St Peter’s: in the Parish Centre (across the car park); St Joseph’s & St Edward’s in the church building. ST PETER’S CHURCH IS OPEN at certain times during the week. Call in and say a prayer. CCTV is in operation. Do sign our VISITORS BOOK IN THE PORCH

300 CLUB WINNERS

No.144 £25 Tony Wallace No.73 £10 Ann Atkin

MASSES RECEIVED: See printed copy

RECENT DEAD: See printed copy

ANNIVERSARIES: See printed copy

CHEQUES for offerings, donations, Mass Intentions, or Parish events payable to St Peter’s Church please

WELCOME to our Christmas Visitors who have joined us for Christmas Masses.

Join us for a glass of bubbly & Christmas cake after 5pm Mass on Christmas Eve.

1ST CONFESSION & 1ST HOLY COMMUNION PREPARATION 2018 begins in January. Any year 4 child in a non-Catholic school wishing to be

prepared, get in touch with Fr Gubbins ASAP. 27 children eligible.

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY: SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION

Please note: now changed to Thursday 10 May 2018. Names please of those

wishing to be confirmed in years 8 and upwards. Any adult who may have

missed out also get in touch after Christmas.

PLEASE NOTE there will be no refreshments after the 11.30am Mass at St

Peter’s this Sunday 24 December.

PARENT & TODLER GROUP is taking a break for Christmas and

resumes on Monday 15 January 2018.

CANDLELIGHT CONCERT 4pm Boxing Day 26 December at

Queen Street Methodist Hall. With organ & choir.

RETIRING COLLECTION for flowers across the churches came to £355.

CHRISTMAS DRAW List of winners on each church noticeboard. The

total raised was £923 (including donations of £45)

2018 READERS ROTAS available at back of the churches for St Peter's

Ministers at both the 11.30am and the 5pm Masses. Lists of readers' contact

details available in the Sacristies. Please note it is your responsibility to

find alternative cover if you cannot fulfil your duty.

2018 DIOCESAN YEAR BOOKS on sale now £1. Lots of useful information

and telephone numbers of parishes and schools across the diocese.

PARKING NEAR ST JOSEPH’S We have received a complaint from a

neighbouring resident Church attendees are blocking their drive so they are unable

to get their car out for work, and are mounting the grass verge and causing damage

to the turf. This is unacceptable, and we ask that you take great care when parking.

WEBSITE: Take a look - many new photos on the website.

2018 PARISH CALENDARS with photos on sale: £2. Proceeds will go

towards St Peter’s Sanctuary Restoration Fund. Add your name to list

to we can know how many to print.

POPE FRANCIS Happy 81st Birthday on 17 December.

CRIB OFFERINGS this year will go to Friends of the Holy Land to help

poor families in Bethlehem and across the West Bank.

CHRISTMAS CARDS from parishioners to other parishioners - please

include surnames and try to pass on to the recipient rather than leaving at

back of church, and please have a good look through and take any cards

that belong to you.

provides year-round support to the homeless and disadvantaged of Scarborough and beyond. Winter is an especially difficult time for many. You can help by placing donations of non-perishable food and other daily living essentials in the boxes at back of Church (ensuring a long ‘use by’ date).

Do visit and say a prayer (provided) at

the crib in church. Bring the children.

CHRISTMAS IS NOT A DAY BUT A SEASON TO BE JOLLY The Octave of Christmas lasts from Christmas Day until the Solemn Feast of Mary, Mother of God (1 January). The Season of Christmas continues until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (11 January).

BLESSING OF THE CRIB Father: O God, out of your love for us you sent your dearly beloved Son to become man. You willed that he be born in a humble stable in order to give us an example of humility. ON THIS Christmas night we pray you now bless this manger, a representation of the scene of his birth. May it draw us closer to him. By imitating his humility may we become a worthy dwelling place for his rebirth, Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord. All: Amen.

FEAST OF THE

EPIPHANY Sunday 7

January. We invite the

11.30am Masses to dress up as

kings and princesses, to reflect the

Magi. They will be in the entrance

procession.

Adoration of the Magi by Gentile da Fabriano (1423) This image portrays the familiar story of the Magi who came to pay homage to the new born King. By the artist's time, the Magi (from Old Persian maguš, meaning skilled magicians/astrologers) were often depicted as Kings, possibly due to the words of the Psalm 72 (71) "May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles render him tribute, may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts! May all kings fall down before him...".

The painting is rich in symbolism and in contrasting details. Ones focus is drawn initially on the peaceful scene to the left: then the eye follows the busy, bustling crowd winding its way round the canvas, and follows it back down to rest once again on the peaceful nativity scene. There are two noticeable dynamics in the composition. The first is the path of divine light which sweeps gloriously down from the star to Jesus, and comes to rest on the old King's head (follow the gold of the halos and Joseph's garment). Gold is traditionally used to represent the glory of God. Here it illustrates how Jesus came into the world as Light to mankind, that overcomes the darkness (see John 1:5, 9; 12:46 3). An ox and an ass peer out at Jesus from the darkness. Unlike God's people, Israel, they recognise their master (see Isaiah 1:3:“The ox knows its owner and the ass its master's crib; but Israel does not know, my people do not understand"). The "darkness" of the cave recedes whilst the "light" radiates into the foreground, where Jesus reaches out and bestows it upon the old man in a blessing. This so beautifully illustrates the encounter between God and man. The kings bring gifts of earthly treasures, but they receive heavenly treasure beyond compare.

Returning to the crowd, we see people of varying ages and states in life, expressing general disinterest in the purpose of their visit. They seem completely wrapped up in their own affairs. These people represent mankind's varied responses to the gift of the Incarnation: One figure behind the Kings has completely turned his back towards Jesus: another has spotted the star and is turning around, attracted to the light. The first has hardened his heart to God, while the second is in a state of conversion: conversion is when we "turn around" and focus on the Lord and accept Him in our hearts.

The second big "movement" in the painting can be seen in the three Kings as they "fell down and worshipped" (Matthew 2:11). The downward momentum is emphasised by the positioning of the three Kings. This is not only a moment of adoration, but one of deep humility. They have dismounted from their "high horse" of pride. The youngest King, with crown still in place, holds his gift high. His royalty is still intact. The second, realising respect is due to the infant, lowers himself and his gift in anticipation, and reaches for his crown. The third and eldest, has handed over his gift, and has lowered himself right down to the ground. His crown lies abandoned beside him, and his full focus is on Jesus. In art, wisdom is traditionally represented by age. Human wisdom kneels before divine wisdom, as the oldest King humbles himself before the Lord. Contrasting powerfully with the rich garments of the Kings, the semi-naked Infant Jesus reveals the true nature of the gift of the Incarnation. He came from eternity and glory into human history, humbling Himself and taking on human flesh. He became poor so that we might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9).

Casting our eye along the ground we come to a servant. He is one of only two figures painted in blue. Mary, was the utterly humble servant of the Lord. But her own nobility speaks of the nobility of the lowly servant. The dog, too, is in a lowly position, almost trampled on by the feet of the lofty steeds. The dog in Christian art has been used to symbolise the gentiles (see Matthew 15:21-28 7). The Kings (wise men) were gentiles. In their medieval clothing, of various ages, and with their mixed entourage, they illustrate that this event is not bound by time. It is open to all people, regardless of age or status or cultural background.

There is one final artistic reference worth mentioning. The symbolism may not be immediately obvious to us now, but would have been in the artist's time. Most will know that the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh signify that Jesus came as King, Priest and Sacrificial Victim. Here, the golden vessels in which the Kings bring their gifts are actually mediaeval ciboria, used then, as now, to conserve the Sacred Eucharist. This painting was an altarpiece, and would have been directly behind the altar. Christ has come not only to bring Salvation. He "became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14 8). He is "God-with-us" in the Sacred Eucharist: Christ is truly present with His people, and will remain so, as He promised, until the end of time. (Matthew 2:23, 28:20)

Sunday Smile

WEBSITE OF THE WEEK: Catholic Christmas Traditions from across Europe and around the world: http://www.catholic.org/advent/advent.php?id=28

Day of Special Prayer for Expectant Mothers: The 4th Sunday of Advent always focuses on Our Lady, the maiden who is with child. For this reason, it has been designated a Day of Special Prayer for Expectant Mothers. Today especially, we pray for all women expecting children, who long for the health and safety of the child that they carry.

SUGGESTED PRAYER: God, giver of all life human and divine, guard the life you have created, and the mothers you have chosen to bring new life into the world. Let the gentle hand of Mary, our Mother support them throughout their pregnancy and aid in the safe delivery of their children so that these babies will know good health and happiness in secure, loving families. May they be blessed with the grace of holy Baptism, and grow to love you and the Holy Spirit. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

“We desire to be able to

welcome Jesus at Christmas-

time, not in a cold manger

of our heart, but in a heart

full of love and humility,

in a heart so pure, so

immaculate, so warm

with love for one another.”

St Teresa of Calcutta