fourth sunday OF ADVENT (a)
READINGS FOR THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT (A)
First Reading – (Micah 5:1-4) – Jerusalem was under siege and David’s dynasty was in jeopardy. But the prophet said that salvation would come from a comparatively insignificant place – Bethlehem. From there a new leader would come to gather together the scattered exiles and unite the nation once more.
Responsorial Psalm – Let the Lord enter! He is the king of glory.
Second Reading – (Hebrews 10:5-10) – The sacrifices of the Mosaic Law were unable to purify people from sin. Only Christ, through his obedience and sacrifice of self, was able to bring about the reconciliation between God and his people.
Gospel Reading – (Luke1: 39-45) – This deals with Mary’s visit to Elizabeth. Enlightened by the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth praises Mary and hints at the uniqueness of the child she has just conceived.
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PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
INTROUCTION: Dear brothers and sisters, as we approach the time when we celebrate the birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ, let us place before God the Father our needs and concerns as we pray for ourselves and others.
The response is… Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for the leaders of the Church: that they may fearlessly mirror the faith and trust of Mary and Joseph, as they strive to fulfil God’s will. Lord, hear us; Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for hungry, homeless and forgotten: that our communities may show generosity, and the poorest in society receive aid. Lord, hear us; Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for all families, especially those facing hardship, brokenness, or financial distress: that they may feel God’s comforting love. Lord, hear us; Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for ourselves: that, like Mary, we open our hearts to God’s surprising will, find quiet moments amidst the rush, and welcome Jesus as Emmanuel (God with us). Lord, hear us; Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for all the sick of our families and our parish, those in hospital, in hospice or nursing home and those for whom we are asked to pray: that God may give them strength and fortitude, and bless those who care for them. Lord, hear us; Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for the souls of all those whose anniversaries, months mind and birthday remembrances we are asked to recall, as well as those who have recently died: that they may receive the reward of their faith and enjoy the happiness of heaven. Lord, hear us; Lord graciously hear us.
CONCLUSION: God our Father, as we await the birth of your Son, grant us the faith of Mary and the courage of Joseph, that we may be ready to welcome Jesus, our light, our joy, and our Emmanuel. We make this prayer and all our prayers through Christ our Lord. Amen
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PLEASE REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE
IN YOUR PRAYERS THIS WEEK
SICK –Baby Archie Thomson, Alex McLeod, Ron Docherty, Rona McPhee, Rose Gallagher, Thérèse McKeand, Martin McGuire, David O’Hare & James Hannaway.
I also ask your prayers for the sick and housebound
– those at home in our parish community, those in hospital,
and those in local nursing and care homes in Cambuslang, Halfway
& Blantyre and elsewhere. Our prayers for them
not only help in their suffering and pain but also reassure them
that they are not forgotten by our community of faith.
Our prayers help relieve their feelings of isolation and loneliness.
To be remembered before the Altar of God
brings them comfort and consolation.
Almighty and Eternal God, you are the everlasting health
of those who believe in you.
Hear us for your sick servants
for whom we implore the aid of your tender mercy,
that being restored to bodily health,
they may give thanks to you in your Church.
Through Christ our Lord.
Our Lady, Help of the Sick, pray for them.
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RECENTLY DEAD – Evelyn Gallagher, John Murray, Andrew Madden, Michael McVey, Thomas Leonard, Charles Murphy & Marie McCarthy.
MONTHS MIND – Andrew Harkin.
ANNIVERSARIES – Anna McLaughlin, Gerard McLaughlin, Jean Coyle, Maureen McNulty (3rd Anniversary), Hugh Farrell, Patrick Harkin, Janet Harkin & James Boyle.
Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let Perpetual Light shine upon them.
May they Rest in Peace. Amen.
CLERGY ANNIVERSARIES – DECEMBER
Bishop Francis Thomson 06/12/1987
Rev. Hugh Macdonald 28/12/1950
Rev. John McLaughlin 03/12/1951
Rev. Daniel Colvin 08/12/1951
Rev. William Flanagan 23/12/1958
Rt. Rev. Monsignor Thomas N. Canon Taylor 01/12/1963
Rev. John Cusick 07/12/1965
Very Rev Thomas P. Canon Kelly 07/12/1969
Very Rev. Thomas J. Canon O’Neill 19/12/1975
Rev. James Fisher 04/12/1977
Rev. Ian McLaughlin 03/12/1981
Rev. John C. Brady 08/12/1982
Rev. Angus Mackellaig 11/12/1992
Rev. James Gerard Higgins 17/12/2006
Rev. John Taylor 10/12/2011
Rev. Michael Cunnane 05/12/2014
Rev. Deacon John Ferguson 31/12/2014
Rev. James Naughton 09/12/2016
Rev. Michael O’Leary 03/11/2017
Rev. John Doherty 08/12/2019
Rev. Martin O’Keefe 27/12/2019
Rev. John Breslin 29/12/2019
Rev. Patrick Walsh 20/12/2020
May the Lord who chose them to serve him as priests,
number them among his chosen in heaven.
Requiescant in Pace.
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ADVENT CONFESSIONS
Please find time to make a good Confession in preparation for Christmas. Fr. Rodrigues will be available in the sacristy to hear confessions on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday between 9.30am – 9.50am during the remaining time of Advent Season.
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CALENDAR
Tuesday is the memorial of St. John of Kanty (+1473). A student of Krakow University, Poland, he was ordained a priest and lived an ascetic life in imitation of the desert hermits. Thursday is the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord. Friday is the feast of St. Stephen, deacon and the first Martyr. St. John the Evangelist in honoured on Saturday. On Sunday we honour Jesus, Mary and Joseph – the Holy Family of Nazareth.
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CHILDREN’S LITURGY CHRISTMAS PARTY
A big thank you to everyone who joined the Children’s Liturgy Christmas party last Sunday. It was wonderful to see them celebrating the true spirit of Christmas together.
A word of appreciation and gratitude to Irene Savage, Patricia Meikle and Rita Kelly who worked so hard on the day with setting up and tidying away the buffet meal. In addition, thank you to our Children’s Liturgy helpers for their valued support during the year. We currently have a dedicated team of 5 Children’s Liturgists (Elizabeth Gray, Marie Claire Faller, Anne-Frances McLaughlin, Bernadette Sheppard & Lucy Murdoch) who lead the Liturgy of the Word discussions with our young people on a weekly basis.
Special thanks to the parents, guardians and carers who bring their children to the church to participate in our children’s liturgy. Our young ones are the future of our parish. Their participation in parish activities, such as the children’s liturgy, is an important step in their faith formation. We recognise that parents, guardians, carers are the first catechists of their children. They are obviously of supreme importance and influence. Parents, guardians, carers, therefore, have a great responsibility to give a good example to their children, since children will grow in faith only if they see their parents, guardians, carers practise it. It is my humble and hearty request to parents, guardians & carers that you bring your children to a Sunday Mass on a regular basis.
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CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMASS 2025
CHRISTMAS EVE (Wednesday Afternoon/Evening)
(The beginning of the Christmas Season)
+THE VIGIL MASS OF CHRISTMAS (4pm)
with Christingle Service (for children of all ages) at 3.30pm
+ CHRISTMAS MASS DURING THE NIGHT
with the Blessing of the Crib (5.45pm) with Carols at 5.30pm
CHRISTMAS DAY (Thursday)
+THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD
Day Masses of Christmas 10am
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THE CHRISTINGLE SERVICE
As the festive season approaches, I would be delighted for you and your family to join us for a very special Christingle Service at St. Cadoc’s at 3.30pm, on Wednesday 24th December 2025, followed by the Vigil Mass of Christmas at 4pm. A Christingle service is a beautiful and meaningful occasion for all ages, where we use lit 'Christingles' to celebrate Jesus Christ as the Light of the World and donate Christmas gifts and presents for the less fortunate ones in our communities. I warmly invite all children, parents, and grandparents to be part of this special occasion. I hope you will join us for this heart-warming event, which provides a wonderful opportunity for families to come together and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas.
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christmas remembrances
All anniversaries, months mind and Christmas Mass Remembrances for inclusion in the Bulletin should reach the sacristy/presbytery by Monday 22nd December at the latest.
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CHRISTMAS COLLECTION
I do not take up a special collection on Christmas Day (apart from the normal feast day one) for the upkeep of the parish church and for the many pastoral activities in the parish as many of the parishes would do, however, I rely heavily on your continued kind generosity in your giving to the parish funds, especially at this time of year when we celebrate the feast of giving from God’s point of view: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” Please support your parish’s ministry and help to maintain your Church and grounds by giving generously to our Christmas collection. Special Christmas Collection envelopes are provided with today’s bulletin. Gift-aid members should use the weekly offering envelope from the book of envelope; if they use special Christmas collection envelope, they should have their number added on it.
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christmas appeal for the wayside club
As in previous years, I encourage parents and others to donate Christmas gifts/presents (such as socks, toiletries, etc.) at our Christingle Service for the less fortunate ones which will help bring Christmas cheer to some deserving person at the Wayside Club, Glasgow.
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financial assistance to help with rising energy bills (gas & electricity)
We are well into the cold season now. Keeping warm over the winter months is vital for our well-being and also to protect the fabric of church from both surface and interstitial condensation, no matter how full the pews. And that means high heating bills. I kindly appeal to your generosity to add an extra pound or two to your weekly contributions to help defray, in particular this winter, the high costs of energy bills. If I could remind you once again, please be mindful of closing the main door of the church to keep the heat in, and the cold out.
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annual insurance for church & presbytery
Our annual insurance renewal premium invoice for the Church and Presbytery for 2025-2026 is 2566.79.
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DO YOU WANT TO JOIN THE GIFT-AID SCHEME
AND HELP THE PARISH
It’s so simple. If you are a tax payer, normally come to Church, and are prepared to put your money offering in a confidential numbered envelope (or pay by Standing order) and sign a simple form, then the parish can (at no cost to yourself) reclaim the tax you have already paid on that offering. For every pound you give, your parish will get back an additional 25 pence from the Inland Revenue. Thanks are extended to all those who have answered our appeal and have committed to gift-aid their offerings. Anyone wishing to join the scheme, please contact Jim Cunningham, our parish Gift Aid organiser or Fr. Cirilo. Alternatively, you can contribute to the Sunday Mass collections via a direct debit or standing order arrangement with your bank. Thank you once again for your enduring generosity and support.
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NEW PARISHIONERS
We would ask those who are new to the parish, or who are moving house within the parish, to record their name, address and telephone number on the registration card provided in the porch of the church. I would greatly appreciate your involvement in the parish. If you have any spare time, talents, or skills to share, I rely on the kindness and support of parishioners like you to help us grow and serve our community better. It is also very helpful if those moving from the parish let us know, so that our statistics can be kept up to date. Please be assured that any data we have (including the parish survey I undertook in 2016) will be held in a secure way and will never be shared or given to anyone else.
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parking in the streets
surrounding the church
Unfortunately, parishioners of St. Cadocs’ who drive to church are in a situation where there is no private parking within the church grounds. The streets surrounding the church therefore invariably become congested with parked cars especially at weekend Mass times. Whilst acknowledging the limitations of parking in relation to the church, I would ask those drivers attending services to consider the needs of local residents to have unimpeded access to their properties when choosing where to responsibly park. You can also use our car park which is situated behind the church. It can accommodate 6 cars. Thank you for your kindness and cooperation.
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right to life uk: praying for the unborn
& women facing crisis pregnancies
December 21st 2025 – (Fourth Sunday of Advent) - “Let us pray for all parents expecting a new child, that they might be blessed with a safe and healthy pregnancy for mother and baby.”
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Holy mary, mother of god,
st. Joseph,
st. Michael and holy angels,
ST. CADOC,
Pray for us