The Feast of the Nativity
of our lord (A)
MASSES AT ST. CADOC’S
Sunday Masses: Saturday Vigil Mass at 5pm; Sunday at 10am & 11.30am.
WEEKDAY MASSES: Monday to Friday at 10am.
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION (CONFESSION): Anytime on request and Saturday 4.15pm – 4.45pm.
SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM: To enquire or arrange a baptism, please contact the parish by phoning the parish number from Tuesday to Friday between 4pm - 6pm.
SICK & HOUSEBOUND - Please inform me (Fr. Rodrigues) if you, or someone you know, would like a home visit from a priest, and please provide me with the relevant name, address and phone number.
SACRAMENT OF CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE: Couples intending to marry should contact the Priest for arrange a date. By Diocesan policy, this must be done at least six months in advance.
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READINGS FOR THE FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD (A)
First Reading – (Isaiah 9: 2-7) – This reading looks forward to the coming of a Saviour-child who will rescue his people from darkness and oppression, and enable them to live in security and peace.
Responsorial Psalm – Today a saviour has been born to us;
who is Christ the Lord.
Second Reading – (Titus 2: 11-14) – St. Paul reminds us of what is expected of us if we are to enjoy the salvation won for us by Christ.
Gospel – (Luke 2: 1– 14) – This tells about the birth of Christ in a manger and how the news of his birth was brought to simple shepherds by angels.
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HOMILY FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD (A)
BY FR. JOSE CIRILO RODRIGUES
Dear brothers and sisters,
One of my favourite Christmas stories is “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. This is a story that everybody in our culture knows, whether they be young or old. It is a story about a greedy, grumpy old man named Ebenezer Scrooge who hated Christmas and everything about it. He saw Christmas as humbug, a waste of money, a time for business, not generosity.
If you are not familiar with the story, the entire story is centred around Scrooge’s transformation after being visited by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, followed by three spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future: the first spirit is the Ghost of Christmas Past who guides Scrooge through memories of his lonely childhood and key moments of his youth, culminating in seeing his lost fiancée, Belle, a woman who leaves Scrooge because his love of money was greater than his love for her, a realisation that deeply affects Scrooge.
The second spirit is the Ghost of Christmas Present who shows Scrooge the happiness and communal joy that people experience during Christmas, particularly among those who have very little materially, such as the Cratchit family. The sight of Tiny Tim, who is sick and weak, saddens him and ultimately softens his heart.
The final spirit, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, transports Scrooge to a bleak, neglected churchyard and shows him visions surrounding the death of an unnamed, lonely man, who is later revealed to be Scrooge himself. This crucial vision causes Scrooge to beg for a second chance, and he promises to change his miserly ways.
By seeing his past mistakes, understanding the present suffering of those around him like the Cratchit family and Tiny Tim, and witnessing his own unmourned future death, Scrooge undergoes a profound transformation. He wakes up on Christmas morning a changed man, immediately embracing the true spirit of Christmas, promising to be generous and kind for the rest of his days.
The story concludes with Scrooge becoming a renowned, transformed man who “knew how to keep Christmas well.”
“A Christmas Carol” written by Charles Dickens in 1843 has become synonymous with Christmas season and with good reason. This heart-warming story of repentance and the transformative power of love and charity is especially poignant during the season of goodwill. Even though the story uses Christmas to show the importance of charity and generosity, the message of it is not just about Christmas, it is about living well and rejecting inward focus. The story demonstrates how even the most hardened heart can be moved to compassion and generosity.
Traditionally, we see Christmas as a time of giving. It is the one time in the year when people give and receive a present, even if it is only a Christmas card. As a Christian festival, Christmas is also a feast of giving even from God’s point of view. God initiated a “feast of giving” by sending his Son Jesus into the world, offering us the gift of salvation and eternal life. Our traditions of exchanging gifts, helping the less fortunate ones are only a reflection of the divine acts described in the Gospel of John which states, “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.” From this perspective, the “gift” God provided to humanity — eternal life through belief in his Son Jesus — serves as the ultimate example and blueprint for human generosity. Hence the message: if God was generous to humanity, then we too are called to embody that same spirit of giving – whether of our time, resources, or love to the world around us.
We know that everyone in the world struggles with selfishness to some degree, much like Ebenezer Scrooge. We may not be as extreme as Scrooge, but if we are honest, we see glimpses of his attitude in our own lives — whether it is prioritising our wants over family needs, focusing on leisure instead of helping others, or having a “me, myself, and I” attitude.
“How do we keep Christmas?” “Keeping Christmas” involves embracing the core spirit of the season through acts of love, empathy, and giving through acts like volunteering, helping neighbours, simply offering companionship to those who might be lonely, practicing kindness and finding joy in selfless giving rather than just receiving gifts. This aligns with both the Christian message of God’s selfless love and universal values of kindness and charity.
The season of Christmas provides us countless opportunities to help and show our love to others, ranging from simple acts of kindness to more structured volunteering. As we enjoy the festive side of Christmas today, let us also think of all those individuals around us, especially among our own circle of relatives and friends, for whom Christmas may be a particularly difficult time for all kinds of reasons. It could be for reasons of sickness, financial worries, or it could be due to some friction or disharmony within the family, or it could be due to the absence of a loved one who has passed away since last Christmas.
Let us also remember and support those who are suffering from war, natural disasters, and various other hardships. We have a collective obligation to help those who are suffering and in need, both within our own country and around the world. Genuine happiness, or “true fulfilment,” is found through charity, compassion and contributing to the well-being of others. God loves a cheerful giver.
Jesus said, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” In essence, this quote from the Gospel of Matthew encourages us to see the face of Christ in every person, especially those in hardship. Jesus also promised that “anyone who gives even a cup of water to the needy … will certainly not lose their reward,” emphasising that even small acts of kindness will be reward by God both in this life and in the next.
As we acknowledge today God’s ultimate gift of his Son Jesus for our redemption, let us pray that we may embrace the spirit of Christ Jesus through kindness, compassion, and a heart open to the joy of giving, ensuring a “continual Christmas” in our lives and the lives of those around us.
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PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
INTROUCTION: Dear brothers and sisters, gathered into the love of God, let us now make our prayers to God the Father in the name of his Son Jesus Christ whose love and faithfulness we celebrate today.
The response is… Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for all Christians celebrating this great feast of Christmas all over the world: that the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem may strengthen their faith. Lord, hear us; Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for our world: that the birth of Christ Child, the Prince of Peace, may inspire all men and women to work for true and lasting peace, especially in the Holy Land and in all those places torn apart by war, violence and political unrest. Lord, hear us; Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for those [this day] who are hungry, cold or homeless; for all who are separated from their loved ones; and all for whom the festivities of Christmas emphasise their isolation and misery: that they may be comforted by the presence of the Christ Child, and that they may find care and compassion among us all. Lord, hear us; Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for our families: that the tender love of Mary for Jesus and the strong protection of Joseph, may help us all to love and care for one another with sincerity and respect. 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 be their strength and grant them health, and bless those who care for them. Lord, hear us; Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for the souls of all those whose anniversaries, Christmas remembrances, birthday remembrances and months mind 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, we thank you for revealing your gift of salvation to us through your Son Jesus Christ. Listen to our prayers made in hope this night/day, and shine your light through the darkness of our world and fill our hearts with your peace. 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 - Sr. Rosemary Reilly, 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 – Jack Ducie (Requiem Mass, Tuesday 6th January 2026 at 12noon), John Kelly, Evelyn Gallagher, Andrew Madden, Michael McVey, Thomas Leonard, Charles Murphy & Marie McCarthy. Fr. Paddy Gaffney, Sean O’Neil, Ruby Rice, Joseph Burns, Denis Keatings & John Murray.
MONTHS MIND – James Kevin Coyle (9th Months Mind), Andrew Harkin, Jane Angelina Rowantree, Helen Doherty, Eileen Macintyre, John Gill, Anne McSorley Sweeney, Paul Ring & John Wiggins.
ANNIVERSARIES – Thomas Tinman (2nd Anniversary), James (Jim) Connolly (2nd Anniversary), Helen Clements (3rdAnniversary), Maureen McNulty (3rd Anniversary), Elizabeth Norman (6th Anniversary), Patrick Innes (50th Anniversary), Jean Coyle, Anna McLaughlin & Gerard McLaughlin, Jean Coyle, Baby Adam Downing, Bella Connor, Peter Sweeney, May Carey & Betty Clark, James Boyle, Anna McNeary, Charlie Chambers, Agnes, Hugh & James McCauley, Patrick Harkin & Janet Harkin, Hugh Farrell, William O’Rourke, May Murphy & Anna Ferguson.
CHRISTMAS REMEMRANCES – Claire-Ashley Blake, James & Bella Connor, James Kevin Coyle John Connor, James & Margaret Coyle, John, James, Danny & Manus Coyle, Margaret McEwan, Connor & Coyle Families, Ruby Rice & Rice Family. Peter & Janet Jordan, Peter Jordan (Jnr), Janet Eberle, Fr. Patrick Brosnan, Grace & John Reynolds, David & Ellen Reynolds, Ellen & Bill Reynolds, Mary & Charles Goldie, May & Bill Goldie, Joan & Jack Goldie, Mary & Frank Donnelly, Grace & Joe Wiggins, The Logue Family, John Reid, Sam & Helen Clements, Dr. James Clements, Bridie Irvine, David & Esther O’Hare, Helen Theresa Boyle, Charles Rafferty & Betty Peacock, Christine Elliot & Gillian Chalmers, Helen & Richard Campbell, The Campbell Family, Nessie & John McLaughlin, Helen & Michael Donnelly, Annie & William Hendry, Brian McGhee, The McEwan Family, The Deighan Family, The Hunter Family, The O’Driscoll, Isabella Cairney, Neil & Christina Kelly, John & May Burns, Jenny McCafferty, William McCafferty, James McCafferty, John Paul Chambers, Patricia Wood, Helen Goodwin & John Goodwin, Jean Strang, John Hourigan, Gerald Hastings, The Hastings Family, Sadie Kirk, Catherine & Joan Hughes, Norman & John Doyle, Agnes & Thomas McCormick (Snr), Thomas John McCormick (Jnr), Betty Nelson & John Hegarty, McInulty & Coyle Families, Andy Black, Celia & Maria Wilson, Kathleen & John O’Donnell, Phyllis & Joe Fellows, Anne & Alex Wilson, Anne Harkins, Bridget & Pat Welsh, Welsh & Gallagher Families, May, James & Johnny Mullen, Patrick Welsh & Brian Tolver.
BIRTHDAY REMEMRANCES – Jean Strang, John Murray & Harry Vander.
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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BISHOP JOSEPH TOAL’S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE 2025
At Christmas this year we will bring to a close the Jubilee Year of 2025, so let us give thanks for the blessings received and the Spirit of Hope renewed. Through Advent that same Hope has been stirred up as we look forward with expectancy to the Celebration of Our Saviour’s Birth, and to the Lord coming again in glory and majesty. The Advent liturgies have called on us to be ready and watching so that we “may inherit the great promise in which now we dare hope”. Yes, we are indeed “Pilgrims of Hope”, and each Christmas is a mile-stone on our earthly pilgrimage and an opportunity to be refreshed and renewed in our personal faith and its practice in the community of the Catholic Church.
It was the 1700th Anniversary recently of the Council of Nicea, whose great proclamation of the Christian faith we profess at Sunday Mass. We will do also with special fervour at the Christmas Masses, emphasising in particular the Lord’s Incarnation, his birth at Bethlehem – “For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man”. We are a people of faith in God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and we are proud to profess it, particularly on Christmas Day. So let us be at Mass to do so!
Of course, we need to put our faith into action through our works of charity, our love for our neighbour, and Christmas is a time of generosity and sharing with those we love. Let us try also to extend our kindness to those who are more in need, both locally and further afield, recognising that the Lord asks us to do so in his name and with his compassion and self-giving. The Word did become flesh, and continues to dwell among us through those who show his love.
I wish you all a very Happy and Blessed Christmas, praying especially that the Peace sung of by the Angels at Bethlehem may reign within and among us, and throughout the whole world.
May the Lord bless you, your families and friends, and keep you strong in faith, hope, and charity.
With my prayers and best wishes
Yours in Christ,
+ Joseph Toal
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CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS 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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SUNDAY 28TH DECEMBER 2025 –
FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH
SUNDAY 28th DECEMBER 2025 - is the FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH, a day of prayer for all families, especially those with troubles or difficulties. Festal Masses: Saturday (27th December) Vigil Mass 5pm; Sunday 10am & 11.30am.
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thurSDAY 1ST JANUARY 2026 – NEW YEAR’S DAY -
SOLEMNITY OF MARY, THE MOTHER OF gOD
Mass will be at 10am.
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FEAST OF the EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD
Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord will be celebrated on Sunday 4th January 2026. This feast is one of the most ancient feasts in the Church’s calendar, dating from the 3rd century. The word Epiphany comes from the Greek epiphaneia, and means manifestation or revelation. We celebrate Christ’s epiphany to the Gentiles, represented by the Magi or three kings. According to tradition their names were Melchior, Gaspar and Balthasar, and they travelled from Persia or Chaldea (modern-day Iran). The gifts which they brought with them are symbolic of Christ’s life: Gold for king, Incense for a priest, and Myrrh for someone who would suffer and die.
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FROM THE DESK OF YOUR PRIEST
Dear parishioners and well-wishers of St. Cadoc’s Parish,
With deep joy and gratitude, I extend to you and your families my prayerful best wishes for a holy and blessed Christmas. I think not only of those who live within our parish but also your family members who may be elsewhere and especially those who may be abroad at this special time of year.
As we gather for our annual celebration of God with us, another year has passed with many events, public and private, touching our lives in different ways. No doubt this year has brought joys and sadness in different measure to each person, all colouring our memories of 2025.
Traditionally, we see Christmas as a time of peace and joy, a time to celebrate with family, with friends and loved ones. I do hope that your Christmas will have something of that peace, joy and celebration. Such joyful celebrations may not be possible for some of you, because you may have lost a loved one since last Christmas, or you may be overburdened by financial worries, family problems, or for many other reasons. If you are such a parishioner, I want to assure you that, as a parish community, we do care and offer you our support.
As Christians, during this season, we remember and celebrate that sacred moment in human history when God entered in our world, becoming part of every one of us and the whole human race. Christmas brings us back to the source of our life and existence -- God has come into the world, his light has shone in our darkness and no darkness can overpower this light. Christmas is thus to be seen as Christ’s entrance into this world for the salvation of the entire human race.
As a religious festival, Christmas is indeed a wonderful time of the year. So many wonderful things happen during this festive period - family gatherings, Christmas parties, visiting parents, grandparents, and brothers and sisters, and the special music and songs that are heard only at this time of the year. It is really a wonderful time, a time of promise. But above all, what is associated with the celebration of Christmas everywhere is giving. Christmas is the feast of giving. Christmas is the one time in the year when people give and receive a present, even if it is only a Christmas card.
Christmas is a feast of giving even from God’s point of view. For at Christmas we celebrate the mystery that “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.” God chose to come into the world in an unexpected way. He decided to come to save us by being born in a stable with no fanfare. Who would believe the Lord of Lords would come to us in such a humble way? Yet, God does. On that holy night, some two thousand years ago, in a dirty stable in Bethlehem, God came to us in the baby Jesus, born of peasant parents. This is truly a paradox for the world. Yes, in order to save us the Creator of all that is came to us humble and lowly instead of in great power and majesty.
Saint Francis of Assisi – founder of the Franciscan Order -- was so taken by this mystery of the Incarnation that he wanted to present it in the living Nativity scene to his countrymen of central Italy who were not taking the mysteries of the faith seriously. In fact, many of these were not even preparing for Christmas. Of those who were getting ready to celebrate the Lord’s birth, they looked at it as an event tied exclusively to the past. The central persons in the drama had become stale and lifeless, incapable even of stimulating his contemporaries’ imaginations — and therefore no longer capable of inspiring them to a greater relationship of mutual love with God in the present.
To counteract these tendencies, on Christmas Eve 1223, in the town of Greccio, St. Francis set up the first Nativity crèche in recorded history. The only historical account we have of Francis’ nativity scene comes from ‘The Life of St. Francis of Assisi’ by St. Bonaventure, a Franciscan monk who was born five years before Francis’ death.
According to Bonaventure’s biography, St. Francis brought in live animals — an ox and an ass. He recruited a new born baby and a young set of parents. Hay and a manger were brought in. And Francis could not have been happier with the results. People came from all over to see the living nativity. Through all the sounds, sights and even smells, the multitudes became convinced that Christmas was not just a cute story, but a real event, one that was not just past, but something which they were called to enter in the present. Soon living crèches like this spread throughout Italy and into other parts of Europe. Thus Francis began a tradition that persists to this day: the Nativity crèche.
The Christmas crèche tell a story about a God who chose to be human so that this God could be one with us, who could show us and tell us about that deep love that he has for each one of us. The Little Babe we see in the crib symbolizes for us that humility of God that surrenders all to be one with us.
Now for many people this manner of coming of the Messiah is absurd; it makes no sense to them. Yet, there was no other way. Jesus had to come in this manner to offer us all the salvation God desired. He came so that all humanity would have the opportunity to be with God for eternity. He came to this world, for you and for me. He came for the people you love deeply and care for immensely. He came for the people you dislike and possibly even despise. Jesus came for us all.
This is the backbone of the Christmas story as poignantly expressed by St John in his Gospel: “The Word was made flesh, he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Of the innumerable possible ways in which God could have saved the world he chose just one – the very best – and one that we humans could best appreciate. God became a man like us in everything except sin. This is the Good News that we firmly believe, gratefully cherish and should joyfully proclaim, not just at Christmas time but with every passing day.
Christmas is the opportune time to remind ourselves of what God has done for love of us; it also serves us as a timely reminder that if God loved us so much, then we, too, ought to love one another. But how are we to demonstrate our love for others, more especially in the Christmas season?
It is true that Christmas is an exciting time for most people; however it can also mean a sad and worrying time for some. We, therefore, need to open our hearts to others, especially to those for whom Christmas may be a sad time of the year either because they have lost a loved one, or because they are overburdened by worries, sickness and family problems, or because they are on their own. We need to spare a thought for the people in different parts of the world who are suffering from one kind of problem or another. We need to think of those in war-ridden countries where people are killing each other. In this way, we make the Christmas spirit more meaningful and truly relevant to everyone. When we act thoughtfully, generously and lovingly, we make God’s love visible. Maybe the Christmas message this year is a challenge for all of us to think more of others, especially less fortunate ones and those affected by the wars in various parts of the world.
It is over eleven years now since I came to your parish (2nd September 2014) as your parish priest and this is my twelfth Christmas here. It is a great privilege to be here, and I pray that the Lord will give me many more years here.
Thank you for accepting me as a member of St. Cadoc’s Parish family. This is a great parish in which to be a priest, and I am deeply grateful for the wonderful generosity, kindness and support of our parishioners and well-wishers throughout the year.
This is what makes our community such a welcoming one and it is hugely rewarding to be part of it. As a priest, in this parish of St. Cadoc’s, I also feel privileged and so uplifted by the huge number of dedicated parishioners who minister, in many ways, alongside me, with dedication and enthusiasm. In truth you are the heart of the parish. Your faith and commitment are an inspiration and I appreciate the involvement of so many people at so many different levels in parish life. Your loyalty to the parish coupled with your practical concern and initiatives contributing to its spiritual and material wellbeing are deeply appreciated. I cannot thank you enough for your continued help and support. May God reward you all with his blessings.
I would like to take this opportunity to say thanks to all those who made Advent special by their prayerful sharing in our seasonal liturgies especially to all who have helped to prepare for the feast of Christmas and its Liturgy with their time, energy and enthusiasm. I also would like to say thanks to so many parishioners and well-wishers who are actively involved in the day to day running of the parish for their time, energy and commitment – Parish Pastoral Council, Finance Committee, our organists, those who look after the altar linens, altar servers, sacristans, flower arrangers and those who decorate the Church, the volunteers who clean the church, ministers of the Word and ministers of the Eucharist, SVDP members, those who look after the church stall, pass keepers, offertory collection and 400 club organisers, children’s liturgy helpers, safe-guarding co-ordinators, website co-ordinator, crib builders, our bookkeeper, housekeepers, those who help in the garden and maintain church grounds, those who look after the opening and closing of the church, and to the many individuals who give their time in so many ways to St Cadoc’s and whose work ensures the smooth running of the parish.
Apologies if I have missed out anyone in my acknowledgements; it was not intentional or deliberate. Every contribution you make in any way to St. Cadoc’s community is very much appreciated and valued. If you think you can help our parish in any way or in any area of parish life, do not hesitate to speak to me. Thank you all for your enthusiasm and generous spirit to become involved in the life of our parish community and I look forward to your ongoing assistance in the future.
Finally, a sincere thanks too, to all who have sent me cards and gifts. I would like to conclude by wishing you all a very joyful and peaceful Christmas and pray that these blessings will continue throughout 2026. May God bless you, and your family and friends, with peace in your hearts and in your homes and keep you safe and well.
I will be offering Christmas Masses for you, your family members, friends, and especially for those of you who may have lost a loved one since last Christmas, for those who are sick or suffering from any illness, or away from home at this time and for those for whom we are asked to pray. - Fr. Jose Cirilo Rodrigues.
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CRIB OFFERINGS
Crib offerings will go as always to St. Margaret’s Adoption and Child Care Society. The donations they receive from the Crib Appeal each year helps them enormously to support their adoptive families and to recruit and train new adopters for children in need of forever families. Please remember an offering for this worthy cause when visiting the crib.
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LITURGY ROTA
Liturgy rota for Readers (January – March 2026) for 5pm (Saturday) &10am & 11.30am (Sunday) Masses is available in the sacristy. Please collect a copy before or after any of the Sunday Masses. Thanks to Mrs Anne Moran for giving her time to prepare the readers rota. If you are able to be part of this important ministry, then please contact Mrs. Anne Moran or Fr. Cirilo.
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CALENDAR
Friday (26th December) is the feast of St. Stephen, deacon and the first Martyr. St. John the Apostle and Evangelist is honoured on Saturday (27th December).
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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 at the back of the church. 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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parish website
We thank Pat Moran for all his help in updating our parish website every week. Our website gets updated every weekend and, normally, includes a copy of the weekly Parish Bulletin.
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many thanks
Many thanks to Michael Hannaway for installing the crib in the church.
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CHILDREN’S LITURGY
We will resume again the Children’s Liturgy sessions from the beginning of February 2026. I encourage parents, guardians & carers to 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. It is my humble and hearty request to parents, guardians & carers that you bring your children to a Sunday Mass on a regular basis.
We currently have a dedicated team of five 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. Two Liturgists attend each week to work with our young ones. We are looking for more volunteers. If any of you are interested in helping with the Children’s Liturgy Ministry on a Sunday, please contact Fr. Cirilo.
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end of jubilee year
(24 december 2025 – 6 january 2026)
The Jubilee Year of Hope will officially end with the closing of the Holy Doors at St. Peter's Basilica on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, which is the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord.
The year’s theme, “Pilgrims of Hope,” was an invitation to renew faith, practice mercy, and seek reconciliation. In most local dioceses worldwide, the Jubilee Year celebrations will have officially concluded on Sunday, December 28, 2025, with local bishops closing their own designated Holy Doors or ending local observances. The closing of the Jubilee Year is a call to continue living the message of hope and sharing God’s love with the world.
In our own Diocese, the Jubilee Year 2025 will conclude on Sunday 28th December 2025, the Feast of the Most Holy Family. Bishop Joseph Toal will celebrate the Closing Mass for the Diocese of Motherwell in Our Lady of Good Aid Cathedral, Motherwell, at 10.30am. The end of the Jubilee will also be marked at the Parish Masses across the Diocese that Sunday.
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new vestments for the parish
Thank you once again for your generous contributions, prayers, and commitment to faith, which made possible for us buy the new liturgical vestments for the parish church. I cannot thank you enough for your commitment to enriching our parish life and worship. We are truly blessed by your faithfulness, which makes our mission possible. May the new vestments serve to enrich our worship and community life for many years to come!
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FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP RISING ENERGY BILL
(GAS & ELECTRICITY)
We are well into the cold season now. Keeping warm over the winter months is vital for both the well-being of those attending the church, regardless of how full or not the pews may be, as well as the protection of church from both surface and interstitial condensation. Irrevocably this means high heating bills.
Since the aftermath of Covid-19, the cost of living, from buying groceries to heating our church and presbytery, has been on the rise sharply every day. Overall, our expenditures have increased faster than income. Our parish relies entirely on your contributions to pay our 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.
A big thank you to those of you who have already increased your regular giving to help defray the rising energy bills.
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CHURCH CLEANING
Thank you to all our parish volunteers [Irene Savage, Rose Hewitt, Rita Kelly, Anne McCafferty, Bernadette Goodwin, Frances Goodwin, Jane Ngomo, Anne Lennon, Anne Paterson & Amaka Okoyeh] who generously gave of their time to clean the Church for Christmas last Saturday. It makes all the difference! We could do with more people willing to give of their time every three weeks to help with general cleaning of the church which takes place on a Saturday morning. If you would like to help with cleaning, please contact Anne Lennon, the parish co-ordinator, or Fr. Cirilo.
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thank you most sincerely
Thank you to Jean Coyle, May Harkin, Rita Kelly, Magdalen Muir & Anne Paterson for contributing £320.00 towards buying poinsettias and flowers for the church. Their kindness and generosity is greatly appreciated.
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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 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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annual insurance for church & presbytery
Our annual insurance renewal premium invoice for the Church and House for 2025 - 2026 is 2566.79.
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RIGHT TO LIFE UK: PRAYING FOR THE UNBORN
AND WOMEN FACING CRISIS PREGNANCIES
25th December 2025: “Let us pray for babies born today and throughout this coming year, that God would grant them health and happiness and their parents, joy, patience and strength.”
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AN ACT OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
(St. Alphonsus Liguori)
(This is a simple and loving act of Spiritual Communion we are called to make in these times,
while we are unable to attend Mass and receive the Eucharist)
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the
Most Holy Sacrament.
I love you above all things, and I desire to receive you into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace you as if you were already there
and unite myself wholly to you.
Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.
PRAYER TO ST. MICHAEL
St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in the day of battle.
Be our safeguard against the wickedness
and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Hosts,
by the power of God, cast into Hell Satan, and all the evil spirits
who prowl the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
Holy mary, mother of god,
st. Joseph,
st. Michael and holy angels,
ST. CADOC,
Pray for us