Welcome a new member of the Company

Yvonne making her vows
with Canon Luiz Roscillo celebrant

On Monday evening on the Feast of St Angela, the Ursuline sisters, and members of the Company of St Ursula and parishioners from St Thomas More and St Peter's Cathedral witnessed Yvonne Talbutt make her temporary commitment and first vows on her way to joining the Company of St Ursula.  We offer our prayers to Yvonne and the other women who are making this journey to consecrated life as their response to God's calling.

Members of the Company of St Ursula with
Canon Luiz Roscillo and Fr Stewart Keeley

Yvonne, like all single women seeking admission to the Company has been undertaking a two year period of formation leading to temporary commitment for two years and then a further three years. At the conclusion of these five years, she her vows will be made for life. However, she is not alone but makes her commitment in companionship with other members of the Company with whom she meets regularly for prayer and mutual encouragement. Today secular Ursulines are organised in many diocesan Companies. Most of these companies are united in a federation which was recognised as one Secular Institute of Pontifical Right on May 25th 1958. For further information about the Company see Sr Zela Proctor's website for Ursulines in religious life 

Year of Consecrated LifeThis week Pope Francis has announced that 2015 will be dedicated as a Year to Consecrated Life.  To hear more about the plans for the year, please see Rome reports video on Year of Consecrated Life.

5th Centenary of Saint Teresa

Mass and Day at Tabor on the 22nd March for the opening of the 5th Centenary of Saint Teresa 

The day begins in our Chapel with solemn Mass at 9.00am. 

The rest of the day of reflection will be held at Tabor in Preston. 

Two talks on Teresa one by Fr. Matt Blake (Prior) and the other by Gillian Coxhead.

It is a bring your own lunch. 

The places at Tabor are limited so people need to register.  For further details please see Carmelite Nuns Preston Facebook page 

Feast of St Angela Merici

Mosaic made by children in celebration
of Sr Zela's Golden Jubile

Monday 27th January is the feast of St Angela Merici, the foundress of the Ursulines
and the Company of St Angela.  
To celebrate there will be a Mass at 6.00pm at
St Thomas More followed by refreshments.  
All welcome

For more information about the Company of Saint Ursula a secular institute founded by St Angela contact zela@btinternet.com 

Information Meetings for Sacramental Programmes

Confirmation

Confirmandi 2013 renewing their baptismal promises

Meeting for young people in year 9 or above 
Sunday 26th January
After 6.30pm Mass 
Meeting for parents and carers at 8.45pm at Cathedral House.

For further details please see confirmation page
Enrolment Form

Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion

Children in sacristy before their Holy Communion 2013 

Adult meeting for parents and carers of children in
year 3 or above 
Tuesday 28th January
at 7.30pm
in St Walburge's Chapel, entrance off Balmoral Road

For further details please see Reconciliation & Eucharist page
Registration Form 

Baptism of the Lord - Lamb of God

Blessing ourselves
with Holy Water

Last Sunday the children at St Thomas More's reflected on Jesus' baptism and talked about why we bless ourselves when we come into church, it is a reminder of our own baptism. 

Watching how to bless ourselves

This Sunday we listen to John's Gospel which tells us what happened just after Jesus' baptism.  John the Baptist introduces Jesus as the Lamb of God who has come to take away the sins of the world.  This reminds us of a prayer we say in the Communion Rite.

A colouring sheet of Jesus Lamb of God 
A short video of plain chant in English of the prayer Lamb of God. 
Challenge for younger readers what are the Latin words of this prayer?

25 Holy Water Stoup = find out why we bless ourselves when we come into Church
To learn more about objects linked to our faith see the Cathedral Year of Faith blog

SVP Epiphany Party

One of the many tables of visitors catching up
and tucking into the party food

The SVP Epiphany party was a great success thanks to all the hard work of many people in the parish who donated gifts and helped on the day as well as the core members of the SVP who have made that regular commitment of service.

We've made a short video with photos from the day including some familiar faces.
Link to video 3.30sec

  

Some Christmas Carols from the Choir

Tombola with help from our young people

SVP To find out more about the SVP visit our page and if you are interested in joining us then please come along to our next meeting on the first Monday of the Month at Cathedral House.

Christmas Cribs 2013

Today we show some cribs from around the parish.

St Thomas More's, 2013

On the Sunday before Christmas families gathered to welcome the travelling crib which had been visiting family homes during Advent.  They welcomed the arrival of Mary and Joseph with Carols and the readings of the story of Christmas.

Celebrating Feast of  St Stephen 26th December 

Focal Area at Children's Liturgy with crib in centre and guiding star
Candle reminding us Jesus is Light of the world
Bible and Good News
In front a letter to the Children from 'the wise men'  and
chain of prayer intentions for peace and those we love. 

Tomorrow we share images from the SVP Christmas Party.

Epiphany- Bringing Gifts

Crib with children's Gift chain and presents

Last weekend the children followed the example of the wise men and followed the star bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh and their own gifts which they have been talking about during Advent and our liturgy celebrating the Feast of the Epiphany. 

After processing around the church, they arrived at the crib where they placed their gifts and said together a short prayer. 

When asked what they would like to say to Jesus, one of the children shared their spontaneous prayer which we share with their permission.

Lord be with me

Lord be near me

Lord help me to follow you.  Amen

Placing gifts of Gold

Placing gifts of frankincense

Reading gifts given to Jesus

Tomorrow we show final images of cribs from around the parish.

12th Day of Christmas - Wise Men and House Blessing

12th Day of Christmas 

Our final day, the 12 reminds us of the 12 statements in the Apostles' Creed.   .
A set of colouring sheets one for each statement in the Apostles Creed.  

One of Pope Benedict XVI General Audiences in which he talks about the first article I believe in God.Blessed are the peacemakers ... today is also the Day of World 

12 days - A Traditional Home Blessing
This article from the Catholic Herald describes some of the traditional Polish customs of Christmas and how they will bless their house and mark in chalk about the door showing the year and the initials of the three Wise Men who followed the star to the Christ Child— C for Caspar, M for Melchior and B for Balthasar.
For more information on Polish customs 

20 + C + M + B + 14

Christma Video
An animated version of We Three Kings which shows the journey made following the star with their camels.
And a 2 minute video of the Gospel reading from Matthew for the Epiphany 

Tomorrow we hope to have photos of the Children taking their gifts to the crib and some cribs we've been sent.  

11th Day of Christmas - Apostles - Bell ringers - People of the Philippines

Bell ringers New Year 
On a rather cold, wet and windy New Years Eve the Cathedral bell ringers met in the tower ready to "ring out the old and ring in the new" as many would do around the world in traditional bell ringing ceremonies marking the beginning of a new year ( 4 bell ringing St John's Coulsdon or to listen to the Cathedral bells rung to celebrate Queen's jubilee.

Thanks to our parish bell ringers who sent this view of Lancaster.

In Lancaster the group of 10 ringers rang all ten bells in rounds (The sequence of bell 1-10 in order from lightest (highest pitch) called the treble bell to the heaviest (lowest pitch) called the tenor bell for approximately 10 minutes before ringing out the year in diminishing rounds. This is where each bell stands (stops) in turn starting with the lightest bell and the remaining bells continue to ring until just the Tenor bell is tolling on its own for 12 blows. This ends the year. A few minutes silence while we await the first of the 12 chimes from the Town Hall and a group of advanced ringers treat us to an excellent plain course of Cambridge minor before all ringers once again rang rounds and call changes to signify the New year has begun. We then took a quick dash up to the Parapet of the Tower to watch the remaining fireworks across the bay - One of the best views in Lancaster from up there even if it is a little breezy!.

11th Day of Christmas

Today we remember the 11 drummers drumming remind us of the 11 faithful apostles. Why not follow the links and find out more about these saints.

1) Andrew - feast day 30th November

2) Bartholomew - feast day 24th August 

3) James the greater - feast day 25th July  

4) James the Lesser - feast day 3rd May

5) John - feast day 27th December

6) Jude Thaddeus - feast day 28th October 

7) Matthew - feast day 21st September

 8) Peter (Simon Peter) - feast day 29th June

9)   Philip - feast day 3rd May 

10) Simon the Zealot - feast day 28th October 

11) Thomas - feast day 3rd July  (Luke 6:14-16).  

Who is the missing Apostle?  Summary of all the apostles

An on line hunt the names of the Apostles - you'll have to look really hard! 

Christmas video

Our Christmas video today shows how some people in the Philippines have shared the Christmas spirit.  We continue to remember them in our prayers.

10th Day of Christmas - SVP Christmas Party

10th Day of Christmas
Today the ten remind us of the number of Commandments given to Moses.  The video of the 10 commandments lasts 3 minutes and explains the commandments in simple language for children.
The colouring sheet of the 10 commandments
A memory aid for teenagers and adults - using the initial letters of  I AM THE LORD
Many people use the 10 commandments to help them to examine their conscience before going to the sacrament of reconciliation -  Examination of conscience based on the 10 commandments

Christmas Video
Our video today is a Christmas reflection showing the vision of St Vincent de Paul

SVP Christmas Party
Don't forget our own SVP Society are holding an Epiphany Party on Sunday 5th January.  See SVP contact details for further information.

9th Day of Christmas - Feast of St Basil

9th Day of Christmas
Today we revisit the Holy Spirit, in addition to the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit there are the 9 fruits of the Holy Spirit.  
Three  colouring pages - 

• a tree with names of the fruits of the Spirit,
• some fruit and simple reminders of why the fruit can remind us of the fruits of the Spirit e.g. strawberry - love heart shaped.
• for older children is a cross with the names of the fruits of the Holy Spirit used to decorate and with the sign of a dove

Whereas we might only sing the 12 days of Christmas at this time of year, there are other songs which can help children to remember the details.  Children enjoy singing and helps them remember the gifts of the Holy Spirit song listed in (Galatians 5:22-23) 


For adults a reflection from John Paul II 'On the Holy Spirit in the Life of the Church
and the World - DOMINUM ET VIVIFICANTEM'  The Latin first few words which are used to name Church documents.  

Christmas video

Today is the Feast of St Basil who is patron of hospital administrators.  The short video includes icons of St Basil, Christmas scenes and some basic facts about St Basil.  The music is the St Basil Christmas hymn

8th Day of Christmas - Mary Mother of God - Day of World Peace

8th Day of Christmas 

Today our eight maids a milking are used to remind us of the
8 beatitudes.
A matching activity based on the Beatitudes with colouring for younger readers and a reminder for older ones!

An examination of conscience based on the Beatitudes

Blessed are the peacemakers ... today is also the Day of World Peace and Pope Francis sends us the following message Day of World Peace 

We Christians believe that in the Church we are all members of a single body, all mutually necessary, because each has been given a grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ, for the common good (cf. Eph 4:7,25; 1 Cor 12:7). Christ has come to the world so as to bring us divine grace, that is, the possibility of sharing in his life. 

Christmas Video
To celebrate the Feast of Mary the Mother of God, we post a video which gives 50 reasons from 50 teenagers about why they pray to Mary, the Mother of God. 

 After watching - why not discuss as a family which reasons you agree with.