Burry Port Male Voice Choir Christmas Community Concert

CHRISTMAS COMMUNITY CONCERT -

PLEASE SUPPORT Our Community Concert which is to be held on Thursday 3rd December at 7.00pm in Our Lady Star of the Sea, Burry Port.

Kindly performing will be the Burry Port Male Voice Choir along with one or two artistes from our Parish. Tickets for the event will be on sale at £3.50, due to the restrictions of the size of our hall unfortunately refreshments will be provided for the choir members only.

For Tickets please see Stephen James in Burry Port and Mark Stevens in Kidwelly.


Webmaster's note: Online readers can come on Thursday and purchase rickets at the door. Thank you.

St Chrysogonus' Night Meal Report

PARISH DINNER - Due to a family bereavement, Gareth, who did all the hard work in arranging this event, and his family were unable to attend. May we take this opportunity to offer the family our very deepest sympathy on their recent sad loss. We would like to thank Gareth for having organised the event thus enabling all who attended to have a very enjoyable evening. It was nice to be able to partake of a leisurely meal and have a chat as a parish family.

Webmaster's note: Thanks to everyone for their kind words and prayers. Please pray for the repose of the soul of Gordon Tulloch. Thankyou.

St Richard Gwyn's Feast Day

St. Richard Gwyn

Feastday: October 17
1584

One of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. Also called Richard White, he was born in Montgomeryshire, Wales, in 1547, and stud­ied at Cambridge University, England. Converted from Protestantism, he returned to Wales in 1562, married, had six children, and opened a school. Arrested in 1579, he spent four years in prison before his execution by being hanged, drawn, and quartered at Wrexham on October 15, for being a Catholic. While jailed, he com­posed many religious poems in Welsh. He is considered the protomartyr of Wales and was included among the canonized martyrs of England and Wales by Pope Paul VI in 1970.

Webmaster's note: I read a booklet about St Richard Gwyn in which it stated that he was particularly good at humorous poetry that poked fun at the idea of married priests and other novelties of the "new religion," and that at his trial he and his two co-defendants gave their final address to the court in Welsh, English and Latin.

New Sign for Our Lady Star of the Sea, Burry Port

PARISH SIGN

A new parish sign has been made in Burry Port. Our Grateful thanks to Pat Keegan and Finbarr Jewell for all their Good work and all those who assisted in this process.

November Dead List

NOVEMBER DEAD LIST – Envelopes and request forms can be found in the porch at both churches. Once you have written the names of loved ones on the form place it in the envelope and then place the envelope in the basket which will then be placed on the Sanctuary throughout the month of November, the month of the Holy Souls.

Reminder: Sung Mass This Saturday

SUNG MASS - After our recent success with our new choir’s splendid singing of the Missa De Angelis at the confirmation Mass which added such solemnity and beauty to our liturgy, it has been decided to continue with the sung Latin on a monthly basis, starting in November, thus the first Saturday of each month will be a sung Latin verse for the Kyrie, Sanctus, Gloria and Credo which can be found on the printed sheets in the porch, a grateful thanks to Jack, Maura and all the choir for their continued assistance.

Sponsored Walk Update

MATTHEW MULCAHY ANNUAL SPONSORED WALK -

Pat and Ken Horton who accompanied him, thank you for your support. The final amount raised was £301.00. Once again very many thanks.

St Chrysogonus' Night Meal

PARISH DINNER - St Chrysogonus' Night Meal. Tuesday, 24th November at Taylors Steak House, Burry Port.

Tickets:
Child: £3
Fish & Chips: £7.50
Pork Steak: £7.50
Vegetarian Meal: £7.50
Rib Eye Steak: £10

Tickets will be available from next week.

Desserts and drinks extra (same as our St Patrick's Day meal back in February).

Please purchase your tickets asap, and help support another evening to help bring the congregation(s) together and raise some money for the Parish.

Tickets are limited to 50, so please do buy yours as soon as they are available.

Harvest Service

HARVEST OFFERINGS -

If you would like to donate items for the Harvest offering then please bring them to the weekend Mass and speak to Gloria or Mary in Burry Port or Netta in Kidwelly. Thank you.

Burry Port Weekly Readers

READING CYCLE - YEAR B PART 2

OCTOBER 10th (Sat.) ROBERT COOK 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time

OCTOBER 17th (Sat.) GLORIA HALL 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time

OCTOBER 24th (Sat.) NORMA DAVIES 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time

OCTOBER 31st (Sat.) MAIR KEEGAN ALL SAINTS MASS

NOVEMBER 7th (Sat.) BERNARD NORTHEAST 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time
Remembrance Sunday

NOVEMBER 14th (Sat.) STEPHEN JAMES 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

NOVEMBER 21st (Sat.) MARY JAMES OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
THE KING




Please feel free to rearrange with another reader if the date alongside your name poses a problem.

If you would like to become a reader then please speak to Father Thomas.

Update on Christmas Events

CHRISTMAS RAFFLE - Tickets will soon be available for our Christmas Raffle which will be a joint raffle between Burry Port and Kidwelly. It has been decided this year to limit the prizes to 15. Of the first four prizes three will be cash and the fourth a hamper (the hamper has already been donated), if you would like to contribute towards the cash prizes or give another prize please refer to the list on the notice board at Burry Port and Kidwelly. For further information please speak to Carol at Burry Port and Vera at Kidwelly.

CHRISTMAS FAYRE - To be arranged by the ladies of Kidwelly and Burry Port and held in the church hall at Burry Port on Saturday 12th December where the draw of the above raffle will take place. If you have any items for the Fayre, e.g, toiletries, bottle stall items, jewellery, good toys, Christmas items and nearer the date various cakes, please bring them to the church at Kidwelly and the church hall at Burry Port where they can kept until the event. Thank you.

CHRISTMAS COMMUNITY CONCERT - Our Community Concert is to be held on Thursday 3rd December at 7.00pm in Our Lady Star of the Sea, Burry Port. Kindly performing will be the Burry Port Male Voice Choir along with one or two artistes from our Parish. Tickets for the event will be on sale at £3.50 which will include light refreshments in the church hall after the concert.

SERVICE OF NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS - The Christmas season would not be complete without our traditional service of nine lessons and carols, which this year will take place at Kidwelly and has provisionally been booked for Thursday the 17th of December at 7pm.

Church Cleaning Burry Port

It has been suggested that Parishioners resume responsibility for the cleaning of the church. Names are requested to be added to a new Cleaning Rota.

It is an important sign of our commitment to our Church that those who are able can spend a little time preparing for the weekly services and events, our Lord will surely reward you for your care for the fabric of his Holy Church.

A list for those interested can be found at the Porch.

Forthcoming Events October & November

Ten Days of the Rosary

October is the Month of the Rosary and it was therefore thought suitable to hold the traditional 10 days of the Rosary, which will begin on Wednesday 21st of October and will be continued every evening at 6:30pm at Burry Port ending on Friday 30th of October with a small Harvest gathering, where light refreshments will be served, in the church hall. If you would like to donate any harvest offerings to be sold at the gathering then please speak to Gloria or Mary.

Please note that ALL EVENING week masses during these 10 days will consequently be transferred to the morning at 9am. However on the weekend of Saturday 24th the Rosary will start at 6pm and Mass will follow as usual at 6:30pm.


November Parish Dinner

After the successful St Patrick's day dinner this year, it has been agreed that we hold a similar event sometime in Mid November, further details will be posted in forthcoming newsletters, please see Gareth in Burry Port for any additional information.

Sung Latin Mass First Saturday of Each Month

Sung Mass at Burry Port -

After our recent success with our new choir’s splendid singing of the Missa De Angelis at the confirmation Mass which added such solemnity and beauty to our liturgy, it has been decided to continue with the sung Latin on a monthly basis, starting in November. Thus the first Saturday of each month will be a sung Latin verse for the Kyrie, Sanctus, Gloria and Credo which can be found on the printed sheets in the porch, a grateful thanks to Jack, Maura and all the choir for their continued assistance.

Christmas Itinery for Catholic Parish of Burry Port & Kidwelly

Christmas Mass times:

Please let Father know if the times suggested below are suitable, thank you.

Christmas Eve -
7:00pm Kidwelly - Family and childrens Mass
11:30pm Burry Port - Christmas Hymns and Blessing of the Crib followed by Midnight Mass of
The Nativity of Our Lord

Christmas Day -
9:00am Burry Port - Holy Mass of Christmas Day
10:30am Kidwelly - Holy Mass of Christmas Day


Service of Nine Lessons and Carols:

The Christmas season would not be complete without our traditional service of nine lessons and carols, which this year will take place at Kidwelly and has provisionally been booked for Thursday the 17th of December at 7pm.


Christmas Raffle:

Tickets will soon be available for our Christmas Raffle which will be a joint raffle between Burry Port and Kidwelly. It has been decided this year to limit the prizes to 15. Of the first four prizes three will be cash and the fourth a hamper (the hamper has already been donated), if you would like to contribute towards the cash prizes or give another prize please refer to the list on the notice board at Burry Port and Kidwelly. For further information please speak to Carol at Burry Port and Vera at Kidwelly. Thank you.


NB: Plans for a Christmas Concert are on hold for the moment. More news as we get it.

Cleaning and Flower Rotas

Church Cleaning Burry Port:

It has been suggested that Parishioners resume responisbility for the cleaning of the church. Names are requested to be added to a new Cleaning Rota. It is an important sign of our commitment to our Church that those who are able can spend a little time preparing for the weekly services and events, our Lord will surely reward you for your care for the fabric of his Holy Church. A list for those interested can be found at the Porch.

Flowers - Burry Port -
More names are needed please for the flower rota. If you would like to provide flowers for our church one weekend then please speak to Gill. Thank you.

Flowers - Kidwelly -
Donations for flowers are needed for the church in Kidwelly please. A collection box will be placed in the porch for those kindly wishing to donate. Many thanks.

Exposition of Relic of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus

A young parishioner says her prayers before the exposed relic of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus in the Lady Chapel of Our Lady Star of the Sea, Burry Port.

A steady stream of parishioners from Burry Port, Kidwelly and towns/villages nearby came today to pray before the relic of the Holy French nun whose autobiography has stirred so many souls to a deeper love of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

ST. THÉRÈSE

St. Therese, "the little flower"

Therese Martin was the last of nine children born to Louis and Zelie Martin on January 2, 1873, in Alencon, France. However, only five of these children lived to reach adulthood.

Precocious and sensitive, Therese needed much attention. Her mother died when she was 4 years old. As a result, her father and sisters babied young Therese. She had a spirit that wanted everything.

At the age of 14, on Christmas Eve in 1886, Therese had a conversion that transformed her life. From then on, her powerful energy and sensitive spirit were turned toward love, instead of keeping herself happy. At 15, she entered the Carmelite convent in Lisieux to give her whole life to God. She took the religious name Sister Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. Living a hidden, simple life of prayer, she was gifted with great intimacy with God. Through sickness and dark nights of doubt and fear, she remained faithful to God, rooted in His merciful love. After a long struggle with tuberculosis, she died on September 30, 1897, at the age of 24. Her last words were the story of her life: "My God, I love You!"

The world came to know Therese through her autobiography, "Story of a Soul". She described her life as a "little way of spiritual childhood." She lived each day with an unshakable confidence in God's love. "What matters in life," she wrote, "is not great deeds, but great love." Therese lived and taught a spirituality of attending to everyone and everything well and with love. She believed that just as a child becomes enamoured with what is before her, we should also have a childlike focus and totally attentive love. Therese's spirituality is of doing the ordinary, with extraordinary love.

Therese saw the seasons as reflecting the seasons of God's love affair with us. She loved flowers and saw herself as the "little flower of Jesus," who gave glory to God by just being her beautiful little self among all the other flowers in God's garden. Because of this beautiful analogy, the title "little flower" remained with St. Therese.

Her inspiration and powerful presence from heaven touched many people very quickly. She was canonized by Pope Pius XI on May 17, 1925. Had she lived, she would have been only 52 years old when she was declared a Saint.

"My mission - to make God loved - will begin after my death," she said. "I will spend my heaven doing good on earth. I will let fall a shower of roses." Roses have been described and experienced as Saint Therese's signature. Countless millions have been touched by her intercession and imitate her "little way." She has been acclaimed "the greatest saint of modern times." In 1997, Pope John Paul II declared St. Therese a Doctor of the Church - the only Doctor of his pontificate - in tribute to the powerful way her spirituality has influenced people all over the world.

Cafod Family Fast Day

FRIDAY 2ND OCTOBER -

Envelopes will be distributed after the Masses this weekend and will then be collected next weekend 3rd /4th October.

All donations will be very gratefully received for this most important charity.

A thought - Fasting does not always mean doing without food it can also mean foregoing unnecessary purchases of perhaps clothes, shoes, toys, jewellery or other similar items.

‘ Every little bit helps and TOGETHER we can make a difference.’

Sponsors Needed

MATTHEW MULCAHY ANNUAL SPONSORED WALK -

to take place on Sunday 11th October - Please can you sponsor Pat and Mair Keegan who will be taking part in this walk in aid of ‘Feed My Lambs’ which is a baby feeding programme in Sudan.

Each £5 that they are sponsored for can feed a little baby for one whole month.

If you would like to sponsor Pat and Mair please add your name and amount to the form which can be found on the notice board in the porch.

Many thanks.