Sunday February 3rd. 2008

Examination of Conscience

It is a good to examine your conscience each evening as part of your night prayers. Express your sorrow for your failings, and ask God’s grace for tomorrow to improve  your love of him and for your neighbour. The little Act of Contrition we say at the 12th. station of the cross, where Jesus dies, is simple and lovely:

I love you Jesus, my love above all things. I repent of my whole heart of having offended you. Never permit me to separate myself from you again. Grant that I may love you always, and then do with me what you will. Amen.

May we all have a blessed and fruitful Lent

Anniversary

We remember in our prayers at mass this weekend, Sandy Kennedy, Blarmacfoldach, whose 2nd anniversary is this Sunday, February 3rd.

And, Fr Tom’s brother, Ian Wynne, whose 10th anniversary is on Tuesday, February 5th.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

Mardi Gras

Shrove Tuesday is known as Mardi Gras in Catholic countries. Literally, it means Fat Tuesday ,when all the fat and meat was either eaten or put out, for people fasted  and abstained for the whole of Lent in former years. It is also called  Pancake Tuesday, a final day for eating sweet things before the beginning of Lent.

Boxes for SCIAF and MARY’S MEALS

There are flat-pack boxes at the back of the church for you to take home. You have a choice of SCIAF or MARY’S MEALS. The boxes invite you to put in what you might spend on your own pleasures, and at the end of the six weeks of Lent, the contents will be sent to each of these charities which care for the poor of the Third World.

Our Burns Supper makes £1, 337

What a wonderful evening of food, music and dance!  This year’s Burns Supper was another great success, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The final profit, once everything was paid, came to approx £1,000.  Our numbers were restricted this year because of the Health and Safety Act, and quite a few people also had to cancel because of the ‘flu and virus infections.  However, there was a great crowd in the hall, and everyone made a point of enjoying themselves, and it turned out to be a memorable night. The haggis was borne aloft by Sandy MacKintosh, and piped in by Fr Peter Wilkinson, who came up specially from Blackburn for the occasion.  Laurence Young gave a splendid Address to the Haggis, and plunged in the knife in true highland style.

I would like to thank most sincerely:  the committee for arranging such an excellent night as everything worked out to perfection.  Also everyone involved in assuring that the  haggis was perfectly cooked, and served  with tatties and neeps to all the tables in record time. My grateful thanks to all the artists who gave us a wonderful ceilidh: the Lochaber Strathspey and Reel Society, Deirdre MacDonald, who gave us a toe-tapping selection of highland tunes on her violin, and then another selection accompanied this time by Andrew MacDonald on the accordion. We have a true star in ten year-old Natalie Laing who entranced the audience with the her highland dancing,, accompanied by Thomas Mac Donald on the pipes, and received a wonderful applause. Chris Josey, our Australian tenor, and former opera singer, with his wonderful, rich voice;  entertained us with  his singing. We have rarely heard My love is like a red, red rose sung more beautifully. Iain Joseph entertained us with his own unique brand of highland music, which showed his mastery of the accordion, and then played a duet with his sister Deirdre.

My sincere thanks also to Isabel Campbell, Rural Complex,  for drawing the raffle, to everyone who contributed such beautiful prizes for the raffle, and to Ian Wynne & Son for their annual gift of the haggis.

My final thanks to all who came along on Friday evening to prepare the hall, and to those who came on Sunday morning to tidy up afterwards,  

May God bless everyone for their kindness, generosity to help make our Burns Supper a night to remember!.