On the Sixth Day of Christmas...

"Old things have passed away; behold all things have become new."

- 2 Corinthians 5:17

New Years Eve has arrived, in this mad dash from Christmas and all of the celebrations we've made it quickly to New Year and today gives us a chance to look back at what has gone before in 2012. Take a moment today to think about our successes and our failures of the previous year as it is these that will help to make us better people in 2013. Watch this short reflection then spend a little while thinking about the questions underneath:

What did you achieve in 2012?

What are you proud of?

Did you make someone happy?

What could have been better?

Did you struggle at times?

Who did you upset along the way?

How did you let God into your life?

Did you try your best in everything?

Who helped you along the way?

What made you smile?

As you think about the video and some of these questions take the time to remember the role that Jesus played in your year. How much did you place your trust in him? How big a part did you allow him to play in your life?

On the Fifth Day of Christmas...

Today is the feast of The Holy Family and you might be asking, 'Who is that?' Well, we can confirm that it definitely is not the Beckhams, or the Kardashians and it is not even the Royal family! The Holy Family are he most humble, poor, amazingly special and beautiful families of all time and the beauty of it is... we actually belong to that family too! The Holy Family is the family of Jesus, namely him, his mother and our spiritual mother, Mary and his step dad, Joseph.

We always celebrate this feast on the first Sunday after Christmas... but remember we are still in Christmas so we hope that you still have your decorations and tree up!

The Holy Family are the model family, they stuck together through thick and thin and just like us they had to work their way through the hard times too. Jesus was fully human and undoubtedly went through his teenage years like most teenage boys, playing games, having a laugh and kicking the equivalent of a ball around! The Gospel reading for today tells us how Jesus at 12 years old stayed in the temple in Jerusalem for days listening to and learning from the doctors while his family were worried, not knowing where he was. Family life isn't always easy, however, we can always look to the Holy Family as an example of a Mothers love and care of a Father.

Let us remember the importance of family today, especially when things get tough for us. We wouldn't be the people we are without them, we wouldn't be here at all without them! We have so much to give thanks for so why not tell your family today how grateful you are for them? Do something nice for someone in your family today, something that will make that person smile or allow them the chance to relax a little during this busy time of year.

On the Fourth Day of Christmas...

Time for a bit of fun! Everyone likes board games at Christmas right? By boxing day when you are full from the previous days Christmas dinner and had your fill of Christmas films you can guarantee someone will have delved into the cupboards and pulled out a board game or two.

This one from Busted Halo is just a little bit of fun to lead us through Christmas and will take you even further than our 12 Days of Christmas feature can manage! Here's an image of Christmasopoly for 2012-2013, take a look by clicking the link below to download the PDF for you to print at home!

Get your printable version here from Busted Halo!

On the Third Day of Christmas...

Today, the third day of Christmas as also the Feast of the Holy Innocents. This is the day we remember those little children, boys under the age of 2, that King Herod chose to kill. He did this because he was threatened by them, knowing that a new King had just been born.

Although that happened such a long time ago, we need to remember in our prayers the way in which children are still killed today and pray for an end to the culture of death. We pray for all victims of abortion, for children born into slavery and poverty, for children who are orphaned and who are suffering through illness.

May we also pray for all those who were killed just 2 weeks ago at their school in Newtown, Connecticut. We pray especially for their parents and families for whom this Christmas will have been a very painful one.

Let us rejoice and give thanks for this season of Christmas, that it offers us the opportunity not just to reflect on the birth of our Saviour but to acknowledge how that birth impacts us in our lives every day, thinking of others before ourselves and that the peace that He brings can be given to others through us.

RIP Charlotte, Daniel, Olivia, Josephine, Ana, Dylan, Madeleine, Catherine, Chase,
Jesse, James, Grace, Emilie, Jack, Noah, Caroline, Jessica, Avielle, Benjamin and Allison
and staff members Rachel Davino, Dawn Hochsprung, Anne Marie Murphy,
Lauren Rousseau, Mary Sherlach and Victoria Soto

On the Second Day of Christmas...

Another adaptation today as we continue what we started yesterday with our new 12 Days of Christmas feature. Today we bring to you a more spiritual version of the famous Christmas Story 'The Night Before Christmas' which you will have all heard many times before. This as written by Sister St. Thomas, B.N.D. de N A and it puts a whole new slant on something that most of us have heard since being small children with the original version of this story!

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the town,

St. Joseph was searching, walking up roads and down;

Our Lady was waiting, so meek and so mild,

While Joseph was seeking a place for the Child;

The children were nestled, each snug in their beds,

The grown-ups wouldn’t bother, there’s no room they said;

When even the innkeeper sent them away,

Joseph was wondering, where they would stay;

He thought of the caves in the side of the hills,

Lets go there said Mary, it’s silent and still;

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow,

Made pathways of light for their tired feet to go;

And there in a cave, in a cradle of hay,

Our Savior was born on that first Christmas Day!

The Father was watching in heaven above,

He sent for His angels, His couriers of love;

More rapid than eagles God’s bright angels came;

Rejoicing and eager as each heard his name;

Come Power, Come Cherubs, Come Virtues, Come Raphael,

Come Thrones and Dominions, come Michael and Gabriel;

Now fly to the Earth, where My poor people live,

Announce the glad tiding My Son comes to give;

The Shepherds were watching their flocks on this night,

And saw in the heavens and unearthly light;

The Angels assured them, they’d nothing to fear,

It’s Christmas they said, the Savior is here!

They hastened to find Him, and stood at the door,

Till Mary invited them in to adore;

He was swaddled in bands from His head to His feet,

Never did the Shepherds see a baby so sweet!

He spoke not a word, but the shepherds all knew,

He was telling them secrets and blessing them too;

Then softly they left Him, The Babe in the hay,

And rejoiced with great joy on that first Christmas Day;

Mary heard them exclaim as they walked up the hill,

Glory to God in the Highest, Peace to men of good will!

On the First Day of Christmas...

So here we are at the start of our new feature this Christmas where we will be bringing you something a little bit different for each of the '12 Days of Christmas' as we head towards January 6th when we celebrate the Epiphany. Today we start our reflections by looking at the religious symbolism of this very well known Christmas song:

There's no doubt you will have heard the song before but have you ever realised the religious symbolism behind each line? Take a look here as you listen to the song again and think about each of these very special meanings.

1 Partridge in a Pear Tree

One True Love refers to God

2 Turtle Doves

The Old and New Testaments

3 French Hens

Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues

4 Calling Birds

Gospels and the Four Evangelists

5 Golden Rings

First Five Books of the Old Testament called the 'Pentateuch'

6 Geese A-laying

Days of creation

7 Swans A-swimming

Gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments

8 Maids A-milking 

The Beatitudes

9 Ladies Dancing

Fruits of the Holy Spirit

10 Lords A-leaping

Ten Commandments

11 Pipers Piping
Eleven faithful apostles

12 Drummers Drumming
Twelve statements of belief in the Apostle's Creed

O Come O Come Emmanuel

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

- Luke 2:1-14

A light shall shine upon us this day: for the Lord is born to us:
and He shall be called Wonderful, God, the Prince of Peace, the Father
of the world to come: of whose reign there shall be no end.

4th Sunday of Advent

In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechari'ah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."

- Luke 1: 39 - 45

Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts, that we, to whom
the Incarnation of Christ your Son was made known by the message of an Angel,
may be his Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection. Who lives
and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

St Cuthbert's Nativity Service

On Wednesday, the children and young people of St. Cuthbert's held a special Nativity Service focused on a giant-sized model of Bethlehem they'd built up piece-by-piece since Youth Sunday. The culmination and the highlight was when we placed candles along the road to the stable to light up the path that Jesus would take on Christmas Day. The service gave us time to reflect on the reality of God's journey from heaven to earth to be with us.

The service was followed by a social with the inevitable mince pies plus a very different version of the 12 Days of Christmas led by Fr. Michael. You'll have to ask him about it!

Christmas at St Josephs

Every year St. Joseph's invite their young people to make the window decorations for Christmas and this year was no different. Armed with greenery gathered from Ward Jackson Park and well supplied with food by Katie, our dedicated group got well and truly stuck into the Oasis! You can see their impressive results in the photo but, better still, head down to the church to see the real things. Thanks to everyone involved but especially Andrea for all her hard work with the organisation.

3rd Sunday of Advent

And the multitudes asked him, "What then shall we do?" And he answered them, "He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise." Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Collect no more than is appointed you." Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Rob no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your wages." As the people were in expectation, and all men questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ, John answered them all, "I baptize you with water; but he who is mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into his granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." So, with many other exhortations, he preached good news to the people.

- Luke 3: 10 - 18

O God, who see how your people faithfully await the feast of the Lord's Nativity, enable
us, we pray, to attain the joys of so great a salvation and to celebrate them always with
solemn worship and glad rejoicing. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives
and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Take Time to Reflect

It is helpful to our spiritual life to spend more than a glancing moment when reading the Christmas Cards we get, with their notes of good wishes both printed and handwritten. It is good for our souls also to spend time with the pictures or drawings on those cards and notes. Look quickly at the signature first, as is natural, and then look again after spending some time quietly with the card. It will become a prayer and a preparation for the Advent Liturgy. We can pray with what the card is saying in print as well as in picture. We as well, can pray with the “who ” who is behind the signature.

- Fr Larry Gillick, S.J.

Christingle at St Begas

Monday night at St. Bega’s was lit up by our annual Christingle Service. Organised by our two youth groups in the north (that’s 3PsYAGs and Youthi3, if you’re not sure!) and with the generous help of the school, we heard and sang about God’s great love for us and his plan to save us from evil. Whilst we don’t want to wait for Christmas, our short service helped us to experience a little of what the Season of Advent has to offer: a time of quiet and expectant hope before the joy of Jesus’ birth!

2nd Sunday of Advent

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, in the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness; and he went into all the region about the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God."

- Luke 3: 1 - 6

Almighty and merciful God, may no earthly undertaking hinder those who set
out in haste to meet your Son, but may our learning of heaven wisdom gain us
admittance to his company. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives
and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. 

More Christ Caching

On a cold but beautiful autumn afternoon, a small party of hardened explorers headed off into the wilds of Hebburn and Pelaw to hide two more ChristCaches, both in sight of the Tyne river. If you haven't come across ChristCaching yet, it's a cross between a treasure hunt and a prayer walk with a box full of chocolate, prayer cards and Jesus bracelets to be found at the end of it. We've already hidden one in Billingham for their young people to find so let's see who gets to their treasure first!

Youth Friday Wacky Races!

Dastardly and Muttley didn’t show up but we still managed to have a great time last Friday evening! In celebration of Youth Sunday, young people from across the town descended on St. Joseph’s to compete in Wacky Races. The Friday Night Fun crowd from St. Patrick’s and St. Teresa’s looked magnificent in their blue sweatshirts but that didn’t put the other parishes off from giving them a run for their money.

The Smelly Curtain Race proved to be a surprise hit though the highlight of the night was undoubtedly the Space Hopper Race. Not everything went according to plan, though, as the wind-up meerkats thought it would be better to go backwards or even not go at all. As Dick Dastardly would have said, ‘Muttley, do something!’

It wasn’t all quite so Wacky, though. At half-time in the races we gathered in the Day Chapel to reflect on these words from Hebrews: ‘Let us, with perseverance, keep running in the race which lies ahead of us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, who leads us in our faith and brings it to perfection.’

Thanks to Fr. Adrian for leading us in this, Fr. Michael for his excellent hospitality and Kev’s School of Cacophony who provided the uplifting music. Thanks also to Katie and all the ladies in the kitchen for providing such delicious food, to Gavin for being our MC, Anthea for scoring, Jim for the sound system and to all the team captains. Finally, big, big thanks to the YMCT Youth Section for being there to help with all the odd jobs that needed doing. We really could not have done it without you!

1st Sunday of Advent

And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a snare; for it will come upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth. But watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of man.

- Luke 21: 25 - 28, 34 - 36

Grant your faithful, we pray, almightily god the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ with
righteous deeds at his coming, so that gathered at his right hand, they may be worthy to
possess the heavenly Kingdom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and
reigns withyou in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.