A parish in the Archdiocese of Cardiff - a Registered Charity No. 1177272

Parishes of St Mary’s Catholic Church, Bridgend , Our Lady Star of the Sea, Porthcawl & St Joseph’s of Arimathea, Kenfig Hill

www.catholicchurchbridgend.org.ukwww.catholicchurchporthcawl.org.uk

Priest: Fr. Tim McGrath 01656 652034 & Fr. Silvio Briffa (retired) Parish Deacons: Rev. Philip Manghan philip.manghan@rcadc.org Robert Coyne Tel: 01656 783540 & Anthony Martin Tel: 01656 746648

Parish Administrator: Sarah Kearns bridgend@rcadc.org

Mass from St Mary’s live streaming daily.

The links for this are available on the home page of both websites.

Below you will see there is a full Mass timetable, resuming the normal Mass schedule, for our three Parishes.

Please join me so as Parish Priest, I may speak to as many of you as possible and thus keep you updated of

any new developments. I would be grateful if you would advise us if you have difficulties with the live feed.

Thank you to all for your continued support. Stay safe. God Bless. Fr Tim

Date Mass Time Intention

Sat 11th July 10.30am – 11.30am Private Prayer at St Mary’s 4.30pm & 6.00pm People of the Parish, our frontline & NHS workers

Sun 12th July 10.00am, 11.00am People of the Parish, our frontline & NHS workers 3.00pm Fr Carlito Reyes will be live streaming Mass from St Mary’s 6.00pm People of the Parish, our frontline & NHS workers

Mon 13th July 9.15am 10.00am

Joan Hughes (M Thomas) Kath Hammond ( M Ghanem & family)

Tues 14th July 9.15am 10.00am

Martin Ginnelly ( M Thomas) Cian Mofidi (I Ford)

11.00am – 1.00pm Private Prayer at Our Lady Star of the Sea

Wed 15th July 10.00am 7.00pm

Shelia Harvey RIP ( M Harvey) ‘Pete’ M O’Neil (M McAweney)

Thurs 16th July 9.15am 10.00am

John Durkin (HD) Wyn, Ida & family

10.30am – 12.30pm Private Prayer at St Mary’s

Fri 17th July 10.00am Thanksgiving for Mr Watkins and staff of St Mary’s School (JE)

Sat 18th July 10.30am – 11.30am Private Prayer at St Mary’s 4.30pm & 6.00pm People of the Parish, our frontline & NHS workers

Sun 19th July 10.00am, 11.00am & 6.00pm

People of the Parish, our frontline & NHS workers

Mass Intentions will continue to be said each day. Once Masses can be said publicly these intentions will be prayed for

again to give the donor the opportunity to come along. Weekend Mass intentions will remain for the People of the Parish and

all those working in the NHS and frontline positions. If you wish to place a Mass intention please email the office on

bridgend@rcadc.org or call the office on 01656 652034 option 2 and leave a message.

Please continue to remember all those who are sick and housebound in your prayers: Mary Bryan, Anne Colson, Eileen Coyne, Ryan Dixon, Angela Ellis, Barbara Fentham, Elsie Freeth, Catherine Grills, Margaret Jarvis,

John Lewis, Mary Maguire, Robert Morrison, Maureen Pritchard, Marcus Rossini and David Watkins

We pray for the sick and housebound of our parish, our friends, relatives and those who have asked for our prayers: Anna & Bronislaw, Conall & Siobhan, Emma, Garry, Jamie, Keith, Margaret, Maria, Martin Ginnelly, Mike, Peter

(please email bridgend@rcadc.org if you would like to add a name to the list)

‘Thus says the Lord ….so the word that goes from my mouth does not return to me empty, without carrying out my will and succeeding in what it was sent to do.’ (First Reading Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Isaiah 55:11)

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, 12th July 2020

‘Imagine a sower going out to sow …’ The readings this week are linked by images of nature, water, rain, growing crops and harvest.

In the First Reading, the prophet Isaiah compares the word of God to the rain falling on the world, which ensures a good crop and thus feeds the people.

Continuing this agricultural theme, the Psalm gives thanks to the Lord for his care for the earth. The whole world rejoices and sings at the abundant harvest.

For Paul, in the Second Reading, the whole of creation still hopes to be freed. All of us have the responsibility to be its good stewards.

The Lord, of course, is constantly at our side, helping us to achieve this. Using images from the countryside familiar to his listeners, Jesus tells the crowds who follow him a parable.

Here God acts as a sower, scattering seeds freely on ground which is not always ready or able to receive it. (Gospel)

This week, we might want to focus our prayers on the needs of our environment, the Lord’s creation. We might pray for those who care for it,

but also for those who seem intent on destroying it.

It was lovely to welcome parishioners back to St Mary’s this week. I am pleased to report that along with St

Mary’s, Our Lady Star of the Sea has now been authorised by the Archdiocese to open for private prayer.

Many thanks to all those working behind the scenes that have made this possible.

Many thanks also to those who have come forward to volunteer as stewards.

St Mary’s will be open for Adoration on Thursdays from 10.30am to 12.30pm and for prayer on Saturdays

from 10.30am to 11.30am. Our Lady Star of the Sea will be open for Adoration on Tuesdays from 11.00am

to 1.00pm. If it is your intention to come to Church, can you email or phone the office and leave a

message so that numbers can be gauged and the volunteer stewards advised how many people to expect.

Please follow the one-way system in place,

adhere to the strict social distancing guidelines and use the hand sanitiser provided.

Please note that the toilets in both churches are closed.

If you have any COVID-19 symptoms please stay home.

If you should be shielding please stay home.

More details are available on Fr Tim’s YouTube channel.

Our Lady Star of the Sea will be open for private prayer from 11.00am to 1.00pm on Tuesdays. To maintain this we are still in need of volunteers to steward and clean the Church.

Please contact the office if you are able to help. Many thanks for your support. Fr Tim

Dear all, many thanks to all those who have responded and embraced giving via standing order. The instructions and the necessary forms are available on the website. If setting up a standing order is something you do not feel

comfortable with by all means hold onto your offerings until you are next able to attend Church or forward a cheque to the Presbytery. Equally it is understandable that in these uncertain times people may not be in a position to give.

Whatever your circumstances thank you for your prayers and support.

Standing orders June Gift Aid Non Gift Aid Total

Bridgend £3139.00 £445.00 £3584.00

Porthcawl £615.00 £131.00 £746.00

St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School – Nursery 2021.

Governors are now accepting applications for Nursery

places in September 2021. A child needs to be three years

old by then in order to be eligible. Any interested parties

are welcome to contact the Headteacher, Mr. Lyndon

Watkins, at the school for further information

(head.stmarys@bridgend.gov.uk).

Covid19 friendly visits can be arranged.

As the school year draws to a close let us give thanks for the dedication of our Head teachers staff and the governors

of all our Catholic schools. This has been a most difficult few months and their

commitment is most appreciated. Please God they will have a restful

summer break and return refreshed to a new normal in September.