Here at St Joseph’s, Bilton

Mass Schedule Restored as from this coming Weekend!

It is now possible to book seats to attend Mass here at St Joseph’s from this coming weekend.  Please use the link opposite, and read carefully the directions regarding the number of tickets which you will need to book per person, couple or family.

I very much look forward to seeing you back here at Mass if you are able to attend – please come only if you have booked your ticket in advance, because seating is limited.  If you are aware of other members of our parish family who do not have internet access, please contact them and offer to book their place for them – Thank you!

For those who are unable to attend Mass in person, because of Shielding, Isolation or other reasons I will still upload one Mass each weekend to our YouTube channel.  Please use the link below to access the channel.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvfYjlRQOVnYHIlNwAmX9tg

 

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Re-opening of Churches in the Diocese of Leeds for the Celebration of Holy Mass

Please click on the link below for a document issued by the Bishop of Leeds this evening containing Frequently Asked Questions regarding the opening of our Churches for Mass.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Re-opening of churches for the celebration of Mass

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Re-opening of St Joseph’s for Private Prayer

St Joseph’s is open for Private Prayer at the following times.

Saturday 10.00am – 12.00noon

Sunday 2.00pm – 4.00pm

Wednesday 10.00am – 12.00noon

We may be able to increase the opening times as we proceed, but would need to increase the number of Stewards in the team to facilitate this, if you would like to volunteer your time, please contact Elaine Flannigan on 0779 150 0359 for more information.

Please see the following short video regarding visits for Private Prayer at St Joseph’s.  Please also excuse the bizarre thumbnail picture YouTube has chosen !!  Fr Stephen

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First Reconciliation & First Holy Communion 2020

With the current restrictions placed on us by the Coronavirus Pandemic, it is necessary to POSTPONE both of these sacraments until a suitable time later in the year.  Once we have a better understanding of when restrictions may be relaxed and we are able to meet again, I will work with the Parish Catechists to formulate a plan of preparation for our children, that they might receive these sacraments as soon as is possible.

Please continue to watch the website (and bulletin) for updates and further details.

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Your Giving to Your Parish

A number of parishioners have been in touch to ask how they can continue to make their weekly offerings to St Joseph’s Church here in Bilton.  Thank you all for asking!

There are a number of ways, the first might be to consider setting up a Standing Order with your bank, please download the form below, or set it up using the following details via your own Internet Banking Service:

Account Name: Diocese of Leeds St Josephs Harrogate

Sort Code: 40-27-15  Account Number 11017500

St Joseph’s GAD and SO Form 2019 (1)

(Please fill out this form if you are a UK Tax Payer and would like us to claim back the Gift Aid on your donations – at no extra cost to you.  This part of the form would then need to be sent back to the Presbytery, address below)

 

The second way might be to use the new text service:

To contribute £5 to St Joseph’s Parish Offertory, please text CHURCH BILTON to 70500

**Please note that it is a feature of the text-giving facility that allows for no more and no less than £5 to be given to the Offertory via each text.  If your regular weekly parish giving is either more or less than this amount, please feel free either to send more than one text – or maybe use this facility just once a  fortnight or once a month.**

 

The third way is to send a cheque made payable to “St Joseph’s Church” to

St Joseph’s Presbytery,

281 Skipton Road,

Harrogate, HG1 3HD.

Thank you for your continued support during these difficult times, please be assured that I hold each one of you, your families and loved ones in my prayers and Masses each day.

Fr Stephen PP

 

Live-Streaming of Daily Mass and Devotions

from Leeds Cathedral

From 25 March 2020, Holy Mass will be live-streamed EACH WEEKDAY at 10.30 am and on SUNDAYS at 11.00am. There will also be a live-stream of the Angelus at 12.00noon each weekday, followed by praying the Rosary. Details of other devotions are available via the Leeds Cathedral website and Cathedral Bulletin. To participate online, please access the Leeds Cathedral Live YouTube channel www.leedscathedrallive.org.uk where the words of Prayers, Devotions and Orders of Service may be viewed, or downloaded from the Diocesan and Cathedral websites.

 

LIVE-STREAMED CELEBRATION OF HOLY MASS

The Holy Father’s Daily Mass, celebrated in Italian with English translation, can be accessed on the Holy See’s Youtube Channel. This can be found via the following web link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxIsefyl9g9A5SGWA4FvGIA/featured

The Bishop of Leeds will live-stream Sunday Mass from the Cathedral beginning on Sunday 22nd March at 11.00am.  The 11.00am Sunday Mass from Leeds Cathedral will continue to be live-streamed each week whilst the celebration of public Masses is suspended. To participate online, please access the following new YouTube channel which will be live from Sunday: www.leedscathedrallive.org.uk and may also be accessed via a link embedded on the Leeds Cathedral home page: https://www.dioceseofleeds.org.uk/cathedral

In our diocese, the parish of St Edward’s, Clifford https://www.mcnmedia.tv/camera/stedward-king-confessor-church-clifford-wetherby and the parish of St Mary’s, Halifax https://www.stmaryshalifax.com/ both have live-streaming available.

Holy Mass is celebrated and live-streamed from the National Shrine and Basilica of Our Lady of Walsingham every day at 12:00noon. This can be watched live or later. These videos allow the viewer to participate in the Mass from home and, at the time of Holy Communion, they lead the viewer in an Act of Spiritual Communion. To view please follow the following link: http://www.walsingham.org.uk/live-stream

Daily Mass and other devotions can also be accessed through the EWTN television channel to which many people already have access. Their programmes can also be accessed online: https://www.ewtn.com/

Bishop Robert Barron is also live-streaming his Daily Mass at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcMjLgeWNwqL2LBGS-iPb1A

First Reconciliation & First Holy Communion 2020

First Reconciliation & First Holy Communion 2020

With the current restrictions placed on us by the Coronavirus Pandemic, it is necessary to POSTPONE both of these sacraments until a suitable time later in the year.  Once we have a better understanding of when restrictions may be relaxed and we are able to meet again, I will work with the Parish Catechists to formulate a plan of preparation for our children, that they might receive these sacraments as soon as is possible.

Please continue to watch the website (and bulletin) for updates and further details.

Fr Stephen

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Lenten Project:

Vellore Hospice (Light for the Blind) – Essential Repairs

Contributions to date including Gift Aid to be reclaimed:

Grand Total                                                          £2657.40

The Vellore Lenten Project was extended until 30th April, and any donations received after that date will still be forwarded to the project. There will be a weekend to top-up the contributions once Church services resume. In the meantime you can still drop your donation at the presbytery or make an internet payment using the details set up by Mark Wilkins, treasurer of Light for the Blind:

Account: Light for the Blind
Sort code: 30-90-57
Account Number: 01601397
Reference: LenHarrVell20

For Gift Aid Declaration please contact Mark: mark.wilkins14@btinternet.com If you are able to, please update friends who might not read the church bulletin online. With the Covid-19 epidemic, precarity in India is turning into starvation for growing numbers of people who rely on places like Vellore for survival. Thank you for all you have done for Vellore Hospice in support of Father Thomas and his magnificent work that is saving and restoring  thousands of most damaged lives. Thank you for stretching out to them in your compassionate attention and very generous help despite an unusual pressure and concerns affecting all of us here. Warmest thank you and God bless – Agnes Regan

Thank you all for your generous response to our Lenten Project this year, in what was to become a most challenging Lent – your kindness and compassion is indeed a blessing to so many – Thank you, Fr Stephen.