Parishioners will be sorry to hear of the death last Monday of our friend Elsie Murphy, whose 92nd birthday we celebrated very recently. Her Requiem Mass will be here at Holy Cross on Monday next at 11 am and will be said by Father Tony Storey. The Mass will be followed by a cremation, which is for the family only. It was Elsie’s wish that if anyone would like to make a donation at the funeral the proceeds would go to Holy Cross church.
On behalf of us all, her good friend Jean Longhorn has written the following:
“Elsie will be missed by many people. She had an easy way of making friends, who will remember her many kindnesses, her generosity and her sense of humour. She had a great zest for life and an ability to adjust to situations and be happy. She remained contented in her retirement home and was always eager to know what was going on at Holy Cross.
Her friends at church are sad to lose her but we can celebrate her life with gratitude and love, remembering how she touched our lives. Goodbye, Elsie. Rest in peace.”

As previously announced, the annual Catholic Women’s League appeal will be made by Elizabeth at both Masses this weekend. It is in aid of “Zoe’s Place”, the Middlesbrough children’s hospice.

Anniversaries
Sat 26th: Philip Norton (Jim’s brother);
Sun 27th: William Parker (Ray’s grandfather), Pat Brennan (Dermot’s grandfather);
Mon 28th: Mary Gilson;
Wed 30th: Daniel McDonald (Sheila Levett’s grandfather), Sarah McDonald (Sheila’s grandmother), Dymphna Margaret Graham (Eithne Codd’s sister);
Thurs 1st: Mary Ann Maguire (Eithne’s mother), Maurice Berry (Geoff Land’s uncle), Dominick Michael Brown;
Fri 2nd: Leonard Lover (Hazel Corcoran’s uncle):
Sat 3rd: James Rodgers (Elizabeth’s father), Laura Thomson;
Sun 4th: Michael Rozenbroek (Donor of the bell).

Prayer Circle intention for Friday, Dec 2nd: We pray that the initiative for house groups in the parish will be well supported and very fruitful.

Please remember to return the completed “Hearts and Minds” house group cards by Sunday Dec 4th at the latest.

Vegetarian “Curry Night”: fund-raising supper for St Mary’s Children’s Home, Bo, Sierra Leone at Annie’s house:
6 Broad Lane Close, Canongate on Thursday, 1st December at 7 pm.
Phone Annie (876955) for further details.

Zion and Newland United Reformed Church, Hallgate – visit of the Barton on Humber Salvation Army Band and Songsters on Saturday 3rd December at 7.15 pm. Adults £2.50, children £1; proceeds to Present Aid.

Parish Council meeting – Monday 5th December at 7.45 in the presbytery.

St Mary’s College Christmas Concert is on Thursday 1st December at 7.30; tickets £2 from the school.

For our Indian parishioners: 1. There will be a meeting for all Indian Catholics on Sunday, 27th November at the Boulevard Village Hall, next to St Wilfrid’s on the Boulevard at 3 pm. Father Massie will be speaking.
2. Father Matthew Thekkel, an Indian priest staying in the Wst Hull parishes over
Christmas and the New Year, will be hearing confessions (in Malayalem and English) at St Wilfrid’s on Friday 23rd December from 7 to 8 pm and Saturday 24th December from 11.30 am to 12.30 pm. He will also be giving a short spiritual ‘retreat’ for members of the Indian Community on the evenings of the 26th, 27th and 28th of December at St Wilfrid’s church, 7 to 9 pm, to include Mass.

There will be a Sale of nearly-new clothes in the Garden Room after the Saturday evening and Sunday Masses next weekend, 3rd and 4th of December. The proceeds are in aid of the generator fund. Further details from Rosaria (847196).

From Sister Catherine: Lectio Divina – the Divine Word A time to ponder on the Word of God during Advent at the Endsleigh Centre; 1.30 to 3 pm, Wednesdays - November 30th, December 7th, 14th and 21st.

A 14” colour TV is available gratis to anyone who has need of it. Enquiries to Arthur Burgan (845902).

The Rotary Club of Holderness is presenting a Community Carol Concert at St Anthony’s Church on Thursday next, starting at 7 pm. It features the Hull East Salvation Army Band, the Cottingham Singers and Endsleigh Holy Child Primary School Choir.

SVP matters: 1. The Hull and District Council of the St Vincent de Paul Society produces and distributes tapes for the blind. Due to illness, the society needs an extra volunteer to help with the organisation of producing these tapes. If anyone feels they can help or would like more information, please contact Chris Cuthill, Hull SVP President (472229).

{We have complained bitterly in past years that all the prizes seem to go south, mostly to Kent and Surrey. Can’t complain this time – 8 out 12 coming north, including the top six and one them is local ! }

To end with, here are some mixed advisory quotations:
Always remember you’re unique – just like everyone else.
Generally speaking, you aren’t learning much when your lips are moving.
Never test the depth of the water with both feet.
If you think nobody cares whether you’re alive or dead, try missing a couple of mortgage payments.
If at first you don’t succeed, sky-diving is not for you.
If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.
The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your wallet.
A closed mouth gathers no foot.
There are two theories about arguing with women. Neither of them work.

A Celebration for Youth Sunday: This will take place at St. Vincent's this afternoon (Sunday) starting at 3.00 p.m. and finishing at 6.30 p.m. There will be a 'different' service in the church followed by a social in the club. The age group is 11 years old and upwards. Parents are welcome to pop in and see what's going on.

CWL News: Elizabeth will be making our Annual Appeal next weekend for "Zoe's Place" a Hospice for Children in Middlesbrough. We are also having a Christmas Social for ALL the ladies of the parish on Monday December 12th at 7.30 p.m. in The Garden Room. I go each year ( I let my hair down!) and it's always the best of fun with all sorts of games etc.

Craft Stall: This will be the last week for it before Christmas. Have a look, you just might find that something you're looking for! If you have left anything and it hasn't been sold, please take it home with you. Thanks for your support, especially to the donors and buyers. Jan Woodmansey (845496)

More humour from Les Ulyatt: 'You know when you're growing old.'
1. When you feel like the night before and you haven't been anywhere.
2. Your back goes out more than you do.
3. When you sink your teeth into a juicy steak – and they stay there.
4. When you sit in a rocking chair and you can't get it going.
5. When the gleam in your eye is the sun on your bi-focals.
6. When you switch off the bedroom light for economic reasons rather than romantic ones.
The Voice of Experience, Les?

Anita Marshall, a parishioner who has been quite ill for a long time, sent me this via Jim who brings her Holy Communion each Sunday. It's called "After the Rain."

Remembrance Weekend: Thank you to everyone who got involved, either wearing your medals, bringing things along and who'll forget those lovely little boots made by Albert for his love during the First World War? It was the first time they've been seen in public! And thanks also to Ron and Basil for explaining their medals to the younger parishioners on Sunday. And also Peter Watts for arranging The Last Post and Reveille music. It was nice of some people to say that they found the whole service quite moving. That made it worthwhile! And finally, who could forget Megan Rawcliffe's rendition of 'The Green Fields of France'? Thank you, Caroline, for accompanying her!

Cemetery Visit last Sunday: A goodly gathering of parishioners met at 3.00 p.m. on a chilly afternoon for a very moving 'Blessing of the Graves' service, ending as usual at the grave of Fr. McEntegart. Eithne is going to try and find out some more details of him and hopefully his surviving family back in Ireland. It would be lovely to get in touch with them and let them see his new headstone and how we remember him still even though he died back in 1957, so far from his family and home.

Elsie's Birthday: After the cemetery visit Jean, Barbara and myself paid a surprise visit to Elsie for her 92nd Birthday. We had of course phoned her during the morning Mass and sung 'Happy Birthday' to her. That she appreciated very much! She had gone out for lunch and then spent the rest of the day entertaining her various guests! She is so happy there and it shows. Everyone there loves her so much, but we all know why. Thanks for the chocolate cake, Elsie, it was lovely!

The Hull Savoyards: Good to see a photo of the church and last week's concert in The Mail last Monday. Quote: "The group's performance of 'Trial by Jury' at Holy Cross, Cottingham, last week was a great success with a considerable amount raised for charity." If you supported it, thank you!

With Hearts and Minds – Home Groups: Peter O'Reilly writes: "This is a parish resource to help with our participation in the Mass. It was prepared by the English Bishops' Conference for use in our churches. At a recent meeting in the presbytery, where about twenty parishioners came along, it was agreed that we should implement this programme in Holy Cross in small home-based groups in different parts of the parish. This is an approach that has worked well in other parishes, and is particularly recommended by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor in his introduction to the programme. There will be six sessions, and it is planned to start in the third week of January and finish by early March. The 'local' groups should consist of 6 – 10 (max. 12) people, and each group can decide when is the best day and time for them to meet. To help with planning the groups we would be grateful if you could fill in one of the cards and post it in the box in the church porch. We would be particularly grateful if you could volunteer to host one of the groups – this will not involve any commitment to lead the group's discussions. IT is appreciated that there will need to be groups outside Cottingham for those parishioners who come from e.g. Willerby, Beverley, Hessle or Swanland. If you cannot make the preferred time chosen by your local group, it should be possible to join another group which is meeting at a more convenient time for you. We need to have the cards returned no later than Sunday December 4th. If you need further information, or have any queries, please speak to us after Mass or give us a ring."
Chris Pike (841593), Helen Rhodes (633138) Peter O'Reilly (845459)

Congratulations to Hazel and Tony Corcoran on becoming Grandparents for the third time! After two boys, a girl at last! And I quote Tony! Sarah gave birth to a baby girl, Laura, last Tuesday, a sister to Ewan. Congratulations also to dad Stuart.

Linda Gillard asks me to pass on her thanks to all who sponsored her for the Daisy Appeak Sponsored Swim and the Dove House 5k Run.

Rest in Peace: I just learned on Friday of the death of parishioner Fred Hodgson in Spain on October 18th. Fred, aged 78, had been holidaying there. We hope to have his Requiem Mass here at Holy Cross on Friday at 11.00 a.m. but please check the press for the final arrangements. Fred lived alone in Cave Crescent in the village. He is survived by his brother Terry who lives in Leeds. Fr. John O'Gara has offered to take the funeral as I will be away. If you have any stories or details he might like to know then I'm sure he's be glad to hear from you. His telephone number is 342519. May he rest in peace. Amen

The Church Floor and the Woodworm: Sadly we are not covered by insurance so pray that it will not be too serious! The firm intend to begin the work on Monday December 5th so possibly the church will be out of action for that week. Let's hope it doesn't run over into the following week! Masses will probably be in the Garden Room during the week.

Parish Prayer Circle: The CWL Appeal this coming weekend is for "Zoe's Place" , a Hospice for very sick children in Middlesbrough. We remember in our prayers all sick children and their parents and those who care for them. We also remember Martin House Hospice and their work, as many of you support what they are doing for terminally ill young people.

Tony and Shirley who organise the Prayer Circle write: "Do you know that we take requests for prayer? If you are concerned for someone (facing an operation, lost job etc.) ask the person if they would like prayer, then give us a first name and brief request and the Prayer Circle will pray for that need. We had some heartening 'feed-back' recently. Little Zara whom we prayed for some weeks ago is now fine and has been given a very positive health report, and Paul (with cancer) is making good progress and his wife attributes this to the prayers of the Circle. Do please keep on praying for his complete recovery. Obviously your prayer support means a lot to this man and his wife." Tony and Shirley can be contacted on 842285.

The Rainbows Programme for bereaved children: Chris Clarke and the parish team are willing to run this course after Christmas if needed. Her phone number is 844128.

Church Ministries: In the 'good old days' the priest did everything. Happily today that has changed. We have readers for each of the readings, not just one doing all. We have Eucharistic Ministers, Welcomers, Servers to name but a few. At any one service you should only be practising one of the above ministries, not several. So please allow others their rightful ministry, whether during the week or on a weekend.

Church Lights: I returned from London at 11.30 p.m. on Thursday night to find the church lit up like Blackpool illuminations! Remember that famous Rugby Final a few years ago and the sign near the Humber Bridge (if it was there at the time). Can the last one out please turn off the lights?

Newsletters from Abroad: It's always nice when parishioners bring me back newsletters from churches they have visited whilst on holiday. Can I thank Diana for the one from the Holy Land – only one problem, I don't speak Aramaic! But it looked lovely. The only bit I figured out was the date – 6/11/2005 !

Vincentian Volunteers: There are three 'new' ones here in Hull helping out at St. Stephen's and the Drop-in Centre at St. Charles amongst other things and they are looking for a couple of bicycles. They are from France, Syria and the USA. Maybe you have one in the garage doing nothing?

Congratulations to Mr. Andy Turner, parishioner and Head of R.E. at St. Mary's College. He celebrated his **rd Birthday last Thursday. A clue – it was the age of Jesus when he died!

Congratulations also to Caroline Rawcliffe who passed her driving test last week! Is it safe now to get the car out once again?

Masses next weekend: On Saturday evening we welcome Canon Michael Loughlin, the Diocesan Episcopal Vicar for the Southern end of the diocese. He hasn't been here before and has just recently moved into St. Charles parish. On Sunday morning we will have the return of an 'old' friend, Fr. Michael O'Connor. I know that you will give them both a great 'Holy Cross' welcome. They get an easy weekend – there is a Pastoral Letter from Bishop John to be read!

Mass on the Radio: Every Sunday morning at 10.00 a.m. if you tune in to Long Wave 252 or Medium Wave 567, or if you have satellite tune in to Channel 910 or 892. It is a Radio Eireann broadcast Mass.

Garden Room Bookings must be made through Jan Woodmansey on 446369. This is to avoid any double bookings and embarasssment.

Prayer and Praise Evening: This monthly event will take place this coming Friday at the Endsleigh Centre from 7.30 – 9.00 p.m. More details from Chris Pike on 841593.

Hull Prison: Tony and Shirley work there and are always looking for copies of "Good News Bibles" and any "Dalesman" magazines. You can leave them in the porch.

St. Mary's College are looking for invigilators for their Public Exams. The pay is £6 an hour (more than I get!) and no experience is needed. For more details contact the College on 808803 or 851136.
Thursday December 1st. Two Carol Concerts! There will be the annual Rotary Carol Concert which I compere, this year at St. Anthony's, from 7 – 9 p.m. The other one will be at St. Mary's College and it will be a Christmas Concert with all sorts of Christmassy items! More details of times etc. later. So make your choice! Both will be excellent!

Anniversaries this coming week:
Saturday – Alfred Stock (Martin Woods grandfather), Alfred Shipley (Mary Pidd's father) and Walter Cross (Jan Woodmansey's father).
Sunday – Ivy Beavers (Agnes Spaven's sister).
Monday – Edward Parker (Ray's father), Joseph Bell and David Frank .
Tuesday – Patrick Day (Fr. Pat's uncle died as a child in 1923), Brenda Parker (Ray's sister), Albert Nixon (Jean Rowland's husband), Liz Woods-McConville (Shirley and Tony's daughter) and John Baker (Sheila Cundy's father).
Friday – Mary Ann White (M&A Haughey's grandmother).
Saturday – Ray Cresswell (Elaine Coggin's father) and Philip Norton (Jim's brother).
Sunday – William Parker (Ray's grandfather) and Robert Graves (Pat Brennan's grandfather).

Mass Intentions this weekend:
Saturday – 6.30 – Ann Stead (A)
Sunday – 10.00 – Stella Wiles (A)

Rev. Ian Paisley: Spotted on a quiet afternoon at the SPCK bookshop in Westminster: the Revd. Ian Paisley in search of a 'document on Sacred Scripture' recently produced by the Vatican. The cashier duly produced a publication from the Catholic Truth Society which seemed to satisfy the good reverend. It is a fair bet that the book in question was a copy of "The Gift of Scripture", produced jointly by the Catholic Bishops of England, Wales and Scotland and published by the CTS last month. As to why Dr. Paisley should want such a document we can only guess that he may have been inspired by the bishops' ecumenical approach to biblical scholarship.
P.S. I have ordered copies of the book for everyone in the parish and we will give them out in the next few weeks as an aid to getting ready for the great feast of the Nativity.

Rest in Peace: After a long struggle Veronica Homan finally went to God in the early hours of Monday morning. She had spent the last few weeks of her life in Castle Hill where she was wonderfully and lovingly looked after by the staff on Ward 1. Veronica would have been 98 on Thursday last. She was married to Arthur at St. Charles in 1935 and he died in 2001. She leaves two sons Malcolm and Geoff, grandchildren and great grandchildren. I must express my gratitude to Teresa Ulyatt for her dedication in bringing Holy Communion to Veronica and also to Betty Nicholls every Sunday morning whilst they were in Raleigh Court. Eternal rest grant to her, O Lord, and may she rest in peace. Amen. Her Requiem Mass will be tomorrow, Monday, at 11.30 a.m.
Paul Wood's Requiem Mass will be this coming Friday at 11.00 a.m. at St. Anthony's where he was M.C. for a long time assisting Fr. Seamus Kilbane in the liturgy.

Blessing of the Graves Service: This will take place this afternoon at Eppleworth Cemetery starting at 3.00 p.m. Traditionally we go round the graves of your relatives and friends and deceased parishioners and say a short prayer at each, finishing up at the grave of Fr. McEntegart. It shouldn't take more than an hour.

Mass on the Radio: Every Sunday at 10.00 a.m. you can listen to Mass if you tune in to Long Wave 252 or Sky Channel 910 or 892. I know that some parishioners really enjoy this service so feel free to pass it on to any housebound people you might know. (And the great thing is that there is no collection!).

O eternal Lord God, who alone spreadest out the heavens, and rulest the raging of the sea; who hast compassed the waters with bounds until day and night come to an end: Be pleased to receive into thy Almighty and most gracious protection the persons of us thy servants, and the Fleet in which we serve. Preserve us from the dangers of the sea… that the inhabitants of our Island may in peace and quietness serve thee our God; and that we may return in safety to enjoy the blessings of the land, with the fruits of our labours, and with a thankful remembrance of thy mercies to praise and glorify thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [Royal Navy – prayer to be used at sea]

Generator Gift Donation: "Dear Fr. Pat, further to our phone conversation this morning, I am very grateful to be able to enclose my cheque for £2,000 (gift-aided), made out to Holy Cross Church, as a donation to the Generator Fund for our twin parish, Our Lady Star of the Sea, Sierra Leone. At all times, please treat this donation anonymously. I hope the donation will bring the Fund up to its target figure, and so enable the church and school and people of our twin parish to enjoy the benefits of electricity which they so desperately and urgently need... With every blessing. God bless. ***** ******."
The gift-aid adds another £560 to the amount! It's always worth doing!

There once was a pious young priest (Fr. Pat?)
Who lived almost wholly on yeast.
He said, "For it's plain
We must all rise again,
And I want to get started at least."      (Les Ulyatt's offering!)

Auction of Promises for the Generator Fund: Our next major fund-raising event will be an Auction of Promises on Friday March 31st 2006. If anyone would like to donate promises, eg. cook a meal for four, provide transport to an airport, please write down your promise and place it in the box in the porch. If you have any queries please contact either Gwen O'Reilly on 845459 or Jacqui Woodmansey on 446369.

Birthday Girl: Elsie Murphy is 92 today, Sunday, and we wish her all the best from all her friends here at Holy Cross. If you'd like to speak to her [and I'm sure she'd be glad to hear from you] her telephone number is 882295.

Bad News: The damage caused to the floor of the church by the woodworm infestation is not covered by our insurance! But we have enough in the bank to, hopefully, pay for the work needed! The carpet will need to be replaced as it is glued down to the floor. Has anybody any connections in the carpet trade who could make us an offer?

Hull Prison: Parishioners Tony and Shirley work there and they are looking for 'Good News Bibles' and copies of 'The Dalesman' or any other suitable magazines on Yorkshire. Can be left in the porch. Their telephone number is 842285.

Garden Room Bookings: These all must be made through Jan Woodmansey, whether for church use or otherwise. There is no charge for parishioners wanting to use the room. Telephone 845496.

"Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust and hostility to evaporate."

Time on your hands and want to earn some money? St. Mary's College is seeking to recruit invigilators for the Public Exams held at the College. The duties involve supervising students whilst they are sitting examinations. These take place each year in December, January, May and June. The pay is £6.00 an hour. For further details, please contact Mrs. Yvonne Hetherington at the College on 808803 or 851136.

Mass this Monday will be at 7.00 p.m. and it is being offered for the Deceased Members of the parish Catholic Women's League. Veronica's Requiem Mass will be at 11.30 a.m. NO 9.00 a.m. Mass on Monday.

Pastoral Reorganisation: Consultation Document: Initial Draft:
"Creating Sustainable and Evangelising Parishes." A full copy of this document will be in December's Catholic Voice but here is the gist of it and it does not make for easy reading! Bishop John writes:
Some Statistics: Active Priests in 1992 numbered 135. We now have 61. Active priests in 2030 is anticipated at 25 and possibly 19 if we have no more ordinations! Total Sunday Mass attendance (diocese wide) in 1992 was 29,957. It is now 19,362. Conclusion – Urgent action is needed to encourage vocations and the reduction in the number of people is a far more urgent issue than the decline in the number of priests. What is suggested, and it is only a suggestion to promote discussion, is that the diocese works towards an establishment of twenty-four parishes. One possible advantage of the structure is that the numbers of priests projected to be available in the future would allow for at least one resident priest in each of these new parishes for the next twenty years. As existing parishes gradually come together to form new parishes, so consideration will need to be given by each new community to which church building is identified as the central one and which buildings might be considered no longer to serve the needs of parishioners. It may be that in a few of the new parishes consideration is given to building a new church to replace all the existing churches in order to serve the newly created area. N.B. The proposed "24 Parishes Model" does not mean only 24 local church communities. Each proposed parish with at least one resident priest in the "mother" church would serve several other church communities in the enlarged area. The prime responsibility however, of the parish priest in these large urban and rural parishes has to be the pastoral/spiritual care of the people. In these new circumstances, it will become increasingly necessary to release our clergy from other (material) responsibilities, so that they can devote their time and energy to what lies at the very heart of the priestly ministry. [Just what you said Chris, at Mass on Tuesday evening!]
In Hull there would be just three parishes, East Hull, West Hull and ourselves in North Hull comprising of Holy Cross, Holy Name and St. Anthony's, St. Vincent's and the Marist Parish.
P.S. If vocations continue at the present level the worst case scenario for 2050 is that we will have no priests active in the diocese! The best case scenario is that we'll have about 7 priests in 2050 (I'll be 98 and hopefully retired!).

Using your gift: It seems a bit unfair. He only buried the one talent after all and the owner got it back. What's the big deal? In Biblical times, a 'talent' was a large unit of money, not a skill or ability as we understand talent today. But whether it's an aptitude or a financial asset, I suspect that many people have a hoarding attitude to life. There must be drawers with jewelry, linen or some fine products hidden away for a 'special occasion' that somehow never came. If it's true of commodities, it's certainly true of life. Skills left untouched, unshared, unused. Safe, careful, lives as trim as our lawns living as semi-detached as our houses from anyone and the Gospel call to engage in life. Many seek a Disney World sort of life – inauthentic, narrow, utterly predictable, and largely devoid of any real meaning. Some believers see their Christian life in rather passive terms, just looking after themselves, living in conformity to the commandments of God and the Church, fulfilling their 'religious duties', making sure to die 'in the state of grace'. This, in effect, is to bury one's talents. Today's gospel makes it very clear that far more is expected of us. We are expected to make an active and positive contribution to the work of the Kingdom and of the Christian community as the Body of Christ. In short, take an active part in the church, your church. Today, not tomorrow. No more than our modern notion of talent. If you don't use it, you ultimately lose it.

And what are we doing? After our parish meeting last Tuesday a small group of three parishioners were delegated to plan a way forward. It was agreed that (1) to ask at the Masses next weekend for anyone interested in hosting and participating in home groups. (2) Peter to prepare an insert for the newsletter. (3) Peter and Chris to speak at Mass on Saturday evening and Helen on Sunday. (4) Cards to be available for details of those interested. (5) Meeting to sort groups and arrange follow-up. (6) Identify hosts/leaders and get them to liaise with their groups about best times etc. (7) Leaders Meeting planned for the 2nd week of January. (8) To launch the programme in the parish w/c Jan. 16th to run until Feb. 24th (with a possible week out for half-term).

More CWL News: Our talk tomorrow night after the Mass will be "Hull's Wartime Christmas" given by Mr. K. Thomas and all ladies from the parish are welcome to come along. Our Christmas Appeal this year is for Zoe' Place, a children's' hospice and the collection will be on the weekend on November 26 / 27.

Youth Sunday – Feast of Christ the King (next Sunday). Our local parishes have organised a celebration for the young people of the area and also for their parents should they wish to come along at St. Vincent's Church and Social Club from 3 – 6.30 p.m. We're aiming at 11 years and upwards. You can get more details from Micki and Nicky Coyle at St. Vincent's on 470086.

On Wednesday and Thursday of this week there will be Communion Services at 9.00 a.m. I shall be in London accompanying a group of drama students from St. Mary's College (for the nth time!). We shall be seeing "Richard II" starring Kevin Spacey and "Billy Elliott".

Air Cadets: As Chaplain to 872 Squadron, we will be having a Service of Remembrance at the grave of a Hull pilot who is buried in the graveyard at Woodmansey Parish Church next Saturday at 11.00 a.m. Some of you Force's Veterans came along last year and it was much appreciated. Please feel free to join us again this year.

"Our first task in approaching another people, another culture, another religion is to take off our shoes, for the place where we are approaching is holy. Else we may find ourselves treading on another's dreams. More serious still we may forget that God was present before our arrival."

Anniversaries this coming week:
Saturday – Mgr. Philip Purcell (Parish Priest of Holy Cross from 1957 –1980) and Anne Lapinskas.
Sunday – Arthur Swallow and Eileen Lawless.
Monday – Patricia Dent (Terry's wife).
Tuesday – Albert Stephenson (Monica William's father).
Wednesday – Margaret Woods-McConville (Tony's grandmother) and Barbara Watson.
Friday – Catherine Tatum
Saturday – Alfred Stock (Martin Wood's grandfather), Alfred Shipley (Mary Pidd's father) and Walter Cross (Jan Woodmansey's grandfather)
Sunday – Ivy Beavers (Agnes Spaven's sister).

Mass Intentions for the coming week:
Saturday – 6.30 – Day and Clarke Families
Sunday – 10.00 – John and Mary Gavin
Monday – 11.30 a.m. – Requiem Mass for Veronica Homan
Monday – 7.00 – Mass for Deceased Members of the CWL
Tuesday – 7.00 – P.J. Quinn (A)
Wednesday – 9.00 – Communion Service
Thursday – 9.00 – Communion Service
Friday – 9.00 – Iveson Family
Friday – 11.00 a.m. – Requiem Mass for Paul Wood at St. Anthony's
Saturday – 9.00 – The Parishioners
Saturday – 6.30 – Ann Stead (A)
Sunday – 10.00 – Stella Wiles (A)

Dangerous Car Parking! Please, please, do NOT park on the main road between Carrington Ave. and Priory roundabout. Complaints are coming in thick and fast both from neighbours and from fellow parishioners who take their lives in their hands as they try to negotiate a right turn out of the avenue after Mass. If you have to park on the main road, then park on the King Street side. If we continue to be a danger to passing traffic the police will be forced to put yellow lines all along the road and there will be a lot of people very unhappy with us Catholics!

Hull Savoyards Concert: What a wonderful evening we had on Thursday! The first half of the concert was a selection of "Songs from the Shows": The Mikado, West Side Story, Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera, South Pacific to mention but a few. After the interval we had a full dress version of "Trial by Jury" by Gilbert and Sullivan. They are doing the same show this coming Saturday at Bricknell Ave. Methodist Church. We raised £200, half of which went to the Generator Fund and the other half to the Savoyards to help with their expenses. This is about the fourth time they're been here and they are always a real treat. Great singing, great entertainment and great fun! Their big production in 2006 will be The Mikado and it will be in May at Middleton Hall, Cottingham Rd. For further details ring 876918 or visit their website www.hullsavoyards.co.uk You missed a real treat if you weren't there, and there was nothing on the telly that night either!

Rest in Peace: Betty Nicholls' funeral will be this coming Friday, November 11th at 11.00 a.m. She's finally reunited with her husband Bill who died in the war in 1943 and her brother Louis who also died that same year in the war. She is survived by two daughters Anne and Pip and five great grandchildren. She will be buried alongside her sister Pat in Eppleworth cemetery. May she rest in peace. Amen.

Holy Cross Cemetery Sunday: Our annual tradition of visiting the graves of our deceased relatives and friends in Eppleworth cemetery will take place next Sunday afternoon. We gather at 3.00 p.m. at the bottom entrance and then visit the graves of our loved ones, saying a short prayer at each, and ending up at the grave of Fr. McEntegart. It normally takes about an hour.

Generator Fund: Dermot tells me that from the 27th of June until the 31st of October we raised £pound;3,031.91 (that's almost £pound;800 each month or £pound;200 per week!). Ab Fab!

Craft Stall: Jan will be running this on the weekend of November 12/13 at the back of the church. An opportunity to get some early Christmas presents and to help others at the same time. maybe you have something you could offer for the stall? Jan's telephone number is 845496.

The Garden Room Bookings: Please, please contact Jan firstly if you want to book the room, no matter what for. We've had a couple of double bookings this past week and it's a bit embarrassing. Telephone her on 845496.

Tai Chi – Interested? There will be a class here on Monday 7 and 14 from 10.00 until 11.30 in The Garden Room. It's for all levels. I might even pop in myself! The classes normally are at the Darby and Joan Club but there is work going on there at the moment. If there is an interest a class might begin here.

Missing! From the kitchen in The Garden Room, one, large pan. Do you know where it is? I came to the rescue at the Lunch Club with a couple of pans from the house! Return it please, even if anonymously!

Aromatherapy – a complementary medicine: Have a relaxing day learning about the healing properties of aromatherapy oils. There will be an opportunity to choose oils for personal use and experience the benefits of massage. If possible, please bring along a small brown pill or medicine bottle to take home your own special aromatherapy recipe. Lunch, tea and coffee will be provided. Price £pound;10 for the day. To reserve a place please call Norah Hanson on 802814. It's at the Endsleigh Centre on Saturday November 19th from 10.00 a.m. – 3.00 p.m.

Sold, s/h Ford, one infallible driver: The only car ever owned by the late Pope John Paul II has been sold at an auction in Las Vegas for £pound;340,000. John Paul clocked up 60,000 miles on trips to the mountains in a light blue 1975 Ford which was bought on Saturday last by John O'Quinn, a Houston lawyer. 'The car will never be driven.' said the 62-year-old multimillionaire. 'Bit I'll be able to go back and touch this car and feel the Pope's spirit.'
(Anybody want to make me an offer for my Ford?)

Graeme Souness, Steve Bruce and Sven Goran Eriksson met God. God said to them: 'Anything you want to know, I will tell you.' Graeme Souness asked: 'When are Newcastle next going to win the Premiership?' '2084,' God replied. 'I'll be dead by then,' Souness said. 'Yes you will,' God replied. Steve Bruce asked: 'When are Birmingham City next going to win the Premiership?' '2090,' God replied. 'I'll be dead by then,' Bruce said. 'Yes you will,' God replied. Sven Goran Eriksson asked: 'When are England next going to win the World Cup?' God replied: 'I don't know, I'll be dead by then.'

The Hull Savoyards will be at Holy Cross this Thursday to entertain us with, amongst other items, a costume version of "Trial by Jury". We start at 7.30 p.m. and admission is £pound;4 and £pound;3 for concessions. Refreshments will be served at the interval. Please do try and support us and let your friends know about it too. Any profits will go to the Generator Fund.

Parish Prayer Circle Intention for Friday: "Remembrance Day and we pray for all those who died in the various conflicts during the past hundred years. May they rest in peace. We pray that we will be inspired by their sacrifice to work positively for peace – in our homes and families, with our neighbours and between nations."

Pastoral Area Meeting: This will be at St. Anthony's at 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday and again we look for about four parishioners to come along and share what is going on in the various parishes. No previous experience necessary!

CWL News: Our Cake Stall last weekend raised £pound;104 which we will give to the parish St. Vincent de Paul Conference to help them with their work both in the parish and further afield. Thank you once again for supporting us so generously! Our November Mass for our deceased members will be next Monday, November 13th at 7.00 p.m. and it's always lovely to welcome the parishioners to join with us in remembering these past parishioners, our friends and neighbours.

Anne Brittain's Coffee Morning last Thursday raised over £pound;200 for her sister's mission in Kiloloran in the Philippines. Anne was overwhelmed by the response of the parish and by your tremendous generosity. She still has some of the 'special home-made' cards from the women's' cooperative available.

Lourdes 2006 Youth Pilgrimage: We are having a 'big push' on this at St. Mary's College this week, so if your children come home talking about it, you'll know what they're on about! We really do need to know as soon as possible who might be interested in coming with us, so get your thinking hats on! And spread the word! Dulcie Pullen meet some people during the week, with children at St. Mary's, who had never heard about it and who desperately wanted their children to go to Lourdes. So don't take it for granted that everyone knows about it! Our parish will sponsor our own young people to the amount of half the cost and other parishes are now starting to do the same! It's a real investment in the future of the church in Hull and also in the future of our own young people. Have you children or grandchildren who you think might be interested? Speak to them and to me also.

Trust the Catcher. One of the most thrilling events at the circus is the flying trapeze act. Talking to one of the trapeze acrobats who perform in a German circus, the late Henri Nouwen learnt that the real star of the act is not the one who flies but the one who catches. "The flyer does nothing, the catcher does everything," the man told him. The flyer has to have complete confidence that the catcher, with split second timing, will be there to grab him out of the air as he comes soaring over in the long leap. The worst thing the flyer can do, he explained, is to try to catch the catcher. He could break his wrists or injure his own. He simply has to trust the catcher completely and let himself be caught. There comes a time in our life when we too have to take that long leap. We have to let go of all that weighs us down and soar out into the unknown sure that we will not fall, that we will be caught and held. Our meeting on Tuesday evening brought together about twenty parishioners, all interested in seeking new ways of deepening their faith, especially in this time of uncertainty in the diocese. We looked at gathering together in small groups in each other's homes to discuss various aspects of our faith, such as the Mass and Scripture, to name but a few. So now is the time to practice this soaring, to take that leap of faith every day, ready to leave the safe platform of our own plans and ideas to respond to that call deep within our hearts. 'Come follow me,' Jesus says to each of his disciples, an invitation to a new way of living. Unless we are ready to let go of whatever shackles us we will find it impossible to taste the freedom Jesus promises us. How hard it is to cut the cord of our securities, to take up our cross and follow Jesus on a road we almost certainly do not want to go. We have so many good reasons that make a lot of sense, that excuse us from taking that risk of faith. Look at that rich young man in the Gospel (Mark 10:21). Such a good man! So full of zeal, so faithful to his religion. Jesus loved him. And yet – he could not make that leap. He could not risk his riches for the precarious promise of treasure in heaven. 'His face fell.' This was not what he expected; this was not part of his plan. Jesus did not stop loving that young man, nor will he stop loving us when we too baulk at following him wholeheartedly. But ours is the sadness and the pain and the awful sense of having lost something precious. Trust the Catcher. Trust that we can let go, that we can take that mighty, fearsome leap and that we will be caught by the One who 'holds the whole world in his hands.' If we get into the habit of letting go now in the daily happenings of our lives, we will be ready when that final call comes to soar free as a bird into the outstretched arms of our God.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor writes about small faith sharing groups: "I first experienced the power of small faith sharing communities in my first two parishes, in and near Portsmouth from 1957 to 1966. Towards the end of my period in the first parish, a group of people invited me to join their monthly meetings. They met together in different houses to pray, to read a passage of the Gospel and to reflect on the circumstances of their daily lives. It was my first lesson in the value of a basic Christian community. My subsequent experience confirms that such faith clusters, or communities, allows a whole mix of people – married, unmarried, young and old – to discover a new and deeper experience of faith through prayer, scripture, community and service to others. What struck me then about the role of the Church in our culture, and what has continued with me throughout my ministry, is that our influence is most tangibly felt through the actual witness of the people of God. The authenticity and effectiveness of that witness is in turn dependent, at least in part, on our continuing to develop and mature as people of deep spirituality and holiness. Within smaller groups, where a degree of trust and confidence becomes inherent, people are encouraged and inspired to go further and deeper on their faith journey than they might otherwise."

Anniversaries this coming week:
Saturday – Stella Marie Wiles (Sheila's daughter) and Evelyn Sharp.
Sunday – Frederick Hodgson (Fred's father), Fr. J.F. Fitzgerald, Ann Joys (Leo Murphy's grandmother) and Winifred Jarvis.
Monday – Richard English (Dorothy's father-in-law), Terence Gilson (brother of Dennis) and Charles Shakespeare (Kath's husband).
Tuesday – Peter Sanders (Sheila Levett's husband), Harold Cornthwaite (Chris Clarke's grandfather), Franco Ciuffetelli and Eddie Hughes (Eithne's brother-in-law).
Wednesday – Annie Walker (Rolf Kennedy's mother-in-law) and Anne Fortes (sister of Jean Dex).
Friday – Mary Loughlin (Tony Woods-McConville grandmother) and Dorothy Eeles (Wilf's wife).
Saturday – Mgr. Philip Purcell, Parish Priest of Holy Cross (RIP 1995) and Anne Lapinskas.
Sunday – Arthur Swallow and Eileen Lawless (Norah Hanson's sister-in-law).

Mass Intentions for the coming week:
Saturday – 6.30 – Ken Trigg
Sunday – 10.00 – Jim Gardham
Monday – 9.00 – Charlie Shakespeare (A)
Tuesday – 7.00 – Brenda Allen (CWL)
Wednesday – 9.00 – Eve Travers (RIP)
Thursday – 9.00 – Jack Case (RIP)
Friday – 11.00 – Requiem Mass for Betty Nicholls
Saturday – 9.00 – The Parishioners
Saturday – 6.30 – Day and Clarke Families
Sunday – 10.00 – John and Mary Gavin

Sick and Housebound Parishioners: Please remember in your prayers Veronica Homan who is on the final stage of her journey to God, and also Dorothy Hood recovering in Castle Hill after an operation last Tuesday, Harold Ward, Alice Sinclair, Anita Marshall, Edna Swindell, Ivy Behan, Willy Parker, Peter Price, Lilian Fowlston, Michael Pinder who is home at last, Fiona Kilkenny, Mary Rowe, Stuart Buchan, Paddy Falvey, Elsie Murphy, Agnes Pidd, Roy and Dominic Caley and Ursula Stainton.

Hull Faith Forum: Monday 14th, November at the Endsleigh Centre. The talk is "Gaudium at Spes – The Church and the World." Everyone is welcome and it starts at 7.30 p.m.

Remember, remember, the fifth of November: Today, Saturday, marks the 400th anniversary of one of the most notorious acts of treason in British history. A group of Catholic conspirators, among them a Yorkshireman, Guy Fawkes, tried to blow up parliament. It is a crime that has resonated down the centuries. Nobody then doubted – and few have since – that the 1605 Gunpowder Plot amounted to treason, nor that the penalty would be as inevitable as it was gruesome – lengthy torture, followed by grisly execution. Yet Fawkes would not have considered himself a traitor. He put his religion before his country. During the final few years of Elizabeth's reign he even enlisted in the Spanish army to fight for the cause. Once more, the cry of "treason" is being levelled against British citizens who put their religion before their country. Another Yorkshireman, Mohamed Sidique Khan, one of the London suicide bombers, left a video in which he accused western governments of "continuously perpetuating injustice against my people all over the world…" The conspirators believed that religion was of primary importance, as do Islamic jihadis today, and that violent insurrection was a legitimate response to a government and society that refused to subscribe to their way of seeing the world. There was one difference between what happened after the Gunpowder Plot and now and that is the absence today of widespread persecution of the religious group thought to be responsible. After 1605, there was a wave of anti-Catholicism; rightly, we do not blame anyone other than the terrorists for their actions. The 1605 plotters had their Osama bin Laden figure in Robert Catesby, a wealthy religious fanatic who provided the money for the conspirators. He was charismatic and built up a cadre of devoted followers. He had been involved in discussions with the Spanish government in 1602 about arranging a rebellion in England and was one of those arrested as a precaution in 1603 after the death of Elizabeth. When the plot was uncovered Catesby fled London but he was tracked down and killed in a battle with the king's troops. Another of the conspirators, Thomas Percy, was a Catholic convert and a member of a great aristocratic family, the Northumberlands. It was Percy who rented the property in which Guy Fawkes was found. So, violent religious fundamentalism is not a new threat to Britain and nor is it uniquely Islamist. The appalling persecution of Catholics was no more justified by the murderous intentions of the Gunpowder Plotters than the branding of all Muslims would be today by the fact that the London suicide bombers were of the same religion. Although most November 5th bonfires burn Guy Fawkes in effigy, for centuries it was more likely to be the Pope, as it still is in some parts of the country. Yet the vast majority of Catholics under James I were loyal to their king and country and paid an unjustifiably heavy price for the actions of the plotters. As we remember once more the Fifth of November, let us also not forget what a frightened and intolerant society we once were and how far we have come in the intervening 400 years. [Adapted from Philip Johnston in The Telegraph, Monday, October 31st 2005]