MASS TIMES: FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH 6.00pm People of the Parish. 8.30am PJ and Louise Driscoll. 10.30am Kathleen Duffy. MONDAY 10.00am Saint Thomas Becket Mary and Bill Murphy. TUESDAY 10.00am Sixth day in Christmas Octave Lucinda Mather. WEDNESDAY 10.00am Seventh day in Christmas Octave Rose Chow. THURSDAY 10.00am Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Trevor Taylor. FRIDAY 6.00pm Saint Basil the Great and Saint Gregory Nazianzen Mary O’Sullivan. SATURDAY 10.00am Christmas feria Deceased clergy. SECOND SUNDAY AFTER THE NATIVITY 6.00pm Muriel Lynam. 8.30am People of the Parish. 10.30am Anne Lamb.
CONFESSION – 5.15pm on Saturday or contact Fr Neil (01213512161) or email fr.neil.bayliss@rcaob.org.uk to arrange a mutually convenient time and place.
CHRISTMAS POST BOX – Please collect your cards from the Post Box in the porch.
THANK YOU – Many thanks to all those who generously gave their time to clean, decorate and prepare our church for our Christmas Day celebrations. Thanks also to our servers who serve so diligently and to our choir and organists who enrich our Masses with their music. Father Neil thanks you for the many kind and generous gifts and cards given to him and his family this Christmas.
CHILDREN’S LITURGY EPIPHANY PARTY – This will take place in the Church Hall on Sunday January 11th 2026. following 10.30am Mass and finishing at 1.30pm. Cost: £2.50 per child. Parents, please complete the ‘booking form’ and return with payment, in an envelope, to a Liturgy Group Leader as soon as possible
CHRISTMAS CRIB OFFFERING – Your Crib Offerings this year will be donated to the Erdington Food Bank, which is now operating again.
READERS AT THIS WEEKEND’S MASSES are: TEAMS 6.00pm R2 8.30am R9 10.30am R14
MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION are: TEAMS 6.00pm EM2 8.30am EM8 10.30am EM14
MASS ATTENDANCE December 20th / 21st 6.00pm 148 8.30am 108 10.30am 157. Attendance over Christmas 5pm 523. 9pm 189. 8.30am 137. 10.30am 168. Total 1017.
HAPPY NEW YEAR MAY PEACE AND JOY BE YOURS IN 2026 – May God bless us all in the coming year and bring peace and joy to our homes and to our community.
PARISH PILGRIMAGE 2026 – ROME, SAN GIOVANNI (PADRE PIO), LORETO AND ASSISI 3 nights in Rome 3 nights in San Giovanni, 3 nights in Assisi, 10 days £1,450 00 September 21st – September 30th Birmingham flights To book a place, please contact Northern Star Travel directly on info@northernstartravel.com Telephone: 0161 773 2115 NB The office at Northern Star Travel re-opens on January 5th 2026. Itineraries available from the Parish Office.
MASS INTENTIONS – FULLY BOOKED – Fr Neil is unable to accept any Mass requests until mid-February. However, if you are happy for another priest to say the Mass it can be arranged, just not at Holy Cross.
SAINTS OF THE WEEK – Saint Basil the Great and Saint Gregory Nazianzen Born in Cappadocia around 330, they studied in Athens and then returned to their homeland where they led a monastic life for several years. In his native city of Caesarea, Basil was a courageous pastor. He above all defended the faith. Saint Basil died on January 1st 379 and received the title of ‘’the Great’’. Gregory was promoted to the See of Constantinople where his preaching brought floods of converts. People were greatly encouraged by his homilies and viewed him as father of the poor. In 384 he retired to an austere, private life. Gregory died on January 25th 389 or 390 AD He was called ‘’The Theologian’’ for his outstanding teachings about God. By celebrating the feast of Saint Basil the Great and Saint Gregory Nazianzen on the same day, the Church praises a virtue which has always been held in high esteem – friendship.
PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK IN OUR PARISH – May the Lord grant them consolation, peace and healing and to all involved in health care in hospital or in the community, grace, strength and perseverance.
IN MEMORIAM – Please pray for the repose of the souls of parishioners whose anniversaries occur at this time: Gertrude Davis, William Russell, Hilda Sinclair Gamble, Norman Wood, Michael Mahony, Rose Josephine McNicholl, Frederick Agius, Bernard Drayne, Theresa Morris, Florence Jones, Dennis Hallam, Robert Hewines, Susannah Eaves, Michael Thomas, John McDermott, John Hart, Elizabeth Moran, Constance Bridges, Kathleen Flanagan and James Luby.