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Advent Rorate Masses: An explanation...

The Rorate Caeli Mass is a traditional Advent devotion wherein we celebrate the Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary for Advent.

The interplay of light and darkness speak to the meaning of Advent and the coming of the Light of the world. The Mass takes its title, Rorate Caeli, from the first words of the Introit, which are from Isaiah 45:8: “Rorate, caeli, desuper, et nubes pluant justum, aperiatur terra, et germinet Salvatorem.”

“Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just: let the earth be opened and bud forth a Saviour.”

The Rorate Mass is lit only by candlelight. Because it is a votive Mass in Mary’s honour, white vestments are worn instead of the normal Advent violet. In the dimly lit setting, priests and faithful prepare to honour the Light of the world, Who is soon to be born, and offer praise to God for the gift of Our Lady. The readings and prayers of the Mass foretell the prophecy of the Virgin who would bear a Son called Emmanuel, and call on all to raise the gates of their hearts and their societies to let Christ the King enter; asking for the grace to receive eternal life by the merits of the Incarnation and saving Resurrection of Our Lord. It is my intention to offer these Rorate Masses as additional Masses on the Tuesday evenings of Advent, namely: 4th, 11th, and 18th of December. The Masses will all be celebrated only in candlelight, as explained above, and, whilst celebrated in the vernacular according to the Ordinary Form, Mass will be celebrated facing liturgical east - ad orientem - as was the traditional practice.

In the present Ordinary Form of the Mass with priest and people facing each other there is an emphasis on gathering together around the altar of the Lord, symbolic, in a sense, of the communal gathering at the Last Supper. In ad orientem worship, which has been the norm for the greatest part of the life of the Church, the priest and

people face in the same direction, towards the east, towards the direction of the Resurrection and the Second Coming of the Lord, where the sun rises, and together they stand as a pilgrim people, expectantly awaiting the advent of the Saviour - the priest shepherding his flock, walking with them on their journey of faith.

As I wrote in last week’s newsletter, it is always good for us, as Catholics, to experience the richness and diversity of the Church’s faith and liturgical practice and to draw upon the treasures of our tradition to help us grow in our faith and understanding of who we are as God’s people. For some this will be a new experience, for others it may be slightly reminiscent of the Extraordinary Form, while still preserving the prayers of the Mass in our own mother tongue. I know of a number of priests both in our Diocese and in other Scottish dioceses who for many years now have been celebrating these

beautiful Masses every Advent and will be this year too - often inviting guest preachers. This is something new for me, and it may be a new experience for many of you here in St. James’ and St. Matthew’s, but I assure you that it will be something that will help us to raise our hearts and minds even more to our dear God, looking forward in company with Our Blessed Lady to the birth of Our Saviour and her Son.

I will celebrate the Masses at 8.00p.m. on the Tuesdays mentioned above (they will last the standard time of a weekday Mass) and I would encourage you all to attend. After each Mass there will be hot chocolate

and biscuits/cakes in the church hall. God bless, Fr. Martin

An urgent appeal for your help… We’re looking to support a family who need winter clothing for a 12 year old girl, size age12/13, shoe size 5, and a winter coat, as well as similar clothing for a 16 year old boy of medium build, shoe size 11. Any donations of clothing would be gratefully received, please speak to Fr. Martin or to Mr. Sid Grant if you’re able to donate anything. God bless you for your generosity!

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St. James’, Kinross &

St. Matthew’s, Auchtermuchty

In the Catholic Diocese of Dunkeld

Scottish Charity Number: SC001810

Parish Priest: Fr. Martin Pletts

Postal Address for both churches: 5 High Street, Kinross, KY13 8AW

St. Matthew’s Address: 4 Back Dykes, Auchtermuchty, KY14 7AB

Parish email address: stjames@dunkelddiocese.org.uk

Landline: 01577 863329 Mobile: 07540534480

Parish Website: https://catholickinross.com

Diocese of Dunkeld Website: www.dunkelddiocese.co.uk

Last Week’s Collections:

St. James’ Sunday Collection: (18/11/18) £ 674.60

St. Matthew’s Sunday Collection: (18/11/18) £ 91.10

SVdP Door Collection (St. James’): £81.56 (St. Matthew’s): £20.08

Thank you, as always for your generosity. Please consider Gift Aid if you are a taxpayer, for every pound given we can claim back 25p.

Mass attendance:

St. James’ Vigil Mass: (17/11/18): 42

St. James’ 9.30a.m. Mass: (18/11/18): 76

St. Matthew’s 11.30a.m. Mass: (18/11/18): 22

Sanctuary Lamp Intentions: St. James’ - Irene Hughes R.I.P. . St. Matthew’s - Moyra & Neil Scully and their intentions

A DONATION OF £5.00 IS SUGGESTED FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE THE SANCTUARY LAMP TO BURN FOR A PARTICULAR INTENTION

Sunday 25th November, 2018

The last week of the Church’s Year

Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe - Year B.

Divine Office - Volume III, Psalter week II

Please remember to pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, especially this month.

2 Times of Holy Mass & Confessions etc.

St. James’ Kinross (KY13 8AW)

Mon. 26th Nov. Mass for the Dead Adoration 5.30-6.30p.m.

Offered for the Holy Souls Evening Office of the Dead 6.30p.m.

Confessions 6.30-6.50p.m.

Holy Mass at 7.00p.m.

Prayer Group 8.00-10.00p.m.

Tues. 27th Nov. Mass for the Dead Adoration 8.30-9.30a.m.

Offered for the Holy Souls Morning Office of the Dead 9.30a.m.

Confessions 9.30-9.50a.m.

Holy Mass at 10.00a.m.

Wed. 28th Nov. Mass for the Dead Morning Office of the Dead 9.30a.m.

Offered for the Holy Souls Confessions 9.30-9.50a.m.

Holy Mass at 10.00a.m.

Reception of Remains of Mrs. Anne Judge R.I.P.

Thurs. 29th Nov. Funeral Mass of Mrs. Anne Judge R.I.P. Holy Mass at 10.00a.m.

R.C.I.A. in St. James’ church hall from 7.30-9.00p.m. - All are welcome to attend

Fri. 30th Nov. SOLEMNITY OF ST. ANDREW, THE APOSTLE Holy Mass at 7.00p.m.

Offered for the Holy Souls

A mini-celebration with cheese, wine and nibbles in the church hall after Mass - all very welcome, and if anyone would like to provide entertainment , musical or otherwise, they’d be most welcome in helping us to

have a fitting celebration in honour of our national Patron Saint.

Sat. 1st Dec. Votive Mass of Our Blessed Lady Confessions 9.30-9.50a.m.

Mass for the 1st Saturday of the month Holy Mass at 10.00a.m.

Confessions after Mass

Confessions 5.30-5.50p.m.

First Sunday of Advent - Year - C. Vigil Mass at 6.00p.m.

Sun. 2nd Dec. First Sunday of Advent - Year - C. Holy Mass at 9.30a.m.

Refreshments, as always, in the hall after the 9.30a.m. Mass - all are welcome to join us!

St. Matthew’s, Auchtermuchty (KY14 7AB)

NO WEDNESDAY EVENING MASS OR NOVENA UNTIL THE NEW YEAR

Sun. 2nd Dec. First Sunday of Advent - Year - C. Holy Mass at 11.30a.m.

Confessions after Mass

Kilgraston School, Bridge of Earn (PH2 9BQ)

Sun. 2nd Dec. Holy Mass at 10.00a.m. & the Lily Procession at 4.00p.m. - all welcome.

Prayer Intentions: Please remember in your prayers all who are sick or suffering at this time, as well as those who care for

them, may God grant them healing and strength, especially: John & Agnes Kenny, Tiziana Hetherington, Regina Irvine,

Andrew Kierney, Joanne McAtear, Dominic Law, Mary Joyce, Eva Clarke, Joan Paterson, Anne McGinley, William Pletts.

Please pray, too, for those who have died recently and those whose anniversaries occur around this time, especially: Anne

Judge, Sonny McAvoy, Eileen Hegarty, John Bell. Matthew Edgson, John D. Brady, Kathleen Ward, Anna Ferrie, Michael

Scully, Pat Reay, Catherine Kenny, Ernest Gowland, Sadie Ganley, Ron Mackay, Patrick Reilly, and John Namyslo, Christine

Rundle, Patrick Hampsey (Jnr.), Bernard Sherry, Isobel Easton (née Sherry), Jimmy Easton, Richard Scott, and Vera Gowland. Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace.

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A reading from the prophet Daniel 7:13-14

His sovereignty is an eternal sovereignty.

Psalm 92:1-2.5.R/.v.1

Response: The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.

A reading from the book of the Apocalypse 1:5-8

Ruler of the kings of the earth… He made us a line of kings, priests to serve His God.

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessings on Him who comes in the name of the Lord!

Blessings on the coming kingdom of our father David!

Alleluia!

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 18:33-37

It is you who say that I am a king.

This Sunday’s readings from the Sacred Scriptures:

Please note the new parish e-mail address, now in accordance with GDPR Parish related e-mails should now be sent to this address only and not to the previous e-mail address.

Parish Advent Project - 2018 - Begins next weekend

Believe it or not, the first Sunday of Advent is only a week away - Sunday 2nd December! As in years past we hope this year to engage in a parish Advent project to help support a worthy cause, and this year, encouraged by one of our parishioners, I would like to suggest to you that we support Br. Antony OSB, a Benedictine monk of Kristo Buase in Ghana, who is training for the priesthood. Kristo Buase has strong connections with our own Benedictine Abbey of Pluscarden, and the current Prior is Fr. Bede

OSB who only recently moved from Pluscarden to take on this responsibility as Prior. Prior Bede has visited and celebrated Mass several times at St. James’ in Kinross, and I believe it would be wonderful if we could help with the formation of another monk and priest—part of our own missionary activity. In future they may also consider building a more permanent church for Kristo Buase and I hope that we might also be able to help with that work too. Ursula Humphrey who is an oblate of Pluscarden came up with this excellent idea of doing something to assist Br. Antony who needs assistance to buy books for his studies and help to return home to see his family. Please keep Br. Anthony in your prayers and think if there is anything that you would like to do in particular to help support him, any fundraising

ideas or events. I include some more photographs below. I HOPE THAT WE CAN DO THIS IN A SIMILAR WAY TO OUR COLLECTION WITH THE SMARTIE TUBES, ASKING EVERYONE TO TAKE EITHER AN OLD SANCTUARY LAMP HOLDER (PROVIDED) OR A JAM JAR AND FILL THEM WITH YOUR LOOSE CHANGE, HANDING THESE BACK IN TO THE PARISH BY CHRISTMAS AT THE LATEST - THANK YOU!

Brother Anthony is

pictured with Prior Bede on the left and

with the Archbishop of Trinidad on

the right.