4 The Five Marks of the Catholic Family: 1. Catholic Families Worship Together.

The Eucharist is the source of the deep love and intimacy Catholic families are called to live out. To celebrate this, Catholic families attend Mass together on Sundays and Holy Days (and at other times as we are able) and actively participate in the sacramental life of the Church. Also, recognizing that we sometimes struggle to love each other as we should, Catholic families regularly go to Confession (recommended: monthly) to seek God’s healing, grace, and inspiration to love more and better.

2. Catholic Families Pray Together.

Catholic families are called to love each other with the love that flows from God's own heart. We can only do this if we ask God together to teach us what this means. Therefore, in addition to both our individual prayer life and our worship with our parish communities, we gather together for family prayer each and every day. We use our daily, family prayer time to...

Praise and thank God for His blessings.

Ask forgiveness for the times we didn't love as we should.

Ask for the grace to love each other and the world better.

Pray for both our needs and the needs of the Family of God.

Seek God’s will for our life. We treat family prayer, not as a duty or a chore, but as the key to true intimacy and joy in our home.

3. Catholic Families are Called to Intimacy.

Most importantly, the Christian life is a call to intimate communion (cf. Jn 17:21). Catholic families serve that goal by being schools of love (CCC 1657) where we learn how to love God and each other with our whole hearts, minds, souls, and strength (Lk 10:27). To do this, we constantly seek new ways to be even more open with and loving to each other as husband and wife, parents and children. For instance; children are supposed to be the visible sign of the loving union between husband and wife. Catholic families live this out both in our openness to life and by working hard on the quality of our relationships with each other. To do this, we cultivate marriage and parenting habits that make each member of the family feel loved and valued and practice all the virtues that help us live life as a gift (EV#92). For instance; we choose loving guidance approaches to disci-pline that teach virtue and good behaviour instead of merely punishing wrongdoing. We schedule regular one-on-one time with each family member so that we can get to know each other's thoughts, feelings and heart's desires on the deepest level possible. And we take an active interest in all the things that each family member finds true, good and beautiful even when those interests doesn't come naturally to us.

4. Catholic Families Put God and Family First.

Because our family relationships are the primary means God uses to help us become the people he created us to be, we treat family life, itself, as the most important activity in our week. We create and protect family rituals - like regular family dinners, time for prayer and worship, weekly game nights and "family days," and regularly scheduled times for communication and relationship-building — that give us regular time to work, play, talk and pray together. We hold these activities as sacred rituals of the domestic church and value them over all other activities that would seek to compete with them.

5. The Catholic Family is a Witness and Sign.

We recognize that God wants to change the world through our families. We actively participate in this plan in two ways. First, we work hard to be witnesses of the love, joy and intimacy that every human heart longs for. We'll share this love in good times and bad, in sickness and health, for richer or poorer. Second, we carry this love outside the home by serving our community in a manner that keeps our family together. We intention-ally practice the corporal and spiritual works of mercy within our home and outside of it. We regularly talk about how we can do a better job of living out our family mission to be a sign of God's love in the world.

1

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

E-Mail: Fr.MartinPletts@gmail.com

Landline: 01577 863329

Mobile: 07540534480

Parish Website: https://catholickinross.com

Parish Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/parishpriestkinross/

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

Last Week’s Collections:

St. James’ 24/12/17: £750.50

St. Matthew’s 24/12/17: £142.90

St. James’ Christmas Day Mass: £418.29

St. Matthew’s Christmas Eve/Christmas Day Masses: £437.71

These figures do not include standing orders, only the collection taken up on Saturday/Sunday. Many thanks, as always, for your generosity. If you are a tax payer please consider signing-up for Gift Aid. For every £1.00 donated in the Gift Aid scheme the church can claim back an extra 25p.

Attendance at Christmas Masses:

St. Matthew’s Christmas Vigil Mass: 85

St. James’ 9.30a.m. Christmas Mass: 101

St. Matthew’s 11.30a.m. Christmas Mass: 26

Sanctuary Lamp Intentions: St. James’ - Patrick Hampsey (Anniversary). St. Matthew’s - Parishioners’ Intentions

Sunday 31st December, 2017

Feast of the Holy Family - Year B

Divine Office - Volume I - Proper of the Date

Special Collection at

all Masses next

weekend for Justice

& Peace.

2 Times of Holy Mass & Confessions etc. ***Please be aware of any changes to the usual timetable***

St. James’ Kinross (KY13 8AW)

Sun. 31st Dec. Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Vigil Mass at 11.30p.m.

Mon. 1st Jan. Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Morning Prayer at 9.30a.m.

Confessions from 9.30a.m.

Holy Mass at 10.00a.m.

Tues. 2nd Jan. Mem. of Ss. Basil & Gregory Morning Prayer at 9.30a.m.

Confessions from 9.30a.m.

Holy Mass at 10.00a.m.

Wed. 3rd Jan. Op. Mem. of the Most Holy Name of Jesus Morning Prayer at 9.30a.m.

Confessions from 9.30a.m.

Holy Mass at 10.00a.m.

Tea/Coffee in hall after Mass

Thurs. 4th Jan. Weekday in the Christmas Season Morning Prayer at 9.30a.m.

Confessions from 9.30a.m.

Holy Mass at 10.00a.m.

Fri. 5th Jan. Weekday in the Christmas Season Morning Prayer at 9.30a.m.

Confessions from 9.30a.m.

Holy Mass at 10.00a.m.

(Divine Mercy Devotions will resume next week)

Sat. 6th Jan. Weekday in the Christmas Season Confessions from 9.30a.m.

1st Saturday Mass Holy Mass at 10.00a.m.

Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord Confessions from 6.30p.m.

Vigil Mass at 7.00p.m.

Sun. 7th Jan. Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord Holy Mass at 9.30a.m.

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

Sun. 7th Jan. Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord Holy Mass at 11.30a.m.

Confessions after Mass

Kilgraston School, Bridge of Earn (PH2 9BQ)

Sun. 7th Jan. Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord Holy Mass at 5.15p.m.

Confessions after Mass

V. Let us pray for Francis, the Pope. R. May the Lord preserve him, give him a long life, make him blessed upon the earth, and may the Lord not hand him over to the power of his enemies.

V. May your hand be upon your holy servant. R. And upon your son whom you have anointed.

Let us pray. O God, the Pastor and Ruler of all the faithful, look down, in your mercy, upon your servant, Francis, whom you have appointed to preside over your Church; and grant, we beseech you, that both by word

and example, he may edify all those under his charge; so that, with the flock entrusted to him, he may arrive at length unto life everlasting. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

3

A reading from the book of Ecclesiasticus 3:2-6.12-14

He who fears the Lord respects his parents.

Psalm 127:1-5.R/.v.1

Response: O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways!

A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Colossians 3:12-21

Family life in the Lord.

Alleluia, alleluia!

May the peace of Christ reign in your hearts;

Let the message of Christ find a home with you.

Alleluia!

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 2:22-40

The child grew, filled with wisdom.

This Sunday’s Readings from the Sacred Scriptures:

Please remember in your prayers:

The sick and housebound, especially: Mary O’Connor, Evie Pritchard, John Namyslo, John McNeely, Thomas MacPherson, Margaret Seymour, Electra Dallas, Mary Hamill, Matthew Edgson, Naomi & Andrew Carter, Jeanine Candy, Robert & Sylvia Peck, Denis Donovan, Neil, Patricia McKee, Sonny McAvoy, Ian Hazlett, Margaret Burns, Ann Lauraites, Stephen, Thomas Adamson, Bill Kerr, and Agnes Kenny. May God grant them His healing and strength. We also remember in our prayers our beloved dead, especially those who have died recently: Elizabeth Coll, Margaret Tobin, Bea McNaughton, Betty Reid, Roy Henshaw, Patricia Flattery, and those whose anniversaries occur around this time: Patrick Hampsey, Catherine Sherry, Rhoda Reilly. We pray, too, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory. May they rest in peace. Amen.

List of the Special Collections for 2018

Justice & Peace 7th January:-The Epiphany of the Lord

The African Missions 28th January:- 4th Sunday of the Year

Catholic Education Service 11th February:- 6th Sunday of the Year

The Sick & Retired Priests Fund 18th February:- 1st Sunday of Lent

Papal & Episcopal Charities (including SCIAF) 11th March:- 4th Sunday of Lent

Holy Places 30th March:- Good Friday

SCIAF Wee Boxes due to be returned

The Apostolate of Communications 13th May:- 7th Sunday of Easter

The Day for Life 20th May:- Pentecost

Peter’s Pence 1st July:- 13th Sunday of the Year

The Apostleship of the Sea 8th July:- 14th Sunday of the Year

Mensal Fund 5th August:- 18th Sunday of the Year

The Ecclesiastical Students Fund 16th September:- 24th Sunday of the Year

Mission Sunday 21st October:- 29th Sunday of the Year

Poor Mission Fund 2nd December:- 1st Sunday of Advent