WELCOME TO THE PARISH OF BLESSED EDMUND SYKES

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Stan Fitzsimons who passed away on the 14th of November 2020 in St James’ hospital at the age of 83.
 
Dearly beloved husband of Pat devoted dad of Clare and Gemma, much loved father in law of Mark and Jamie and an adored grandad of Joseph and Jude. Also a dear brother of Gerard.
 
Stan was a long-standing servant of this parish and touched so many lives in his lifetime. His passing leaves a great void.  He will be deeply missed by all his family, friends and all who knew and loved him.
 
A Requiem Mass will be celebrated at Saint Nicolas’ is church on Thursday 26th of November at noon, followed by burial at Killingbeck cemetery, but due to the current restrictions attendance is limited. 

Lockdown

Both of our churches are now closed as a result of the latest lockdown, we hope to reopen sometime after the 2nd December 2020. This Sunday St Nicholas will be open from 8:30am to 9:00am and Our Lady of Good Counsel from 11:00am to 11:30am for the purpose of private individual prayer.

Holy Souls Masses/Dead List

Holy Souls Masses are still being said. As in previous years if you would like a mass to be said as a Holy souls Mass please place your donation along with the names of those you would like remembering in one of the small brown envelopes in the church entrance and then had in with the collection of post through the presbytery letter box.

CAFOD

Please hand in your CAFOD envelope at your convenience.

Places of Worship will be closed, unless they are being used for:

· Funerals

· To broadcast acts of worship

· Individual prayer

· Formal childcare or where part of a school

· Essential voluntary and public services, such as blood donation or food banks

· Other exempted activities such as some support groups

JUSTICE AND PEACE DAY OF REFLECTION: “What does empowering justice look like in our time?” An online day of reflection with Fr Diarmuid O’Murchu. Saturday 21st November, 10am – 4pm. Donation: £1. Tickets available at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/what-does-empowering-justice-look-like-in-our-time-tickets-125853201313. Poster attached. 

CATHOLIC CARE COMMUNITY RESPONSE SERVICE: Are you finding lockdown isolating and would welcome some support? Catholic Care have organised a number of initiatives that are designed to help. We have weekly relax and revive sessions, a telephone befriending service or an online social group with different themes and speakers each week. For more details contact Catholic Care 0113 3885400 or Janet 07739 975008. Further information attached. 

CATHOLIC CARE’S COMMUNITY MARKETS: The COVID-19 pandemic is bringing untold economic hardship, the impact of which is leaving many feeling unable to feed their families for the first time.  Supporting families positively with dignity is the aim of our Community Markets.  If you are interested in supporting us with this work please contact Janet Kent 07739 975 008 janet.kent@catholic-care.org.uk. Further information attached. 

EVENTS AT THE BRIERY 

• The Briery Retreat Centre: ‘The Gift of Jesus – Advent Unwrapped’ an Advent Day of Recollection given by Fr Dennis Cassidy, Friday 4th December and repeated on Saturday 5th December. The suggested offering is £32.00 per person, to include a 2-course lunch. To book a place please contact The Briery on 01943 607287 or email: briery@btconnact.com  

• The Briery Retreat Centre: ‘The Ever-Coming God’ an Advent Preached Retreat given by Fr Eamonn Mulcahy, CSSp beginning Friday 11th December until Sunday 13 December. The suggested offering for the weekend is £175.00 per person, to include all meals. To book a place please contact The Briery on 01943 607287 or email: briery@btconnact.com  

• The Briery Retreat Centre: A Zoom Meditation is held every Thursday, 7.30pm – 8.15pm. This is free and open to everyone. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83610083525   

Meeting ID: 836 1008 3525. Looking forward to seeing you.  

AT SEA: AWAITING ORDERS: A book by Fr  Colum Kelly. Fr Colum draws us into the lives of those seafarers, details how freight ships are the lifeblood of industry, and illustrates the hugely important role played by the priests, chaplains and lay visitors of Stella Maris. His humour and kindness - and his keen sense of the whimsical - will keep you reading, and will leave you with a smile on your face. Learn more about the hidden world of shipping today! With foreword by Rose George, author of Ninety Percent of Everything. Available on Amazon. 

PACT (Prison Advice and Care Trust): Christmas 2020 is going to be a very difficult time for many people.  We may or may not be still 'locked down'.  Who knows? What is certain is that about 80,000 men in prison and some 4000 women will certainly be 'locked down' in one of the 117 prisons in England and Wales, and without very minimal family contact. Some 89,000 children will have at least one parent in prison at this special time. However, PACT (Prison Advice and Care Trust) has established a Christmas Gift Scheme to help strengthen links between imprisoned parents and their children.  In past years the Scheme has involved gift parcels but this year, for obvious reasons, it is simpler to ensure that a BOOK TOKEN FOR £10 is sent in a Christmas card from the parent to the child.  This is called OPERATION ELF. If you would like to participate in this scheme, please send £10 book tokens (with Christmas designs) to: OPERATION ELF PACT 29 PECKHAM RD LONDON SE5 8UA. Much more information about Operation Elf and contact details are available on the website www.prisonadvice.org.uk.  (November 23rd is the closing date for Elf delivery and organisation..!) 

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At this difficult time many people will need to consider new employment opportunities so when we become aware of potential vacancies we will endeavour to providing details in this part of our website: 

VACANCY: Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Leeds KS2 Class Teacher (Maternity Cover) Required from January 2021. Closing Date: Friday 4th December. Further info at https://www.eteach.com/job/lower-ks2-class-teacher-1121977. More information attached. 

CATHOLIC CARE VACANCIES: 

• A new and exciting senior management opportunity, at the heart of a charity that has supported vulnerable people for over 150 years. Catholic Care are looking to appoint an Adult Learning Disability Senior Manager. Salary: SP 38 – 41 £40,760 – £43,662 p.a. plus pension and other benefits. Post: Permanent -37 Hours Full Time (Part time would be considered)  Location: Based at Head Office in Headingley, Leeds. Closing Date: 27th November 2020. Interview Date: 7th December 2020. 

• A new and exciting senior management opportunity, at the heart of a charity that has supported vulnerable people for over 150 years. Catholic Care are looking to appoint a Senior Manager for Older people’s Services. Salary: SP 38 – 41 £40,760 – £43,662 p.a. plus pension and other benefits. Post: Permanent -37 Hours Full Time (Part time would be considered)  Location: Based at Head Office in Headingley, Leeds. Closing Date: 27th November 2020. Interview Date: 7th December 2020. 

• Leeds Residential Care Worker. Salary:  SP 2 - 7 Salary £18,198 - £20,092 pro rata. Full & Part Time positions, Flexible.  

For more information go to the Website www.catholic-care.org.uk or email recruitment@catholic-care.org.uk  

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CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY FOR THOSE SUFFERING FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC The Covid-19 pandemic is affecting our so many of our brothers and sisters in our communities, our country and around the world. Many people feel anxious and helpless. The pandemic does, however, provide us with an opportunity to turn all that is negative into something positive; we are given a favourable time to renew our trust in God’s tender care for us and to make our own the prayer: “Jesus, I trust in you.” So many of our parishioners are already praying for those suffering from Covid-19, their families, healthcare workers and those who are struggling in so many ways as a result of the pandemic. One devotion which is already being widely used is to unite in prayer at 3:00pm each day, or whenever we can, to recite the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for the above intentions, together with the prayer below, which St John Paul II offered on the occasion of the Dedication of the Shrine of Divine Mercy on 17th August 2002. I warmly commend this devotion to you and to the faithful. God, merciful Father, in your Son, Jesus Christ, you have revealed your love and poured it out upon us in the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, We entrust to you today the destiny of the world and of every man and woman. Bend down to us sinners, heal our weakness, conquer all evil, and grant that all the peoples of the earth may experience your mercy. In You, the Triune God, may they ever find the source of hope. Eternal Father, by the Passion and Resurrection of your Son, have mercy on us and upon the whole world! Amen 

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COMMUNITY SPONSORSHIP FOR REFUGEES 

Part of Catholic Care’s services in supporting asylum seekers and refugees is to act as Lead Sponsor for parish / community groups wishing to welcome a refugee family to a new live in the UK through the Community Sponsorship Scheme.  Things are a little difficult at the moment with flights stopped and Local Authorities unable to fulfil their requirements due to the unprecedented pressures caused by the Coronavirus Pandemic.  For those groups part way through the process and those thinking about it please bear with us, we are committed to the cause and are optimistic of what 2021 might bring.  For further details please contact Sue Parsons 07702 255 113 sue.parsons@catholic-care.org.uk  

NO PERU COMMISSION APPEAL THIS YEAR: This year, please support the people of Peru with your prayers. Any donations received can still be forwarded to the Peru Commission.  

ONLINE ADVENT SYCAMORE COURSE: Monday evenings in Advent (from 7-8.30 pm), the Vicariate for Education will be running a short “Sycamore” course via Zoom. Sycamore offers adults a chance to discover and grow in faith through relaxed discussion, based around attractive videos (see www.sycamore.fm). Catechists interested in running Sycamore in their own parishes may also benefit from attending. For more information and an invitation email: gregory.stacey@dioceseofleeds.org.uk.  Poster attached.  

FRIENDS OF THE HOLY LAND - SILENT NIGHTS IN BETHLEHEM: 

You are invited by the charity Friends of the Holy Land, which supports Christians in the Holy Land, to participate in two forthcoming free events. At 7.00pm on Thursday 3 December. Peter Rand, FHL’s Vice Chairman and , is running a Zoom session for our Diocese. Peter has visited the Holy Land on around 25 occasions in the last 10 years and is in regular contact with the FHL Bethlehem office, the local FHL Committee and other partners including the Latin Patriarchate, the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem and the Pontifical Mission. He would like to share with you and take questions on the reality of life with COVID for our Christian brothers and sisters in the West Bank, Gaza, Israel and Jordan, as we approach Christmas – a very different experience to ours in the UK. Please email Peter at peter.rand@friendsoftheholyland.org.uk and he will send you the link to access the meeting. 

Also at 10am on Saturday 5 December, FHL are organizing a live cookery demonstration by zoom of a traditional Palestinian Christmas meal, prepared by the ladies at St. Martha’s House, a Day Care Centre in Bethlehem, supported by FHL. Again, please email Peter who will send you the link.