Bhileag (Newsletter) Sunday 13th September 2026
WEEKDAY MASSES:
Mon 14th September ……No Mass
Tue 15th September…….No Mass
Wed 16th September…. No Mass
Thu 17th September…….No Mass
Fri 18th September……..10.00am VATERSAY
2.30pm St Brendan’s Home
Sat 19th September……..10.00am CASTLEBAY
NEXT WEEKEND: 19th & 20th September 2026
(25th Sunday of Year A)
Vigil Mass (Saturday)….. 6.00pm CRAIGSTON
Sunday Masses….9.30am NORTHBAY & 11.30am CASTLEBAY
Sacrament of Confession each Saturday in Castlebay Church from 9.30am- 9.50am and in Northbay Church from12 Noon -12.30pm
Help Support your parish by bank transfer weekly, monthly or one off donation:-
RC DCESE OF ARGYLL & THE ISLES CASTLEBAY
Account 65627538 Sort Code 83-91-25
RC DCESE OF ARGYLL & THE ISLES NORTHBAY
Account 65628061 Sort Code 83-91-25
Or pick up the leaflets in the Church which have the parish QR Code
Church Notices………..
Bishop Brian’s Pastoral Letter: Bishop Brian has written a Pastoral letter regarding The discernment of Mission within the Diocese of Argyll & the Isles. Bishop Brian asks that 2 parishioners from every parish throughout the Diocese (along with their parish priest) take part in online discussions through ZOOM every Monday evening during the months of October and November. There will be 9 online sessions. They begin on Monday 5th October and finish on Monday 30th November. The sessions will last up to 2 hours. In each session there will be talks, time for prayer and reflection and discussion.
Therefore Canon John Paul is looking for 2 parishioners from Castlebay parish and 2 from Northbay Parish to take part in this important online discussion. You have to have ZOOM on your ipad, computer, tablet or iphone. The sessions will be for 2 hours every Monday evening for October & November. You have to be available for all 9 sessions.
The Bishop knows that it will be a big commitment on behalf of everyone in the Diocese but he hopes that it will bear much fruit. If anyone is interested in being a volunteer in these discussions then please speak with Canon John Paul so that you can sign up for registration.
Ecclesiastical Students Fund: there will be a special collection for the Ecclesiastical students fund for the diocese this weekend.
New Statue of St. Barr: the big news is that the new statue of St. Barr arrived on Barra last Saturday 5th September and last Thursday 10th September the new statue was placed on the wee island in the bay of Northbay. The statue is finally in place which is great news!! A lot of work has gone into getting this far. We are very grateful to Mowi- our local fishfarm team who organised one of their boats with a crane to lift the statue into place. The statue is now surrounded by scaffolding until the unveiling on Friday 25th September.So we are nearly there.
The Mass of Thanksgiving is on the Feast of St. Barr which is Friday 25th September in St. Barr’s Church at 4.00pm. All Welcome! After the Mass we will gather outside the church and a group will go over to the wee island and the new Statue of St. Barr will be unveiled and then it will be blessed by Canon John Paul. After the unveiling and blessing there will be a reception and food and ceilidh in Nortbay Hall. It will be a historic day for our island and also a truly happy celebration for our island. Calmac have also tweeked their timetable that day and a boat departs Eriskay at 14.20 and arrives at 15.00 in Ardmhor. Then later there is a boat that departs Ardmhor at 20.30 and arrives at 21.10 in Eriskay. So gives plenty time for anyone who wishes to travel from the neighbouring islands.
Please keep in your prayers that everything will go well and pray for good weather on the day!
Canon John Paul: is supposed to be in Oban this coming week from Tuesday to Thursday attending meetings with the rest of the Priests and with Bishop Brian. If anyone needs to contact him then please use the mobile number.
Weekday Mass: please note while Canon John Paul is away there is no weekday Mass until Friday.
Church Heating in Eoligarry Church: Canon John Paul has been looking into getting new “air to air” source heating for Eoligarry Church. When we had the heating units working it really worked well for Eoligarry church and kept the church dry and free from damp but ever since the heating units broke down a couple of years ago its been difficult to get new ones and sadly the church is getting damp again which we don’t want. Canon John Paul has been now given a quote of £8400 on new 2 air to air source heating units. Also these units will be sprayed with a Northsea coating to prevent rust and corrosion. If anyone wishes to help with any donations toward the costs they can do a bank transfer to Northbay parish. RC DCESE OF ARGYLL & THE ISLES NORTHBAY Account No: 65628061 Sort Code: 83-91-25