Bhileag (Newsletter)17th & 24 August 2025
WEEKDAY MASSES:
Mon 18th August………No Mass
Tue 19th August………10.00am EOLIGARRY
Wed 20th August…… 12 Noon CRAIGSTON
Thu 21st August……..10.00am NORTHBAY
Fri 22nd August………10.00am VATERSAY
Sat 23rd August……..10.00am CASTLEBAY
NEXT WEEKEND: 23rd & 24th August 2025
( 21st Sunday of Year C)
Vigil Mass (Saturday)…..6.00pm CRAIGSTON
Sunday Masses….9.30am NORTHBAY & 11.30am CASTLEBAY
The Sacrament of Confession is every Saturday-9.30am – 9.50am in Castlebay Church and 12 Noon-12.30pm in Northbay Church
WEEKDAY MASS:
Mon 25th August……..No Mass
Tue 26th August………10.00am EOLIGARRY
Wed 27th August …….12 Noon CRAIGSTON
Thu 28th August……..10.00am NORTHBAY
Fri 29th August……….10.00am VATERSAY
Sat 30th August……….10.00am CASTLEBAY
WEEKEND OF 30th & 31st August 2025
( 22nd Sunday of Year C)
Vigil Mass…………6.00pm CRAIGSTON
Sunday Masses……9.30am NORTHBAY & 11.30am CASTLEBAY
CHURCH NOTICES
Summer Holiday: This coming Tuesday (19th August) Canon John Paul will take an opportunity to have a Summer holiday for a couple of weeks. He will return back in the first week of September. When he is away there is a Jesuit Priest called Fr Mayamiko Kachipapa (from Malawi) who will look after the parishes. Fr Mayamiko will arrive on Monday (18th August) evening-travelling down through the islands from Stornoway to Barra. He will not have a car and so will depend on lifts to get him about the island-which is fine as there is always someone happy to help. For years we have always had a close connection with the Jesuit order. Fr Peter Banyard was a Jesuit Priest who helped look after Vatersay for over 50 years. Latterly we had another Jesuit Priest called Fr David Stewart who would come and look after the parishes when Canon John Paul needed a break. So we have always had a lovely connection with the Jesuit order. We look forward to welcoming Fr. Mayamiko to our islands and to our parishes.
Weekday Masses:Fr Mayamiko will follow the normal timetable of Weekday Masses. But if something has to change at the last minute then he will announce any changes.
Sick & Retired Priests Collection: next weekend (23rd/24th August) there will be a second collection to support the sick and retired priests of the Diocese. Please be generous as you can in supporting this collection.
Congratulations: we wish the Parish of Skye every blessing as it celebrates its Silver Jubilee as a Parish on Wednesday 27th August. There is a Mass of Thanksgiving at 6.00pm in St. Mary’s Church in Portree and then afterwards a celidh in the Skye Gathering Hall. We send our prayers and best wishes to Fr Ronald Campbell (Parish Priest) and to all the parishioners on Skye on their Silver Jubilee celebrations.
Parish Fabric Committees: when Canon John Paul returns from his Summer Holiday in September he will speak with various parishioners to organise themselves into a Castlebay or Northbay Parish fabric Committee -who will help Canon John Paul look after the Churches (& Chapel houses) on our islands. Various people over the years are always ready to help but there is a strong need now more than ever to form a group to meet often and plan work and maintenance on our Churches (& Chapel houses). Canon John Paul wants to push forward to get work done to Castlebay Church-which is long, long over due. Sadly architects and other historic organisations have failed us and kept promising to come back and help and nothing happens. We can’t let this happen anymore! Not only Castlebay Church but all our Churches need maintained. If you want to help by putting forward a name for the Castlebay or Northbay Fabric Committee then speak with Canon John Paul when he returns or send him an email either to castlebay@rcdai.org.uk or northbay@rcdai.org.uk
Parish Fundraising Committees: also Canon John Paul wants to organise a Castlebay Parish Fundraising Committee and also a Northbay Parish Fundraising Committee. In the past we have often had help from the Diocese to help support projects of work for our churches and chapel houses. However that is all finished. Every parish now has to support itself and to do their own fundraising and to contact the various charitable organisations that offer grants etc. So often you have to go online and fill in forms that are pages and pages long. There are lots pf parishioners will great skills in dealing with this. If you wish to help by putting forward a name of someone who you think would be good to help in this committee for Castlebay or Northbay parish- then contact Canon John Paul at one of the parish email addresses- castlebay@rcdai.org.uk or northbay@rcdai.org.uk