Bhileag (Newsletter) 13th July 2025
WEEKDAY MASSES:
Mon 14th July……….No Mass
Tue 15th July……….10.00am EOLIGARRY
Wed 16th July…….. No Mass
Thu 17th July……….10.00am NORTHBAY
Fri 18th July…………2.00pm Nuptial Mass CASTLEBAY
Sat 19th July……….10.00am CASTLEBAY
NEXT WEEKEND: 19th & 20th July 2025
( 16th 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 from 9.30am – 9.50am in Castlebay Church and 12 Noon-12.30pm in Northbay Church
CHURCH NOTICES
Wednesday Mass: please note that that there is no Craigston Mass on Wednesday (16th July) this week as Canon John Paul is heading over to South Uist for a Funeral.
Fisherman’s Mass: last Sunday we had the wonderful celebration of the Fisherman’s Mass & the Blessing of the boats. There was a great crowd there and the weather stayed dry (alleluia!). We had Fr Ronald Campbell, Fr Roddy McAuley and Fr Colin MacInnes present. It was also Fr Colin’s 80th Birthday and after the Mass we sang him Happy Birthday and gave him a cake. At the Mass a collection was taken up which is split beween the STELLA MARIS (Apostleship of the Sea), Fisherman’s Mission and the RNLI. So each charity will recive £690. Thanks for your support! Canon John Paul wishes to thank all the volunteers who helped set up the pier for the Mass- it looked wonderful. Thanks to Raghnall and Murdo and to Iain Gerard for working the PA system. Thanks to Steven at the Calmac Office. Thanks to Lisa for the great music and thanks to the choir as always, thanks to our Altar servers, our reader, Archie our Psalmist, Christine for cooking the fresh herring. Thanks to Barratlantic for the trailer used for the Mass and also for the herring. Thanks to all who came along to the Mass especially our Fishermen and all who came along with their boats.
We will see you all again next year! God Bless!
Baptism: we warmly welcome into the family of the Church Sienna MacLean who was baptised in St. Brendan’s Craigston on Saturday 12th July. We wish Sienna every blessing of health, joy, peace and happiness and every blessing upon her parents Donnie & Jennifer and the Godparents.
Sea Sunday: we continue in our prayers during this Summer to remember those who live and work upon our seas- prayers for all Seafarers. We will take up a second collection to support the STELLA MARIS (Apostleship of the Sea).
Prayers for Wedding: we remember in our prayers Rachael MacNeil from Vatersay & Liam Davidson from Barra who will marry next Friday 18th July in the Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea in Castlebay at 2.00pm and then afterwards over to Vatersay for the dinner and celebrations. We pray that Liam & Rachael may be blessed with a lovely day of weather.
Visit of Papal Nuncio to the islands: the Papal Nuncio-Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendia– who is the Pope’s representative for Great Britain- will arrive on South Uist by boat from Mallaig on Thursday 24th July. At 4.00pm there will be a Rosary at the Statue of Our Lady of the Isles on Rueval. Then at 6.30pm there will be Mass with the Papal Nuncio in St. Mary’s Church in Griminish on Benbecula. All welcome.
Deanery Jubilee Mass of Hope: There will be an“open air Mass” at Northbay Grotto on Sunday 3rd August at 2.15pm with Bishop Brian McGee and with the local island Priests & parishioners -to mark the Jubilee Year of Hope- The Holy Year of 2025. Parishioners from the neighbouring islands are invited and hopefully will travel over on the 1.00pm boat from Eriskay and a bus will be available to pick them up from Ardmhor ferry and take them to the Northbay Grotto and also a bus will be available to take people back for the last ferry at 5.30pm. After the Mass refreshments and homebaking will be available in Northbay Hall.
Sunday 13th July– final meeting at 2.00pm in Northbay Hall to finalise arrangements about food for the Hall after the Mass.
Monday 21st July– 1st Choir Practice in Northbay Church from 7.00pm-8.30pm for the Jubilee Mass. All Welcome.
Monday 28th July– 2nd Choir Practice in Craigston Church from 7.00pm-8.30pm for the Jubilee Mass. All Welcome.