Bhileag (Newsletter) 3rd August 2025
WEEKDAY MASSES:
Mon 4th August……..No Mass
Tue 5th August……..No Mass
Wed 6th August…… No Mass
Thu 7th August……..No Mass
Fri 8th August……..10.00am VATERSAY
Sat 9th August……10.00am CASTLEBAY
NEXT WEEKEND: 9th & 10th August 2025
( 19th 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
You can go online to help support our parishes with your kind donations:-
RCD Argyll &the Isles Castlebay Mission
Account No: 65627538 Sort Code 83-91-25
RCD Argyll & the Isles Northbay Mission
Account No: 65628061 Sort Code 83-91-25
Or go to the Diocesan website- www.rcdai.org.uk
and go to the “Finance” section and then scroll down to the button “Donate to the Diocese” and then pick Castlebay or Northbay parish to support financially!
CHURCH NOTICES
Recent Funeral: we remember in our prayers the repose of the soul of Margaret MacLeod (Manford) who peacefully passed away last Sunday (27th July) in St. Brendan’s Hospital at the age of 77 after a very short illness. The Requiem Mass took place last Tuesday in Our Lady Star of the Sea in Castlebay and thereafter Margaret was laid to rest in Vatersay Cemetery. We extend our prayers of love & sympathy to all the family at this time. Eternal rest grant unto her O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace. Amen.
Deanery Jubilee Year Mass with Bishop Brian: today we celebrate the Deanery Jubilee Year Mass with Bishop Brian McGee and the local island Priests & parishioners from neighbouring islands. An important occasion.
The first plan is to have an“open air Mass” at Northbay Grotto on Sunday 3rd August at 2.15pm.
If the weather is not good then we celebrate the Mass in St. Barr’s Church in Northbay.
Parishioners from the neighbouring islands are invited to come along 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 another 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.
Please note the 9.30am Northbay Sunday Mass on Sunday 3rd August will be cancelled as there is Mass at 2.15pm.
Food for after Jubilee Mass: can be left in Northbay Hall on Saturday (2nd August) from 5pm-6pm or all day Sunday. All donations of homebaking will be grateful.
Wedding Congratulations: we congratulate Caroline MacNeil & Darius Katani who were married in St. Barr’s Church in Northbay on Saturday 2nd August. We wish Mr & Mrs Katani every health, joy, peace and happiness in their marriage.
Mass and Blessing of Statue & Stained glass window: over on South Uist this week in the Church of St. Mary’s in Bornish Bishop Brian will celebrate a Mass on Wednesday 6th August (The Feast of the Transfiguration) at 7.00pm. Duing the Mass a Statue of Fr Dermot Dugan CM (CM means Congregation of the Mission also know as the Vincentians) will be blessed and also a stained glass window dedicated in his memory. Fr Dermot Dugan ministered on this island of Barra over 400 years ago during the penal times (when it was against the law to celebrate Mass). Fr Dugan was sent by St. Vincent de Paul to keep the Catholic Faith going in the islands of Barra & Uist. After the Mass there will be refreshments served in Stoneybridge Community Hall.
Bishop’s Fund Collection: next weekend (9th &10th August) there will be a second collection for the Bishop’s Fund. A fund to help support Bishop Brian as he travels around our unique Diocese.
Weekday Mass:This coming week there are scheduled power cuts by SSE to take place around the island which of course affects the Churches- so there will be no Mass till Friday this week. Canon John Paul will take the opportunity to head over to South Uist to join the Bishop and other priests at the Mass on Wednesday in St. Mary’s Bornish.