Immaculate Conception and St. Dominic, Stone

We are the parish which Includes Immaculate Conception and St. Dominic, Stone; Sacred Heart, Eccleshall; Holy Michael Archangel, Aston-by-Stone. We hope to keep you well informed during these strange times and offer some thoughts and prayers.

Dear Parishioners,

We find in our readings the desire of God to feed His people with the gift of life; a life that will be in quality and quantity, wonderful beyond description. In our first reading, Elisha shows the abundance of God’s ability to provide for the people’s hunger by feeding many from very little. John’s Gospel gives us the feeding of the five thousand by the Lord with only five loaves and two fish. This is taken from the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel. For the next five weeks we will reflect on John 6 which centres on Jesus as the Bread of Life. I hope we all grow in our awareness of the tremendous gift the Holy Mass is and that we will allow our Sacred Meal to make us holy and more like Jesus. We all have our needs and hungers. Let us bring ourselves as we are to the Table of the Lord and put all we are before Him to take, bless, break and give. If we are isolating we can continue to do this spiritually. Let us feel our baptismal solidarity wherever we are.

As regard to our safety in Mass during the epidemic, the bishops have asked us to remain vigilant and maintain our safety regimes. We will not be changing our current approach. Though people attending Mass are no longer obliged to wear a mask, I would ask you please to continue to do so for the safety of others.

In the garden: I saw my hedgehog at the cat food and he/she seems to be putting on weight- excellent for the winter ahead. I’m losing a starling every now and then to the sparrow hawk but I think the flock is moving away gradually. My cordoned off area for the birds is looking like a mini meadow. Chalkie the white cat seems content with his hermit like existence in the greenhouse. I’m glad it has cooled down, I do not fare well in the heat.

God bless you all,
Fr. Gerard

Urgent appeal from Aid to the Church in Need

Please look at the page here to help ACN in their fight to help those in desperate need by simply sending an email to Home Secretary Priti Patel to save a Christian girl’s life!

Job Vacancy

St. Dominic’s Primary School has a vacancy for a Handyperson to flexibly work 11 hours per week. If you are interested or for more details, please contact the school office office@st-dominics-catholic.staffs.sch.uk or phone 01785 413278.

Gift Aid – Certificates of Donation

Due to the pandemic the Diocese are unable to send out Certificates of Donation for the tax year 6th April 2019- 5th April 2020. Anyone requiring such a certificate should email our Parish Gift Aid Coordinator where your request will be dealt with.

Mass times

At the moment Masses and some public services can now take place.

Our churches are open for Mass as follows:-

Immaculate Conception & St Dominic, Stone
Monday	10:00am
Tuesday	10:00am
Wednesday	9:00am
Friday	6:00pm
Saturday	6:00pm
Sunday	8:00am 11:00am
Sacred Heart, Eccleshall
Sunday	9:15am