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.

Emergency Appeal

Mary’s Meals currently have an emergency appeal for the famine crisis in Ethiopia. If you are able to help please donate via https://www.marysmeals.org.uk/

Family Fast Day 26th February

Friday 26th February is our Lenten Fast Day. Over the weekend of 27th-28th February there will be envelopes at the back of church for you to make your donations. If you are able, please fill in the attached form to take advantage of Gift Aid and place your donations in the box provided.

Dear Parishioners,

Someone said to me this week that she felt it has been one long Lent since the pandemic started. It was in the third week of Lent last year that we went into lockdown. We are very conscious of the good people that have been taken from us. It has been a dreadful time. Nonetheless we have begun this new Lent with hope for a brighter future. We are Christians and we have faith and we put our trust in God. Though we cannot always understand, we believe in our hearts that God is in all authority and He is life. Our spirits can become a little punch drunk and damaged. We need healing. Lent may seem a hard season considering what we are still going through. But Lent is really joyful. We prepare for Easter. The death and resurrection of Jesus reminds us that we are deeply loved by the Lord who cares for each of us. He has a place for us in Heaven and no one can take it from us. We are weak, of course, but God’s grace and mercy are greater. We want all the negative stuff out of us and replaced by God’s grace. There are two elements of the Lord’s temptations I focus on: He was tempted/tested and the angels ministered to Him. We can put the two together. We are being tested in so many ways, not just by the virus. We all have demands made by life, love, duty and care. To be good and holy can be a real struggle for many. We feel on the receiving end and we sometimes feel outnumbered. Our faith seems strange to many who remain indifferent to what we hold so dear. On top of this we are weak and can feel we are not making the spiritual progress we would like at this stage of our lives. We need the angels to minister to us! Let us sit quietly with Our Blessed Lord and listen to His voice. The Holy Spirit is always there for us to lift out spirits, heal our wounds, inspire our tired minds and embolden our jaded limbs. In the process you will find you are making spiritual progress. Don’t be too analytical. Relax with the season. Make your promises. Do your best. If you lapse, just re-make your promises and ask for a little more resolve and determination. You’ll get there, I promise. Have a good Lent.

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Fr. Ollie Kemp who died this week. As you may know he was a retired priest at Aston Hall and had been a wonderful support to me and our parishes of St Dominic’s and Holy Michael’s and St. Mary’s Home.

Sadly John Tams, a very holy and lifelong parishioner, died this week. He was very close to God and I am sure he is safely home.

God bless,

Fr. Gerard X

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 giftaid@stdominicstone.org.uk 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:-