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To mark World Cancer Day, and to raise funds for the Luxembourg Cancer Foundation, there will be a Scottish/Irish Cèilidh featuring a local traditional Irish band Kitchen Quartet (incl. some of our parishoners) on 3rd February 2018.

What’s a Ceilidh?

A cèilidh (Scottish Gaelic spelling) or cèilí (Irish Gaelic spelling) is a traditional Scottish or Irish social gathering, involving music, dancing, and merriment.

The event will take place on 3rd February from 7pm at the Centre Culturel Altrimenti, Centre Convict, 5 avenue Marie-Thérèse, L-2132 Luxembourg. You won’t have to dance, but if you’re keen to try and don’t know how, our experts will help you. There will be a cash bar provided by Altrimenti. All money raised will be donated to the Cancer Foundation.

If you’d like to join us, please reserve a ticket.

“Dear Congregation of St Alphonse many thanks for your continued support of IOP. On behalf of IOP Luxembourg, IOP Tanzania and all the children in Ilula who benefit from your generosity we wish you all the very best for 2018″.

This is an exciting time for the Illula Orphanage Project in Tanzania — this month, the first classes will be held in the school, recently completed with practical and financial help from our parish community; members of our community will be present on this significant occasion. We look forward to seeing the photos!

CHRISTMAS CARD 2017

A member of the Redemptorist community at St Alphonse is suffering from rapidly deteriorating eyesight, and is finding it very difficult to read. He has a number of audio CDs and audio books on CD, but no player. Does anyone have a CD player they no longer use? The simpler, the better.

THANK YOU FOR OFFERS — THE PRIEST NOW HAS WHAT HE NEEDS!

Thanks,

Fr Ed

Next Sunday, 14th of January, marks the World Day for Migrants. There will be a Messe Intercommunautaire celebrated at the cathedral at 18:00. Members of our parish are involved in the liturgy. All are warmly invited to be present, praying for migrants, showing solidarity, and demonstrating our commitment to justice.

The flyer can be found here.

Thank you,

Fr Ed

Each weekend, I have to be very alert to keep track of all that is going on preparing for, and celebrating, our 3 English language Masses. I sat down to reflect why this might be the case, and quickly realised it’s the sheer scale of our operations. So I thought I’d put something down on ‘paper’ to help us grasp the huge level of involvement in our celebrations (and here I do not mention the immense amount of social justice and other engagement — they are for other postings).

A ‘snapshot’ of our 3 weekend Masses at St Alphonse, and what goes on behind the scenes…
Months in advance, rotas are published as to who will fulfil which ministries will be exercised during each Mass (Readers, Eucharistic Ministers, writers of Prayers of the Faithful, Altar Servers,  Children’s liturgy catechists, Music Group, Counters: so,

On Saturday evenings,

• there is a reader;
• there are 3 Eucharistic Ministers;
• someone has prepared the Prayers of the Faithful;
• there are collectors,
• an MC, altar-servers,
• and people who help tidy-up the church after Mass

esitmated general attenance, between 120 & 200 people

On Sunday mornings:

• Someone who prepares the gifts: chalices, hosts — 6 people for Offertory Procession, 4 collectors;
• Someone who organises Mass leaflets/Mass cards
• Someone who supervises parking
• Children’s Liturgy catechists (2+ people)
• Altar Servers (minimum 5, often 10+) with adults who supervise servers
• 2 Readers
• 7 Eucharistic Ministers
• Music Group (minimum 15) with technical assistants
• Children’s/Young person’s choir, rehearsal after Mass
• Money counting team (minimum 2 people)
• First Holy Communion catechists & parents, normally 5 or 6; this year, 50 children have classes during Mass
• Tea/Coffee team (normally minimum 4 people) serving refreshments, raising money for missionary projects
• Help putting everything away after Mass
• Priest (1)

estimated general attendance, between 600 & 700 people

On Sunday evenings (‘Quiet Mass’)

• Help with preparing for Eucharistic Adoration
• servers (between 2 & 4)
• 1 reader
• 3 Ministers of the Eucharist
• 2 Collectors
• Help putting everything away after Mass

estimated general attendance, between 120 & 200 people

If you want to check the numbers, see the rotas here on catholic.lu and come and count!

So many thank-yous to so many people!

Fr Ed