PARISH NEWS ARTICLES

Christmas Mass Times - Please do join us for this wonderful celebration, we look forwarded to celebrated Christmas with you!

Please make our brassware and church sparkle for Christmas by helping polish our candlesticks and bells, hoover and dust the church after 10.30am Mass on 21st December.

If your children are coming to the 4pm Christmas Eve Mass and would like to be involved (e.g. by doing a reading/bidding prayer/offertory) please email Charlotte Burrell for further information at: catechist.stmary.knaresborough@dioceseofleeds.org.uk Children are encouraged to come dressed as their favourite Nativity character and will be invited up to sing Away in a Manger after the homily. St Aelred’s 9am Mass will have a live Nativity please come as your favourite Nativity character. Contact Krista for further details office.staelred@dioceseofleeds.org.uk

St Mary’s School Carol service Wednesday 17th December at 2.30pm – all most welcome.

Preparing for Christmas with prayer. Four sessions reflecting and praying over the Sunday Readings during Advent. Tuesday 16/12 in St Aelred’s hall after Mass at 10.45-11.45am. All very welcome.

St Mary’s opportunities for Advent Confessions Saturday 20th December 11am to 12 Noon.

Food Bank: A TIN A WEEK: Our SVPs collect food for the hungry, can you spare a tin a week for this, also some toiletries? These can be left in the boxes at the back of our churches. The Lord tells us to feed the hungry, so thank you all for your donations which are sincerely appreciated.

Friendship Groups: St Mary’s Friendship Group meet Monday afternoons from 1.30pm to 3pm with refreshments and good cake! All most welcome. St Aelred’s Friendship Group meet on the third Wednesday of each month at 1.30pm – 3.30pm all most welcome.

The winning numbers for the November draw: - £40 - 111, £25 - 108, £20 - 36, £15 - 42. Congratulations to the winners and thank you to everyone who supports the 200 Club. The winning cheques can be collected from the notice board.

Christmas Eve St Mary’s 4pm led by the Children’s Liturgy team, St Aelred’s 6pm and 8pm Christmas Day St Aelred’s 9am Led by the Children’s Liturgy team St Mary’s 10.30am

Mass intentions gratefully received using the brown envelopes in both churches. All Mass intentions must be made via the brown envelopes in the narthex and a cash donation placed in them or use the tab on the Dona machine. Please give at least 2 weeks’ notice to facilitate a special day.

Dates for your diary:  STA/STM poinsettia Sunday’s 14 th and 21 st December . Open House at Fr Gerard’s Saturday 3 rd January 2026. 2-5pm all welcome for Mulled wine and mince pies. Confirmations 25 th February 2026 - 7pm at St Aelred’s. STA First Confessions 4.30pm 14 th March 2026 STM First Confessions 6pm 18 th March 6pm STM First Holy Communion 16 th May 11am STA First Holy Communion 17 th May 9.00am Details of classes coming soon! Parish Hall Bookings: St Mary’s OR St Aelred’s see the parish websites. Or email office.staelred@dioceseofleeds.org.uk hall.stmary.knaresborough@dioceseofleeds.org.uk

A Christmas Reflection, seasonal carols and readings. Sunday 14th December, 3pm, at St Mary’s. Refreshments served afterwards and a collection for Martin House Hospice will be taken.

St Mary’s school mass Friday 12th December at 10am in church and their carol service Wednesday 17th December at 2.30pm – all most welcome.

Deanery day of renewal. Saturday 13th December 11.30 am to 3.45 pm in St. Aelred’s church hall. Speaker is Rev. Lesley Taylor. the theme for her talk is "We are all poets." She will share on her Sabbatical and writing poems. There will also be activities for us to do.

St Mary’s PPC will meet on Sunday 7th December at 11.30am. Items for the agenda to be emailed by 30th November to the parish office.

Studio 3 dance workshop are having their annual Christmas show at the Frazer Theatre Knaresborough on 13th & 14th December. Local senior citizens are invited to a FREE performance, including a buffet lunch, on Sunday 14th December from 12.30. Tickets are available from The Welfare and Leisure Centre in the Market Place (underneath the clock). Please join us.

Action by Christians against torture: are again organising a Christmas greetings campaign to send cards to prisoners of conscience around the world. There are full details on the website - see acatuk.org.uk .

The Friends of St Mary’s School are holding a raffle with some amazing prizes such as Rudding Park membership to the ‘Foodies club’, So Bar voucher, Castlegate Bookshop voucher, passes to Fairfax House and many, many more. Tickets are £1 each and can be bought from Steph after mass on Sunday 30th November and 7th December. We unfortunately can not accept card payments so please bring cash. Thank you so much for your support, we are currently raising funds for a refurbishment of the school library.