We will soon be commencing our programme for those who wish to become Catholic or to be confirmed as adults if they have not yet received this sacrament. If you are interested and want to receive further information as the arrangements take shape, please let Fr Andrew or Andy Doyle (andydoyle1066@sky.com or 0191 378 3660) know as soon as possible.

We will be showing the film “I, Daniel Blake” on FrIday 29 September in the Parish Room. Doors open at 6:30pm with pizza and refreshment and we will screen the film at about 7:00pm. Mark Kermode, critic for the Guardian wrote of the film: For all its raw anger at the impersonal mistreatment of a single mother and an ailing widower in depressed but resilient Newcastle, Paul Laverty’s brilliantly insightful script finds much that is moving (and often surprisingly funny) in the unbreakable social bonds of so-called “broken Britain”. It is a film worth watching and all are welcome.

We have a beautiful new cupboard for the Fair Trade stock. However we urgently need volunteers to run the stall. Please let us know if you would like to be included on the rota by contacting the parish office. The stall is open every second Sunday so you would probably only need to commit to one Sunday a term. With many thanks.

Thank you for your fantastic support at the Shared Harvest Stall last week. We raised £877.55 for Peter Hampshire who is doing voluntary work in Vietnam.

Tea and Coffee will resume after Mass on,  Sunday 24 September. Phoebe Sowerby will speak about her experiences this summer, when she travelled all the way to Sri Lanka to volunteer in a local school – don’t miss it.

Welcome to Professor Michael Snape, of Durham University Department of Theology, who will be staying at St Cuthbert’s for this academic year; and to Fr Jean-Baptiste Siboulet, of the Diocese of Nantes, who will be with us until January, studying ecumenical theology.

The Pearl of Africa a Ugandan Children’s Choir will be performing on Tuesday 3 October, 7pm in St Leonard’s Sports Hall. Admission to the evening concert is free but you will need a ticket as seating is limited. Tickets can be reserved at the school office by phoning 0191 3848575 or emailing admin@st-leonards.durham.sch.uk

There will be refreshments and crafts for sale during the evening to help raise funds for the choir. This is an event not to be missed!

Our church is kept open for prayer and visiting on Fridays from 10am to 3pm and Saturdays from 10am to 12 noon. This is made possible with the help of volunteers and we are looking for some extra people to help those already involved. It is not an onerous task. It mostly involves sitting in the narthex and being able to welcome visitors and answering any questions they might have about the church. We do not have a vast flow of people coming in so it is a chance to do your knitting, solve the crossword or whatever passes time for you.
If you can help at all please let Ciara or Fr Andrew know or David Crookes (davidcrookes@talktalk.net)