As announced in this morning’s Morpeth Herald I can confirm that we have reached our target for the Bell Restoration Fund. In fact we have also covered the additional expenses involved with supplying electricity to the bell tower. We also had to buy a new remote control after the original was stolen. The cost of this has also been covered. So, I want to say a very big thank you to everyone who has helped raise the £4,000. It is a tremendous achievement. I was delighted to see that the Morpeth Herald has featured us on the front page this morning. What wonderful publicity. Many thanks to the Morpeth Herald.

The new bell mechanism will be blest at the end of the 9.15am Mass on Christmas Eve and will then ring for the three Christmas Masses (6pm Christmas Eve, Midnight and 10am Christmas Day) It will ring before the 10am and 7pm Mass on Boxing Day. Then, on Monday 27th December it will begin the automatic programme: Angelus everyday at 9.00am, 12 noon and 6.00pm. A five minute ring before each Mass on Sunday (9.am,10am and 7.pm.) The remote control will be used to ring the bell during the consecration at Mass – at the elevation of the Sacred Host of Our Lord’s Body and then at the elevation of the Chalice of Our Lord’s Blood. It can be rung at the push of a button for weddings and funerals. We have about 8 weddings lined up for 2011 – what a delight for them to have the bell ringing. As for funerals, there are non booked in but I am sure that they will like bell!

The cake stall and auctioning of the Christmas puddings will take place after the 9.am and 11am Masses this Sunday morning. Please remember to do some baking!

Once again, many thanks to everyone who has helped.

Fr Lawrence Jones.