INSIDE OUR BEAUTIFUL CHURCH

A Message from Fr Duncan

Dear Visitors, Friends, and Parishioners,

Welcome to Saint Peter in Chains’ website! I am so glad you found us on the web and I hope that you will visit Saint Peter’s Church soon in person. We can’t wait to welcome you! Saint Peter’s is a Community of Faith. Our patron, Peter, the first of the Apostles, made a witness of faith and followed Christ right to the end. He denied Christ in a moment of weakness and despair but gave his life for him when he was crucified upside down. That is what our Parish Family is all about – the path of discipleship through words and through our daily lives!
Our community celebrates the Holy Mass with reverence and active participation. The joy of Christ is evident within the hearts of the assembly when we raise our voices in praise and song! The Mass is at the centre of all that we do.

Opportunities for involvement and spiritual growth abound through our many ministries, activities and outreach programmes. We strive to reach out to those in need around us and we take seriously the Church’s call to Works of Mercy and Works of Justice. We love to help others grow in faith and friendships and have fun in the process!

At Saint Peter’s, we value life-long learning. Part of growing closer to Christ means continually opening our hearts to learning more about the beauty and depth of our Catholic Faith! In our children’s ministry, Sacramental Programme, pastoral care in our Primary Schools and many adult learning opportunities, we strive to never stop growing in faith!

Please take time to check out our website and see some of what we have to offer. We are always open to ways to serve you better, so please do not hesitate to contact me, or our ministry leaders by phone or by email. For details, please see our Contacts page.
We hope to hear from you soon!

In Jesus and Mary,

God bless,
Father Duncan
Parish Priest

Bishop Maurice Taylor

Has returned to the Father’s House

Bishop Emeritus Maurice Taylor, the retired bishop of Galloway and the oldest living Catholic bishop in Great Britain has died at the age of 97 on the evening of 14th June 2023. Bishop Taylor, who grew up in Lanarkshire and served in the Army Medical Corps at the end of the Second World War, was ordained in 1950. He was the Rector of the Scots College in Valladolid, Spain from 1965 to 1974. He served on the Episcopal Board of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL) and was its chairman from 1997-2002. He was nominated Bishop of Galloway in April 1981 and ordained bishop by Cardinal Gordon Gray on 9 June 1981. Former Bishop of Galloway and currently Archbishop of Glasgow, Archbishop William Nolan said: “As a young priest in East Kilbride, Bishop Maurice Taylor led a very active and vibrant parish, inspired by Vatican II. As a Bishop he had an energy that few could keep up with and as a retired Bishop he was very active in the diocese until recent years supplying for Clergy . He managed to find time to write four books, which displayed his sharp mind and keen sense of humour. May his soul rest in peace.”

‘Father Duncan conferred the Sacrament of Confirmation on seventeen children from Saint Peter’s Primary School on 19 February 2023’

Please take action…

SCIAF and Justice and Peace Scotland are asking the Prime Minister to waive visa requirements for the people of Ukraine. And we need your support. No one can fail to be moved by the horrific situation faced by people in Ukraine. As we witness the conflict escalate daily, Ukrainians have been in all our thoughts and prayers. Many have sought refuge in other countries and some may wish to come to the UK. As we watch families trying to flee from danger, we need to open our hearts and welcome them. People who are exhausted and traumatised by the conflict should not have any barriers put in their way. In Scotland Archbishop William Nolan, and more than 1,000 faith leaders from across the UK, have already written to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, urging him to reconsider the Nationality and Borders Bill. We must stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine by adding our voices too. Ukrainian people seeking refuge in this country need to be able to do so without fearing that they may get turned away. Please take action and let the Prime Minister know today that you think the UK should be a place that offers a safe and warm welcome to our sisters and brothers from Ukraine.

Join SCIAF and Justice and Peace Scotland in calling the government to act and ask the Prime Minister to waive visas for Ukrainian refugees, ensuring those who have been forced from their homes are able to reach safety.

Many thanks for your support

https://campaign.sciaf.org.uk/ukraine?bblinkid=258704114&bbemailid=38573034&bbejrid=-2013545627

Support your Parish if you can

Our Parish Communities of St Bride’s and St Peter’s work tirelessly to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in a culture bent on pushing God to the margins. I am very grateful for all your financial contributions and donations, however, I would ask you that you consider making a Standing Order to aid our critical mission. Also if you pay tax, please consider signing a “Gift Aid Form” – this will not cost you anything, but contributes an extra 25% added to your donation. Both forms are available at the back of Church or from the Parish Office. Another, and relatively new way of giving, is by clicking on the QR Code below. This will take you to the Online Parish Offertory at the Galloway Diocesan Website. There, you can sign up online for either St Bride’s or St Peter’s. As a Catholic Charity, we very much rely on your support to sustain our ministry. Each year, our efforts help many people to come to a closer knowledge of Jesus Christ and to deepen their relationship with him in the Church. Please consider a regular Standing Order and Gift Aid so that we can continue to proclaim Christ in the culture in new and engaging ways. Please have a look at Bishop Nolan’s Appeal Message.

For St Peter in Chains Parish, Ardrossan

https://tinyurl.com/rcardrossan

LATEST NEWS

Funeral Service for James McBreen

Please pray for the Repose of the Soul of James McBreen, who died on 24th March 2024, aged 92 years.

His Funeral Service will be on Tuesday, 9th April at 1pm, followed by Interment at Ardrossan Cemetery.

May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

Requiem Mass for Jessie Horn

Please pray for the Repose of the Soul of Jessie Horn, who died on 24th March 2024, aged 93 years.

Her Requiem Mass will be on Tuesday, 23rd April 2024 at 10am, followed by cremation at Holmsford Bridge Crematorium.

May she rest in peace and rise in glory.

Holy Week and Easter 2024

St Bride’s West Kilbride
and St Peter in Chains Ardrossan

Please click HERE to read

Cost of Living Crisis

Anthony Horan has pulled together a guide to some of the key benefits available from the UK and Scottish Governments along with some suggestions of further support as people navigate the cost-of-living crisis.

There may be parishioners and others in the community who may not be aware of what help is available. Anthony aims to update the guide as and when there are major developments. Any updates will be reflected on the online version here: Cost of Living Crisis: UK and Scottish Government Support – Catholic Parliamentary Office (rcpolitics.org)

Scottish Church responds to Pope’s Synod call

The Catholic Church in Scotland has submitted its response to the call from Pope Francis in 2021 to participate in a two-year process called “a synod on synodality,” which will inform discussion and debate in the coming year on the life and priorities of the global church. The Scottish church submitted its response to the Vatican on 10 August 2022. Each diocese in Scotland participated in the Synodal process, while efforts were made to engage pastorally with the various dimensions of Church life in Scotland beyond diocesan and parish boundaries, including; Prison Chaplains, the Scottish Catholic Education Service, Catholic schools and SCIAF. Meetings and events held across the country, reported a post-pandemic climate of hope and optimism, with the final document describing “the first shoots of new ecclesial life”. Parishes and communities, unable to celebrate Mass and the Sacraments together in person, have discovered new ways of being parish, whether in online celebrations, reaching out to the most vulnerable members of their communities, providing foodbanks etc. For the first-time new volunteers have become involved in the daily parish life, while a new ministry of welcome was instituted in many parishes. Please click here to download the document. If you can’t download it at home, let the Parish Office know and we will print out a copy for you.

Galloway Diocese Synod Summary now available

In September 2021, a Diocesan Synodal Team was formed, consisting of three lay women, one lay man, and one diocesan priest whose primary role was to provide spiritual direction to the lay team. A period of intense preparation followed as the format of synodal encounters was prayerfully decided on and developed, facilitators for these encounters were identified and trained, and the ten thematic nuclei provided by the Vatican were circulated with short reflective videos to encourage participation across the diocese. The Summary of all the hard work and efforts is now available on all our websites.

You can download the document here.

If you need paper copy, please ask in the Sacristy. Thanks!

Parish Centre News

Our Parish Centre has now been opened for approximately 26 years and is used by hundreds of people, young adults and children on a weekly basis.  We have secured funding to help carry out a full refurbishment of our Kitchen, Ladies, Gents and Disabled toilet facilities. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the following organisations and charities in helping us carry out these works: –

  • National Lottery Community Fund
  • Scottish Landfill Communities Fund
  • Benefact Trust
  • Robert Barr Charitable Trust
  • The Hugh Fraser Foundation
  • North Ayrshire Council Common Good Fund

We are now embarking on an extensive project to carry our major renovations to the Church Building in the new year and have already secured funding from: –

  • National Churches Trust
  • The Wolfson Foundation

More News

A Physician’s Open Letter to Fellow-Catholics on COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments

The public debate over COVID vaccines, their efficacy and their morality has been seriously distorted by disinformation, often passed along the internet and social media by well-intended individuals. Gwyneth Spaeder offers answers to some Frequently Asked Questions and presents constructive criticism on the incomplete or incorrect assertions and conclusions we frequently hear. She writes as a physician who has spent the last 20 months working with COVID patients and their families. She also writes specifically as a paediatrician who has watched children lose parents and grandparents, months of education, and sometimes their own health to this virus. And she writes also as a mother who has tried to balance her vocational call as wife and mother with her duty to her patients; to reconcile what she knows to be scientifically valid with her desire to return her family life to normal, and to continue to work with her husband to raise their children in the Catholic faith, using the challenges of this historical moment to emphasise that Catholicism honours both faith and reason.

Click Here To Read More

Free Booklet on the Meaning of the Eucharist now available

“God works through all these messy human realities and wants to encounter us at every Mass.”

The Lord wants to deeply encounter everyone in the Mass and especially in the Eucharist. However, it can be hard for us to recognise his presence. By learning about the deeper meaning behind what Catholics do at Mass, we left the veil between the human and divine. In this excerpt, Dr. Edward Sri (a founding leader of FOCUS and professor at Augustine Institute) discusses what the Mass is and the three ways that every Catholic should know the Eucharist.

Click here to read more

Letter to a Suffering Church from Bishop Barron now available

Feeling hurt, angry, or demoralised about the sexual abuse crisis plaguing the Catholic Church?
Our parish wants to help, and that’s why we’ve made available a downloadable version of a new book on our Parish websites.
It’s titled “Letter to a Suffering Church: A Bishop Speaks on the Sexual Abuse Crisis” by the well-known American Bishop Robert Barron.
We invite you to download your free copy (click the link below).

I think you’ll find it helpful and uplifting.

Bishop Barron provides clear insight on the crisis and where we should go from here.
So please make sure to take a copy of the book and know that the Parishes of St Bride’s and St Peter’s care deeply
about helping you navigate these stormy waters.

Click here to view

SCIAF Letter from Bishop Toal

“I write on behalf of the Bishops of Scotland on this the fourth Sunday of Lent to thank you for your generous and prayerful support for SCIAF – the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund – over the past year. In the Gospels, we hear of many occasions when Jesus heals the sick, reaching out with love and mercy to the most marginalised and the poorest, both in action and in spirit…

Click Here to read more

The Prayer of the Rosary in Time of Pandemic

The Rosary eBook aims at helping the faithful to contemplate the Gospel with Mary, our Mother, in the light of a world in crisis generated by COVID-19 and open our hearts to the hope of the Good News of Jesus-Christ. You will find real testimonies from people affected by the pandemic, in several ways…

Click HERE to read more

Scotland’s Catholic Bishops publish letter of hope

In a National Pastoral Letter to Scotland’s Catholic Community, the Catholic Bishops of Scotland have highlighted “reasons for hope, as we live through these difficult times”. The document, suggests society has begun to rediscover universal human dignity, pointing out that when citizens were asked “to make difficult and prolonged sacrifices for the sake of the most vulnerable and they willingly responded.” The letter describes this genuine concern for the vulnerable as “obvious and beautiful”…

Click HERE to read more

Living in Faith in the age of COVID-19

The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland has published a Newsletter, which has emerged from the work of the Pastoral Ministry Working Group. Much of the material has arisen from the Pastoral Ministry survey which the group had invited parishes to complete by the end of July. It is hoped that the contents will prove to be informative and useful to clergy and laypeople…

Click HERE to read more

Free eBook on the Promises of the Sacred Heart

In the 17th century, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a French Visitation nun, had a personal revelation involving a series of visions of Christ as she prayed before the Blessed Sacrament. Christ emphasised to her His love and His sorrow caused by people’s indifference to this love…

Click HERE to read more

CATHOLICISM in the time of CORONAVIRUS

The COVID-19 pandemic has been, for countless people around the world, a great and unexpected trial. But for Catholics, who were already struggling with the abuse crisis and a dramatic rise in disaffiliation, this trial is not only economic, social, or medical—it is spiritual. Plunged into a time of darkness and separated from the sacraments and their parish communities, the faithful are feeling isolated, disheartened, and uncertain about what the future holds…

Click HERE to read more

Pope Francis’ Prayers: “Strong in the Face of Tribulation”

The Dicastery for Communication of the Holy See has made available a downloadable book entitled “Strong in the Face of Tribulation”, containing prayers, supplications and the Pope’s homilies as “a sure support in time of trial”, to help sustain the Church’s sense of communion amid the coronavirus pandemic. “Strong in the Face of Tribulation” is available for download here.

Click HERE to read more

Free Booklet on Christ the King

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe marks the end of the Church’s liturgical year. Pope Pius XI said that the many evils in the world—including secularisation, communism, and atheism —were “due to the fact that the majority of men had thrust Jesus Christ and his holy law out of their lives.” Instead of following the ways of the world, Pope Pius said that Christ should reign as King in every aspect of every Christian’s life. That’s wonderful advice for each one of us. In the 1920s, Pope Pius XI instituted the Feast of Christ the King. The Pope knew that, as Christians, we should make Our Lord preeminent in every aspect of our lives. With these prayers and meditations on Sacred Scripture, we hope you will deepen your relationship with Christ the King.

Click here to download Christ the King: Prayers and Meditations.

Pope Francis-Moment of prayer 27-03-2020

From the Sagrato of St Peter’s Basilica, Moment of Prayer and the Urbi et Orbi Blessing, presided over by Pope Francis

Mission Statement

The Church of Saint Peter in Chains is a Catholic Church in Ardrossan, Ayrshire, Scotland. Saint Peter in Chains belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Galloway. It is a relatively young Church having been opened in 1938. Most Churches in the surrounding towns are well over a hundred years old. The Parish hopes to re-energise the local Church through authentic witness that can inspire people to rediscover the message of Catholicism.

We hope to play an active part in the New Evangelisation by striving to be “missionary disciples”. This website exists for two reasons. Firstly, it informs the community of Church services and other events and secondly, it records the history of the parish. These aims form our mission statement.