THANK YOU!
Fr Joe and Fr Jonathan would like to offer our heartfelt thanks to you, our wonderful parishioners, from St John’s and St Thomas’ for your incredibly kind and warm welcome as we both take up new appointments here in Barrhead and Neilston. It has been a joyful first week/s as we get to know you and serve you. Know too that we pray for you and your intentions each and every day, In our Masses, but also in the house oratory. Let us continue to pray for our parish families and each other. CHANGE OF TIME FOR ADORATION Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will now be available every day, including Sunday, from 9:25am until Holy Mass at 10am; the church will then close after morning Mass for sanitisation. The previous schedule of Monday, Wednesday, and Friday after Mass until 1pm was possible due to the incredible generosity and dedication of our volunteer stewards, however, with many returning to work, and our priests being engaged in our schools, we thought it best to now offer a daily schedule which takes place before Mass as this is more practical for stewarding and sanitization. It is our hope to return to a fuller schedule of daily Adoration in our Oratory as soon as possible. CONFESSIONS Our priests are available to hear your confession on Saturday’s mornings in St John’s at 10:30am until 11am, and prior to the Vigil Mass at 3:45pm until 4:14pm; at present, Confessions are heard in the Oratory where there is adequate distancing and a screen set up to preserve anonymity. We are in the process of arranging times/ location for St Thomas’. SATURDAY 26th SEPTEMBER Our schools will be enjoying their September weekend next Saturday; this allows our Saturday morning 10AM parish Mass to be open to the wider community as it won’t be a First Holy Communion Mass; no booking is necessary. NEW TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR ST THOMAS’ 0141 876 1553 FIRST HOLY COMMUNIONS This Saturday we continue our celebration of First Holy Communion Masses; we offer our warmest congratulations, and promise of continued prayers to our six pupils, and their families from St Mark’s Primary and thirteen pupils, and their families from St Thomas’ Primary as they received our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion for the first time. FUNERAL MASSES There are funeral Masses taking place in St John’s & St Thomas’ this week: St Thomas’, Wednesday 10AM – Maria Anderson St John’s, Friday 10AM – Jane Connell We pray for the happy repose of our sisters’ souls, and for the consolation of their family and friends. Again, due to government restrictions on numbers, the Mass will be for immediate family only. Eternal rest, grant unto them O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. FIRST COMMUNIONS/SATURDAY MORNING MASSES Throughout the month of September and the first Saturday in October, the Saturday morning Masses in the parish are First Communion Masses for our children who were supposed to receive the Sacrament in May but due to the lockdown were postponed. Because there are limited numbers allowed in the church and also given we have so many children receiving the Sacrament, the SATURDAY MORNING MASSES FOR THE NEXT MONTH WILL BE FOR THE CHILDREN AND THEIR LIMITED INVITED GUESTS ONLY. THEY ARE NOT OPEN TO THE GENERAL PARISH. We apologise to all those who normally come to Saturday morning Mass but we’re sure you will agree and understand the importance of the children receiving the Lord. If you are among those unable to come on Saturday mornings, please offer your sacrifice in prayer for the children. (The Confirmations for S1 will be arranged after all children have received First Holy Communion.) RCIA--NEW MEMBERS BEING RECEIVED INTO THE CHURCH This year our parish received into the Church two adult converts to the faith, Karen and Stephen; this is a time of great joy for them and the whole parish as we welcome two new members into our family. We are currently making preparations for beginning a new session of RCIA, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults; this is the program of evening inputs which adults follow over the course of the coming year in order to learn about our Catholic faith with the view to being received into the Church the following Easter Vigil. If you feel you are being drawn towards our Catholic faith, or know someone who is, please speak with one of our priests; you are most welcome! ST JOHN’S & ST THOMAS’ FINANCES The Diocesan Finance department has calculated that due to the restriction of numbers at Mass the potential loss of weekly income at St John’s is around £2,892 resulting in an estimated monthly loss of £12,532. For St Thomas’ it is around £668 weekly and £2,895 monthly. Although many of us are unable to attend Mass each week, it is still important to donate weekly to our parishes in order to sustain them, and their priests, in their mission. There are buckets marked First and Second Collection in the porches. Please deposit your donation there. You can also donate online by clicking Donate on the website. Thank you to all those who have continued to donate so generously over these last few months, especially given the financial burden so many are facing; it is deeply appreciated, and may God reward you for your continued generosity. By Gift Aiding - if you pay Tax - you can generate more funds for the parishes and may we also encourage more of you to consider donating by Standing Order. SICK AND RETIRED CLERGY – 2nd COLLECTION SUNDAY 20th SEPTEMBER We remember our Sick & Retired Priests of the diocese with great love and affection. We have fifteen retired priests, still active in prayer and witness: one living in Rome, six in houses throughout the diocese, three in parish presbyteries, and five at the Residence of the Little Sisters along with Bishop John Cunningham. We thank God for the gift of these priests and keep them in our prayers. In 2018 our three special collections and Friends Campaign raised £76,426, which represents 60% of our expenditure of £128,381. i.e. a shortfall of £51,955, which was met by the Sick & Retired Priests Investment income. You can give to this Second Collection either in Church or through the Diocesan online portal. HOUR OF MERCY 2020 Bishop John Keenan and The Friends of Divine Mercy Scotland invite YOU to an Hour of Mercy and Reconciliation on Tuesday 29th September 2020, at The Diocesan Divine Mercy Shrine St Mary’s Parish Paisley, 163 George Street, PA1 2UN. Time: 6:00pm This is a wonderful opportunity for those who have not gone for confession since the lockdown. Priests will available for confession. Book your ticket here, call the chapel house on 01418892602, or email [email protected] INVITATION FROM BISHOP JOHN – ST THERESE NOVENA Sign up for the Novena ‘I encourage you to join me in asking the Little Flower’s intercession so that in these unprecedented times, in her words, we may both ‘trust God that we are exactly where we are meant to be’ and, at the same time, ‘not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.’ With every prayer and blessing, +John FAMILY ROSARY We will continue on Saturdays and Sundays at 7pm to pray the Rosary together in our homes for our families and parish. We especially ask Our Lady in her titles as Health of the Sick and Comforter of the Afflicted to intercede before God the Father and her Son Jesus for our intentions. PRAYERS REQUESTED Please keep in your prayers all those who have asked us to pray for their intentions, especially for the repose of the souls of Jane Connell, Maria Anderson, and Patricia McLaughlan, who died recently. As well as Margaret Gallacher, Emma Goodwin, Anthony Quinn, Ella McLaughlin, Brian McBride, Brian Joseph McBride, Alex Costello, Peggy & Jim McCaffery, Tommy McKenna, Anna Gaughan, Jack & Isabel Barr, Mark & Irene Clougherty, John Langlois, whose anniversaries occur around this time, and for the 6th Months mind of Jimmy Kierny. May all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.
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