First Sunday of Lent Year B:

Rev Joseph G Balmer: Parish Priest
Rev Joseph J McGill:   Curate
Email: [email protected]           Tel- 0141 881 0769
Website: www.stjohns-barrhead.org

Mary Hallan:Safeguarding Co-Ordinator: [email protected]

Mary MurraySafeguardingCo-Ordinator:[email protected]

Times of Sunday Masses: Sat Vigil 4pm. Sun: 10am, 11.30am, 5pm.
Weekdays: Mon to Saturday 10am. Workers Mass: Each Wednesday at 7.30am

Daily Adoration in Church: 9.00am – 9.55am.
In Oratory: 10.30am-9pm on Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
Daily Rosary: 9.25am.
Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confessions): Monday to Friday 9.30am -9.50am
                                                                   
Saturday: 10.30 am – 10.50am &   3.15pm – 3.45pm
 
First Sunday of  Lent Year B:           18th  February 24
                                                                               
COLLECTIONS
First Collection GA: £392.65.  NGA: £ 827.63                                  Monthly Standing Orders: £5,194.
Spred GA £752.05 NGA £699.76                                                       St Anthony’s Box: £54.82                         
Building Fund GA: £65.00                                                                    
 
This weekend Annual SPUC White Flower Appeal: This year’s appeal calls for the Government to end the pills by post DIY abortion policy. This policy lacks safeguards against illegal late term abortions and puts mothers at physical/psychological risk. 86% of GPs are concerned that this scheme leaves women vulnerable to coerced abortion.
 
Changes to Abortion Law: A cross-party group of MPs will table an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill to reduce the abortion time limit from 24 to 22 weeks. Please take away a Right to Life UK postcard, available in the porch, fill it in and send it to your MP to vote for this reduction. 
 
40 Days for Life: You are invited to join the 40 Days for Life Peaceful Prayer and Fasting Vigil outside of the grounds of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, which takes place from 8am until 8pmeach day from Ash Wednesday until Palm Sunday. For more info, email [email protected].
 
Young Adults’ Pilgrimage: The Diocesan Young Adults office hopes to arrange a pilgrimage to Poland from 5-12 August 2024 for those aged 18-35 years old. We will stay in Krakow with visits to the St John Paul II Centre, Divine Mercy Sanctuary, Salt Mine Museum, Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum and the Częstochowa Sanctuary. Flights from/to Edinburgh. Estimated cost: £600-800pp. To book, please attend a meeting on Sun 25th Feb at 4pm in the diocesan offices. For more info, contact Fr Ryan Black ([email protected]) or Fr Joe McGill ([email protected]). 
 
Funerals this week: Mary Elizabeth Boland on Thursday 22nd Feb at 10.00am.
 
Aid to the Church in Need: Out of approximately 1,000 Catholics remaining, 19 have been killed by military action and 11 have died because of a lack of medical care in the four months since the destruction of Gaza began.  See the acninternational.org   website on how to help.
 
Marriage Preparation Courses 2024 – Diocese of Paisley: We invite all couples due to be Married in 2024 to register for one our three courses this year.  Each course will consist of two evening in-person sessions, and one Saturday morning workshop, which will be held in St. Mirin’s Cathedral Hall, Paisley.  The cost for the course per couple is £50 which includes a gift with additional reading materials, couple exercises, books and light refreshments during the workshop. Once couples have registered we will contact them directly regarding attendance at the course and a certificate will be issued upon completion. This course fulfils church requirements regarding preparation before marriage and is a wonderful opportunity to meet other couples and share in fellowship. You can follow the link to access further information https://www.rcdop.org.uk/marriage-preparation or use the QR code to see the course dates and go straight to our booking page. We look forward to seeing you!
 
Commonwealth War Graves Commission: We are delighted to host the CWGC for an evening presentation on Thursday the 22nd of February. The guest speaker, Tony Carlin, a parishioner of St Thomas’, will speak about the lives and sacrifices of the men and boys of Neilston, including individuals memorialized on the parish stained glass window, who gave their lives in the theatre of war. The talk will be in the parish hall, beginning at 7:30; refreshments thereafter.
 
We pray for those who have died recently: Mary Elizabeth Boland, John Byrnes, Kenneth Flynn, George McGuire and Marie McMenamin and for the anniversaries of Agnes & William Brennan, James Casey, Anne Docherty, Willie Donn, William Graham, Bernadette Hartley, Frank Hill, Isabel Keegan, William Kelly, Tommy McAllister, Kathleen McCann, Eddie McCool, Neil McDade, George McGuire, Duncan McInnes, Phillip McKenna, George & Isabel McMillan, Patrick Smith, Austin Sproule, Robert Stewart, Chrissie & Jack Stuart, Elizabeth Moe Tekmoy Frances Winning, Fr Kevin Barry, Fr John Docherty and Fr James M. Quinn
 
Across Pilgrimage – Help Required: Across require helpers and medics for April 25--May 4 2024 pilgrimage to Lourdes, from Scotland.  More info from the Across Office - 020 3542 1800 or [email protected]