Sunday 10th March 2024 Fourth Sunday of Lent

"The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want."

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Happy Mother's Day to all in the parish. We remember all our mothers, living and dead, in our prayers and in our Mass today and ask God's blessing on them. "...a society without mothers would be an inhuman society, as mothers always know how to show tenderness, devotion and moral strength, even in the moments of greatest difficulty....mothers often transmit the deepest sense of religious practice...and that without mothers, faith would lose a good part of its simple, profound warmth' Pope Francis. 

​SPRED Lenten Mass at 12 Noon on Sunday 17th March. If you haven't been to a SPRED Mass before, please consider joining us at our parish SPRED Mass. We always have a short get together after Mass in the Upper Hall and since it will be St Patrick's Day, it's an excuse to enjoy some beautiful food and craic!!!

Lenten Stations of the Cross ~ Fridays at 6pm. Church open daily until 5pm.

​Forty Hours Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament Pop the dates in your diary. Do pop in for some quiet prayer time. 

• Sunday 10th March. Evening Prayer 5p.m. Night Prayer 9p.m. 
• Monday, 11th March Holy Hour 7p.m. Confessions throughout. Night Prayer 9p.m.
• Tuesday, 12th March Holy Hour 7p.m. Confessions throughout. Night Prayer 9p.m.

​Adoration for Lent: Do come and spend some time each week to be still before God at our Saturday Adoration. If shopping at the cross, or out for a coffee, pop in to St Andrew's for some quiet prayer. Have a heart to heart, a one to one with God each Saturday during Lent from 10am until 11am , with Confessions throughout. Sunday Confessions will be from 9.15am until 9.40am.

CHRISM AND ASHES Lent is a wonderful time to revisit our Baptism which, for many of us, is like a hidden treasure deep within us. This Playlist is a snapshot of Baptism…peppered with a few ‘Calls to action’.

Primary Three’s celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (First Confession) – Saturday 9th March  10 am and 11am. Family members are encouraged to take the opportunity, too, for Confession, which is always a good thing to do, especially during Lent.

A Catholic Teacher Approval In-Service Day for Headteachers and clergy took place recently. All were reminded that the 1918 Education (Scotland) Act expects every teacher in a Catholic school to be both professionally qualified and have the approval of the local bishop. A reference is expected from their parish priest that the applicant is a practicing Catholic, attending Mass, and is known to the parish priest. A reference can only be given for the applicant to the archdiocese if these conditions are met.During the summer months, parishes rely on there being priests to supply for priests' annual leave.  To arrange a supply priest is each parish's responsibility. It is becoming increasingly difficult to do this as there are now fewer and fewer priests to supply.  The archdiocese has therefore asked parishes to look at the possibility of reducing Masses to a summer programme. St Andrew's and St Joseph's are currently working on a reduced summer Mass Schedule for July and August.  We will be in a position to say more about this after Easter.  

St Patrick's Night Concert.  Monday 11th March.  All concert goers please be at the bus bay at Bearsden Hub for the bus to leave at 6.15pm sharp.

Coffee Morning - Sunday17th March Please come along and join us in the upper hall, after 10 am Mass, for tea, coffee and some delicious home baking. This month we are raising funds for Fr Mathew Parumoottil’s parish school in India. He runs the school to improve the children’s employment prospects and, in India, every penny counts for them. Many thanks to all who came along and helped us to raise funds for SCIAF at the coffee morning in February as part of our Caritas Award activities in the parish. The grand total of £549.01 was made through the entry fee and the sale of SCIAF Real Gifts.

Catholic Social Teaching Thought for the Week - Sunday 10th March
Indifference to our neighbour and to God also represents a real temptation for us Christians. Each year during Lent we need to hear once more the voice of the prophets who cry out and trouble our conscience.
Pope Francis, Message for Lent 2015

Campaign on Assisted Suicide.  A single issue group from St Margaret’s, concerned that many people may agree to a law, without knowing all the facts, has organised a conference in Clydebank Town Hall :The Future of Care in Scotland, this Friday 15th March, 9.30-12.30 supported by M. D. Hughes MP, Marie McNair MSP, the Catholic Parliamentary Office, and hosted by Douglas McAllister, the Provost of Clydebank.  All are most welcome.
To participate or obtain further information contact: Brian 07947 497797 or Noel [email protected]. A few from St Andrew’s have already signed up. Would be good to have some more.  

Volunteers are required to have their feet washed at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper 7pm Thurs 28 March. Please enter your name on the sheet in the porch.

Ecumenical Evening Prayer in honour of St John Ogilvie and other witnesses of faith. St Aloysius,  Garnethill, at 4pm today Sunday 10th March. All welcome. Refreshments to follow. 

The Men of St Joseph wish to invite all men over the age of 18 to join them for monthly fellowship meetings, including the rosary, Lectio Divina and Adoration. 1st Thursday of each month 7:30-9pm in St Anthony’s Parish House, Govan. Contact:[email protected]

BEARSDEN FESTIVAL are planning events at Bearsden Cross this June. They are looking for a volunteer to join the committee. The next meeting to generate ideas and make preparations is on the 14th of March. If you would be interested in attending, please contact [email protected] in the first instance.

Our piety stall has a fine selection of St Patrick’s Day cards, Easter cards and various for all occasions.

Supply Priests -During the summer months, parishes rely on there being priests to supply for priests' annual leave.  To arrange a supply priest is each parish's responsibility. It is becoming increasingly difficult to do this as there are now fewer and fewer priests to supply.  
The archdiocese has therefore asked parishes to look at the possibility of reducing Masses to a summer programme.
St Andrew's and St Joseph's are currently working on a reduced summer Mass Schedule for July and August.  
​We will be in a position to say more about this after Easter.

​​Parish Bulletin: Items for inclusion should be sent to [email protected] by 5 p.m. on the Tuesday before publication and should not exceed 80 words. The Parish Bulletin is available weekly on our website/by email for all those on our Parish database and on the noticeboard in the Church porch.

Please remember in your prayers those in need, those who are sick and housebound and those in hospital.
Recently dead: Rose Boyce, Ellen Byrne, Marie Digby, Marie Jameson, John Malone, Alec McCormick,  Jim McLaren, George McIlwraith, Pat McWilliams and Charles Whyte.
Anniversaries: May Filbin and Chris Shevlane. 
Three months' mind: Beth Coyle.