Sunday 12th February 2023 Sixth Sunday of the Year

"I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, 
​and you fill me with the joy of salvation."

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12th/ 13th Feb. Our Response to the Pope’s Letter. 
 
The Letter, Pope Francis’ message to the earth, forms a core theme for this year’s Lenten journey.  The message of the film is that we share a common responsibility to act now to care for God’s creation, before it is too late.  Sceptical voices have been as we have witnessed a series of unprecedented extreme events, ranging from freezing cold, to scorching heat, from droughts to floods, together with irrefutable evidence of melting icecaps, sea-level rise and desertification.  Some of those living in the most badly affected areas, for whom life has become intolerable, are already making the perilous journey to our shores.  This is all happening right now in front of our eyes when the temperature is just one degree centigrade over pre-industrial times.  It is thus extremely concerning and frightening, that the UK government is said to be operating on the presumption that global temperature will rise by four degrees by the end of the century, a scenario that would have truly devastating consequences for almost all life on earth, including human life.
 
What are we to do In the face of this devastating and frightening prospect?  The Pope’s Letter makes clear that we cannot simply bury our heads in the sand by refusing to acknowledge that our high-consumption lifestyle is contributing to the problem, nor can we lie down and say that all is lost. Rather, as Catholics and Christians, we are urged to commit to the challenges raised in the Pope’s Letter, to examine our hearts and do what we can to address them.
 
The Letter is free to watch online at https://www.theletterfilm.org.  There will also be two showings in the Church Hall, on Thursday, 23rd February at 2pm and later at 7pm.  All will subsequently be invited to participate in a discussion of the film on a Thursday evening during Lent.

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Huge thanks to NET Ministry for their visit last weekend. They led a terrific day’s retreat for our young people. I’m sure all who attended got a lot out of the day. Huge thanks, too, to our Youth Ministry Team for helping with all the organising, planning and arrangements, and to our Caritas candidates for all their much appreciated help. More in the pipeline for our youth to come together. 
 
Calling all young people S1 – S6    FORMED meets monthly – Next meeting Fri 3rd March, 1730-1930.  Run by  AoG Youth  ~ an opportunity to meet in the archdiocesan offices to meet, chat and pray together. To find out more and to register your young person, go to www.rcagyouth.co.uk
 
Here's a great wee video the parish has made as a follow up to the recent parents' Reconciliation meeting.  Woven into you'll see are the children's responses    youtu.be/Z22DoG9qYOc
 
The church is open every day. Call in and enjoy the peace and quiet, and take time to sit in the stillness in the silence of God. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament – each Saturday from 10.00am until 11.00am with confessions throughout. Please consider coming to spend time in adoration and prayer.
 
Preparing for Confirmation - Meeting for St Nicholas' parents - Thursday 23rd February at 6.30pm in St Nicholas’      Please note too that there will also be a meeting for all parents whose children are being Confirmed - Tuesday 28th   Feb at 6.30pm in St Andrew’s church.  
 
To all P3, P4 & P7 parents ~ Dates for your diaries 
SAS (St Andrew’s Squad)   P3 ~ Sundays 5th, 12th March  &  23rd April.    All 9.00am – 9.45am in the upper hall.   P4 ~  Sundays  16th April & 7th May     All 9.00am – 9.45am in the upper hall.       
P7 ~   SAS & St Joseph’s CatClub Sunday 16th April  3pm – 5pm in St Andrew’s
 
Coffee Morning— next Sunday, 19th February    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. £200 was donated to Mary’s Meals in December and this was matched and so doubled to £400, by some very kind donors.
 
Adoration for Vocations – 1st Saturday of each month prayers will be offered for an increase in vocations to the priesthood, consecrated life and the permanent diaconate. 10.00am till 11.00am.  Please consider coming to spend time in adoration and prayer.
 
Between now and Easter, remember in your prayers, Gemma, Millie and Eleanor who are journeying through RCIA to receive the Sacraments and become Catholic this Easter.
 
Piety Stall ~ Could you occasionally help with serving in the Piety Stall? We are particularly short of volunteers for the 10am Sunday Mass – if you could sometimes spare 10 minutes after this Mass to help, we’d be most grateful.  Please call Anne MacIntosh 931-5861 or Annamaria Strachan 942-9799.
 
Laudato Si’ - On Care for our Common Home - Oceans not only contain the bulk of our planet’s water supply, but also most of the immense variety of living creatures, many of them still unknown to us and threatened for various reasons. What is more, marine life in rivers, lakes, seas and oceans, which feeds a great part of the world’s population, is affected by uncontrolled fishing, leading to a drastic depletion of certain species. (#40)

Catholic Social Teaching Thought for the Week - Sunday 12 February (Anniversary of the murder of Sr Dorothy Stand SNDdeN)  I work with people living on the margins. They help me in renewing the earth in the way we take care of it. All of us are part of a great Oneness.   Sr Dorothy Stang SNDdeN
 
2021/22 Levy One substantial expense, which our parish annually incurs, is the Diocesan Levy. Most parishes must this towards the administration of the archdiocese. The current Diocesan Levy for St Andrew’s  is £51,175. To date, the remaining balance to be paid by 31st March 2023 is £18,175.
 
If your PVG was issued in 2018 or earlier, please get in touch with our Parish Safeguarding Coordinator, Clare Thompson, at [email protected].  If you need help checking your date, Clare will be happy to assist.  The Archdiocese seeks updates on volunteer PVG Scheme membership every five years.
 
Next Lunch Club - Thurs 16 Feb 12.30pm - 3pm   All warmly welcome for lunch, in good company, and have a friendly chat.   Great attendance each time, but it means we do need more volunteers to help. If you can assist, please contact Jim Cameron 07985129119 or Trish Kerr 07794989154.    
 
You can raise FREE donations for the parish every time you shop online.  Take a moment to sign up at https://tinyurl.com/standrews-easyfundraising

Parish Bulletin: Items for inclusion should be sent in by 6 p.m. on the Tuesday before publication. Copies of the bulletin are available on Facebook, Twitter, the parish website/by email link (to all those on the Parish database) and on the noticeboards in the Church porch and the Church grounds.

Before receiving Holy Communion, we are asked to make some preparatory act of reverence such as a bow.

For women affected by separation and divorce – confidential and peer support  Fri  3rd March   St Patrick's, Dumbarton 6-8pm. [email protected]

Forthcoming Special Collections –  26 Feb,   5, 12, 26 March, & 2 April  – Sick & Retired Priests; 19 March – SCIAF.

Drumchapel Foodbank. Regularly your donations are dropped off at the foodbank by our parish volunteers. Thanks for continuing to give the foodbank your support.

Our soup-run volunteers continue to collect donations each night from M&S for delivery to Drumchapel & St Gregory’s Foodbanks, the Wayside Club & Aspire.

Requiescant In Pace

• The funeral for Norah Mochan will be on Monday 20th February, with the funeral vigil on the Sunday at 6pm.
• The funeral for Sylvia Guidi will be on Tuesday 21st February at 10am, with the funeral vigil on the Monday at 6pm.

Please pray for Norah and Sylvia ~ for the peaceful repose of their souls, and for their families that they may find comfort at this sad and difficult time.

Please remember in your prayers those in need, those who are sick and housebound and those in hospital
Recently Dead:  Marie Colpi, Anne Docherty, Paula Donohoe, Annie Gallagher, Stuart Gray, Sylvia Guidi, Mary Hannah, Joan Hay, Anne Higgins, Stanley Hutchison, Joseph Logan, Ian McDonald, Maisie McKenna,  Nora Mochan, Kenneth O’Connor, John Oswald, Isobel Jamieson.
Anniversary:  Margaret Connolly, Eileen ‘Helen’ Fallon, Samuel Galloway, Paul Gerard, Anne Lawson, Maisie McGhie, Trish Mitchell, May Ward, James Ward, Harry English, Nessie Cannon.

A5 version of the Bulletin is on this link and below.