Sunday 17th September 2023 Twenty Fourth Sunday of the Year

“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me. 
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake
and that of the gospel will save it.”

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St Andrew’s - 29 CLUB RENEWALS 2023/24. Our Parish fundraiser (200 type club) has over many years raised much appreciated financial support to our Parish. 

• For Existing members - Renewal letters will be available this weekend 16/17 September and can be collected at the back of the Church before/after Mass. Your continued support is very much appreciated. 
• Facility for New members to ‘Sign Up’ will also be available this weekend. 
• We have 2 draws (Christmas and Summer) with annually 3 x £1000 prizes together with 10+ £100 consolation prizes. 
• Costs are £65 pa by electronic transfer, cheque or cash payable now! Alternatively £6.00 monthly payments by electronic transfer/standing order is available if you choose starting 1st October 2023. 
• Electronic payments/cheques should be made to: ‘St Andrews Church’ per TSB Clydebank (87-37-39) A/C 06021274. 
• Our next draw will be held late Nov/early Dec in time for Christmas.

​Thank you for your excellent support in the past and hopefully you will consider joining us.
Any questions speak to Fr Mackle, myself, or the team this weekend or phone if you prefer. 
Take care and God Bless.
Brian Donnelly, St Andrew’s F&F Team (29 Club) 
Tel: 0141-942-6085 
Mobile: 07484 707750
 
Coffee Morning – Next Sunday, 17th September after 10a.m. Mass. Please come along and join us for a cuppa, a chat and some delicious home baking. This month we are raising funds for The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. Last month we raised £222 for the National Autistic Society of Scotland, thank you so much for your continued support. 
 
Well done and huge thanks to everyone involved in the organising and preparations for last Saturday’s amazing Crafternoon. It was a great success, with such a wonderful variety of creativity and ideas, with loads of lovely hand crafted goods. Look out for them at our Christmas Fayre, and look out on our social media for photos of the Crafternoon.
Massive thanks to every single person who attended.

Catholic Social Teaching Thought for the Week - Sunday 17th September 2023 (Nearest Sunday to UN International Day for Peace 21st September) We must ask ourselves if the principal threats to peace and security – poverty, epidemics, terrorism and so many others – can effectively be countered when the arms race, including nuclear weapons, continues to squander precious resources that could better be used to benefit the integral development of peoples and protect the natural environment. 
Pope Francis, Message to the Seventy-Fifth General Assembly of the United Nations 
 
Laudato Si’ - On Care for our Common Home We need to strengthen the conviction that we are one single human family. There are no frontiers or barriers, political or social, behind which we can hide, still less is there room for the globalization of indifference. (#52)
 
Season of Creation – 1st September until 4th October.   
We thank you, God, for the beauty of creation: may the work of humanity not disfigure it, but enhance it to your greater glory.
 
SEASON OF CREATION - WEEK 3 This week, the Scottish Laity Network has organised a Zoom session on Thursday 21st September, 7.00 - 8.30 p.m. on “How might Christians respond to the Climate Emergency?”  Register through their website: http://scottishlaitynetwork.org.uk
 
Season of Creation: a date for the diary. On Monday 2nd October at 7p.m. there will be a screening of the Laudato Si' film, "The Letter" aimed in particular at parishioners in the 18-35 year old age group -  the age range invited to Rome for a prayer vigil during the final weekend of the Season of Creation. (together23.net)
The film will be followed by the opportunity for discussion about what we can/should do next to protect our world for our children. If you can't come along but would like to get involved in some way, please send a message to [email protected]
 
Confirmation Meeting for all Parents and Sponsors ~ Thursday 28th September at 6.30p.m. in St Nicholas'.
 
All P3 parents intending to present their child for the Sacrament of Reconciliation during Lent 2024, please collect before Mass an enrolment form from the sacristy. 
Forms to be returned, please, by Sunday, 29th October 2023. P4 parents are not required to re-enrol. Your form and all the details on it from last year (P3) will automatically roll on to the P4 list.
 
Next Lunch Club ~ Thursday 21st September in the Upper Hall 12.30p.m. ~ 2.30p.m.  All most welcome. Bring along your friends and have a good time in good company.
 
Children’s Choir Dates at 10a.m. mass St Andrew’s Church. If your child is not at St Nicholas’ and they would like to join the choir, please contact Annamaria ([email protected]/0141942 9799) to arrange rehearsal links. 

• 17th September
• 8th October
• 12th November
• 10th, 17th and 25th December.

 
Catholic Parliamentary Office – Sign up for the latest news and articles at https://rcpolitics.org/ ~ raising Catholic pressing matters in a political forum ~ protecting Catholic values ~ making the voice of the Catholics heard in Scottish and UK Parliaments.
 
Forthcoming Special Collection: 22nd October ~ Missio Scotland
 
It is pleasant to spend time adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The Eucharist is such a priceless treasure ~ by praying before it, we are able to make contact with Christ present in the Most Holy Sacrament. Saturdays 10a.m. until 11a.m.  Confessions throughout. 

Confessions also on Saturdays 4.15p.m – 4.45p.m & Sundays 9.15a.m – 9.40a.m 
 
The Church is open until 5p.m. Monday to Saturday. Call in and enjoy the peace and quiet, and take time to sit in the stillness in the silence of God.

Tea is served in the hut after daily Mass Monday to Thursday. All most welcome.
 
Before receiving Holy Communion, we are asked to make some act of reverence such as a bow.

From Archbishop Nolan.  Deanery Councils. ~ 

• Difficult decisions lie ahead and deaneries are being asked to give their advice. Looking to the future, we have to discern how best to use our resources, whether that is personnel or property.
• At present, if we exclude foreign priests and those of a religious order, we have 50 priests working in parishes in the archdiocese.
• In ten years’ time this number will be reduced to 33. Priests are an invaluable resource, which is why deaneries are being asked to recommend how best that resource can be allocated in their area.
• Mass attendance is now just over 10,000, half of what it was ten years ago. Again deaneries are being asked to recommend how many buildings we now require and where they should be located. 
• This matter will also be discussed further at our PPC on 21st September.
• A report of all discussions and any decisions will then be taken to a Deanery Council meeting on the 9th October.
• The Archbishop is looking to hear deaneries’ advice by 30th November.

For women affected by separation and divorce – confidential and peer support Friday 6th October 2023 St Patrick's, Dumbarton 6-8p.m. [email protected]

You can raise FREE donations for the parish every time you shop online. Take a moment to sign up at https://tinyurl.com/StAndrewsBearsden2023   
   
Support For Drumchapel Foodbank. Non-perishable food items are always gratefully received and can be placed in the House porch. Donations can also be taken straight to the Foodbank at Ladyloan Pl Unit 9, G15 8LB. We regularly use cash donations to purchase food items for delivery straight to the foodbank. Our rota is always looking for more foodbank volunteer drivers. If you can help, please get in touch. Thanks for continuing to give the foodbank your support. 
 
Our soup-run volunteers collect donations every evening from M&S Milngavie for delivery to St Gregory’s Foodbank and Aspire West End. If you are interested in volunteering once or twice a month, please get in touch with Veronica McLaughlin - [email protected].
 
Parish Bulletin: Items for inclusion should be sent to [email protected] by 6 p.m. on the Tuesday before publication. The Parish Bulletin is available weekly on our website/by email for all those on our Parish database and on the noticeboards in the Church porch and the Church grounds.

Please remember in your prayers those in need, those who are sick and housebound and those in hospital:
Recently Dead:  John Cairney, Phil McEntee,  Ellen McGarvie and Colette Todd.
Anniversaries: Carmen Capaldi, Michael Clarke, Jack Coyle, Folimena D’Aguanno, Leanne Donnelly, Zhai Holt, Grace Jackson, Philip Porter, Bridie Tolland, John Tully.

A4 version of the bulletin is available on this link and below.