and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”
First Holy Communion Masses will be celebrated this Sunday, and the next two Sundays at 2pm. Please keep the boys and girls, and their families, teachers and catechists in your prayers. They have waited so patiently for this celebration on their journey of faith. Masses are being live streamed and videoed for family and friends.
Today is the Solemnity of All Saints and is the beginning of the month of the Holy Souls, a special month of remembrance. November is the month when, by tradition, we pray for the peaceful repose of the souls of all the faithful departed. This year, we remember especially those who have died during the pandemic. We also pray for those who have lost someone they loved, for those who were unable to say goodbye, and for those who are suffering the pain of grief. We pray for confidence in the loving mercy of God, for faith in the Resurrection to new life, and for the hope of being reunited in God’s kingdom.
Remember the Dead—The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will be offered up every day during the month of November for the Holy Souls. Remembering the souls of the faithful departed, and praying for them is a “holy and wholesome thought.” There will be a special live streamed (not public) Memorial Mass on Sunday 22nd November at 2pm.
Primary Three Parents intending to present their child for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Lent 2021, and for First Holy Communion in May / June 2022, are invited to complete, please, an enrolment form, copies of which are available from the sacristy Monday - Friday and on Sundays 9.15am until just before 10am Mass. Please ask a steward to collect a form for you. All forms to be returned, please, by 29th November 2020. Many thanks.
Primary Seven Parents intending to present their child for the Sacrament of Confirmation, are invited to complete, please, an enrolment form, copies of which are available from the sacristy Monday - Friday and on Sundays 9.15am until before 10am Mass. Please ask a steward to collect a form for you. All forms to be returned, please, by 29th November.
This year’s Primary Six Retreat had to be cancelled due to all the restrictions. It was due to take place Thursday, 29th October. P6 and all young people of both parishes, keep your eye on social media for details of activities we’re planning for you.
Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation for S1 pupils will be on 23rd, 24th, 25th and 26th Nov 7pm. Please keep the candidates in your prayers. Hopefully, all families are finding the online catechesis for home learning useful. If any assistance is needed at any time, please call or email. An instructional video will be sent out soon.
Catholic Social Teaching Thought for the Week - 1 November I do not know how to love God except by loving the poor. I do not know how to serve God except by serving the poor. Servant of God Dorothy, an American journalist who co-founded the Catholic Worker Movement, born on 8 November 1897, and died 29 November 1980. Praised by Pope Francis during his visit to the USA for her ‘social activism, her passion for justice and for the cause of the oppressed, were inspired by the Gospel, her faith, and the example of the saints.’ Her cause for canonisation is open.
SCIAF REAL GIFTS This year, SCIAF is asking people in Scotland to buy a water filter as a Christmas gift to help parents in Ethiopia to protect their children from preventable diseases caused by dirty and unsafe water. It will also enable the women and girls who would normally spend hours walking to fetch often dirty, dangerous water, to get an education and learn the skills they need to break the poverty cycle. Please see the poster and catalogue on the church notice board or visit www.sciaf.org.uk/realgifts for some other gift ideas.
The number attending Mass continues to steadily increase, thankfully. With large screens in both halls, across the three weekend Masses, we can seat well over 300 people. If you haven’t already, go here to register for the booking process for vigil and Sunday Masses. No need to book for weekday Mass. Just turn up. If you can’t manage along, Mass is live streamed daily on our YouTube channel at 10am. A huge thanks to all the parishioners for your cooperation, support and patience while we settle into the new queuing system that's in place. A huge thanks, too, to all our many volunteers for their help and support in the many areas of parish life.
The Piety Stall online store now has a large selection of cards and gifts for First Communion and Confirmation for sale. There’s also a good selection of Advent Calendars and Christmas cards. Orders can be placed and either collected from the organisers’ homes or delivery can be arranged if collection isn’t suitable. Piety Stall is here on this link.
Urgent Appeal from SPUC Scotland. The Scottish Government is holding a consultation on whether to continue the practice of sending dangerous abortion pills to women to undergo abortions at home. We need as many pro-life people as possible to complete the Scottish Government’s questionnaire in order to stop dangerous DIY abortions becoming permanent. SPUC has prepared a briefing which gives a step by step guide to completing the questionnaire. Please go to www.spuc.org.uk/Scottish-Consultation
As seating capacity in the church is much reduced due to current social distancing guidelines, a booking system is required. To register to use the booking system, please go to here to the home page to sign up. Please note that the obligation to attend Sunday Mass continues to be suspended. It is still fine not to go to Mass during these circumstances.
Here's some helpful guidance from the Bishops' Conference of Scotland
Please familiarise yourself with it ahead of attending Mass.
➡️ Read: bit.ly/BackToMass (includes video)
➡️ Phase 3 guidance: bit.ly/Phase3ScotGov
Drumchapel Foodbank - Thanks to all of our Parishioners who are donating food and toiletries to our collection point in the Chapel House porch to be delivered to Drumchapel Food Bank. Regularly your donations are dropped off at the foodbank by our parish volunteers. Thanks for continuing to help.
Our parish’s soup-run’s volunteers continue to collect food donations form M&S Byres Road for delivery to Drumchapel and St Gregory’s Foodbanks and the Wayside Club.
Parish Website – Bulletin - Just to say that on the latest page and the bulletin page, a subscribe button has been added which allows users to have a daily summary sent each morning with the previous day's posts. If you don't use social media, but would like to be kept posted, then all that's asked for is your email address – you can unsubscribe at any time – it's all clearly marked.
Parish Bulletin: Any items for inclusion in the bulletin (including names for recently dead, month's mind and anniversary lists) should be put through the letter box of the Chapel House or sent by email: standrew@rcag.org.uk by12noon on the Wednesday before publication. Copies of the bulletin are available on Facebook, Twitter and on the parish website
Recently Dead – Angela Boyle, Raymond Bruce, Mary Glenn, Lievin Kombo Kansala, Theresa McAndrew, Frank McIntyre, Keith McVicar, Brendan Parker, Christina Rafferty, Colin Reynolds, Gerald Riley.
Anniversaries – James Brannan, Catherine Doherty, Sarah Fallon, Pearl Milne, Kathleen Muir, Michael Stevenson.