Sunday 1st October 2023 Twenty Sixth Sunday of the Year

"Your word, O Lord, is truth;
consecrate us in the truth."​​

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SYNOD 2024~Pope Francis convened the whole Church in Synod in 2021. As the Church, we have reached another milestone in this process which began with the consultation. Here in St Andrew’s we engaged in that stage with the parish Synod gatherings which we arranged back in February ‘22. In a few days time on 4th October, the Pope will open the 1st session of the Synod. Pope Francis has said that “without prayer there will be no Synod”. The Synod is a time of prayer, listening and discerning what God is asking of his Church today. Pray for the Synod. Pray that it may be fruitful. Do remember the Synod in your prayers. At our parish’s morning Rosary perhaps dedicate a decade to prayer for the Synod? At Mass, do pray for the Synod. At Saturday Holy Hour pray for it. Pop into our church, which is open daily, and pray for the Synod. Teachers in our schools, do tell your pupils about this important gathering in Rome and pray for the Pope and the Synod.  Let us all pray that the Spirit of the Lord may enlighten us and lead us always in the way of God’s will. Visit https://www.synod.va/en.html to keep updated.
 
This Wednesday 4th Oct, Pope Francis will open the 1st session of the Synod. As part of our praying for the Synod, we will have all day and all night adoration of the Blessed Sacrament from after 10a.m. Mass on Tuesday 3rd Oct through the night until 10a.m. Mass on Wednesday. There’ll be tea/coffee in the porch.   Night Prayer on Tuesday at 10p.m. Morning Prayer on Wednesday at 9a.m. Rosary at 9.30a.m.
 
Roisin and Ellen, our two Caritas candidates will be presented with their Caritas badges at the 10a.m. Mass this weekend. This marks the beginning of their year’s journey ahead of the Pope Benedict XVI Caritas Award which encourages and promotes the ongoing faith journey of young people. It supports and celebrates the faith witness which they give within our parish community.
 
Altar Servers.  Altar Server Training sessions will start today, Sunday 1st October straight after the 12 Noon Mass.  Any young member of the Parish who would like to become an Altar Server is invited to contact Chris Sanders (942 7519) or Fr. Mackle, who will gladly take your details. This invitation is aimed particularly at those children in P4 who made their First Holy Communion in May earlier this year.
 
Pop-up choir: If you'd like to be part of our pop-up choir for the Saint Andrew's Night celebration on 2nd December, please come along to a rehearsal today, Sunday 1st October at 3p.m. Laughter guaranteed! 
(St Augustine: The one who sings, prays twice!)
 
S1 – S6’s can enjoy ‘FORMED’, a monthly youth group where they will explore their faith, grow in their relationship with Jesus and have fun together.
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16–35-year-olds are invited to join us for ‘An Audience With’, a series of afternoon events that we will host in Turnbull Hall.  These sessions will have guest speakers sharing about their journey with God and how they discerned their vocations and will allow space for young adults to discuss, pray and ponder their own journeys.
 
Visiting Team - In 2019, a team from Ireland visited hundreds of homes and families in our parish.  A number of people had said they would like to be revisited.  We had every intention to do this, but the Covid era delayed plans. We now have a newly formed parish visiting team of 10, who will soon be going out to chap folks’ doors to “hello” to over 80 people who asked for a revisit

Catholic Social Teaching Thought for the Week - Sunday 1st October 2023 
A merciful heart is able to be a place of refuge for those who are without a home or have lost their home; it is able to build a home and a family for those forced to emigrate; it knows the meaning of tenderness and compassion. A merciful heart can share its bread with the hungry and welcome refugees and migrants. To say the word mercy is to speak of opportunity, future, commitment, trust, openness, hospitality, compassion and dreams. Pope Francis, World Youth Day, Poland, 28th July 2016
 
Laudato Si’ - On Care for our Common Home - Yet we are called to be instruments of God our Father, so that our planet might be what he desired when he created it and correspond with his plan for peace, beauty and fullness. (#53)
 
SEASON OF CREATION - WEEK 5 The Season of Creation will conclude with the following events:-

• Saturday 30th September – 10a.m. Holy Hour in solidarity with the Season of Creation vigil in Rome.
  
• Sunday 1st October 4.30p.m. Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary Some decades will be prayed outdoors in the Jubilee garden – weather permitting.  “Mary, the Mother who cared for Jesus, now cares with maternal affection and pain for this wounded world” Laudato Si’ 241
  
• 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]

Challenge Poverty 2023 2 - 8 OCTOBER This week highlights the injustice of poverty in Scotland, and encourages collective action based on justice and compassion to create solutions. Look out for the daily challenges on various aspects of poverty for you to consider during the Week. Information on this link. Challenge Poverty 2023
 
Lobby your MSP against dangerous proposals to legalise assisted suicide. Scotland must reject assisted suicide. We should be caring for people, not killing them.  Say ‘NO’ to assisted suicide. Visit the website, Scottish Parliamentary Office, for guidance on contacting MSPs. rcpolitics.org/assistedsuicide/
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.  8th October, 12th November, 10th, 17th and 25th December.
 
For women affected by separation and divorce – confidential and peer support Friday 6th October 2023 St Patrick's, Dumbarton 6-8p.m. [email protected]
 
Forthcoming Special Collection: 22nd October ~ Missio Scotland
 
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.
 
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 
 
Before receiving Holy Communion, we are asked to make some act of reverence such as a bow.
 
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]

The Annual Safeguarding Statement of St Andrew's Bearsden is on this link.

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:  Norah Harris and Ray Traynor.
Anniversaries: Paul Donnelly, Kit McCormick and Kitty McKnight.

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