seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly is this Sunday, July 24. The theme is ‘In old age they will still bear fruit (Ps 92:15)’. It’s always celebrated on the Sunday closest to July 26, the Feast Day of Saints Joachim and Anne, Jesus’ grandparents.
In this year’s message, Pope Francis says that old age is no time to give up and lower the sails, but a season of enduring fruitfulness: a new mission awaits us and bids us look to the future. Pope Francis’ words are very encouraging, for as we look around the parishes of our archdiocese we see the long and faithful service offered by our elderly priests and religious and the decades long commitment of so many grandparents and the elderly in our own parish of St Andrew and all the other parishes.
There are these lovely lines from the Pope’s message: “Dear grandparents, dear elderly persons, … let us become, as it were, poets of prayer. Let us develop a taste for finding our own words, let us once again take up those taught by the word of God. Our trustful prayer can do a great deal: it can accompany the cry of pain of those who suffer, and it can help change hearts. We can be “the enduring ‘chorus’ of a great spiritual sanctuary, where prayers of supplication and songs of praise sustain the community that toils and struggles in the field of life”.
You’ll find the pope’s whole message on this link.
Confessions – Also on Saturdays 4.15pm – 4.45pm & Sundays 9.15am – 9.40am
Reduce, reuse, recycle: If you go to the hall after 10am Mass this Sunday, July 24, you can pick up nearly new items to replace your donations. It’s a small step to help save the planet
Catholic Social Teaching Thought for the Week - God loves all men and women on earth and gives them the hope of a new era, an era of peace. His love, fully revealed in the Incarnate Son, is the foundation of universal peace. When welcomed in the depths of the human heart, this love reconciles people with God and with themselves, renews human relationships and stirs that desire for brotherhood capable of banishing the temptation of violence and war. Pope St John Paul II, Message for World Day of Peace, 1 Jan 2000
The Padre Pio Prayer Group meets after 10am Mass each Monday in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. All most welcome.
Legion of Mary: A bus will leave from Milngavie Railway Station on Saturday 13th August at 6pm.and return around 9pm Cost £8 Please place your name on the list in the Porch. If travel needed to Milngavie, please emailourladymotherofmercypra[email protected].
Do remember that our church is now open weekdays until 5pm, and on Saturdays until after the 5pm Vigil Mass. Call in and enjoy the peace and quiet, and take time to sit in the stillness in the silence of God. Teas and coffees are served in the hut after daily 10am Mass. All most welcome.
Defend Pro-Life Vigils in Scotland. Respond now to Gillian MacKay MSP’s consultation on the proposed Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Bill. For guidance re the consultation, go to www.spuc.org.uk/scottishbufferzonesconsultaion
Laudato Si’ - On Care for our Common Home - Each year hundreds of millions of tons of waste are generated, much of it non-biodegradable, highly toxic and radioactive, from homes and businesses, from demolition sites, from clinical, electronic and industrial sources. The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth. (#21)
The Big Plastic Count - Survey shows astonishing amount of plastic thrown away. Please see article by BBC environment correspondent on the following link:- https://www.bbc.co.uk › science-environment-62126757
Annulment and Marriage Validation - see Fr Mackle to learn more about the process if you are divorced and remarried or never married in the Catholic Church. There is now no charge to the petitioner for marriage cases at the Tribunal.
For women affected by separation and divorce – next meeting of this confidential and peer support group is Fri19th August in St Patrick's hall, Dumbarton 6pm - 8pm. All new members are most welcome. email: [email protected]
The Archdiocese has advised our parish of some additional Safeguarding Training sessions for both Part 1 and Part 2. Part 1 is mandatory for all volunteers before they begin in their role. Part 2 should be done no earlier than 6 months of commencement in their role.
Induction Part 1
- Saturday 20th August at 10 a.m.
- Monday 19th September at 7 p.m.
- Monday 24th October at 7 p.m.
- Saturday 5th November 10 a.m.
- Monday 5th December at 7 p.m.
- Thursday 11th August - 7 p.m.
- Monday 5th September -7 p.m.
- Thursday 6th October -7 p.m.
- Monday 7th November -7 p.m
Next Special Collection – Assisted Parishes – 21st August.
The Pope's Twitter (@Pontifex
and
The Pope's Instagram (@Franciscus)
and
The Pope’s monthly video
Great resources of contemporary commentary by the Holy Father on current issues.
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 from M&S,Byres Rd & Milngavie for delivery to Drumchapel & St Gregory’s Foodbanks, the Wayside Club & Aspire.
St. Andrew’s Whist. St. Andrew’s Whist will take place on Wednesday 27th July in the Lower Hall, from 2pm – 4pm. Tea and coffee will be served. Entry £2. Looking forward to seeing everyone. New members always welcome.
Parish Bulletin: Items for inclusion should be sent in by 12 Noon on the Wednesday before publication. Copies of the bulletin are available on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, the parish website and on our noticeboard.
Recently Dead: Gerry Canavan, Joyce Chiara, Philip Donnelly, Norah Jackson, Dina McMenamin.
Anniversary: John Cairns, Edward and Margaret Farmer, Lucy McCluskey, Margaret McKenna, Calum MacPherson, Frank Rodgers.