Sunday 3rd April 2022 Fifth Sunday of Lent

​“Let the one among you who is without sin 
be the first to throw a stone at her.”

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We are now in the fifth week of Lent, and we should remember that the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays has been restored. We should see this as an opportunity to come together again as a community of faith to listen to the Word of God and be nourished by the body of Christ. Come back to Mass! As always, the obligation does not apply to those who are sick, and their carers, or to those who have greater vulnerability to the virus. Note that the children’s liturgy has resumed at 10am Sunday Mass.
 
During Lent
Daily Mass – 10am
Stations of the Cross – Fridays 6pm.
Rosary – weekdays 9.30am     
Fridays – church open until 6pm Stations of the Cross
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament  Saturdays 10am – 11am. Confessions throughout
Confessions – Also on Saturdays 4.15pm – 4.45pm & Sundays 9.15am – 9.40am 
 
Holy Week Confession Times:
· Palm Sunday – 9.15 – 9.40am
· Monday 11th   – 9.15 – 9.40am
· Tuesday 12th  – 9.15 – 9.40am and 7-8pm
· Wednesday 13th – 9.15 – 9.40am
· Good Friday – after 10am Morning Prayer & after 3pm Liturgy
· Holy Saturday – after 10am Morning Prayer
- Easter Sunday – 9.15 – 9.40am 

Archdiocese Covid Update from Canon Gargaro
The legal requirement to wear face coverings in church will be lifted this Monday 4th April. From Monday it will no longer be compulsory to wear face coverings in places of worship, or at weddings or funerals or commemorative events, but people (including clergy) may choose to still wear them and that choice should be respected.
 Face coverings will remain compulsory in other settings until 18th April, so priests/deacons/ extraordinary ministers of holy communion will still need to wear face coverings when visiting hospitals, schools, nursing homes, etc. as part of their pastoral ministry.
 
Please keep in your prayers Jacks, Rebecca, Jason and Rokas, who will be received into the Church at the Easter Vigil.
 
Walk, Cycle or Scoot to the Vigil or Easter Sunday Mass ~ Weekend 16 / 17 April.    
An opportunity to take climate change action!   Thinking about the air that we breathe and doing our bit to make it cleaner.  
 
A huge thanks goes to everyone who has been involved in keeping us safe in our church and halls, especially over the past two years. Stewards will continue to minister at Mass along with passkeepers to meet and greet you on arrival.
 
St Andrews Squad (SAS), Sundays 24th April and 8th May, for all Primary 4 children in the parish celebrating First Holy Communion this May. Please come along to the Upper Hall at 9am leading into the 10am Mass with children’s liturgy.  

Catholic Social Teaching Thought for the Week – 3 April  The sordid love of wealth, which is the shame and great sin of our age, will be opposed in actual fact by the gentle yet effective law of Christian moderation which commands man to seek first the Kingdom of God and His justice, with the assurance that, by virtue of God’s kindness and unfailing promise, temporal goods also, in so far as he has need of them, shall be given him besides.Quadragesimo Anno, para. 136

Defibrillator ~ We hope we will never have to use the defibrillator, which we now have in the upper hall porch area next to the noticeboard, but we can at least be reassured that in the unlikely case of an emergency, there is one on our premises that we could use and which could potentially save someone’s life.

The Association of Bearsden Churches are holding a service of remembrance this evening, 3rd April at 7pm in New Kilpatrick Church. It is a time to reflect on the loss we have felt during the pandemic for those people we now miss. All are most welcome. Also, Songs of Praise will be celebrated in Westerton Church at 7pm on Easter Sunday.
 
Now that the restrictions around COVID have been relaxed, the halls committee is pleased to confirm that family celebrations such as birthday and christening parties can, once again, be held in the halls. They are available to let on Friday evenings, and Saturday and Sunday afternoons and evenings, from Saturday, April 23. For any reservations or further information please call the lettings secretary on 07528 425 698.
 
A huge thanks goes to all involved in the production and distribution of our Easter Reachout. It will be delivered to around 1300 homes in the coming weeks and is now available on this link and below.

It’s that time if the year again ~ the purple veils covering the crosses and statues. They’re covered for the next fortnight. This ancient liturgical custom of using veils, of hiding Christ from the world, of hiding Him from our sight ( and the saints) is to help us in our preparation for ~and really to assist us in becoming focused solely on the mysteries of His passion - the sufferings Christ endured for our redemption.

Save the Date - Fed up with litter in your area? Now is the chance to do something about it. Take part in The Spring Clean with Bearsden in Bloom - Sunday 8th May 2.00 – 4.00pm  ~ gathering at the bus shelter at the corner of Drymen and Manse Roads. Let’s enjoy and be proud of living in a clean neighbourhood.  Litter pickers and high viz vests on loan, if required.

Well done, our Altar Servers Team, in producing an excellent 16 page step by step helpful manual with photos for St Andrew’s Altar Servers. A copy has been presented to each server.

After daily Mass, coffee, tea and biscuits are served in The Hut. All most welcome.
 
SCIAF’s wee box, big change appeal. wee boxes to be returned, please, by Easter Sunday. Lentfest 2022 – special online programme available in the porch or visit     www.agap.org.uk/lentfest  An imaginative fusion of faith and the arts. Everything in one place – your place!
 
We are delighted that the Piety Stall has reopened. We have lots of lovely new stock, including cards, books and gifts for Easter and First Communion. Volunteers required. If you could spare 15 minutes before and after a Mass, please call Anne MacIntosh 931-5861 or Annamaria Strachan 942-9799.

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.

Parish Website – On the latest page and bulletin pages, click on subscribe for a daily summary of the previous day's posts.

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, Instgram, the parish website and on our exterior noticeboard.

Please remember in your prayers those in need, those who are sick and housebound and those in hospital.
Recently Dead: Joe Boyle, Brenda Maynard, Annie Renucci, Isobel Ruppert, Gary George Skillen, Sean Slavin, Helen Stobo, George Ward.
Anniversary: Maisie and Sheila Kelly, James and Anna McKean. 
Three Months’ Mind – Betty Thompson.