Sunday 4th January 2026 Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord (Year A)

"Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage."

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January Prayer - Let us embrace the New Year with open hearts and open minds.
Once again, Fr. Michael wishes all of you a happy and blessed New Year.
 
ST ANDREW'S, BEARSDEN:

• Vigil Mass (Saturday evening) - 5.30p.m. 
• Sunday Morning Mass - 10a.m.
• Confessions before Mass from 9.10a.m. to 9.40a.m.
• If you wish to speak to Fr. Michael on Sunday mornings, it would be good to do this after Confessions have finished.
• Saturday mornings Holy Hour from 10a.m.-11a.m. This usually takes place every Saturday and you are welcome to pop in for whatever amount of time you can give.

 
ST JOSEPH'S, MILNGAVIE:

• Vigil Mass - 4p.m.
• Confessions from 3.30p.m. to 3.40p.m. 
• Sunday Morning Mass - 11.30a.m.

 
FOR THE DIARY:

• There will be no Monday morning Mass in St Joseph's, Milngavie on 5th and 12th January.
• From 5th - 9th January, Eucharistic Services will take place on Wednesday and Friday at 9.30a.m. 
• In St Andrew's, there will be Eucharistic Services from Monday 5th to Friday, 9th January 2026.
• For funerals and sick calls, please phone the Chapel House for the recorded message. 

 
UPCOMING FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS:
Funeral of Lewis Hannah:

• Reception: Sunday, 11th January 2026 at 6p.m.
• Funeral Mass: Monday, 12th January at 10a.m. at St Andrew's, Bearsden.

Funeral of  Maurice McGarry:

• Reception: Thursday, 15th January 2026 at 6p.m.
• Funeral Mass, Friday, 16th January at 10a.m. at  St. Joseph's, Milngavie.

Funeral of Jim Filbin:

• Funeral Mass, Monday 19th January at 10a.m. St. Joseph's, Milngavie.

Funeral of  Jim Reilly:

• Funeral Mass, Wednesday, 21st January at 10a.m. in St. Joseph's, Milngavie.

Funeral of  Ken Jarvie:

• Milngavie. To be arranged. 

 
Very Rev. Thomas Canon Hendry RIP:

• Reception of Remains and Vigil will take place in St Teresa’s on Sunday 11th January 2026 at 6.30 p.m.
• The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St Teresa’s Parish, Possilpark, on Monday 12th January 2026 at 12 Noon with burial thereafter at St Conval’s Cemetery, Barrhead. 

 
PLATE COLLECTIONS:

• Christmas Day - £2,585.
• Ecclesiastical Students (Those training for the priesthood) - £300.
• 28/12/25 - £710.
• Many Thanks.
• SECOND COLLECTIONS: this weekend, The Feast of the Epiphany for Justice & Peace and the weekend of 24th/25th January for Assisted Parishes.  

 
GIFT AID

• If you would like to join on a regular basis or make a 'one-off' payment, there is a form in the sacristy to fill in or speak to Fr Michael for more details. 
• If you pay tax, the parish can claim some of it back from the government. 

CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – 4th January 2026
"Human trafficking will never be truly defeated without eliminating the consumerism that feeds it and prosecuting those actors in receiving countries, including our own, that benefit because of the exploitation of vulnerable human beings."
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, On Human Trafficking, 2007
 
Laudato Si’ - On Care for our Common Home
Helping the poor financially must always be a provisional solution in the face of pressing needs. The broader objective should always be to allow them a dignified life through work. Yet the orientation of the economy has favoured a kind of technological progress in which the costs of production are reduced by laying off workers and replacing them with machines. This is yet another way in which we can end up working against ourselves. (#128)
 
The Baptism of the Lord takes place next weekend, 10th /11th January. We remember our own baptism and all those who were baptised in the parish last year at the Sunday Mass.
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Free Coffee Morning - Happy New Year

• Please come along and join us for a cuppa and some delicious home baking on Sunday 11th January after 10a.m. Mass in the Upper Hall.
• We are combining this with the Parish’s Family Baptism Sunday and will be a free coffee morning. 
• Thanks to all those who came along to December’s Coffee Morning. The sum of £195 was raised for The St Nicholas Care Fund.
• As always, thank you for your support and generosity.

 
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/Services Monday to Thursday. All most welcome.
 
Choir Dates for this term all at 10a.m. Mass:

• 11th &18th January
• 8th February
• 8th, &15th March
• 5th April
• 10th &17th May
• 14th & 21st June.
• If your child is not at St Nicholas and would like to join the choir, please contact Annamaria Strachan 0141 942 9799/07749715514/ [email protected]

 
SSSVP at the Ozanam Centre 

• Are looking exclusively for boy’s/men’s jackets, jeans and trainers as these are in high demand just now.  
• They must be clean and wearable, not ruined.  
• The sort of thing that has just been grown out of.
• Contact [email protected] and we will come and uplift. 

 
The 2026 edition of the Western Catholic Calendar is now on sale in the Piety Stall, priced £3.50.

PIETY STALL

• JANUARY SALE - ALL CHRISTMAS STOCK has been reduced to 50p . Pick up a bargain from the basket on the counter whilst stocks last !
• Thank you! We would like to convey our sincere thanks to both to everyone who has purchased from the Piety Stall and to those who assist us by serving at the counter after Mass throughout 2025. This year's profit was £1,400, which has been transferred to St Andrew's Parish funds. Annamaria Strachan and Anne MacIntosh 

 
Please join us in 2026 for the St Mungo Festival.

• Saturday 10th January 11.45 for 12.15. The Life of Mungo in The Mitchell Library, Granville Street with Church and Civic representatives.
• Sunday 11th January 4.00pm. St Mungo Festival Ecumenical Service.  Glasgow Cathedral, Cathedral Precinct, High St with Civic and Church Leaders.
• Monday 12th January 7pm Vigil of St Mungo, Ecumenical Service. St Andrew’s Metropolitan Cathedral, Clyde St. Glasgow.
• All welcome to these free non-ticketed events.

 
The Knights of Saint Columba (KSC) invite all youth and young people (4 -18 Years) to actively participate in the National Youth and Young People’s Competition 2025-2026. 
Competitions include

• 1. Christmas Photography (Deadline: Monday, 12th January 2026)
• 2. Nativity Scene Painting (Deadline: Monday, 12th January 2026)
• 3. Easter Scene Painting (Deadline: Monday, 27th April 2026)
• 4. Easter Photography (Deadline: Monday, 27th April 2026)
• 5. Prayer Composition (Deadline: Wednesday, 6th May 2026)
• 6. Essay Writing (Deadline: Wednesday, 6th May 2026).

The respective competition rules and further details are found on https://tinyurl.com/KSCYouthYoungCompetition2526.
For more info contact: [email protected]
 
DIFFICULTY READING LOCAL NEWS
The Bearsden & Milngavie Talking Newspaper Association – BEAM- provides recordings each week, to the blind and visually impaired in the local community, of:

• The Milngavie & Bearsden Herald
• Extracts from the Community News
• Stories from e.g. the Scottish Book Trust, adding a bit of light-hearted interest. 

Free boom boxes are supplied

• The Post Office provides a free postal service - therefore no cost to listeners. 
• For more information contact Graham Silcock – 07770 524983.

 
EASYFUNDRAISING 

• Your online shopping makes a real difference to us! St Andrew's RC Church Bearsden has raised £870.66 so far.
• If you're not supporting us, you can in just a few clicks You can raise FREE donations for the parish every time you shop online.
• Sign up at https://tinyurl.com/StAndrewsBearsden2023

 
Our volunteers collect donations every evening from M&S Milngavie and deliver to St Gregory’s, Wyndford Foodbank and Aspire West End which helps people get back on their feet. If you are interested in volunteering or even providing occasional holiday cover, please get in touch with Veronica McLaughlin by email at: [email protected]
 
Parish Bulletin

• Items for inclusion should be sent to [email protected] by 5p.m. on the Tuesday before publication, maximum 80 words.
• The Parish Bulletin is available weekly on our website/by email for all those on our Parish database (subscribe here to have it emailed weekly) and on the noticeboard in the Church porch.​

Please remember in your prayers those in need, those who are sick and housebound and those in hospital.
Recently Deceased: James Filbin, Gerald Greenan, Jordan Harbourne, Canon Thomas Hendry, Edward Jones, Maurice McGarry, Philomena Orlandi and Rose Rooney.
Anniversaries: Leo Craigen, Patrick and Isabella Gallagher, Lars Hanson, Hugh McKinstry, Anne McCabe, Patricia McNeill, Patrick and Mary Mulhern.
Three Months’ Mind: John McCrae.