Catholic Social Teaching Thought for the Week - 24th January (Holocaust Memorial Day is observed on 27th January)

St Andrew’s - Sacrament of Reconciliation (First Confession) for Primary 3 pupils is due to be celebrated on Saturdays 20th & 27th March 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.  Letters will go out soon from the parish and St Nicholas’ to all families regarding information about preparations and arrangements. 

St Andrew’s - First Holy Communion for Primary 4 pupils will be celebrated on Saturday 8th, Sunday 9th, Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th May. All Masses will be at 2:00 p.m. Maximum capacity at each First Communion Mass, at this stage, is uncertain. All parents will receive a letter soon regarding information about preparations and arrangements. 

Confirmations for Primary 7 & Secondary 1 pupils. The dates for these are subject to a loosening of current restrictions. As soon as we are in a position to arrange dates, we’ll advise all families.

Archbishop Philip Tartaglia’s Funeral Rites will be celebrated in St Andrew’s Cathedral, subject to the restrictions that are in place. 

Only 20 of the Archbishop’s closest family and friends will be able to attend, and people are asked to comply with the current advice to stay at home and to participate spiritually using the live-streams that will be available and are noted below.

Vigil and Reception of Remains of Archbishop Tartaglia will be on Wednesday 20th January at 6.30 pm accessible by using this link: https://youtu.be/idlkb2sNUcc

Funeral Mass on Thursday 21st January at 12 noon, accessible by using this link: https://youtu.be/tS6rtYC0DhM

10:00 a.m. online Mass in St Andrew’s, Bearsden, this Thursday will be offered for the peaceful repose of the Archbishop’s soul on St Andrew's YouTube Channel.

Please continue your prayers for the peaceful repose of the Archbishop’s soul and for the comfort of his family.

Sunday of the Word of God is this Sunday 24th January.

Pope Francis instituted this Sunday to be held every year on the 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time.

Here’s a good podcast, if you’ve struggled to read and reflect on the Word. 

Ascension’s Bible in a Year Podcast guides Catholics through the Bible in 365 daily episodes.   

Visit Ascension’s Bible in a Year and live your daily life through the lens of God’s word!

Archbishop Philip Tartaglia’s Funeral Rites will be celebrated in St Andrew’s Cathedral, subject to the restrictions that are in place. 

Only 20 of the Archbishop’s closest family and friends will be able to attend, and people are asked to comply with the current advice to stay at home and to participate spiritually using the live-streams that will be available and are noted below.

10:00 a.m. online Mass in St Andrew’s, Bearsden, this Thursday will be offered for the peaceful repose of the Archbishop’s soul.

Vigil and Reception of Remains of Archbishop Tartaglia will be on Wednesday 20th January at 6.30 pm accessible by using this link: https://youtu.be/idlkb2sNUcc

Funeral Mass on Thursday 21st January at 12 noon, accessible by using this link: https://youtu.be/tS6rtYC0DhM

Please continue your prayers for the peaceful repose of the Archbishop’s soul and for the comfort of his family.

A few words.....

I hope this finds you safe and well.

This week, with the tragic news of the untimely death of our archbishop, Philip Tartaglia, I found myself being drawn back to this image of grief, which I think I might have shared with you last year. 

When I stumbled across this image, as soon as I saw it, I thought to myself I must take a photo of it and I keep it in my phone.

I got myself a big mug of coffee early this morning and just sat and stared at this image, trying to take in and soak up all that it was saying to me.

It's a powerful image of grief. It's real. It's consoling. It's rich in meaning.

These are just my own thoughts and reflections.

Does the grief stricken mourner have both eyes open or just one?  

I see one eye open.

The open eye's tear,  you'll see, is Christ's face. The mourner's tears mingling with Christ's.

With seeing that one eye is open and the other closed, what it's saying to me is that this is the way grief can affect us.

The closed eye maybe is saying, 'I'm not wanting to see' or 'this is too much to take in' or it might be closing and shutting self off from the pain. Or the closed eye might be seeking peace and quiet in time of grief.

The open eye is looking - looking and trying maybe to make sense of the loss - looking maybe for meaning. Looking maybe for help and support. Looking maybe for someone to listen.

I love the way the artist has the mourner's mouth as the pierced and wounded side of Christ. 

What that's saying to me is that grief can have our woundedness showing without us saying anything.

I like, too, the brightness in the wounded and suffering body of Christ contrasting with the mourner's darkness of grief.

The brightness speaks of hope in suffering.

The light can show a way out of the darkness.

I see a uniting of hearts - the mourner's broken heart with Christ's loving heart.

The longer I sit here with my coffee looking at this, the more I see.  

I see, too, the mourner's face resting on the arms of Christ. He or she in their grief is being supported in their agony. They are leaning on Christ. He is there holding them up.

Grief in life in unavoidable for everyone of us. The truth is, though, that in it, we are not alone. 

In grief, Christ is with us. 

For me, this image is a powerful reminder of this wonderful truth of faith that we are not alone in our grief. Christ is with us.

Have a safe and a happy Saturday

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that the soul of Philip, your servant and Bishop, whom you honoured with sacred office while he lived in this world, may live forever in the glorious home of heaven