Catholic Social Teaching Thought for the Week - 30 August (Nearest Sunday to World Day of Prayer for Care of Creation (1 September))

​The universe unfolds in God, who fills it completely. Hence, there is a mystical meaning to be found in a leaf, in a mountain trail, in a dewdrop, in a poor person’s face. The ideal is not only to pass from the exterior to the interior to discover the action of God in the soul, but also to discover God in all things.        Laudato Si’,  para 223

Just to let you know that a new video has been uploaded to the "Supporting Sacramental Preparation at Home" page:
Understanding the Mass:https://www.rercglasgow.org/sacramental-preparation-at-home.html
https://youtu.be/4kGabVqqqo4

Why not get yourself a coffee and reflect slowly on these lovely words of Pope Francis on Our Lady

On the Assumption of Mary into Heaven

"The feast of the Assumption of Mary is a call to each of us, especially those who are
afflicted by doubt and sadness, and live with their gaze turned down, unable to raise their glance.

Let us look up. Heaven is open. It does not inculcate fear. It is no longer distant because on the threshold of Heaven, a mother, our mother, is awaiting us. She loves us, she smiles at us and she
thoughtfully assists us.

Like every mother she wants the best for her children and she says to us: ‘You are precious in God’s eyes; you were not made for the small satisfactions of the world, but rather for the great joy of heaven’.

Yes, because God is joy, not boredom. God is joy. Let us allow Our Lady to take us by the hand.

Each time that we hold the Rosary in our hands and pray to her, we are taking a step forward, towards the great destination of life."

Pope Francis, Feast of the Assu​mption of Mary

The archdiocesan RE Office has now sent the Reconciliation supplementary learning materials to all schools and it can easily be emailed to parents on request. Email : Joanna.Sweeney@rcag.org.uk 

For First Communion, class teachers will more or less pick up where the previous teacher left off with some revision of prior concepts. The RE Office is happy to direct parents to other resources which are also available, if they wish.
 
Also, direct contact numbers for the RE Office will be posted in the coming days on their website so that schools, parishes and parents can contact them directly. Plus, they will continue to add video content to the supporting sacramental preparation materials on their website here on this link.
https://www.rercglasgow.org/primary.html

nToday is the anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley and St Andrew's parishioners were asked for their favourite Elvis hymns. Below are the ones chosen.

How Great Thou Art

The new August edition of Flourish is now online. 

In this month’s copy – which is free to download and read – you can catch up on:

• The re-opening of parishes round the Archdiocese for public Masses.
• The final chapter in the story of St Peter’s Seminary, Cardross,
• Why the Archbishop is encouraging us to write to our MSPs to protect freedom of speech
• The amazing wartime memories of the late Mgr Gaetano Rossi which explain the background to the much-loved Italian Cloister Garden adjacent to St Andrew’s Cathedral. 
• The new John L Allen column from Rome
• Art of the Month
• The latest news from parishes across the city and beyond. 

Click here to read https://www.flourishnewspaper.co.uk/downloads/Flourish-August-2020.pdf

"If the consciousness of universal brotherhood truly penetrates into the hearts of men, will they still need to arm themselves to the point of becoming blind and fanatic killers of their brethren who in themselves are innocent, and of perpetrating, as a contribution to Peace, butchery of untold magnitude, as at Hiroshima on 6 August 1945?"

Blessed Pope Paul VI, Message for World Day of Peace, 1967

The remembrances of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6th and 9th August 1945 respectively take place each year. These remain the first, and thus far only uses of nuclear weapons in war.