It’s been a wee while since A few words.....

Hope all’s well.

It was a delight at the weekend there seeing us now needing to use the lower hall as a second overflow area for Mass. It has been great there being a steady increase over the weeks in the number of people coming to Mass.  With large screens in both halls, across the three weekend Masses, we can seat well over 300 people.

If you haven’t already, go to here on this link to register for the booking process for vigil and Sunday Masses. No need to book for weekday Mass. Just turn up. If you can’t manage along, Mass is live streamed daily on our YouTube channel at 10am.
 
A huge thanks to all the parishioners for your cooperation, support and patience while we settle into the new queuing system that's in place. A huge thanks, too, to all our many volunteers for their help and support in the many areas of parish life.

We’ve got our thinking caps on for Masses for Christmas. Usually, we have around 1,800 people attending our Christmas Masses. Hard to gauge what the attendance will be this Christmas.  We’ll keep you informed re arrangements.
 
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, well at least a little anyway - get ready for the big day with a selection of Advent Calendars and Christmas cards from our online piety stall. Piety Stall is here on this link.
 
Have a good week.

Stay safe.

Pray safe.

​Fr Mackle

Light a candle this evening in your home.

In the UK, there are an estimated 136,000 men, women and children trapped in modern slavery. 
Light a candle safely this evening and place it at your window. 

​Be vigilant in the fight against slavery taking place in many hidden ways in the midst of society. 

Among our tasks as witnesses to the love of Christ is that of giving a voice to the cry of the poor, so that they are not abandoned to the laws of an economy that seems at times to treat people as mere consumers.
​
​Pope Francis, Address to Archbishop Justin Welby, 14 June 2013 

It’s great we are able to live stream all our liturgies.

Just to remind you of live streamed and not public October Devotions this Sunday at 4.30 p.m.

Rosary and Benediction on our YouTube channel to which you can subscribe on this link.

Stay safe.

Pray safe.

A member of the millennial generation, 15 year old Carlo Acutis, was beatified on 10th October in Assisi. He was a natural jokester who enjoyed making his classmates and teachers laugh. He loved football and video games. His passion for the Eucharist and internet savvy have left us a tangible connection with him.

We are delighted to let you know that the St Andrew’s Piety Stall has gone online, so you can order Christmas cards, Advent calendars, Advent candles and Christmas Eve boxes from the comfort of your own home.  The Christmas Eve box is a new line, to make Christmas Eve extra special, comprising a beautiful selection of gifts for children, comprising a Christmas candle, mini Nativity snow globe, children's Christmas story book, wooden angel to decorate and a tube of sweets.

All orders can be collected from the organiser’s homes in Bearsden, but if that’s not possible we will arrange local delivery.

We have limited stock, so best to place your orders sooner rather than later.  As always, all profits go directly to Church funds.

Congratulations to David Maguire who has been honoured with an M.B.E. in the recent Honours List.  

During Lockdown David repurposed his restaurant GWR, next to Gartnavel Hospital, to provide free hot meals for NHS staff, the homeless and those served by Drumchapel and St Gregory’s food banks.

His team at GWR worked tirelessly and were always cheerful and helpful.

This initiative could not have succeeded without the volunteer drivers from within the parish co-ordinated by Veronica McLaughlin. 

​Thanks also to the St Nicholas Care Fund who were able to provide some financial support. 

We pray for the peaceful repose of the souls of Keith McVicar, Brendan Parker, Mary Glen and Winnie Ryan whose private funerals liturgies will take place this week and next. 

Our deepest and most prayerful sympathies to their families.

May God give Keith, Brendan, Mary and Winnie rest and peace in the kingdom of light.

An option when making your offering - PayPal are offering 0% fees on payments made through the QR code until December 31st 2020.

St Andrew's QR Code is below and on the homepage and footer of all pages on this site as well  as in the porch and hall. Just photograph it with your phone.

It requires a PayPal account.

​Many thanks

The Youth Ministry Team for St Andrew's and St Joseph's parishes met this week via zoom 

While there was real disappointment at the inevitable cancellation of the events planned for this year, the team are keen that the young people of both parishes should know they have certainly not been forgotten. 

We hope to be able to plan some youth activities - whether virtual or in person - before Christmas and we are looking at ways to support the continuation of the Pope Francis Faith Award for pupils in P6 and P7.

In the meantime, we congratulate and pray for all our young parishioners who will make their First Confession and First Holy Communion very soon.

​Also, we look forward to the celebration of Confirmation in November.