OUR LADY AND ST. CHRISTOPHER’S CATHOLIC CHURCH Serving Romiley, Bredbury, and Woodley 52 Barrack Hill, Romiley, Stockport, Cheshire. SK6 3BA Tel: 0161-430 2704 www.ourladyandstchristophersromiley.org.uk e-mail: [email protected] PARISH PRIEST: ASSISTANT PRIEST: Canon Michael Gannon VG Fr. Tony McGrath SUNDAY 22 MARCH 2015 MESSAGE FROM FATHER MICHAEL We are now over halfway through Lent and it important to continue doing those things that this holy season asks of us: prayer, fasting and charitable giving, by way of preparation for Holy Week & Easter. Let our focus be on our relationship with God and others in imitation of Jesus himself whose example we are called to follow. This week we welcome the Year 4 children from our primary school to church to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Fr Tony and I will also be celebrating this sacrament with the young people at Harrytown Catholic High School. We will have our own parish celebration of Reconciliation on Wednesday next week. May God bless us all in the week ahead. SACRED LITURGY THIS WEEK The month of March is dedicated to St Joseph. Sunday Readings: Cycle B. Weekday Readings: Cycle I. Psalter: Week III Parish Mass Book 1 Page 169 The Pope’s intentions for March that those involved in scientific research may serve the well-being of the whole human person. That the unique contribution of women to the life of the Church may be recognised always. MASS TIMES and INTENTIONS (this week) Vigil Mass of the following: 6.30 pm 9.00 am 11.00 am feria 9.15 am feria 7.30 pm THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD 9.15 am feria 9.15 am feria 12 noon People of the Parish Michael Wilson RIP Winifred Mills RIP Evelyn Mitchinson RIP Int. of C. & D. Caldwell Mary Birch Lilian O’Neill RIP Dorothy White RIP 28 feria 29th Vigil Mass of the Following PASSION SUNDAY (PALM SUNDAY) Private Intention People of the Parish Raymond Brown RIP Neville Jackson RIP nd Sunday 22 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 23 th 24 th 25 th 26 th 27 Saturday Sunday rd th FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT SACRAMENTS and OTHER LITURGIES (usual schedule) Adoration of the Holy Eucharist Mon, Wed, Thurs Tuesday Saturday Sunday Sacrament of Reconciliation Mon – Fri Saturday Sunday Liturgy of the Hours Mon, Tues, Wed. Tuesday Saturday Sunday 9.15 am 6.30 pm 9.00 am 11.00 am 8.15-8.55 am 6.30 – 7.25 pm 5.30 – 6.20 pm 8.00 – 8.50 am upon request after Mass 5.45– 6.20 pm 10.20 – 10.50 am 8.55 am Morning Prayer 7.10 pm Evening Prayer 9.00 am Morning Prayer; 5.30 pm Evening Prayer 8.00 am Morning Prayer REQUIESCANT + IN PACE PRAYER & LITURGY STATIONS OF THE CROSS FOR LENT today at 3.00pm and on Friday at 7.30pm. Please come to this moving traditional devotion and remember to pray for all who suffer in any way in our world today. RECONCILIATION SERVICE FOR LENT in church on Wednesday 25 March at 7.00pm with the opportunity for individual confession. Why not avail of this opportunity to experience the mercy and forgiveness of God in this wonderful sacrament as we approach Easter. CHRIST OUR Light; how to make the most of the Triduum A 25 minute talk in the Church by Fr Tony immediately after 12 noon Mass on Friday 27th March. All welcome HOLY WEEK & EASTER READERS VOLUNTEERS FOR FEET WASHING and If you are already a reader at Mass & are available to read during Holy Week/Easter, please add your name & phone number to the sign-up sheet at the back of church. We also need 12 parishioners to volunteer to have their feet washed at the Maundy Thursday service (evening): it is always difficult to find this many people, so please consider putting your name on the list. Thank you. MUSIC FOR HOLY WEEK th On Monday 30 March at 7.30pm there will be a practice in church to run through the music for Holy Week Triduum Services. You are most welcome to attend the practice which will last for about one hour. ORDINATION PRAYER CARDS Fr Tony has left a number of prayer cards at the back of church for people to collect. Please take one and remember to pray for him especially at the start of his priestly ministry in our parish. Thank you.. FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2015 The Year 3 children in St Christopher’s RC Primary School and a smaller number of Catholic children in local non-Catholic schools will be enrolled at the 11.00am Mass next Sunday (Palm Sunday). They will make their First Holy Communion all together at the 11.00am Mass on Easter Sunday. Parents and guardians are encouraged to bring the children to the Holy Week services so they can participate in them as part of the parish community gathered to celebrate the great mysteries of our faith. Due to the large numbers expected to be at the First Communion Mass on Easter Sunday, could I ask that parishioners who normally come to the 11.00am Mass please consider coming to the Easter Vigil Mass or the earlier Mass on Easter Sunday instead? This will help to ease congestion in the church and also make it easier for car parking arrangements. Thank you. Those who have died recently: Elsie Edwards, Lilian O’Neill and Raymond Brown. Those whose anniversaries occur around this time: Joan Cooper, Ednarda Assabay Sancrabay, Emma Gilleney, Jack Burke, Ernest Chappelow, Christina Storan, Mary Gilleney, Francis Maher, Colin Sinclair, Jessie Norman, Gerard Hicket, Kathleen Tracey, Thomas Ball. May they rest in peace MARRIAGE MATTERS (www.twoinoneflesh.org.uk) Fifth Sunday of Lent (Jeremiah 31:31-34 Hebrews 5:7-9 John 12:20-33) Unconditional love Love is called to be unconditional, not ‘counting the cost’, not 50/50, but both giving 100%. Today’s Gospel reminds us a rich harvest is only possible when a single wheat grain falls on the ground and dies. Our loving efforts, trials and difficulties in marriage are ways of ‘dying’ to a lifestyle contrary to what God is calling us to. FORTHCOMING EVENTS PLANNED GIVING & GIFT AID We welcome back Mike Russell from the Planned Giving & Gift Aid Service at the Diocese who will be speaking at each of the Masses this weekend. He will talk about the different ways to help our Parish through Planned Giving, and there will also be an opportunity to join the Gift Aid scheme GENERAL ELECTION 2015 The Bishops have written a joint letter to all Catholics in England and Wales encouraging us to participate and vote in the election and offering some key issues and questions for reflection on where candidates stand. Copies are available at the back of church or may be obtained with other information, at that time, from the Bishops’ Conference website www.catholicnews.org.uk. DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES 28/29th July – August 4/5th 2015 The annual Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes takes place this th th th year from July 28 – August 5 overland and July 29 – th August 4 by air. Booking forms are available from St Alban’s Wallasey and St Peter’s Hazel Grove as well as from the pilgrimage website www.shrewsburypilgrimage.co.uk. The pilgrimage is led by Bishop Davies and in recent years some 900 people from the diocese and of all ages have joined in making the pilgrimage to this special place. All are welcome to join the pilgrimage and we look forward to receiving applications from those who have never been to Lourdes. We particularly look forward to welcoming nurses and healthcare professionals to assist in the care of the sick and less able. Full details are available on the website. Fr Michael is happy to answer any questions . FAMILY WEEKEND SAVIO HOUSE 1-3 MAY 2015 HOSPITAL CHAPLAINCY This is the last weekend for returning completed application forms for those wishing to go on the family weekend. If a relative or friend is in hospital please ensure that you contact the chaplaincy office to let them know that they will need that spiritual care and support, and if they are catholic, to receive Holy Communion, and if necessary the Sacrament of the Sick. You can do this directly by calling the chaplaincy on 419-5889. HOUSEBOUND AND THE SICK Please pray for: Fr Peter Coyle, Philip Smith, Brian Rogers, Christine Beswick, Hillary Rustage, Kieran O’Brien, Fr. Jim Farrell, Theresa Travis, Debbie Sainsbury, Dorothy Cornelly, Lionel and Jenny Rawlings, Anna Maria Bolton, Matthew Norman, Billy Lingard, Patricia Kelly, Winnie Monk, Jadar Jones, Michael Christie, Sonia Faure, Wilfred Hartley, Mandy Keane, Joyce Osbourne, Michael O’Sullivan, Bob and Mary Parker, Katelyn Reilly, Margaret Smith, Matthew Swallow, Amy Harris, Audrey Wilson, Christine Colley, Elizabeth Brown, Charlie Pigram, Bridget Robertson, Eileen Powell, Michael Walsh, Valerie Gahan, Christopher Wilkinson, Michelle Wright,Roger Armistead, Joshua Goddard, Ann Platt, Monica Jackson. Deirdre Nausen, Audrey Tynam, Gerard Davies, Gloria Flynn, Ronald Evans. Irene Daughney, David Moss, KIrsty Czyzewsky, Albert Perris and Baby William We commend them all to the prayers of our Lady and St Christopher. FINANCES EASTER FLOWERS Boxes are out on the tables in church. Any donations ,large or small towards the cost of the flowers for Easter will be gratefully received. Many thanks. GIFT AID REMINDER The Diocese claims a tax repayment of 25p for every £1 donated under the Gift Aid Scheme. If you are a Gift Aid donor, you must pay at least as much UK Income Tax and / or Capital Gains Tax as the amount reclaimed in respect of your donations by the Diocese and any other charities that you give to. If you no longer pay enough tax to cover 25% of your donations please contact Dominic Berry (Parish Gift Aid Organiser) on 0161 494 1174. JUSTICE & CHARITY WEEKLY FINANCE VOLUNTEERING SOUP(ER) LUNCHES IN LENT There will be portions of soup available every Friday in Lent th (except March 6 which is Women`s World Day of Prayer) at the 12 noon Mass. Portions of soup will be available in containers and we ask for a donation for CAFOD. This year every pound raised for CAFOD during Lent will be matched by the Government. It is a great opportunity for us to show solidarity with the poor. Please rinse and return empty soup containers as soon as possible. Thank you. OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD Our industrious knitters would be very pleased with your donations of nice chunky wool to knit hats for poor children. Wool can be placed in the wool box in the church porch. EXPLORE 2 – WORLD YOUTH DAY 2015 with Tenten Theatre company. Sunday 29th March, 2 - 5.30 pm. St Chad's College, Runcorn. Event poster in porch. See Fr. Tony for more details. SUPPORT AND CHAPLAINCY MARRIAGE CARE If you are going through difficulties in your relationship Stockport Marriage Care offer a confidential Counselling service. You can contact them on 0800-389-3801. Last week’s collection: £786.77 CAFOD: £29.50 Standing Orders for February: £2004 Thank you for your generosity CARD SALE Many thanks to Philippa and all who supported the Card Sale last weekend. £226 was raised towards the Building Fund. NEWSLETTER & WEBSITE N.B. PARISH WEBSITE Please note that there has been a slight change to the parish website address. The site address now has '.uk' on the end so it now reads: www.ourladyandstchristophersromiley.org.uk. My thanks to Matthew Standing for maintaining the website for us and seeing that it is regularly updated. EASTER EGGS ..152 Easter Eggs were delivered to the Methodist church…many, many thanks for such a generous response. ROMILEY METHODIST LADIES SOCIETY The Ladies Society has invited Mr Arthur Cross to present his film entitled”Camino de Santiago” (Pilgrimage to Santiago) in Romiley Methodist Church on Wednesday April 15, starting promptly at 7.30pm. Local parishioners, ladies, gentlemen and clergy from surrounding churches are very welcome to attend and refreshments will be served during the short interval. A charge of £2 per person will be payable at the door. In the th absence of Maurice & Glenys before April 9 please make any enquiries to Jean Browningon 430 5876 or Joan Donald on 430 6994. JOB VACANCY An Assistant Director of Primary Schools is required by the Diocese of Shrewsbury. Salary circa £52,000 - £62,000. Please see the noticebaord for further information. Further information and an application form are also available from the diocesan website www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org ORIGINAL CANON INK CARTRIDGES TO GIVE AWAY (CLI-521bk,c,m,y & PGI-520BK). Please see Christine in the parish office. CLOCKS th Go forward one hour next Saturday, 28 March. We `Spring` forward to British Summer Time.
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