St. matthew’s parish newsletter

St Matthew’s
Parish
Celebrating
70 Years
1946 - 2016

Sunday 28th MAY 2017
Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year A
Priests of the Parish: Canon Robert Hill & Fr. Eamon Friel
Telephone: 0141 772 1619
Email:
Website: www.saintmatthews.scot

Priests of the Parish: Canon Robert Hill; Fr. Eamon Friel

Telephone: 0141 772 1619

New Parish Email:

New Parish Website: www.saintmatthews.scot

Items for inclusion in the newsletter can be sent to . Items must be received before the Friday prior to the publication.

Sunday Masses: Saturday Vigil:5.30pm. Sunday: 9.30 am, 11.00 am and 12.15 pm

Weekday Masses: Monday to Friday: 10.00 am. Saturday:10.00 am

Please note: the 7.30 am Mass is suspended until further notice.

Holyday of Obligation Masses: Vigil Mass: 7.30pm. 7.30 am, 10.00 am and 7.30 pm

Confessions: Saturdays, from after the 10.00 am Mass, and from 5.00 pm to 5.20 pm

***PLEASE NOTE PARISH EMAIL ADDRESS:

Please visit our new website – www.saintmatthews.scot

To access the website, please do so through www.saintmatthews.scot. In changing the website, we relinquished ownership of the old URL. This means that a google or other search will take you to a site other than St. Matthew’s parish!

THE BIG – AND LONG-AWAITED! - ANNOUNCEMENT: on Tuesday 23 May 2017, we received notice that East Dunbartonshire Council have granted St. Matthew’s Parish and the Archdiocese of Glasgow permission to carry out the proposed alterations to the church building. We have also received permission to make alterations to a listed building (our church is category ‘C’ listed). Here are statements of consent for both of these:

“The Council as planning authority have decided to grant of planning permission in respect of Refurbishment of exterior of existing church and construction of extension to south elevation with associated external paved landscaping. at: St Matthews Catholic Church, Kirkintilloch Road, Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire, G64 2LZ I accordingly enclose a formal notice of consent.”

Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Area)(Scotland) Act 1997 Listed Building Consent Application The Council as planning authority have decided to grant Listed Building Consent in respect of Refurbishment of exterior and interior of existing church and construction of extension to south elevation with associated external paved landscaping. at: St Matthews Catholic Church, Kirkintilloch Road, Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire, G64 2LZ I accordingly enclose a formal notice of consent.”

We will now begin the task of putting in place a strategy for raising the money for this project. It is anticipated that we will get down to the serious business of launching our campaign to finance the project after the summer holiday period (August/September 2017). More details as and when they become available will be posted here and on the parish website

GENERAL ELECTION: visit the websitewww.wheredotheystand.org.ukto question your candidates on crucial life issues such as abortion and assisted suicide. Just fill in a few basic details and the system does the rest! Note that while abortion and assisted suicide are both matters devolved to the Scottish Parliament their importance is so significant that we ought to challenge UK Parliamentary candidates on them and ascertain their views.

DAY FOR LIFE: St. John Paul II, when he was Pope, asked that every country designate a day as the Day for Life. In Scotland, this is marked on the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on 31 May. A collection for medical research into life issues which are in keeping with the teaching of the Catholic Church is taken up on the Sunday nearest to the day for life – 4 June this year.

FIRST COMMUNION MASSES IN ST MATTHEW’S: The children of the parish have now celebrated their First Communion over the two Saturdays 13 and 20 May, at the 10 am Mass. Congratulations and thanks to the children, their parents/guardians and their teachers and other staff members of St. Matthew’s Primary school and our parish catechists in your prayers.

FORTHCOMING GENERAL ELECTION – Statement from the Scottish Bishops: The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland has issued a letter highlighting issues which are important to consider when voting in an election. This statement highlights some of the relevant aspects of Catholic teaching and is designed to assist the process of deciding on the candidates to vote for when so many of today’s issues have important and often complex implications. Copies of this letter ran out last week, but more are available at the exits from the church. Please take a copy.

READERS AND INTERCESSORS:It would be very helpful when contacting people, particularly at Easter and Christmas when special arrangements have to be made, if the person who makes up the rota could contact members of the team by email. To this end, could you please forward your email address to Jim Campbell at.

40 HOURS, SACRED HEART, BRIDGETON will take place from Sun 25th until Tues 27th June rather than on published dates of 11th -13th June.

SVDP SUMMER OUTING: The SVDP Senior Citizen summer outing to Largs will take place on Saturday, 17th June, priced £10, with lunch at the Brisbane Hotel. The bus will leave South Crosshill Rd at 11:00am. For more information, or to book a place, call 563 4026 or 772 1250 or speak to any member of the SVDP.

ANNUAL REMINDER TO GIFT AID DONORS: Donors must pay sufficient income tax or capital gains tax to cover the amount reclaimed by the Archdiocese.For most people there is no need for concern as the tax claimed is usually small compared with the amount paid on their income or capital gains.

CHURCH CLEANING: Team C will be on duty Friday 2nd June.

FORTHCOMING PARISH MEETINGS:

RCIA / 7.00 pm, Tuesday 6 June 2017 / Presbytery

RECENT COLLECTIONS:

DATE / 1st Collection / 2nd Collection (Building Fund) / Other
Sun 21 May / £1106.83 / £768.54 / xxxxxxxx

Many thanks.

FORTHCOMING SPECIAL COLLECTIONS:

Communications (Communications Sunday, 7th Sunday, Easter) / 28 May 2017
Day for Life/Pro-Life / 4 June 2017
Assisted Parishes / 18 June 2017

PARISH BARBECUE AND CHILDREN’S PARTY. This will be held in the church grounds on Sunday, 11th June at 1.30pm with professional entertainment for children provided in the hall at the same time. Tickets costing £4 for adults, £2 for children and £10 for families will be available after all Masses. Entry will be by ticket only so make sure to get your tickets early. Burgers, hot dogs, tea/coffee will be included in the price but please bring your own drinks and/or nibbles. Helpers are needed to set up and run the event (Contact Terry Tel.563 4026). Finally, we would be grateful for donations for our tombola stall. There will be a box at the back of the church for these. PS. There will be tables set up in the hall for adults who don’t like the sun (or the wind and rain!).

MARY’S MEALS works to provide a daily meal in school for some of the world’s poorest children. Thanks to the generosity of wonderful supporters such as you, we are now reaching more than 1.1 million children every school day in 14 countries. You can assist us by donating any unwanted clothing or bedding (excluding pillows and duvets). Recycling these materials generates money to help feed hungry children. Last year, the clothing collections raised more than £175 000. A few bin bags filled with textiles could generate enough funds to feed a child with Mary’s Meals for an entire school year (£13.90). Our volunteers will be visiting St Matthew’s on the weekend of 17/18th June. We will also be selling raffle tickets after all masses that weekend. Tickets cost £1 each.

PLEASE NOTE: The van will collect textiles after the Sunday morning masses only. We regret we are unable to uplift bric-a-brac and cannot collect any donations in the evenings. Many thanks for all your support. (website: www.marysmeals.org.uk)

ST MARGARET’S ADOPTION SOCIETY: Annual Mass and Gathering, Sun 4th June. Mass will be celebrated at 2pm in St Andrew’s Cathedral, Clyde St, Glasgow. Refreshments and children’s entertainment will follow. All welcome.

BISHOPBRIGGS CHURCHES TOGETHER: Meeting on Mon 15th May at 7.30pm in Woodhill Evangelical Church in Wester Cleddens Rd. Arrangements for Christian Aid week, Bishopbriggs Gala Day and FairTrade will be discussed. All are welcome to the meeting.

MONTHLY MASS FOR VOCATIONS takes place at the Little Sisters of the Poor, St Joseph’s, Robroyston on Mon 30th May at 7.45pm. Fr Joe McAuley will celebrate mass. We look forward to you joining with us in praying for vocations.

FUN RUN FOR SCIAF: Come along and take part in SCIAF’s very first fundraising 5K Fun Run! This will take place on Saturday 24th June at 12 noon in Strathclyde Country Park at the Water Sports Centre. The fun run will help raise vital funds for our life-changing work to support some of the poorest communities around the world. Keen runners can zip round the beautiful route. Families and friends can come together for a fun day out. For others, a pleasant morning stroll to help people in need overseas will be inspiring. Whatever your level of fitness, come and join us. Face painting, music, games, home baking and stalls will provide something for everyone.

AGAP FILM AND FAITH CLUB will meet at 1pm for a Matinee and also at 7pm on Thursday 1st June at St Mungo’s Retreat House, next to St Mungo’s Church, Townhead, 52 Parson St, G4 0RX. This month’s film is “The Good Pope” (2003), Cert PG. New members welcome. Totally free! Big screen and speakers. Tea/coffee and chat. Due to large numbers attending, please register your place beforehand either through Eventbrite on www.eventbrite.co.uk, email or call 0141 552 5527.

RCAG “THE SUMMIT” : Calling all Secondary school pupils! Fear not, you don’t need your hiking boots … we aren’t the biggest fans of climbing mountains either! Jam-packed with exciting talks, workshops, activities, Holy Mass and some decent scran – you’d be crazy to miss it! It’ll take place in Bl. John Duns Scotus RC Church, G5 0YT (10 mins walk from city centre) 2-5pm on Sun 14th May & 11th June. We look forward to meeting y’all. For more info or to contact us, check out our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/RCAGYouth.

AVAILABLE: fitted combination oven-microwave-oven-grill. The appliance is just under 18 months old and in excellent condition, but is no longer suitable for the present owner. It is being offered to any parishioner who might find this useful. The unit would need to be fitted, but it can be viewed on line at:

http://www.cookersandovens.co. uk/Smeg-SC445MCX1-Cucina- Stainless-Steel-Compact- Combination-Microwave-Oven. html

http://www.smeguk.com/product/ sc445mcx1/

To make contact with the donor, please see Fr. Hill, who can provide further information.

2 | Page