St Mary’s, Lanark
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§ St Mary’s, Lanark 70 Bannatyne Street, Lanark, ML11 7JS Tel. 01555 662234 Email – [email protected] Parish Priest – Fr. Thomas W. Doyle Mass Times Saturday Evening Vigil Mass : 5.00pm Sunday Morning Mass : 10.30am Monday/Wednesday/Friday Weekday Masses: 9.30am Mass will also be available live at 10.30am on Sunday morning, and available to watch anytime after that on our Facebook page. - To book for next weekends Masses please call 01555 662234 or 07936306344 between the following times: Booking Times: Thursdays : 9am–12pm Fridays: 9am –12pm (For more details on booking Mass, please see the Updates & News Section of the website.) - There is no need to book for weekday mass, however we will require contact details on arrival and still require to maintain the current guidelines. We are still under the Government’s protocol of only 50 Parishioners at each Mass. - Morning prayer sessions have been suspended with the resumption of Mass. Sunday the 27 th of September 2020 – Twenty Sixth Sunday of Year A Anniversaries & Recent Deaths Please pray for the Anniversary of: Keith Mooney Feast Days: Tuesday - SS Michael, Gabriel & Raphael Archangels Wednesday - St Jerome Thursday - St Theresa of the Child Jesus Friday - Guardian Angels I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the parishioners of St Mary’s, St Isidore’s & St Mary Magdalene for their kindness and support in my priestly ministry among you. Your faith and commitments to your parish has been outstanding, especially at this most difficult time; as we continue to work in a restricted fashion in the face of the pandemic. I pray that God will continue to bless you and your families and keep you safe and secure in His loving embrace. I am sure that you will extend to Fr. John Paul a warm and joyful welcome as he begins his ministry as Parish Priest. With every blessing and prayer, Fr. Thomas Doyle October is the Month of the Holy Rosary : “The rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at a heart a Christ-centered prayer. It has all the depth of the gospel message in its entirety. It is an echo of the prayer of Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the redemptive Incarnation which began in her virginal womb” (Blessed John Paul II, apostolic letter, The Rosary of the Virgin Mary)
Transcript of St Mary’s, Lanark
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St Mary’s, Lanark 70 Bannatyne Street, Lanark, ML11 7JS Tel. 01555 662234 Email – [email protected] Parish Priest – Fr. Thomas W. Doyle
MassTimesSaturdayEveningVigilMass: 5.00pmSundayMorningMass: 10.30amMonday/Wednesday/FridayWeekdayMasses: 9.30amMasswillalsobeavailableliveat10.30amonSundaymorning,andavailabletowatchanytimeafterthatonourFacebookpage.-TobookfornextweekendsMassespleasecall01555662234or07936306344betweenthefollowingtimes:BookingTimes:Thursdays:9am–12pm Fridays:9am–12pm(FormoredetailsonbookingMass,pleaseseetheUpdates&NewsSectionofthewebsite.)-Thereisnoneedtobookforweekdaymass,howeverwewillrequirecontactdetailsonarrivalandstillrequiretomaintainthecurrentguidelines.WearestillundertheGovernment’sprotocolofonly50ParishionersateachMass.-MorningprayersessionshavebeensuspendedwiththeresumptionofMass.
Sundaythe27thofSeptember2020–TwentySixthSundayofYearA
Anniversaries&RecentDeathsPleaseprayfortheAnniversaryof:KeithMooney
FeastDays:Tuesday-SSMichael,Gabriel&RaphaelArchangelsWednesday-StJeromeThursday-StTheresaoftheChildJesusFriday-GuardianAngels
IwouldliketotakethisopportunitytosincerelythanktheparishionersofStMary’s,StIsidore’s&StMaryMagdalenefortheirkindnessandsupportinmypriestlyministryamongyou.Yourfaithand
commitmentstoyourparishhasbeenoutstanding,especiallyatthismostdifficulttime;aswecontinuetoworkinarestrictedfashioninthefaceofthe
pandemic.IpraythatGodwillcontinuetoblessyouandyourfamiliesandkeepyousafeandsecureinHislovingembrace.IamsurethatyouwillextendtoFr.JohnPaulawarmandjoyfulwelcomeashebegins
hisministryasParishPriest.Witheveryblessingandprayer,
Fr. Thomas Doyle
October is the Month of the Holy Rosary : “The rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at a heart a Christ-centered prayer. It has all the depth of the gospel message in its entirety. It is an echo of the prayer of Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the redemptive Incarnation which began in her virginal womb” (Blessed John Paul II, apostolic letter, The Rosary of the Virgin Mary)
Sunday Reflection - Echoing the complaint heard in last week’s readings, today’s FirstReadingagainpresentsproteststhatGodisn’tfair.WhydoesHepunishwithdeathonewhobeginsinvirtuebutfalls intoiniquity,whilegranting lifetothewickedonewhoturns fromsin?ThisisthequestionthatJesustakesupintheparableintoday’sGospel.The first son represents the most heinous sinners of Jesus’ day—tax collectors andprostitutes—whobytheirsinatfirstrefusedtoserveintheLord’svineyard,thekingdom.AtthepreachingofJohntheBaptist,theyrepentedanddidwhatwasrightandjust.ThesecondsonrepresentsIsrael’sleaders—whosaidtheywouldserveGodinthevineyard,butrefusedto believe John when he told them they must produce good fruits as evidence of theirrepentance(seeMatthew3:8).Onceagain, thisweek’sreadingsinviteustoponder theunfathomablewaysofGod’s justiceandmercy.HeteachesHiswaysonlytothehumble,aswesingintoday’sPsalm.AndintheEpistle today,Paulpresents Jesusas themodelof thathumilitybywhichwecometoknowlife’struepath.PaulsingsabeautifulhymntotheIncarnation.UnlikeAdam,thefirstman,whoinhispridegraspedatbeingGod,theNewAdam,Jesus,humbledhimselftobecomeaslave,obedientevenuntodeathonthecross(seeRomans5:14).InthisHehasshownsinners,eachoneofus,theway back to the Father.We can only come to God to serve inHis vineyard, theChurch, byhavingthatsameattitudeasChrist.ThisiswhatIsrael’sleaderslacked.Intheirvainglory,theypresumedtheirsuperiority-thattheyhadnofurtherneedtohearGod’sWordorlistentoGod’sservants.But this is the way to death, as God tells Ezekiel today. We are always to be emptyingourselves,seekingforgivenessforoursinsandfrailties,confessingonbendedkneethatHeisLord,tothegloryoftheFather.
SaintJerome:Mostofthesaintsarerememberedforsomeoutstandingvirtueordevotion,whichtheypracticed,butJeromeisfrequentlyrememberedforhisbadtemper!Itistruethathehadaverybadtemperandcoulduseavitriolicpen,buthisloveforGodandhissonJesusChristwasextraordinarilyintense;anyonewhotaughterrorwasanenemyofGodandtruth,andSaintJeromewentafterhimorherwithhismightyandsometimessarcasticpen.HewasaboveallaScripturescholar,translatingmostoftheOldTestamentfromtheHebrew.Jeromealsowrotecommentarieswhichareagreatsourceofscripturalinspirationforustoday.Hewasanavidstudent,athoroughscholar,aprodigiousletter-writerandaconsultanttomonk,bishop,andpope.SaintAugustinesaidofhim,“WhatJeromeisignorantof,nomortalhaseverknown.”SaintJeromeisparticularlyimportantforhavingmadeatranslationoftheBiblewhichcametobecalledtheVulgate.ItisnotthemostcriticaleditionoftheBible,butitsacceptancebytheChurchwasfortunate.Asamodernscholarsays,“NomanbeforeJeromeoramonghiscontemporariesandveryfewmenformanycenturiesafterwardsweresowellqualifiedtodothework.”TheCouncilofTrentcalledforanewandcorrectededitionoftheVulgate,anddeclaredittheauthentictexttobeusedintheChurch.Inordertobeabletodosuchwork,Jeromepreparedhimselfwell.HewasamasterofLatin,Greek,Hebrew,andChaldaic.Hebeganhisstudiesathisbirthplace,StridoninDalmatia.Afterhispreliminaryeducation,hewenttoRome,thecenteroflearningatthattime,andthencetoTrier,Germany,wherethescholarwasverymuchinevidence.Hespentseveralyearsineachplace,alwaystryingtofindtheverybestteachers.HeonceservedasprivatesecretarytoPopeDamasus.Afterthesepreparatorystudies,hetraveledextensivelyinPalestine,markingeachspotofChrist’slifewithanoutpouringofdevotion.Mysticthathewas,hespentfiveyearsinthedesertofChalcissothathemightgivehimselfuptoprayer,penance,andstudy.Finally,hesettledinBethlehem,wherehelivedinthecavebelievedtohavebeenthebirthplaceofChrist.JeromediedinBethlehem,andtheremainsofhisbodynowlieburiedintheBasilicaofSt.MaryMajorinRome.
LiturgicalGuidelinesforHolyMassRecognisingthatthevirusispredominantlycontagiousthroughthebreathinginofairdroplets,theseguidelinesarebasedontheneedtoreducethelengthoftimewhenparishionersaretogether.ThesearetentativestepsforreturningtoMassandmaybereviewedatanytime:-SingingofMasspartsandhymnsmaybeomitted.
-BoththeGloriaandtheCreedmaybeomitted.
-AtSundayMassthesecondreadingmaybeomitted.
-Thesermonshouldbebrief.
-Inplaceofthewords“BodyofChrist”foreachcommunicant,beforetheCelebrantreceivesHolyCommunion,hemaysaythewordsMaytheBodyandBloodofChristkeepusallsafetoeternallife,towhichthecongregationrespondsAmen.
-InaccordancewiththenationalprotocolonInfectionControl,itisrecommendedthatHolyCommunionbereceivedinthehandforthedurationofthepandemic.
-Thecommunicantshouldextendhis/herhandstoreceivethehostandthensteptwopacestothesideinordertoplacethehostonthetongue.
-HolyCommunionmaybedistributedaftertheFinalPrayer.ParishionersmaybedirectedtoleavetheChurchimmediatelyafterreceivingHolyCommunion.
ArchangelsMichael,GabrielandRaphael:Angels—messengersfromGod—appearfrequentlyinScripture,butonlyMichael,GabrielandRaphaelarenamed.MichaelappearsinDaniel’svisionas“thegreatprince”whodefendsIsraelagainstitsenemies;intheBookofRevelation,heleadsGod’sarmiestofinalvictoryovertheforcesofevil.DevotiontoMichaelistheoldestangelicdevotion,risingintheEastinthefourthcentury.TheChurchintheWestbegantoobserveafeasthonoringMichaelandtheangelsinthefifthcentury.GabrielalsomakesanappearanceinDaniel’svisions,announcingMichael’sroleinGod’splan.Hisbest-knownappearanceinthescripturesisattheAnnunciationwhenheinvitesMary,tobepartofGod’splanandsheconsentstobeartheMessiah.Raphael’sactivityisconfinedtotheOldTestamentstoryofTobit.ThereheappearstoguideTobit’ssonTobiahthroughaseriesoffantasticadventureswhichleadtoathreefoldhappyending:Tobiah’smarriagetoSarah,thehealingofTobit’sblindness,andtherestorationofthefamilyfortune.
SaintThérèseofLisieux:“Ipreferthemonotonyofobscuresacrificetoallecstasies.Topickupapinforlovecanconvertasoul.”ThesearethewordsofThérèseofLisieux,aCarmelitenuncalledthe“LittleFlower,”wholivedacloisteredlifeofobscurityintheconventofLisieux,France.Andherpreferenceforhiddensacrificedidindeedconvertsouls.FewsaintsofGodaremorepopularthanthisyoungnun.Herautobiography,TheStoryofaSoul,isreadandlovedthroughouttheworld.ThérèseMartinenteredtheconventattheageof15anddiedin1897attheageof24.LifeinaCarmeliteconventisindeeduneventfulandconsistsmainlyofprayerandharddomesticwork.ButThérèsepossessedthatholyinsightthatredeemsthetime,howeverdullthattimemaybe.Shesawinquietsufferingaredemptivesuffering,sufferingthatwasindeedherapostolate.ThérèsesaidshecametotheCarmelconvent“tosavesoulsandprayforpriests.”Andshortlybeforeshedied,shewrote:“Iwanttospendmyheavendoinggoodonearth.”Thérèsewascanonizedin1925.OnOctober19,1997,PopeJohnPaulIIproclaimedheraDoctoroftheChurch,thethirdwomantobesorecognizedinlightofherholinessandtheinfluenceofherteachingonspiritualityintheChurch.
KeepingInTouchIfyouoranyoneyouknow,requireshelporinformation,oryouwouldliketoofferhelpwithinourParish,pleasegetintouchon01555662234oremailusatstmarylanark@rcdom.or.ukTokeepuptodatewithanyParishnewsorupdatespleasevisit:Facebookpage-StMary’sRCChurch Website–www.stmaryslanark.org.uk
RegisteredCharityNumber–SCO11041
PLEASENOTE:CouldanyitemsfortheBulletinpleasebesenttousnolaterthanThursday5pm,anythingreceivedafterthiswillgointhefollowingweeksBulletin.Youcanemail,phoneorputanotethroughtheParishHousedoor.Manythanks
FoodbankManythankstoallourgenerousparishionerswhosupporttheirbrothersandsistersinneedthroughdonationstothefoodbank.StMary’sParishisoneofthemajordonorstothefoodbank,giventhepresentcircumstancesmostofourusualdonationshavestoppedandtheneedhasneverbeengreater.IfyouareabletorestartyourcontributiontothefoodbankcouldyoupleasegivedonationstoapasskeeperbeforeMassorhandintotheChurchHouse.Onceagain,mayGodBlessyouforyourgenerosity&kindness.
Inkeepingwiththecurrentgovernmentadviceweremindyouofthecurrentguidelines:-WearafacecoveringintheChurch.-Observesocialdistancing.-SanitiseyourhandsatsanitizingunitsinChurch-EnterandexittheChurchusingthedooryouhavebeengivenonthetelephonewhenbookingforMass.Pleasebeassuredwehavedoneeverythingwecantocreateasafeenvironmentforyou,whenyouarriveapass-keeperwillmeetyouandguideyoutoayourseatandwillbeonhandtolookafteryouduringyourvisit.TheseguidelineshavebeensetbytheScottishGovernmentandareforyourwellbeingaswellasthatofyourbrothersandsistersintheparish.
PleaseRemember:
TheobligationtoattendSundayMasshasbeensuspended.ThosewhoareshieldingshouldnotcometomassuntiladviseditissafetodosobytheScottishGovernment.ThoseinotherhealthcategoriesshouldfollowtheGovernment’sadviceincomingtotheirdecisiontoattendmassornot.Ifyouhavesymptomsofcoronavirusorhavebeenincontactwithsomeonewhohaspleasestayathome.ForthoseintheabovecategoriesandanyonewhocannotcurrentlymakeittoMass,pleasebeassuredwealwaysrememberyouinourprayers.
FeastoftheGuardianAngelsPerhapsnoaspectofCatholicpietyisascomfortingtoparentsasthebeliefthatanangelprotectstheirlittleonesfromdangersrealandimagined.Yetguardianangelsarenotonlyforchildren.TheirroleistorepresentindividualsbeforeGod,towatchoverthemalways,toaidtheirprayer,andtopresenttheirsoulstoGodatdeath.TheconceptofanangelassignedtoguideandnurtureeachhumanbeingisadevelopmentofCatholicdoctrineandpietybasedonScripturebutnotdirectlydrawnfromit.Jesus’wordsinMatthew18:10bestsupportthebelief:“Seethatyoudonotdespiseoneoftheselittleones,forIsaytoyouthattheirangelsinheavenalwayslookuponthefaceofmyheavenlyFather.”
