This “gem church” will be open each day for private prayer and meditation from 9.30am. until 3.30pm.
4TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B)
WEEK: JANUARY 29TH – FEBRUARY 4TH 2012
“Here is a teaching that is new and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him”
YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below:
SICK or HOUSEBOUND: Joanna; Shirley; Joan Casey; Cecilia; Jude Michael Harrison; Regina Wisniewski; Terence & Debbie; Seamus Whelan; Catherine McCarthy; Terry Hulley; Terry Mills; Margaret Miller; Michael McGee; Kevin Henry; Nora Henry; Casey Joseph Nkeodi; Jean Hallas; Luke McSherry; Alison McGee; Joseph Philbin; George Thomas; Maurice Donovan; Antonio Caso.
LATELY DEAD: Andrew Fairfoull; Anne Fleming; Billy Preston.
ANNIVERSARIES: Desmond McMahon; Annie Flanagan; George Kenworthy; Elsie Farrell; John Carroll; Daniel McGivern.
May they rest in peace.
SUNDAY COLLECTION: Envelopes: £467.10; Loose: £212.76; Total: £679.86
Thank you all for your continued generosity.
DONATIONS/COLLECTIONS: many thanks for the following donations:
Bell Tower Fund: Loose: £10.92 and £3.20
Gift Aided: £16.98; £12.65 and £6.45
Also, £31.36 for CAFOD. A letter of thanks has been received from CAFOD for your recent donations which totalled £1,869.64. The letter is on the church notice board.
THIS WEEK’S SAINTS
St John Bosco: born near Turin in 1815, he was ordained priest and laboured to improve the education of young people, founding in 1859 a religious congregation, called the Salesians, for this purpose.
St. Blaise: very little is known about Blaise, except that he was the bishop of Sivas (Armenia) in the fourth century. He is associated with the healing of throats.
St. Ansgar is the missionary of Scandinavia. He set out in 826 to preach the Gospel in Denmark, and despite great difficulties he persevered in his mission until his death in 865.
“BITS and PIECES”
- For the last nine years the Catholic Bishops’ Conference has organised Parliamentary and Public Policy Internships for recently graduated Catholics. This year they are offering 8 internships: 5 will be placed with Christian MPs at Westminster; 2 in Public Policy with CAFOD and CARITAS Social Action Network; and 1 in a media internship at Archbishop’s House, Westminster. All will run from September 2012 – July 2013 and include accommodation and subsistence allowances. Full details and an application form can be found on website www.catholicnews.org.uk/interns.
- Caritas Diocese of Salford is looking to recruit Service Manager (Community Services) to lead on the management and strategic development of community services and to be responsible for the development of new projects and related resources. Closing date is Wednesday 8th February. For an application pack, please email Rachel Birks at recruitment@caritassalford.org.uk or phone 0161 817 2250.
- The Churches Together in Oldham are holding their annual meal on Friday 24th February at 7.30pm at the Salt Cellar, Church Lane, Oldham. The cost is £13 per person and the speaker is Dave Smith from the BOAZ Trust. Please book places with Biddy Dawson by phoning 0161 678 8926 or emailing at biddyd@hotmail.co.uk. The menu and booking form is on the church notice board.
READERS: 10.00am. Mass 11.30am. Mass 6.00pm. Mass
TODAY: Sr. Eileen & J. Finch M. Howell C. Dodd
NEXT SUNDAY: 2 Youths C. O’Donnell C. Douglas
CHURCH CLEANING ROTA
This week: Week 1 - Hilary & Ruth Hockenhull
Next week: Week 2 - Joyce & David Daka and friends (African)
“WHAT’S ON” THIS WEEK
THURSDAY: St Patrick’s Parish Team meeting at 7.30pm.
SATURDAY: the wedding of Matthew George McGlade and Gemma Louise Jones takes place in St. Mary’s church at 2.00pm. We congratulate them both and wish them many blessings in the future.
NEXT SUNDAY: the 3s – 11s Children’s Liturgy Group meet during the 10.00am Mass in St. Patrick’s church.
ALSO, the baptism and christening of Weya Kahina takes place during the 10.00am Mass in St. Patrick’s church.
ALSO, there is a Mass for the Italian community in St. Patrick’s church at 2.00pm.
PARISH NEWS
- Lenten Station Masses will all start at 7.30pm in the following churches:
Tuesday 28th February at Ss. Aidan & Oswald’s, Royton, led by Bishop Brain.
Tuesday 6th March at St. Joseph’s, Shaw.
Tuesday 13th March at St. Anne’s, Greenacres.
Tuesday 20th March at St. Joseph’s, Mossley.
Tuesday 27th March at St. Christopher’s, Ashton-under-Lyne.
- Will St. Patrick’s Readers and Eucharistic Ministers please take a copy of the rota for February – April from the Sacristy after Mass today, if you have not done so already.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Please see the church notice board for further details of the following:
- St. Mary’s Parish Team meeting at 7.30pm on Monday 6th February.
- Lenten Station Mass at Ss. Aidan & Oswald’s, Royton, on Tues. 28th Feb. at 7.30pm.
- 3s – 11s Children’s Liturgy Group meets during the 10.00am Mass on 4th March.
- Lenten Station Mass at St. Joseph’s, Shaw, at 7.30pm on Tuesday 6th March.
- Sacramental Programme: parents’ meeting & children’s lesson in school at 3.15pm on Wednesday 14th March.
- Sacramental Programme: celebration – “We Celebrate God’s Gifts” at the 10.00am Mass in St. Patrick’s church on Sunday 18th March.
- Confirmation at 7pm in St. Patrick’s church on Tues. 15th May will be by Bishop Brain.
- Parish Day of Prayer for Vocations on Monday 30th July.
- School Day of Prayer for Vocations on Monday 5th November.
PRAISE INDEED!
The following email arrived at church in December:
“Early September, on a visit to the UK for a funeral, I visited St. Patrick’s church, where I used to go twice a day before and after school (it was next door then). It was mid-afternoon and unfortunately the church was empty (except for Jesus), so I prayed for everyone not there. I was pleased to see on the display of the Parish Council one person I knew and I picked up the parish newsletter and have read this many, many times, and roared with laughter at the “Smile-A-While” segment. Further, I have distributed this segment in my parish (St. Mary Mackillop, Birkdale, Queensland, Australia) and in turn it has been sent to schools, other parishes and many priests, which enlightened the day of everyone that read it. I was just filing away the newsletter and thought I would just let you know that your newsletter is being read and enjoyed right across the world and I would also like to congratulate you and the whole parish on the standard of maintenance of the church. I believe it’s improved and this would have meant many sacrifices over the years. Finally, wishing you and all the parish all the blessings of Christmas and peace every day. ( James Walsh, ex-student, St. Patrick’s school)
“SMILE – A – WHILE” (thanks to St. Anne’s newsletter)
When the nuns in a convent won a Mini car in a Christmas Draw, the Mother Superior said it would be ideal for doing their weekly shopping at Tesco. She said Sr. Felicity could drive them there, and on Saturday morning the two of them set off but when they arrived at the store, the car park was full. “Never mind,” Rev Mother said, “Drop me at the door, drive round the block for twenty minutes or so, then come and collect me”. Sr. Felicity drove off but was soon stuck in traffic and when Rev. Mother came out with the shopping, there was no sign of the car. A policeman saw she was upset and asked if he could help. “Have you seen a nun in a little red Mini?” she inquired. “No, Sister, I haven’t,” he replied, “but these days, nothing would surprise me!”
- (and now a joke to celebrate the Scottish poet Robert Burns)
David Cameron is visiting a Glasgow hospital and enters a ward full of patients with no obvious sign of injury or illness. He greets one patient who replies, “Fair fa your honest sonsie face, great chieftain o’ the pudding race, aboon them a ye take yer place, painch, tripe or thairm, as langs my airm”. Cameron is confused, so he just grins and moves on to the next patient who responds, “Some hae meat an canna eat, and some wad eat that want it, but we hae meat an we can eat, so let the Lord be thankit”. Even more confused, he just grins and moves on to the next patient, who immediately begins to chant, “Wee sleekit, cowerin, timorous beasty, O the panic in thy breasty, thou needna start awa sae hastie, wi bickering brattle”. Now seriously troubled, Cameron turns to the accompanying doctor and asks, “Is this a psychiatric ward?” and the doctor replies, “No, This is the serious Burns unit!” (Burns’ night, January 25th)