THIRd sunday OF LENT (C)
READINGS FOR THE THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT (C)
First Reading – (Exodus 3: 1-8, 13-15) – God has seen the miserable state of his people in Egypt. He takes pity on them and decides to free them through the leadership of Moses. It shows God’s concern for those who are oppressed.
Responsorial Psalm – The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
Second Reading – (1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12) – Though all the people of Israel were led out of Egypt and enjoyed God’s protection in the desert, yet because of their infidelity most of them perished there. There is a great lesson and a warning in this for us Christians.
Gospel Reading – (Luke 13:1-9) – Jesus says that the misfortunes which befall people are no indication that they are sinners. Yet, to his Jewish hearers, he stresses the necessity of repentance and tells them that time is running out.
* * * * * * * * * *
INTROUCTION: Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus has called us to repent of our sins, and so we pray now for the grace and strength to respond with sincerity.
The response is… Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for the leaders of the Church: that they may constantly proclaim God’s message of hope and the need of repentance and ongoing conversion. Lord, hear us; Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for SCIAF’s partners who work in poor communities overseas, strengthening those who struggle for justice: that they may walk more closely with them in the years ahead. Lord, hear us; Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for our young people attending St. Charles’ Primary School who will be receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation in St. Bride’s Church, Cambuslang, during the week: that the Holy Spirit may give them the courage to witness to Christ by lives built on faith and love. Lord, hear us; Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for ourselves: that, as we journey through Lent, we may continue to be transformed as we seek to become more like Christ through prayer, almsgiving and fasting during this holy season. Lord, hear us; Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for all the sick of our families and our parish, those in hospital, in hospice or nursing home and those for whom we are asked to pray: that God may give them strength and fortitude, and bless those who care for them. Lord, hear us; Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for the souls of all those whose anniversaries, months mind and birthday remembrances we are asked to recall, as well as those who have recently died: that they may receive the reward of their faith and enjoy the happiness of heaven. Lord, hear us; Lord graciously hear us.
CONCLUSION: God our Father, you are that careful and patient gardener who produces fruit from the most unpromising trees. Help us to produce in our lives the fruits of true repentance. We make this prayer and all our prayers through Christ our Lord. Amen.
* * * * * * * * * *
PLEASE REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE
IN YOUR PRAYERS THIS WEEK
SICK – Isobel Cannon, Rona McPhee, Mary McKenna, Rose Gallagher, Thérèse McKeand, Stuart Mason, Martin McGuire, David O’Hare & James Hannaway.
I also ask your prayers for the sick and housebound
– those at home in our parish community, those in hospital,
and those in local nursing and care homes in Cambuslang, Halfway
& Blantyre and elsewhere. Our prayers for them
not only help in their suffering and pain but also reassure them
that they are not forgotten by our community of faith.
Our prayers help relieve their feelings of isolation and loneliness.
To be remembered before the Altar of God
brings them comfort and consolation.
Almighty and Eternal God, you are the everlasting health
of those who believe in you.
Hear us for your sick servants
for whom we implore the aid of your tender mercy,
that being restored to bodily health,
they may give thanks to you in your Church.
Through Christ our Lord.
Our Lady, Help of the Sick, pray for them.
* * * * * * * * * *
RECENTLY DEAD – James Kevin Coyle, Linda Findlay, Catherine Smith & Pamela Tarelli.
MONTHS MIND – David Ferguson (6th Months Mind).
ANNIVERSARY – Catherine wood.
Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let Perpetual Light shine upon them.
May they Rest in Peace. Amen.
CLERGY ANNIVERSARIES – MARCH
Rev. Alexander McBride 10/03/1955
Rev. John Roger 09/03/1958
Canon Patrick McCarthy 15/03/1959
Rev. Michael Little 19/03/1960
Rev. James Walsh 05/03/1965
Rev. Hugh Mahon 05/03/1971
Archbishop James Donald Scanlan 25/03/1976
Rev. Sean Mannion 10/03/1982
Rev. James McGill 12/03/1982
Rev. James Dooley 21/03/1988
Mgr. John O’Donnell 03/03/1989
Canon Patrick Kelly 29/03/1989
Rev. Patrick Kilcoyne 07/03/1990
Rev. Denis Garrity 09/03/1993
Rev. Robert Healey 13/03/1994
Rev. Patrick Brosnan 26/03/1995
Rev. John Givens 19/03/2006
Rev. William Sproule 22/03/2010
Canon Kieran O’Farrell 17/03/2014
Canon Patrick O’Hare 30/03/2016
Rev. Deacon Angus McKinnon 09/03/2018
Fr Timothy Brosnan 13/03/2018
Canon Denis Keane 29/03/2020
Monsignor Thomas O’Hare 10/03/2022
May the Lord who chose them to serve him as priests,
number them among his chosen in heaven.
Requiescant in Pace.
* * * * * * * * * *
THE SEASON OF LENT
Lent prepares us for Easter, for the Lenten liturgy disposes both the faithful and catechumens to celebrate the Paschal mystery as the centre of the liturgical year and of the Christian life. Preceded by the penitential rites of Ash Wednesday and the preparatory days following, Lent opens formally on the First Sunday and continues for 40 days until Holy Thursday. Purple is the colour of the season. We all should think about imposing some penitential practice on ourselves during Lent, making use of the Sacrament of Penance, possibly attending Mass more often, and giving more time to prayer and charitable activities.
* * * * * * * * * *
LITURGIES FOR the THIRD WEEK OF LENT
q Daily Mass - Monday to Friday at 10am.
q Stations of the Cross – Wednesday at 9.30am, with Mass at 10am.
* * * * * * * * * *
CONFIRMATIONS
Some of our young people attending St. Charles’ Primary School will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation in St. Bride’s Church, Cambuslang, on Thursday 27th March 2025 at 7pm. Please pray that our young people, strengthened by the Holy Spirit through the Sacrament of Confirmation, will be true witnesses of Christ to others. May they spread and defend the faith by word and deed.
* * * * * * * * * *
FIRST CONFESSIONS
Congratulations to all our young people from St. Cadoc’s Primary School and St. Charles’ Primary School who made their First Reconciliation on Tuesday 18th of March 2025 and Thursday 20th of March 2025 respectively. It has been great welcoming the young people to the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time. Very many thanks to the young people for all the preparation they made, as well as their teachers, parents, guardians and carers. We hope and pray that all our young people will experience the love and kindness of God when they come to confessions and continue to grow in their appreciation of this Sacrament. Thank you to Fr. Pat Hennessy for his help in hearing the children’s confession.
* * * * * * * * * *
SCIAF SUNDAY
This Sunday (23rd March 2025) we celebrate in our parish ‘SCIAF’ Sunday’, a day when we remember the poor and the needy of the world and show our solidarity with them by praying for them and also by helping them financially. The annual collection for the work of the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund which will be taken up at all Masses for the next two weekends (22ns/23rd March 2025 and 29th/30th March 2025), will go to help communities in Colombia.
For six decades, a violent civil war involving guerrilla groups, private armed groups, drug cartels and government forces have left hundreds of thousands of people dead and forced nearly seven million to flee their homes. Despite the recent peace agreement, conflict remains and Colombia has one of the highest number of internally displaced people in the world. Poverty and displacement continue to be significant problems. SCIAF has been working in Colombia since 1985, focusing on promoting peace, helping indigenous and afro-Colombian people to preserve their land, protect their land rights and protect themselves from threats from illegal mining operations. They are helping communities who were forced to flee their homes to stand up for their rights and reclaim legal access to their land. They have also provided seeds, tools, livestock and training to marginalised communities to enable them to grow more food and support themselves.
Any financial contributions you make will go to help bring hope to those struggling to find it in both Colombia, and around the world by supporting their annual Lenten appeal.
Jennifer Adams, our own parishioner, will make an appeal at all Masses next weekend on behalf of SCIAF.
A box intended for the SCIAF SUNDAY COLLECTION will be situated at the back of the church for the next two weeks beginning this weekend. I hope you will contribute with your usual generosity to this collection.
* * * * * * * * * *
PASTORAL PLANNING committee MEETING
Our next pastoral planning committee meeting will take place on Tuesday (8th April 2025) at 7pm in the church house. Minutes of the last meeting and the agenda for the next meeting can be found on the notice board at the back of the church.
* * * * * * * * * *
CHILDREN’S LITURGY
We finish the Children’s Liturgy for the Easter holiday next Sunday (30th March 2025). Thank you our dedicated team of four Children’s Liturgists (Elizabeth Gray, Marie Claire Faller, Anne-Frances McLaughlin & Bernadette Sheppard) who lead the Liturgy of the Word discussions with our young people on a weekly basis. Thank you also to the parents, guardians & carers who bring their children to our Sunday Mass on a regular basis. I wish each member of our community a safe and peaceful Easter break.
* * * * * * * * * *
WELLSPRING PROJECT
You will well remember that over a year ago the Diocese of Motherwell launched a renewal project entitled ‘Wellspring” to encourage us respond with fervour to our baptismal calling by involving ourselves in the different ministries of our parish. The Parish needs your help to respond. Can you help us realise the vision of the wellspring project?
I continue to encourage as many parishioners as possible to become involved in the day to day running of the parish. Current volunteering opportunities include Parish Pastoral Council, Finance Committee, laundering the altar linens, arranging flowers and decorating the church, as altar servers, sacristans, help in cleaning the church, readers at Mass, ministers to help distribute Holy Communion, SVDP, as pass keepers, offertory collection organisers, children’s liturgy helpers, safe-guarding co-ordinators, website co-ordinators, crib builders, volunteers to help maintain church grounds and open and close the church, etc. We are fortunate we are a parish community that lends itself to getting involved. However, opportunities exist for more parishioners to give of their time to participate in some aspect of parish life.
* * * * * * * * * *
CHURCH CLEANING
Thank you to all our parish volunteers [Irene Savage, Rose Hewitt, Rita Kelly, Anne McCafferty, Bernadette Goodwin, Frances Goodwin, Jane Ngomo, Anne Lennon & Ann Paterson] who generously gave of their time to clean the Church yesterday (Saturday). It makes all the difference! We could do with more people willing to give of their time every three weeks to help with general cleaning of the church which takes place on a Saturday morning. If you would like to help with cleaning, please contact Anne Lennon, the parish co-ordinator, or Fr. Cirilo.
* * * * * * * * * *
GIFT-AID SCHEME
We have two additional parishioners who have recently signed for the Gift-Aid Scheme. Thanks to them and all those who have answered our appeal. We are still looking for new members. If you pay tax on income/pension the church can claim back the tax through the Gift-Aid Scheme. Forms are available at the back of the church if anyone wishes to join the scheme. If you have any queries about the Gift Aid system, please contact the parish Gift Aid organiser, Mr. Jim Cunningham or Fr. Cirilo. Alternatively, you can contribute to the Sunday Mass collections via a direct debit or standing order arrangement with your bank. Thank you once again for your enduring generosity and support.
* * * * * * * * * *
GRATEFUL THANKS
Officially it is spring now, a time of growth and new life! Yet April can still be a cold month. Keeping warm during the cold weather is vital for our well-being and also required to protect the fabric of church buildings from both surface and interstitial condensation, no matter how full the pews. Our parish relies entirely on your donations and contributions to heat the church and presbytery. Thank you to all who donated and contributed financially to help us pay the heating and electricity bills over the winter months. Every little bit helps. Thank you once again for always being there to support your parish church. I look forward to your continued help and constant support.
* * * * * * * * * *
READERS NEEDED FOR WEEKDAY
& WEEKEND MASSES
Please help your parish. New readers are required for weekday and weekend Masses. If you are able to be part of this important ministry, then please contact Mrs. Anne Moran, our readers’ rota organiser, or Fr. Cirilo.
* * * * * * * * * *
RIGHT TO LIFE UK: PRAYING FOR THE UNBORN
& WOMEN FACING CRISIS PREGNANCIES
23rd March 2025 -- “On Tuesday, we celebrate the feast of the Annunciation of the Lord, the day we commemorate when the Lord Jesus took on human flesh. Let us pray that all expectant mothers and fathers will be given the grace of God and the help of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
* * * * * * * * * *
AN ACT OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
(St. Alphonsus Liguori)
(This is a simple and loving act of Spiritual Communion we are called to make in these times,
while we are unable to attend Mass and receive the Eucharist)
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the
Most Holy Sacrament.
I love you above all things, and I desire to receive you into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace you as if you were already there
and unite myself wholly to you.
Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.
PRAYER TO ST. MICHAEL
St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in the day of battle.
Be our safeguard against the wickedness
and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Hosts,
by the power of God, cast into Hell Satan, and all the evil spirits
who prowl the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
Holy mary, mother of god,
st. Joseph,
st. Michael and holy angels,
ST. CADOC,
Pray for us