21ST sunday in ordinary time (C)
READINGS FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)
First Reading – (Isiah 66:18-21) – The author describes Jews making their way back from the ends of the earth to worship in the restored city of Jerusalem. With them they bring non-Jews who join them in worshipping the one God.
Responsorial Psalm – Go into the world and proclaim the good news.
Second Reading – (Hebrew 12: 5-7, 11-13) – As a father shows his concern for is son by seeing to it that he receives training in discipline, so God trains his children through suffering so that they may grow to maturity and reach their goal.
Gospel Reading – (Luke 13:22-30) –The Kingdom of God is offered not just to the Jews but to people from the four corners of the world. However, only those who follow the path of Jesus will gain access to it.
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PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
INTROUCTION: Dear brothers and sisters, God will gather his own at the end of time. With humble confidence, let us now turn to God the Father and ask him to strengthen our faith and count us among his chosen ones, as place before him our own needs and those of the Church and the world.
The response is… Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for unity in the Church: that all Christians may value the unity of our faith in the world’s many nations and cultures. Lord, hear us; Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for the victims of the recent natural disasters throughout the world – hurricanes, floods and fires: that help be given to restore their homes and livelihoods and to rebuild their communities and neighbourhoods. Lord, hear us; Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life: that men and women may be inspired to dedicate their lives to the work of service in the Church and may respond generously to God’s call. Lord, hear us; Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for ourselves: that we may be freed from pettiness and small-mindedness as we carry out the work God has entrusted to us. 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 died recently: 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 accept us just as we are, with our own faults and failings. May we learn to accept both ourselves and those whom we meet in the same way, so that we may become the people you created, intended and want us to be. We make this prayer and all our prayers through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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PLEASE REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE
IN YOUR PRAYERS THIS WEEK
SICK – Edward McGarvie, Ron Docherty, Rona McPhee, Rose Gallagher, Thérèse McKeand, 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.
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RECENTLY DEAD – Patricia Scanlan, Dominic Pelosi, Charles McMahon Blake, John McManus & Jamie Malone.
ANNIVERSARIES – Charles Gallagher, William McCafferty, Cathie Green & Alex Dawson.
Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let Perpetual Light shine upon them.
May they Rest in Peace. Amen.
CLERGY ANNIVERSARIES – AUGUST
Rev. William Boyle 23/08/1953
Very Rev. Peter Canon Sexton 10/08/1962
Rev. William White 26/08/1962
Rev. Stephen A Keane 14/08/1963
Rev. Herbert G Rogers 25/08/1973
Rev. Patrick Hoey 22/08/1974
Rev Andrew Tunn 07/08/1975
Rt. Rev Mgr Gerard Rogers 10/08/1975
Rev. Hugh McGurk 15/08/1979
Rev. Edward Docherty 23/08/1991
Rev. Peter McCann 01/08/1994
Very Rev. Michael Canon McCarthy 30/08/2000
Rev. Colin Smith CSSp 08/08/2001
Rev. Deacon James Douglas 09/08/2001
Rev. Deacon Francis Scally 16/08/2002
Rt Rev. Mgr Hugh Beattie 24/08/2002
Rev. James Shiels 14/08/2004
Rev. Thomas Gibbons 20/08/2016
Rev Brendan Smith 22/08/2019
Very Rev. Niall Canon Hayes 25/08/2020
May the Lord who chose them to serve him as priests,
number them among his chosen in heaven.
Requiescant in Pace.
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calendar
On Tuesday we recall the memorial of St Monica, a saint specially revered by mothers because of her tireless prayers for the conversion of her wayward son, St Augustine. On Wednesday we recall the memorial of St Augustine of Hippo. Augustine was a brilliant young man whose early life was wild and unsettled. He was converted by the prayers of his mother, St Monica, and baptised by Saint Ambrose, bishop of Milan, in 387. He returned to Africa, and lived an ascetic life. He became Bishop of Hippo. His many writings present a theology and a spirituality that are exceptional, and have had great influence. The memorial of the beheading of St John the Baptist is celebrated on Thursday. This feast has its origin in Samaria, where the Baptist’s skull was venerated in the fourth century. By the seventh century the feast was celebrated everywhere recalling the greatest act of witness to Christ of John the Baptist (Mk 6:14-29). Saint Aidan, the monk of Iona who evangelised Northern England in the 7th Century is remembered on Saturday.
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TEA PARTY TO SAY “THAN YOU” TO PARISHIONERS
& WELL-WISHERS OF ST. CADOC’S
A huge and very heartfelt thanks to everyone who came, enjoyed, supported and contributed to this parish social occasion. The good company and excellent buffet meal contributed to the overall success of the evening. It was wonderful to see so many parishioners joining with me for a cup of tea and bite to eat. May the years ahead make us an even stronger parish community.
A special thank you is extended to everyone who had been involved in helping to prepare for this parish social event. I am especially grateful to Marie Martin from Bailliestion for preparing the buffet, the Clements family for providing the chairs for the day, those who donated the tasty home-baking, cakes and soft-drinks, and those who contributed to help defray the cost associated with the event. A word of appreciation and gratitude to Irene Savage, Patricia Meikle and Ellen Leonard who worked so hard on the day with setting up and tidying away the buffet meal.
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children’s liturgy
We begin the Children’s Liturgy of the Word once again at 10am Sunday Mass (except school holidays) from next Sunday 7th September 2025.
I encourage parents, guardians & carers to bring their children to the church to participate in our children’s liturgy. Our young ones are the future of our parish. Their participation in parish activities, such as the children’s liturgy, is an important step in their faith formation. It is my humble and hearty request to parents, guardians & carers that you bring your children to a Sunday Mass on a regular basis.
We currently have a 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. Two Liturgists attend each week to work with our young ones. Thanks to all those who have helped us in the Children’s Liturgy matters in previous years. We are looking for more volunteers. If any of you are interested in helping with the Children’s Liturgy Ministry on a Sunday, please contact Fr. Cirilo as soon as possible.
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SECOND COLLECTION FOR the ECCLESIASTICAL STUDENTS’ (EDUCATION) FUND
This will be the last weekend if you would like to contribute towards the annual collection to for the education of our future priests and permanent deacons. We are blessed with a good number of seminarians in Motherwell diocese at present but it is expensive to prepare them for priesthood. A box intended for the collection for the ecclesiastical students’ (education) fund is situated at the back of the church. I hope you will contribute with your usual generosity to this collection.
The ordination of Fr. Christopher Furmage to the priesthood was held in St. Augustine’s, Coatbridge on Thursday 3rd of July 2025. We wish Fr Christopher well in his ministry. He will continue to minister in St Joseph’s, Blantyre, now as an Assistant Priest.
We look forward to the Ordination to the Priesthood of Deacon Christopher Igwe, which will be in Our Lady of Good Aid Cathedral on Wednesday 3rd September. We will also celebrate the Ordination to the Diaconate of Stephen Nevans on Friday August 29th in St Benedict’s, Easterhouse, where Stephen has had his pastoral placement. Please pray for Stephen also.
Our seminarians from Scots College, Rome, are now home, and will spend the next year in parishes. Deacon Kieran Burt will do his Vocational Synthesis Year in St Barbara’s, Muirhead, and St Joseph’s, Stepps. Matthew O’Neill and Aidan Kelly will be doing the recently introduced Pastoral Year – Matthew in Our Lady of Lourdes, East Kilbride, and Aidan in St Ignatius and St Thomas’, Wishaw. We wish them well in this important year in their formation and thank the priests who have agreed to accompany them through it.
We also continue to pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life that men and women may be inspired to dedicate their lives to the work of service in the Church and may respond generously to God’s call.
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welcome to xaverian missionary priests
We welcome back to our community Xaverian Missionary Priests. They will be with us from Tuesday 26th August 2025 until Sunday 7th September 2025 while I am away home to India. We thank the Xaverian Missionary Priests in advance for their help during my time away. I hope they will enjoy their time with us.
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daily weekday mass
Please note the following changes in our weekday Masses. There will a weekday Mass at 10am from Tuesday to Friday. This arrangement will be in place from Tuesday 26th August 2025 until Sunday 7th September 2025. No Daily Mass on Monday and Saturday mornings during this period.
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PRAYER REQUEST ON the OCASSION OF THE SECOND DEATH ANNIVERSARY
You will remember my aunt (Luiza Maria Nazareth) passed away on 11th August 2023. A few weeks later, under tragic circumstances, the 2nd of September 2023 saw the loss of my cousins’ children: Shawn Michael Fernandes (27), Abigail D’Souza (21) & Veldrofe D’Souza (Cousin’s Son-in-law, 26). I will be home for their anniversaries until Sunday 7th September 2025. The two girls, Fiona D’Souza (24) and Ninoshka Fernandes (23) who were battling for their life have made a remarkable recovery and are doing well. I ask your prayers for my extended family at this time of the year.
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BULLETIN
There will be no bulletin printed after next weekend (31st August 2025) until 14th September 2025.
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CHURCH CLEANING
Next general cleaning of the church will take place on Saturday 13th September 2025 at 8.45am. Please come along and help for just over half an hour.
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NATIONAL PILGRIMAGE TO CARFIN 2025
This year’s National Pilgrimage to Carfin will take place on Sunday 7th of September 2025. As we are in the midst of the Jubilee Year the theme for this year’s Pilgrimage will be Pilgrims of Hope. Holy Mass will be celebrated at the Shrine at 3pm, the main Celebrant and Preacher being the Most Reverend Leo Cushley, Archbishop of St Andrew’s and Edinburgh, who is celebrating his 40th Anniversary as a Priest this year.
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JUBILEE YEAR 2025
In this Jubilee Year 2025 which has as its theme, ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ the Diocesan Jubilee Cross will travel round the Diocese of Motherwell at the end of August/beginning of September going to each deanery. The Pilgrimage will include a Ceremony of Welcome for the Cross followed by a Jubilee Mass in each Deanery. For the Rutherglen & East Kilbride Deanery the Mass will be in St Bride’s, Cambuslang, on Monday 15th September 2025 at 7pm.
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CHURCH GROUNDS & garden maintenance
Many thanks to Michael Hannaway for cutting the grass and tidying the church grounds, Charles Clements for tidying the church grounds at the entrance area of the church and around the presbytery and William Mullen for his work at the back of the presbytery during the week. In addition, my thanks to all others who help in the garden and maintain church grounds during the year.
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DO YOU WANT TO JOIN THE GIFT-AID SCHEME
AND HELP THE PARISH
It’s so simple. If you are a tax payer, normally come to Church, and are prepared to put your money offering in a confidential numbered envelope (or pay by Standing order) and sign a simple form, then the parish can (at no cost to yourself) reclaim the tax you have already paid on that offering. For every pound you give, your parish will get back an additional 25 pence from the Inland Revenue. Thanks are extended to all those who have answered our appeal and have committed to gift-aid their offerings. Anyone wishing to join the scheme, please contact Jim Cunningham, our parish Gift Aid organiser 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.
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NEW PARISHIONERS
We would ask those who are new to the parish, or who are moving house within the parish, to record their name, address and telephone number on the registration card provided in the porch of the church. I would greatly appreciate your involvement in the parish. If you have any spare time, talents, or skills to share, I rely on the kindness and support of parishioners like you to help us grow and serve our community better. It is also very helpful if those moving from the parish let us know, so that our statistics can be kept up to date. Please be assured that any data we have (including the parish survey I undertook in 2016) will be held in a secure way and will never be shared or given to anyone else.
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parking in the streets
surrounding the church
Unfortunately, parishioners of St. Cadocs’ who drive to church are in a situation where there is no private parking within the church grounds. The streets surrounding the church therefore invariably become congested with parked cars especially at weekend Mass times. Whilst acknowledging the limitations of parking in relation to the church, I would ask those drivers attending services to consider the needs of local residents to have unimpeded access to their properties when choosing where to responsibly park. You can also use our car park which is situated behind the church. It can accommodate 6 cars.
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right to life uk: praying for the unborn
& women facing crisis pregnancies
August 24th 2025 – “Let us pray for all those who are alone and suffering with a terminal illness in hospital or hospice care, that they might experience the love of Christ from their carers and that their suffering might be eased.”
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Holy mary, mother of god,
st. Joseph,
st. Michael and holy angels,
ST. CADOC,
Pray for us