first sunday of lent (a)
READINGS FOR THE FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT (A)
First Reading – (Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7) – In this reading we have the tempting of Adam and Eve. In spite of all God had done for them, at the suggestion of the tempter they disobey.
Responsorial Psalm – Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Second Reading – (Romans 5:12-19) – By his obedience to God, Christ undid the harm done by the disobedience of Adam.
Gospel Reading – (Matthew 4: 1-11) – In this reading we hear about the tempting of Jesus. This shows that, like us, Jesus had to struggle against evil. Doing the Father’s will was not always easy, but he still did it.
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PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
INTROUCTION: Dear brothers and sisters, as we begin our Lenten journey, let us turn in prayer to God our Father asking for his help as we prepare to celebrate the Resurrection at Easter
The response is… Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for the Church: that this Lent, we may grow in love for God and neighbour, and truly turn their hearts back to the Lord through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Lord, hear us; Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We continue to pray for our sick and retired priests: that the Lord may bless them with good health in body, mind and spirit, and continue to make their lives and their ministry a source of grace for others. Lord, hear us; Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for all young people who are preparing this year for their First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion or to receive the sacrament of Confirmation: that they may prepare well to receive Jesus into their hearts and do all they can to grow closer to God. Lord, hear us; Lord graciously hear us.
╬ We pray for our community: that our Lenten resolutions may help us to be more disciplined, compassionate, and focused on the needs of others rather than our own comfort. 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 know our weaknesses. As we journey through these forty days, hear the prayers of your family and help us to live by every word that comes from your mouth. 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 – Sheila Gallagher, Jim & Susan Jamieson, Baby Archie Thomson, Alex McLeod, Rona McPhee, Rose Gallagher, Thérèse McKeand, Martin McGuire & 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 – Fr. Leonard Norman, John Casey (Requiem Mass, Tuesday 3rd March 2026 at 10am), Ron Docherty, Liam Martin, James Allan & John Clifford.
MONTHS MIND – David O’Hare (Jnr) ((2ndMonths Mind) & Patrick McLaughlin.
ANNIVERSARIES – Erika Clark ((7th Anniversary), Ellen Leonard, Thomas Burke & Mary Harkin.
Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let Perpetual Light shine upon them.
May they Rest in Peace. Amen.
CLERGY ANNIVERSARIES - FEBRUARY
Rev. Bartholomew Flynn 25/02/1949
Rev. Dermott McMullan 01/02/1960
Rev. Michael Maher 02/02/1970
Rev Richard Lillis 12/02/1973
Rev. Joseph Martin 28/02/1991
Rev. James J. Keegan 03/02/1999
Rev. Walter Scott 01/02/2013
Very Rev. Kieran O’Farrell 17/02/2014
Rev. Sean O’Shea 19/02/2018
Very Rev. Andrew Canon Reen 16/02/2019
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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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.
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LITURGIES FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF LENT
q Daily Mass - Monday to Friday at 10am.
q Stations of the Cross – Wednesday at 9.30am, with Mass at 10am.
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calendar
Monday is the commemoration of St Polycarp, disciple of the Apostle John and Bishop of Smyrna, burnt alive for the faith in 155AD after declaring “I have served Christ for eighty-six years: how could I blaspheme my Saviour and my King?”
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first confessions
Please pray for the young people of our parish whose parents are offering them for First Reconciliation on Tuesday 3rd of March 2026 from St. Charles’ Primary School at 6.30pm and Thursday 5th of March 2026 from St. Cadoc’s Primary School at 6.30pm in St. Cadoc’s Church.
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collection for the sick
& retired priests’ fund
This will be the last weekend if you would like to contribute to help support the Sick and Retired Priests of the diocese.
This collection ensures our elderly and sick priests are financially supported in their senior years, after years of service to God and their parishioners. Our priests baptised us, counselled us in times of sorrow, and celebrated with us in times of joy. Since we have received so much from their generosity, it is now our turn to assist them in their old age. By giving to the sick and retired priests’ fund, you can ensure that their housing, medical, convalescence, companionship and spiritual support needs are met.
A box intended for this worthwhile cause is situated at the back of the church. Please be generous as you can in your support of this appeal and please continue to pray for our clergy - active, retired and ill, as well as those who have passed on.
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SECOND COLLECTION FOR CHURCH BUILDING
& MAINTENANCE FUND NEXT WEEKEND
Next Sunday (1st March 2026), being the first Sunday of the month, the normal second collection will be taken up at all Masses to help support our Church Building and Maintenance Fund for the month of March.
A box intended for the Church Building & Maintenance Fund Collection will be situated at the back of the church for the next two weeks beginning next weekend. Please be generous towards our second collection as this greatly helps pay for essentials such as continued maintenance and much needed repairs to our parish buildings and existing facilities.
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confirmations
The Sacrament of Confirmation will be conferred on the upper-Primary parishioners from the parish communities of St. Cadoc’s and St. Bride’s attending St. Charles’ Primary School by Bishop Joseph Toal this year on Thursday 26th March 2026 at 7pm in St. Cadoc’s. 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.
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CHILDREN’S LITURGY
The Children’s Liturgy of the Word takes place at 10am Mass (except school holidays). 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 five Children’s Liturgists (Elizabeth Gray, Marie Claire Faller, Anne-Frances McLaughlin, Bernadette Sheppard & Lucy Murdoch) 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. 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.
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SCIAF WEE BOX LENEN APPEAL 2026
During this year’s Lenten appeal SCIAF will be focusing on the country of Ethiopia, where decades of progress is being undone by conflict, droughts, floods and cuts to international aid. Millions are being pushed back into poverty, essential services are collapsing, children are going hungry, and clean water – the most vital resource for life – is becoming harder to access. Yet there is hope. Through SCIAF and our local Church partners, your generosity can make a real difference. Water sources bring life to communities, help young people receive an education, and support families recovering from conflict and disasters. Beyond water, SCIAF support families to grow food, rebuild homes and access healthcare.
Pope Leo XIV reminds us that the poor are at the heart of the Church’s mission; that faith and love for the poor cannot be separated.
SCIAF is asking you once again to help those who are less fortunate by supporting their WEE BOX LENTEN APPEAL. The boxes should be handed in at the end of Lent, or you may send them directly to SCIAF.
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wellspring project
You will well remember that two years 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.
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financial assistance to help with rising energy bills (gas & electricity)
We are moving into the final month of winter until spring arrives. Keeping warm over the winter months is vital for our well-being and also to protect the fabric of church from both surface and interstitial condensation, no matter how full the pews. And that means high heating bills. I kindly appeal to your generosity to add an extra pound or two to your weekly contributions to help defray, in particular this winter, the high costs of energy bills. If I could remind you once again, please be mindful of closing the main door of the church to keep the heat in, and the cold out.
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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. Thank you for your kindness and cooperation.
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right to life uk: praying for the unborn
& women facing crisis pregnancies
Sunday 22nd February 2026 (First Sunday of Lent) - “In this season of Lent, we offer up the merits of our daily sacrifices to the needs of the most vulnerable in society. We offer them especially for the poor, the terminally ill, the lonely, the homeless and the unborn, that the Lord would see their needs and pour out his love and blessing upon them.”
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Holy mary, mother of god,
st. Joseph,
st. Michael and holy angels,
ST. CADOC,
Pray for us