Newsletter

Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul

June 29th 2025

 

My dear parishioners,

I hope this finds you and your families well and looking forward to your summer holiday. In today’s liturgy we celebrate the two great Apostles Peter and Paul, foundation stones of the Christian Faith. I offer the following words for your reflection:

 

St. Peter (+64): originally Simon, son of John, brother of Andrew, from Bethsaida in Galilee, married, a fisherman to trade, has his call from Jesus recorded in all four Gospels. With James and John, he makes up the small group taken by Jesus with him on special occasions. He recognises Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God” and Jesus gives him a new name, Peter, “and on this rock I will build my Church (Mt16:18). The Gospels witness to his growing authority among the Apostles. Tradition has him as the first Bishop of Antioch before settling in Rome where he was crucified during the persecution instigated by the Emperor Nero in the year 64 and buried at the Vatican.

 

St. Paul (+67): originally Saul, was from Tarsus, present day southern Turkey, the son of Jewish parents, a pharisee and the son of Pharisees, a tentmaker to trade, and a Roman citizen. He arrived in Jerusalem shortly after the time of Jesus and became a student at the rabbinical school of Gamaliel. He was present at the stoning of Stephen. After his Damascus Moment conversion he was treated with suspicion by Jews and Christians alike. Barnabus brought him to Antioch. That became his base for his three great missionary journeys. Tradition has him dying a martyr’s death in the year 67, along the Via Ostiense in Rome and he was buried nearby, on the site where the Basilica bearing his name now stands.

 

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Parish Council Meeting: Council members meet this Tuesday, July 1st at 7pm in the parish meeting room; the PPC is there to serve the parish community. Your comments and suggestions are welcome; please speak with a council member or place your comment in the box at the back of the church.

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I offer here the Schedule for the Daily Liturgy:

 

Monday June 30th: Requiem: Moira Pacheco 9.30am. Confessions at 6.30pm; Novena at 7pm

 

Tuesday July 1st: Mass at 10am

Rosary at 9.40am

 

Wednesday July 2nd: Mass at 10am

Rosary at 9.40am

 

Thursday July 3rd: Mass at 10am

Rosary at 9.40am

 

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Jubilee Tour to Westport, Knock and Co. Mayo, 7th September 2025, £899: price included flight from Edinburgh, 10kg hold luggage, 4 nights in 4* Castlecourt Hotel, Westport, with dinner, bed and breakfast; full use of leisure facilities. All entertainment, excursions and transport included, Visit Knock Shrine, Galway Cathedral, Irish music night and much more. Contact 01268 762 278 or

email knockpilgrimages@gmail.com.

 

Sincere thanks to the Headteachers of our three schools, Mrs. Fagan at Holy Cross, Mrs. Fitzpatrick at St. Mary’s and Mrs. McAuley at St. Paul’s, and thanks to all the teaching staff and to the many others who work in our schools. We are all grateful for the many ways in which people give of themselves for the education and wellbeing of our young people. It is quite an achievement to guide a school from the first day of term in August all the way through to the final day of term in June. And now it’s time for everyone, staff and pupils, to enjoy the long summer break. Thank you!

 

Congratulations to Fr. Paul Morton who celebrates this weekend the 40th Anniversary of his Ordination to the Priesthood. Fr. Paul was a curate here at St. Mary’s in the 1980’s and is currently parish priest at St. Bride’s in Cambuslang.

 

Congratulations to Rev. Christopher Furmage who will be ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Toal in St. Augustine’s Parish Coatbridge on Thursday, 3rd July at 6.30pm; how fortunate we are to have a newly ordained priest for our Diocese.

 

Recently Deceased: Moira, Pacheco, Ellen McCabe, Nancy Henry, Martin Frew, John Clarke (Lisbon Lion), Fr. Tommy Toal

 

Sincere condolences to Mrs. Rita Clarke, Chairperson of our Parish Council, whose husband Gavin died suddenly while they were on holiday in Norfolk.

                                                                                                                         

Special Remembrance: Elizabeth and Joe McCafferty, Frank and Mary McAteer, Ian McAllister, Ann Terrett, Robert, Ellen and Moira Boylan, Charlie Daly, Christine Devine, Margaret Daly Rooney, Ines and Tommy Maxwell, Angelina DiMarco, Ida and Peter Maxwell, Anna McCool, John Slaven, George Sanglan and all our own deceased relatives and friends, and all the benefactors of our parish.

 

The Parish Newsletter will now take a break until the schools return in August.