IMPORTANT CHANGE TO SATURDAY VIGIL MASS TIMES

The next 5 weeks upto and including the 4^th October there will be one Vigil Mass at St. Edward’s at 5.00pm. NO 4.00PM OR 6.00PM MASSES UNTIL SATURDAY 11^TH OCTOBER.

Weekend Message from Fr Desmond

We pray for the boys and girls from St. Dominic’s Primary School who will celebrate their First Holy Communion this Saturday morning.

During the month of September Bishop Toal has asked us to pray for vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life. If you wish to contribute to the Ecclesiastical Students’ Fund please put your donation in an envelope marked Students’ Fund and place the envelope in the basket as you leave the Church. Thank you for the generosity. At the moment £110 has been donated to the Students’ Fund.

May we also pray for all our young people that they may find their vocation, their calling in life and so experience fulfilment and meaning in the career they pursue.

This week, hopefully, work will begin in the car park to repair the holes in the ground. When the work is completed it will not look pristine but the car park will be safe to walk on. 60 square metres of the car park will be repaired at quite a considerable cost. Father Desmond is hoping that parishioners might like to purchase half a square metre at the cost of £20. Perhaps you might like to dedicate the half square to a loved one or a loved family. There would be 120 half squares to be bought and Father Desmond would arrange a memorial plaque to be placed in the porch just like the plaque dedicated to all those who sponsored a tree in 2009. If you are interested, please place the donation in an envelope and clearly print the name of the loved one or the family you wish to remember and hand it to Father Desmond. These donations will go a long way to covering the cost of the work. In addition to the work in the car park, some tree trimming will have to be carried out on the very tall trees at the back of the garden looking onto Carlisle Rd. Father Desmond is very grateful to the parishioner who has trimmed the smaller trees but in the interests of health and safety a company needs to come in for the very tall trees.

The Gospel this week is all about forgiveness. The following is a very beautiful reflection from the former Chief Rabbi, Jonathan Sacks…

There is only one word that can change the course of the world and that word is forgiveness…..

Whether it is international conflict, family divisions or interpersonal hatred, it takes the power of forgiveness to move on from the past. The most compelling testimony to human freedom is the ability to live with the past without being captive of it. We cannot turn off memory like a tap. Memory will remember the past. Our option is how we remember. We have the choice of allowing the hatred to fester or to remember with the decision to move forward with an attitude that is bigger than the wrong.

Homily Hints and Prayers, Silvester O’Flynn page 536

Please do keep safe and well in these challenging times. God bless, Father Desmond

Help in Cleaning the Church

If any parishioners are able to come along this Saturday morning 18th July at 11.00am to clean the Church please e-mail Father Desmond.

Important Information On How To Attend Weekend Mass

Masses this weekend on Saturday at 5.00pm and Sunday morning at 9.30am and 11.30am. Only 50 people are allowed in the Church for a Mass.

To book a place please e-mail by Friday 6.00pm to book a place indicating which Mass; 25 spaces will be allocated by e-mail.

Or phone 07561 607249 between 6.00pm and 9.00pm on FRIDAY EVENING ONLY.

At 9.30am Mass on Saturday Father Desmond will announce how many spaces are still available for each Mass.

Father Desmond appreciates that these are difficult times but working together we can make the system outlined above run smoothly and efficiently.

Father John Receives Parish Donation

Father John may have left our parish but he's not forgotten!

Here he is receiving the parish donation for shoes for Kenya from two young friends of Father Desmond who carried the £1,050 to Rome before Father John returned to Kenya.

Father John will buy 105 pairs of shoes for children in his village who walk barefoot to school.

God willing, we can continue to help and support Father John in his great work in Kenya.

Thank you to everybody for the wonderful generosity of St. Edward’s parish.

Programme of Worship for This Week

Monday 9.30am streamed Mass from St. Edward’s

Tuesday no Mass from St. Edward’s; Father Desmond is celebrating the Requiem Mass of Mrs. Olive Smith in Corpus Christi that morning

Wednesday at 9.30am, a public Mass at St. Edward’s which will be also streamed. Only 50 people will be allowed to attend the Mass. If you are the 51^st etc then it is not permissible to go over 50. In consultation, Father Desmond is trying to organise a booking system which is fair to everybody.

Thursday 9.30am streamed Mass from St. Edward’s, not open to the public

Friday 9.30am Mass at Corpus Christi, no streamed Mass from St. Edward’s

Saturday 9.30am Mass streamed from St. Edward’s, not open to the public

Saturday 4.00pm and 6.00pm Masses from St. Edward’s; only 50 people allowed in the Church. These Masses will be streamed

Sunday 9.30am Mass and 11.30am Masses from St. Edward’s; again only 50 people allowed in the Church. These Masses will be streamed.

SOME IMPORTANT POINTS:

If in doubt or worried about health issues, please stay at home

It may happen that when you arrive at Church there are already 50 people in the Church. If this is the case parishioners are asked to go home and return for another Mass. Father Desmond appreciates that this is very inconvenient but asks that parishioners are patient and understanding.

With 4 Masses, 200 parishioners of St. Edward’s will have the opportunity to attend Mass next weekend. In normal times about 300 people attend Mass at St. Edward’s over the weekend.

FOR THIS PROVISION OF MASSES TO CONTINUE THE PARISH MUST HAVE VOLUNTEERS TO CLEAN THE CHURCH AFTER EACH CELEBRATION. If not enough volunteers come forward then the number of Masses will have to be reduced. Therefore, if you are able and eligible please do volunteer by e-mailing Father Desmond.

These are unprecedented times and Father Desmond asks parishioners to be patient and understanding as we move out of lockdown BUT AGAIN IF IN DOUBT, STAY AT HOME, PRAY AT HOME AND KEEEP SAFE.

Airdrie Foodbank is looking to recruit additional volunteer drivers to help continue to provide essential community services to people in crisis.

The role would be suitable for someone who is retired/ works part-time, has a full Driving Licence and is able to lift and transport crates safely.

The days and hours can be flexible however Mondays and Fridays between 10am - 2pm are particularly busy and help on these days would be most especially welcome

The Foodbank operates under government guidelines on social distancing

For further information please contact:

Amanda Ritchie -  Development Officer   Tel.No.   07986 888161

St Edwards Parish SSVP Notice: COVID-19 Emergency

Airdrie Food Bank has partnered with Scottish Gas who will deliver food and other basic essentials to the homes of those most in need of help. 

If you or someone you know needs to use this service please telephone St Edwards Parish SSVP HELPLINE number 07592771194.

All you need do is provide the following:

• Your name & address
• The number of adults
• The age and the number of children
• A contact telephone number.

This information will then be passed to Airdrie Food Bank who in turn will arrange for their partners Scottish Gas to deliver food etc to your home whilst complying with all social distancing rules.

DONATIONS of food and other essentials can be deposited in the food bank basket at Tesco Airdrie or at  Calderbank Parish Church on a Monday 11am to 1pm, St Edwards Parish Hall on a Wednesday 11am to 1.30pm,  Cairnlea Church Hall on a Friday 11am to 1.30pm.  Financial help may be available in special circumstances from SSVP funds.

If you wish or need to visit the food bank in person it will be open and operate under normal rules only on Wednesday & Fridays at the above locations and times.

May the Blessings of St Vincent de Paul & Blessed Frederic Ozanam be with you all at this time.

St Edwards Parish SSVP

Follow @StEdwardAirdrie