The Lenten series of Masses led by Bishop John will begin after a two-year absence, this Wednesday, 9th March at 7.00pm in St Joseph’s, Greenock. This is for the parishes in the St Columba’s high school cluster. Everyone is invited to attend this Mass celebrated by the Bishop, and joined by the priests and deacons of the area. The next one will take place on Thursday 10th March, the Feast of St John Ogilvie, at St Laurence’s, Greenock at 7.00pm.
There will be a Part One training session taking place on: Wednesday 30th March at 7pm in the Diocesan Offices, Paisley, PA1 1HR Saturday 23rd April at 10.30am in St. John the Baptist Parish Hall, Port Glasgow, PA14 5HD As part of the safe recruitment procedures for the Catholic Church in Scotland, new volunteers undertaking regulated work should complete an application form for their role, apply to become a member of the PVG scheme and attend Safeguarding Part One Training. If you would like to attend one of these training sessions please contact SarahJane Colhoun on 0141 847 6138 or safeguardingadmin@rcdop.org.uk
Join us for our next event on Wednesday 30th March. Fr Eoin Patten will speak about the Sacrament of Confession from 7pm in St Mirin's Cathedral. The event is preceded by Holy Mass at 6pm and followed by adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction. Afterwards, we will meet for drinks in a local bar. To keep up to date with our schedule of events, connect with us on social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram).
Join Fr Ryan for Scripture classes on Tuesdays in Lent from 6pm in St Mirin’s Cathedral Hall. These classes will be introductory and suitable for everyone. They will include Lectio Divina and exegesis. On Tuesday 8th March, our topic is ‘The Passover and the Lord’s Supper’ according to Luke. All are welcome.
For all those who have experienced abuse. Please pray for children, young people and vulnerable adults whose lives have been scarred by the abuse they have experienced at the hands of those whom they trusted. Pray also for all are engaged in the pursuit of peace, healing and reconciliation for the abused, the needy, the weak and the vulnerable. Pray that the work of the new Scottish Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency will be guided by the Holy Spirit to help us all to meet our responsibility to respect and safeguard the dignity of all.
This month every household in the country will be contacted about Scotland’s Census. This is the once-a-decade count of the population of Scotland, collecting information about where you stay and the people who stay there, including which religion you belong to. The information you provide in the census, which may be completed online or by post, will help make decisions about how public money will be spent on schools, healthcare, roads and other important services in your local community. It is the go-to data source for social researchers in developing policy and is, therefore, very important. The Scottish Bishops encourage you to complete the census, providing accurate information about yourselves and your households, including your religious affiliation. We invite you to encourage family and friends to complete the census. Please also try to support anyone who might have difficulty either accessing or completing the census to accurately complete the census. Your parishes may wish to consider identifying parishioners who might be able to offer this support. The deadline for completion of the census is 20 March 2022. You can find out more here: Scotland's Census 2022 | Scotland's Census (scotlandscensus.gov.uk) You can access resources to help publicise the Census here (includes accessible formats and translations e.g. Polish): Stakeholder promotional materials | Scotland's Census (scotlandscensus.gov.uk)
There will be Part Two training sessions taking place on: Wednesday 23rd February at 10.30am in the parish hall at St. Mirin’s Cathedral, Paisley Tuesday 1st March at 7pm in the parish hall at St. John’s, Barrhead This training session is for Church volunteers who have previously attended Safeguarding Training Part One, or Safeguarding Training Level One, more than eighteen months ago. If you would like to register for one of these sessions, please visit Eventbrite and search for Diocese of Paisley, Safeguarding Training, or visit the following https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/266920525477
All are welcome to join the inaugural Brecbannoch Pilgrimage from 11-13 June 2022. The Brecbannoch is a 50-mile pilgrimage undertaken on foot from Oban to Iona, with the special purpose of praying for the renewal of the faith in Scotland. Along the way, we will carry the relics of St Columba, St Andrew and St Margaret, invoking their protection over the Church in these isles. Since his death in 574 AD, pilgrims have flocked to Iona to ask for St Columba's Intercession. Clergy, Kings, and Laity alike undertook arduous journeys to take their petitions to the Holy Abbot's relics. Our mission is to make pilgrimage there, invoking the intercession of Scotland's three patrons, St Andrew, St Margaret and St Columba, to pray for a renewal of the faith in our nation. Sign up before places run out at: www.brecbannoch.org/sign-up
The worldwide invitation to all the faithful is the first phase of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, whose theme is “For a Synodal Church: communion, participation and mission.” Synodality is not so much an event or a slogan as a style and a way of being by which the Church lives out her mission in the world. The objective of this Synodal Process is not to provide a temporary or one-time experience of synodality, but rather to provide an opportunity for the entire People of God to discern together how to move forward on the path towards being a more synodal Church in the long term. The diocese wants to hear YOUR views, and a consultation document with questions that may help direct your response can be found at https://rcdop.org.uk/synod-2021-2023 . To respond, there is an online questionnaire OR you can send any responses to Synod23@rcdop.org.uk before 8th April 2022 – all responses will be acknowledged. The diocese wants to hear YOUR views, and a consultation document with questions that may help direct your response can be found here. Please send any responses to Synod23@rcdop.org.uk before 8th April 2022 – all responses will be acknowledged.
You are welcome to join a Lenten retreat based on the life of Saint Ignatius Loyola to celebrate the 500 years since his conversion. Each day of Lent the Retreat has an episode from the life of Ignatius with music, art, a reading from Scripture and a reflection. Participants can also join an online group for a weekly meeting with others to share the fruits of their prayer. The online retreat is open to all. For more info please follow link to the website: https://iscglasgow.co.uk/lent22.html
The Little Sisters of the Poor invite young people to join them for a Taize Prayer and Reflection on Friday 11 March at 7.00pm. This is an opportunity to help discern GOD’s will for your life in light of the Scriptures and the welcome calm of meditation and chant. As life gets back to ' normal' hopefully these prayer evenings will take place on a monthly basis. For information please contact Sr Anna Maria email ms.greenock@lspscotland.com or tel: 01475 722465
The Diocesan Choir rehearsals take place on Thursday evenings at 7pm in St Mirin’s Cathedral. We would like to extend a warm invitation to anyone who wishes to join our ranks. If you are interested please contact our Diocesan Director of Music, Michael, at director.music@rcdop.org.uk confirming your attendance.
Thinking about Diocesan Priesthood in 2022? The Catholic Church in Scotland is now inviting enquiries from those considering applying for seminary. For more information please contact Fr. John Morrison tel: 01418895056 or email vocations@rcdop.org.uk
We will be launching a new Alpha Experience on Wednesday 19th January online from 7.00pm. What is Alpha some of you may be asking. Alpha is a course used for bringing people to a deeper understanding of God in their life. Alpha is a series of 14 sessions carried out over a 10 week period. The format of each session is always the same. Part 1: informal get together; Part 2: watch a video; Part 3; short period of discussion. The topics covered in Alpha are: Is there more to life than this? Who is Jesus? Why did Jesus die? How can I have faith? Why and how can I pray? Why and how should I read the Bible? How does God guide us? Who is the Holy Spirit? Does Jesus heal today? If you are interested in taking part in the Alpha Experience please register on our website: catholicerskine.website or email alpha@catholicerskine.info.
On Thursday 13th January, we will mark the first anniversary since the death of Archbishop Tartaglia, the fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Paisley. The 10am Mass at St Mirin’s Cathedral will be celebrated by Bishop Keenan on Thursday. All are welcome to attend.
RECRUITMENT ADVERT PAISLEY DIOCESAN OFFICE Counsellor for Paisley diocese marriage counselling service for couples married in the Catholic church. Paisley Diocese Marriage Counselling service is looking for a counsellor (self-employed) to provide counselling sessions for clients using the service. The applicant will be a therapist with proven expertise in working with couples. The service supports couples married in the Catholic church and the service is underpinned by the Christian tradition. See the link below for further details on this opportunity. It is essential that applicants: • Are currently registered with either BACP/COSCA/UKCP or equivalent. • Have proven experience working with couples and either have/are working towards a relevant couple work qualification. The service was set up 4 years ago and is managed by the current counsellor, with whom the successful applicant would liaise. Referrals currently are mainly taken from within Paisley diocese with a significant minority from neighbouring dioceses. Sessions have resumed in the Curia offices (within the grounds of St Mirin’s Cathedral in Paisley) and, to date, have been held on Saturdays when the offices are quieter. Delivery of the sessions is not restricted to a Saturday: specific times can be determined between counsellor and clients. The diocese provides guidelines for the counselling session fees which are currently paid directly to the counsellor by the clients. The counsellor is responsible for the maintenance of all relevant records within the requirements of their governing body, have relevant professional insurance and to meet their supervision requirement as set out by their governing body. The counsellor is also responsible for managing all necessary administration involved in organising clients’ sessions. To obtain an application pack for this post please either email recruitment@rcdop.org.uk or write to Recruitment, Paisley Diocese, Diocesan Centre Cathedral Precincts, Incle Street, Paisley, PA1 1HR.
Sunday Mass Obligation: "At the beginning of Advent the Bishops of Scotland looked forward to welcoming the faithful back to Holy Mass and anticipated that the restoration of the Sunday Obligation might be possible as we begin the New Year. Sadly, there has been a serious worsening of the situation and the restoration of the obligation will be postponed until a more favourable time. For us, Sunday is always a Holy Day and we invite those who are unable to be with us in person to continue to join with us in prayer and spiritual communion either by personal or family prayers or by online celebrations of Mass. We ask everyone to continue to pray for a speedy end to the Pandemic and for the good health of you and your loved ones in 2022. We also pray for all those who passed during 2021 and those who grieve. May Our Lady Health of the Sick pray for us and may Saints Andrew and Margaret protect us."
St. Conval’s in Linwood has, through the generosity of local Parishes managed to send out 100 meals each week and a way of supporting local families in the St. Benedict’s Cluster who are in need. We intend again to provide 100 Christmas Dinners cooked in our Hall Kitchen and a goody bag of toys and Gifts also and so we appeal for your support. Any donations of food, toiletries new Toys or Cash will be gratefully received (Outer door of Church House Porch is unlocked and donations can be left in the Porch). Any we cannot use ourselves we will pass on to local Foodbanks. Thank you for your support!
