March for Life UK This will take place on Saturday 4th September in Central London from approx. 10.00am – 4.30pm. The Diocese of Paisley together with SPUC Glasgow are organising an overnight coach which will leave from St. Mirins’ Cathedral at midnight on Friday 2nd September picking up at St Andrew’s Cathedral and Gretna Green. The coach will return from parliament square at approx. 5.30pm with an ETA of midnight. The cost per person will be £30. To book a seat please use our Eventbrite link https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/march-for-life-september-2021-coach-tickets-163611601705 We recently had the highest ever annual abortion figures in the UK. Let’s do our part in turning the tide in our nation. More information on the days’ event is available at Home - March for Life UK For all other enquiries please contact Marianne by email at curia@rcdop.org.uk or Louise at lgrant@spucscotland.org thank you.

This September NET Ministries Scotland will bring over 10 young people from the USA and Wales for 10 months to minister in our schools and parishes and encourage our young people in their faith and belonging to the Church. ‘Host Homes’ are essential for these young missionaries to rest, pray, eat and participate in home life. In return, they provide a strong Christian witness in the host homes. Could you provide a (bed/couch/sleeping bag) for a one-week time frame for a minimum of 2 people, with breakfast, packed lunch and dinner? They usually leave in the morning and return at dinner time. Please email maryshields@netscotland.org or call Mary Shields at +44 7720 969390.

The annual Diocesan Pilgrimage to Carfin, led by Bishop John Keenan, will take place on Sunday 29th August 2021. Mass of Anointing of the Sick will be celebrated at 3pm followed by the Rosary Procession which will take place at 5:30pm. Catering facilities are available at the shrine.

World Day For Grandparents and Elderly Pope Francis has established throughout the Church the celebration of the World Day for Grandparents and Elderly beginning in 2021 on the fourth Sunday of July, near the liturgical memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus. This year it will fall on Sunday 25 July. This coincides with the celebration of the Amoris Laetitia Year of the Family, which began on the Solemnity of Saint Joseph 19 March and will conclude at the World Meeting of Families in Rome in June of 2022.

This provides practical and pastoral care to seafarers, regardless of nationality, belief or race through port chaplains and volunteer ship visitors. They welcome, offer welfare services, advice, practical help, care and friendship. Founded in Scotland, the Apostleship is now part of an international network known as Stella Maris that works in 250 ports around the world. Ninety per cent of world trade is transported by ship but the life of a modern seafarer is dangerous and lonely. They may spend up to a year at a time away from home, separated from their families and working in harsh conditions. You can donate easily to this collection by visiting our Diocesan website www.rcdop.org.uk and clicking on the ‘Online Parish Offertory’. This allows you to donate to any of the causes or parishes of your choice. Many thanks

This is the practice of the laity to provide financial support to the Holy See to allow the Holy Father the means to respond to those suffering as a result of war, oppression, natural disaster, and disease. Catholics around the world contribute roughly £70M annually through this collection. The US is the biggest contributor at 30%, followed by Italy, Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, Brazil and South Korea. You can donate easily to this collection by clicking on the ‘Online Parish Offertory’. This allows you to donate to any of the causes or parishes of your choice. Many thanks

The Caritas permanent commission would like to promote the work of The ‘Improving the Cancer Journey’ Service’ within Renfrewshire Council. Details of the service can be found in the newsletter here

Are you a qualified teacher, at secondary or primary level, interested in an advanced qualification as an RE specialist? The University of Glasgow is offering an ATQ in RE this coming academic year (21/22). A grant of £400 is available in two instalments from Paisley Diocese for teachers resident in the diocese who attend monthly diocesan seminars to support the completion of their assignments. This qualification fulfils the requirement for applying to the GTCS for Professional Registration as a specialist Religious Education teacher in the Catholic Secondary school. Please find all the details, including teaching dates and cost, here: ATQRE: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/education/cpd/atqre/ GTCS PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION: https://www.gtcs.org.uk/registration/routes-professional-registration-secondary-teachers.aspx

We remember our Sick & Retired Priests of the diocese with great love and affection. We have fourteen retired priests of our diocese, still active in prayer and witness: one living in Rome, two living in Chile, five in houses throughout the diocese, three in parish presbyteries and three at the Residence of the Little Sisters along with Bishop John Cunningham. We thank God for the gift of these priests and keep them in our prayers. You can donate easily to this collection by visiting the ‘Online Parish Offertory’ page. This allows you to donate to any of the causes or parishes of your choice. Many thanks

Scotland’s Catholic Bishops have welcomed a call from Pope Francis for a Synod on the theme of Synodality, to be held in 2023. Commenting on the announcement, Bishop Hugh Gilbert, President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland said; “Last Sunday the Church celebrated the Feast of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and our Lady at the very beginning, the birthday, of the Church. We gave thanks for the gifts of the Holy Spirit that first Pentecost but also celebrated the ongoing gifts of the Holy Spirit to the Church. Mindful of these gifts the Bishops of Scotland welcome the initiative of Pope Francis to listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to the Church, to the People of God, to listen to one another, and to make that Synodal journey together of communion, participation and mission.” Bishop Gilbert added; “The Pope has called for a very participative process, engaging all the faithful, which will prepare for this Synod. The Bishops of Scotland welcome the Initiative for a Synodal Church: communion, participation and mission. As the principle and foundation of unity in our dioceses, the Bishops look forward to the launch of the Synodal journey, a period of consultation and discernment in our local Churches, on Sunday 17th October of this year, and preparations are now being made for that event. We ask all the faithful to pray for the success of this initiative in the life of the universal and local Church, and above all to open our hearts to the Holy Spirit and listen to the Holy Spirit speaking through all of us in the Body of Christ.”

This collection helps the Diocese support pro-life causes with half of the funds collected going to the Bishops’ Conference ‘pro-life fund’. You can donate easily to this by clicking ‘Online Parish Offertory’. This allows you to donate to any of the causes or parishes of your choice. Many thanks

Bishop John would like to invite all healthcare workers and friends to an evening celebration to Mark the Year of St. Joseph, patron saint of workers. There will be a time of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, prayers for all those involved in our healthcare system and will finish with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.  All welcome to attend at St Mirin’s Cathedral on Thursday 24th June at 7.00pm. Please use the Eventbrite link to book your tickets. Alternatively, call St Margaret’s Church, Johnstone to book by phone on 01505320198. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/33509746663 This evening is open to everyone, so parishioners may wish to attend this evening to show their support for the work of our healthcare professionals. Please use the Eventbrite link or phone number above.

Pastoral Letter from the Bishops of Scotland on the Sixth Anniversary of Laudato Si’ Pentecost 2021

Bishop John Keenan will celebrate our Annual Mass at St Conval’ s Cemetery, Barrhead on Sunday the 6th June at 2:00pm. Tickets available to book now. Please visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/st-convals-cemetery-mass-tickets-155817180381

As of 27 April 2021, Joe Walsh Pilgrimage Tours have ceased to trade. This will mean that all pilgrims who have bookings carried over from 2020 and 2021 will have to invoke a claim through the TOPS protection policy held by Joe Walsh Tours. This can be accessed by following the link on their website. If you have any problem with this please contact Fr Gerry McNellis on 01475 632078 or stninian@rcdop.org.uk

Community on behalf of Scottish Bishops

please check out our Scottish Bishops Election Resource link: Scottish Parliament Election 2021 – Catholic Parliamentary Office (rcpolitics.org) It lets you know where political parties stand on issues that impinge upon our Catholic faith and life and is also being updated with particular candidates’ positions on these matters.

Due to Tier 4 restrictions our 2021 Lenten 40 Days for Life peaceful prayer and fasting vigil at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow was postponed. Sadly, in the midst of this current situation the government did not halt or restrict its abortion culture of death. On March 23rd 2021 the government called for a UK National Day of Reflection to be held for those who had died from Covid the previous year. According to latest official figures at that time there had been 143,259 Covid deaths. The following month April 2021 we marked the 53rd anniversary of the implementation of the 1967 Abortion Act which has resulted in almost 9.5million deaths of our unborn children here in the UK. Think of the unborn when you pray the words ‘For what I have done and for what I have failed to do’. Think of those words in the ballot box. ‘They will not grow old as we who are left grow old but we will remember them’. We are coming out for a 20 Days for Life from June 1st until June 20th outside of the QEUH in Glasgow from 8am until 8pm each day. To take part email Ogilvie1615@outlook.com

for Good Shepherd Sunday

Scottish Parliamentary Election