Parish Priest: Fr. John Ahern Tel: 0161 248 8836
TWENTY SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Times of Masses
Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday…………………………… 9:30am
Thursday (Requiem for Patrick Guilfoyle)………………. 10:00am
Friday morning…………………………………………….. 9:30am
Friday evening (Retirement Celebration Mass)…… ……. 7:30pm
Saturday (Novena Mass)…………………………………… 11:00am
Saturday Evening Vigil Mass………………………………… 6:30pm
Sunday……………………………………………………… 11:00am
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
Saturday………………………………………….. 11:30am to 12:30pm
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Saturday………………………………………….. 11:30am to 12:30pm
Also on request
Evening Reception
Wednesday, 3rd September at 7:30pm of Patrick Guilfoyle.
Feasts of the week
Monday 1st Sept. Saint Edmund Arrowsmith, Priest & Martyr
Wednesday 3rd Sept. Saint Gregory the Great, Pope & Doctor
Thursday 4th Sept. Saint Cuthbert, Bishop
Saint Edmund Arrowsmith: born in 1585 at Haydock, Edmund was ordained at Douai and began his work in the Lancashire Mission, including Salmesbury and Walton-le-Dale; he was amazingly zealous, despite one arrest; finally arrested in 1628, he was imprisoned and martyred at Lancaster.
Pray for the sick
Pray for the sick and housebound especially for those who are known to you especially Noreen Molloy. May the Good Lord strengthen and comfort them. Pray also for all who care for the sick.
Grant eternal rest to those who have died recently
Patrick Guilfoyle, Mary (Molly) Keogh.
Let your face shine upon those whose anniversaries are at this time Stephen Johnson, Bernie Quinn, Raymond Malynn, Nora Keane, Catherine Barrett, Dermot Murphy (Month’s Mind).
Birthday Remembrance Pat Lyons, Nora & Sèan McNeill, Bernie Quinn
LIFE’S JOURNEY – LOOK AHEAD
Your life is a sacred journey. And it is about to change, growth, discovery, movement, transformation, continuously expanding your vision of what is possible. Stretching your soul, learning to see clearly and deeply, listening to your intuition, taking courageous challenges at every step along the way. You are on the path… And from here you can only go forward shaping your life story into a magnificent tale of triumph, of healing of courage, of beauty, of wisdom, of power, of dignity and of love.
We welcome back the pupils and staff of St. Mary’s Primary School this coming week. Another academic year begins and no doubt it will bring exciting challenges. As you can see an extension is being built, and well under way by now. There will I am sure be little inconvenience caused by the ongoing work, but I am confident everyone will meet them with understanding. I am very happy at the way our school is progressing; we have wonderful staff whose only concern is the children’s’ welfare. I urge you to work together as parents, children and staff to take St. Mary’s to where we want it to be. One hundred and sixteen years at the service of The Lord is the proud boast of our school – in His name we go forward.
RETIREMENT CELEBRATION
After over 18 years as Parish Priest of St. Mary of the Angels & St. Clare, Levenshulme and more than 48 years as a priest Fr. John is retiring on 15th September to his beloved home in Kerry. To mark this occasion there will be a special Mass on Friday, 5th September at 7:30pm in St. Mary’s Church followed by a Retirement Party in the parish centre. All are welcome to come along.
THINGS THAT BOTHER ME
We all have pet ‘phobias’ – fears which ultimately lead to what we call breaking points. In the course of my 48 years as priest in active ministry there have been many moments of joy, almost always brought about by seeing and sharing in people working together for a common goal – Building up the Body of Christ. Those moments have been tempered by the sorrow of seeing people ‘break up’, be it in family or community. The word used in church circles to describe break up is a Greek word ‘schism’, to tear apart, the tearing is usually the work of the evil one who sows suspicion, jealousy and vengeance in our hearts. Schism is not a new phenomenon – St. Paul encountered it and prayed that those who tore themselves apart from the Body should return, and the Greek word he used translates as ‘knit together’. Jesus says “a kingdom or house divided against itself cannot stand.” A parish where people estrange themselves from one another will suffer the same fate. The greatest gift a priest could receive is to see parishioners all different all with wonderful talent work together in spite of differences for the Glory of God. Are we doing so in our parish? Has the evil one with the aid of anti-social media managed to stop our progress? Ask and answer. May there be Holy ‘Cum-Union’ among us is my wish and prayer, so that St. Mary of the Angels & St. Clare, Levenshulme as a parish will mirror the love of Christ.
SOCIAL TEA DANCE
Next Sunday, 7th September there will be a fundraiser event in our parish centre from 12noon – 3pm to raise money for ‘The Christie’. The afternoon will include games such as ‘Play Your Cards Right’ ’Take Your Pick’, music by J.I.B., dancing , bingo and lots more. Admission £5 (pay at the door). See poster in the church porch.