FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
(YEAR B)
WEEK: APRIL 21ST - 27TH 2024
“I lay down my life for my sheep.”
YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below.
SICK: Vivien Higgins; John and Kath Green, Angela Marshall, Joseph McConnon, Joan Killeen, Eileen Killeen, Therese Passenger, Cyril and Christine Clarke, Nell Eaton, Linda Taylor, Marie Gill, Pat McQuillan, Kathleen Kelly, Irene Cooper, Denis O’Grady. Deana Dobson, Tony Kenny, Luke Burke, Nora Hickey, Denis Guilfoyle, Amy Howard, Dominic Boardman, Joan Healy, Veronica Lees, Debbie Osborne Walker, Alex Standring and Janice Kopacz Standring, Barry Reid, Peter Barlow, Elizabeth Flanagan, Mary Kain, Rita Goodier, Beatrice Tucker. Janet Butterworth, Connie Marrone
LATELY DEAD: Fr. Billy Molloy, Allan Powell, Veronica Short
ANNIVERSARIES: Tom Wadsworth, John and Peter Jennings, Luca Thomas, Geoff Wright; Martin Luca, James Patrick Rothwell, Margaret Miller, Morgan Otoghile, Doreen Alicia Whitehead
LAST WEEK'S COLLECTION: £824.40p
Standing Order: £674.00 a month
CHURCH BOXES / DONATIONS
Flowers £45.00; Food Bank £25.00; Caritas £20.00; Indian Community’s further donation to the Parish for use of the church on Good Friday £50.00
Many thanks for your kind generosity.
Our Bank: Barclays Bank - Account Name: TSDT, Our Lady and St. Patrick’s, Oldham; Sort Code 20 55 34; Account Number 90652504; Reference: Contr.
Please note that the bank account has changed because a fault was recurring in the old account which meant that direct debits from other companies were sometimes being set up without my authorisation. Thankfully, we noticed each attempt to do so and stopped the payments. The bank has suggested we should have a new account. If you already pay directly into the old account, don’t worry; we will keep both accounts going for a while and simply transfer everything to the new account over time
THIS SUNDAY'S MISSALETTE AND HYMNS Fourth Sunday of Easter - Missalette Fourth Sunday of Easter - Hymns
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NOTICES:
All Masses will continue to be live streamed. A link is provided on the Parish website: www.smwsp.org.uk or via the Twitter App (@PhilipSumner13).
TODAY IS VOCATIONS SUNDAY (GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY)
We welcome a visiting seminarian from Oscott College (Birmingham), called Paul Chisnall, who will be preaching at the 10.00am Mass about his own vocation. Paul hopes to be a priest for the Diocese of Salford.
SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMME |
DAY OF PRAYER FOR VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF ABUSE
Tuesday, 30 April 2024.
The Day of Prayer for Victims and Survivors of Abuse is observed on 30 April 2024. It is always marked on the Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter in England and Wales. This year’s focus is on communities who have been directly affected by allegations or convictions related to abuse – especially, but not exclusively, within the Church.
CAFOD NOTICE |
CONFIRMATIONS 2024
Important meetings dates and times:
- Session 5 ~ Wednesday 24th April (6-8pm)
- Session 6 ~ Wednesday 1st May (6-8pm)
- Session 7 ~ Wednesday 8th May (6-8pm)
All meetings will take place at St. Edward’s RC Church, Lees.
SPECIAL DAYS THIS WEEK |
THIS SUNDAY’S READINGS
Today is ‘Good shepherd Sunday’ and the Gospel reading focuses on one of several ‘I am’ statements made by Jesus in John’s Gospel. Elsewhere, we hear of Jesus saying, “I am the light of the world’, or ‘I am the resurrection and the life’ or ‘I am the way the truth and the life’, ‘I am the bread of life’ or ‘I am the true vine’. But, in today’s Gospel, he says, “I am the good shepherd’. All these statements have great significance. Jesus calls himself a shepherd because of scriptural references in the Old Testament. Six psalms refer to ‘the Lord’ as a shepherd. The most famous of these psalms is, of course psalm 23 (The Lord is my shepherd…). But perhaps the most important scriptural reference from the Old Testament for today’s Gospel is chapter 34 of the Prophet Ezekiel. There, the prophet severely criticises the so-called shepherds, or religious leaders, of his day. “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves!...You have failed to make the weak sheep strong or to care for the sick ones.” We need to be aware that John, in his previous chapter (Chapter 9) has just given an example of Jesus healing a man who had been blind from birth. And, in the following chapter (Chapter 11), he will speak of Jesus’ conflict with the Jewish authorities in the Portico of Solomon. There is the clear suggestion that Jesus has been making the weak strong and has been caring for the sick, whereas the Jewish authorities are too concerned with aspects of the Law. Pope Francis has often criticised those who “take refuge in legalism”. In a General Audience in October 2021, commenting on St Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he reminded his listeners of St. Paul’s hard-hitting words to the legalists of his day, calling them ‘bewitched’. Pope Francis insisted that St Paul’s preaching was completely centred on Jesus and “only on him as a crucified Christ”. Yes, ‘truth’ provides solidity, but we need to remember that this truth is not, primarily, a series of statements, but Christ crucified. It’s on the cross that we see the Godhead manifested in the one who lays down his life for his sheep, Jesus the ‘Good shepherd’ and the new David, spoken of in Ezekiel, who will pasture his flock and be their shepherd.
DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES IN OUR CENTENARY YEAR |
DIOCESE OF SALFORD'S ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE TO WALSINGHAM
This year's diocesan pilgrimage to Walsingham will be taking place on Saturday 4th May. Fr. Callum is organising a Deanery coach from St Edwards to Walsingham for the Diocesan pilgrimage. The coach will leave 7:am, at the latest. It is a long way to go for a day, but, very much worth it. For more details and to register. Please contact Janet; 07989558248.
YCW EVENT – FIFA 24 TOURNAMENT |