The next session of Safeguarding Training, Induction Part 1 for volunteers doing or planning to do regulated work with children and vulnerable adults, or both, will be held in the Diocesan Offices, Incle Street, on Monday, 20th January at 7.00pm. The new Safeguarding Part 2 Training session, is for volunteers who have previously attended Safeguarding Training Part One, or Safeguarding Training Level one, more than 18 months ago. If you attended Safeguarding Training Level One in 2016 or 2017, you should put your name forward for Safeguarding Training Part 2. The next session will be on Tuesday 21st January at 7.00pm in St. Joseph’s Parish Hall, Clarkston. Please contact Sarah Jane at the Diocesan Safeguarding office at safeguardingadmin@rcdop.org.uk or 0141 847 6138 to register for either of these sessions. A full list of the dates for these sessions in the coming months is available on the noticeboard.

The next Family Mass will take place at 10.30am next Sunday, 19th January. The children of Primary 6 will lead the liturgy and everyone is invited to come through to the hall after the Mass for a cup of tea

There are still a few Western Catholic Calendars, giving times and services throughout the western part of the country, available from the piety stall or from the Sacristy, priced £3.20. Please make sure you get your copy soon!

Many thanks to everyone for your very generous donations to the Food Bank basket, especially over the Christmas period. Please keep up the good work! Items can be handed in when you come to Mass, or when the church is open.

There will be a Dinner Dance to raise funds for the Diocese of Paisley Pilgrimage to Lourdes on Saturday, 22nd February in Greenock Town Hall, 7pm (for 7.30pm). Tickets cost £35 (includes 3 course meal, fizz on arrival and live band). Dress formal. For tickets and further information please email lourdes.rcdop@gmail.com or phone 07950 483042. Includes return bus from Renfrewshire/East Renfrewshire. Donations of raffle prizes and auction items greatly appreciated.

If you still have not returned your SPRED Advent Boxes, could you please do so as soon as possible. Many thanks.

The Western Catholic Calendars, giving times and services throughout the western part of the country, are now available from the piety stall or from the Sacristy, priced £3.20. They usually sell very quickly, so please make sure you get your copy soon

Thinking about Diocesan Priesthood in 2020? The Catholic Church in Scotland is now inviting enquiries from those considering applying for seminary. For more information please contact Fr. John Morrison email: vocations@rcdop.org.uk

Our crib will be blessed at the Christmas services and offerings placed in the box will be donated to St. Margaret’s Children and Family Care Society. Please give generously to help the needs of families in today’s society.

Could you perhaps think about becoming an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, especially at our Sunday Masses at noon and 5.30pm? If we can recruit a few more people, it would help enormously with our rotas. Training and support will be provided for this very important ministry. If you can help, please contact Margaret Winters (mwinters203@hotmail.com) or pass your name, phone number and email address to Fr Jim.

A box has been provided in the porch so that cards can be left in alphabetical order and in a tidy manner for collection. Cards not picked up by 23rd December will be re-cycled. Please remember to put the recipient’s full name on the cards!

This General Election presents us with an opportunity to elect an individual representative who reflects as closely as possible our beliefs. It allows us to revisit Catholic Social Teaching and to connect our voting to our Catholic faith. It can be a chance to proclaim the inherent dignity and value of every human being, made in the image and likeness of God, and to promote the common good. In recent times, politics has become divisive, principally, though not exclusively, as a result of the EU referendum. Vigorous debate has sometimes spilled over into personal attacks and even acts of violence which are never acceptable. Uncertain times ought to make us stop and reflect on the One who is Truth Himself. Turning to God in these difficult times is our only hope for true peace. During elections, a range of issues compete for our attention; we highlight some of them here so that we may reflect on them and raise them with parliamentary candidates. Follow the link to continue reading .....

Paisley Diocese has teamed up with our local Migrant Help UK to help find basic provisions for local victims of modern day slavery - men, women and children - being kept safe around our diocese. We are urgently appealing for the following items: clothes for a 7yr old boy and 4yr old girl, back packs, 2 pairs of ladies winter boots (size 8 and 6), ladies waterproof winter jacket (size 18/20), ladies trousers (size 6), ladies tops/jumper (size 6), male hooded winter jackets (any size), gloves, socks (any sizes), umbrellas, nail clippers, toiletries and toilet paper. If you can help them please drop in your donations to our Diocesan Offices between Monday and Friday by the end of November. Many thanks.

For 18 - 21 yrs. Would you like to be involved in our Paisley Diocese Lourdes 2020 Pilgrimage, 26 June to 2 July as young adults? You will join other young Catholics (18-21 years) for spiritual and pastoral, service and social initiatives in our new Lourdes Disciples Programme. Maybe you’ve been to Lourdes with Youth to Lourdes or just want to experience the Lourdes ‘miracle’ for yourself. If you’re interested or would like more information please email Fr. Gerry McNellis ( stninian@rcdop.org.uk). Limited to twenty places.

SPUC (Scotland) has a network of local volunteers who work hard pro-actively raising awareness of the pro-life movement across parish communities in Scotland. Our local speakers motivate and inspire other parishioners to support SPUC's work, playing an active part in building a culture of life in Scotland. Would you like to be a part of our volunteer team, helping to spread the Gospel of Life? Would you like to join a national movement while being a local ambassador for the most voiceless member of the human family - the unborn? If so, email info@spucscotland.org TODAY!

Please note the change of dates for November/December – The clinic will take place on Wednesday - 6th November, 20th November and the 4th December. Dates for 2020 will be announced before the end of the year.

Schola Benedicti Concert: Sunday 10th November at 7pm, Schola Benedicti are singing a concert of Sacred music in St Mirin’s Cathedral including the Faure’s setting of the Requiem Mass. It is a free concert with a retiring collection to help defray costs to mark Remembrance Sunday and the month of the Holy Souls. The concert will be accompanied by John Pitcathley and the soloist is Graham McCusker of the Royal Northern College of Music. This is a free concert with a retiring collection.

This is a Fund set up by the Diocese of Paisley to disburse funds from the Episcopal Charities and Bishop's Fund. If you wish to be considered for a gift from this fund for a charitable project or need, please contact funding@rcdop.org.uk with contact name, contact details and a statement of how you would use this gift. Closing date is Sunday, 17th November. You can also follow the link to the Diocesan website.

Love and Mercy is a docudrama that tells the story of St. Faustina Kowalska's life and the visions she had about Christ and the Divine Mercy. This film addresses this miracle from the scientific point of view, interspersing testimonies of experts with the recreation of the life of the Saint. It reveals unknown facts and recently discovered secrets about her visions. For example, it reveals unknown letters from her confessor, Fr. Michał Sopoćko, who asked St. Faustina to write her visions in a diary. From these visions, the devotion to Divine Mercy began. It sparked a celebration that John Paul II instituted in 2000 on the same day of the canonization of St. Faustina, the so-called Apostle of Divine Mercy.

There is a poster in the porch about this event advertising the Paisley Diocesan Pilgrimate to Lourdes 2020, which takes place from Friday 26th June until Thursday, 2nd July. Booking forms are available from Anne Louise Buchanan : telephone 01475 638132