St Mary's with St Patrick's R.C. Churches Oldham

33RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR A)
WEEK: NOVEMBER 16TH – NOVEMBER 22ND 2008

YOUR CHARITABLE PRAYERS are requested for our parishioners and friends, especially those whose names appear below:
SICK or HOUSEBOUND: Dymphna Campbell;   Joanna; Shirley; Frank Kearns; Joan Casey; Cecilia;   Doris Roscoe; Anne Kilgarriff;   Henry Chrisham; Arthur Lucas;   baby Luke McSherry; Alice Abraham; Barbara & Terrence Bankien; Seamus Whelan;   Terry Mills; Bernard Grogan; Dialdiz Job; Helen McMahon; Kitty Bracken.
LATELY DEAD: Jennifer Whitehead; Mary Sheehy; Michael Dula; Murt Ryan; Eileen Huntington; Fr. Michael Walsh.
ANNIVERSARIES: Eileen Hall; Jean Franklin; James Lawson; Edith Brooks; Matthew Lalley; John Williamson; Joseph Gerard Ashworth; Jesus Batilaran; Nora Powell; Lincoln Porter; Joyce Walker; baby Michael James Gibbons; Wilfred Brassington; those whose names are written in our November Book of Remembrance.
May they rest in peace.

Parishioners are kindly reminded that Masses for “deceased family members” will not appear in the newsletter but they will be entered in the Mass Book and our November Book of Remembrance.

SUNDAY COLLECTION: Envelopes: £492.46;   Loose: £264.32;   Total: £756.78
Thank you all for your continued generosity.

DONATIONS/COLLECTIONS: many thanks for donations of £16.54 for the Church Redevelopment and Heating Fund;   £69.54 for CAFOD.

PARISH CHRISTMAS FAYRE
The Fayre will be on Saturday 6th December in St. Patrick’s Primary School, Lee St., from 2.00 – 4.30pm. We shall be grateful for anything that you can supply for the following: bottle stall, tombola, white elephant, grocery, cakes and toys (please do not send clothes or broken toys). Please collect a carrier bag from the back of church after Mass today (free of charge) if you have not already done so, and return it with your donation to the Parish House or leave it at the back of church. If you require to have the bag collected, please phone the Parish House (0161 624 4834) or John Green (0161 624 9748). Thank you for your continued help and support in making this our major fund raising event a success.
An urgent plea for volunteer helpers on the day – if you are able to help, even for only a short time, please put your name and details on the list which is on the table at the back of church.

“BITS and PIECES”
Calling all crafters and artists – St. Herbert’s CWL have organised a presentation called “Hands on Card Making” by Rita Turner in St. Herbert’s Parish Centre, Broadway, Chadderton, on Thursday 20th November at 8.00pm. Admission is £2 including refreshments. Contact 0161 652 3930.
Also, on Thursday 20th November, St. Augustine’s RC church in Grosvenor Square, All Saints, Manchester, invite you to “A Celebratory Concert” starting at 7.30pm. Celebrating 40 years on the site, it includes organ and other classical music performed by soloists and musicians of the Royal Northern College of Music. Entrance is free, with a retiring collection. Phone 0161 236 6762.
To end the 150th Anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady to St. Bernadette in the Grotto of Massabielle, Lourdes, Mancunia have organised a One-Day Pilgrimage on Monday 8th December, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The cost is £229 and the flight leaves Manchester at 7.30am. If interested, see the poster on the church notice board.

ST. PATRICK’S WEEKLY SERVICES
This “gem church” will be open each day for private prayer and meditation from 10.00am. until 3.30pm.
SUNDAY:      10.00am; 12.30pm (Polish Mass) and 6.00pm.
MONDAY:          12 noon   Eucharistic Service
TUESDAY:         12 noon   Mass for the deceased clergy of our Deanery.
WEDNESDAY: 12 noon   Eucharistic Service
THURSDAY:      12 noon   Mass
FRIDAY:             12 noon   Mass (The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
SATURDAY:     12 noon   Mass (St. Cecilia, virgin & martyr)
CONFESSION:    Saturday:   11.00 – 11.50am. and 12.30 – 12.45pm.
BAPTISM:            By appointment
MARRIAGE:        6 months notice must be given (Diocesan requirement)

ST. MARY’S WEEKLY SERVICES
SUNDAY:      11.30am. Mass
MONDAY:   Mass at 10.00am (St. Elizabeth of Hungary, religious)
WEDNESDAY: Mass at 12 noon
CONFESSIONS:    first Saturday of the month:   10.00 – 10.30am.
BAPTISMS and MARRIAGES:     as for St. Patrick’s

READERS:                  10.00am. Mass                   11.30am. Mass           6.00pm. Mass
TODAY:                W. Powell & J.M.Taylor                 M. Smith                    B. Marley
NEXT SUNDAY:      P. Hilton & C. Riley                  M. Howell                   J.K.Green

“WHAT’S ON” THIS WEEK
TODAY, the 10.00am. Mass in St. Patrick’s church will be part of the Sacramental Programme with the theme “Celebrating Forgiveness”. We welcome the children and their parents.
ALSO, the deferred retiring collection for the Catholic Children’s Rescue Society will take place after all Masses today.
ALSO, prayers will be said during the Mass at St. Mary’s for the Day of Prayer for Vocations.
ALSO, there is a Filipino Eucharistic Service in St. Patrick’s church at 2.30pm.
NEXT SUNDAY, Aid to the Church in Need give a presentation at all Masses. Books and religious articles will be on sale, the proceeds of which will assist those in need.

FATHER MICHAEL WALSH RIP
Fr. Michael Walsh, our Diocesan Communications Officer, died last week from a suspected heart attack. Since 1991 he had been the parish priest of St. Paul’s, Guide Bridge, and had a regular Sunday morning slot on GMR Radio. He was in his 63rd year and the 40th year of his Sacred Priesthood. He was born in Bury, educated at Thornleigh College in Bolton and trained at St. Bede’s and Ushaw Colleges. He was formerly parish priest at St. Willibrord’s, Clayton. His body will be received into St. Paul’s church, Guide Bridge, for concelebrated Mass on Tuesday 18th November at 7.00pm. before a Requiem Mass offered by Bishop Brain on Wednesday at 11.00am. He will be buried in the family grave in St. Peter’s cemetery, Bury.
The Catholic Chaplaincy to the University of Manchester announces the return of The De Lubac Memorial Lecture (“God: Spectacle or Discovery?”) given by His Eminence Philippe Cardinal Barbarin, Archbishop of Lyon, Primate of France and Chancellor of Lyon University on Tuesday 18th November at 7.00pm. at the University of Manchester, Whitworth Hall. Tickets £10 (concessions available). For tickets and payment, see the poster on the church notice board.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Please see the church notice board for further details of the following:

GRAND CHRISTMAS DRAW
Yes, it’s come round again – your opportunity to win some fabulous prizes! The parish Grand Christmas Draw will take place on December 21st and in spite of inflation the cost remains the same – a book of five tickets for £1. You can win:
FIRST PRIZE – Holiday Accommodation in a 2-bedroom gite for 4/5 people in Calvados, Normandy, France (one week, low season);
SECOND PRIZE: £200 CASH;
THIRD PRIZE; £100 cash;
Plus various prizes of spirits, wines, etc.
Tickets are now on sale at the back of church - please take a few books to sell to your family, friends and neighbours.

Gallery Oldham, Greaves St., celebrates
Arthur Dooley in solo exhibition
From 1.00pm Sat. 22nd November until March 28th 2009
Includes the sculpture Dachau (a powerful ragged figure of the crucified Christ), photos and films.

Oldham Interfaith Forum
FESTIVAL OF LIGHT 2008
Christmas – Eid – Chanukah – Diwali – Bodhi Day
on Friday 5th December 6.30 – 9.00pm For free tickets phone 0161 624 6733

“SMILE – A – WHILE”
A man walked into a pub carrying a duck and a biscuit tin. The landlord looked but said nothing. The man said, “This is my pet duck and it’s unique because it can tap dance.” The landlord, in total disbelief, told him that if the duck danced he could have free beer all night. The man placed the biscuit tin on the bar, fiddled with it and stood the duck on top of the tin. Nothing! But after a few minutes, the duck began to tap dance. It danced until a crowd gathered and the landlord, seeing the interest, offered to buy it for £200. Reluctantly, the duck’s owner agreed. The duck carried on tap dancing. A bigger crowd gathered, beer flowed and closing time came and went with the duck still dancing. Going to bed, the landlord thought that the duck would give up when it was tired. However, he couldn’t sleep and went downstairs to check. Sure enough, the duck was still tap dancing – some seven hours after he’d bought it! Fearing for his investment, he tried everything to stop the duck dancing, but to no avail. In total desperation, at four in the morning, he managed to ring the seller and told him what was going on. “Oh, I’m sorry,” said the man. “I forgot to tell you. If you want to stop the duck dancing, just take the lid off the biscuit tin and blow out the candle.”