Holy Mass for Sunday at St. Peter & St. Paul’s, Mawdesley – Saturday at 5.00pm, Sunday at 11.15am

PARISH  OFFERTORY COLLECTION:  £313.21   Thank you                             Standing Orders (August): £518.98

SPECIAL COLLECTION THIS WEEKEND: Catholic Education Service              

SPECIAL COLLECTION NEXT WEEKEND: Home Missions (15 September)

200 CLUB DRAW:  1^st prize = S Taylor (116), 2^nd prize = B Moore (127)

STARS STAY-&-PLAYGROUP:  Claire Curtis is moving her popular playgroup to Our Lady’s Church Hall on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  For toddlers aged 0 – 4 yrs.  Charges = £2.50 for the first child and £4 max for additional children.  Session times are 10am to 11.30am on Tuesdays and 1pm to 2.30pm on Thursdays.  Please see the poster on the notice board in the porch and help spread the word!

EU SETTLEMENT SCHEME:  The UK is likely to leave the European Union on 31 October, with or without an agreement covering this departure.  As a consequence, the European law concerning the free movement of people will be changing and therefore citizens from the EU states, the EEA states and Switzerland will need to apply to the Settlement Scheme if they wish to protect their existing rights and safeguard their place in British society.  There is no fee – it is completely free of charge, but it is essential that all EU nationals apply as soon as possible,  Please let anyone you think might be affected know about this and ask them to visit: www.gov/uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families for more information.

WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY – 10 SEPTEMBER: Whilst the overall number of people with mental health problems has not changed significantly in recent years, worries about jobs, money, benefits and loneliness suggest that more and more people are struggling to cope.  With this in mind the Archdiocese Safeguarding Dept has published information about how to access mental health support.  One of the key organisations is the Hub of Hope (www.hubofhope.co.uk) which allows anyone, anywhere, to find the nearest source of support for any mental health issue – from depression to PTSD, as well as a ‘Talk Now’ button, connecting users directly to the Samaritans. Information sheets on this are available from the table in the porch.

REFLECTION

Father, I am hungry; for the love of God give this soul her food, her Lord in the Eucharist (St. Catherine of Siena)

Jesus’ disciples touch Him; He feels real; they give Him food, He eats it. Sometimes we do not feel God’s presence. ‘He has never left you’, reassures St Catherine of Siena. ‘It is just that your soul is so vast, that just like the earth in its innocence, it may think, “I do not feel my lover’s warmth against my face right now”. But look dear, is not the sun reaching down its arms and always holding a continent in its light?’ Truly, we are meant to relax in to His Holy Spirit and stop trying to do everything ourselves. ‘The sun hears the field talking about effort,’ wrote St Catherine of Siena, ‘and the sun smiles and whispers to me, “Why don’t the fields just rest, for I am willing to do everything to help them grow?” Rest my dears, in prayer.’

Lord Jesus, teach me to quieten my mind and still my body so that in worship before your Blessed Sacrament,      I will find rest for my soul.