St. Vincent de Paul
RC Church
Norden, Rochdale

NEWSLETTER
Download our latest Parish Weekly Newsletter.
Please see the Noticeboard and our News & Events page for further information.

TODAY’S MASS
Click HERE for Readings and the Order of Mass

SAFEGUARDING
Click HERE for contacts and further information and HERE for the Guidance Procedure

GOING TO MASS
Some thoughts before Mass of Pope Francis 
Be still and silent; we are about to encounter the Lord

GOING ON HOLIDAYS?
Need local Mass Location and Times in England & Wales?
Need a Mass Leaflet in English?
Speak to Fr. Paul.
Click HERE for a worldwide directory of Catholic Churches

Does any of the following apply to you?
Are you New to the Parish?
Do you know someone, who is sick or in Hospital?
Would you like a visit?
Do you think the Parish may be able to help you?
Do you think you may be able to help the Parish?
If so, please speak to Fr. Brindle

Alternatively, try our Parish Groups page for information.

At all Sunday Masses we have Welcomers to greet and offer Hymn books, Newsletter or Mass Leaflet. They are also available to answer pertinent questions or help in whatever way possible

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY AWARENESS MONTH (SEPTEMBER)
An Introduction - "Charity is certainly greater than any rule. Moreover, all rules must lead to charity." St Vincent de Paul. Founded in 1833 by Blessed Frederic Ozanam, the St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP) is a Christ-centred voluntary organisation.
With Christian values at our core, members of the SVP operate in many different ways, including visiting and befriending the lonely, sick and supporting community projects at home and overseas.

Here are a few statistics highlighting the work of our conferences.
.  Last year over 9,500 members helped 75,000 beneficiaries
.  45% of the people we visited were elderly in their own homes
.  The Society made over 470,000 visits
.  Material and practical assistance was offered to over 88,000 people and families

Over the month of September look out for our posters on the Parish notice board; if you would like to know more about the work that takes place in your local conference please get in touch with any of our members.
Conference contact: Elizabeth Ramsden 01706 658100.

SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMME
We will soon be starting our Sacramental Programme for the children who are hoping to make their First Holy Communion next summer.
If your child is in year 3, or above, and baptised Roman Catholic, and you would like them to take part in this Programme, there will be a meeting for parents on Monday 17th September at 6.30pm in the school.

GETTING TOGETHER
Next meeting is on Tuesday 18th September, 12.45 - 2.45 pm in the Parish Centre. Guest speaker is Maureen Hawksworth, talk on " Nepal ". ( Items for sale).  Everyone welcome.

LADIES
A few weeks ago we welcomed a group of Ladies to St. Vincent’s. The Ladies of the Mosque have invited ladies from St Vincent’s to join them on 23rd September 6.30 -7.30. If you would like to come, please contact Catherine Naden 07590191785.  Places are limited

COFFEE MORNING
McMillan Coffee Morning will be taking place after the 11am Mass on Sunday 30th September. Such a worthwhile cause deserving of our support

RETREAT
for Parish Hope in the Future Teams on Saturday 22nd September 2018 10:00am – 3:15pm
St Bede’s College, Manchester, M16 8HX. Keynote Speaker – Fr Chris Gorton. Small Groups on a range of Prayer & Spirituality. Holy Hour led by Bishop John. Register by email: hope@dioceseofsalford.org.uk

MARIAN PROCESSION
The Marian Procession takes place every year at 10.30am on the first Saturday (6th) of October, the month of the Holy Rosary. It is a great celebration of faith in which around 1000 people gather in God’s presence to pray in community and to bear public witness to the Catholic faith.
During the procession from St Edward’s, Rusholme, to Platt Fields Park a large wooden cross is carried followed by a statue of Our Lady. It will finish with a short service including some prayers and the crowning of Our Lady led by school children and some words by Bishop John Arnold.
There is a leaflet on the Noticeboard. Contact Catherine Naden 07590191785 re transport

SCRIPTURE FESTIVAL    Joy: the Surprise of the Gospel 
This is a Scripture Festival taking place at Salford Cathedral and the Cathedral Centre on 6 October 2018.  It is being organised collaboratively by northern dioceses, members of religious orders and is supported by the Scripture Working Group of the Bishops’ Conference. The theme of Joy has been chosen to reflect the appealing message of Pope Francis in The Joy of the Gospel.
Full publicity and booking forms will be available shortly.

POETRY COMPETITION
To accompany the above, a poetry competition is being run. Anyone over 16, are invited to submit a poem of no more than 20 lines on the theme of “Joy: the surprise of the Gospel.” The poem must not have been published previously and can’t be a translation of another author’s work. Entry forms and more details are on our website – www.scripturefestival.org

YOUTH PILGRIMAGE TO ROME
There will be a Youth Pilgrimage to Rome in February 2019. It will be led by Bishop John and will take place from 16th February until 23rd February. The pilgrimage is available for over 18s.
The cost of the pilgrimage is £690 and this includes flights, full board accommodation and insurance.
For more information phone Tracey Ward on 0161 817 2222 or email tracey.ward@dioceseofsalford.org.uk

VOLUNTEERING ABROAD : FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE CATENIAN ASSOCIATION 
Are you (or is your child or grandchild) between 16 and 24? Are you thinking about helping at Lourdes or going abroad to help with a Charity? Did you know that each year the Catenian Association, through the Catenian Bursary Fund gives cash grants (nothing to repay) totalling over £100,000 to young Catholics to help with their expenses?
If you would like more information please pick up a leaflet at the back of church. To see the few simple criteria and the wide range of projects we support and/or download an application form from www.thecatenians.com/bursary . There are leaflets at the back of church giving information about the Catenian Association.  Local contacts are Graham Sivills  868697, Brian Lillis 658543.

ARE WE A WELCOMING PARISH?
Many people tell us that they feel welcomed at St Vincent's - part of this is the way we try to greet people at the door when they arrive for Mass on Sundays. However this isn't happening at every mass. If you can smile and say 'hello', could you offer to be on our team of greeters, just for one mass a month? Give your name & phone no to Fr Paul or Mike Davis (648309) to find out more.

PRAYER REQUESTS
Just a little reminder that we have a board in the narthex on which you are able to place requests for prayer. It is good for us to pray with and for each other, so please always feel free to ask for prayers by placing any needs on the prayer board.

PARISH GROUP LIST
On our Groups page we have a list of groups together with their contact details. We did think it was quite comprehensive until the Hope in the Future group examined it in detail. We need to update the list on that page and we should be grateful if all group organisers could confirm to Brian Lillis (0797 4455 305 or BTLillis@gmail.com) their permission for their phone numbers (as printed in the list issued on the First Sunday of Advent) to be shown on the Parish Website and if willing provide an email address to be shown as well. Thank you all.

YOUTH MASS AND SOCIAL
On the third Sunday of each month, a Mass is celebrated with and for young adults at the Cathedral at 5.30pm followed by some input and a social. The monthly Masses and get-togethers take place under the title of Reignite

CATHOLIC SINGLES
Is an organisation which helps single adult Catholics of all ages meet, either one to one or through social events.
Please tel. 0161 941 3498, visit the website http://www.catholicsingles.org.uk or
email info@catholicsingles.org.uk

FOODBANK
A HUGE THANK YOU for your amazing generosity and please do continue as the need remains .
The Foodbank is a Christian based organisation, which works from premises in Rochdale town centre. Their website www.rochdale.foodbank.org.uk is now updated regularly with lists of food products which are in short supply and those of which there is a surplus. To find this, from the home page, click on Give Help and then Donate Food. The collection box is at the back of church near the Notice board.
Please continue to help!

HOSPITAL CHAPLAINCY
During If you are (or a relative) is in hospital, you will need to ask the ward staff to ask a priest to visit: and if you move from one ward to another, you will have to ask again! There is always a Chaplain attached to hospitals, who will visit if requested, and there is always a priest on call.

ARCHIVES
We have moved the links to the pages on the ordinations of Fr. Frank Mulgrew and Fr. Richard Howard as well as the conferring of a Papal Knighthood on Jimmy Cricket- all members of our parish here at St Vincents - to our Archives page.

GROUND MAINTENANCE
We do need volunteers and, if you have any spare time however little, please feel free to come along at any  time to suit yourself. The periphery of the car park area needs regular weeding with some clipping of bushes and general tidying. You will need only a few gardening tools.
We have just a small team to keep the ball rolling and we are looking for any skills from road sweeping to weeding and shrub pruning to keep things up to scratch. If you think you can help, please contact Brian Lillis (BTLillis@gmail.com or 07974455305). We will be very grateful.  

 OUR WEBSITE
Our principal need at the present time is for input for a youth page. If we had the suggestions, then we will do our best to implement them.
We do need suggestions for improvements to the site. Just because we have managed to produce a website, it does not make us professionals. So we would be very grateful for help and assistance from IT professionals with internet expertise; we will do what we can but guidance is what we need.
If you come across any ideas on other Parish websites please let us know and we will see what we can do. If you spot any errors, don’t leave us in blissful ignorance.
Please help!
Contact us at BTLillis@gmail.com   

Now that you are here, please have a look around and why not visit the outstanding daily prayer website produced by the Society of Jesus at SACRED SPACE.