ST AMBROSE BARLOW CATHOLIC CH§URCH Lakey Lane, Hall Green, Birmingham B28 8QU. 0121 777 4524 Fr Paul Johnson, Parish Priest This parish is part of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, Registered Charity No. 234216

31 October 2021 Divine Office: Week 3, Year B

SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS Saturday

30 5.30pm

ALL SAINTS MASS Philomena Hourigan 3rd Anniv.

2nd Coll: None

Sunday

31

10.00am 5.30pm

ALL SAINTS MASS Pjeter Fusha RIP MASS Martin Mannion RIP

2nd Coll:

None

Monday 01 Nov.

9.30am

Weekday MASS Holy Souls / Pro Populo

Tuesday

02

9.30am

10.00am

Holy Souls MASS Holy Souls EXPOSITION with Benediction at 10.30am

Wednesday 03

9.30am

Weekday MASS Peter Sheeran

Thursday 04

9.30am

St Charles Borromeo, Bishop MASS Holy Souls

Friday 05

9.30am

Weekday MASS Dolan/Williams Family

Saturday 06

5.30pm

THIRTY SECOND SUNDAY MASS Terry O’Connor Anniv.

2nd Coll: Johnson

Association

Sunday 07

10.00am

5.30pm

THIRTY SECOND SUNDAY MASS PJ Sweeney Anniv/ Maureen Bishop 3rd Anniv/ Covid MASS Holy Souls

2nd Coll: Johnson

Association

The Pope’s Prayer Intention for November: People who Suffer with Depression We pray that people who suffer from depression or burn-out will find support and a

light that opens them up to life.

Fr Paul Writes… Don’t forget the clocks go back this weekend: don’t be late for Mass on Sunday!!! Or is it early?? I’m never able to work that one out! This weekend we are celebrating the great feast of All Saints when we call to mind all those who have gone before us and are now in Heaven with Jesus: those people we know to have attained salvation even though the Church has yet to canonise them. Who is your favourite saint and why? They are our heroines and our heroes who lead us in our faith. I can think of plenty of people whom I have met and have brought me closer to Jesus – who might that be for you? As we now spend a month in prayer for the dead there are several aspects to be mindful of:

The envelopes for the dead remain in the porch if you have not had the chance to hand them in. For those with donations a Mass for the Holy Souls will be offered and all names held in the casket before the altar through the month. All the names will be read out at Mass during November. A special Mass to pray for those who have died of COVID and those who have worked tirelessly over this pandemic will be said on Sunday 7 November at 10am. Let me have any names you would like mentioned. The annual Mass offered for deceased priests and deacons of the Birmingham East Deanery will take place on Tuesday 9th November at 12.30pm at the Sacred Heart & Holy Souls Church, Warwick Road, Acocks Green. Parishioners are most welcome to attend this Mass to pray for our deceased priests and deacons. The Mass will be concelebrated by the priests of the deanery.

Our annual Mass for those who have died over the past year or so will be on Saturday 20 November at 5.30pm. Please invite those who are grieving along and let me have any names to include as soon as you can. The blessings of the graves will take place during November at 2pm as follows: 7th Brandwood End, 13th Oscott (at 3pm), 14th Widney Manor, 21st Robin Hood, 28th Yardley. See the poster in the porch. To all our children, I say, I hope you have enjoyed a great half term holiday and you are keen to be getting back to school. Would you like to help the church by serving at the altar? If this is something you would like to know more about then come along to our training session this coming Saturday, 6 November at 11am. If you have made your First Communion and you would like to help, please join us. God bless you and have a good and holy week.

A prayer for the COP26 climate talks: Loving God, we praise your name with all you have created. You are present in the whole universe, and in the smallest of creatures. We acknowledge the responsibilities you have placed upon us as stewards of your creation. May the Holy Spirit inspire all political leaders at COP26 as they seek to embrace the changes needed to foster a more sustainable society. Instil in them the courage and gentleness to implement fairer solutions for the poorest and most vulnerable, and commit their nations to the care of Our Common Home. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ you Son. Amen. PRAYING FOR THE DEAD Envelopes in the porch for the names for prayers for the dead during daily Mass in November. See the porch for dates/details about blessing of graves around the city. Annual Mass to remember the dead is Saturday 20 Nov at 5.30pm: Let Fr Paul have names asap. COVID MASS Archbishop Bernard will celebrate Mass on Sunday 7 November at 11.30am in St Chad’s for those who have died during the pandemic and for those who have worked tirelessly through the pandemic. He writes to the priests: I would like to encourage you to share in this commemoration at the Masses you celebrate with your own parish communities on Sunday 7 November. Please let Fr Paul know if you would like anyone special named during the 10am Mass on this day here at St Ambrose Barlow.

POPE FRANCIS @ Pontifex Climate change can be faced with a renewed sense of shared

responsibility for our world, and an effective solidarity based on justice, a sense of our common destiny and a recognition of the unity of our human family in God’s plan for the world. #Faiths4COP26

BINGO Don’t forget we have the regular Bingo this weekend: the last Saturday of the month at 7pm. All are welcome and there is going to be a guaranteed winner. SCHOOL INSPECTORS The Archdiocese of Birmingham is seeking to recruit inspectors of Catholic primary and secondary schools. We are particularly keen to hear from former school leaders who seek to remain connected with Catholic Education. See poster in the porch Email b.mcardle@bdes.org.uk for details. CLEANER WANTED We are looking, again, to recruit a cleaner for the hall and house. Contact Fr Paul in the first instance. We can be flexible on hours of work to suit. LiveSimply: Remove plastic film from plastic pots, tubs and trays. (Otherwise not recyclable)! OUR LADY’S CANDLE burns today for:

Special Intention (RH) If you would like an intention for Our Lady’s Candle, please write it on an envelope and leave for Fr Paul to light. PLEASE PRAY FOR: The sick and housebound of the parish: Alan Clark, Phyllis Coggins, Eileen Curtin, Jennifer Davies, Mary English, Macius Grudzinski, Rory Lynch, Caroline Mahon, Allison Malins, Anna McCarthy, Imelda Moorhouse, Josh Nicholson, Kath Ryan, Harry Sanford, John Walsh. Also, those in hospitals and nursing homes. Baptism: Welcome to the family of God, Ada Drury who will be baptised after Sunday morning Mass. Recently deceased: All those who have died recently, Giovanni Baldin (funeral Tuesday 16 Nov, 11.30am), and those whose anniversaries occur at this time. May they rest in peace. Amen.

PARISH NOTICES

WEEKLY OFFERINGS Please try to support the parish as you are financially able. There is now a donate button (top right) on the home page of the Diocesan website – www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk From there, donations, which can also be gift aided, can be made to any parish via credit or debit card. Search for Birmingham, Hall Green. Or the alternative old fashioned but highly successful means: drop your donation into the buckets at the entrance and exit points. GIFT AID Do you pay tax? On earnings, savings or pension? Then you may be able support the parish through Gift Aid. Speak to Brendan Tighe and increase your donation. PARISH FINANCES: Gift Aid £277.00 Loose £297.04 Total £574.04

APF Mission Sunday £136.96

SECOND COLLECTION: This weekend: None. Next weekend: Johnson Association.

PARISH CONTACT DETAILS EMAIL: stambrose.bham@rcaob.org.uk

https://www.facebook.com/stambrosebarlowhallgreen/ Web: http://www.st-ambrose-barlow.org.uk/

Fr Paul Johnson, Parish Priest, 0121 777 4524 or 07939 137 205 Safeguarding: Paul Mann 07967 693 652 Bernadette O’Driscoll 07855 998 702

Items for newsletter to Parish Office or Email by Thursday, Noon.

Et Tandem writes…The Hand Sometimes, depending on where we sit in church and how many are close by, our view may be obscured of what is happening on the altar.

This week, when kneeling at the back, I realised I couldn’t see a thing – except the right hand of Jesus on the cross above the altar. I couldn’t shuffle over to a clearer spot due to social distancing. So now, all I could do was focus on Jesus’ right hand. But in that moment of simply focusing on that hand, I realised how much I loved that hand. It was the hand that blessed, the hand that instituted the sacraments, the hand that reached out and touched others to heal and perform miracles. And the hand that was consecrating with the priest below right there and then on the altar.

What a beautiful beautiful hand; Jesus hand, torn through and nailed to a cross for love of us.

While we many not always have a perfect view, obstructions can be a blessing, because perhaps God is focusing our attention on what we can see, to give us a single view of something we may not normally contemplate, but which deepens our understanding of His sacrifice and His love for us – like a simple hand.

PARISH DIARY, to be resumed soon?! L