Our Lady of Good Counsel

& Guardian Angels Parish

54 Harvey Street,
Elton, Bury BL8 2RD
Tel: 0161 764 1630

Email: olgcga@b nternet.com

Parish website:
www.guardianangels-parish.org
Parish Twier: @olgcga
Diocesan website:
www.salforddiocese.org.uk

Newsleer for the weekend - 21st/22nd February 2015

The First Sunday of Lent (Year of St. MarkYear B)
PLEASE REMEMBER
IN PRAYER

THIS WEEKENDS
SCRIPTURES

OUR SICK:
Bro. Nicholas Hutchinson,
David Lindley, Dominic Gamble,
Eileen Cock, Margaret Reilly,
Elaine Hardman, Ray Fitzwalter,
James Scanlon, Jody Turon, a very
sick nephew, Austin Sweeney,
Stefan Sikorski, Michael
Dewsnap, Kathleen Warburton,
Phyllis Daly, Maurice Berry, Joan
Grimshaw.

TODAYS READINGS
First Reading: Genesis 9: 8-15
Gods covenant with Noah when
he was delivered
Psalm 25 : Your ways, Lord,
are faithfulness and love to
those who keep your covenant
Second Reading: 1 Peter 3: 1822 The water of the flood prefigured baptism which saves you
now.
Gospel: Mar k 1: 12-15 Jesus
was tempted by Satan, and the
angels ministered to him.

LATELY DECEASED
Delia Mitchell
Leslie Warburton
Doreen McDermot
Kathryn De Wet
Eamon Annoot
ANNIVERSARIES
Josephine Coligan
Christine Wolstenholme
Margaret Crowshaw
Mr & Mrs Herbert Crowshaw
Ronald Yates
To include someone on the
prayer list please give
their name to Fr. Paul, put
it through the letterbox of
the Parish Office, call the
Office on: 0161 764 1630
or e-mail to olgcga@btinternet.com
Please use the White Mass Intention
envelopes for Mass intentions which
you will find in the porches. Thank
you.
When adding the name of
someone sick please ensure that you
have their permission (or the
permission of their family). The list is
updated each week. and because of
space the names of the sick will be
removed from the list after four weeks.
You can ask for them to be added
again.

You are now able to access the

weekly parish newsletter from
our twitter feed (@olgcga)

NEXT WEEKENDS
SCRIPTURES (Year B)
First Reading: Genesis 22: 1-2.
9a, 1-13, 15-18
Psalm 116
Second Reading: R om ans
8:31b-34
Gospel: M ark 9: 2-10

'CIRCLE OF PRAYER'
St Theresa of Lisieux
Deanery
For the week beginning Sunday
22nd February 2015 we pray we
pray for the parish of Sacred
Heart,
Rochdale,
for
the
parishioners and
Fr David
OKane their Parish Priest.

SERVICES THIS WEEK

Saturday 21st February: The First Sunday of Lent
7.00 pm: Mass
Sunday 22nd February: The First Sunday of Lent
8.45 am: Mass
10.30 am: Mass
2.30 pm: The Rite of Election at Salford Cathedral
Monday 23rd February:
9.15am: Eucharistic Service
Tuesday 24th February:
7.00 pm: Mass
Wednesday 25th February:
9.15 am: Mass
Thursday 26th February:
9.15am: Eucharistic Service
10.30 am Funeral Service for Frank Warburton
Friday 27th February:
9.15 am: Mass
Saturday 28th February: The Second Sunday of Lent
7.00 pm: Mass
Sunday 1st March: The Second Sunday of Lent
8.45 am: Mass
10.30 am: Mass
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Saturday 21st FebruaryConfessions at 6.00pm
Saturday 28th FebruaryConfessions at 6.00pm
The Stations of the Cross (for the sick and peace)
7.00 pm in Church
Flowers on the Sanctuary.
If you would like to have the
flowers on the sanctuary in memory of
someone or something special just let Fr
Paul or Sharon know and they will
arrange it.
N.B. There are no flowers in Church during the Lenten
Season.
EASTER FLOWERS: If you would like to make a
donation to the Flowers in Church for Easter, please
place it in an envelope and clearly mark it Easter
Flowers and post it through the Parish Office letterbox. Thank you.

The Fist Sunday of Lent

22nd February 2015
If you wish to contribute to the View from the Pew,
please contact the Parish Office.

These are anonymous comments from

parishioners.
In this years cycle of readings, the first readings on the
Sundays of Lent present Gods successive covenants to the
human race. Our first two readings today are about Gods
covenant with Noah. Marks Gospel recounts, in his typical brief
fashion, Jesus sojourn in the desert and his announcement of the
kingdom of god. What we have to do is repent and believe in the
gospel, the good News. As we listen to these readings let us
recall our own baptismal covenant with God (the one that catechumens will make at this Easter Vigil) and how we ourselves
are repenting and believing in the Good News of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ.
MINIBUS DRIVERS
If you cannot fulfil your rota duty, please arrange a swap with another
team. Thanks.
This weeks team: George Ponka & Janet Turner
Next weeks team: Joe & Sarah Farry

Awakening Faith and Seeking Christ

THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE
THURSDAY 26TH FEBRUARY AT 7.30PM

Having your child baptised at

Guardian Angels.
If you are planning on having your
child baptised, please pick up a leaflet from the Welcome
and Information Centre, which outlines our baptism preparation programme.
Please note that the first thing that parents have to do is
contact the Parish Office (telephone on 0161 764 1630
or call in) to book onto the First Meeting, held on the
first Sunday of each month. Please do not just turn up
for the meeting without first booking in through the
Parish Office. This means that our Baptism Preparation
Team have a workable number of people each month.

The Clusterers
Thursday 5th March
Jumbles and Affetside
Some steep parts
Leader Jeff Smith Tel: 0161 764 7269
10.00 am start from Guardian Angels Car Park.
Sunday 22nd March
Gawthorpe Hall & River Calder
Moderate. Leader Jeff Smith 0161 764 7269
9.30 am star t fr om Guar dian Angels Car Par k.

CAFOD Lenten Family Fast Day

Friday 27th February 2015

SUNDAY 22ND FEBRUARY

THE RITE OF ELECTION
AT SALFORD CATHEDRAL AT 2.30 PM
PLEASE MEET AT CHURCH IN ORDER TO TRAVEL
TOGETHER BY COACHLEAVING AT 1.15 PM PROMPT

This weekend we will be distributing the Lenten

Family Fast Day envelopes at all the Masses.

WEEKLY OFFERINGS
The Offertory Collection for:
For the weekend of 14th/15th February was:
Envelopes: 836.20 Loose collection: 340.46
Total: 1176.66

Shrove Tuesday: Many thanks to the members of the

UCM who prepared the pancakes for us after Mass on
Tuesday. Dur ing the evening ther e was also a raffle. All
proceeds from the pancakes and raffle will go to support the
new permanent Cancer Support Centre which has recently
moved from St James to new premises on Bolton Road.
The amount raised was 208. Many thanks to everyone who
supported this.

Thank you for your generosity.

If you wish to join the Gift Aid scheme please see Fr Paul at the back of
Church after Mass. It only takes a couple of seconds!
Question for the week:
What wild beasts do I find myself among in these opening days of
Lent? Who are some ministering angels who bless my life?
This weekend we have copies of a document from Bishop John which
are available for you to collect from the back of church. In the document Bishop John outlines some of the areas that we, as a diocese, will
have to face in the future. He is also informing us that there will be a
full consultation later in the year. Please do take a copy so that you can
read it at home.
CornerstonesThe Big Sleep-Out
Sleep out for just one night and help those who are forced to sleep out
every night. This year Cornerstones will be hosting a sponsored Big
Sleep-out in support of the thousands who have to endure sleeping
rough on our streets.
This is your opportunity to raise funds to help Cornerstones support
homeless men and women in Manchester. The big sleep-out is taking
place on the night of April 24th at St Christophers Ashton. Further
details and enrolment forms available on-line fromwww.cornerstonebigsleepout.co.uk

To receive our Parish Newsletter by e-mail each

weekend, simply e-mail the Parish Office on: olgcga@btinternet.com with the tag line newsletter
and we will add you to the list. Follow us on Twitter also
@olgcga for reminders and updates on parish events.
Follow the Department for Evangelisation:
@SalfordDFE
ITEMS FOR THE NEWSLETTER
Please submit all items for inclusion in the newsletter to the
Parish Office no later than Wednesday evening.
Either pop them through the Office letter-box or e-mail
them in. Anything received after Wednesday evening cant
be guaranteed to make it into the next weekends newsletter.
CONGRATULATION: To Bill and Mar ian Br ett who
celebrated their Golden Wedding on Friday 20th February.
We wish them every blessing.
Let us know when other couples mark such milestones!

WELCOME
TO WITNESS
Becoming an
evangelising parish
Copies of the book are
available for purchase from the
Parish Office. Price 7.95 a copy
This weekend we have a supply of books for Lent and
Easter available to buy at the back of Church. Take a look
at them! If you ordered a copy of The Easter Bunnys
amazing day they are en-route from our suppliers
Every year we have a special Lenten Course on Tuesday
evenings. We have had all kinds
of different courses in the past.
This year we are once more offering something different!
On Tuesday 24th February we
are beginning our Lenten Programme which is entitled:

Another Story Must Begin

A Lenten Course based on
Les Miserables
We will meet each Tuesday evening (apart from
the 3rd March and the Tuesday in Holy Week) after the
7.00 pm Mass.
On Week One, Tuesday 24th February we will
watch the entire Film of Les Miserables (so this will be
the longest session of the Lenten series as the running
time of the film is about 2 hours 15 minutes). The UK
rating for the film is 12.
On Tuesday 3rd March we have our Parish Memorial Mass for Fr John Cribben, and so there will not
be a Lenten programme that evening as we will be having refreshments in the Parish Centre after the Mass.
About the film:
Based on the book by Victor Hugo, first published in
1862, Les Miserables has been running as a musical on
the London stage since 1985. Jean Valjean is a French
convict of 19 years, newly released from prison. Life is
hard for an ex-convict, and he steals from the first person
who is kind to him, a bishop. He is however rescued by the
bishop, and he gives him a new start in life. This experience of mercy redefines Valjean and he attempts to help the
destitute Fantine and her daughter Cosette.
During the weekly sessions we will explore certain
themes such as sacrifice, repentance, forgiveness, and redemption, love and justice and explore some of the characters in the story.
So, do come and join us on the Tuesday evenings of
Lent, in the Parish Centre, and through the sessions, take
the opportunity to deepen your faith.
Everyone is welcome to join us.

Diocesan Pilgrimage to
Auschwitz-Birkenau, Krakow,
Czestochowa & Zakopane
Sunday 24th MaySunday 31st
May 2015
2015 is the year in which we commemorate the 70th
Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz Concentration
Camp (27th January 2015) and also the liberation of many
other camps. To commemorate this we have been asked to
organise this Pilgrimage once again this year. This year we
have been able to organise the Pilgrimage to take place
entirely during the May school half-term.
After the time spent in visiting and in reflection at
Auschwitz our focus then changes to spending time walking
in the footsteps of St John Paul II.

COST PER PERSON:

820 per person
(deposit payable 150 per person)
COST INCLUDES:

Return flights Liverpool - Krakow (EasyJet)

Airport duty & passenger taxes

1 suitcase per person for the aircraft hold (20kgs)

Coach transfers in Poland & to and from LiverpoolBury

4 nights in 4* Arena Hotel & Spa in Tychy (on half

board basis)

3 nights dinner, bed & breakfast 4* Qubus Hotel in

Krakow

English speaking tour guide whilst in Auschwitz,

Krakow, Wadowice, Czestochowa, & Zakopane

Local guide at the Salt Mines (English speaking)

Tips for Guide & Driver and Entrance fee for

Auschwitz & the Salt Mines
WHAT IS EXTRA:
Single room supplement 175.00
TRAVEL INSURANCE: (with Pilgrimage Options)
35 per person aged 18 65
47 per person aged 66 - 75
60 per person aged 76 - 79
70 per person aged 80+

For a full itinerary and booking form please contact

Sharon Beech on 0161 761 0536 or 0161 764 1630
or e-mail to: sharon.beech@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
Places are limited, so early booking is recommended

PARISH DIARY

The Missionary Journeys of St Paul

Malta & Rome

8 days
Friday 25th September
Saturday 3rd October 2015
Following on from the very successful pilgrimages
in the footsteps of St Paul in Greece in 2009 and
subsequent pilgrimages to the Holy Land &
Turkey, the Department for Evangelisation is completing the journey in the footsteps of St. Paul with
his journey to Malta and his martyrdom in Rome.
During our 4 days in Malta we will
explore the sacred sites of Valletta, St.
Pauls Bay and St. Pauls Island. We will
visit Mdina, Mosta (the silent city), Rabat,
sail to Gozo and visit sites that relate to
the Order of the Knights of Malta. We will
take a short flight from Malta to Rome on the fifth day of
the pilgrimage.
Our final 4 days of the pilgrimage
will follow Pauls journey to Rome, visiting various places associated with St
Paul. We will also attend the Wednesday
morning audience with Pope Francis in
St. Peters Square (dependent on Pope
Francis being in Rome). Whilst in Rome we will also visit
the Benedictine Monastery at Subacio, where there is a
fresco of St. Francis that is reputed to have been painted
whilst he was visiting the Monastery. We will also visit
the catacombs, and hope to visit SantEgidio, an ecumenical community in Rome.

The itinerary is subject to minor change.

Price per person: 1225.00

Prices are based on two people sharing a twin
bedded room on a Half Board basis, and includes
flights and all entrance fees.
(A single room supplement of 199.00 is payable)

Monday 23rd March

No Toddlers Group
Tuesday 24th February
No Tuesday Club Meeting
7.45 pm: Week One Lenten Programmethe showing of
Les Miserables
Wednesday 25th February
7.30 pm; Guardian Angels School Full Governing Body
meeting
Thursday 26th February
7.30 pm: Our Lady of Lourdes Full Governing Body Meeting
7.30 pm: Seeking Christ Meeting in the Parish Centre.
Tuesday 3rd March
Tuesday Club: Annual General Meeting
7.00 pm: Parish Memorial Mass for Fr John Cribben
Wednesday 4th March
PLEASE NOTE THAT FR DENIS MCBRIDES
TALK ON THIS DATE HAS BEEN RE-ARRANGED
TO THURSDAY 26TH MARCH DUE TO HIS COMMITMENTS
Thursday 5th March
Meeting with the Music Group re Easter Liturgies
Saturday 7th March
10.00 am 12.00 noon Sacramental Programme Meeting
for Parents and children in the Parish Centre.
Wednesday 11th March & Thursday 12th March
7.00 pm Sacramental Programme Reconciliation Services
Thursday 26th March
7.30 pm: Fr Denis McBride speaking about The Passion
Narratives in the Gospels. St Gabriels HS (organised by
the Salford Diocese Dept for Evangelisation) at St
Gabriels H.S.
HOLY WEEK
Sunday 29th March: Palm Sunday
Tuesday 31st March: Cluster Reconciliation Service
Thursday 2nd April: Holy Thursday
Friday 3rd April: Good Friday
Saturday 4th April: Holy Saturday
Sunday 5th April: Easter Sunday

Lenten Deanery Station Masses.

For Lent this year, as a Deanery we are having four
Deanery Lenten Station Masses. They are taking
place in each of the four pastoral areas of our deanery
(which is now quite a large geographical area). Parishioners are welcome to attend any (or all of the
Masses) The dates and venues are as follows:
Holy Family, Rochdale
Thursday 26th Feb
St Marys, Littleborough
Thursday 5th March
Our Lady of Grace, Prestwich Thursday 12th March
St Josephs, Heywood
Thursday 19th March
(Bishop John will be presiding at this Station Mass)
All Station Masses are on Thursdays at 7.30pm.

For a full itinerary and booking form please

contact Sharon Beech on 0161 761 0536
or e-mail to:
sharon.beech@dioceseofsalford.org.uk

All are welcome.