FR DAVID WRITES
Dear young parishioners! We haven’t forgotten about you, and we hope you remember us in your prayers each day. Many young people in our parish were making excellent preparations before the lockdown to celebrate the sacraments. Last weekend should have been our First Holy Communion Masses, and this coming Friday we would have celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation with our young people in Year 9. Please can everyone in the parish remember them in your prayers. We look forward to seeing you all again in the not-too-distant future, and making preparations with you to celebrate these wonderful sacraments. We also miss all our young peoples’ groups we normally see so often: school children, altar servers, musicians and singers, our Scouts, Beavers, Cubs, Brownies, Irish Dancers, everyone who comes to Mass, and many more! God bless you all – keep your prayers going strong!

VE WEEKEND
Friday was VE Day, and this weekend we are commemorating the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe. We will keep this commemoration in our prayers at Sunday Mass.

SCHOOL MASS
This Wednesday 13th May at 10am we have planned to celebrate Mass on the live-stream for the children of Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School. We would like to invite all children and young people in our parish to join in, as well as parents, grandparents and siblings. Join us online on the parish website on Wednesday just before 10am. Wednesday is the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima.

LIVE-STREAM MASS FOR KEY-WORKERS
This week’s Mass for key-workers will be celebrated on Thursday evening at 7pm by the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, Bishop Robert Byrne, at St Mary’s Cathedral, Newcastle upon Tyne. You can watch it live here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC12EvW0Eqg-cFTh5i2y_EQw

DAY OF PRAYER, FASTING & GOOD WORKS
An interreligious enterprise is taking place this Thursday, during which we are all invited to make a day of prayer, fasting and good works. This is an act of solidarity and human fraternity among peoples of all faiths. You can see more about it here:
https://www.romereports.com/en/2020/05/04/may-14-day-for-peoples-of-all-religions-to-pray-fast-and-do-charitable-works-to-end-coronavirus/

EASING LOCKDOWN RESTRICTIONS
The Bishops of England and Wales and their agencies are working closely with the authorities on how best we can safely cooperate to ensure public safety as well as responding to the spiritual needs of our parishioners. As always, we will follow the instructions, guidance and advice we receive. Parishioners are kindly asked to wait until further instructions are given before returning to the church area. Likewise, hall users and group leaders should wait to hear from us before coming to the hall, office or presbytery areas here at church. Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

FUNERALS THIS WEEK
Please pray for the repose of the souls of Thomas McDonagh (Wednesday) and Sidharth Joseph (Saturday) whose funerals take place this week. Please also pray for Maria Mullaly, Rosa Romano, and Virginia Bergamini who have died recently.

CATHOLIC PAPERS
We have been informed that the Catholic Universe and the Catholic Times are going to be merged into one paper whilst the churches are closed.  If you would like to, you can subscribe at www.thecatholicuniverse.com or by phoning 0161 820 5722.  Subscriptions to
 Ireland’s Own can be purchased from www.irelandsown.ie.

GIFT AID UPDATE
Many thanks to all of you who Gift Aid your donation to the parish.  If you no longer pay tax, or you have moved house recently, please let the Parish Office know (by email) so that we can keep our records up to date.  Thank you.