St. Joseph's, Helensburgh

THE SEASON OF LENT

In these early days of the season of Lent you might still be thinking about your own Lenten preparations and commitments.

What will you be fasting from? Chocolate, coffee, wine, or harsh words, complaining, social media.....

What almsgiving will you do? Financial donations perhaps, or maybe giving time or friendship to someone, volunteering to aid others.

How will you pray? Reading the Gospel each day, or joining one the Lenten services in church, or using the reflections on our Season of Lent page. 

Whatever you do this Lent, do it with joy and grace. 

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LENTEN REFLECTION

To aid our prayer and spiritual preparation as we journey with the Lord through this important season, there will be a Lenten Reflection starting on Thursday 26th February in the chapel house at 2pm.

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STATIONS OF THE CROSS
During Lent, each Monday Evening, at 7pm, there will be Stations of the Cross in St. Joseph's church.  Please come and join in prayer, this Lenten Devotion on the Way of the Cross.   

Please note: for the first week of Lent, stations of the cross will be on Tuesday 24th February at 7pm.
 

LENT ALMSGIVING
During Lent there will be a Second Collection each week to help the Archdiocese of Glasgow support our Sick & Retired Priests, other than the fourth week in Lent, when the Second Collection will be for S.C.I.A.F.
 
SCIAF WEE BOXES
Lenten SCIAF Wee Boxes are on the table at the back of the church.  Please take one and during the next few weeks, fill with your loose change.  There is a Gift Aid Declaration on the Wee Box, so if you pay tax, please complete the details before returning your Box.  Many thanks.

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Mission Appeal 

The Appeal last weekend on behalf of St. Patrick's Missionary Society raised £889.01. Fr. Patrick McCallion, on behalf of the Kiltegan Fathers, sends his grateful thanks for your generosity.

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SPRED
Pauline Thumath will join us at our masses this weekend to speak briefly about the work of SPRED.

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DEVOTIONS

There will be Eucharistic adoration on Thursday only this week from 9am, followed by daily mass. 

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WORLD DAY OF PRAYER – 6th MARCH 2026
St Joseph’s Parish will be hosting Helensburgh & Rhu Churches World Day of Prayer.  This year’s Worship Service has been written by Christian women from Nigeria.  Members from local churches will join us in prayer for justice and peace in Nigeria and stories of three women will be shared, telling their stories of suffering and the burdens of poverty and religious persecution.
Our Nigerian parishioners have been invited to wear their national dress and to sing in Igbo language. Alicia and the choir will also contribute to this Worship Service.  Please come and be part of this global ecumenical day of prayer on Friday 6th March at 2.00pm.

 

WORLD YOUTH DAY 2027

RCAG Youth Expression of Interest: World Youth Day will take place in Seoul from 3rd–8th August 2027. Young people who will be 19 by 1st July 2027 and aged 19–35 at the time of the pilgrimage are invited to register their interest in travelling with RCAG Youth by completing the Expression of Interest form: https://tinyurl.com/wydrcagyouthEOI.

An Information Evening will be held on 23rd March 2026 at 7.00 pm at the RCAG Youth Office, 196 Clyde Street, G1 4JY. For enquiries, please email youth@rcag.org.uk.

 

THEOLOGY ON TAP

Following the success of the Autumn series, Fr. Ross Campbell of St. Patrick's Dumbarton is hosting another series of talks and fellowship for young adults starting at 7pm on Thursday 26th February. The theme of the first talk is "Be ambitious for the higher gifts' and the group will meet in the Abbotsford Hotel in Dumbarton. For more information see our Parish Groups page.

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CHARISMATIC RENEWAL

The Glasgow Service of Communion of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal invites you to join them for a weekend Lenten reflection retreat. Come and join us for a time of Inner Healing, praise and fellowship at Blessed John Duns Scotus Church Hall, 270 Ballater Street, Glasgow G5 0YT. Guest Speaker: Fr Gladson Dabre OSA.

Dates: Friday 27th Feb: 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm. Sunday 28th Feb: 10:00 am - 4:30 pm. Tea and Coffee provided. Bring a packed lunch on Saturday. For more information phone: Minin 07448 786569 Email: glasgow.service.team@gmail.com

 

​GIFT AID

Boost your support for St. Joseph’s at no extra cost!

Did you know that as a registered charity, St. Joseph’s can claim an extra 25% on your donations from HMRC—at absolutely no cost to you?

How it works:   If you make a Gift Aid declaration, the Parish receives an extra 25p for every £1 you give, so for every £100 you donate over the course of the year, the Parish receives and extra £25 from HMRC ... and it doesn't cost you a penny more!

If you are a higher-rate taxpayer, you can also claim personal tax relief on the donation through your Self-Assessment return.

There is no minimum donation and no commitment to a specific amount: you simply nominate the Parish to receive the tax refund.

You can give easily via Direct Debit or by using our weekly envelopes. At the end of the year, we’ll handle the totals and the paperwork with HMRC. To get started, please see Aileen Baird to obtain the necessary forms or to ask any questions regarding the scheme.

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​​ FUNERAL NOTICE

The funeral of Stella Esther McGoldrick will hold in St Josephs on Tuesday the 24th of February at 10am.​​​​​​
 

FOODBANK
January was another busy month at the Food Bank with 241 Food Bags issued, a total of 4,375 food items distributed to local individuals and family households experiencing financial hardship. Most needed this month are Cartons of Long-Life Milk, Tinned Meat, Fruit and
Vegetables, Vegetable Oil and Jars Coffee. A full list is on the church notice board. Grateful thanks for your continued support.

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​​​​​​​​WE REMEMBER IN OUR PRAYERS:​​

• The sick, including Janice Keeper, Mgr. John Hughes, Anne Cunningham, Paul Letters, Louie Sims, Maxine Widdop, Mary Campbell, Nicola Maruyama, Gerald McGoldrick, Sabina Kosovyck, Ian O'Donnel, Anne Kelly, Christopher Hendrick, Shaun Hendrick, Evie Hutton, Susan Callaghan. 

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• The recently deceased, especially:  Tracy Queen, Stella McGoldrick, Margaret McKechnie.

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• All those whose anniversaries occur about this time, especially:  Cecil Gorman, Billy Black, Rose Semple.

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• MONTH's MIND: The Friel family invites the parish community to remember their late mother Rose Friel in month’s mind prayer. May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace.
   

​​​​​​​​Please note: The 'sick list' in the bulletin is currently being reviewed and updated. If you or a family member no longer wishes to be included - or if you want a name adding - in the prayers, please give a note to Fr. Greg or email the parish address as above. Thank you

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The Archdiocese of Glasgow is a Religious Charity Number SC018140​​​​​​