Please check the Diocese section for weekly news of events and news from our diocese.

​See below the Order of Mass and an e-mail received from the Bishop

ORDER OF MASS - WEEKEND 20th AND 21st MARCH 2021
St. Stephen’s Catholic Church - Droylsden
​Parish Priest: Fr. Bernard Wilson MA Tel: 0161 370 1505 Presbertry, 38 Chappell20oad, Droylsden, Manchester. M43 7NA Website; www.st-stephens-droylsden.com Email; parishststephen@outlook.com
​Sunday 28th March – Palm Sunday      (B)                                                  
Masses and Prayer Intentions This Week:
         Lately Dead:   Tommy Chorlton
         Anniversaries: Joan Worrall
         Others:             Our Lady of St. Peregrines Care, St. Blaise, John & Joan Worrall,
                                    Sayers, Riley Families & Paul White, Tony Quirke (S), Joan Gray (S)
                           
 MASS TIMES DURING HOLY WEEK
Saturday 27th March            5.30pm – PALM SUNDAY VIGIL
                                                 Readers:  Linda & Mary/ EM: As available
Sunday 28th March
PALM SUNDAY                     10.30am – PASSION SUNDAY
                                                 Readers:  Anthonia & Tracy/EM: As available
Monday 29th March             10.00am - Weekday Mass
Tuesday 30th March             10.00am – Weekday Mass
Wednesday 31st March       10.00am – Weekday Mass
Thursday 1st April
MAUNDY THURSDAY           7.00pm – MASS OF THE LAST SUPPER
                                                 Reader:  Anthonia/EM: As available
Friday 2nd April 
GOOD FRIDAY                       10.00am – Children’s Liturgy
                                                  3.00pm – THE PASSION OF CHRIST
                                                 Readers: Joan & Catherine/EM: As available
Saturday 3rd April
HOLY SATURDAY                   5.30pm – FIRST MASS OF EASTER
                                                  Reader: Linda/EM: As available
Sunday 4th April                    
EASTER SUNDAY                    10.30am – MASS OF THE RESURRECTION       
                                            Readers: Paul, Catherine, Ronnie/EM: As available
EASTER SUNDAY                   10.30AM
     
Fr. Wilson’s comments on today’s Readings:
1st Reading – Isiah foretells how resolutely the Messiah will enter into Jerusalem.
 
2nd Reading – Philippians:  Though he was God, Jesus took on the human condition and suffered for humanity.
Gospel:  Mark recalls how Jesus is welcomed into the home of a leper and is anointed there by a woman who had “a bad name” in the town.  It is amongst those rejected by the people that He finds preparation for His death!  The Last Supper finds Jesus eating and celebrating the freedom of the people under Moses – but establishing the sacrifice that will end in His resurrection from the dead – for our salvation he must suffer.
 
Memorial Book: The following names are included for: March
Ann Fryer, Eveline Haughton (B/day), Irene Winston, Joan Cullen, John McCaugherty, Joseph Edwards, Joyce Moore, Maria Baby (miscarriage), Maureen McCourt, Michelle Jones, Molly Loughman, Norman Fyvie, Patrick Maguire, Paul Jeffries, Peter Burton, Sandra Whelan, Winifred Williams
May their souls and the souls of all faithful departed  through the mercy of God rest in peace, Amen.
 
Memorial Book: The following names are included for: APRIL
Alex Campbell (B/day), Canon James Power, Charles Saunders,
Desmond McCourt, Elizabeth Firby, Elizabeth Ashfield, Ernest Earith, James Maddocks, Jane Lyons, Josephine Donnolly, Kathleen Earl, Martha Walsh, Mary Routledge, Patrick McDonagh, Peggy Connaughton, Reg Congdon, Samuel Haughton, Terence Lomas, Teresa Swaine, William Allen Parish
May their souls and the souls of all faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace, Amen.
 
NOTICES:
 
Children’s Liturgy – Good Friday:  At the Special 10.00am Service we will listen to the Story of the Little Donkey as he observes the Passion of Our Lord.  This is a short and beautiful Service that the children take an active part in.  Would the children please
arrive by 9.45am so that they can choose how they would like to take part.
 
FAMILY FAST DAYS are ways by which we identify with those in need:  What we save in money can be offered to CAFOD by a special collection for its’ poor as we leave Church – or use the Gift Aid envelopes provided. Thank you.
 
COVID 19: The Service Booklets provided can only be used for one service this year, then saved for next, therefore each Service will have a reduced number of booklets available to be handed out.  Please leave them in the bench when you leave.
 
FOOD BANK:  The Food Bank is short of the following:  Long Life Milk, Tinned Potatoes, Packet soup, Toothpaste and Brushes, Crisps, Tins of Custard, Rice Pudding,
Pot Noodles.  All donations are greatly appreciated.
 
Many thanks for all your help and support during the past year, especially given all the problems we have faced together with the Pandemic. 
Hopefully the end is in sight, but your support has made it possible to continue our mission of Prayer and Support for the whole Community.

Dear all,
Please find a message from the Bishop below.

Dear Fathers,
One thing that I regularly recognise is that time is passing so quickly. The weeks come and go in a breath. I think that lockdown would have been so much more difficult if time was dragging but there seems to be no question of sitting about getting bored.  
  
I suppose we could have predicted the amount of coverage about the Royals this week. How sad. Without any judgement on what may or may not actually have happened or been said, I am saddened by the media coverage, the language used and that there should have been an opinion poll even before any response from the Royal Household about a statement made by an unnamed person in unknown circumstances. All I would say is that I do not think that an interview with Oprah was the right thing to do. Family quarrels, disputes and disagreements are best settled within the family. I am very sad to think that there was apparently such unhappiness over a period of time but the Royal family is unique in the role it plays and that must be reflected in some ways by unique events that occur. There needs to be a respectful dialogue around mental health whatever the status of the individual. My hope is that it can be resolved without too much more media spotlight but I doubt that will happen.


Not far removed from that. I mentioned that I had signed up for the Mental Health First Aid course, again online in four sessions. I think the biggest surprise so far has been to know just how many people are affected at some stage in their lives with some form of mental illness. There has been a lot of information about the contributory causes of stress and depression and the different ways in which a person may manifest mental illness. I suspect that, in our priestly ministry, we have all seen many forms of stress and depression in the communities we have served.


The conflict in Myanmar seems to escalate with police officers fleeing to India rather than impose the military orders, and wholesale arrests in cordoned off neighbourhoods. The military do not even seem to be justifying their actions nor claiming compliance with any sense of the rule of law. And that country is just one among many in particularly distressing times, in addition to the impact of the pandemic. At least the papal visit to Iraq seems to be bearing fruit and the courage and determination of Pope Francis has been applauded by so many political and Faith leaders.


This week has been a week of zoom interviews for CAFOD and elsewhere. There is no doubt that Zoom is a wonderful invention and a technological leap forward but it has its demands and limitations. It is not easy to create the atmosphere of an interview when everyone is on screen. However, we managed several hours of conversation and hopefully we got to know something of the candidates, their abilities and their suitability.


The continuing workshop webinar on “Let us Dream” was a success on Wednesday evening and the various working groups seem to benefit from the time spent in conversation. It is a large gathering. Unfortunately, Austen Ivereigh could not be present this week but we still managed a good reporting on the discussions of the various groups and a useful question and answer session.




Private notes: I hope that your plans for Holy Week are taking shape. If you have doubts or questions about what may be allowed and possible, please ask. I am sure that we can manage a worthy celebration of the Triduum, even for those who will live-stream liturgies or use home resources. You may like to advertise the Cathedral liturgies, which are all live-streamed:
Palm Sunday – Sunday, 28th March at 11am
Chrism Mass – Wednesday, 31st March at 11am
Mass of The Lord’s Supper – Thursday, 1st April at 7.30pm
Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion – Friday, 2nd April at 3.00pm
Easter Vigil – Saturday 3rd April at 8.30pm


The Year of St Joseph. Although there was little publicity at the time of the announcement, largely due to all the news concerning the pandemic, Pope Francis has dedicated this year to St. Joseph, a patron of our Diocese. Resources for parishes, schools and families will be published next week for your use and distribution. Please mark the Feast of St Joseph on 19th March in whatever way you are able within the parish.


Holidays. As we begin to emerge from lockdown, you will probably be thinking about holidays. Certainly, we will need holidays after all the stresses and strains of the last year but they will need to be managed in the sense that not everyone can be away at the same time. Can I ask you please to be sure to confirm a supply priest’s availability before your confirm travel arrangements? Please also confirm your plans with your dean?


We continue our journey through Lent and ask the Lord to stay with us.


Thank you for all you are achieving in this difficult time


+John




+John Arnold
Bishop of Salford
Wardley Hall |Worsley |M28 2ND
0161 794 2825
E: john.arnold@dioceseofsalford.org.uk

Dear Father
We are looking at ways that we can help parishes deal with some of the impact of the pandemic and ways to help parishes function more effectively with any longer-term impacts.
One of our immediate priorities was to make online donations easier for those who wish to continue to support our parishes and their work. We have done this by putting a ‘donate’ button on the Diocesan Website, anybody will be able to donate to their own parish or a number of the other funds we have.
You can access the diocesan website via this link:
https://www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/
The donate button is found in the right-hand corner of the main page when on a desktop and it directs you this this page.
https://www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/supporting-your-parish-financially/
On a mobile device the donate button is listed in the main menu. We are currently working on improving the access and making the button more prominent when on a mobile device.
Visitors to the donations page will find two options:

1. Setting up a standing order
2. Make a donation

Setting up a standing order
This button takes you to a page on the website where parishioners can access a standing order form for each parish. This page is currently being populated and will be ready next week.
To help with this work please send a copy of your current standing order form to communications@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
Make a donation
This button is already live and accepting donations.
Visitors to this page with see five options.
 
Four picture options for specific diocesan funds and the ability to search for a specific parish and make a donation to that parish.
 
Details of transactions for every parish will be recorded and on a monthly basis the relevant funds from online donations will be transferred into parish accounts.
Each online transaction will have a small fee attached and there is also an opportunity to gift aid every donation.
You will notice when searching for your own parish that the address listed on the forms is the Cathedral Centre. This is for administrative purposes to meet the requirements of the financial services authority.
How can you share in your parish?  
The best way to promote is to do so by sharing this link https://www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/supporting-your-parish-financially/
You can send this directly to any parishioner who has asked how they can continue to give their offertory donation, add the link to your website or mention (if you feel appropriate) during your live streams.  
When promoting the donation function, we must remain mindful of the changing financial position many of our parishioners find themselves in during this time. You may make the decision that circumstances in your parish mean you do not want to actively promote this option.
If you would like to discuss the options for having a button integrated into your parish website please email communications@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
If you would like to discuss anything to do with your parish finances please email finance@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
If you have any further questions please let me know.

​Fathers,
Despite the current low risk to the public from coronavirus, Bishops’ Conference have issued guidelines to enable Catholic churches and organisations to find the relevant information in one place. The complete document – which will be amended in the future if necessary – is attached but please note the following key messages:
 

• At the time of writing there is no need to take special measures on suspending the Chalice or Sign of Peace. Should that become necessary, more detailed pastoral care guidance will be issued.

 

• Ask anyone with cold or flu symptoms to refrain from taking communion from the Chalice and receive the host on the hand only. (We should be doing this anyway, every ‘flu season.)

 

• Ensuring ministers of the Eucharist wash their hands before distributing communion or sanitise them is a good practice to encourage always.

 

• The best way of protecting us from spread is for everyone to use universal good hygiene, which will effectively disrupt spread of the virus. We should be doing this all the time for ‘flu:

§ Catch it - sneeze into a tissue
§ Bin it - bin the tissue
§ Kill it - wash your hands with soap and water
§ Do not touch your face unless you’ve washed your hands
§ Ensure good regular cleaning of surfaces lots of people touch regularly

• There is a government campaign on hygiene and posters can be downloaded and placed in parishes. It would be sensible to place these in churches and premises and alert people to this in newsletters and bulletins. The link can be found in the further materials section in the document.

 

• Pastoral care remains important

 
o Chaplains and others working in institutions where people with coronavirus are being cared for should seek and follow hygiene guidance from that institution
 
o Those who have been asked to self-isolate in the community as a precaution by medical staff will understandably be anxious but equally it is important not to breach this isolation. “In person care” should be kept to a minimum and advice taken from NHS 111 or call NHS Direct Wales on 0845 4647 on any precautions needed.