Dear Brothers & Sisters
Mary the mother of Jesus presented her young son in the temple and dedicated him to God’s service, while the two elders present, Anna & Simeon both gave thanks to God that their hopes and dreams would be fulfilled.
Today we welcome couples getting married in 2025 at 9.00a.m. Mass, to receive a special blessing. Please remember them in your prayers, we are blessed to have 14 couples, this year.
Anointing of the Sick - Saturday 8th February during the 10.15 am Mass. We encourage all our parishioners to bring their housebound to this Mass.
Confirmation. Please pray for our Year 6 children and parishioners who are receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation (Bishop David Evans) on Friday 7th February at 7pm, Pray for them and their sponsors and family. We have 56 candidates.
Deanery Meeting on Tuesday 11th February here at the Friary starting at 10.30. Please keep all the clergy in your payers.
Health and Safety meeting here on the 4th February.
Jubilee Year - Any ideas of how you want to celebrate this great event for our parish? Please let me know.
Next PPC Meeting is on 12th February at 7.30pm in the Garicoits Room.
Jubilee Prayer Card – thank you very much to Andrew Lockington and the Solihull Catenians who have kindly produced a Jubilee Prayer card. Which will be given out this Sunday
Mass Intentions. We are very fortunate to currently have a great number of mass intentions to be said at The Friary. To facilitate these, it may be necessary to have two intentions at Mass.
May mary our mother help us all to offer ourselves to God with a generous heart.
Fr.Biju scj Parish Priest
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SCJ News: Our Superior General and his Council and the Regional Superiors of our three regions are meeting in Bangalore (India) this week. Please keep them all in your prayers.
Please keep Fr Dominic Innamorati in your prayers, he is resting in St Bernard’s Care Home.
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FRIARY SNIPPETS
Irish Night! now booked in the parish hall for Saturday March 8th
CONFIRMATIONS: Bishop David Evans will
be with us again on February 7th for the sacrament of Confirmation. Y6 pupils at OLC will be involved, but also a few young people and adults from other places too.
* Confirmation prep Session 4 today Sunday 2nd February from 10am to 11.30am.
FHL Upcoming Event Concert at St.Chad’s 7.00pm February 27. Fundraising concert featuring classical folk & choral music by a range of musicians & singers & dancers.
* Come for super entertaining evening
* Tickets just £25 .. available on Eventbrite
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The Giving Tree. Many thanks for your outstanding generosity in donating so many kind gifts. Struggling Families in need were supported by Fr Hudsons Care in providing help, toys and joy at Christmas.
The Friary Badminton Group are looking for new players. Wednesdays from 7pm. Interested? please text Jo on 07952 819262.
Sunday Morning Coffee after 11.00 mass needs new volunteers to join the rota. Why not add this to the way you serve your community? Just speak to Fr.Biju after mass.
Jane Farrell Many thanks for all the messages of love and support. which both overwhelmed us and strengthened us. "The Friary/OLC", past and present, will always have a special place in our hearts, love from Peter, Louise and Katy.
Memorial Mass: Sr Chantal/Miss Laura Bourke, formerly St Peter's School. Friday 7th February- 6.30pm .St Augustine's Church. Parking lower level of Dominion Car Park, Herbert Road, until 8pm.
Tree Planting at St Columban’s We have another community tree planting day at St Columban's on the 21st February, 10am to 2.30pm. Please contact via education@columbans.co.uk or 07930 608 626.
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Marriage matters: Candlemas day
Malachi 3:1-4 Hebrews 2:14-18 Luke 2: 22-40 All religions use candles. In the home, they create intimacy, and help us to celebrate. Jesus called himself ‘light of the world’. His words & actions shone the light of truth on the darkness of sin. At our children’s baptism we were called to be a ‘light’ for them. May our love be light in this world!
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Big thanks to the secret army of cleaners who keep our church tidy during the year: Week starting February 2 Group D
Rest in peace Ermenegilda Wawrsynkiewicz ‘Gilda’-funeral Feb 13 at 10.15; Mary Harkin -funeral 20 Feb at 10.15, Vigil at 6.30pm. Margaret Rochfort-funeral 29 Jan 11.00 (at St.Augustine’s) Vigil 7.00pm Matthew McCann 26th February @ 11.30am patricia Teresa O’Toole 27th February at 10.15am.
Blessed are those who mourn: Our Friary bereavement support group meets every month for all seeking support after a loss. All are welcome no matter what kind of loss or how long ago.
* We gather 1st Sunday of the month for prayer, conversation & encouragement of one another as we journey together.
* We are not a counselling group but promise good listening skills, respect for confidentiality and of course a cuppa.
* Next meeting Today 2nd February
3.00pm to 4.30 in Friary Lounge
* For info call Bro. Gerard 0121-706-0505 or Noleen Walsh on 0121-706-5184
Youth pilgrimage to assisi: Kenelm Youth Trust invites young people to Rome & Assisi this summer...with guide Bishop Timothy. Explore your faith, surrounded by love, joy & hope of international young Catholics coming together. More info? Email Libby libby.cox@kenelmyouthtrust.org.uk
Meditation Group at Holy Souls join us Mondays 1.00pm in parish meeting room February 10 & 24; March 10 & 24; April 7 A chance to be still, & know how much we are loved by God
Justice & Peace invites you to a webinar
* “Opening the Doors to Freedom from Trafficking & Exploitation” this Thursday
* February 6th 7pm to 8.30pm.
* Learn about Modern Slavery in the UK
* What we "Pilgrims of Hope" can do in a Jubilee Year to help victims of Trafficking as we shine a light on this important issue. * Book via: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd16FG37Hvq93rw1yQBHYUJZ6JFvGb5HBeAOy-hE043wkel9Q/viewform?pli=1
Pilgrimage to Westport, Knock & Mayo 10th March 2025. £799.00 pps. includes flight, 10kg hold luggage, 4 nights’ in 4* Castlecourt Hotel, Westport with Dinner, Bed & Breakfast. Lunch on 3 days. Enter-tainment, excursions & transport included.
See Knock, Galway City, Kylemore Abbey, Croagh Patrick, Ballintubber Abbey, Quiet Man Museum. Single supp. on Enquiry.
Contact 01268 762 278 or 07740 175557 or mail knockpilgrimages@gmail.com
Lourdes Pilgrimage 2025 Jubilee Year Our Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage runs Sat 24 –Fri 30 May 2025. Get
info by scanning QR code or see www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/lourdes
Better still… join our parish contingent by calling Jim Noonan on 07593 298704 to join Diocesan pilgrimage with The Friary. Group!
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REGULAR ACTIVITIES IN OUR PARISH HALL
Monday Zumba 1.30 - 2.30 & 7 - 8pm
Tuesday Latin & Ballroom Dancing 10.30 -12 noon & 7.30 - 9.30pm. Yoga 5:45 - 7:00pm
Tuesday U3A (2nd Tuesday, monthly)
Wednesday Stroke Club 9am - 1.30pm. Slimming World 2.30 - 8.30
Thursday Zumba 11am - 12 Noon. U3A Quiz (2nd Thursday monthly) Fitness Pilates (term time) 6.30 - 8.30pm
Friday Yoga 10.45am - 12.00 noon
PARISH CENSUS: Please fill in details online or manually. Info? Email:
martin.hayden@oltonfriary.org.uk or call office 0121 706 0505.
https://forms.office.com/e/dHWqGN3HG2
Safeguarding: Our Parish follows correct safeguarding policy & practice at all times. Safeguarding Parish Reps: Carol Foster & Maureen Treanor: sg.oltonfriary.solihull@rcaob.org.uk Diocese Rep: Claire Reay: safeguarding@rcaob.org.uk Call 0121 230 6240 for any concern or query
The Parish operates in accordance with Statutory Safeguarding Guidance and the National and Archdioceses policies & procedures at all times. Our Parish Safeguarding Representative is Carol Foster and Maureen Treanor. They can be contacted at: sg.oltonfriary.solihull@rcaob.org.uk or alternatively the Diocesan Safeguarding team can be contacted on 0121 230 6240
safeguarding@rcaob.org.uk if you have any concern.
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Security Please do not leave any belongings unattended in the benches while receiving Holy Communion as there has been a recent incident.
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PARISH GROUPS—Please check your information posted on the Parish website. Any updates/corrections/alterations, please email the parish office.
SOLIHULL/HEARTLANDS HOSPITAL Please ask hospital Switchboard for on-call Catholic Priest 0121 424 2000, & they will call the duty Priest. Catholic Chaplain at Solihull & Heartlands is Fr Roger Raven. Data Protection law means visit from priest must be actively sought. He doesn't have access to patient files.
CAR PARK - Please be considerate when parking/manoeuvring your car and please note the disabled parking bays are for the use of those with disabled badges, there is no parking in either the Community and Staff designated areas and the front & rear of The Friary Residential block. When parking on a Sunday, please do not park on or drive over the grass adjacent to the gate leading into the graveyard. Only authorised cars to park at other times, by arrangement with the Parish Priest.
HALL BOOKINGS from external groups, particularly regular users are a useful income toward the upkeep of the Church. If access is needed to hall or kitchen during these times, please liaise with the Parish office or Community first.
CREMATION PLOTS (newer area) Following previous notes re- borders & stones barred for H&S danger to graveyard volunteers; please also note that plots are set out in vertical strips, in plots for two. So borders & stones added around memorial tablets are encroaching on the space of a loved one, and should be removed.
GOING TO HOSPITAL -Please let your parish priest know if you’re going into hospital. On admission ask for the Catholic chaplain as Chaplains no longer receive names of Catholic patients unless they opt in.
SECURITY NOTICE - Please ensure Friary doors are kept closed & locked when necessary. If you attend a meeting please make sure that the last one out has secured the outside doors. The front door should not be left on the hook unattended. Besides Church security, the Friary is home to priests & brothers who need to know they are safe.
CHARITY COLLECTION BOXES for SVP and St Basil’s charities are built into the left and right hand sides, at the back of the Church. Built-in boxes can be found in the narthex for St Anthony’s bread (used to help the poor in the local area) and Holy Souls (used for Mass intentions for Holy Souls).
FLOODLIGHT DEDICATION—You are able to have the Church floodlit in memory of someone. A suggested donation is £10 a week, the name of the person in whose memory it is in would appear in the newsletter. Forms are available in narthex, or from parish office.
THE SICK OF OUR PARISH - If your name or the name of a friend or relative was on the parish list of prayers for the sick, and you would like that name to remain on the list, would you please contact the Parish Office on 0121 706 0505. Data protection law obliges us to ensure that you or your friend or family member has consented to being on the list, as it can be seen by many, (e.g. church notice board) and is available for anyone to pick up. We make great efforts to ensure the church abides by new data protection and privacy law.
VISITORS - If you wish to gift aid your offertory donation, white visitor envelopes are available in the narthex.
VEHICLE CRIME ALERT - The neighbourhood Policing Team would like to draw your attention to an increase in vehicle crime in the area. 5 crime reduction tips—ALWAYS close the windows and doors in your vehicle, DON'T leave any valuables on display and where possible do not leave ANY valuables in the vehicle such as Satnavs, Mobile Phones, Wallets, Purses, Bags or iPods, ENSURE your registration plates are fixed using 'anti tamper screws', KEEP your car keys in a safe place in your house.
SAFEGUARDING - In this parish there have been strict guidelines in place for several years for the protection of children and vulnerable persons. Anyone with a concern about safeguarding issues should ring the Diocesan Safeguarding Office on 0121 230 6240.
KEEP YOUR VALUABLES SAFE - Please do not leave bags unattended in Church, even at Communion time. Bags and valuables should not be left on display in cars as this can present a target for thieves.