Here is a link to this week’s newsletter: Divine Sunday (Year C) Welcome: to all our visitors, feel free to look around our beautiful church, particularly the St John Ogilvie Chapel & Exhibition. Last week Collection: £862.00 Att: 83 Second Collections in May: 4th Comboni Missionary Society; 10/11 Maintenance Fund; 24/25 Communications; 31/1 Day for Life. Due to the number of collections this month, we will omit the annual collection for Seminarian Bursary/vocations if you, as an individual, wish to donate to this, please send it directly to the diocesan office. Mission Appeal: a member of the Comboni Missionary Society will be with us on Sunday, 27th April to make an appeal for the work of their society, and to explain a little about what they do. Divine Mercy Sunday: today, the Second Sunday of Easter, which we used to call Low Sunday, has been known as Divine Mercy Sunday since 2000, when Pope St John Paul II canonised St Faustina Kowalska, who had been chosen by God to remind the world of God’s infinite Mercy. “For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.” Please pray for: the repose of the soul of our much loved parishioner Margaret Rough. Her funeral service will take place on Tuesday 29th April at 11 am, followed by a private cremation. Her remains will be received into the church on Monday afternoon at 4pm. Ordination: All are welcome to attend the Priestly Ordination of Rev Aidan Matheson in St Mary’s Cathedral, Aberdeen on Friday 27th June at 6pm. SCIAF: Please bring in any remaining WEE BOXES as soon as possible, or get them directly to Ron Smith. Fundraising: The next event is the Whisky Tasting on 23rd May. Tickets from Mike Collins, £25 which includes 5 drams, stovies and an entertaining and illuminating guided tasting by Keith Cruickshank. Daffodil Tea: St Thomas School wil be holding a Daffodil Tea on Wednesday 7th May from 1.30pm until 3pm. There will also be entertainment. Parish members are welcome to attend. Entry is free however there may be raffles at the event. The Community of Pluscarden Abbey Pentecost Lectures from Tuesday 10 – Thursday 12 June 2025 our Lecturer will be Professor Tracey Rowland from the University of Notre Dame, Australia. Her topic will be “Trinitarian Anthropology: What Does it Mean for all of Creation to be Marked by the Form of the Trinity?” Prayer Group: Monday evenings, 7pm in the hall. Contact Elizabeth Danby for information. Tea & Coffee in the hall after Mass each Sunday. All welcome. St Thomas’ Church is open each day from 10am to 3pm for private prayer. Please note, the church may not be open on weekdays in the event of severe weather. Pope’s prayer intention: April 2025: For the use of new technologies: Let us pray that the use of the new technologies will not replace human relationships, will respect the dignity of the person and will help us face the crises of our times. May 2025: For working conditions: Let us pray that through work, each person might find fulfilment, families might be sustained in dignity, and that society might be humanised. Safeguarding: The Parish Safeguarding Coordinator is Elizabeth Danby, and she can be contacted as shown on the Contacts page. The diocesan Safeguarding page can be found at Safeguarding – Roman Catholic Diocese of Aberdeen (rcda.scot) and the text of In God’s Image (V2) is accessed by clicking on https://www.bcos.org.uk/LinkClick.aspx?link=131&tabid=124& portalid=0&mid=584 PRAYER FOR THE SICK & HOUSEBOUND AND ALL THOSE IN NEED Father in Heaven; grant them comfort in their suffering. When they are afraid, give them courage, When afflicted, give them patience, When dejected, afford them hope, And when alone, assure them of the support of your holy people. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.