Faith Matters

INTRODUCTION

“Faith Matters” goes deeper into spiritual, sacramental and liturgical life at St. Bride’s. In this area you will find links to Masses, Holy Hour, the Rites of the Church, thoughts on the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Festivals and Holy Days.


There are also links to guides used in Advent and Lent - as well as all the content created for the Year of Faith.

The current banner on this page is “The Annunciation” by Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859 - 1937).


Tanner was an African-American painter whose later paintings were mainly focused on religious subjects. “The Annunciation" (1898) considers the transcendence between the divine and humanity.


Redemptorist priest, Denis McBride, juxtaposed the painting with a poem, “The Virgin”  by Liverpool poet, Holly Green.


Please click on the painting to view it in greater detail and to read Holly Green’s poem.

VERBUM DOMINI HEART OF THE MATTER

“Developing an understanding of Sacred Scripture.”

In this short essay, Father Ness highlights the Pope’s emphasis on the importance...

HOLY HOUR AND EXPOSITION

Preparation

Holy Hour

Main themes

Preparation

Exposition

Main themes

The Year of Faith was declared by Pope Benedict XVI to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council and the 20th anniversary of the declaration of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Its purpose was to encourage Catholic Faithful to rediscover the gift of faith and to seek new ways of proclaiming it - echoing the call of Pope John Paul II to a “New Evangelisation, one that is new in its ardour, new in its methods, and new in its means of expression."

NEWSLETTERS

FAITH FINDING A NEW VOICE

Since July of 2012, at the bottom of many bulletins, we’ve highlighted articles by religious and political leaders and scientists  arguing the case for religious...

Read more...YoF_-_Faith_and_Secularism.html

In the course of the Year of Faith, we published thirteen newsletters on subjects ranging from “The New Evangelisation” to “Handing on Your Faith”.

Read more...Year_of_Faith_-_Newsletters.html

Pope Benedict XVI set aside a special year for Catholics throughout the world to rediscover, and share with others, the precious gift of Faith.

Read more...Year_of_Faith.html
Read more...The_Heart_of_the_Matter.html

In 2014 the ecumenical Lenten Talks will be held in the United Reformed Church at 11 Old Coach Road, East Kilbride - hosted by the Rev Lyndsey Sanderson.

This  ecumenical study group which meets on Sunday evenings throughout Lent. We’ll provide more details of this year’s programme nearer the time. In this section, you can find aids used in study groups for Lent and Advent in 2011.

AN ADULT CHRIST AT CHRISTMAS

“The celebration of Christmas is not a sympathetic waiting for a baby to be born, but much more an asking for history to be born.”

Read more...An_Adult_Christ_at_Christmas.html

The Gospels of Matthew and Luke begin with THE INFANCY NARRATIVES - stories of Jesus’ conception and birth. 

Read more...An_Adult_Christ_at_Christmas_-_1.html

The Meaning of the Magi; the Significance of the Star. The evangelist tells the story of the magi and the star...

Read more...An_Adult_Christ_at_Christmas_-_2.html

The Infancy Narrative in Luke’s Gospel presents the Gospel in miniature. In his Infancy Narrative there are four Canticles...

Read more...An_Adult_Christ_at_Christmas_-_3.html

LENTEN STUDIES 2011

On Sunday 6 March 2011, around fifty people from the parishes participating in Lenten Studies, gathered at St Bride’s for an initial service of preparation. The links here are to the material which was used throughout Lent 2011.

A reflection by Father Denis McBride.

What new possibilities are opened up to us when we “step out of our bubble” or let someone else in?

Read more...A_Woman_at_the_National_Gallery.html

This scene is set at Jacob’s well. Whoever owns the well is a keeper of life; whoever has access to the well has admittance to new life.

Read more...Week_2__The_Woman_at_the_Well.html

When we hear the word “transfiguration“ in a religious setting, most of us immediately think of this dramatic story: the transfiguration of Jesus.

Read more...Week_3__On_the_Mountain.html

Jesus leaves all behind him and takes to the road. He says goodbye to everything familiar to him, leaving it all over his shoulder.

Read more...Week_4__Along_the_Road.html

Week 1

A Woman at the National Gallery

Week 2

The Woman at the Well

Week 3

On the Mountain

Week 4

Along the Road

The story of Emmaus is unique because it is the only narrative that allows us to listen to how Jesus’ disciples interpret his death immediately following the event.

Read more...Week_5__The_Road_to_Emmaus.html

It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. The inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.”

Read more...Week_6__On_the_Cross.html

Week 5

The Road to Emmaus

Week 6

On the Cross

Father Denis McBride is a Redemptorist priest from Scotland who is now Director of Redemptorist Publications.

In his post-graduate education he first studied psychology at Fordham University and then the New Testament under the great scripture scholar Raymond Brown at Union Theological Seminary, New York. After winning a scholarship to Harvard University, he returned to England to work at Hawkstone Hall, the international pastoral centre in Shropshire, England.

Each year, the Christian community of East Kilbride comes together on Sunday evenings throughout Lent. In these gatherings, we explore the themes and messages of Lent in a spirit of fellowship. In 2011, it was St Bride’s turn to host a group consisting of fellow Christians from the Old Parish, the West Kirk, Stewartfield Church and the United Reformed Church. We followed “Journeying with Jesus: a companion’s guide”, written for groups, by Father Denis McBride.