Foundation Governors: The Diocese has a number of vacancies for Foundation Governors within our Deanery particularly people with financial experience. If you would be interested in joining a Governing Body then please contact Sue Blackwell at the Curial Offices sue.blackwell@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
Please continue to give generously to the Foodbank. The need is as great as ever. Please check the notice board at the back of Church for most needed items for the ITEMS URGENTLY NEEDED: Tinned custard, sugar (small if possible), washing up liquid, tea, tinned spaghetti, small cereal, sponge puddings.
Merseyaid Thank you to everyone who has donated for the refugees. We are no longer able to accept any clothing at present as we do not have a warehouse on the Wirral to sort out and store our donations. This may change in the future and I will keep you informed. Please keep recycling your pre-loved clothing at other outlets. There are always people in need. For any information telephone me 0151 645 7645. Thank you. Cecily Sabino.
WORD OF GOD
This is the bread come down from heaven,not like the bread our ancestors ate:they are dead. But anyone who eats this breadwill live for ever. (John 6: 58)
Please take a copy of the Wednesday Word. It is a helpful reflection on next Sunday’s readings.
If you have a notice for the bulletin please email it to the parish email address or put it through the presbytery letter box by 12 noon on Thursdays. Many thanks.
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Bernard Forshaw Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email: stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites: www.stjohnevang.co.uk www.lpa24.org
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday, 19th August 2018. Cycle B
FAITH IN FOCUS: I AM
When Moses asked God what his name was, God said it was “I AM” (Yahweh). It was God’s way of saying that he was the source of all being, the author of life, the indescribable one.
In St John’s gospel Jesus calls himself “I AM” on eight occasions. We’re not just talking about “I am…” in a simple way, as when we say “I am going home…I’m hungry…I’m fed up”. We’re talking about “I AM” as a title, a name. So we hear Jesus call himself (with this divine title) the Light of the World, the Gate of the Sheepfold, the Good Shepherd, the Son of God, the Resurrection and the Life, the Way, Truth and Life, and the Vine. And today St John recalls that Jesus said, “I AM the Bread of Life”.
Each time St John quotes this title, “I AM”, he is trying to show the divinity of Jesus. He is trying to show that the teaching of Jesus points to a oneness between himself and the Father. What Jesus has to offer is different from any other teaching, because it comes from God. Unlike any other teaching it offers life. It lasts. The bread that Jesus offers is not like the manna that people of old ate, for they are now dead. But whoever eats his flesh will live for ever.
To accept Jesus as the Bread of Life, the living bread, means that we draw the meaning of life from him. To eat and drink his body and blood means that he is what nourishes all our existence. His person, his teaching and his presence pulsate through all our decisions, our choices and our actions. He becomes the source and cause of our life. We can wander through this world living and breathing like everyone else, but that is no guarantee that we have life within us. But anyone who hears Jesus say “I AM the Bread of Life” and eats and drinks of his flesh and blood has eternal life. Not just in the future but now. For his flesh is real food and his blood is real drink. Are you convinced? I am.
Twentieth
Sunday in Ord Time Cycle B
19th
5.00pm
9.30am
7.30pm
James & Janette McLaughlin Annv RIP
John McLean RIP
Prayer Meeting
Monday
20th
9.15am
Service of Word & Communion
Tuesday
21st
9.15am
Service of Word & Communion
Wednesday
22nd
9.15am
Service of Word & Communion
Thursday
23rd
9.15am
Service of Word & Communion
Friday
24th
9.15am
Brian Nicholson RIP
Saturday
25th
Twenty First Sunday in Ord Time Cycle B
26th
5.00pm
9.30am
7.30pm
Ann Gemmell B.Day Ints
St John’s Parishioners
Prayer Meeting
Confessions
Saturday 4.15-4.45pm
Morning Prayer
15 minutes before daily Masses
Fr Frank Rice celebrates his 90th birthday today (Sunday 19th August). Please keep Fr Frank in your thoughts and prayers as he now resides in Brookfield Nursing Home in West Kirby.
Money Matters: Thank you for last weekend’s Offertory collection which amounted to £526.55p.
Annual Mission Appeal This weekend Fr Kenneth Okoli will be celebrating both Masses for Fr Bernard and preaching the Annual Mission Appeal (at both St John’s and at St Anne’s) on behalf of the Spiritans (the Holy Ghost Fathers). I know you will give Fr Kenneth a warm welcome and be generous to the retiring collection.
Baptisms: The diary for Baptisms is filling up rapidly, so please give us plenty of notice by phoning 645 3314 or emailing us, especially if you have a particular date in mind. We do not want anyone to be disappointed.
Confirmation 2018: This year’s Confirmation Mass with Bishop Mark presiding will be held at
St Anne’s Rock Ferry on Friday
23rd November at 7pm. The preparation programme will start in September and is open to candidates in Year 9 and above. For further info please email us at st.annes@hotmail.co.uk
Weddings: If you are intending getting married at St John’s in 2019 please let us know as soon as possible.
Catholic Chaplaincy at Wirral Hospitals. If you or any member of your family or a Catholic neighbour or friend are admitted to any of our local Wirral hospitals and wish to be seen by the Catholic Chaplain or receive the Sacraments during their stay in hospital, please telephone 0151 678 5111 Extn. 2275 and leave the patient’s name and ward along with your request for a visit by the Catholic Chaplain.
Church Flowers A big “thank you” to the ladies who have joined the team following the recent appeal in the bulletin. If anyone else would like to join our happy band of flower arrangers please contact Kath Clements telephone 0151 334 8272. Ideally we would like to create a four week rota which means that we are looking for just 2 or 3 additional volunteers please.
Devotions to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Following on from the very well supported Novena held here at St John’s in June from Tuesday 4th September at 7pm and every First Tuesday of the month thereafter a group of parishioners are going to pray this devotion in Church at 7pm. This will be followed by a monthly Benediction. All are welcome and encouraged to participate in this longstanding devotion of the Church which has and continues to bring many blessings and answers to prayer.
Adoremus: Our tickets should be issued in about ten days’ time and then Fr Bernard will be looking for the half price payments from participants.
There will be a Deanery Day of Eucharistic Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament at
St Anne’s, Rock Ferry, on Wednesday
5th September from 10.30am to 4pm including Mass at 12 noon. This will provide a fitting and an immediate preparation for those who are going to the events in Liverpool and at the same time offer an opportunity to those who cannot attend the congress to spend some time in prayer to support it.
Following on from our successful Tuesday night Grace Group, we’re looking to start another all-female Cell Group on Wednesday evenings, starting late September. Initially meeting every week for 6 weeks, we’ll be studying the book of Esther while loving, encouraging and supporting each other through this amazing adventure called faith! If you’re interested and would like to know more, please contact Claire Griffiths on 07985 312703.
LPA Trip to Shrewsbury: The local parishes are arranging a trip to Shrewsbury on Saturday
29th September. The trip will include Mass and a tour of the Cathedral followed by free time to explore Shrewsbury. A coach will leave St John’s at 8.15am and will depart Shrewsbury at 4pm. If you are interested please sign your name to the list at the back of Church by 31st August.
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Bernard Forshaw Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email: stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites: www.stjohnevang.co.uk www.lpa24.org
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday, 12th August 2018. Cycle B
Foundation Governors: The Diocese has a number of vacancies for Foundation Governors within our Deanery particularly people with financial experience. If you would be interested in joining a Governing Body then please contact Sue Blackwell at the Curial Offices sue.blackwell@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
Caritas Shrewsbury is looking for an experienced and dedicated person to be our Family Support Social Worker. The post is for 21 hours per week working in the Diocese of Shrewsbury, but predominantly in the South Manchester Area. Work pattern: Monday-Friday 9am-4.30pm. For more information and an application pack, please contact Claire Griffiths Tel 0151 652 1281; email Claire.griffiths@caritasshrewsbury.org.uk Please also visit us online at: www.caritasshrewsbury.org.uk Application packs can also be downloaded from our website caritasshrewsbury.org.uk.
Closing date for applications is 16th August, 2018.
Merseyaid Thank you to everyone who has donated for the refugees. We are no longer able to accept any clothing at present as we do not have a warehouse on the Wirral to sort out and store our donations. This may change in the future and I will keep you informed. Please keep recycling your pre-loved clothing at other outlets. There are always people in need. For any information telephone me 0151 645 7645. Thank you. Cecily Sabino.
Please continue to give generously to the Foodbank. The need is as great as ever. Please check the notice board at the back of Church for most needed items for the ITEMS URGENTLY NEEDED: Tinned custard, sugar (small if possible), washing up liquid, tea, tinned spaghetti, small cereal, sponge puddings.
WORD OF GOD
Elijah went into the wilderness, a day’s journey,and sitting under a furze bush wished he were dead. (I Kings 19: 4)
Please take a copy of the Wednesday Word. It is a helpful reflection on next Sunday’s readings.
If you have a notice for the bulletin please email it to the parish email address or put it through the presbytery letter box by 12 noon on Thursdays. Many thanks.
FAITH IN FOCUS: FED UP?
Elijah became clinically depressed due to events in his life. He had feelings of hopelessness and pessimism. He just wanted to sit down and die. He felt worthless and helpless even though he had won a great victory over the false prophets. He’d lost all interest.
The angel told him to eat and drink, otherwise the journey would be too much for him. He ate and drank the scone bread and the water, and then he received such strength that he walked for forty days and nights (a symbolic figure indicating trial or testing). He needed that food and drink in order to function properly.
Let’s hope that we are not clinically depressed, although it’s a relatively common complaint in modern society. But there can come times when we wonder if we’re making any impact on our surroundings, when we feel as if the odds are stacked against us and perhaps even wonder whether God has given up on us. We go off our food.
Today Jesus tells us that in faith terms we cannot go it alone. We will tire and end up losing heart. We need to stoke up with energy, and that nourishment comes from the bread of life, the eucharist. If we’re fed up then it’s are sure sign we need to be fed.
One of the saddest things is to see someone who doesn’t go to communion because they think they are not good enough. What a mistake! Communion is not a reward for good people. It’s a remedy for those who know how bad they are and want to get better.
If we had to rely on merit before we could receive communion then no one would ever qualify to eat and drink the body and blood of Christ. It is by joining with the believing community, hearing the invitation of God’s word and sharing in the gift of eucharist, that we are kept going. Jesus tells us that his body and blood are what keeps Christians alive. Anyone who eats it will live for ever. And you can’t ask for more than that!
| Eighteenth Sunday in Ord Time Cycle B | 12th | 5.00pm
9.30am 7.30pm |
Ints Margaret Brannon
St John’s Parishioners Prayer Meeting |
||
| Monday | 13th | 9.15am | John McIntosh RIP | ||
| Tuesday | 14th | 9.15am | Service of Word & Communion | ||
| The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary | 15th | 7.30am
7.30pm |
Gerard Edwards RIP
Vocations |
||
| Thursday | 16th | 9.15am | Ints Kinni Family | ||
| Friday | 17th | 9.15am | Service of Word & Communion | ||
| Saturday | 18th | ||||
| Twentieth Sunday in Ord Time Cycle B | 19th | 5.00pm
9.30am 7.30pm |
James & Janette McLaughlin Annv RIP
John McLean RIP Prayer Meeting |
||
| Confessions | Saturday 4.15-4.45pm | ||||
| Morning Prayer | 15 minutes before daily Masses | ||||
Tea & Coffee after Sunday 9.30am Mass every week in the Parish Centre will be taking a holiday break during the month of August and will recommence in September. Thanks for your continued support.
Money Matters: Thank you for last weekend’s Offertory collection which amounted to £597.87p.
Annual Mission Appeal Next weekend Fr Kenneth Okoli will be celebrating both Masses for Fr Bernard and preaching the Annual Mission Appeal (at both St John’s and at St Anne’s) on behalf of the Spiritans (the Holy Ghost Fathers). I know you will give Fr Kenneth a warm welcome and be generous to next Sunday’s retiring collection
The Feast of the Assumption is this
Wednesday 15th August. This Feast of Our Blessed Lady ,,,,,,,,,,,,a Holyday of Obligation will be celebrated with the following Masses across our LPA…………….here at St John’s 7.30am & 7.30pm, at St Anne’s, Rock Ferry at 12 noon, at St Luke’s Bebington at 9.15am & 7.30pm and at Christ the King Bromborough at 9.15am.
Baptisms: The diary for Baptisms is filling up rapidly, so please give us plenty of notice by phoning 645 3314 or emailing us, especially if you have a particular date in mind. We do not want anyone to be disappointed.
Confirmation 2018: This year’s Confirmation Mass with Bishop Mark presiding will be held at St Anne’s Rock Ferry on Friday 23rd November at 7pm. The preparation programme will start in September and is open to candidates in Year 9 and above. For further info please email us at st.annes@hotmail.co.uk
Weddings: If you are intending getting married at St John’s in 2019 please let us know as soon as possible.
Catholic Chaplaincy at Wirral Hospitals. If you or any member of your family or a Catholic neighbour or friend are admitted to any of our local Wirral hospitals and wish to be seen by the Catholic Chaplain or receive the Sacraments during their stay in hospital, please telephone 0151 678 5111 Extn. 2275 and leave the patient’s name and ward along with your request for a visit by the Catholic Chaplain.
Church Flowers A big “thank you” to the ladies who have joined the team following the recent appeal in the bulletin. If anyone else would like to join our happy band of flower arrangers please contact Kath Clements telephone 0151 334 8272. Ideally we would like to create a four week rota which means that we are looking for just 2 or 3 additional volunteers please.
Devotions to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Following on from the very well supported Novena held here at St John’s in June from Tuesday 4th September at 7pm and every First Tuesday of the month thereafter a group of parishioners are going to pray this devotion in Church at 7pm. This will be followed by a monthly Benediction. All are welcome and encouraged to participate in this longstanding devotion of the Church which has and continues to bring many blessings and answers to prayer.
Adoremus: Our tickets should be issued in about ten days’ time and then Fr Bernard will be looking for the half price payments from participants.
There will be a Deanery Day of Eucharistic Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament at
St Anne’s, Rock Ferry, on Wednesday
5th September from 10.30am to 4pm including Mass at 12 noon. This will provide a fitting and an immediate preparation for those who are going to the events in Liverpool and at the same time offer an opportunity to those who cannot attend the congress to spend some time in prayer to support it.
LPA Trip to Shrewsbury: The local parishes are arranging a trip to Shrewsbury on Saturday
29th September. The trip will include Mass and a tour of the Cathedral followed by free time to explore Shrewsbury. A coach will leave St John’s at 8.15am and will depart Shrewsbury at 4pm. If you are interested please sign your name to the list at the back of Church.
Following on from the New Beginnings for New Ferry Coffee morning last Wednesday, copies of “Our New Ferry Survey” are on the table at the back of Church. Completed forms should be posted through the presbytery letterbox.
Following on from our successful Tuesday night Grace Group, we’re looking to start another all-female Cell Group on Wednesday evenings, starting late September. Initially meeting every week for 6 weeks, we’ll be studying the book of Esther while loving, encouraging and supporting each other through this amazing adventure called faith! If you’re interested and would like to know more, please contact Claire Griffiths on
07985 312703.
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Bernard Forshaw Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email: stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites: www.stjohnevang.co.uk www.lpa24.org
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday, 5th August 2018. Cycle B
Caritas Shrewsbury is looking for an experienced and dedicated person to be our Family Support Social Worker. The post is for 21 hours per week working in the Diocese of Shrewsbury, but predominantly in the South Manchester Area. Work pattern: Monday-Friday 9am-4.30pm. For more information and an application pack, please contact Claire Griffiths Tel 0151 652 1281; email Claire.griffiths@caritasshrewsbury.org.uk Please also visit us online at: www.caritasshrewsbury.org.uk Application packs can also be downloaded from our website caritasshrewsbury.org.uk.
Closing date for applications is 16th August, 2018.
The Holy Family Sisters are looking for a Deputy Manager and Health Care Assistant at the Holy Family Covent Care Unit in Rock Ferry. Full details can be found on the notice board at the back of Church or by phoning the Convent on 0151 645 9482 before 10th August.
WORD OF GOD
I tell you solemnly, you are not looking for me because you have seen the signs but because you had all the bread you wanted to eat. (John 6:26)
Please take a copy of the Wednesday Word. It is a helpful reflection on next Sunday’s readings.
If you have a notice for the bulletin please email it to the parish email address or put it through the presbytery letter box by 12 noon on Thursdays. Many thanks.
FAITH IN FOCUS: MIXED MOTIVES
Have you ever wondered why people practise the religion they do? Take Christianity, for example. The essence of Christianity is love of God through love of neighbour. In other words to be a Christian is to put others always before your self. It means being at the service of whomever is in need.
It’s not rocket science to see that this approach to life is going to cause Christians a good deal of inconvenience, not to mention suffering and hardship at times. That’s why one of Christianity’s mottoes is about carrying your cross.
A more natural way of life would be to feather your own nest, to make sure that you are well provided for and comfortable and then, if it took your fancy, to think about helping others, provided that they weren’t too much of a nuisance.
So why do we do what we do? Some people think that religion is a sort of insurance policy that they take out to give themselves a soft landing in the afterlife. At best we can say that they see this way of living as qualifying them for eternal life. Their motivation is the reward of heaven.
Other individuals have ulterior motives for practising their religion. Sometimes these are harmless, like enjoying the company of other people or feeling good after a good Church sing-along. Not so helpful ulterior motives could be the desire to be seen as part of the religious community for social reasons, to get votes in an election or to increase the sales of your ironmongery business. This is to use religion for other purposes.
Of course, there are folk who espouse Christianity because they are absolutely convinced by the teaching of Jesus; it makes sense of life here and now and it offers the best chance of living life to the full. They can see the wisdom of it all and can appreciate what God is promising on both sides of the grave.
In today’s gospel Jesus looks at the crowd and sees all the above types of people: those who believe because they have seen the signs and those who believe because they have had all the bread they wanted to eat. Which are you?
| Eighteenth Sunday in Ord Time Cycle B | 5th | 5.00pm
9.30am 7.30pm |
Fr Jack McLeish RIP
St John’s Parishioners Prayer Meeting |
||
| Monday | 6th | 9.15am | Jeanette Wagg RIP | ||
| Tuesday | 7th | 9.15am | Ints Teresa & Ernie Young | ||
| Wednesday | 8th | 9.15am | Rita Snape RIP | ||
| Thursday | 9th | 7.30am | Ints Fr Frank Rice | ||
| Friday | 10th | 9.15am | Service of Word & Communion | ||
| Saturday | 11th | ||||
| Nineteenth Sunday in Ord Time Cycle B | 12th | 5.00pm
9.30am 7.30pm |
Ints Margaret Brannon
St John’s Parishioners Prayer Meeting |
||
| Confessions | Saturday 4.15-4.45pm | ||||
| Morning Prayer | 15 minutes before daily Masses | ||||
Many thanks ton Fr Paschal Byrne from St Luke’s for
celebrating this Saturday’s 5.00pm Mass in
Fr Bernard’s absence.
Baptisms: The diary for Baptisms is filling up rapidly, so please give us plenty of notice by phoning 645 3314 or emailing us, especially if you have a particular date in mind. We do not want anyone to be disappointed.
First Communion: Patrick Szyba will make his First Holy Communion at 9.30am Mass this Sunday,
Confirmation 2018: This year’s Confirmation Mass with Bishop Mark presiding will be held at St Anne’s Rock Ferry on Friday 23rd November at 7pm. The preparation programme will start in September and is open to candidates in Year 9 and above. For further info please email us at st.annes@hotmail.co.uk
Weddings: If you are intending getting married at St John’s in 2019 please let us know as soon as possible.
Catholic Chaplaincy at Wirral Hospitals. If you or any member of your family or a Catholic neighbour or friend are admitted to any of our local Wirral hospitals and wish to be seen by the Catholic Chaplain or receive the Sacraments during their stay in hospital, please telephone 0151 678 5111 Extn. 2275 and leave the patient’s name and ward along with your request for a visit by the Catholic Chaplain.
Money Matters: Thank you for last weekend’s Offertory collection which amounted to £476.13p.
Tea & Coffee after Sunday 9.30am Mass every week in the Parish Centre. Why not stay a while and meet up with friends old and new. If you would like to join the Tea/Coffee rota, please have a word with Noelene Evans or
Fr Bernard.
The Feast of the Assumption is on Wednesday 15th August (a week on Wednesday). This Feast of Our Blessed Lady ,,,,,,,,,,,,a Holyday of Obligation will be celebrated with the following Masses across our LPA………..here at St John’s 7.30am & 7.30pm, at St Anne’s, Rock Ferry at 12 noon, at St Luke’s Bebington at 9.15am & 7.30pm and at Christ the King Bromborough at 9.15am.
Adoremus: Our tickets should be issued in about ten days’ time and then Fr Bernard will be looking for the half price payments from participants.
There will be a Deanery Day of Eucharistic Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament at
St Anne’s, Rock Ferry, on Wednesday
5th September from 10.30am to 4pm including Mass at 12 noon. This will provide a fitting and an immediate preparation for those who are going to the events in Liverpool and at the same time offer an opportunity to those who cannot attend the congress to spend some time in prayer to support it.
LPA Trip to Shrewsbury: The local parishes are arranging a trip to Shrewsbury on Saturday
29th September. The trip will include Mass and a tour of the Cathedral followed by free time to explore Shrewsbury. A coach will leave
St John’s at 8.15am and will depart Shrewsbury at 4pm. If you are interested please sign your name to the list at the back of Church.
Please continue to give generously to the Foodbank. The need is as great as ever. Please check the notice board at the back of Church for most needed items for the ITEMS URGENTLY NEEDED: Tinned custard, sugar (small if possible), washing up liquid, tea, tinned spaghetti, small cereal, sponge puddings.
Following on from the New Beginnings for New Ferry Coffee morning last Wednesday, copies of “Our New Ferry Survey” are on the table at the back of Church. Completed forms should be posted through the presbytery letterbox.
Following on from our successful Tuesday night Grace Group, we’re looking to start another all-female Cell Group on Wednesday evenings, starting late September. Initially meeting every week for 6 weeks, we’ll be studying the book of Esther while loving, encouraging and supporting each other through this amazing adventure called faith! If you’re interested and would like to know more, please contact Claire Griffiths on
07985 312703
Foundation Governors: The Diocese has a number of vacancies for Foundation Governors within our Deanery particularly people with financial experience. If you would be interested in joining a Governing Body then please contact Sue Blackwell at the Curial Offices sue.blackwell@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
Caritas Shrewsbury is looking for an experienced and dedicated person to be our Family Support Social Worker. The post is for 21 hours per week working in the Diocese of Shrewsbury, but predominantly in the South Manchester Area. Work pattern: Monday-Friday 9am-4.30pm. For more information and an application pack, please contact Claire Griffiths Tel 0151 652 1281; email Claire.griffiths@caritasshrewsbury.org.uk Please also visit us online at: www.caritasshrewsbury.org.uk Application packs can also be downloaded from our website caritasshrewsbury.org.uk.
Closing date for applications is 16th August, 2018.
Wirral Job Alert! Payroll Officer – 35 hours per week – Permanent £17,290 per annum Wirral based charity WIRED require an experienced payroll administrator to work within the WIRED Payroll Service based in Wirral. WIRED’s busy payroll department provides Direct Payments Payroll, Managed Budget administration (Social Care Funds) and Small Business Payroll services to a range of clients across the North West. The successful applicant will be experienced in accurate and timely payroll production in accordance with statutory regulations, a proficient IRIS Payroll Professional operator with strong skills in Microsoft Word and Excel and a good communicator with high attention to detail. An aptitude for figures is also essential. HOW TO APPLY: Download and complete the application pack available via
http://www.wired.me.uk/Current-vacancies.asp
For more information contact Gill Tudor on
0151 522 7990 (Finance Department, option 6 on telephone system) Closing date: 10th August 2018.
WORD FOR TODAY
After the crowd of 5,000 people had finished its meal there were 12 baskets collected of left-over scraps. God always gives us more than we need, more than we deserve and more than we could ever dare to ask for. When it comes to love, God wastes a lot.
Please take a copy of the Wednesday Word. It is a helpful reflection on next Sunday’s readings.
If you have a notice for the bulletin please email it to the parish email address or put it through the presbytery letter box by 12 noon on Thursdays. Many thanks.
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Bernard Forshaw Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email: stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites: www.stjohnevang.co.uk www.lpa24.org
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday, 29th July 2018. Cycle B
FAITH IN FOCUS: JUST IMAGINE!
Just imagine going to someone’s house for dinner and finding that they provided so much to eat that at the end of the evening there were twelve platefuls over.
What a waste!
Just imagine an intelligent being capable of creating the world and providing so much fertile land and water that the whole of creation could exist in a perfect balance of nature! What a surplus!
Just imagine being filled with such goodness that you couldn’t keep it to yourself and you created men and women and gave them the opportunity to know you and share your life!
What a love!
Just imagine having a relationship with every living being to the extent that you knew their inmost thoughts and desires, cared for them, gave them the chance to develop to the full and to have the most exquisite skills in art, science, music, sport etc! What a gift!
Just imagine being betrayed by those you loved most and yet never abandoning them but instead constantly inviting them back to share all the good things you want them to have! What a sense of mercy!Just imagine giving up the most precious thing you had, your own son, and allowing him to be abused by those who thought they knew better than you so that he could help others to see the true meaning of life! What a sacrifice!Just imagine someone who not only provided us with our daily staple diet of food and drink but offered to continue being with us day in and day out under the form of bread and wine so that we could begin to share on earth an existence that will come to perfection in heaven! What a mystery!
Just imagine a God of prodigality, surplus, love, gift, mercy, sacrifice and mystery! And then you’ve only just begun. There’s still lots left. More than twelve platefuls!
| Seventeenth Sunday in Ord Time Cycle B | 29th | 5.00pm
9.30am 7.30pm |
John McIntosh RIP
St John’s Parishioners Prayer Meeting |
||
| Monday | 30th | 9.15am | No Mass or Service | ||
| Tuesday | 31st | 9.15am | Ints Poor Clares Hawarden | ||
| Wednesday | 1st | 9.15am | Gerard Edwards RIP | ||
| Thursday | 2nd | 7.30am | Intentions Colin Lee | ||
| Friday | 3rd | 9.15am | John Blakeway RIP | ||
| Saturday | 4th | ||||
| Eighteenth Sunday in Ord Time Cycle B | 5th | 5.00pm
9.30am 7.30pm |
Fr Jack McLeish RIP
St John’s Parishioners Prayer Meeting |
||
| Confessions | Saturday 4.15-4.45pm | ||||
| Morning Prayer | 15 minutes before daily Masses | ||||
There will be no Mass or Service on Monday as work is continuing on the Confessional to bring it in line with the latest safeguarding requirements. The times of Masses for the rest of the week will not be affected.
Baptisms: The diary for Baptisms is filling up rapidly, so please give us plenty of notice by phoning 645 3314 or emailing us, especially if you have a particular date in mind. We do not want anyone to be disappointed.
First Communion: Patrick Syzba will make his First Holy Communion at 9.30am Mass next Sunday,
5th August.
Confirmation 2018: This year’s Confirmation Mass, with Bishop Mark presiding, will be held at St Anne’s Rock Ferry on Friday 23rd November at 7pm. The preparation programme will start in September and is open to candidates in Year 9 and above. For further information please email us at st.annes@hotmail.co.uk
Weddings: If you are intending getting married at St John’s in 2019 please let us know as soon as possible.
Fr Frank Rice is now resident in a nursing home in West Kirby. Because of Fr Frank’s condition visits are not encouraged at this stage but he does ask for a remembrance in your daily prayers.
Catholic Chaplaincy at Wirral Hospitals If you or any member of your family or a Catholic neighbour or friend are admitted to any of our local Wirral hospitals and wish to be seen by the Catholic Chaplain or receive the Sacraments during their stay in hospital, please telephone 0151 678 5111 Extn. 2275 and leave the patient’s name and ward along with your request for a visit by the Catholic Chaplain.
Money Matters: Thank you for last weekend’s Offertory collection which amounted to £724.21p.
Tea & Coffee after Sunday 9.30am Mass every week in the Parish Centre. Why not stay a while and meet up with friends old and new. If you would like to join the Tea/Coffee rota, please have a word with Noelene Evans or Fr Bernard.
Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage: This year marks the 160th Anniversary of the Apparitions of Our Lady to St Bernadette in Lourdes. This weekend there are over 750 pilgrims from the Shrewsbury Diocese at Our Lady’s shrine. It is possible to tune into the live feed for the International Mass which is at 8.30am BST today (Sunday) and the Grotto Mass at 8.45am BST tomorrow (Monday). The link is
www.lourdes-france.org and then select
Lourdes TV.
LPA Trip to Shrewsbury: The local parishes are arranging a trip to Shrewsbury on Saturday
29th September. The trip will include Mass and a tour of the Cathedral followed by free time to explore Shrewsbury. A coach will leave
St John’s at 8.15am and will depart Shrewsbury at 4pm. If you are interested please sign your name to the list at the back of Church.
Following on from the New Beginnings for New Ferry Coffee morning last Wednesday, copies of
“Our New Ferry. Completed forms should be posted through the presbytery letterbox.
‘Following on from our successful Tuesday night Grace Group, we’re looking to start another all female Cell Group on Wednesday evenings, starting late September. Initially meeting every week for 6 weeks, we’ll be studying the book of Esther while loving, encouraging and supporting each other through this amazing adventure called faith! If you’re interested and would like to know more, please contact Claire Griffiths on
07985 312703
Please continue to give generously to the Foodbank. The need is as great as ever. Please check the notice board at the back of Church for most needed items for the ITEMS URGENTLY NEEDED: Tinned custard, sugar (small if possible), washing up liquid, tea, tinned spaghetti, small cereal, sponge puddings.
URGENT APPEAL FOR MEDICAL HELP. The next annual pilgrimage to Lourdes by Jumbulance marks the 25th anniversary since I became Group Leader of the Chester Group. Sadly, one of my nurses has had to withdraw and so I urgently require a replacement – or we cannot travel.
Chester Across Group urgently require another nurse (or Doctor) to travel overland to Lourdes by Jumbulance. The latter is literally a Jumbo-Ambulance with seven beds, an accessible toilet and kitchen. Now in our 25th year, sadly, one of our nurses has withdrawn so another is needed. Dates: Thursday
30th August to Saturday 8th Sept. Cost. Nurses are asked to pay half price – £400 – but we do fundraising to subsidise anyone who cannot afford to pay the full amount.
For further information please contact Group Leader Tony Murphy on 07881-656-974 or by email tonymurphyefc2002@yahoo.co.uk See Poster on notice board at back of church for details
WORD FOR TODAY
None of us is here simply to look after our own skins. Each of us is intended to be a shepherd for others. Whom are we called to guide? Whom do we feel responsible for? How do we live out our role as shepherds and who guides us?
Please continue to give generously to the Foodbank. The need is as great as ever. Please check the notice board at the back of Church for most needed items for the ITEMS URGENTLY NEEDED: Tinned custard, sugar (small if possible), washing up liquid, tea, tinned spaghetti, small cereal, sponge puddings.
Please take a copy of the Wednesday Word. It is a helpful reflection on next Sunday’s readings.
If you have a notice for the bulletin please email it to the parish email address or put it through the presbytery letter box by 12 noon on Thursdays. Many thanks.
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Bernard Forshaw Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email: stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites: www.stjohnevang.co.uk www.lpa24.org
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday, 22nd July 2018. Cycle B
FAITH IN FOCUS: SHEPHERDS AND SHEEP
Jeremiah usually gets called the “Prophet of Doom”. It’s rather an unfair title since all he was doing was pointing out that if people continued to ignore what God expected of them then they would suffer dire consequences. And suffer they did; they were exiled to Iraq and lived for years in misery not far from Baghdad.
It would be easy to read what Jeremiah has to say about negligent shepherds and simply apply it today to those in positions of leadership. The political leaders were involved in shady deals and the religious leaders gave the people a religion that they wanted to hear. Maybe we can make a stick out of this to beat modern-day politicians and clergy. But that would be to miss the point.
What Jeremiah actually prophesises is hope not doom. For he tells the people that although they may suffer bad leadership, although they are heading for a fall, they are still God’s people and they will never be abandoned. God will raise up a shepherd who will be called “The Lord-our-Integrity” or “The Justice of Yahweh”. And this shepherd will gather those who have remained faithful to the Lord and lead them back to where the pasture is good. It’s a promise not a threat.
In today’s society someone’s always got to take the blame. We blame politicians for the state of our living conditions and we blame clergy when things in the Church don’t go as we think they should. Maybe we ought sometimes to acknowledge our own part in the mess that we are quick to criticise. How active are we in local politics, or do we simply enjoy moaning about what others are trying to do? How involved are we in the Monday to Saturday concerns of our parish, or do we simply turn up on Sundays and expect everything to be fine? Are we using our “shepherds” as “scapegoats”, and then complaining that we’re being fleeced?
Jeremiah’s message was one of hope. God is greater than any failure we can concoct. God will never abandon us completely. But the fact that we have shepherds does not mean that we should behave like sheep.
| Sixteenth Sunday in Ord Time Cycle B | 22nd | 5.00pm
9.30am 7.30pm |
Chris Sarson RIP
St John’s Parishioners Prayer Meeting |
||
| Monday | 23rd | 9.15am | Intentions Betty Huston | ||
| Tuesday | 24th | 9.15am | Tim Delaney Annv. RIP | ||
| Wednesday | 25th | 9.15am | Intentions Kieron Mossley | ||
| Thursday | 26th | 7.30am | Margaret Stocker RIP | ||
| Friday | 27th | 9.15am | Jeanette Wagg RIP | ||
| Saturday | 28th | ||||
| Seventeenth Sunday in Ord Time Cycle B | 29th | 5.00pm
9.30am 7.30pm |
John McIntosh RIP
St John’s Parishioners Prayer Meeting |
||
| Confessions | Saturday 4.15-4.45pm | ||||
| Morning Prayer | 15 minutes before daily Masses | ||||
Fr Frank Rice is now resident in a nursing home in West Kirby. Because of Fr Frank’s condition visits are not encouraged at this stage but he does ask for a remembrance in your daily prayers.
Money Matters: Thank you for last weekend’s Offertory collection which amounted to
£586.33p.
Work on the Confessional will begin tomorrow (Monday) and last for 2/3 days to bring it in line with the latest safeguarding requirements. The cost of the work will be borne by monies donated through the “Our Mission Together” initiative.
Tea & Coffee after Sunday 9.30am Mass every week in the Parish Centre. Why not stay a while and meet up with friends old and new. If you would like to join the Tea/Coffee rota, please have a word with Noelene Evans or Fr Bernard.
Parish Day Out to Southport on Wednesday 25th July. Leave from outside Church at 10am prompt return by 5pm.There is a sign up sheet on the table at the back of church. Please enter your name and the number of seats you will require for the day. If an insufficient number of people
(i.e. less than 35) sign the list by 10.00am on Monday then this trip will have to be cancelled.
New Beginnings New Ferry Coffee Morning, Wednesday 25th July 11am to 2pm. All are invited to join us at our coffee morning at
36 Bebington Road to celebrate what’s good about New Ferry and work together to make it a better place. Your opinions are important. Please join in and tell your friends.
Deadline for National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and Congress Adoremus
7th-9th September: Booking to hear the inspirational Bishop Robert Barron from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles USA on
Saturday 8th September and the 9.30am Pilgrimage Mass on Sunday 9th September will be taken until Tuesday 31st July. Please see Fr Bernard. Tickets and delegate packs will be posted to delegates in mid-August. For further details www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org follow the Adoremus link
‘Following on from our successful Tuesday night Grace Group, we’re looking to start another all female Cell Group on Wednesday evenings, starting late September. Initially meeting every week for 6 weeks, we’ll be studying the book of Esther while loving, encouraging and supporting each other through this amazing adventure called faith! If you’re interested and would like to know more, please contact Claire Griffiths on
07985 312 703.’
Shrewsbury Cursillo in Christianity: Have their Ultreya at
St Catherine’s, Birkenhead Road, Hoylake CH47 5AF on Saturday 28th July at 1.30pm in the Lounge (through the blue gates to the right of the church.) Never heard of us? Now is your chance to find out what and who we are.
The SVP is seeking to recruit an 1833 Research and Project Development Officer to review, re-model, project plan and potentially produce resources for our programme for 18-30 year olds in preparation for a service re-launch in Sept 2019. £27k pa pro rata; 3 days a week; one year contract. Home-based with national travel. Closing date: 10:00 on Wednesday 25th July 2018. Interviews: Thursday 26th July 2018. Start date: Wednesday 29th August 2018. For more details & application pack, please visit the vacancies section of the SVP website: https://www.svp.org.uk/.
Caritas Shrewsbury is looking for an experienced and dedicated person to be our Family Support Social Worker. The post is for 21 hours per week working in the Diocese of Shrewsbury, but predominantly in the South Manchester Area.
Work pattern: Monday-Friday 9am-4.30pm. For more information and an application pack, please contact Claire Griffiths Tel 0151 652 1281;
email Claire.griffiths@caritasshrewsbury.org.uk
Please also visit us online at: www.caritasshrewsbury.org.uk
Application packs can also be downloaded from our website caritasshrewsbury.org.uk. Closing date for applications is 16th August, 2018,
URGENT APPEAL FOR MEDICAL HELP. The next annual pilgrimage to Lourdes by Jumbulance marks the 25th anniversary since I became Group Leader of the Chester Group. Sadly, one of my nurses has had to withdraw and so I urgently require a replacement – or we cannot travel.
Chester Across Group urgently require another nurse (or Doctor) to travel overland to Lourdes by Jumbulance. The latter is literally a Jumbo-Ambulance with seven beds, an accessible toilet and kitchen. Now in our 25th year, sadly, one of our nurses has withdrawn so another is needed. Dates: Thu 30th August to Sat 8th Sept. Cost. Nurses are asked to pay half price – £400 – but we do fundraising to subsidise anyone who cannot afford to pay the full amount.
For further information please contact Group Leader Tony Murphy on 07881-656-974 or by email tonymurphyefc2002@yahoo.co.uk See Poster on notice board at back of church for details.
‘Following on from our successful Tuesday night Grace Group, we’re looking to start another all-female Cell Group on Wednesday evenings, starting late September. Initially meeting every week for 6 weeks, we’ll be studying the book of Esther while loving, encouraging and supporting each other through this amazing adventure called faith! If you’re interested and would like to know more, please contact Claire Griffiths on 07985 312 703.’
Please continue to give generously to the Foodbank. The need is as great as ever. Please check the notice board at the back of Church for most needed items for the ITEMS URGENTLY NEEDED: Tinned custard, sugar (small if possible), washing up liquid, tea, tinned spaghetti, small cereal, sponge puddings
Please take a copy of the Wednesday Word. It is a helpful reflection on next Sunday’s readings.
If you have a notice for the bulletin please email it to the parish email address or put it through the presbytery letter box by 12 noon on Thursdays. Many thanks.
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Bernard Forshaw Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email: stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites: www.stjohnevang.co.uk www.lpa24.org
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday, 15th July 2018. Cycle B
FAITH IN FOCUS: SOMETHING MISSING?
Holy Trinity Church and St Mark’s were the two oldest parishes in the town. They dated back to early Victorian times and had seen some changes over the years. Trinity became the established centre-of-town parish while St Mark’s had seen its population dwindle as houses were knocked down to make way for new developments.
Trinity prided itself on its worship. It was a beautiful piece of architecture and it lent itself well to the 32 voice mixed choir that provided both inspiration and entertainment at the Sunday liturgy attended loyally by many of the older families of the town. The parish had been blessed over the years with zealous clergy who were meticulous in their presentation of worship and in their high standards of preaching. When the bell started to toll at 10.50 every Sunday morning you could feel a sense of expectation until the moment when at 11 o’clock a parade of colour, candles, incense and servers was greeted by the opening hymn. During the week there were faith-sharing meetings, as well as an active youth group, a choir practice and a bell ringers’ club.
St Mark’s had no bell but oddly enough provided an 11 o’clock service too. Liturgy was not its strongpoint and it was a more straightforward affair, a priest with no servers, a guitar group to accompany the music and a well-crafted sermon. It too had its share of loyal supporters many of whom were involved in the parish outreach to asylum seekers. The St Mark’s drop-in centre had its critics but managed to feed about 20 people every lunchtime and to offer a bed to a dozen or so each night in the parish hall. Like Trinity Church it too was active in local ecumenical schemes and enjoyed good relations with other Christian Churches. In addition it was in the early stages of training parishioners to form teams for a “Faith on the Streets” programme that the parish deacon was leading.
The last sentence of the first reading had just been read in both churches: “Go, prophesy to my people Israel”. The priest and people in both parishes felt somewhat uneasy when they heard it. Something was missing.
| Fifteenth Sunday in Ord Time Cycle B | 15th | 5.00pm
9.30am 7.30pm |
Eddie & Maria Fryer 25th Wedding Annv Ints
James Jones RIP Prayer Meeting |
||
| Monday | 16th | 9.15am | Stuart Burrows RIP | ||
| Tuesday | 17th | 10.30am | Funeral Mass –
Patrick Clancy |
||
| Wednesday | 18th | 9.15am | Ints Sisters of Charity | ||
| Thursday | 19th | 7.30am | Ints Forshaw & Parr Fams | ||
| Friday | 20th | 9.15am | Maurice Maher RIP | ||
| Saturday | 21st | 10.00am | Carmel Mass | ||
| Sixteenth Sunday in Ord Time Cycle B | 22nd | 5.00pm
9.30am 7.30pm |
Chris Sarson RIP
St John’s Parishioners Prayer Meeting |
||
| Confessions | Saturday 4.15-4.45pm | ||||
| Morning Prayer | 15 minutes before daily Masses | ||||
Fr Frank Rice is now resident in a nursing home in West Kirby. Because of Fr Frank’s condition visits are not encouraged at this stage but he does ask for a remembrance in your daily prayers.
Welcome to Fr Anselm Atkinson OSB the Abbot of Pluscarden Monastery in Scotland who is on leave this week visiting his mother, Audrey, one of our housebound parishioners.
Fr Anselm will be celebrating the 9.15am Mass on Wednesday and Friday.
Catenians: Paul Davenport, the President of the Birkenhead Circle, will be saying a few words at the end of both Masses this weekend about the work of the Catenian Association and how you can support it.
Money Matters: Thank you for last weekend’s Offertory collection which amounted to
£497.32p.
Thank you for your donations to the Peter’s Pence collection which amounted to £253.14p
Tea & Coffee after Sunday 9.30am Mass every week in the Parish Centre. Why not stay a while and meet up with friends old and new. If you would like to join the Tea/Coffee rota, please have a word with Noelene Evans or Fr Bernard.
Lately Dead: Your prayers are requested for the repose of the soul of Patrick Clancy whose Funeral Mass will be held here at St John’s this Tuesday 17th July at 10.30am. May he and all the faithful departed rest in peace.
Deadline for National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and Congress Adoremus 7th-9th September: Booking to hear the inspirational Bishop Robert Barron from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles USA on Saturday 8th September and the 9.30am Pilgrimage Mass on Sunday
9th September will be taken until Tuesday
31st July. Please see Fr Bernard. Tickets and delegate packs will be posted to delegates in mid-August. For further details
www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org follow the Adoremus link
Thank you to Deacon Mike and to the members of the Bereavement Group for arranging a lovely service last Thursday evening and thank you to the individuals and families who came to remember their loved one and the recently deceased of St John’s Parish.
The Carmelite Monastery will be celebrating 100 years foundation in Birkenhead. Bishop Mark Davies will be celebrating Holy Mass on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on Monday 16th July at 7.00pm, followed by a buffet. Everyone is warmly invited.
Canon Brendan Hoban is celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood this summer. A Mass of Thanksgiving will be held at Christ the King Bromborough at 7.00pm on Friday 20th July. All are warmly welcome.
Parish Day Out to Southport on Wednesday 25th July. Leave from outside Church at 10am prompt return by 5pm.There is a signup sheet on the table at the back of church. Please enter your name and the number of seats you will require for the day.
Our Schools finish this week for their summer break. I will be celebrating a whole school Mass in St John’s Junior School on Tuesday morning (Fr Paschal will be celebrating the Funeral Mass in Church) and on Wednesday afternoon I will be celebrating Mass for our Year 6 Leavers (Fr Anselm will celebrate the usual 9.15am Mass). After a very busy time in all our schools we wish students and staff a great holiday and good weather, coming back refreshed and enthusiastic for the start of a new school year in September. We also think of and offer a prayer for those anxiously awaiting their exam results in August.
URGENT APPEAL FOR MEDICAL HELP. The next annual pilgrimage to Lourdes by Jumbulance marks the 25th anniversary since I became Group Leader of the Chester Group. Sadly, one of my nurses has had to withdraw and so I urgently require a replacement – or we cannot travel.
Chester Across Group urgently require another nurse (or Doctor) to travel overland to Lourdes by Jumbulance. The latter is literally a Jumbo-Ambulance with seven beds, an accessible toilet and kitchen. Now in our 25th year, sadly, one of our nurses has withdrawn so another is needed. Dates: Thu 30th August to Sat 8th Sept. Cost. Nurses are asked to pay half price – £400 – but we do fundraising to subsidise anyone who cannot afford to pay the full amount.
For further information please contact Group Leader Tony Murphy on 07881-656-974 or by email tonymurphyefc2002@yahoo.co.uk See Poster on notice board at back of church for details
Diocesan Vacancies: Senior Trusts & Foundations’ Officer to play a key role in the development and implementation of the Diocesan fundraising activities and those of Caritas Diocese of Shrewsbury in order to secure funding for parishes, programme work, project work (and organisational core costs) by assisting with the preparation of funding bid applications.
Diocesan Health & Safety Officer The post holder will act as the key contact for all health & safety matters throughout the Diocese and will co-ordinate health and safety compliance in all Diocesan Departments and Parishes, trading subsidiaries and associated organisations; supporting, training and assisting in developing risk assessments, policies and procedures required to deliver and promote a first class safety culture. This post is suitable for those holding NEBOSH diploma and Chartered Member of MIOSH For more information please visit our website http://www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/about-us/curia/vacancies or send CV to Pauline.mcculloch@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
Please take a copy of the Wednesday Word. It is a helpful reflection on next Sunday’s readings.
If you have a notice for the bulletin please email it to the parish email address or put it through the presbytery letter box by 12 noon on Thursdays. Many thanks.
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Bernard Forshaw Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email: stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites: www.stjohnevang.co.uk www.lpa24.org
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday, 8th July 2018. Cycle B
FAITH IN FOCUS:HOW MUCH DID JESUS KNOW?
When Jesus preached in his home synagogue of Nazareth people were amazed. Where did he get this wisdom from? Wasn’t he the just the carpenter’s son?
Now when Jesus lay in the manger at Bethlehem did he know he was the Son of God? When he began his ministry in Galilee did he know he was the Messiah? When he went through his Passion did he know he was God? The answer has to be “no” in all these cases, otherwise the life and death of Jesus is worth nothing more than a fairy tale. For if he knew that he was God then his humanity was never fully tested.
It’s easy to presume that because Christ was God then he knew all things. But God knows all things at once in an instant that never ends: eternity. However, we human beings think in ideas and concepts, and our human thought unravels in time; it takes us a while to grasp and formulate things. That’s why from birth Jesus had to learn from experience and discover the truth of things for himself. He had a clear awareness of his sonship, although he did not have the words to think or express this. This was a consequence of God humbling himself to take on our human nature. Jesus’s own consciousness was wrapped in human limitation.
It can shock people to realise the human limitations of Jesus, for many of us were brought up to think of him as an extension of God’s almighty power. Indeed, his miracles seem to support this way of thinking. Yet the more we look at Jesus the more we realise that, in the person of Christ, God decided to become vulnerable rather than almighty, gentle instead of imperious, tolerant not merciless.
This leaves us with a very different God from the one that’s popularly portrayed. In Jesus we find a God much closer to our way of being than we could ever imagine. We come face to face with God’s own lifestyle, God’s way to be human.
Most who heard his Sabbath sermon couldn’t cope with him and took offence – a prophet despised in his own land who could work no miracles. And what about us? Can we cope with the real Jesus or are will still hankering after a magical God for whom human life presents no problems? Because if we are, then we’re asking for a God who’s not one of us and who can work no miracles either.
| Fourteenth Sunday in Ord Time Cycle B | 8th | 5.00pm
9.30am 7.30pm |
St John’s Parishioners
Myles Dempsey RIP Prayer Meeting |
||
| Monday | 9th | 9.15am | Lynn Merity 2nd Annv RIP | ||
| Tuesday | 10th | 9.15am | Madge Callaghan
St John’s Yr 2 in Church |
||
| Wednesday | 11th | 9.15am | Patrick England RIP | ||
| Thursday | 12th | 7.30am
7.30pm |
Ints Eileen Kealey
Memorial Service |
||
| Friday | 13th | 9.15am | Ints Canon Brendan Hoban (60th Annv of Ordination) | ||
| Saturday | 14th | ||||
| Fifteenth Sunday in Ord Time Cycle B | 15th | 5.00pm
9.30am 7.30pm |
Eddie & Maria Fryer 25th Wedding Annv Ints
James Jones RIP Prayer Meeting |
||
| Children’s liturgy on Sunday at the 9.30am Mass
THIS SUNDAY IS A DAY OF SPECIAL PRAYER FOR SEAFARERS WEDNESDAY IS A DAY OF SPECIAL PRAYER FOR EUROPE |
|||||
| Confessions | Saturday 4.15-4.45pm | ||||
| Morning Prayer | 15 minutes before daily Masses | ||||
Money Matters: Thank you for last weekend’s Offertory collection which amounted to £ 596.19p.
Thank you too for your donations to the Peter’s Pence collection and to all those who supported the recent Quiz Night. Next Quiz Night in September.
Tea & Coffee after Sunday 9.30am Mass every week in the Parish Centre. Why not stay a while and meet up with friends old and new. If you would like to join the Tea/Coffee rota, please have a word with Noelene Evans or Fr Bernard.
URGENT APPEAL: At present there are only 2 ladies doing the Altar Flowers and we URGENTLY need help to cover holidays and/or to start a rota. As you can see no experience is necessary, just a love of helping to make the church look nice and welcoming for everyone. Please contact Kath Clements on 334 8272 or Fr Bernard on
645 3314.
Prayers for the Sick: Please keep our Sick and Housebound parishioners in your prayers and if anyone is in need of Holy Communion or a visit, please do let us know.
Lately Dead: Your prayers are requested for the repose of the soul of Patrick Clancy whose Funeral Mass will be held here at St John’s on Tuesday
17th July at 10.30am. May he and all the faithful departed rest in peace.
Deadline for National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and Congress Adoremus 7th-9th September: Booking to hear the inspirational Bishop Robert Barron from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles USA on Saturday
8th September and the 9.30am Pilgrimage Mass on Sunday 9th September will be taken until Tuesday
31st July. Please see Fr Bernard. Tickets and delegate packs will be posted to delegates in mid-August. For further details
www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org follow the Adoremus link
School News: We are coming towards the end of the school year. Year 2 of our Infant School will be leading the 9.15am Mass on Tuesday which will be in the main Church. In the Junior School it has been a very busy time with an OFSTED inspection last week and an RE inspection due this coming week. At St John Plessington Catholic College a Thanksgiving Mass was celebrated during the week to mark the retirement of Margaret Marks as Chair of Governors, John Williams has been appointed as the new Chair of Governors at SJP and
Emily McArdle will become Vice Chair from
1st September. All our schools are grateful for the support they receive from the local parishes especially from those parishioners who freely give of their time as Foundation
Governors and in other voluntary capacities.
The Bereavement Group will be holding their annual Memorial service this Thursday, 12th July at 7.30pm. We invite you to come along and support those members of our parish family who are coming to terms with the loss of their loved ones. The service will include scripture readings, poetry and hymns, followed by light refreshments and a time of fellowship. All welcome.
The Carmelite Monastery will be celebrating 100 years foundation in Birkenhead. Bishop Mark Davies will be celebrating Holy Mass on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on
16th July at 7.00pm, followed by a buffet. Everyone is warmly invited.
Canon Brendan Hoban is celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood this summer.
A Mass of Thanksgiving will be held at Christ the King Bromborough at 7.00pm on Friday 20th July. All are warmly welcome. Mass at St John’s on Friday,
14th July will be celebrated for his intentions.
Please continue to give generously to the Foodbank. The need is as great as ever. Please check the notice board at the back of Church for most needed items for the ITEMS URGENTLY NEEDED: Tinned custard, sugar (small if possible), washing up liquid, tea, tinned spaghetti, small cereal, sponge puddings
Parish Day Out to Southport on Wednesday 25th July. Leave from outside Church at 10am prompt return by 5pm.There is a sign up sheet on the table at the back of church. Please enter your name and the number of seats you will require for the day.
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Bernard Forshaw Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email: stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites: www.stjohnevang.co.uk www.lpa24.org
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday, 1st July 2018. Cycle B
FAITH IN FOCUS: QUALITY OF LIFE
Did you know that they’ve invented some food additives that could keep you living until well past a hundred? All your friends will be dead but at least you’ll still be around with your memories. And scientists have invented a new drug that means you don’t have to eat and drink any more, just three injections a week and two litres of water a day. There are also some pills available that guarantee you’ll die really healthy. Worth trying?
We all want to live; it’s only natural. But what is it that we want to live for? What sort of quality of life do we want? What do we want our days to be filled with?
When Jesus raised people from the dead he added years to their life. But more importantly he added life to their years. For once a person is raised to life in Christ their experience of what life is about and what is on offer can never be the same. To be alive in Christ cannot mean simply living the same life as before, for the life Christ offers is one that is transformed. St Paul was so aware of this that he said, “I live; no, Christ lives in me”. Christian living is about being inhabited, taken over, consumed and hurled into an adventure that sometimes disconcerts but always takes us to the edge of our being. It suspends us in eternity.
So if you’re not excited by life then you’re not living a Christian existence because the life Christ offers is God’s very own. If you don’t appreciate the beauty of God’s world, if you’re not energised by the challenges that face you daily or thrilled at the prospect of meeting new people who themselves are reflections of God’s human imprint, then you may be alive but you’re not living. For life means taking part.
Christian faith takes us off the ventilator and lets us begin breathing with the Spirit’s breath. There is a qualitative difference to Christian life, one that’s not available to those without it. Ours is a blessed existence, one which summons and challenges us to live life to the full in Christ, not to prolong an existence that has been long dead through its dulled deception and disappointment, through its sin and shallowness.
When Jesus raises people from the dead life takes on a new meaning. If not, then it’s probably time for the injections and some more water.
This year marks the 160th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady to Bernadette in Lourdes. The Diocesan Pilgrimage will take place from 26th July-3rd August overland and 27th July-2nd August by air. Brochures and booking forms can be downloaded from the Pilgrimage Website http://www.shrewsburypilgrimage.co.uk or from the Pilgrimage Office: St Alban’s, 30 Mill Lane, Wallasey, CH44 5UD. This year flight seats are limited so early booking is recommended.
Diocesan Vacancies: Senior Trusts & Foundations’ Officer to play a key role in the development and implementation of the Diocesan fundraising activities and those of Caritas Diocese of Shrewsbury in order to secure funding for parishes, programme work, project work (and organisational core costs) by assisting with the preparation of funding bid applications.
Diocesan Health & Safety Officer The post holder will act as the key contact for all health & safety matters throughout the Diocese and will co-ordinate health and safety compliance in all Diocesan Departments and Parishes, trading subsidiaries and associated organisations; supporting, training and assisting in developing risk assessments, policies and procedures required to deliver and promote a first class safety culture. This post is suitable for those holding NEBOSH diploma and Chartered Member of MIOSH For more information please visit our website http://www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/about-us/curia/vacancies or send CV to Pauline.mcculloch@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
Please take a copy of the Wednesday Word. It is a helpful reflection on next Sunday’s readings.
If you have a notice for the bulletin please email it to the parish email address or put it through the presbytery letter box by 12 noon on Thursdays. Many thanks.
| Thirteenth Sunday in Ord Time Cycle B | 1st | 5.00pm
9.30am
7.30pm |
Ted Armstrong Annv RIP
Phil & Gerry Topping 60th Wedding Anniversary Ints Prayer Meeting |
||
| Monday | 2nd | 9.15am | Gerard Edwards RIP | ||
| Tuesday | 3rd | 9.15am1.00pm | Ints Margaret Marks
Funeral Service at Landican – Doreen Lillian Byrne |
||
| Wednesday | 4th | 9.15am | Jeanette Wagg RIP | ||
| Thursday | 5th | 7.30am | Ints Sarah Bayliss | ||
| Friday | 6th | 9.30am | Funeral Service –
Rita Ann Oakley |
||
| Saturday | 7th | ||||
| Fourteenth Sunday in Ord Time Cycle B | 8th | 5.00pm
9.30am 7.30pm |
St John’s Parishioners
Myles Dempsey RIP Prayer Meeting |
||
| Children’s liturgy on Sunday at the 9.30am Mass | |||||
| Confessions | Saturday 4.15-4.45pm | ||||
| Morning Prayer | 15 minutes before daily Masses | ||||
Money Matters: Thank you for last weekend’s Offertory collection which amounted to £ 546.56p.
Retiring Collection this weekend for Peter’s Pence…
the Pope’s own charity. From then Philippines to India, Central Africa to Bangladesh, Peter’s Pence stands beside the most needy, on the edges of the earth, giving hope where it is needed most. Please give what you can.
Many thanks to those who came to the Parish Quiz Night on Friday. Your support is much appreciated.
Tea & Coffee after Sunday 9.30am Mass every week in the Parish Centre. Why not stay a while and meet up with friends old and new.
URGENT APPEAL: At present there are only 2 ladies doing the Altar Flowers and we URGENTLY need help to cover holidays and/or to start a rota. As you can see no experience is necessary, just a love of helping to make the church look nice and welcoming for everyone. Please contact Kath Clements on 334 8272 or Fr Bernard on 645 3314.
Prayers for the Sick: Please keep our Sick and Housebound parishioners in your prayers and if anyone is in need of Holy Communion or a visit, please do let us know.
Lately Dead: Your prayers are requested for the repose of the soul of Doreen Lillian Byrne whose Funeral Service will be held at Landican on Tuesday 3rd July at 1.00pm and Rita Ann Oakley whose Funeral Service will be here at St John’s on Friday 6th July at 9.30am. Also Patrick Clancy’s Funeral Mass will be held here at St John’s on Tuesday 17th July at 10.30am. May they and all the faithful departed rest in peace.
St John Plessington Catholic College has recently been awarded on a number of fronts. This week it was named the Wirral Globe’s Secondary School of the Year. There will be a Thanksgiving Mass celebrated at the college this week to mark the retirement of Margaret Marks as Chair of Governors. Margaret has giving many years voluntary service to SJP and to Catholic Education on the Wirral.
John Williams has been appointed as the new Chair of Governors and Emily McArdle will become Vice Chair from 1st September.
The Parish Pastoral Team meets roughly on a monthly basis…. its minutes are on the designated notice board on the left hand side of the Church. The Pastoral Team’s next meeting is this Thursday 5th July at 7.30pm in the presbytery. If you have any suggestions/ideas for the team to consider please place them in the suggestions box on the table at the back of Church or through the presbytery letterbox.
The Bereavement Group will be holding their annual Memorial service on Thursday, 12th July at 7.30pm. Invitations have been sent to bereaved families. We invite you to come along and support those members of our parish family who are coming to terms with the loss of their loved ones. The service will include scripture readings, poetry and hymns, followed by light refreshments and a time of fellowship. All welcome.
The Carmelite Monastery will be celebrating 100 years foundation in Birkenhead. Bishop Mark Davies will be celebrating Holy Mass on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on
16th July at 7.00pm, followed by a buffet. Everyone is warmly invited.
Canon Brendan Hoban is celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood this summer. A Mass of Thanksgiving will be held at Christ the King Bromborough at 7.00pm on Friday 20th July. All are warmly welcome.
Please continue to give generously to the Foodbank. The need is as great as ever. Please check the notice board at the back of Church for most needed items for the ITEMS URGENTLY NEEDED: Tinned custard, sugar (small if possible), washing up liquid, tea, tinned spaghetti, small cereal, sponge puddings
Parish Day Out to Southport on Wednesday 25th July. Leave from outside Church at
10am prompt return by 5pm.
There is a sign up sheet on the table at the back of church. Please enter your name and the number of seats you will require for the day.
This year marks the 160th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady to Bernadette in Lourdes. The Diocesan Pilgrimage will take place from 26th July-3rd August overland and 27th July-2nd August by air. Brochures and booking forms can be downloaded from the Pilgrimage Website http://www.shrewsburypilgrimage.co.uk or from the Pilgrimage Office: St Alban’s, 30 Mill Lane, Wallasey, CH44 5UD. This year flight seats are limited so early booking is recommended.
ARE YOU A CATHOLIC TEACHER BUT NOT TEACHING IN A CATHOLIC SCHOOL? YOUR DIOCESE NEEDS YOU!!! We are holding an informal session on Saturday 30th June at
St Hugh’s Parish Hall, 314 Manchester Road, West Timperley, Altrincham,
WA14 5NB from 10 am – 12 pm, with Mass available at 12.15 pm. If you would like to attend or want further information about returning to Catholic education please e-mail Sue Jenkinson on sue.jenkinson@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
Diocesan Vacancies: Senior Trusts & Foundations’ Officer to play a key role in the development and implementation of the Diocesan fundraising activities and those of Caritas Diocese of Shrewsbury in order to secure funding for parishes, programme work, project work (and organisational core costs) by assisting with the preparation of funding bid applications.
Diocesan Health & Safety Officer The post holder will act as the key contact for all health & safety matters throughout the Diocese and will co-ordinate health and safety compliance in all Diocesan Departments and Parishes, trading subsidiaries and associated organisations; supporting, training and assisting in developing risk assessments, policies and procedures required to deliver and promote a first class safety culture. This post is suitable for those holding NEBOSH diploma and Chartered Member of MIOSH
For more information please visit our website http://www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/about-us/curia/vacancies or send CV to Pauline.mcculloch@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
The Carmelite Monastery will be celebrating 100 years foundation in Birkenhead. Bishop Mark Davies will be celebrating Holy Mass on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on 16th July at 7.00pm, followed by a buffet. Everyone is warmly invited.
Please take a copy of the Wednesday Word. It is a helpful reflection on next Sunday’s readings.
If you have a notice for the bulletin please email it to the parish email address or put it through the presbytery letter box
by 12 noon on Thursdays. Many thanks.
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Bernard Forshaw Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email: stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites: www.stjohnevang.co.uk www.lpa24.org
The Nativity of St John the Baptist, Sunday, 24th June 2018. Cycle B
Today the Church celebrates the great feast of the Birth of the one who was “Precursor”, “Friend of the Bridegroom”, “the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,” John the Baptizer. The first reading, the second of the four “Servant of the Lord” songs of the prophet Isaiah 49:1-6 identifies so well the role of the Baptist. He was truly the Servant made ready and fit for the preaching of God’s word. John was identified with the people of Israel and his vocation as ultimately not only the restoration of Israel, but also the conversion of the world. John was the sharp-edged sword who pointed out the true light to the nations, the one whose salvation would reach to the ends of the earth.
St. Paul, in the reading from the Acts of the Apostles [13:22-26] spoke of this John who heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel; and as John was completing his course, he would say, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. Behold, one is coming after me; I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.’ There is no Gospel that begins the story of Jesus’ public ministry without first telling the reader about the life and mission of John the Baptist. John’s preceding Jesus was clearly fixed in the Christian tradition, so much, that in two of the three Gospels that begin their story before the public ministry with Jesus’ first appearance on earth, John the Baptist is brought forth to precede the appearance as well. His role in salvation history and in announcing the coming of the Messiah is beautifully described in the Advent preface of the Roman liturgy: “John the Baptist was his herald and made him known when at last he came.” John the Baptist’s image is often portrayed in the finger pointing to the one who was coming: Jesus Christ. If we are to take on John’s role of preparing the way in today’s world, our lives also will become the pointing fingers of living witnesses who demonstrate that Jesus can be found and that he is near. John gave the people of his time an experience of forgiveness and salvation, knowing full well that he himself was not the Messiah, the one who could save. Do we allow others to have experiences of God, of forgiveness and of salvation? John the Baptist came to teach us that there is a way out of the darkness and sadness of the world and of the human condition, and that way is Jesus himself. The Messiah comes to save us from the powers of darkness and death, and to put us back on the path of peace and reconciliation so that we might find our way back to God. We have to listen to the voice of the one calling in the wilderness, even when it confesses: I am not he. You cannot choose not to listen to this voice, ‘because it is only the voice of a man.’ And, likewise, you cannot lay aside the message of the Church, because the Church is ‘not worthy to untie the shoelaces of its Lord who goes on before it.
| Nativity of John the Baptist | 24th | 5.00pm
9.30am 7.30pm |
Edgar Candlish RIP
Ints Mulraney Family Prayer Meeting |
||
| Monday | 25th | 9.15am | No Mass or Service | ||
| Tuesday | 26th | 9.15am | Fr Philip Atkinson 25th Annv
St John’s Yr1 Infants in Church |
||
| Wednesday | 27th | 7.00pm | Ints Pamela Murray | ||
| Thursday | 28th | 7.30am | John McIntosh RIP | ||
| Friday | 29th | 7.30am
7.00pm |
Pat Fennell RIP
St John’s Parishioners |
||
| Saturday | 30th | ||||
| Thirteenth Sunday in Ord Time Cycle B | 1st | 5.00pm
9.30am
7.30pm |
Ted Armstrong Annv RIP
Phil & Gerry Topping 60th Wedding Anniversary Ints Prayer Meeting |
||
| Children’s liturgy on Sunday at the 9.30am Mass | |||||
| Confessions | Saturday 4.15-4.45pm | ||||
| Morning Prayer | 15 minutes before daily Masses | ||||
Friday is the Feast of the Apostles Ss Peter and Paul, a Holy day. Masses at St John’s at 7.30am and 7.00pm.
Money Matters: Thank you for last weekend’s Offertory collection which amounted to £526.46p
Inside this bulletin please find a copy of Bishop Mark’s Pastoral Letter,”In Thanksgiving for the Diocesan-wide initiative Our Mission Together”.
Tea & Coffee after Sunday 9.30am Mass every week in the Parish Centre. Why not stay a while and meet up with friends old and new.
Traidcraft Stall goods will be on sale this weekend, Saturday
23rd/24th June. Please take time to have a browse.
Children’s Liturgy: Additional helpers are urgently needed if this important Sunday ministry/activity is to continue in our parish. In this Pentecost week especially pray about this and if you feel called to help, please have a word with Jackie Mitchell or
Fr Bernard. The more helpers there are the less of a commitment there is. Ideally, we would like to create a 3 week, possibly 4 week, rota.
URGENT APPEAL: At present there are only 2 ladies doing the Altar Flowers and we URGENTLY need help to cover holidays and/or to start a rota. As you can see no experience is necessary, just a love of helping to make the church look nice and welcoming for everyone. Please contact either Kath Clements on 334 8272 or
Fr Bernard on 645 3314.
Prayers for the Sick: Please keep our Sick and Housebound parishioners in your prayers and if anyone is in need of Holy Communion or a visit, please do let us know.
Lately Dead: Your prayers are requested for the repose of the soul of Rita Oakley whose Funeral arrangements are yet to be finalised and Patrick Clancy Funeral Mass here at St John’s on Wednesday 11th July at 10am. The Funeral Mass for Jeanette Wagg is at 10am this Monday, 25th June at St Anne’s. May they and all the faithful departed rest in peace.
Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Novena continues here at St Johns up to and including 27th June. The programme is as follows:
| Sunday 24th June | After 9.30am Mass |
| Monday 25th June | 7pm |
| Tuesday 26th June | 7pm |
| Wednesday
27th June |
7pm with Mass |
Next Parish Social/Quiz Night with Raffle for Parish Funds, Friday 29th June after 7pm Mass (Feast of Sts Peter and Paul) in the Liberal Club next door to the Church.
Adoremus:
There are still a few places available for the National Eucharistic Congress on
7th-9th September in Liverpool but tickets are going fast. If you wish to be involved please see
Fr Bernard after Mass today.
Invitation to Diocesan Holy Hour TODAY Sunday 24th June 2018, Diocesan Holy Hour: In preparation for the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and Congress in September, Bishop Mark invites you to join him in St Anthony’s Church, Wythenshawe THIS Sunday, 24th June at 3pm for a time of prayer and adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. Delegates for the Eucharistic Congress in September will be commissioned at the end of the hour. If you cannot attend and wish to join online ‘virtually’, the Holy Hour will be live-streamed from 3pm at www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/about-us/live-masses .
The Bereavement Group will be holding their annual Memorial service on Thursday, 12th July at 7.30pm. Invitations have been sent to bereaved families. We invite you to come along and support those members of our parish family who are coming to terms with the loss of their loved ones. The service will include scripture readings, poetry and hymns, followed by light refreshments and a time of fellowship.
All welcome.
Please continue to give generously to the Foodbank. The need is as great as ever. Please check the notice board at the back of Church for most needed items for the ITEMS URGENTLY NEEDED: Tinned custard, sugar (small if possible), washing up liquid, tea, tinned spaghetti, small cereal, sponge puddings
Parish Day Out to Southport on Wednesday 25th July. Leave from outside Church at 10am prompt return by 5pm. Bookings for this day/names for seats on coach will be taken from next weekend.
A Pastoral Letter
In Thanksgiving for the Diocesan-wide Initiative ‘Our Mission Together’
To be read at Mass in all Churches and Chapels of the Diocese on
Sunday 24th June 2018
the Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
My dear brothers and sisters,
The Gospel today tells how people throughout the hill country of Judea treasured the news of the birth of John the Baptist and wondered, “What will this child turn out to be?” (Lk 1:66). Like them we might wonder about the future, for it is not given us to see precisely how the mission of the Church will develop in the decades to come. I think of the first Bishop of Shrewsbury who could see few human prospects for this fledgling Diocese. Yet he was able to look forward in the same faith and confidence with which the mission of John the Baptist began, that the hand of the Lord would be with us (cf Lk 1:66).
Today, I write to give thanks for the Diocesan-wide initiative Our Mission Together which has shown our shared commitment to the future mission of our Shrewsbury Diocese. A series of priorities have found strong resonance among clergy and lay people. Together we have committed ourselves to support: new vocations to the Priesthood and the unprecedented number of priests moving into retirement; the development of our youth mission and our social mission to the poorest; the renewal of catechesis in our parishes; and the vocation of Christian Marriage. Added to all this, we have seen a large number of local, parish initiatives making possible what might have seemed impossible.
This Sunday, we can say Our Mission Together has proved to be a historic achievement for this Shrewsbury Diocese. It has been a bold initiative that has occasioned renewed prayer for mission and generous, sacrificial giving of millions of pounds in material support of these priorities. Most happily, as I was told the other day, it has turned the thoughts and conversations of many towards our continuing mission.
/ Continued
I wish to thank all who have shared in this achievement: by your dedicated prayer; in giving of your time and energies (especially the more than 220 volunteers!); by the generous pledging of monies; or by simply taking time to consider this opportunity. I wish to thank the clergy who have worked with dedication for this initiative and have been generous donors themselves. I wish to acknowledge the professionalism of those working for our Diocese, and the charitable fundraisers who have supported us, together with the laity and clergy who served on the Campaign Advisory Committee. I have been heartened by meetings which have focused upon our mission and our future.
I ask your prayer for the Stewardship Committee, comprising both lay people and clergy, now tasked with ensuring that all funds effectively serve the goals for which they were given. I also ask your prayers for the increasing number of young men coming forward in both discernment and training for the Priesthood and the men preparing for the Permanent Diaconate. I ask your continued prayer: for the Youth Mission Team in its increasing work across the large geographical area of the Diocese, with the development of many new projects for young people; for Caritas Diocese of Shrewsbury as the arm of our social mission in the service of the poorest; and for our dedicated welfare officer already helping to serve the needs of our retired clergy. The next two areas of development are the support and formation of parish catechists and support of the vocation of marriage. I ask your prayers for all these intentions. I ask you to remember, too, the wide range of local mission projects and new initiatives now taking shape in the parishes.
So much has happened – and will continue to happen – in what is truly our mission together. It is not given us to see precisely how all of its effects and fruitfulness will be realised. Yet, in seeking to be faithful today to our mission, we have the same assurance that marked the birth of Saint John Baptist: that the hand of the Lord will be with us! In this confidence let us ask Our Lady, the Help of Christians, together with all the Saints of our Shrewsbury Diocese, to pray for us.
United with you in this prayer and in this mission,
+ Mark
Bishop of Shrewsbury
This year marks the 160th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady to Bernadette in Lourdes. The Diocesan Pilgrimage will take place from 26th July-3rd August overland and 27th July-2nd August by air. Brochures and booking forms can be downloaded from the Pilgrimage Website www.shrewsburypilgrimage.co.uk or from the Pilgrimage Office: St Alban’s, 30 Mill Lane, Wallasey, CH44 5UD. This year flight seats are limited so early booking is recommended.
ARE YOU A CATHOLIC TEACHER BUT NOT TEACHING IN A CATHOLIC SCHOOL? YOUR DIOCESE NEEDS YOU!!! We are holding an informal session on Saturday 30th June at
St Hugh’s Parish Hall, 314 Manchester Road, West Timperley, Altrincham,
WA14 5NB from 10 am – 12 pm, with Mass available at 12.15 pm. If you would like to attend or want further information about returning to Catholic education please e-mail Sue Jenkinson on sue.jenkinson@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
Diocesan Vacancies: Senior Trusts & Foundations’ Officer to play a key role in the development and implementation of the Diocesan fundraising activities and those of Caritas Diocese of Shrewsbury in order to secure funding for parishes, programme work, project work (and organisational core costs) by assisting with the preparation of funding bid applications.
Diocesan Health & Safety Officer The post holder will act as the key contact for all health & safety matters throughout the Diocese and will co-ordinate health and safety compliance in all Diocesan Departments and Parishes, trading subsidiaries and associated organisations; supporting, training and assisting in developing risk assessments, policies and procedures required to deliver and promote a first class safety culture. This post is suitable for those holding NEBOSH diploma and Chartered Member of MIOSH For more information please visit our website http://www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/about-us/curia/vacancies or send CV to Pauline.mcculloch@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
The Carmelite Monastery will be celebrating 100 years foundation in Birkenhead. Bishop Mark Davies will be celebrating Holy Mass on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on 16th July at 7.00pm, followed by a buffet. Everyone is warmly invited.
Please take a copy of the Wednesday Word. It is a helpful reflection on next Sunday’s readings.
If you have a notice for the bulletin please email it to the parish email address or put it through the presbytery letter box
by 12 noon on Thursdays. Many thanks.
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Bernard Forshaw Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email: stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites: www.stjohnevang.co.uk www.lpa24.org
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. Sunday, 17th June 2018. Cycle B
FAITH IN FOCUS: THE INVISIBLE FORCE
Christians sometimes focus so much on the Church that they lose sight of the kingdom. They tend to think that the Church is the be-all and end-all of religious activity and they can become blind to the kingdom of God.
Yet the kingdom and the Church are not the same things. The Church is the bearer of the kingdom but not the exclusive owner. The kingdom, which Jesus today speaks about in his parables, is wider than the Church and is not so visible and tangible.
Jesus taught his disciples that the kingdom is already with us, though it can seem to be hidden. It has already been inaugurated, though it is yet to reach its fulfilment. Day after day it is unfurled, little by little in an almost unnoticeable way.
The ideals of the kingdom clash with the values of the world. That’s because the kingdom is eternal and universal whereas the world is about fads and fashion, about exclusivity and partiality. The kingdom is about truth and life, whereas the world happily lies and trades in destruction of all types. The kingdom espouses holiness and grace, concepts which the secular world considers laudable but outmoded. And the kingdom’s principles of justice, love and peace are more likely to be echoed in the world’s pop songs than in its strategies.
Does this mean that we’ve nothing to hope for? That injustice, violence, corruption and oppression will always be with us? Is it just par for the course?
Jesus says not. With his arrival on earth the kingdom of God has begun to embed itself in all aspects of our world. There are invincible forces already at work as the world matures and the kingdom silently grows. Like a seed planted in a field it grows unobtrusively, by day and by night. Like a mustard seed it starts off tiny but becomes a force to be reckoned with. And even now we sometimes catch a glimpse of the power of the kingdom when world events are confounded and when men and women, even just for a moment, unite in a shared vision that reflects the will of God.
The kingdom is here now. The way we behave will help or hinder it. But it’s bigger than all of us put together. That’s why we pray: Thy kingdom come.
Eleventh Sunday in Ord Time
17th
5.00pm
9.30am
7.30pm
Chris Sarson RIP
For All Fathers
Prayer Meeting
Monday
18th
9.15am
Canon Frank Pullen Annv. RIP
Tuesday
19th
9.15am
Maurice Maher RIP
Wednesday
20th
9.15am
Ints Larkin Family
Thursday
21st
7.30am
Bernard Campbell RIP
Friday
22nd
9.15am
Ints Fr Robin Sutton
Saturday
23rd
Nativity of John the Baptist
24th
5.00pm
9.30am
7.30pm
Edgar Candlish RIP
Ints Mulraney Family
Prayer Meeting
Children’s liturgy on Sunday at the 9.30am Mass
Confessions
Saturday 4.15-4.45pm
Morning Prayer
15 minutes before daily Masses
SUNDAY IS A SPECIAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR DAY FOR LIFE
Money Matters: Thank you for last weekend’s Offertory collection which amounted to £524.29p.
This weekend’s scheduled appeal on behalf of the Barnabas Society has been postponed until a later date due to the appealer being taken ill over the past few days.
Tea & Coffee after Sunday 9.30am Mass every week in the Parish Centre. Why not stay a while and meet up with friends old and new.
Children’s Liturgy: Additional helpers are urgently needed if this important Sunday ministry/activity is to continue in our parish. In this Pentecost week especially pray about this and if you feel called to help, please have a word with Jackie Mitchell or
Fr Bernard. The more helpers there are the less of a commitment there is. Ideally, we would like to create a 3 week, possibly 4 week, rota.
URGENT APPEAL: At present there are only 2 ladies doing the Altar Flowers and we URGENTLY need help to cover holidays and/or to start a rota. As you can see no experience is necessary, just a love of helping to make the church look nice and welcoming for everyone. Please contact either
Kath Clements on 334 8272 or Fr Bernard on
645 3314.
Prayers for the Sick: Please keep our Sick and Housebound parishioners in your prayers and if anyone is in need of Holy Communion or a visit, please do let us know.
Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Novena will be held here at St John’s 19th-27th June. The programme is as follows:
Tuesday 19th June
7pm with Benediction
Wednesday 20th June
7pm
Thursday 21st June
7pm
Friday 22nd June
7pm
Saturday 23rd June
4.15pm before Mass
Sunday 24th June
After 9.30am Mass
Monday 25th June
7pm
Tuesday 26th June
7pm
Wednesday
27th June
7pm with Mass
Traidcraft Stall goods will be on sale next weekend, Saturday 23rd/24th June. Please take time to have a browse.
Next Parish Social/Quiz Night with Raffle for Parish Funds, Friday 29th June after 7pm Mass (Feast of Sts Peter and Paul) in the Liberal Club next door to the Church.
Parish Day Out to Southport on Wednesday 25th July. Leave from outside Church at 10am prompt return by 5pm. Bookings for this day/names for seats on coach will be taken from next weekend.
Adoremus:
There are still a few places available for the National Eucharistic Congress on
7th-9th September in Liverpool but tickets are going fast. If you wish to be involved please see Fr Bernard after Mass today.
Invitation to Diocesan Holy Hour Sunday
24 June 2018, Diocesan Holy Hour: In preparation for the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage and Congress in September, Bishop Mark invites you to join him in
St Anthony’s Church, Wythenshawe on Sunday 24 June at 3pm for a time of prayer and adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. Although this event is open to all, to facilitate arrangements please let Helen Jones know if you are coming by Wednesday 20 June – 0151 652 9855 or helen.jones@dioceseofshrewsbury.org.
The Bereavement Group will be holding their annual Memorial service on Thursday, 12th July at 7.30pm. Invitations have been sent to bereaved families. We invite you to come along and support those members of our parish family who are coming to terms with the loss of their loved ones. The service will include scripture readings, poetry and hymns, followed by light refreshments and a time of fellowship. All welcome.
God our Father, We give you thanks and praise for fathers young and old. We pray for young fathers, newly embracing their vocation; May they find courage and perseverance to balance work, family and faith in joy and sacrifice. We pray for fathers around the world whose children are lost or suffering; May they know that the God of compassion walks with them in their sorrow. We pray for men who are not fathers but still mentor and guide us with fatherly love and advice. We remember fathers, grandfathers, and great grandfathers who are no longer with us but who live forever in our memory and nourish us with their love. Amen
Please continue to give generously to the Foodbank. The need is as great as ever. Please check the notice board at the back of Church for most needed items for the ITEMS URGENTLY NEEDED: Tinned custard, sugar (small if possible), washing up liquid, tea, tinned spaghetti, small cereal, sponge puddings
