St John's Catholic Church, New Ferry

The Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 2nd August 2020. Cycle A

30/07/2020

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: http://www.stjohnevang.co.uk http://www.lpa24.org

The Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 2nd August 2020. Cycle A

Clergy News; Last weekend at Shrewsbury Cathedral four Church students were ordained to the transitional Diaconate (i.e. on the way to the Priesthood). On Tuesday Deacon Robert Dykes will be ordained a Priest for the Diocese by Bishop Mark again at Shrewsbury Cathedral. Last Monday Bishop Mark, having consulted the local clergy, re appointed Fr Bernard as the local Dean for Birkenhead & East Wirral and to serve as a member of the Council of Priests from Sept 2020-2023. At least three Diocesan Priests are retiring and twelve priests are on the move with more to follow and the amalgamation of some parishes. Please keep all this in your prayers.

WORD FOR TODAY After the crowd of 5,000 had had its fill of bread and fish it was not long before it was hungry again. What is the deep-down hunger that you experience? How do you try to gratify it? Does your faith satisfy your deepest desires or are you not eating enough?

WORDS FOR WORSHIP Lord Jesus, you feed the hunger of our minds and hearts :Lord, have mercy. Christ Jesus, you are the bread of life that satisfies our needs: Christ, have mercy. Lord Jesus, you invite us to the eternal banquet of heaven: Lord, have mercy. May the God of all goodness, who feeds us with the Bread of Life, strengthen us in holiness, forgive us our sins and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

The Parish Newsletter & The Wednesday Word, which is a helpful reflection on next Sunday’s readings, are presently available as you leave Church(via the front side door). Please take a copy for yourself and anyone from your street or neighbourhood who would appreciate receiving information about St John’s Parish at this time.

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: SHARING The feeding of the 5,000 has to be one of the most well known episodes in the gospels, familiar even to those with little knowledge of the life and times of Jesus. We can probably remember it from our childhood days. We know that it happened and that it was a miraculous event, but we don’t know how. We even give the story different names to emphasise different aspects: the feeding of the 5,000, the multiplication of the bread or the miracle of the loaves. But what would we like to have happened? Do we favour the idea of Jesus acting like a magician by taking a tiny amount of bread and fish and making it stretch into a huge spread? Would anyone’s life be permanently changed by that? Possibly. Would we prefer to think of it as an act whereby Jesus backed up his teaching with a practical example? Would anyone’s life be changed by that? Certainly. In a world where we’re used to hearing of earthquakes and cyclones in which thousands of people die and millions are left with scarce food and drink, today’s gospel story perhaps has a different challenge for us. Is it possible that the 5,000 played an active part in the miracle? Could it be that having heard the words of Jesus they were inspired to share rather than to think only of themselves? And today maybe we are called not simply to wonder at the miracle and then applaud, but rather to join in the miracle by the way we share with those who are hungry. We can’t simply look at the stories in the gospel as if they were only historical events that took place long ago. If we are to make Christ the miracle-worker present in our century, then we have to give “miracles” a chance. If we really took Jesus’ words to heart and responded so that the whole world had its daily bread, then the feeding of the 5,000 would happen in our lives with regularity. Jesus the miracle-worker would be present through us. So if we enjoy the miracles then we have to make sure we’re part of them today. Miracles should not be pious; they should be practical. Maybe that’s why some people call this event the miracle of sharing. Would anyone’s life be changed by that? I’ll leave it up to you…

Eighteenth Sunday 2nd 5.00pm
9.30am
11.00am Ints Peggy McAllister
For the Sick & Housebound
St Luke’s Parish
Monday 3rd
Tuesday 4th 9.15am
7.00pm Ints Philip & Sara White
Novena
Wednesday 5th
Thursday 6th 10.30am Funeral Mass Jill Evans
Friday 7th
Saturday 8th
Nineteenth Sunday 9th 5.00pm
9.30am
11.00am Ints Margaret Ellis
Ints Mary & William Haplin
St Luke’s Parish

It’s wonderful to see so many people coming back to Mass in our beautiful Church! Albeit faithfully following current Government Covid 19 guidelines.
The maximum number St John’s Church can hold safely with all the social distancing measures is 70 persons but in order to reach this maximum the Bishop’s Conference of England and Wales are directing that for our weekend Masses we follow HM Government ‘ 1 metre plus’ approach meaning that members of the congregation must wear a face covering. Should you not have a face covering we do have a limited number of disposable face masks in a container in the Church porch but please do bring your own with you if you can. Obviously our capacity number will go up slightly if members of the same household attend together as they can sit together. Otherwise you will only be permitted to sit on the seats marked with a blue and white poster. Please be assured that the Church is cleaned between each opening.
Sunday Masses are somewhat different to what we experienced before lockdown, as at this present time, we are unable to have singing, social distancing needs to apply in the sanctuary and particularly with the distribution of Holy Communion. I will explain the arrangement for this to you at each Mass. For the time being only I will distribute Holy Communion. Please bear with us in seeing what is best and follow instructions carefully. Remember this situation is only temporary.
A complexity to reopening our churches is how to manage those who wish to attend Mass given the maximum number allowed, how might we manage numbers of people, and ought it to be on a first come, first served basis, or ought people ‘book’ a place. None of the possibilities present an easy solution.
I think we must proceed, as we are doing, with a simple invitation to come to Mass at the times advertised and that if we reach capacity (ie over 70) we must, I am sorry to say, say that no more than 70 can enter the Church. Weather permitting Mass can be heard from the courtyard in front of the Church. The Sunday obligation was lifted at the beginning of lockdown and that still remains the case. I ask for your patience in all this.
It goes without saying that if you have any Covid 19 symptoms or if you become unwell in other ways please do not come to Church at this present time.

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament from 10.30am-11.30am each Saturday in the main Church. All are welcome to come and pray about the present situation and for their own needs and intentions.
Sacrament of Reconciliation / Confession : I will be available for those who wish to celebrate this sacrament each Saturday from 10.45am onwards in the courtyard in front of the Church ( Confessional’s in all our Churches are currently out of use as they do not meet the social distancing requirements).
In Memorium – Please pray for the Repose of the Soul of Jill Evans of St Luke’s Parish whose Funeral Mass will be celebrated by Fr Paschal here at St John’s on Thursday at 10.30am. May she and all the Faithful Departed Rest in Peace.
The Monthly Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour -resumes this Tuesday at 7pm in Church. All most welcome. This is a special time of quiet prayer and reflection. If you have not been before I recommend you attend as I am sure you will find comfort and peace.

Stewarding ; Thank you to the stewards who have continued to steward our Masses over recent weeks. Additional stewards are very much needed please have a word with Fr Bernard.
St Luke’s at St John’s
Given current Government restrictions regarding Places of Worship, St Luke’s Parish is unable to celebrate Mass in their usual settings. So for the foreseeable future Fr Paschal will celebrate an 11am Sunday Mass each week in St John’s Church. Although principally for St Luke’s Parishioners in these times of restricted numbers this Mass will be a welcome addition to St John’s usual weekend schedule (Sat 5.00pm and Sun 9.30am)Fr Paschal and St Luke’s parishioners are always welcome at St John’s.

Money Matters
Last Weekend’s Collection amounted to £506.50p. Many thanks to those parishioners who have been so faithful in their financial support of our parish during these unusual times…. using their Offertory Envelopes, pushing donations through the Presbytery letterbox and by Standing Order…. your generosity is very much appreciated. A basket is now placed on the table at the back of church for your Offertory donations.
Shrewsbury Diocesan Virtual Pilgrimage to Lourdes- It was with great sadness that back in March we realised that in these extraordinary times it would be impossible to go ahead with our annual pilgrimage to Lourdes. With this in mind we have created a Virtual Pilgrimage which includes a daily Mass led by the Bishop or a different priest associated with the Pilgrimage. As well as many regular devotions and activities that form our Pilgrimage. The programme can be downloaded from the Pilgrimage website http://www.shrewsburypilgrimage.co.uk . The Diocesan Website http://www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org Or the virtual Pilgrimage website https://shrewsburylourdes.com

Father Frank Rice’s First Anniversary Mass-will be celebrated here at St John’s on Saturday 15th August at 5pm. All most welcome.

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The Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 26th July 2020. Cycle A

23/07/2020

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: http://www.stjohnevang.co.uk http://www.lpa24.org

The Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 26th July 2020. Cycle A

Ordinations Yesterday at Shrewsbury Cathedral, Bishop Mark Ordained four Church students to the transitional Diaconate (ie on the way to the Priesthood). On the 4th August, Deacon Robert Dykes will be Ordained a Priest for the Diocese by Bishop Mark again at Shrewsbury Cathedral. Please remember these, and all our seminarians in your prayers.

WORD FOR TODAY If you could have anything in the world, or if you won the lottery, what would you choose? Jesus tells us that the really wise and shrewd person would try and find the kingdom of heaven on earth. Where would you begin looking?

WORDS FOR WORSHIP May God the Father look upon you with kindness and turn all things to your good. Amen. May God the Son mould you into the image of the living God. Amen. May God the Holy Spirit inspire your every action and lead you to share the glory of God. Amen. And may almighty God bless you, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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: WHAT MAKES YOU TICK? What makes a person tick? What is it that determines their lifestyle, their choices and their ultimate goals? What’s the treasure, the pearl of great value that they are searching for? For some people it’s about their status. They want to feel valued by their friends, to be respected in their local community and admired in their workplace. They will do anything to be one of the lads or one of the girls, will secretly long for public recognition such as an MBE or the employee of the year award. Others seem to set their sights on money. In fact they end up feeling that because they have more money than others then they must be somehow better than them. Those who don’t have the money spend their time working to accumulate it or hoping that the lottery will one day bless them and admit them into the courts of the wealthy. Living for pleasure and leisure gets to some people. A top of the range car, sex on demand, a cellar full of the finest vintage, a house in its own grounds with electronic security, a wardrobe stuffed with designer labels and a luxury yacht on which to take your annual cruise. Skin deep is about as far as it goes for some people’s treasure. For them it’s all to do with outward appearances. Their prize possession is their gym pass, not for health reasons but so that they will look good to others. Lifts and tucks are the things of their dreams, and liposuction is their faithful friend. All of these things come and go. If your reputation were ruined would it kill you? If you didn’t have a healthy bank balance would it mean you were a failure? If you were to live a simple uncomplicated lifestyle would it mean you were deprived? And if you had a face like a bag of spanners would it make you any less lovable? Jesus told the crowds in today’s gospel that when you come across the kingdom of heaven on earth you’ll really know you’ve found it. You won’t be interested in all these other things because they will pale into significance compared with this pearl, and you’ll be prepared to give up everything to possess it. If you found this pearl of great price, what would you have to sell to buy it?

Seventeenth Sunday 26th 5.00pm
9.30am
11.00am Bob Purfield RIP
John McIntosh Birthday Rem
St Luke’s Parish
Monday 27th
Tuesday 28th 9.15am Colin Lee
Wednesday 29th
Thursday 30th 7.00pm Ints Sister Brigid Kelly
Friday 31st
Saturday 1st
Eighteenth Sunday 2nd 5.00pm
9.30am
11.00am Ints Peggy McAllister
For the Sick & Housebound
St Luke’s Parish

It’s wonderful to be gathered together again for the Celebration of Mass in our beautiful Church! Albeit always following current Government Covid 19 guidelines.
The maximum number St John’s Church can hold safely with all the social distancing measures is 70 persons but in order to reach this maximum the Bishop’s Conference of England and Wales are directing that for our weekend Masses we follow HM Government ‘ 1 metre plus’ approach meaning that members of the congregation must wear a face covering. Should you not have a face covering we do have a limited number of disposable face masks in a container in the Church porch but please do bring your own with you if you can. Obviously our capacity number will go up slightly if members of the same household attend together as they can sit together. Otherwise you will only be permitted to sit on the seats marked with a blue and white poster.
Sunday Masses are somewhat different to what we experienced before lockdown, as at this present time, we are unable to have singing, social distancing needs to apply in the sanctuary and particularly with the distribution of Holy Communion. I will explain the arrangement for this to you at each Mass. For the time being only I will distribute Holy Communion. Please bear with us in seeing what is best and follow instructions carefully. Remember this situation is only temporary.
A complexity to reopening our churches is how to manage those who wish to attend Mass given the maximum number allowed, how might we manage numbers of people, and ought it to be on a first come, first served basis, or ought people ‘book’ a place. None of the possibilities present an easy solution.
I think we must proceed, as we are doing, with a simple invitation to come to Mass at the times advertised and that if we reach capacity (ie over 70) we must, I am sorry to say, say that no more than 70 can enter the Church. Weather permitting Mass can be heard from the courtyard in front of the Church. Or there is a later Mass at St Anne’s on Saturday’s at 6.30pm and Sunday’s at 11.15am. The Sunday obligation was lifted at the beginning of lockdown and that still remains the case. I ask for your patience in all this. I appreciate it might cause some disappointment or frustration. Please bear with me. As time goes on I am sure some other solutions will emerge.
It goes without saying that if you have any Covid 19 symptoms or if you become unwell in other ways please do not come to Church at this present time.

A Time for Prayer From next Saturday 1st August and every Saturday there after there will be Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament from 10.30am-11.30am in the main Church. All are welcome to come and pray about the present situation and for their own needs and intentions.
Sacrament of Reconciliation / Confession : I will be available for those who wish to celebrate this sacrament each Saturday from 10.45am onwards in the courtyard in front of the Church ( Confessional’s in all our Churches are currently out of use as they do not meet the social distancing requirements).
In Memorium – Please pray for the Repose of the Soul of Jill Evans of St Luke’s Parish whose Funeral Mass will be celebrated by Fr Paschal here at St John’s on Thursday 6th August at 10.30am. May she and all the Faithful Departed Rest in Peace.
The Monthly Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour -resumes on Tuesday 4th August at 7pm in Church. All most welcome.
Stewarding ; Thank you to the stewards who have stewarded the Masses in recent weeks. We are hoping that all of them will continue these duties at the weekend Mass of their choice (on a rota basis) for the foreseeable future. Additional stewards are very much needed please have a word with Fr Bernard.
St Luke’s at St John’s
Given current Government restrictions regarding Places of Worship, St Luke’s Parish is unable to celebrate Mass in their usual settings. So for the foreseeable future Fr Paschal will celebrate an 11am Sunday Mass each week in St John’s Church. Although principally for St Luke’s Parishioners in these times of restricted numbers this Mass will be a welcome addition to St John’s usual weekend schedule (Sat 5.00pm and Sun 9.30am)Fr Paschal and St Luke’s parishioners are always welcome at St John’s.

Money Matters Many thanks to those parishioners who have been so faithful in their financial support of our parish during these unusual times…. using their Offertory Envelopes, pushing donations through the Presbytery letterbox and by Standing Order…. your generosity is very much needed & appreciated. A basket is now placed on the table at the back of church for your Offertory donations to St John’s Parish when you enter the church for Holy Mass. Last weekend’s collection amounted to £537.31p.

Our Diocesan Virtual Pilgrimage to Lourdes- It was with great sadness that back in March we realised that in these extraordinary times it would be impossible to go ahead with our annual pilgrimage to Lourdes. We are very anxious, however, to reach out to our regular pilgrims and to all people around the Diocese to invite them to join us in a spiritual pilgrimage online during the time that we should be in Lourdes. With this in mind we have created a Virtual Pilgrimage which includes a daily Mass led by the Bishop or different priest associated with the Pilgrimage. As well as many regular devotions and activites that form our Pilgrimage. The programme can be downloaded from the Pilgrimage website http://www.shrewsburypilgrimage.co.uk . The Diocesan Website http://www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org Or the virtual Pilgrimage website https://shrewsburylourdes.com

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The Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 19th July 2020. Cycle A

16/07/2020

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: http://www.stjohnevang.co.uk http://www.lpa24.org

The Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 19th July 2020. Cycle A

`Celia Daly thanks you all for your prayers and good wishes. She has now fully recovered from the illness she had earlier in the year and looks forward to seeing everyone again in the coming weeks.

During ‘Lockdown’ : Father Bernard has presided at a number of Funeral Services for our parishioners at Landican / Bebington / Plymyard. Memorial Masses for many of these will be celebrated in church in the coming weeks.

WORD FOR TODAY When our television news tells us about all sorts of horrors that are taking place in our world it can seem that evil has the upper hand. It must have seemed like that on Good Friday afternoon. But the power of the cross and resurrection triumphed in the end. Jesus tells us it will be the same in our days.

WORDS FOR WORSHIP Let us pray for the Church, that in the midst of the injustices of the world it may be a strong voice for the rights of the oppressed and may be a clarion of hope to those whose lives are threatened by inequality and discrimination. We pray to the Lord: Lord, hear our prayer. Let us pray for our world, that peace may become a reality in those places torn apart by violence and war, and democracy may rule in those countries whose people are denied their rightful say in the way they are governed. We pray to… Let us pray for those who have left the country of their birth to seek a better life elsewhere, that they may receive a welcome in their new home and their skills may be recognised and put to the service of their new-found nation. We pray to…

Wirral Foodbank: needs your help and support more than ever, Full details of how to donate to Wirral Foodbank can be found at htpps/wirralfoodbank.org.uk/give-help. People who need emergency food and support at this time can contact the Wirral Emergency Food Hub on 0151 666 5050. For the time being please do not bring any food donations to Church .
The Parish Newsletter & The Wednesday Word, which is a helpful reflection on next Sunday’s readings, are presently available as you leave Church(via the front side door). Please take a copy for yourself and anyone from your street or neighbourhood who would appreciate receiving information about St John’s Parish at this time.

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: IT’S NOT FAIR? The parables of Jesus in today’s gospel teach us three important points about our world and God’s plan. Firstly, we often ask ourselves, just like the people in Jesus’ day, why is it that there is so much evil in the world. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do we constantly hear of awful things happening while God seems to do nothing about it? Jesus tells us that God is not powerless to act. He chooses not to intervene in our world continually, yet he will not allow himself to be ultimately frustrated. For this reason God has given us free will and is a God who allows us our freedom without pulling our strings like mere puppets every time we make a decision. But, the parable says, God is biding his time. Secondly, we find from Jesus that God is incredibly patient and forgiving. If he were to call a snap final judgement tomorrow then we would certainly find ourselves on the losing side. We are not perfect and yet God is forgiving. He lets us have all the time we need, a lifetime in fact, to grow into his love. And he puts up with our faults and failings without rushing to judgement. Every day is a day of grace given to us by God so that we may learn to cooperate with his plan and come to greater holiness. Thirdly, and this is quite disturbing, God is no fool. The parable shows us that when all is said and done God’s justice will triumph. What we are doing now, as individuals and society, will affect our eternity. In the parable the weeds and darnel are gathered up and burnt. We will not be burnt literally, but God is giving us the choice of opting for or against him, for his word or against it, for his Son or against him. And when our days are over God will continue to respect our freedom. He will not simply override our lifetime’s decisions in some sort of benevolent way. For he has more respect than to treat us as automatons. Words of comfort, words of warning. Both from the mouth of Jesus. And his final words are clear: if you have any ears, then listen to what I am saying.
Sixteenth Sunday 19th 5.00pm
9.30am
11.00am Des Capper RIP
St John’s Parish
St Luke’s Parish
Monday 20th
Tuesday 21st 9.15am Bill Taggart RIP
Wednesday 22nd
Thursday 23rd 2.00pm

7.00pm Funeral Service-
Philip Pemberton
Ints Mona Heaney
Friday 24th
Saturday 25th
Seventeenth Sunday 26th 5.00pm
9.30am
11.00am Bob Purfield RIP
John McIntosh Birthday Rem
St Luke’s Parish

Welcome Home! Welcome back to St John’s Church. It’s wonderful to be gathered together again for the public celebration of Mass in our beautiful Church! Albeit faithfully following current Government Covid 19 guidelines.
The maximum number St John’s Church can hold safely with all the social distancing measures is 70 persons but in order to reach this maximum the Bishop’s Conference of England and Wales are directing that for our weekend Masses we follow HM Government ‘ 1 metre plus’ approach meaning that members of the congregation must wear a face covering ( on weekdays when there are less people attending Mass we shall keep the 2 metre approach which means face coverings are not mandatory). Should you not have a face covering we do have a limited number of disposable face masks in a container in the Church porch but please do bring your own with you if you can. Obviously our capacity number will go up slightly if members of the same household attend together as they can sit together. Otherwise you will only be permitted to sit on the seats marked with a blue and white poster.
Sunday Masses will be somewhat different to what we have experienced before lockdown, as at this present time, we are unable to have singing, social distancing will need to apply in the sanctuary and particularly with the distribution of Holy Communion but I will explain this to you at each Mass. For the time being only I will distribute Holy Communion. Please bear with us in seeing what is best and follow instructions carefully and with charity towards each other too. Remember this situation is only temporary.
A complexity to reopening our churches is how to manage those who wish to attend Mass given the maximum number allowed, how might we manage numbers of people, and ought it to be on a first come, first served basis, or ought people ‘book’ a place. None of the possibilities present an easy solution. I think we must proceed, to begin with, with a simple invitation to come to Mass at the times advertised and that if we reach capacity (ie over 70) we must, I am sorry to say, say that no more than 70 can enter the Church. Weather permitting Mass can be heard from the courtyard in front of the Church. Or there is a later Mass at St Anne’s on Saturday’s at 6.30pm and Sunday’s at 11.15am. The Sunday obligation was lifted at the beginning of lockdown and that still remains the case. I ask for your patience in all this. I appreciate it might cause some disappointment or frustration. Please bear with me. As time goes on I am sure some other solutions will emerge.
It goes without saying that if you have any Covid 19 symptoms or if you become unwell in other ways please do not come to Church at this present time.
Sacrament of Reconciliation / Confession : I will be available for those who wish to celebrate this sacrament next Saturday from 10.15-11.00am in the courtyard in front of the Church ( Confessiona’sl in all our Churches are currently out of use as they do not meet the social distancing requirements).
In Memorium- Please pray for the repose of the soul of Philip Pemberton who died in Derwent Lodge Nursing Home recently. May he Rest in Peace. Funeral Service here at St John’s on Thursday at 2pm.
Stewarding ; Thank you to the stewards who have stewarded the prayer times and Masses in recent weeks. We are hoping that all of them will continue these duties at the weekend Mass of their choice (on a rota basis) for the foreseeable future. Additional stewards are very much needed please have a word with Fr Bernard but do bear in mind that HM Government advice states that stewards must be under 70 and must have no underlying health conditions.
Mass Intentions If you would like a Mass celebrated for a particular intention or for a person living / dead, please write the intention on a piece of paper and put it in an envelope with a donation in the presbytery letter box.

What an unusual end to a School Year ! Our Parish Schools closed on Friday at the end of the school year. In the unusual circumstances we find ourselves in, sadly there was no End of Year Production or Leavers Mass / End of Year Mass at St John’s Schools. But Fr Bernard took the opportunity to greet Year 6 on Friday and wish them well in their new High Schools. Fr Bernard wants to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all the staff in St John’s Schools and to express his thanks to the Governing Bodies of both schools for their unfailing commitment in what have been extraordinary circumstances in recent months. We pray that September will bring a new start to our schools in every sense of that word……have a Good and Safe Summer everyone!

St Luke’s at St John’s
Given current Government restrictions regarding Places of Worship, St Luke’s Parish is unable to celebrate Mass in their usual settings so as an interim measure from this Sunday 19th July and every Sunday for the foreseeable future Fr Paschal will celebrate an 11am Mass in St John’s Church. Although principally for St Luke’s Parishioners in these times of restricted numbers this Mass will be a welcome addition to St John’s usual weekend schedule (Sat 5.00pm and Sun 9.30am)We look forward to welcoming Fr Paschal and his parishioners to St John’s from this weekend.

Money Matters Many thanks to those parishioners who have been so faithful in their financial support of our parish during the weeks of Lockdown…. using their Offertory Envelopes, pushing donations through the Presbytery letterbox and by Standing Order…. your generosity is very much needed & appreciated. A basket is now placed on the table at the back of church for your Offertory donations to St John’s Parish and when you enter the church for Holy Mass.

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The Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 12th July 2020. Cycle A

09/07/2020

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: http://www.stjohnevang.co.uk http://www.lpa24.org

The Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 12th July 2020. Cycle A

Celia Daly thanks you all for your prayers and good wishes. She has now fully recovered from the illness she had earlier in the year and looks forward to seeing everyone again in the coming weeks.

WORD FOR TODAY God promises to guide our lives with his word. Do we make it our concern to study the word of God? Is it central to our lives? Or is it just something we hear for a few moments each week in church?

WORDS FOR WORSHIP We have been nourished on the word of God, sown in our readings today. Let us now pray that we may be united in that word as we are called to his supper: Lord, I am not worthy…

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: SPREAD THE WORD We all know the parable of the sower. A farmer sows seed on his land; it falls into four different types of soil and it produces anything from no crops at all to a field full of harvest. Usually we say that God is the sower, the seed is the word of God and we are the various types of soil. But why should we bother to read or listen to the word of God? How can it help? Isn’t it just a collection of old books with limited value in the third millennium? And surely if we’re looking for advice on how to live life today then there are plenty of modern books in the library or the bookshops? We put a premium on the bible not because it contains words about God but because it contains the words of God. In fact, it contains the word, the message of God. And scripture is the place that God has chosen to reveal himself. Using human beings as the writers of the bible’s books God inspires them with the Holy Spirit. So Christians believe that the bible is not simply religious opinion or outlook; it is what has been revealed through close faith in God and it comes from a people living cheek by jowl with God. So scripture is not simply one source about God among many others; it is the privileged place from which God chooses to speak to us. To be ignorant of scripture is to be ignorant of God. And why should we bother to sow the word? The call that God makes to us through his word is compelling. We freely choose to accept it but then we are impelled to tell others about it because it is the most important ingredient in our daily lives. God’s call infuses everything we do and cannot be kept as a sideline to be looked at like a stamp collection or played with like a model train set. It is the dynamo of our existence, what gives us hope and provides us with direction to our lives. If Christians don’t read and study the word of God then they atrophy, they wither. If Christians don’t use every means to propagate the seed of the word then they fail to comply with the conditions of God’s call to go out and teach all nations. Today’s parable asks us to be both an assiduous farmer and good soil. Without these nothing will grow. Least of all us.

Fifteenth Sunday 12th 9.30am
Fr Bernard Ints
Monday 13th
Tuesday 14th 9.15am Ints Chris & Ann Dougherty
Wednesday 15th
Thursday 16th 7.00pm Gerry Topping RIP
Friday 17th
Saturday 18th 5.00pm Des Capper RIP
Sixteenth Sunday 19th 9.30am St John’s Parish

Dear Parishioners,
Welcome home! Welcome back to St John’s Church, it’s wonderful to be gathered together again for the public celebration of Mass in our beautiful Church! Albeit faithfully following current Government Covid 19 guidelines.

The maximum number St John’s Church can hold safely with all the social distancing measures is 70 persons but in order to reach this maximum the Bishop’s Conference of England and Wales are directing that for our weekend Masses we follow HM Government ‘ 1 metre plus’ approach meaning that members of the congregation must wear a face covering ( on weekdays when there are less people attending Mass we shall keep the 2 metre approach which means face coverings are not mandatory). Should you not have a face covering we do have a limited number of disposable face masks in a container in the Church porch but please do bring your own with you if you can. Obviously our capacity number will go up slightly if members of the same household attend together as they can sit together. Otherwise you will only be permitted to sit on the seats marked with a blue and white poster.

Sunday Masses will be somewhat different to what we have experienced before lockdown, as at this present time, we are unable to have singing, social distancing will need to apply in the sanctuary and particularly with the distribution of Holy Communion but I will explain this to you at each Mass. For the time being only I will distribute Holy Communion. Please bear with us in seeing what is best and follow instructions carefully and with charity towards each other too. Remember this situation is only temporary.
A complexity to reopening our churches is how to manage those who wish to attend Mass given the maximum number allowed, how might we manage numbers of people, and ought it to be on a first come, first served basis, or ought people ‘book’ a place. None of the possibilities present an easy solution. I think we must proceed, to begin with, with a simple invitation to come to Mass at the times advertised and that if we reach capacity (ie over 70) we must, I am sorry to say, say that no more than 70 can enter the Church. Weather permitting Mass can be heard from the courtyard in front of the Church. Or there is a later Mass at St Anne’s on Saturday’s at 6.30pm and Sunday’s at 11.15am. The Sunday obligation was lifted at the beginning of lockdown and that still remains the case. I ask for your patience in all this. I appreciate it might cause some disappointment or frustration. Please bear with me. As time goes on I am sure some other solutions will emerge.

It goes without saying that if you have any Covid 19 symptoms or if you become unwell in other ways please do not come to Church at this present time.

Thank you for all your prayers and support in recent times. It’s very much appreciated.

Sacrament of Reconciliation / Confession : I will be available for those who wish to celebrate this sacrament next Saturday from 10.15-11.00am in the courtyard in front of the Church ( Confessional in all our Churches are currently out of use as they do not meet the social distancing requirements).
Stewarding ; Thank you to the stewards who have stewarded the prayer times in recent weeks. We are hoping that all of them will continue these duties at the weekend Mass of their choice (on a rota basis) for the foreseeable future. Additional stewards are very much needed please have a word with Fr Bernard but do bear in mind that HM Government advice states that stewards must be under 70 and must have no underlying health conditions.
Mass Intentions If you would like a Mass celebrated for a particular intention or for a person living / dead, please write the intention on a piece of paper and put it in an envelope with a donation in the presbytery letter box.

Live streaming continues at Shrewsbury Cathedral and at Walsingham. Please see relevant websites for details. I am currently looking into the possibility of live streaming from St Anne’s which I hope will begin in the next few weeks.

St John’s SVP held a socially distanced meeting recently. They have been doing great work, keeping in touch by email and phone, with our housebound and vulnerable parishioners.

St Luke’s at St John’s
Given current Government restrictions regarding Places of Worship, St Luke’s Parish is unable to celebrate Mass in their usual settings so as an interim measure from next Sunday 19th July and every Sunday for the foreseeable future Fr Paschal will celebrate an 11am Mass in St John’s Church. Although principally for St Luke’s Parishioners in these times of restricted numbers this Mass will be a welcome addition to St John’s usual weekend schedule (Sat 5.00pm and Sun 9.30am)We look forward to welcoming Fr Paschal and his parishioners to St John’s from next weekend.

Money Matters Many thanks to those parishioners who have been so faithful in their financial support of our parish during these weeks of Lockdown…. using their Offertory Envelopes, pushing donations through the Presbytery letterbox and by Standing Order…. your generosity is very much needed & appreciated. A basket is now placed on the table at the back of church for your Offertory donations to St John’s Parish and School when you enter the church for Holy Mass.

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The Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 5th July 2020. Cycle A

02/07/2020

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: http://www.stjohnevang.co.uk http://www.lpa24.org

The Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 5th July 2020. Cycle A

Celia Daly thanks you all for your prayers and good wishes. She has now fully recovered from the illness she had earlier in the year and looks forward to seeing everyone again in the coming weeks.

WORD FOR TODAY The gospel message makes sense of our lives. It lightens the burden, sheds light and guides us through difficult decisions. Jesus’ promise today is the same as always: when you feel overburdened I will give you rest.

WORDS FOR WORSHIP Lord Jesus, your yoke is easy: Lord, have mercy .Lord, have mercy. Christ Jesus, your burden is light: Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord Jesus, you promise rest to the overburdened: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. In his goodness may the Lord have mercy on us, confirm us in faith, forgive our sins and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.

Wirral Foodbank: needs your help and support more than ever, Full details of how to donate to Wirral Foodbank can be found at htpps/wirralfoodbank.org.uk/give-help. People who need emergency food and support at this time can contact the Wirral Emergency Food Hub on 0151 666 5050.
Please take a look at the Notice Boards at the back of Church for details of other Local Events over the next few weeks, and don’t forget to buy a Catholic paper and to take a look at the Card Rack.
The Wednesday Word 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: WORRYING TIMES? The current rise in prices is getting on top of Maureen. She’s on a fixed income and every time she goes to the supermarket she despairs. Everything seems to be pushing her into a corner and she’s not sure just how long she can manage to feed the kids and pay the bills now that she’s been widowed. She doesn’t know where to turn to. Ken never seems to settle these days. Several years ago he was convicted of fraud and went to gaol for two years. He recently moved into the parish with his family and set up home. They got jobs locally and their children go to the nearby school. He’s deeply ashamed of what he did. He’d do anything to turn the clock back. He feels tied up in knots and his worst nightmare would be if everything went public. Annie has been a parishioner all her life. People comment on how you can set your clock by Annie’s arrival in church with her prayer book and rosary beads. But in her heart she’s just going through the motions. Inside she feels spiritually dry and it’s hard to get enthusiastic about anything to do with her faith. It’s as if in the last years of her life God is taking all comfort of faith away from her. Tom is the local GP. He seems to spend hours in his surgery and he loves his job but he’s beginning to feel worn out. With all the paper work on top of his medical work he’s wondering how long he can go on for. He never lets his patients know how he feels, but it’s getting to the point where his lifelong desire to help people in their moments of need is starting to wane. He spends his days telling others not to live such a hectic lifestyle but he knows he’s just as guilty himself. Joan and Alan are having marriage problems. They got back together after Alan got involved with another woman at work. Things seem a bit better now but there’s also the problem of their three teenage children. If there’s any way they can rebel they’ll find it. Joan’s sick of being called to the school where they’re causing disruption, and Alan’s convinced that one of these days the call will be from the police. On Sunday morning when Maureen, Ken, Annie, Tom, Joan and Alan settle into their places in church they all hear the same words of Jesus in the gospel: “Come to me all you who are overburdened and I will give you rest”.

Fourteenth Sunday 5th
St John’s Parish
Monday 6th
Tuesday 7th 9.15am In Thanksgiving
Wednesday 8th
Thursday 9th 7.00pm Madge Callaghan Aniv
Friday 10th
Saturday 11th 5.00pm Tom Sarson Aniv
Fifteenth Sunday 12th 9.30am Fr Bernard Ints

Dear Parishioners,
I hope you are all keeping well in these challenging times. If there is anything you wish to contact me about please email me at stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com or phone 0151 645 3996/ 0151 645 3314. It is important we stay in touch with each other and no one feels/is isolated.

For the past three weeks St John’s Church has been open for private prayer for 3 hours a week ( concluding this Sunday 9.00am to 10.00am) and now we are preparing for the resumption of the public Celebration of Mass firstly on Tuesday at 9.15am, then on Thursday at 7.00pm and then from next weekend 11th / 12th July at the usual times Saturday 5.00pm & Sunday 9.30am.

A complexity to reopening our churches is how to manage those who wish to attend Mass given the maximum number allowed, how might we manage numbers of people, and ought it to be on a first come, first served basis, or ought people ‘book’ a place. None of the possibilities present an easy solution. I think we must proceed, to begin with, with a simple invitation to come to Mass at the times advertised and that if we reach capacity (ie over 70) we must, I am sorry to say, say that no more than 70 can enter the Church. Weather permitting Mass can be heard from the courtyard in front of the Church. Or there is a later Mass at St Anne’s on Saturday’s at 6.30pm and Sunday’s at 11.15am. The Sunday obligation was lifted at the beginning of lockdown and that still remains the case. I ask for your patience in all this. I appreciate it might cause some disappointment or frustration. Please bear with me. As time goes on I am sure some other solutions will emerge.

It goes without saying that if you have any Covid 19 symptoms or if you become unwell in other ways please do not come to Church at this present time.
I am very much looking forward to welcoming you back to St John’s Church, Thank you for your prayers and support.

Sacrament of Reconciliation / Confession : I will be available for those who wish to celebrate this sacrament next Saturday from 10.15-11.00am in the courtyard in front of the Church ( Confessional in all our Churches are currently out of use as they do not meet the social distancing requirements).
Stewarding ; Thank you to the stewards who have stewarded the prayer times in recent weeks. We are hoping that all of them will continue these duties at the weekend Mass of their choice (on a rota basis) for the foreseeable future. Additional stewards are very much needed please have a word with Fr Bernard but do bear in mind that HM Government advice states that stewards must be under 70 and must have no underlying health conditions. There will be a short but important socially distanced stewards meeting in Church on Thursday (9th July) after Mass (ie around 7.30pm).
Mass Intentions If you would like a Mass celebrated for a particular intention or for a person living / dead, please write the intention on a piece of paper and put it in an envelope with a donation in the presbytery letter box.

St John’s SVP held a socially distanced meeting on Thursday. They have been doing great work, keeping in touch by email and phone, with our housebound and vulnerable parishioners.

Money Matters Many thanks to those parishioners who have been so faithful in their financial support of our parish during these weeks of Lockdown…. using their Offertory Envelopes, pushing donations through the Presbytery letterbox and by Standing Order…. your generosity is very much needed & appreciated. A basket is now placed on the Offertory table at the back of church should you wish to make a donation to St John’s Parish and School when you enter the church for private prayer and Holy Mass.

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The Feast of St Peter & St Paul 28th June 2020. Cycle A

26/06/2020

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: http://www.stjohnevang.co.uk http://www.lpa24.org

The Feast of St Peter & St Paul 28th June 2020. Cycle A

Celia Daly thanks you all for your prayers and good wishes. She has now fully recovered from the illness she had earlier in the year and looks forward to seeing everyone again in the coming weeks.

Grant, we pray, O Lord our God, that we may be sustained by the intercession of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, that, as through them you gave your Church , the foundations of her heavenly office, so through them you may help her to eternal salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Wirral Foodbank: needs your help and support more than ever, Full details of how to donate to Wirral Foodbank can be found at htpps/wirralfoodbank.org.uk/give-help. People who need emergency food and support at this time can contact the Wirral Emergency Food Hub on 0151 666 5050.
Please take a look at the Notice Boards at the back of Church for details of other Local Events over the next few weeks, and don’t forget to buy a Catholic paper and to take a look at the Card Rack.
The Wednesday Word 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 FAITH IN FOCUS: PETER AND PAUL
The pages of the four gospels clearly show Peter to be the leader of the apostles, chosen by Jesus to have a special relationship with him. With James and John he was privileged to witness events like the Transfiguration and the agony in Gethsemane. His mother-in-law was cured by Jesus. He was sent with John to prepare for the last Passover before Jesus’ death. His name is first on every list of apostles.
But the Gospels also include some unflattering details about Peter. He clearly was no public relations person. It’s a great comfort for us ordinary mortals to know that Peter also has his human weakness, even in the presence of Jesus.
Paul converted to Christianity after being its persecutor. His central conviction was simple and absolute: only God can save humanity. No human effort—even the most scrupulous observance of law—can create a human good which we can bring to God as reparation for sin or payment for grace. To be saved from itself, from sin, from the devil and from death, humanity must open itself completely to the saving power of Jesus.
Today we celebrate two great saints who are proof that God can work through anybody. We have St. Peter, a brash, thick-headed fisherman, inclined to say whatever popped into his head without thinking, and St. Paul, that well educated Pharisee who persecuted the Church, later becoming its great champion. Today’s feast, then, is a celebration of the Church’s unity (and a good example to us in Community). Anyone who has read Acts or Galatians, will recall that Saints Peter and Paul did not always think or act in perfect harmony. They came from different backgrounds, they had different methods of evangelism, and they didn’t always get along, but they were vitally important to the emerging Christian Church.
Both helped to spread the faith of the early Church, following in the footsteps of Christ. That these two extremes could allow the Holy Spirit to work through them is certainly proof that God can work through each of us, as long as we are willing to answer “yes” to God’s call.

Ss Peter & Paul 28th
St John’s Parish
Monday 29th Ints Holy Family Sisters
Tuesday 30th Arthur Brockway Aniv
Wednesday 1st Canon Frank Pullen Aniv
Thursday 2nd NHS Staff & Care Workers
Friday 3rd Ints Sister Brigid Kelly
Saturday 4th For the Sick & Housebound
Fourteenth Sunday 5th St John’s Parish

Father Bernard will offer the above Masses privately here at St John’s on the appropriate days this week.

Dear Parishioners,
I hope everyone is keeping well in these challenging times, If there is anything you wish to contact me about please email me at stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com or phone 0151 645 3996.

As you are aware from the various media outlets, churches have now reopened for private prayer and will from the beginning of July be reopening for the Celebration of Mass and other public liturgies. This is indeed a moment for rejoicing but we must proceed with caution.
The Church has been thoroughly cleaned thanks to ‘The Dust Busters’ ( our cleaning team) and additional parishioners who came to help them. In accordance with Diocesan guidelines, appropriate signage has been put up inside the Church and other Health and Safety matters have been attended to.
Recently various contractors have been to the Church to check the roof and gutters and outside fixtures of the building, cleanse church steps and entrances, fix hand towel dispensers, provide additional bins, sanitizer units etc, so that St John’s Church can as far as is humanly possible, be deemed Covid 19 safe.

So, St John’s Church is now open for private prayer at the following times
Sunday’s – 9.00am-10.00am
Tuesday’s- 9.00am-10.00am
Thursday’s -7.00pm-8.00pm
Every time the Church is open we need to have 3 or 4 stewards ….so the more volunteers the better please

In answer to all our prayers Public Masses will resume at St John’s on Tuesday 7th July and at the usual times on the weekend of 11th & 12th July.
Enclosed in this newsletter is a message from the Metropolitan Archbishops of the Catholic Church in England (please read it carefully)

Mass Intentions If you would like a Mass celebrated for a particular intention or for a person living / dead, please write the intention on a piece of paper and put it in an envelope with a donation in the presbytery letter box.

Shrewsbury Cathedral Bishop Mark thanks those who have been joining him for Sunday & Weekday Masses and other services via live stream. Please note that with the Cathedral reopening for private prayer the schedule has altered slightly the up to date schedule can be found on the Diocesan and Cathedral websites.

National Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham Has a good website and is currently live streaming 24 hours a day. As the shrine reopens for private prayer this week please check their website for a revised schedule.

Money Matters Many thanks to those parishioners who have been so faithful in their financial support of our parish during these weeks of Lockdown…. using their Offertory Envelopes, pushing donations through the Presbytery letterbox and by Standing Order…. your generosity is very much needed & appreciated. A basket is now placed on the Offertory table at the back of church should you wish to make a donation to St John’s Parish and School when you are visiting the church for private prayer.

I very much look forward to welcoming you all back to St John’s Church,
United in Prayer,

Father Bernard.
Tel 0151 645 3314

Father, pour out your Spirit
upon St John’s Parish
and grant us
a new vision of your glory,
a new experience of your power,
a new faithfulness to your Word, and
a new consecration to your service,
that your love may grow among us,
and your kingdom come;
through Christ our Lord.
Amen

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The Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time 21st June 2020. Cycle A

18/06/2020

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: http://www.stjohnevang.co.uk http://www.lpa24.org

The Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time 21st June 2020. Cycle A

WORD FOR TODAY Christ tells us that we should not be afraid to speak up for what we believe. Are we afraid? Are we concerned about what people might think of us if we are up-front with our beliefs? Would they shun us? Would they think we are strange or weird? And if they would, do we care?

WORDS FOR WORSHIP Let us pray for those who witness to their faith in countries where this means risking life and livelihood. Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer. Let us pray for those who suffer constant fear, either as a result of mental illness or through trauma at experiencing a serious event in their lives. Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer. Let us pray for the Church throughout the world that it may be fearless and bold in proclaiming the sovereignty of God’s kingdom and the promises held out to those who accept Jesus as saviour of the world .Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer. Let us pray for our community, for the sick and the dying, for those who are caring for loved ones at home, and for those finding it hard to make ends meet .Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer.

Please take a look at the Notice Boards at the back of Church for details of other Local Events over the next few weeks, and don’t forget to buy a Catholic paper and to take a look at the Card Rack.

The Wednesday Word 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: WHY PRAY WHEN YOU CAN WORRY? Fr Brown worries a lot. He’s not the best of preachers and he fears that people know this and look down on him when he opens his mouth. So he makes light of it and never really gets involved in a sermon that would challenge. On the front row is Mary Bradley who’s concerned about her family. She struggles to bring up her three children after the death of her husband and now the doctor has told her that a shadow has shown up on her latest set of X-rays. Gino Benelli is one of the ushers. When he takes the collection each Sunday it simply reminds him of the fact that his own financial situation is anything but rosy. He looks likely to be made redundant from the bakery and he’s no idea where he’ll get the mortgage money from. Cathy O’Leary, one of the readers, has lived in a rough part of the parish for years but now as a pensioner she fears for her safety. When she goes out to collect her pension she can’t help wondering if she’ll be the next mugging victim. And at night she’s terrified by the joy riders. Young Terry Roberts is taking the lead in the school play. On one level he’s thrilled, but occasionally he gets this sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that he’s going to make a fool of himself. His older sister, Averil, is nervously awaiting her exam results. She’s desperate to get into university. Germaine Treadway is a faithful choir member. A teacher at the local school, she has yet to meet Mr Right. She can’t bear the thought of reaching old age alone and it plays on her mind. We all have our fears, worries and anxieties. It’s only natural. Christians are invited not to live them by themselves but to share them with God. Sharing them with God does not take them all away but it does put them into a different perspective: God’s. It also makes us realise that there are more important things to worry about. As Jesus says in today’s gospel: If you want something to worry about then ask yourself how you’re doing in relation to him who can destroy both body and soul in hell!

Twelfth Sunday in Ord Time 21st
Anne + Brian Cooper Special Ints.
Monday 22nd Fr Michael Murray(1st Ann)
Tuesday 23rd For our Schools
Wednesday 24th Bishop Vincent Malone RIP
Thursday 25th Ints Pat Diskin (80th)
Friday 26th Gerry Topping RIP
Saturday 27th Ints of SVP District Council
Ss Peter & Paul 28th St John’s Parish

Father Bernard will offer the above Masses privately here at St John’s on the appropriate days this week.

Wishing all Dads and Grandads a happy Father’s Day.

Renew your wonders
in this our day
as by a new Pentecost.
Pope John XX111

Father, pour out your Spirit
upon your people
and grant us
a new vision of your glory,
a new experience of your power,
a new faithfulness to your Word, and
a new consecration to your service,
that your love may grow among us,
and your kingdom come;
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Dear Parishioners,
I hope everyone is keeping well in these challenging times, if there is anything you wish to contact me about/ bring to my attention ,please email me at stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com or phone 0151 645 3996.
As you will be aware from the various media outlets, churches have been allowed to open from last Monday 15th June for private prayer and then please God, later this Summer for the celebration of Mass and other public liturgies ( Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals etc).
In order to reopen our Church after 12 weeks, it has undergone a thorough clean thanks to ‘The Dust Busters’ ( our cleaning team) and additional parishioners who came to help them. In accordance with Diocesan guidelines, appropriate signage has been put up inside the Church and other Health and Safety matters have been attended to.
Recently various contractors have been to the Church to check the roof and gutters and outside fixtures of the building, cleanse church steps and entrances, fix hand towel dispensers, provide additional bins, sanitizer units etc, so that St John’s Church can as far as is humanly possible, be deemed Covid 19 safe.
So from last Thursday 18th June, St John’s Church is now open for private prayer at the following times each week until further notice.
Sunday’s – 9.00am-10.00am
Tuesday’s- 9.00am-10.00am
Thursday’s -7.00pm-8.00pm
Every time the Church is open we need to have 3 or 4 stewards (1 female/1 male). Plus myself, so the more volunteers the better, please.

Shrewsbury Cathedral Bishop Mark thanks those who have been joining him for Sunday & Weekday Masses and other services via live stream. Please note that with the Cathedral reopening for private prayer this week the schedule has altered slightly the up to date schedule can be found on the Diocesan and Cathedral websites.

Mass by telephone for those not online. Please telephone 01642 130120

Money Matters Many thanks to those parishioners who have been so faithful in their financial support of our parish during these weeks of Lockdown…. using their Offertory Envelopes, pushing donations through the Presbytery letterbox and by Standing Order…. your generosity is very much appreciated. A basket is now placed on the Offertory table at the back of church should you wish to make a donation to St John’s Parish and School when you are visiting the church for private prayer.

Every Blessing, and thank you for all your support,
Father Bernard.

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The Body and Blood of Christ Sunday 14th June 2020. Cycle A

12/06/2020

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: http://www.stjohnevang.co.uk http://www.lpa24.org

The Body and Blood of Christ Sunday 14th June 2020. Cycle A

O Jesus, since You have left us a remembrance of Your Passion beneath the veils of this Sacrament, grant us, we pray, so to venerate the sacred mysteries of Your Body and Blood that we may always enjoy the fruits of Your Redemption, for You live and reign forever. Amen.
D
Wirral Foodbank: needs your help and support more than ever, Full details of how to donate to Wirral Foodbank can be found at htpps/wirralfoodbank.org.uk/give-help. People who need emergency food and support at this time can contact the Wirral Emergency Food Hub on 0151 666 5050.
Please take a look at the Notice Boards at the back of Church for details of other Local Events over the next few weeks, and don’t forget to buy a Catholic paper and to take a look at the Card Rack.
The Wednesday Word 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.

IN FOCUS: EUCHARIST: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE PAST: 2,000 years ago on a Thursday evening Jesus ate what was probably a Passover meal with his disciples in the Upper Room. This meal was a memorial of how God had freed the Jewish people by liberating them from slavery and providing them with a promised land. During his meal Jesus told the disciples that from now on they were to eat this meal not in remembrance of Moses and the Exodus but in memory of him. For the bread that they would eat was his body that the next day he would be nailed to the cross, and the wine that they would drink was his blood that on the same Friday would be shed on Calvary. PRESENT: Today we Christians have a living memorial of that saving action of Christ. It is the Eucharist. Over the centuries Christians have never ceased to follow that command of Jesus at the Last Supper. They have gathered together, listened to God’s word in the scriptures and then, when they have taken, blessed and broken the bread, they have shared communion by eating and drinking what Christ tells us is his body and blood. In this sacrament of the Eucharist Jesus is really present to those who receive him. His flesh is real food and his blood is real drink because both of them nourish, they sustain us and keep us spiritually healthy. As we eat and drink from the one bread and cup the Eucharist becomes a sign of the unity that we share and at the same time it also makes us one in Christ. FUTURE: The Eucharist is food for our journey, medicine for our health and strength for our future. Not simply about the past and present it directs us towards two futures. The first future means that the Eucharist is a sign of our commitment to building up the kingdom of God here on earth. So receiving the Eucharist is not just an act of devotion; it commits us to action. Through the grace of the Holy Spirit we pledge ourselves to playing our full part in the Church’s work of bringing about a world in which justice, peace and holiness reign. And the second future is in the afterlife. The Eucharist is a pledge of the heavenly banquet that God has promised to those who listen to the voice of his Son. What we experience in the food of the Eucharist is a foretaste of an eternal feast with God. The feast of the Body and Blood of Christ allows us to thank God for this wonderful gift.
The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ 14th
Ints St John’s Parish
Monday 15th Ints Holy Family Sisters
Tuesday 16th Ints St John’s School
Wednesday 17th Barbara Forshaw Birthday Remembrance
Thursday 18th NHS Staff + Care Workers
Friday 19th Gerry Topping RIP
Saturday 20th Phil Rooney RIP
Twelfth Sunday in Ord Time 21st Anne + Brian Cooper Special Ints.

Father Bernard will offer the above Masses privately here at St John’s on the appropriate days this week.

On Friday we celebrate the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. On Saturday we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. May the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary intercede for us in these troubled times.

Dear Parishioners,
I hope everyone is keeping well in these challenging times, if there is anything you wish to contact me about/ bring to my attention ,please email me at stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com or phone 0151 645 3996.
As you will be aware from the various media outlets, churches can reopen from this Monday 15th June for private prayer and then please God, later in July/ August for the celebration of Mass and other public liturgies ( Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals etc).
In order to reopen our Church after 12 weeks, it obviously has to undergo a thorough clean. ‘The Dust Busters’ ( our cleaning team) will be meeting on Tuesday at 9.30am to carry out this important task (using the appropriate PPE). I am hoping that as many ‘Dust Busters’ as possible will be present and that additional parishioners will come along to help them. Please meet outside the main door of the Church for a full briefing etc at 9.30am. Once this has been completed in accordance with Diocesan guidelines, appropriate signage will be put up inside the Church and other Health and Safety matters will be attended to.
This weekend and on Monday various contractors will be visiting the Church to check the roof and gutters and outside fixtures of the building, cleanse church steps and entrances, fix hand towel dispensers, provide additional bins, sanitizer units etc, so that by next Thursday 18th June, St John’s Church can as far as is humanly possible, be deemed Covid 19 safe. Only then and in consultation with the Diocesan Health and Safety Officer, Bishop Mark and Canon Phil Moor (the Vicar General for this part of the Diocese), will I reopen our beautiful Church initially for private prayer.

So from next Thursday 18th June, the Eve of the Feast of the Sacred Heat of Jesus, St John’s Church will be open for private prayer at the following times each week until further notice.
Sunday’s – 9.00am-10.00am
Tuesday’s- 9.00am-10.00am
Thursday’s -7.0pm-8.00pm
I will be contacting all those who have already generously volunteered to be stewards, over the weekend and hopefully a few more parishioners will volunteer for these duties before the weekend is out.
Every time the Church is open we need to have 3 or 4 stewards (1 female/1 male). Plus myself, so the more volunteers the better, please.

Shrewsbury Cathedral Bishop Mark thanks those who have been joining him for Sunday & Weekday Masses and other services via live stream. Please note that with the Cathedral reopening for private prayer this week the schedule has altered slightly the up to date schedule can be found on the Diocesan and Cathedral websites.

Mass by telephone for those not online. Please telephone 01642 130120

Money Matters Many thanks to those parishioners who have been so faithful in their financial support of our parish during these weeks of Lockdown…. using their Offertory Envelopes, pushing donations through the Presbytery letterbox and by Standing Order…. your generosity is very much appreciate.
I look forward to welcoming you back to St John’s Church from Thursday onward.
Every Blessing,
Father Bernard.

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A Personal Statement from Father Bernard Forshaw

19/03/2020

A Personal Statement from Father Bernard Forshaw

Dear Parishioners,

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, so many aspects of our lives must change. This includes the ways in which we publicly express our faith. It is very clear that following official advice and in order to keep each other safe, save lives and support the NHS, at this time ,we must not gather for public acts of worship in our churches. This began on Friday 20^th March 2020, until further notice.

St John’s and all our local churches will remain open. They are not closing. They will be a focal point of prayer, where you will find solace and strength. In visiting our churches at this time, we will observe with great care the practices of hygiene and the guidance on social distancing.

I will continue to celebrate Mass, here at St John’s for all your intentions, Sunday by Sunday and day by day, sadly without a public congregation.

Knowing that the Mass is being celebrated; joining in spiritually in that celebration; watching the live-streaming of the Mass; following its prayers at home; making an act of spiritual communion: this is how we share in the Sacrifice of Christ in these days. These are the ways in which we will sanctify Sunday, and indeed every day.

I want everyone to understand that in these emergency circumstances, and for as long as they last, the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days is removed. This is, without doubt, the teaching of the Church (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2181). This pandemic is the ‘serious reason’ why this obligation does not apply at this time.

I personally will open St John’s Church:

from 4.30pm- 5.30pm each Saturday,
9.00am -10.00am every Sunday and
at 9.00am each week day for private prayer ( eg-lighting a candle, etc )

for the foreseeable future.

I also want you to know that I am always contactable by email stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com and tel 0151 645 3314 / 0151 645 3996. No one should feel isolated or alone. Arrangements are being made re- Wirral Food Bank which I will let you know about in the next few days.

You can continue your Offertory Contributions, if you so wish, either by continuing /completing a Standing Order or by posting your Offertory Envelopes through the Presbytery letterbox (your new supply of Offertory Envelopes will be delivered to your door in the next few days).

Please continue to pray for our parish and schools… and don’t forget to pray for me!

Every Blessing

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The Third Sunday in Lent 15th March, 2020. Cycle A

13/03/2020

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: http://www.stjohnevang.co.uk http://www.lpa24.org

The Third Sunday in Lent 15th March, 2020. Cycle A

WORD FOR TODAY What do you really want out of life? What would make your life so complete that you would feel that you were lacking nothing? Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that he has it on tap. And it can be yours too. What is it?

WORDS FOR WORSHIP Let us pray for those who are preparing to be baptised or received into the Church at Easter, that during this Lent they may feel the presence of God, experience the consolation of faith and enjoy the support of their parish community. Spare your people, Lord: Hear and grant our prayer! Let us pray for those who are seeking meaning in their lives but find it hard to encounter God, for those who have given up hope through a sense of betrayal and those who once worshipped with us in this church but who no longer practise their faith, that their thirst may be quenched by the water of life offered by Jesus. Spare your people… Let us pray for those of our parish in need, for the sick, for those who have died recently, for those who exercise any ministry on behalf of us all and those who are in any kind of trouble Spare your people… Let us pray for those who have little or no water, for those in countries where there is drought, for lands that have poor sanitary and social infrastructures and for ourselves that we may use wisely the precious gift of water. Spare your people…
D
Wirral Foodbank: Thank you to all those who contribute to the Foodbank, helping to support people in crisis in our Local Community. The total raised this week is on the Notice Board at the back of Church along with details of the Foodbank and the services it offers. Please keep your donations coming- Items urgently needed- sugar, custard, tinned potatoes, deodorant, and washing up liquid, toiletries. Once again if you have any spare plastic bags or even an idea on how they are able to distribute food/goods without the need for plastic bags, it will be gratefully received.
Please take a look at the Notice Boards at the back of Church for details of other Local Events over the next few weeks, and don’t forget to buy a Catholic paper and to take a look at the Card Rack.
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: WHAT DO YOU GET? For most of us Lent is coming round again and we may think that we’ve heard it all before. But for a small group of people throughout the world it’s something that they will never forget. They are catechumens and candidates. Catechumens are men and women who will be baptised at Easter and candidates are those who are already baptised but will be received into the Church at Easter. For the next three weeks they are going through an intense period that concludes many months or even years of preparation. Each Sunday of Lent the Church tries to give them (and us) one principal image to latch on to in order to express something of the significance of becoming a fully fledged Christian. What do you get when you believe in Jesus? Today we’re told that we get WATER. But it’s not just any old water. Jesus promises the Samaritan women water of life. In other words, if you drink this water it will satisfy all your longings and yearnings. Following Jesus is not like some hobby, something that you can do part-time, something that you can take or leave. It’s all-consuming because it alters the whole meaning of your life. It quenches that thirst of emptiness which can easily take hold of us. What Christ offers is something that satisfies deep down. Next week we’ll see that we get LIGHT. Jesus will cure a man who was born blind. It will transform his whole being. Not only will he see things, but he’ll see everything in a new light, in a completely different way, because he knows the source of this new-found sight. The gospel sheds light for us on the decisions and choices of our lives. Unlike those who have not received this light of faith we see things differently. In two week’s time we’ll discover that we get LIFE. When Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead his life takes on a new meaning. He will never wake up the same ever again. The life that Jesus offers us has an effect on how we enjoy God’s creation here on earth but it carries with it an extra bonus: the knowledge that we are intended for a life of happiness that never ends. So if you think you’ve heard it all before, listen with the ears of a catechumen and rediscover what’s really on offer for those who are prepared to give their lives to God.

Third Sunday of Lent 15th 5.00pm
9.30am
3.00pm
7.30pm Josie Murray Anniv RIP
St John’s Parish
Stations of the Cross
Prayer Meeting
Monday 16th 9.15am Service of Word + Communion
Tuesday 17th 9.15am Dr Robert Johnson RIP
Wednesday 18th 9.15am Elizabeth Brooks RIP
Thursday 19th 7.30am Cicily Alexander Anniv
Friday 20th 9.15am Hugh Gourley RIP
Saturday 21st 9.30am Colin Lee RIP
Fourth Sunday of Lent 22nd 5.00pm
9.30am
3.00pm
7.30pm Grandsons 4th Anniv RIP
For All Mothers
Stations of the Cross
Prayer Meeting
Confessions Each Saturday 10.30am-11.30am
Morning Prayer 15 min before daily Masses

Lent 2020
Masses and Services at St John’s
Each Thursday in Lent Mass will be at 7.30am
Each Saturday in Lent Mass at 10am followed by Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions until 11.30am . Next Saturday Mass will be at 9.30am due to the Liturgy day at SJP. Each Sunday in Lent Stations of the Cross at 3.00pm in church this week led by the Altar Servers.
On the Wednesday’s of Lent Bebington Churches Together will be holding in various venues a short Service / Prayer time beginning at 11.00am followed by a soup lunch. This week here at St John’s.

Deanery Lenten Station Masses have been arranged for each Tuesday in Lent at 7pm. This week’s Mass is at St Joseph’s Birkenhead.

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.
Sick Visits: If you know of anyone in the parish who is in need of Holy Communion /a visit please let us know stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com
or Tel 0151 645 3314
Money Matters: Last Weekend’s Offertory Collection was £525.58p. Thank you for your continued generosity. Attention all Gift Aid Donors- The parish will soon begin the process of claiming back Gift Aid Tax Refunds on donations made in the year 2019-2020. If you have moved house in the last year or your circumstances have changed and you no longer pay income tax ( or if for any reason you do not wish to remain in the Gift Aid Scheme) please contact Steve Bell- 0151 644-7512. Note- if you are a tax payer and not in the Gift Aid Scheme, why not join and help the parish to benefit from some of your Income Tax? If you do not pay but your wife or husband is a tax payer, why not get them to join?
Cafod Family Fast Day Envelopes can be returned in the offertory bags at any time up until the end of March.
Readers and all Ministers: A meeting will be held on Saturday 28th March at 10.30am in Church. Please make every effort to attend as we prepare for our Holy Week and Easter Services. Thank you.
Year of the Word- Diocesan Spring Talks
Everyone most welcome.
Thanks to those who attended last week’s talk.
Talk 4- Fr Michael Coughlan on Why Four Versions of the Gospel, Wednesday 1st April beginning at 7pm at Our Lady’s Parish Centre, Enfield Rd, Ellesmere Port CH65 8BY.

To all the Parishioners who have supported the Traidcraft Stall over the past 12 months, the Stall has raised £1,005 in sales (with gift aid another £250). A Big Thank You from, Eileen & Steve Bell”.

The Year of the Word: Proclaiming the Word through Music at St John Plessington Catholic College, Old Chester Road, Bebington, Wirral, CH63 7LF, this Saturday 21st March 10am-3.00pm. A message from Stella McGann…This day is the first Music Day to be set up by the Diocesan Liturgy Commission which was re-formed just over 18 months ago. As the Liturgy Commission member for Music, I am writing to you to ask you to support the event which will offer opportunities for sharing ideas, exploring and singing new music and reflecting on how we, as parish musicians, under the headings of how, what and when, can play an active role in this The Year of The Word. I am particularly pleased that composer and liturgist Martin Foster has been able to include us in his busy schedule of national events at which he is speaking during this very special year. Please register ASAP with anthony.timothy@dioceseofshrewsbury.org A £5 fee, payable on the day, will go towards the running costs. Please bring your own packed lunch; tea and coffee will be provided. Bring a group from your parish and pay only £25 for 6!

Coronavirus- we must be mindful of the situation which is constantly evolving around us with regards to the Coronavirus outbreak. Consequently we have made the decision to suspend receiving from the Chalice, we ask you to receive the Host directly onto your hands only, and not to physically make the sign of peace during Masses until further notice. At weekend Masses the Offertory Collection will be taken as you leave Church rather than at the usual time. Hand sanitizer is provided in the entrance area for use but it is also recommended that you use soap and water to wash hands before coming to church. It is hoped that by maintaining high levels of hygiene we should be able to protect ourselves and subsequently the most vulnerable in our community. As you will appreciate this situation is evolving rapidly and other practises we use in Church may have to alter. Thank you for your understanding and support at this difficult time. Please also take the time to read Bishop Mark’s Pastoral Letter on this subject which is enclosed in this Newsletter.

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St John's Catholic Church, New Ferry

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