Feast of Ss Peter & Paul, Sunday, 30th June, 2024. Cycle B
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Mario Ashuikeka
Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites http://www.stjohntheevangelistnewferry.com
Feast of SS Peter & Paul, 30th June, 2024. Cycle B
FAITH IN FOCUS: MARTYRS?
She’s a martyr to her corns, we say. Or perhaps we think that we shouldn’t give publicity to terrorists because they’ll become martyrs.
We use the word martyr in a different way from the way it was thought of in gospel times. For us, martyrdom means suffering, like the woman with her corns. And when we hear of the death of various holy people we call it martyrdom. But in fact the word martyr doesn’t necessarily involve suffering or dying.
The word martyr means a witness. If you are a martyr to the cause, then you are a good advert for the cause, a good example or a witness to what the cause is all about.
In fact, although Sts Peter and Paul were both killed for their faith, they are really martyrs because they both witnessed to it. In an obvious way we can say that dying in order to witness to your faith is the ultimate martyrdom.
Yet what’s important about Peter and Paul isn’t that they died but that they spent their lives passing on the message of Jesus Christ. The ancient Preface prayer for today’s feast speaks of “Peter, our leader in the faith, and Paul, its fearless preacher.”
If we want to emulate the two saints of today’s feast then we don’t have to seek out death before our time; we have to be martyrs by witnessing and passing on what we have been taught and believe. In fact that’s how Christian faith survives. Faith, they say, is not taught but caught. We catch it at our mother’s knee, at the feet of good teachers, from the lips of holy people we come to meet in life.
It’s easy to bypass our job of transmitting the faith by saying that this is the task of others, of clergy and catechists, of teachers and preachers. But the truth is that the only reason why we can celebrate today’s feast is because of generations of mothers, fathers, grandparents, uncles and aunts who accepted the responsibility of handing on their faith to their own families and friends.
Peter and Paul would be happy to accept praise for their martyrdom, for the way they transmitted their faith, but they’d probably be even happier if they thought we were also joining the martyrs’ queue ourselves.
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ENTRANCE ANTIPHON: These are the ones who, living in the flesh, planted the Church with their blood; they drank the chalice of the Lord and became the friends of God.
RESPONSE TO THE PSALM: From all my terrors the Lord set me free.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: Alleluia, alleluia! You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. Alleluia!
COMMUNION ANTIPHON: Peter said to Jesus: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus replied: You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church.
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Devotions/Adoration: Saturday Morning Devotions will be prayed in Church (the Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises) from 10:30am-11:30am. All are welcome. Fr Mario is away in Medjugorie so no Sacrament of Reconciliation on 29th June.
Last Weeks’ Offertory Collection: amounted to £477.84p. Many thanks for your continued support.
The Day for Life Collection totalled £243.60. Thanks for your support.
Apostleship of the Sea/ Sea Sunday; there will be a retiring collection over the weekend of 13/14th July. Many thanks for your support.
If you have any queries regarding parish matters or if you wish to arrange a Baptism, Wedding or Funeral please contact Fr Mario on 0151-645 3996. You can also get in touch with Carol Dalziel on 07808975011 or Ann Murray on 07745490279 regarding general parish queries.
SJE’s Parish Safeguarding Officer is Celia Daly, who can be contacted on 0151-645 9256 on all safeguarding matters.
If you would like to have a Mass said for your own or someone else’s intentions , fill in one of the Mass offering envelopes at the back of Church, place a donation in it & put it through the Presbytery letterbox. Please give at least three weeks’ notice as we are receiving a large number of requests for particular dates.
In Memoriam: Please pray all the faithful departed that they may rest in the peace of Christ.
Children's Liturgy – takes place during the 9.30am Mass. All are most welcome.
Sunday Morning Teas continue on the first Sunday of each month. Come along for tea/coffee & biscuits whilst enjoying a chat. Sunday, 7th July is the next date.
Wirral Foodbank Appeal: Please help to support our local Foodbank as much as you can with both food & funds. All items urgently needed are listed on the notice board at the back of church. Thank you.
Other Social activities: We would like some volunteers to join our group to help to arrange various social activities this year. Please ring/text Diane Baylis on 07946916338.
Confirmation 2024 for St John’s & St Anne’s will be held at St Anne’s on Wednesday, 27th November at 7.00pm. We would like to invite all young people in Year 7 and above for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Preparation will begin in September. Please speak to F Mario and/or contact St John's by email stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com if you would like to take part in this special Sacrament.
CELEBRATION -On Friday 5th July there will be a thanksgiving Mass for Fr Mario on his 10th year Anniversary as an ordained priest. Our three parishes – St John’s, St Luke’s and St Anne’s will celebrate together. Mass will be at St Anne’s at 7pm, followed by coffee and cake in the presbytery. All most welcome.
Called to the Priesthood – Have you considered a vocation to the Diocesan Priesthood in imitation of Jesus the Good Shepherd? For more information see our website at shrewsburyvocations.org If you would like to explore God’s call for your life and learn about other opportunities for discernment, please email the diocesan vocationsdirectorat vocationsdirector@dioceseofshrewsbury.org For more resources, see the National Office for Vocation at www.ukvocation.org and www.ukpriest.org
SVP and CAFOD working together in the run up to the General Election. As Catholics, we know that tackling poverty and injustice are among the most important issues politicians should act on. St Vincent de Paul Society and CAFOD have produced a guide for Catholics for the General Election, with suggested questions to ask candidates. Please see cafod.org.uk/encounter or svp.org.uk/encounter for more information.
Anointing and Healing Service: There will be no Service in July. The next Service will be Friday 2nd August at 7pm. More details to follow.
55+ Group meeting on Tuesday 2nd July at 12.30pm in St Anne’s Centre. There will be a talk about children with a cleft palate. All are welcome.
St John's Altar Servers: We are looking for some more altar servers for our Masses and special occasions. Any boy or girl who has made their First Holy Communion is eligible to become an altar server. If interested, please have a word with Fr Mario or make contact through the parish email stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Parents, grandparents and parishioners please encourage our young people to become involved in this important ministry.
SJP Open Day - Friday 5th July at 2.00pm: All parishioners of St Anne's, St John's and St Luke's are invited to attend an Open Day/Afternoon at SJP for tea, coffee, cakes and other refreshments. This is an opportunity for the school to reach out to its local parishes and to show them with pride some of the their great achievements and ongoing initiatives. It is also an opportunity for us as parishioners to (re)connect with the school and to show our support through attendance and collaboration. Please note your name and a contact number on the sheet at the back of church so that the school can estimate numbers. Please do all you can to attend.
Please speak up for the Common Good at this General Election -Caritas Shrewsbury, as part of the Let’s End Poverty national movement, are urging everyone to write to their local candidates, asking them what they plan to do to tackle poverty if they are elected. Please use the new online tool for individuals to help you do this: https://letsendpoverty.co.uk/election/#email-candidates This work to champion the common good, and the preferential option for the poor, is so vital at this time, thanks for your support.
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Saturday 29th 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Anne Sinclair RIP
Feast of SS Peter & Paul 30th 9.30am Dave Jones RIP
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Monday 1st 9.15am Sheilagh Green
Tuesday 2nd 9.15am Michael McLoughlin
7.00pm Novena
Wednesday St Thomas 3rd 9.15am For young people taking exams
Thursday 4th 7.00pm MASS AT ST ANNE’S ONLY.
Friday 5th Mass at St Anne’s 7pm for Fr Mario
Saturday 6th 10.00am Cenacle Mass
10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm For Peace in the World
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 7th 9.30am Christian Gasside RIP
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Weekend Masses - Please note that the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed immediately before each Mass. Please use this as a time for prayer & quiet devotion. Please enter the church quietly & remain so. Thank you.
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ST ANNE’S WEEKLY MASS INTENTIONS
Saturday 29th 6.30pm Mary Duff Anniv
Feast of SS Peter & Paul 30th 11.00am Parishioners of St Anne’s, St John’s, St Luke’s
Monday 1st 12 Noon UCM
Tuesday 2nd 12 Noon Doyle Family Intentions
Wednesday 3rd 12.Noon Paul Ware RIP
Thursday 4th 7.00pm MASS AT ST ANNE’S ONLY
Anthony Sullivan RIP
Friday 5th 12 Noon Larry Sullivan Anniv
7.00pm Fr Mario’s Thanksgiving Mass
Saturday 6th 6.30pm Lee Layfield RIP
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 7th 11.00am Intentions of Sr Anne Marie
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Pope Francis's Intentions for July
The Holy Father asks, “For the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick to give strength from the Lord to those who receive it and their loved ones, becoming a visible sign of compassion and hope for everyone.”
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