Fifth Sunday of Easter, 14th May,2023. Cycle A
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Mario Ashuikeka and Fr Emmanuel Chukwujekwu
Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites http://www.stjohntheevangelistnewferry.com
Fifth Sunday of Easter, 7th May, 2023, Cycle A
FAITH IN FOCUS: THE ONLY WAY
In today's gospel Jesus makes four promises to those who follow him.
1. We do not have to fear death. Jesus tells us not to be troubled and anxious about the afterlife. We worry about how our end will come, and that is natural. But he tells us not to worry about death itself for he has conquered death by rising again, and because of our baptism we too can rise with him. We tend to view death as the end. Yet really it is the beginning of life, the life that dwarfs this earthly existence and opens us out fully to the vision of what God's love is all about. Those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith already enjoy this wonderful vision of God and we too can hope to share it after death.
2. Jesus has prepared a place for us after death. No one has seen this place, heaven, but we know it to be a place of great beauty. There are no disabled parking places in the celestial car park, for sickness and anxiety, frustration, hurt and disappointment are things of the past. Pain and failure vanish in the all-consuming love of God. What we do know is that all of our earthly existence will make sense in a flash as we are finally caught up in God's life.
3. He will be there to greet us. He promises to be there so that where he is we may be too. The embrace of Christ upon our death is one that melts all hurt, one that enfolds us in such a way that the deepest longings we have ever had will be more than satisfied in an instant. God's love is forgiving and unconditional.
4. The only way to these promises is through Jesus himself. Jesus is the Way that leads us to the Father, by listening and responding to his word. He is the Truth, unwavering in a sea of conflict, a truth that makes sense of our life and sets us free to enjoy it even this side of the grave. He is the Life, the source of all our longing, the way for men and women to be like God. To follow Jesus Christ is to possess fullness of life, here and now. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
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ENTRANCE ANTIPHON: O sing a new song to the Lord, for he has worked wonders; in the sight of the nations he has shown his deliverance, alleluia!
RESPONSE TO THE PSALM: May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our trust in you.
GOSPEL ACCLAIMATION: Alleluia, Alleluia! Jesus said; “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” Alleluia!
COMMUNION ANTIPHON: I am the true vine and you are the branches, says the Lord. Whoever remains in me, and I in him, bears fruit in plenty , alleluia.
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Tuesday is a special day of prayer for the survivors of sexual abuse.
Devotions/Adoration: Saturday Morning Devotions will be prayed in Church (the Rosary, Divine Mercy and Divine Praises) from 10:30am-11:30am. Fr Mario will be available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation between 10.30 and 11.00am. All most welcome.
If you have any queries or ideas, continue to contact Deacon Mike Daly on 07542463319 or Carol Dalziel on 07808975011 on any Parish matters, or if you wish to arrange a Baptism, Wedding or Funeral. Also use the box at the back of church for your suggestions.
Mike Daly’s Homilies are available on the Parish Website. Log in details are www.stjohntheevangelistnewferry.com
Mass Intentions If you would like to have a Mass said for your own or someone else’s intentions please fill in one of the Mass offering envelopes at the back of Church, place a donation in it & put it through the presbytery letterbox. Thank you.
Please continue to keep all of our sick parishioners in your thoughts and prayers.
Children's Liturgy – is during the 9.30am Mass, all are most welcome.
Last Weeks’ Offertory Collection amounted to £538.10p. Thank you for your generosity in these difficult times.
In Memoriam- Please continue to pray for the soul of William Else whose Funeral Service and committal will take place at Landican Central Chapel this Thursday 11th May at 3pm. Keep Ann and her family in your prayers. May William, and all the faithful departed, rest in the peace of Christ.
Wirral Foodbank Appeal: Please help support your Foodbank with food and funds. All donations need to be non-perishable, please refer to the list on the notice board of items urgently needed. Please continue to support this as much as you can in these difficult times.
Altar-Servers - Please encourage any child who has made their First Holy Communion to consider becoming an Altar-Server. Please give names to Mike Daly, who will arrange for their training and support.
First Communion Our young children from St John’s Junior School are preparing for their First Holy Communion which will take place here at St John’s on Saturday 20th May at 10am and 12pm. Please keep all the candidates in your prayers as they take this next step on their journey of faith.
MASS SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAYS IN MAY & JUNE: Below are the changes to the Thursday evening Mass schedule for May and June.
Thursday 11/05: 7pm Mass at St John’s only
Thursday 18/05: 7pm Mass at both churches
Thursday 25/05: 7pm Mass at St Anne’s only
Thursday 01/06: 7pm Mass at both churches
Thursday 08/06: 7pm Mass at St John’s only
Thursday 15/06: 7pm Mass at both churches
Thursday 22/06: 7pm Mass at St Anne’s only
Thursday 29/06: 7pm Mass at both churches
The Bishops' Conference of England and Wales has given permission for re-introduction of Holy Communion under both kinds from Holy Thursday; however, due to the rising levels of Covid in our area, the use of the Chalice will not be implemented at St John's for the foreseeable future.
THREE PARISH SOCIAL: KING’S CORONATION CELERATION: Will be held at St Anne’s Social Club, Highfield Road, Rock Ferry, 12.30-4pm on Tuesday, 9th May. Tickets £5. Shared Table , bar, entertainment and a raffle. This will be our first joint social event .Please come along and have a great time celebrating the Coronation TOGETHER!! VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED TO HELP DURING THE CELEBRATION. Please contact Diane Baylis if you can help. Tickets from Diane Baylis & Liz McIntosh. Diane Baylis No 07946916338
Confirmation 2023 for St John’s and St Anne’s will be held at St John’s on Wednesday the 22nd November at 7.00pm. Will all candidates in Years 9 and above (or their parents) please contact Mike Daly as soon as possible to record their interest.
Divine Mercy Pilgrimage to Krakow, Poland 11th to 15th September & led by Fr Mario. Guided tour to Divine Mercy Chapel, John Paul II Centre, Marian shrine Czestochowa, Wawel Cathedral & Bishop’s Palace. Flying from Manchester. 5 days and includes bed, breakfast & evening meal. £585 per person sharing or £685 for single room. If interested please see Fr Mario or telephone Maria on 07576243343.
Message from Barbara Davies about a podcast on Lumen Gentium-Thank you to the many people who have been in touch to say how helpful they find the reflections on Vatican II. We continue Part III On The Church by asking the question: ‘Who is the Church?’ The Council's answer is given in Lumen Gentium Chaps 1 and 2, taken together. The relevant podcast and handout are now available on the diocesan website at dioceseofshrewsbury.org in the section on 'News and Events'. A leaflet outlining the content of all of the podcasts is available in the parish. If you have difficulty accessing this material or have questions and reflections, please don’t hesitate to contact Barbara via E: barbara.davies@dioceseofshrewsbury.org or T: 07730 526821.
THE KNIGHTS OF ST COLUMBA are inviting practicing Catholic men to join the Order. Meetings usually take place on a monthly basis. For any further information please contact Tony Paton 07849 610397
Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
bless Charles our King, whose Coronation we now celebrate.
Help him to fulfil his responsibilities,
that by his influence, he may maintain unity, goodwill and peace
among his peoples and that persevering in good works to the end, he may, by your mercy, come to your everlasting kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Holy Family Sisters of the Needy will be coming for an appeal to support their Apostolate in all the weekend Masses 13th-14th May 2023. There will a retiring collection at the end of each Mass. Thank you and God bless you for your anticipated support – Fr Mario
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Saturday 6th 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Nora McCormick
Fifth Sunday of Easter, Cycle A 7th 9.30am Peggy McAllister RIP
11.00am Sel McGrath RIP (St Luke’s)
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Monday 8th 9.15am All those affected by War and Conflict
Tuesday 9th 9.15am Our Clergy and Deacons
Wednesday 10th 9.15am Paul O’Grady RIP
Thursday 11th 7.00pm Sr. Carmel Callaghan (LCM) RIP
Marie & Jack Stormont 60th Ann Rem
MASS AT ST JOHN’S ONLY
Friday 12th 9.15am St John’s Parishioners
Saturday 13th 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Philip White RIP
Sixth Sunday of Easter, Cycle A 14th 9.30am Vocations to the Religious Life
11.00am Sam Turner RIP (St Luke’s)
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 and quiet devotion.
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ST ANNE’S WEEKLY MASS INTENTIONS
Saturday 6th 6.30pm Les Duff B’day Remb
Fifth Sunday of Easter 7th 1.15am Gerard Edwards Anniv
Eileen Armstrong Anniv
Monday 8th 12 Noon King Charles 111
Tuesday 9th 12 Noon Mary Whitty RIP
Wednesday 10th 12 Noon Funeral Mass Mary Smith RIP
Thursday 11th 7.00pm MASS AT ST JOHN’S ONLY
Friday 12th 12 Noon Spencer Conway RIP
Saturday 13th 6.30pm Bernie Robert Davies RIP
Sixth Sunday of Easter 14th 11.15am John Ward Anniv
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WORD FOR TODAY How central is Christ to the decisions we make in our life? He claims to be the Way that leads to the Father, the Truth that sets us free and the Life that never ends. This claim to exclusivity should challenge us about our relationship with him and about our commitment to living a life based solely on gospel values.
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