Fifth Sunday of Easter, 28th April, 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
Fifth Sunday of Easter, 28th April, 2024. Cycle B
FAITH IN FOCUS: CHRISTLESS CHRISTIANITY? :
Have you ever watched the TV and seen a report about someone who is doing sterling work, helping people and making a real difference to the world around them? And then you find out they don’t even believe in God? That’s because you don’t have to believe in God to do good and you don’t have to be a Christian to make a difference to the world. But today Jesus tells us that only those who “remain” or “abide” in him will be following the Christian path. So what does it mean to “remain” in him? A vine branch is lifeless and useless unless it remains attached to the vine. Inside it there is living sap that flows throughout the vine into each of the branches enabling each branch to produce fruit. For us to abide in the vine means that we are going to be people who are depending upon Christ and who are allowing the power and the Spirit of Christ to flow through us and in us. So, remaining in the vine means living our lives with the Trinity consciously present within us. And only if we do this will we bear fruit that will last as we become more and more like Christ. For when we “remain” attached to the vine, we become more like Jesus and we want to tell others about the source of our life. When we become more like Jesus we pray more and our approach to life changes: we treat people more like Jesus did, we talk to people like Jesus did and we are prepared to go that extra mile like Jesus did. One of the great risks that we run is to think that by our own effort we can make ourselves better and that we can make a lasting difference to our world. Yet Jesus reminds us that we are only branches of the vine and that branches cannot bear fruit all by themselves. We need to be attached to the trunk of the vine itself. At the start of each day are we conscious of “remaining” in Christ? Do we speak to Christ during our waking hours? Do we ask for help and support in the decisions we make? Are our lives a go-it-alone affair or are they lived in God’s presence? Anyone who bears fruit is doing something good. But Jesus tells us that only if we “remain” in him and are part of the vine will our fruit last.
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ENTRANCE ANTIPHON: 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: You, Lord, are my praise in the great assembly.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: Alleluia, alleluia! Make your home in me, as I make mine in you. Whoever remains in me bears fruit in plenty. 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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Devotions/Adoration: Saturday Morning Devotions will be prayed in Church (the Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises) from 10:30am-11:30am. Fr Mario will be available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation between 10.30 & 11.00am. All are welcome.
Last Weeks’ Offertory Collection: amounted to £618.59p. Many thanks for your continued support.
St Luke’s SVP Summer Camp collection final total is £1620. A BIG thank you to everyone who contributed. Pat Higgins.
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.
Mass Intentions 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.
Children's Liturgy – takes place during the 9.30am Mass. All are most welcome
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.
Wirral Foodbank. We would like to start a new rota to drop off the donations to the warehouse in Birkenhead.. me know that you are interested my tel no is 07901105591 so we can have a chat . Thank you.
Sunday Morning Teas continue on the first Sunday of each month. Come along for tea/coffee & biscuits whilst enjoying a chat with your fellow parishioners. Next date will be Sunday 5th May.
PILGRIMAGE TO MEDJUGORIE WITH FR MARIO: 22nd to 26th June Flying from Manchester for the 43rd Anniversary. Telephone Maria Fryer on 07576243343 if interested.
Anointing & Healing Service will be held here at St John’s on Friday, 3rd May at 7.00pm. Speaker: Fr Pat Collins, authour, retreat director and conference speaker. Theme: “What matters is faith that makes its power felt through love” (Gal 5:6). Posters are on display and leaflets are available on the table at the back of church.
St John’s SVP: Will be holding a retiring collection THIS WEEKEND 27th/28th April. The SVP do valuable work within the local community and your support will be greatly appreciated.
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.
The Irenaeus Project Women’s Weekend Retreat Join us for our women’s weekend on 14th -16th June ‘Mary in a world of Martha’. We will explore what it is like to be like Mary listening at the feet of Jesus. Residential places are very limited. For more information see poster at the back of church and/or contact jenny@irenaeus.co.uk and tel. 0151 949 1199.
Further to our recent appeal, thank you to everyone who has offered ongoing financial support to Our Seminarian Friend and also to those who gave monetary contributions during his visit at Easter. If you wish to contribute monthly, please put your offering in an envelope marked Our Seminarian Friend' and place it either in any weekend collection, or pop it through the presbytery door. At the end of each month, the contributions will be totalled up and the Euro equivalent transferred to him to help with his living costs. He is most grateful for our assistance and sends his sincere thanks.
A VACANCY has arisen for a Parish Secretary at the parish of St Anne’s, Rock Ferry. Hours: 15 per week, to be spread over Monday to Friday mornings (flexible). hourly rate: £12.50 to £13.50 depending on experience. For further details please see the Diocesan Website https://www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/latest-vacancies/ Applications in the form of a CV and covering letter should be sent to Pauline McCulloch recruitment@dioceseofshrewsbury.org Closing date: 17 May 2024.
Confirmation 2024 for St John’s and St Anne’s will be held at St Anne’s on Wednesday 27th November at 7.00pm.
Evening of Reflection for Readers and Eucharistic Ministers from our 3 Parishes, to be held at St John’s Presbytery on Tuesday, 14th May 7-8pm
Grace Group will be meeting in the Day Chapel on Tuesday, 14th May at 7.00pm. They will be discussing Sarah and Hagar.
A Year of Encounter SVP & Cafod With a UK general election due sometime this year, politicians will be looking for our votes. We have a responsibility as Catholics to make sure that parties commit to tackling issues such as poverty and injustice. Raising our voices and contacting parliamentary candidates as a parish community will send a strong signal to those standing for election in our local constituencies. A Year of Encounter is a joint initiative between CAFOD and St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP), equipping Catholics to ask key questions of local candidates at the key moments. Please see cafod.org.uk/encounter for more information, including online session on Saturday 4th May to learn more.
Mary’s Meals “Pray in May” for Ethiopia Crisis. Please see poster on the notice board at the back of church for more details.
Year of Prayer 2024 Come and join our online webinar with Sycamore. Pope Francis has asked that 2024 be a ‘Year of Prayer’, as a preparatory year for the Jubilee Year of 2025. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to get the most out of the prayer pathway on Sycamore! On Wednesday 15th May 7pm-8pm. Email Natalie Orefice for the link to join: Natalie.orefice@dioceseofshrewsbury.org.
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Saturday 27th 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Pray for All Three Parishes, Young People & Good Friendship in the Parishes
Fifth Sunday of Easter 28th 9.30am Betty Crebbin RIP
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Monday 29th 9.15am Int Christine Gallagher
Tuesday 30th 9.15am Children from Yr1 & Yr 3 will be joining
Simone Crinson 40th B.day
Wednesday 1st 9.15am Vocations
Thursday 2nd 7.00pm MASS AT ST JOHN’S ONLY
Roger Davies B.day Ints
Friday 3rd 9.15am Mary Ebbrell 1st Annv. RIP
7.00pm Anointing & Healing Service
Saturday 4th 10.00am Cenacle Mass
10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & vine Praises
5.00pm James Armstrong Annv.RIP
Sixth Sunday of Easter 5th 9.30am Parishioners of St John’s & 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 & quiet devotion. Please enter the church quietly & remain so. Thank you.
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ST ANNE’S WEEKLY MASS INTENTIONS
Saturday 27th 6.00pm All parishioners of our 3parishes and young people
Fifth Sunday of Easter 28th 11.00am Brian Glover Annv.
Monday 29th 12 Noon Marie Stormont Get well
Tuesday 30th 12 Noon Pat Kilcullen RIP
Wednesday 1st 12.Noon Sr Hilary Fitzgerald 103rd B.day
Thursday 2nd 7.00pm MASS AT ST JOHN’S ONLY
Friday 3rd 12 Noon Maureen Michael 90th B.day
Saturday 4th 6.00pm Colm O’Reilly
Sixth Sunday of Easter 5th 11.00am Jimmy Belmar 80th B.day
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DO JUSTICE is an invitation to parishes to become a more synodal & missionary Church, a Church that adores God & serves the men & women of our time, going forth to bring everyone the consoling joy of the Gospel. The sessions will run on Monday evenings, beginning Monday 29th April, at 7pm in Our Lady’s church, Birkenhead. Each session begins with a short time of prayer.
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