Fourth Sunday of Easter, 21st 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
Fourth Sunday of Easter, 21st April, 2024. Cycle B
FAITH IN FOCUS: ETERNAL SHEPHERD: In John’s gospel there are a number of times when Jesus uses a very common phrase but invests it with much more meaning. The phrase is “I am”. Sometimes this phrase means nothing more than “I am” but on other occasions it is the way that Jesus hints at his oneness with God, saying “I share the timeless existence of the Father”. Among these famous phrases are “I am the bread of life”, “I am the way the truth and the life”, “I am the light of the world”, “I am the door” and “I am the resurrection and the life”. Next week we will hear him say “I am the vine” but today we come across Jesus saying “I am the good shepherd”. We don’t follow Jesus because we feel he has some good ideas that will help us get through hard times. We don’t follow Jesus because he has a philosophy that makes us feel good and improves our self-image. We don’t follow Jesus because we’re just like sheep that would follow anyone who promised grass and water. We follow Jesus the Good Shepherd, because we believe that Jesus is the Son of God and because the pastures that he offers us do not simply promise a better life but life itself. The shepherd leads his sheep. But we are not simply sheep that aimlessly follow wherever we are led, because there are some paths that we need to avoid. And so we need to listen out for the true voice of Jesus amid the conflicting sounds of our world as they lure us into thinking that they have the solution to all our promises. Where do we look to in order to hear this word? Where would we expect to find the word of God? We find it in the Church, in the sacraments and in the proclamation of scripture. And we find it in the voice of those who speak with God’s accent. Yet there is no compulsion about belonging to Christ’s flock. Christ is the shepherd not the sheepdog. We enter the fold of our own free will and we remain there on the same condition. What the shepherd offers is guidance and protection.
And so we can celebrate our liturgy about the Good Shepherd by painting a woolly picture of some sheep on a mountainside, or we can accept that if we want to get the most out of life, to eat and drink where pastures are at their freshest, then we have to recognise who our shepherd is and to listen out for where he is leading us.
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ENTRANCE ANTIPHON: The merciful love of the Lord fills the earth; by the word of the Lord the heavens were made. Alleluia.
RESPONSE TO THE PSALM: The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: Alleluia, alleluia! I am the good shepherd says the Lord; I know my own sheep and my own know me. Alleluia!
COMMUNION ANTIPHON: The Good Shepherd has risen, who laid down his life for his sheep and willingly died for his flock, 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 £558.00p. 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.. My name is Cecily Sabino; I go to 9.30am Mass on Sunday. If you can help please contact Fr. Mario on 645 3996 or let 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.
Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes 2024: Brochures & booking forms are now available on the Pilgrimage website: www.shrewsburypilgrimage.co.uk or by ringing 07773 324264, or if you are aged 16- 22 please email youth@dioceseofshrewsbury.org
PILGRIMAGE TO MEDJUGORIE WITH FR MARIO.22nd to 26th June £549 pp sharing or £635 for a single room. Flying from Manchester, 4 star hotel including breakfast & evening meal, local guide & we will be in Medjugorie 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 over the weekend of 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. Thank you.
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.
The Diocese is seeking to recruit a Director of Schools and applications are now open. Details of the role and the application process can be found at https://www.tes.com/jobs/vacancy/director-of-schools-birkenhead-2040730
During the period before a General Election, churches and community organisations often organise election meetings (sometimes known as hustings) where members of the public can listen to and ask questions of the candidates who are standing for election. They do this as an important contribution to the common good. Updated guidance for churches about holding hustings ahead of the coming General Election has recently been published produced collaboratively by the major church denominations. It is intended to help churches organise safe and successful events which comply with the law. Find out more:https://churcheselection.org.uk/CFH/442 and please contact Caritas Shrewsbury (info@caritasshrewsbury.org.uk) for support in this area of work.
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Saturday 20th 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm In Loving Memory of Honor Evans
Fourth Sunday of Easter 21st 9.30am Brian Jones 1st Annv.
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Monday 22nd 9.15am Vincent Torley RIP
Tuesday 23rd 9.15am Francis Firth RIP
Wednesday 24th 9.15am World Peace
Thursday 25th 7.00pm MASS AT ST ANNE’S ONLY
Friday 26th 9.15am Pray for Families
Saturday 27th 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Pray for All 3Parishes, Young People & Good Friendship in the Parishes
Fifth Sunday of Easter 28th 9.30am Betty Crebbin 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 20th 6.00pm Kathleen Gallagher
Fourth Sunday of Easter 21st 11.00am World Peace
Monday 22nd 12 Noon Betty Birch Thanksgiving
Tuesday 23rd 12 Noon Lewis Doyle Remb.
Wednesday 24th 12.Noon Cecilia Okafor Speedy Recovery
Thursday 25th 7.00pm MASS AT ST ANNE’S ONLY
Kilkullen Family
Friday 26th 12 Noon For Families
Saturday 27th 6.00pm All parishioners of our three parishes and young people
Fifth Sunday of Easter 28th 11.00am Brian Glover Annv.
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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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