Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, 2nd April, 2023, Cycle A
FAITH IN FOCUS: FOR ME: As we enter the climax of the Church's year, Holy Week, we will follow the events of Christ's betrayal, suffering and execution. Then we will rejoice in the glorious event of the resurrection. We'll be doing this together with all the other people in our congregation. Others in our area will celebrate in a similar fashion in their own churches. And the whole world will be united at this special time. Because the Paschal Mystery has such global implications – the fact that Christ died to take away the sins of the world – it's easy to view it at a distance and think that we are contemplating some sort of epic, theological and historical set of circumstances. In fact, we are. It's true that cosmic salvation was wrought by the events of this week. Jesus died to take away the sins of the world. But he also died for me. And for you.Perhaps the most amazing thing about Holy Week is that our God who is such an all-powerful cosmic being, is also bothered about you and me as individuals. God is not some distant ruler who has our names on his books. God offers us a relationship that is as personal as the one we have with family and friends. God loves us not because we are cute, clever or amusing. God loves us because he made us and since he is love he cannot fail to love what he has made.All the songs and hymns we sing during this week tell the everlasting story of the love that has set us free. We are not condemned to wander this earth. We have been rescued by a self-offering that opens the way to making sense of our existence, of our network of relationships with those who share our lives. The message of Calvary is that despite ourselves we are able to be what God intended us to be. To live life in Christ means that God's grace can turn our coldness into heat, our dullness into excitement and our weakness into strength. Through Christ's Passion we are no longer bound to the slavery of sin, are no longer held captive by monotony or threatened by the spectre of annihilation at death. Christ chooses to take all that is weak and frail about us and to turn it into victory. And Christ doesn't simply do this as saviour of the world. He does it for me, here and now.
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ENTRANCE ANTIPHON: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed are you who have come in your abundant mercy!
RESPONSE TO THE PSALM: My God, My God, why have you forsaken me.
GOSPEL ACCLAIMATION: Christ was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross. But God raised him high and gave him the name which is above all names.
COMMUNION ANTIPHON: Father, if this chalice cannot pass without my drinking it, your will be done.
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We welcome our school Children from Years 1 and 2 to morning Mass on Tuesday, 4th April at 9.15am. We also welcome their families, grandparents and friends.
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. Also, during Lent, there will be Adoration from 10:30 to 12 noon. All most welcome.
DIVINE MERCY CELEBRATION AND VENERATION OF 1st CLASS RELIC OF ST FAUSTINA: Led by Fr Peter Prusakiewicz from Poland who travels the world proclaiming and explaining the Divine Mercy devotion and talking about his experience of St Michael the Archangel and Holy Angels, please join us at St Anne’s Rock Ferry from 12 o’clock to 2.30pm on Wednesday 19th April for Holy Mass and a talk, followed by a Eucharistic healing service with veneration of a 1st class relic of St Faustino. There will also be an opportunity to purchase rosaries and the Angels magazine, also information about a Divine Mercy pilgrimage to Poland being organised for September.
DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY -16th April 2023. Confessions 2pm to 2.50pm and Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3pm
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.
P rincipal Services at St John’s for Holy Week: Holy Thursday 6th April: Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7.30pm followed by Watching at the Altar of Repose until 10.00pm.
Good Friday 7th April: Celebration of the Lord’s Passion at 3.00pm.
Churches Together in Bebington Walk of Witness starts at 12 Noon from outside Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight
Holy Saturday 8th April: Easter Vigil Mass at 8.00pm.
Easter Sunday 9th April: Easter Masses at 9.30am ansd11.00am
For the Easter Services, if the choir loft needs to be used, please note that access is restricted to ADULT ONLY (16+)
Please continue to keep all of our sick parishioners in your thoughts and prayers.
Novena to Our Lady of the Perpetual Succour will be held here at St John's on Tuesday at 7pm in the main church. All most welcome.
Children's Liturgy – is during the 9.30am Mass, all are most welcome.
Tea and Coffee: is still suspended for now.
Last Weeks’ Offertory Collection amounted to £624.10p. Thank you for your generosity in these difficult times.
In Memoriam- For those parishioners and friends of Peggy McAllister who would like to send cards and/or Mass cards, the address is John & Denise, 85 Hooton Road, Willaston, Cheshire CH64 1SQ. Peggy’s Funeral Mass will be here at St John’s on Monday 3rd April at 11.00am followed by Cremation at Landican at 12.30pm. You are welcome to join the family for refreshments at The Saddle Club, Roman Road, Prenton, CH43 3DB. Please also keep in your prayers Doreen Fitzgerald who died recently. Doreen’s Funeral will be held at St John’s on Friday, 28th April at 1.30pm followed by Cremation at Landican at 3.00pm. May all the faithful departed rest in the peace of Christ.
The Chrism Mass will be held at St. Anthony’s, Dunkery Road, Woodhouse Park, Wythenshawe, M22 0WR on Wednesday, 5th April at 7pm.
CAFOD Family Fast: CAFOD envelopes are available on the table at the back of church. (If you are a taxpayer, please complete the Gift Aid section). Envelopes can be returned up to and including Palm Sunday, 2nd April.
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.
MASS SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAYS IN MARCH AND APRIL:
You may have noticed from the Mass Intentions section that some changes to the Thursday evening Mass schedule have taken place; the timetable until the end of April is as follows:
Thursday 06/04, Holy Thursday: Masses at both St John’s & St Anne’s
Thursday 13/04: 7pm Mass at St John’s only
Thursday 20/04: 7pm Mass at both Churches
Thursday 27/04: 7pm Mass at St Anne’s only
Watch this space for any updates!
Confirmation 2023 for St John’s and St Anne’s will be held at St John’s on Wednesday, 22nd November at 7.00pm. Will all candidates in Years 9 and above (or their parents) please contact Mike Daly to record their interest ASAP.
SVP Membership Support Officer (MSO) The St Vincent de Paul Society would like to recruit a MSO for the Shrewsbury Diocese. A part time role (15 hours per week) working as part of the SVP Membership Team, to support member recruitment and development, provide general support for members and be the link between local Conferences and National Office. The role is home based but requires the ability to travel around the diocese to make recruitment appeals, work with existing groups, attend meetings and meet with interested parties where appropriate. Own transport essential and travel expenses are paid. For further information and details of how to apply, contact Lance Philpott, Head of Membership at lancep@svp.org.uk Closing date for applications is Sunday 16 April 2023.
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Saturday 1st 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Anne & Chris Oakley 1st Wed Annv
Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord 2nd 9.30am Rev Philip White RIP
11.00am Janina Hanczaryk Annv. (St Luke’s)
3.00pm Stations of the Cross
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Monday 3rd 11.00am Funeral Mass - Peggy McAllister
Tuesday 4th 9.15am Mass with the children from Years 1 & 2
Betty Crebbin Annv RIP
7.00pm Novena
Wednesday 5th 9.15am Sean Nugent 1st Annv RIP
Mass of the Lord’s
Supper 6th 7.30pm Steve Sanderson RIP
Good Friday Celebration of the Lord’s Passion 7th 3.00pm For the Holy Places
Saturday Easter Vigil Mass 8th 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
8.00pm For Parishioners & their Families
Easter Sunday 9th 9.30am Mary Capper
11.00am Ints Beverley Hancock (St Lukes)
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 during Lent
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Saturday 1st 6.30pm Nicholas Codd 11th Anniversary
Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord 2nd 11.15am Martin Patrick Gorman 1st Annv.
Monday 3rd 12 Noon UCM Intentions
Tuesday 4th 12 Noon The Locke Family Ints.
Wednesday 5th 12 Noon John Price Anniv.
The Lord’s Supper 6th 7.00pm John McDonough Anniv.
Good Friday 7th 3.00pm The Holy Places
Saturday Vigil Mass 8th 8.00pm Mary Duff B’day Remembrance
Easter Sunday 9th 11.15am Daniel Brett Remembrance
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