Pentecost Sunday, 19th May, 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
Pentecost Sunday, 19th May, 2024. Cycle B
FAITH IN FOCUS: FRIENDS REUNITED
One of the more amusing stories of the Old Testament is where the Hebrew people decide to build a tower so high that it will pierce the clouds and reach heaven. While they are still building this Tower of Babel, God comes down, scatters the people and disunites them so that they all end up speaking different languages and not understanding each other. This is the origin of our word to “babble”. We hear this story each year on the eve of Pentecost. But on Whit Sunday itself the story comes full circle with the sending of the Holy Spirit. What we see in the Acts of the Apostles is that when the Holy Spirit descended on the Church, the disunity of Babel was reversed and people were once more united. Although they were from many different nations they could all understand the language of the apostles’ preaching. So Pentecost is the Church’s birthday. No longer afraid and huddled together for safety, the apostles come out preaching from the hip. And armed with the Holy Spirit they make converts by the thousand. Yet they could not have done this without the Spirit, without the fire in their bellies. Nor can we do it today. Without the Spirit we are simply a human organisation, at worst a Quango and at best a plausible charity. Yet the Church claims to be much more than this: it professes to be the visible presence of Christ on earth today. So we need the Spirit to breathe life into the Body of Christ. It is the Spirit who constantly purifies us from our tendency to put ourselves first and to seek to control rather than to serve. It is the Spirit who unites us in one body of witness and praise. It is the Spirit who leads us ever deeper into the mysteries of God and reveals his purpose. And it is also the Spirit who inspires us to strive for the best and who empowers us to speak the words that God wants the world to hear. The joyful feast of Pentecost proclaims that the Spirit is at the very heart of everything we do as Church. As St Paul puts it: “Since the Spirit is our life, let us be directed by the Spirit” (Gal 5:25)
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ENTRANCE ANTIPHON: The Spirit of the Lord has filled the whole world and that which contains all things understands what is said. Alleluia,
RESPONSE TO THE PSALM: Send forth your Spirit, O Lord, and renew the face of the earth.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: Alleluia, alleluia! Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love. Alleluia!
COMMUNION ANTIPHON: They will be filled with the Holy spirit and spoke of the marvels of God, Alleluia!
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This Sunday is a Day of Special Prayer for the church
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 £511.06p. Many thanks for your continued 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.
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.
In Memoriam: Please pray for the repose of the soul of Margaret Ellis (Louise Murray’s mother) who died recently. Funeral Mass will be at St John’s on Tuesday, 28th May at 2pm followed by Landican South Chapel at 3.30pm. Please keep Louise and the family in your prayers, and 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.
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. Sunday 2nd June is the next date.
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 and St Anne’s will be held at St Anne’s on Wednesday 27th November at 7.00pm.
Grace Group meeting HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL TUESDAY, 11th JUNE, 7PM. They will be discussing Sarah & Hagar.
Mary’s Meals “Pray in May” for Ethiopia Crisis. Please see poster on the notice board at the back of church for more details.
The Rosary- During the month of May The Rosary is intended as a “mesmerising” prayer. By repeating over and over again certain prayers the mind can be freed from the words and allowed to meditate on the principal mysteries of faith, taken mainly from the scriptures.
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 last session will take place on Monday evening, 20th May at 7pm in Our Lady’s Church, Birkenhead. The session begins with a short time of prayer & should last no longer than 90 minutes. Everyone is welcome.
Rev. Anthony Grace, Missio Diocesan Director requests the pleasure of your company for a Shrewsbury Diocesan Mass for Missio Saturday 1st June 2024 at 11.00 a.m. St Michael & All Angels Church, New Hey Road, Woodchurch, Birkenhead CH49 5LE Celebrant: Rt Rev. Mark Davies, Bishop of Shrewsbury Followed by refreshments in St Michael’s Primary School (next to the Church) To assist us with planning, please RSVP by 24th May: e-mail redbox@missio.org.uk or tel. 07593 544625.
SVP Charity Night in Aid of the Summer Youth Camp: A performance of “The Importance of Being Earnest” will be held at Gladstone Theatre Port Sunlight on Wednesday, 5th June. Tickets £10 can be purchased at the door or from Steve Bell 07854 622522.
Life in the Eucharist for Teens: Sponsored by the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament. It will be presented by teens from Cleveland, Ohio, 10am-6.30pm, and is being held on Saturday, 8th June at the Blessed Sacrament Shrine, 4 Dawson Street, Liverpool L1 1LE. Registration and enquiries to iverpoolshrine@gmail.com
Good Council Network: On Tuesday 21st May, the Vigil of St Rita, please pray and fast for the end of abortion in this Country. Through God’s grace we have seen thousands of Mothers in our counselling centre continue their pregnancies in very difficult circumstances. Please help us to help save lives with your prayers, fasting and support. www.GoodCounselNetwork.com
This year’s Diocesan Mass for Marriage will take place on Saturday June 8th, 12 noon at Saint Columba’s Church Plas Newton Lane, Chester CH2 1SA. If there any of our parishioners who are celebrating a special anniversary in 2024, please provide the following details: -
· Names
· Address
· Which anniversary you are celebrating (this would usually be – 25, 30, 40, 50, 60 or a 1st wedding anniversary)
IMPORTANT NOTE: Any requests for invitations need to be submitted from St John’s parish office rather than on an individual basis; please email the details to stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com, with Diocesan Mass for Marriage as the email title, and we will forward them to the Curial Office. Thank you.
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Saturday 18th 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Ints Michael Coughlan Senior
Pentecost Sunday 19th 9.30am George Elliot RIP
3.00pm Benediction
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Monday 20th 9.15am Margaret Ellis RIP
Tuesday 21st 9.15am Joe Moore RIP
Wednesday 22nd 9.15am June Carr 1st Annv. RIP
Thursday 23rd 7.00pm MASS AT ST ANNE’S ONLY
Friday 24th 9.15am World Peace
Saturday 25th 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Steven Moglione RIP
The Most Holy Trinity 26th 9.30am Graham Sabino 1st Annv 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 18th 6.30pm Les Duff Annv.
Pentecost Sunday 19th 11.00am Maurice Maher Annv.
Jim McIvor 20th Annv.
Monday 20th 12 Noon Jean Saunders Get Well
Tuesday 21st 12 Noon Danny Prendergast RIP
Wednesday 22nd 12.Noon Ints. Vera Woolfall
Thursday 23rd 7.00pm MASS AT ST ANNE’S ONLY
For the sick, health workers and carers
Friday 24th 11.30am Funeral Mass-Joseph McCloskey RIP
Saturday 25th 6.30pm Joe O’Brien B.day Remb
The Most Holy Trinity 26t 11.00am Sylvia Miarioward RIP
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Pope Francis’s Prayer Intentions for May: We pray for those training for the Religious life and for the Priesthood. May they grow to be credible witnesses of the Gospel through the human, pastoral, spiritual, and community formation they receive.
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