The Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, 4th February, 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
The Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday, 4th February, 2024, Cycle B,
FAITH IN FOCUS: ALL A BIT TOO MUCH?
You can't help feeling sorry for Job. He's having more than a bad hair day. Everyone admits that he has always been an upright man and that he has never wavered in trying to serve God, even though he is not one of God's chosen people. And then suddenly everything has gone wrong. He's had his family and his livelihood wiped out at a stroke. So much for that God of yours, his friends goad him. How will he respond?
Hopefully we will never experience the depths that Job sank to. But we cannot expect to go through life unscathed, and there are times when we too wonder why God allows us to undergo some troubles and to have to carry certain crosses. If God does not exist then surely the whole thing is a waste of time?
The lessons from the book of Job are many, but one of them rings out loud and clear: the things of this world can never satisfy us by themselves. We always yearn for something more; we long for a deeper experience of life than the mere day-to-day existence of getting and having. It's as if we're programmed to realise that deep down there is something missing from our lives that could make us really happy.
Some people try to fill this hole with wealth. They work themselves to the bone in order to have possessions. And so they get a better car, a bigger house in a posher area, a more exotic holiday each year. Others rush about doing things in order to fill their time. Their diaries become cluttered with a round of meetings, of parties, of going here and there. The activity stops them from having to think about what they are really doing with their lives and although they may be in demand they never experience peace. Then there are those who just opt out. They do the minimum to survive but they contribute nothing to the common good because they think life is just a chore and they probably feel cheated with their share of it.
All of these people are right. There is a hole in life. And it's that sense of emptiness that God longs to fill. God offers us the chance to make sense of all that is happening to us. It is the Lord alone who can heal the broken-hearted. And God alone can raise us up, like Job, to share the hope of a future without blemish.
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ENTRANCE ANTIPHON: O come, let us worship God and bow low before the God who made us, for he is the Lord our God.
RESPONSE TO THE PSALM: Praise the Lord who heals the broken-hearted.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: Alleluia, alleluia! I am the light of the world, says the Lord. Anyone who follows me will have the light of life. Alleluia!
COMMUNION ANTIPHON Let them thank the Lord for his mercy, his wonders for the children of men, for he satisfies the thirsty soul, and the hungry he fills with good things.
Thursday – day of special prayer for victims of trafficking.
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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 & 11.00. All are welcome.
Last Weeks’ Offertory Collection amounted to £509.03p. Retired Priests special collection totalled £518.35p from St Luke’s & St John’s. Many thanks for your continued support in these ever difficult times.
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.
Mass Intention Requests; Please give at least three week’s notice for your Mass intention 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. From the 1st Sunday of Lent, 18th February the children will be invited onto the sanctuary, with their catechists and parents, from the offertory until the sign of peace.
In Memoriam: Please continue to pray for the repose of the soul of Philomena Fletcher who died recently. Please also pray for the repose of the soul of David Dobson who died on 6th January.
Please also pray for the repose of the soul of Honor Evans whose Funeral Mass will be at St John’s this Tuesday 6th February at 1.45pm followed by Blacon Crematorium at 3.20pm. Please keep Philomena’s, David’s and Honor’s families, and all those parishioners and friends who have died, in your prayers and may they and all the faithful departed rest in the peace of Christ.
Wirral Foodbank Appeal: Please help support your Foodbank with food & funds. All items urgently needed are listed on the notice board at the back of church. Please continue to support this as much as you can in these difficult times.
Sunday Morning Teas will be restarting on the first Sunday of each month commencing on the 4th February. Come along for tea/coffee and biscuits whilst enjoying a chat with your fellow parishioners.
Fr Mario's Appeal - How to help: The easiest way to contribute to parish funds is via the collection plate - cash or cheques (made payable to St John's New Ferry) are equally acceptable .If you are a tax payer and have an existing Gift Aid declaration and envelopes, please use these so that tax can be claimed back. Bank transfers: Lloyds Bank, sort code 30-15-52, account no. 54641168, in the name of St John's New Ferry. Please use your name as a reference so that Gift Aid can be claimed if possible. Or contact Carol on 07808 975011.
Please pray for St John’s Junior School Candidates who will be receiving their Sacraments of Forgiveness and Holy Communion soon. Last Sunday they had their Enrolment Mass during which they received their enrolment medals. Well done to them all.
Anointing & Healing Service The next Service will be held on Friday, 1st March. Speaker: Fr Chris Thomas from the Irenaeus Project, Liverpool. Theme: “If you only knew what God is offering....” (John 4:10)”. Leaflets will be on the table at the back of church. See also the poster.
WOMENS' GRACE GROUP: We are looking for new members and hope to provide an opportunity for friendship and understanding of the Scriptures in our everyday lives. Our activities? In fact much is up to you, though we do have ideas and structures! For example Building on the success of our Christmas party with other events to follow, "Talk and Walk" sessions [short walks ending with suitable refreshment], and attending talks and events given by known speakers. Our next meeting is on Tuesday 13th February in the side chapel at St John’s, at 7.00pm. We would love to see you there. Tea and biscuits provided!
Vocations Weekend for Women (20s & 30s) Theme: Discerning God's Call in your life Dates: 16-18 February 2024 Location: Liverpool. The weekend is organised by the Sisters, Faithful Companions of Jesus (FCJ). For more information contact Sr Lynne FCJ at fcjvocationeurope@gmail.com or visit our website www.fcjsisters.org
The Rock Ferry Secular Carmelite community which has been based at St John's for many years has now moved and will be based at St. Anne’s and warmly welcomes the local parishes to join them to share in the charism of Carmel on the 3rd Saturday of each month (next date17th February). Mass 12.30pm. Carmelite Reflection 2.00pm. Adoration 2.30pm. Evening Prayer 3.00pm (Liturgy of the Hours provided).
Lourdes Overland by Jumbulance (Wirral & Chester Across Groups) taking sick and disabled people to Lourdes. Thursday 30 May to Saturday 9th June and Thursday 15th to 24th August. Contact Tony Murphy 07881 656 974. Please see poster at back of church for more information.
Over 55+ Group: Next meeting is on Tuesday, 6th February at 12.30pm in St Anne's Parish Centre. Speaker: Julie Whitehead, a former Bluebell Dancer.
CAFOD Family Fast Day, Friday, 23rd February: 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, 24th March.
There is also a poster on the back of the main church door with details. Thank you for your continued support and generosity.
CHURCH CAR PARK: if you use the area at the back of Church to park for Mass, please park considerately & thoughtfully so that the maximum numbers of cars can be accommodated safely while still allowing clear access in & out. Please drive slowly on the access pathway. Thank you for your cooperation.
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Saturday 3rd 10.00am Cenacle Mass
10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Phillie McLean
The 5th Sunday Ordinary Time. Cycle B 4th 9.30am Maurice O’Gorman
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Monday 5th 9.15am Dec’d Rels Kennedy/McDyre Families
Tuesday 6th 1.45pm Funeral Mass – Honor Evans
7.00pm Novena
Wednesday 7th 9.15am Kathleen Richards & John Crook RIP
Thursday 8th 7.00pm MASS AT ST ANNE’S ONLY
Friday 9th 9.15am Dec’d Rel/Fnds Duff & Manning Families
Saturday 10th 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Dec’d Members of Conway Family
The Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Cycle B 11th 9.30am All Dec’d Friends/Loved Ones of the Elliot Family
3.00pm Benediction
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 3rd 6.30pm Norah White Birthday Annv.
5th Sunday Ordinary Time 4th 11.00am Anne & George McGrory Rem
Monday 5th 12 Noon UCM
Tuesday 6th 1 2 Noon Les Duff Remb
Wednesday 7 th 1 2 Noon Ints. Deboff Family
Thursday 8th 7.00pm MASS AT ST ANNE’S ONLY
Eileen Dunbavin Get well
Friday 9th 12 Noon Vivienne Stewart Sp.Int
Saturday 10th 6.30pm Mary & Tony Duff Remb
6th Sunday Ord. time 11th 11.00am Frank Chew B.day Remem
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Pope Francis’ Intentions for February: is that the sick, who are in the final stages of life, and their families, receive the necessary medical and human care and accompaniment.
