The Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, 9th February, 2025. Cycle C
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 9th February 2025, Cycle C
FAITH IN FOCUS: OVERCOME
What links Isaiah and the disciples of today’s gospel? They were both overawed when faced with the presence of God. Isaiah had a vision of God and the overwhelming feeling was one of holiness. Angels kept singing the word “holy”, making Isaiah feel even more unclean and sinful. Similarly, when Peter, James and John saw how many fish they’d netted they were overcome with awe. This wasn’t because they’d caught lots of fish but because they realised they were in the presence of someone special.
Holiness is God’s trademark. Yes, there’s love, mercy, justice, compassion etc. But it’s holiness that marks God out as special. In fact, holiness means being set apart, being different from, being completely other. Some people never grasp the holiness of God. They practise their religion as if they were doing God a favour. After all, they could stop coming to church and offer their services to some local or national charity instead. I’m sure the Hospice Shop or Rotary would welcome them with open arms. But this is to miss the point.
True faith comes as a response to God’s holiness. It’s a result of realising the immenseness of God’s glory and grandeur, of his “otherness”. And to glimpse God’s holiness means to be drawn into the only possible response: to try and be as like God as is humanly possible. When Isaiah had his moment his reaction was first to say “I’m a man of unclean lips” and only later was he able to say “Send me.” Peter’s reaction to the holiness of Jesus was to shout out, “Leave me, Lord; I’m a sinful man” and only later follow him.
When we attend church we’re not doing God a favour. We’re not showing others how good we are, how loyal is our brand of Christianity. We come because we’ve experienced something of God’s holiness in our lives and feel moved to react. That’s why at our liturgy we first listen to God’s “holy” word and only then respond in praise. It’s not so much what we do as what we allow God’s holiness to provoke within us. We can only worship God when we’ve been overcome by holiness.
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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: Before the angels I will bless you, O Lord.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: Alleluia, alleluia! I call you friends, says the Lord, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my Father. 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.
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TUESDAY IS A WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE SICK AND FRIDAY IS A SPECIAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR EUROPE
Please pray for Mark, eleventh Bishop of Shrewsbury on the anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood on Tuesday in 1984.
Tuesday morning we welcome Year 1 children and their families from St John’s Infant School.
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 11.00am- 11.30am.
All morning services will take place in St Anne’s house at St John’s Monday and Friday Masses will be held in the Day Chapel, Tuesday and Wednesday Masses will remain in the main Church.
Last Weeks’ Offertory Collection: this week’s total was - £566.36p. Many thanks for your continued support..
The next Healing Service is due to take place on the first Friday in April. All most welcome.
Further to the recent Boiler appeal, a separate bank account has now been set up specifically to ‘ring fence’ contributions to the new boiler fund. Please make cheques payable to St John’s New Ferry and write 29001/NFJ/DU on the reverse. Cash donations should be placed in an envelope with 29001/BNFJ/DU written on the outside.
Thank you for the further generous donations received towards the Boiler Fund.
Bookings for the reception & Celebration of Sacraments: Baptism, Holy Communion, Confirmation & Wedding, Please enquire & arrange for these through the parish emails / Secretaries of St. Anne’s & St. John’s. Also contact the Parish Priest/ Administrator through 0151-645-3314 You can also get in touch with Carol Dalziel on 7808975011 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. We are receiving numerous Mass intentions for the same dates. Every effort is taken, but it is impossible to fulfil every request as dates have already been filled and, therefore, we will deal with them on a first come first serve basis. If a particular date is requested please give at least THREE week’s notice. If the date has been filled, we will put your intention in as near as possible to the original date. Thank you for your patience and co-operation.
In Memoriam: Please continue to pray for all our parishioners who have recently died and their grieving families. May they and all the faithful departed, rest in the peace of Christ.
Children's Liturgy – takes place during the 9.30am Mass. All are most welcome.
Sunday Morning Teas continue on the first Sunday of each month. Come along for tea/coffee & biscuits whilst enjoying a chat. The next date is SUNDAY 2nd MARCH 2025.
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.
The Registration for First Holy Communion Preparation Classes has now started and the preparation classes for the children will commence at the beginning of February. Kindly contact the parish office for the registration form. These forms are for children who do not attend a catholic school. See poster on the notice board at the back of church.
From Shrewsbury Lourdes Hospitality: Father Pat Munroe will celebrate Holy Mass on Tuesday 11th February for the Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes. Hospitality members are invited to join him at 7.00pm at St Hugh and St John, West Timperley WA14 5NB . If you have any questions, or need further information, please contact secretary@teamshrewsbury.co.uk
LOURDES ROADSHOW: In this Jubilee Year of 2025, Bishop Mark has asked that our diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes will be our Jubilee Pilgrimage. To help raise the profile of the pilgrimage and to answer any questions your parishioners might have, we have organised two roadshows for those who are interested in joining our annual diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes. Our second roadshow will be on 15th February 2pm-4pm at St Anthony’s, Wythenshawe. Information and register of interest cards will be available, and members of the Lourdes Management Team will be present to answer any questions.
Discover Catholic Social Teaching – An Online Course for Parishes Are you ready to explore the heart of Catholic Social Teaching? Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN) invites you to join Catholic Social Teaching: An Introduction, a dynamic online course designed specifically for parishioners, staff, and volunteers. Whether you’re new to Catholic Social Teaching or looking for a refresher, this course will inspire and empower you to bring your faith to life. When and Where?
Five one-hour Zoom sessions
📅 Every Tuesday in March and Tuesday, 1 April 2025
🕒 Convenient and flexible timing for all
What’s in Store? Learn the key principles of Catholic Social Teaching in an accessible and engaging way. Hear real-life stories from CSAN members working on the frontlines of poverty and exclusion, bringing theory to life. Be inspired to put your faith into action within your parish and community. Just £95 for all five sessions!
This includes a copy of Raymond Friel’s "Catholic Social Teaching: An Introduction for Schools, Parishes, and Charities." Ready to Take the Next Step?
For any questions, feel free to reach out to Bernadette at bernadette.durcan@csan.org.uk. Let’s deepen our understanding of Catholic Social Teaching and work together to transform our communities with the love and justice of Christ!
Lenten lunches- Soup will be served after 12 o’clock Mass at St Anne’s church every Friday during Lent. If you are available to help please contact Paddy on 07862 11712
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Saturday 8th 5.00pm Ted Corrigan RIP
The Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time 9th 9.30am Eileen Spencer RIP
3.00pm Benediction
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Monday 10th 9.15am Ints Sheila Green
Tuesday 11th 9.15am Thomas & Mary McLoughlin RIP
Wednesday 12th 7.00pm Mary (Molly) Devine Anniv RIP
MASS AT ST JOHN’S ONLY
Thursday 13th NO MASS
Friday 14th 9.15am Decd Rel/Frnds Bell & Nugent Fams
Saturday 15th 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Patricia Doolan
The Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time 16th 9.30am Linda McCaffery 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 8th 6.30pm Norah White Birthday
The Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time 9th 11.00am Michael Coughlan RIP
Monday 10th 12 noon Joan Turner Thanks Giving
Chris, Dot & Ian
Tuesday 11th 12 noon Bert Suffield RIP UCM
Wednesday 12th MASS AT ST JOHNS’S ONLY
Thursday 13th NO MASS
Friday 14th 12 noon Funeral Mass – John Pickering
Chris Brett RIP – Pray for Europe
Saturday 15th 12 noon Carmelite Mass
6.30pm Phillip O’Sullivan RIP
The Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time 16th 11.00am Pat & Phil McCarthy
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Pope Francis’s Prayer Intentions for February 2025
For vocations to the priesthood and religious life
Let us pray that the ecclesial community might welcome the desires and doubts of those young people who feel a call to serve Christ's mission in the priesthood and religious life.
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National Marriage Week for 2025 runs between the 7th-14th of February. Please pray for all marriages during this week. You will find some resources on the diocesan website, in particular a novena for marriage week and prayer. The Novena has also been arranged in Booklet form and can be downloaded and printed off as needed. There is also a link to the Bishops Conference of England and Wales, to the message from Bishop Bosco MacDonald, who is the lead Bishop for Marriage and Family Life
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