The Fourth Sunday of Lent, 30th March, 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 Fourth Sunday of Lent, 30th March, 2025. Cycle C
FAITH IN FOCUS: ALWAYS SOMEONE WORSE
We're fond of passing off our troubles with the phrase, "There's always someone worse off than us". Secretly, we're rather glad there is, because we'd hate to think that we were at the bottom of the pile! But by the same token we also end up thinking, "There's always someone worse". (Not worse off, just worse.) We know that we can be bad but we comfort ourselves with the thought that there are a lot of nasty people out there, and I'm certainly not as bad as they are. Newspapers and TV encourage us to think like this by dubbing people as monsters and beasts. And today Jesus is faced in the gospel with some righteous leaders who complain about the company he keeps and the sort of characters he eats with. It seems we always need someone to scapegoat because that makes us feel more worthy. Yet the parable of the prodigal son is about all of us. No honest person can ignore the message of the story. Each one of us can recognise how capable we are of taking a perfectly lovely situation and reducing it to rubble. Spending the money on wine, women and song is merely a symbol of our tendency to mess things up in our own particular way. Now the way God deals with sinners is the way the father dealt with his son. He welcomes them unconditionally and offers them food. That's the hard part for some people. If the sinner were made to go through some public humiliation or dressing down, then they'd be happy. But in fact it's an embrace and a dressing up that awaits the young man. And it's the older brother who finds all this forgiveness too much to take. After all, he's better than his prodigal relation. The story of the prodigal son is an antidote to modern society. For it speaks of things that are given, not earned. It overflows with "concessions" that ring badly in the ears of many. It says that we should rehabilitate not punish, that we should be profoundly moved by someone who sees the error of their ways, and that we should welcome back rather than shut out. To a world thirsty for "justice" it offers only grace.
——————————————————————————————————————————-
ENTRANCE ANTIPHON: Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning; exult and be satisfied at her consoling breast.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Taste and see that the Lord is good.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory. I will leave this place and go to my father and say: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.” Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory!
COMMUNION ANTIPHON: You must rejoice, my son, for your brother was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found.
——————————————————————————————————————————
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: From Monday 31st March all Masses will be held in the Main Church.
Three Parishes Reconciliation Service: will be held at St John’s on Tuesday, 8th April at 7pm.
Last Weeks’ Offertory Collection: this week’s total was £494.58 p. Many thanks for your continued support.
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 get in touch with Ann Murray on 07745490279 regarding general parish queries.
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. 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, 6th APRIL 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.
First Holy Communion Preparation Classes Please keep them in your prayers as they grow in their faith journey.
Parishes of Saints Anne, John & Luke Pilgrimage to St Josephs (Eucharistic Shrine), Stockport Thursday 5th June Price £15 per person. Please bring your own packed lunch. THERE IS A SIGN UP SHEET ON THE TABLE AT THE BACK OF CHURCH IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US ON THE DAY. See Poster at the back of church for the timetable.
FATIMA & MEDJUGORIE 2025: if you are interested in joining Fr Mario on pilgrimage to Fatima on 10th June for 5 days (£650) or to Medjugorie on 16th September for 8 days (£749), please contact Maria Fryer on 07576243343. Flying from Manchester, airport transfer, tour guide, bed, breakfast and evening meal included.
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
Booking for 2025 Jubilee Pilgrimage to Lourdes is now open. The brochure and booking forms are available to download from the Pilgrimage website www.shrewsburypilgrimage.co.uk .
Anointing & Healing Service, Friday 4th April at 7pm at St John’s. Speaker: Fr Chris Thomas. Theme: “And they went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it” (Mk 16:20). All most welcome.
New Offertory Envelope Boxes can be collected at the back of church. If your name is not on the boxes, please take a blank box of envelopes.
Standing Orders are not gift aided unless you completed a Gift Aid Form at the same time. If you would like to gift aid your Standing Order offering, Gift Aid Forms are available from Ann Murray.
IF YOU HAVE RECENTLY COMPLETED A GIFT AID FORM, PLEASE DO NOT TAKE AN UNMARKED BOX OF ENVELOPES. A BOX WITH YOUR NAME ON WILL BE ON THE TABLE FOR YOU TO COLLECT.
Shrewsbury Lourdes Hospitality: You are invited by Shrewsbury Lourdes Hospitality to join them in prayer, saying the Rosary together via Zoom on Wednesdays during Lent. Details secretary@teamshrewsbury.co.uk
Divine Mercy and St Michael Retreat is being held on Friday 2nd May 2.00– 3.30pm at Birkenhead Carmelite Monastery Grosvenor Place, Birkenhead, Prenton, Merseyside CH43 1UA. See poster on the notice board at the back of church for details.
+55 Group next meeting will be held at St Anne’s Club on Tuesday, 1st April at 12.30pm. Speaker: Chantelle Day on the subject of the Alzheimer Society. All welcome. The meeting being held on Tuesday, 6th May at 12.30pm is to Celebrate 80 Years Since the End of WW2. There will be a buffet, raffle & entertainment. If you are attending, please contact Sheila McAllister as she needs to know numbers for catering purposes - RSVP 07484285954. THERE IS A SIGN UP SHEET ON THE TABLE AT THE BACK OF CHURCH.
There is a vacancy within St John’s for the Volunteer Role of Parish Safeguarding Representative. Please speak to Fr Mario if you are interested in applying for this position.
ALTAR SERVERS TRAINING: There will be a training session for all altar servers who wish to serve during the Easter Triduum. This will take place at St John’s Church on Saturday 5th April between 9.00am-10.30am. Altar servers must attend if they would like to serve. Any queries please message Amy on 07595163193.
——————————————————————————————————————————
Saturday 29th 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Helen Westerside RIP
The Fourth Sunday of Lent 30th 9.30am Eileen Spencer RIP
3.00pm Stations of the Cross
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Monday 31st 9.15am Jose McGree Annv.RIP
Tuesday 1st 9.15am Nance Shipman B.day Rem
7.00pm Novena
Wednesday 2nd 9.15am Lenten Novena
7.00pm MASS AT ST ANNE’S ONLY
Thursday 3rd NO MASS
Friday 4th 9.15am Junior School to join us today
Joyce McArdle RIP
7.00pm Anointing & Healing Service
Saturday 5th 10.00am Cenacle Mass
10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Roy Turner RIP
The Fifth Sunday of Lent 6th 9.30am Margaret & Edward Moore RIP
3.00pm Stations of the Cross
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.
—————————————————————————————————————————-
ST ANNE’S WEEKLY MASS INTENTIONS
Saturday 29th 6.30pm For the Parishioners of St. Anne’s,
St. John’s & St. Luke’s and for the Youth
Fourth Sunday of Lent 30th 11.00am John Sherlock RIP
Monday 31st 12noon Vi Gilligan RIP
Jude Gill
Tuesday 1st 12noon Vera Woolfall
Wednesday 2nd 7.00pm MASS AT ST ANNE’S ONLY
Thursday 3rd NO MASS
Friday 4th 11.00am Stations of the Cross
12 noon Stephen Naylor RIP
Saturday 5th 6.30pm John McDonough RIP Anniversary
Fifth Sunday of Lent 6th 11.00am Ron Jones RIP
—————————————————————————————————————————————
Pope Francis’s Prayer Intentions for March 2025
For families in crisis: Let us pray that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, rediscovering each other’s gifts, even in their differences.
———————————————————————————————————————————
