The Second Sunday in Lent, 5th March, 2023, Cycle C
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Mario Ashuikeka and Fr Emmanuel Chukwujekwu
Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites http://www.stjohntheevangelistnewferry.com
The Second Sunday of Lent, 5th March, 2023. Cycle A
FAITH IN FOCUS: WONDER AND DELIGHT People often say that the thing they most enjoy at Christmas is the look on small children's faces as they open their presents. We all know what they mean. The wide eyes, the squeals, the laughter and excitement. The word that actually describes these children, a word that we don't use that much these days, is delight. We’ve all experienced delight in some form or other. We've all experienced something so magnificent or wonderful that the only response we can make is one of praise. Perhaps the birth of a baby, a fantastic view, a great wine, an unexpected gift or favour, or even a proposal of marriage (!) has done it for us! At any rate, whatever it is, we just couldn't stay silent about it.The transfiguration teaches us a lot about our relationship with God. The disciples were so thrilled, so delighted, that they wanted to keep the whole thing going by putting up three tents where they could keep enjoying Jesus, Moses and Elijah…their three heroes.This is what worship is about, keeping up the delight and wonder at our hero-God. When we come to church on Sundays it is with this awe and wonder of having experienced the life-giving presence of God during the week. We come not as miserable subjects under some obligation, but as children of God who have been gifted daily in so many ways. And we come to experience more of it.Liturgy is our proclamation of delight at having the God that we do have. The hymns and songs are not there to make us feel good; they're there to praise God for bothering to call us sons and daughters. Our Sunday worship springs from gratitude; it is the heartfelt response to the beauty and majesty of God visible all around us in the people and events of our lives. Yet liturgy is not all about what we are doing. Through our payer and praise God reveals further delights to us as we grasp this love at ever-deeper levels. We have a delightful God! And when our preliminaries are over and we sit to listen to God's word in the scriptures, that same voice calls to us from the clouds and says, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him!"
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ENTRANCE ANTIPHON: Of you my heart has spoken: Seek his face. It is your face, O Lord, that I seek; hide not your face.
RESPONSE TO THE PSALM: May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you.
GOSPEL ACCLAIMATION: Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory! From the bright cloud the Father’s voice was heard: “This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.”
COMMUNION ANTIPHON: This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.
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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.
Novena to Our Lady of the Perpetual Succour will be held here at St John's on Tuesday, 7th March at 7pm in the main church. All most welcome.
Mother’s Prayers - meet on the third Tuesday of each month at 7pm, to pray for their children and grandchildren and offer each other support. The next meeting will be on Tuesday 21st March. All are most welcome to attend,
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.
Please continue to keep all of our sick parishioners in your thoughts and prayers.
Lenten Reconciliation Service with Confession will be held here at St John’s on Friday 17th March at 6.00pm.
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 £558.77p. Thank you for your generosity in these difficult times.
A collection will be held on the 19th March for the Holy Family Fathers and Brothers of the Youth. Envelopes are available on the table at the back of the church. Please take an envelope and return by the 19th March. Many thanks for your continued generosity.
In Memoriam- Please pray for the repose of the soul of John Webster whose Funeral Service is on 8th March, at 10.30am at St John's. Also, continue to pray for the repose of the soul of Frank Morris whose Funeral Mass is at St John’s on Monday 13th March at 11.00am followed by burial at Bebington (Town Lane ) 12.30pm. We have also heard this week of the death of Joan Kinsella who died, unexpectedly and peacefully in her sleep. Joan was an active member in the parish for many years.
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Peggy McAllister who died on Tuesday afternoon. Mike had been to give her communion and she died 30 minutes after he had left. Peggy was our oldest parishioner at 101 years young. She will be sadly missed. May these and all the faithful departed rest in peace of Christ.
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.
“Sadly, Traidcraft has gone into Administration. Traidcraft has been a part of the parish for over 40 years & we would like to thank everyone who gave their support . A letter informing us of this news is on the Notice Board at the back of the Church”. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Eileen and Steve Bell for their faithfulness to Traidcraft within St John’s.
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.
Housekeeper Vacancy. A vacancy has arisen for a Housekeeper at St Anne’s presbytery, Rock Ferry for 15 hours per week @ £10 per hour. Applications should be sent to Pauline McCulloch, email recruitment@dioceseofshrewsbury.org by Monday 10 March. For more information, please follow link https://www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Housekeeper-St-Anne-Feb23.docx
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 09/03: 7pm Mass at St John’s only
Thursday 16/03: 7pm Mass at both Churches
Thursday 23/03: 7pm Mass at St Anne’s only
Thursday 30/03: 7pm Mass at both Churches
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!
Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes 2023: Booking is now open for this year’s Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes. Under the leadership of Bishop Mark, the theme for our pilgrimage will be "... tell the priests to build a chapel here". This year’s overland pilgrimage will depart on Thursday 27 July returning on Friday 4 August. Those pilgrims wishing to fly will depart from Liverpool airport on Friday 28 July returning on Thursday 3 August. More details, brochure and booking forms are available on the pilgrimage Poster at back of church website http://www.shrewsburypilgrimage.co.uk . Young pilgrims (aged 16 - 22) who wish to join us in Lourdes and offer their time and energy to assist and serve the sick and elderly pilgrims are asked to contact Sandy Fairley at the Youth Mission Team (youth@dioceseofshrewsbury.org) for more details.
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Saturday 4th 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
Second Sunday of Lent Cycle A 5th 5.00pm Welfare of Noelene Evans
9.30am Philomena McLean RIP
Enrolment Mass for First Forgiveness children
11.00am Jack & Lilly Rolston Annv. (St Luke’s)
3.00pm Stations of the Cross
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Monday 6th 9.15am For Vocations
Tuesday 7th 9.15am Ints Shelagh Green (Operation)
7.00pm Novena
Wednesday 8th 9.15am World Peace
Thursday 9th 7.00pm The Homeless
Friday 10th 9.15am Ints. St John’s SVP
Saturday 11th 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Mary Phil McLean RIP
Third Sunday of 12th 9.30am Mrs H McRory RIP (Dungannon) Lent Cycle A 11.00am Richard & Charles Quinlin RIP (St Luke’s)
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 and quiet devotion during Lent
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ST ANNE’S WEEKLY MASS INTENTIONS
Saturday 4th 6.30pm Veronica Blong 1st Annv
Second Sunday of Lent 5th 11.15am Betty Park RIP
Monday 6th 12 Noon UCM Intentions
Tuesday 7th 12 Noon Robert Henderson Birthday Remembrance
Wednesday 8th 12 Noon Kath McGenity Annv,
Thursday 9th 7.00pm MASS AT ST JOHN’S ONLY
Friday 10th 12 Noon Special Intention
Saturday
Saturday
Third Sunday of Lent 11th 6.30pm Elsa Kemp Special Intention
12th 11.15am Martin Patrick Gorman Birthday Remembrance
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