The Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, 14th January, 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 Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sunday, 14th January, 2024, Cycle B,
FAITH IN FOCUS: THE POWER TO CHANGE: Can a leopard change its spots? Not if it's a leopard; but it can if it's a person. This is the fundamental message of grace. We see it time and time again when people's lives are touched by God. It is not so much that they themselves do the changing as that God is able to transform them by grace. Jesus indicates this in the case of Peter in today's gospel. Your name is Simon, he tells him. But you will become Cephas (Peter) which means Rock. Peter's friends would have found this nickname quite amusing for they knew Simon Peter well. They knew that if there was one thing that he wasn't, it was steady as a rock. In fact, he was really quite the opposite: he was volatile, unpredictable and unreliable. So Rock was hardly the best way to describe him. But what Jesus was doing in changing Peter's name was pointing to the fact that grace is able to transform, to modify what we are and do. It doesn't damage our personalities; it builds on our nature and allows the best to be brought out of us while leaving us basically the same person that we were to begin with. So, from being the up-and-down fisherman that he was, Peter would gradually be transformed into a leader, into a fervent teacher and preacher, into the Bishop of Rome and into such a sturdy advocate of faith that he gave his life for Christ. In a certain sense we can say that each one of us spends our whole lives changing our names. Every day is a call from God to respond to grace and to hone those qualities within us that God has planted for the good of the Church and the world. At birth we were each given a name. At baptism we began a journey whose destination bears a completely different title: our name in Christ. God does not intend you to have the same name as me; the graces given to you are for a different purpose than mine, since you are unique to God's plan. We can change and we do change our spots. Jesus called Simon to become Peter. What name is he calling you to become?
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ENTRANCE ANTIPHON: All the earth shall bow down before you, O God, and shall sing to you, shall sing to your name, O Most High!
RESPONSE TO THE PSALM: Here I am Lord! I come to do your will.
GOSPEL ACCLAIMATION: Alleluia, alleluia! Speak, Lord, your servant is listening: you have the message of eternal life. Alleluia!
COMMUNION ANTIPHON: You have prepared a table before me and how precious is the chalice that quenches my thirst.
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Priests Retirement Fund: There will be a second collection over the weekend of 20th/21st January. Thank you for your continued support.
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 £483.75p. Total of the collection for our visiting seminarian, Emmanuel, taken over the last 2 weekends (9.30am Mass on 31/12 and 5.00pm Mass on 06/01) amounted to £400 (£220 and £180). Many thanks for your continued support in these 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.
In Memoriam: Please pray for the soul of Philomena Fletcher who has died recently. Funeral details will follow. Please keep Philomena’s family 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 as soon as possible. We are looking for volunteers from St John’s and St Luke’s to form a rota system. If you are interested, please contact Noelene Evans on 645 6055. To date Noelene has 4 volunteers.
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.
WE WELCOME St John’s Junior School Candidates for First Sacraments who will be joining us, with their parents/carers, at 9.30am on Sunday, 28th January for their Enrolment Mass during which they will also receive their enrolment medals.
St John’s Catholic Pre School - St John's Catholic Infant School: If your child will be 3 years of age by 31st August 2024, they will be able to join us for their Pre School year starting September 2024.You are invited to come along to our OPEN EVENING Tuesday 23rd January 2024 3.45pm – 4.30pm. You will be able to collect an application pack and view our setting.
PLEASE NOTE this session is for ADULTS ONLY, we are unable to accommodate children at this time. Any queries please email Bernadette at Preschooloffice@stjohns-infant.wirral.sch.uk
CAFOD, the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, is build a better world. They also need people to visit our looking for people to give just a little time and join them in their mission. Could you help in our parish, to local schools: Training & support provided. See cafod.org.uk/Volunteer for more information or contact shrewsbury@cafod.org.uk or could you take part in The Big Lent Walk? cafod.org.uk/walk
The Church relies on people getting involved. Our parish, our community, our world needs you. Could your New Year’s resolution be getting more involved in the life of our church? Could you give a bit of time to help our parish flourish?
Lourdes Hospitality Next Meeting: A meeting of the Shrewsbury Lourdes Hospitality will take place at St Columba's Church (meeting room), Plas Newton Lane, Chester CH2 1PL on Saturday 20th January at 2pm. All members of the Hospitality are welcome to attend.
Anointing & Healing Service was held at St John’s last Friday evening and many people were inspired by the words of Deacon John Boggan. 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. Please pass them on to anyone who you feel would like to attend the next service.
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Saturday 13th 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Mary Hedges-Elcock RIP
Second Sunday in Ord Time. Cycle B 14th 9.30am Pauline Oxton RIP
3.00pm Benediction
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Monday 15th 9.15am Carol Gribben RIP
Tuesday 16th 9.15am Mary Shipman RIP
Wednesday 17th 9.15am Mike Barry
Thursday 18th 7.00pm MASS AT ST JOHN’S ONLY
For the Sick, Health Workers & Carers
Friday 19th 12 Noon MASS AT ST ANNE’S ONLY
Saturday 20th 10.00am Carmel Mass – Thanksgiving for all Outing & Incoming Council Members
10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Cathy Williams RIP
The Third Sunday in Ord Time 21st 9.30am Jenny Inglis
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 13th 6.30pm William White B.day Remembrance
Second Sunday in Ord Time 14th 11.00am Ints Piccarivo Family
Monday 15th 12 Noon Funeral Mass Anne McGrory
Tuesday 16th 12 Noon Lewis Doyle 5th Ann.
Wednesday 17th 12 Noon Norah Murray
Thursday 18th 7.00pm MASS AT ST JOHN’S ONLY
Friday 19th 12 Noon MASS AT ST ANNE’S ONLY
Sp. Ints. Mary Buckley
Saturday 20th 6.30pm Terry Birch 24th Ann.
The Third Sunday in Ord Time 21st 11.00am Holy Family Sisters of Bordeaux
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Pope Francis' Intentions for January: "We pray that educators may be credible witnesses, teaching fraternity rather than competition and helping the youngest and most vulnerable above all."
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