The Transfiguration of the Lord, Sunday, 6th August, 2023, Cycle A
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 Transfiguration of the Lord, 6th August, 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 prayer 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: In a resplendent cloud the Holy Spirit appeared. The Father’s voice was heard: This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.
RESPONSE TO THE PSALM: The Lord is King, most high above all the earth.
GOSPEL ACCLAIMATION: Alleluia, alleluia! This is my Son, the Beloved, he enjoys my favour; listen to him. Alleluia.
COMMUNION ANTIPHON: When Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
MASS TIMES FOR THE Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary:
Vigil Mass: Monday 14th August: 6.00pm at St Anne’s
7.30pm at St John’s
Mass during the day 15th August: 9.30am at St John’s
12 Noon at St Anne’s
There will be NO 9.15am morning Mass at St John’s on the 14th August just the Vigil Mass at 7.30pm.
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 11.00. All are welcome.
Benediction in the traditional form will be held in Church on Sunday, 13th August at 3.00pm. Everyone is most welcome.
Day for Life retiring collection will take place THIS WEEKEND 5th/6th August.
Last Weeks’ Offertory Collection amounted to £443.36p. Thank you for your continued generosity.
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.
Children's Liturgy – is during the 9.30am Mass, all are most welcome.
In Memoriam - Please pray for the repose of the soul of Margaret Allison who died recently. Funeral arrangements to follow. Please keep Margaret and her family in your prayers.
THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2023: Each year, the Holy Father asks for our prayers for a specific intention each month. You are invited to answer the Holy Father's request and to join with many people worldwide in praying for this intention each month. From time to time, the Holy Father may add a second prayer intention related to current events or urgent needs, like disaster relief. The second prayer request will help mobilize prayer and action related to the urgent situation. The Holy Father has entrusted these intentions in a particular way to the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network, an organization that works to encourage Christians to respond to the Pope's appeal and to deepen their daily prayer. You can find more information about the Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network on their website. (The Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network will also publish any urgent prayer intentions of the Holy Father as soon as they are received from the Holy See.)
Pope’s Monthly intention for August: For World Youth Day. We pray the World Youth Day in Lisbon will help young people to live and witness the Gospel in their own lives. A FULL list of the Pope’s intentions for 2023 is on the notice board at the back of church.
World Youth Day 1 - 6 August 2023: World Youth Day (WYD) is the gathering of young people from all over the world with the Pope. It is also a pilgrimage, a celebration of youth, an expression of the universal Church and an intense moment of evangelisation for the youth world. Although its Catholic identity is clearly evident, WYD opens its doors to everyone, no matter how close to or distant from the Church they are. This year, WYD will take place on the 1-6 August in Lisbon, Portugal.
MASS SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAYS: For the next few weeks, the Thursday night Mass will alternate between St Anne’s and 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.
HEALTH AND SAFETY: It is a requirement for all parish groups, using the presbytery and day chapel for meetings, FOR EACH to sign in upon entry to the presbytery and sign out when leaving. The book is located on the hall stand next to the office door. Thank you.
Confirmation 2023 for St John’s and St Anne’s will be held at St John’s on Wednesday, 22nd November at 7.00pm. Will all candidates in Years 9 and above (or their parents) please contact Mike Daly as soon as possible to record their interest? We are asking for volunteers to form a Team of Catechists to take the candidates through the Confirmation Programme. If you are interested in becoming part of the Team, please contact Mike Daly ASAP on 07542463319.
A Card for Fr Bernard: At the back of church there is a card for those who would like to wish Fr Bernard all the best as he takes up a new parish. After celebrating the 37th Anniversary of his ordination on Wednesday, 19th July, Fr Bernard will say his final Mass at Christ the King on Sunday, 27th August, before moving to St Clare’s, Chester.
Welfare Officer: The Diocese is looking to appoint a Welfare Officer. The role is for 3 days per week. Salary: £38 - £42K FTE pro rata depending on experience. For further details of the role and application form, please see the Diocesan website https://www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/latest-vacancies/ Completed application should be sent to Pauline McCulloch recuitment@dioceseofshrewsbury.org Closing date 25 August 2023.
St Philip Neri Parish Pilgrimage to Lourdes, December 2023: the details which were shared with you a few weeks ago have undergone some major changes. The revised itinerary is on the notice board at the back of Church.
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Saturday 5th 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Mary Whitty RIP
The Transfiguration of the Lord 6th 9.30am Sydney Percy 50th Annv. RIP
11.00am Holy Souls (St Luke’s)
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Monday 7th 9.15am Anthony Lawrence Baptista RIP
Tuesday 8th 9.15am Vyskosil Family
Wednesday 9th 9.15am World Peace
Thursday 10th 7.00pm MASS AT ST ANNE’S ONLY
Friday 11th 9.15am Vera Brockway Annv. RIP
Saturday 12th 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Shelagh Delaney 10th Annv. RIP
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 13th 9.30am Mary Ebbrell RIP
11.00am Holy Souls (St Luke’s)
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 and quiet devotion. Please enter the church quietly and remain so. Thank you.
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ST ANNE’S WEEKLY MASS INTENTIONS Saturday 5th 6.30pm Rev Fr John Harris
The Transfiguration of the Lord 6th 1.15pm Blanche Edwards Annv. RIP
Monday 7th 12 Noon Anthony Sullivan Get well
Tuesday 8th 12 Noon Jimmy Belmar Special Int.
Wednesday 9th 12 Noon Andy McNally RIP
Thursday 10th 7.00pm Gloria Brightmore 1st Annv.
MASS AT ST ANNE’S ONLY
Friday 11th 12 Noon Theresa Duggan Bday Annv.
Saturday 12th 6.30pm Deceased members of O’Neill Family
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 13th 11.15am Joanne & David Cartmell 25th Wedding Anniversary
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WORDS FOR WORSHIP: The divinity of Jesus was revealed to us on the top of the mountain. Let's ask that our lives may be transfigured by God's presence here on earth as his Spirit prays through us.
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