3rd Sunday of Lent

Reflection

Days pass and the years vanish, and we walk sightless among miracles. Lord, fill our eyes with seeing, and our minds with knowing. Let there be moments when the radiance of your presence illuminates the darkness in which we walk. Help us to see, wherever we gaze, that the bush burns, unconsumed. And we, clay touched by your hand, will reach out for holiness and exclaim in wonder, “How filled with awe is this place, and we did not know it.”

Novena and Rosary

Novena and Rosary are starting again each Wednesday at 9.30am, just before the morning Mass. All are welcome!

Diocesan Ukraine Appeal

Contact details for making donations of goods or money can be found at the link below. A reminder that we are no longer accepting donations of clothes, but we are still welcoming donations of medical supplies, baby products (such as nappies and formula), toiletries, bedding/sleeping bags and rucksacks, as well as financial donations (all details are on the link).

Funeral

The funeral service for Albert Roby will take place here in St James’ on Friday 25th March at 11.30am. Please remember Albert and his family in your prayers.

Second Collection

This week’s Second collection is for Lenten alms. Next week’s Second Collection is for NUGENT, another mandatory one. Sorry! CAFOD returns still welcome.

2nd Sunday of Lent

Reflection

All of us can experience moments of great joy because, in his goodness, God allows us to taste on earth the joys of the world to come. However, moments of joy, no matter how wonderful, will never satisfy the human heart. What we long for is a permanent state of happiness but that is unattainable here. So what must we do? Like desert travellers, we must go forward from one oasis to another, with the conviction that God has a homeland prepared for us at the end of our journey. This conviction will make it possible for us to travel onwards with an ache in our heart and an unquenchable longing in our soul.

Emergency Appeal For Ukraine

The people of Ukraine are suffering untold privations at this time and Salesians are working on the ground in Ukraine, hosting refugees and looking after vulnerable young people. If you would like to contribute to this work please either send a cheque to Mrs. N. Howell at the Provincial Office, Sharples Park, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 6PQ clearly marked UKRAINE. All cheques should be made out to SDB Trustees, or access the Salesian Just Giving page from the link below to make a donation. If you are a UK taxpayer, the donation can be gift aided.

Funeral

The funeral service for Fred Lowe will take place here in St James’ on Thursday 17th March at 11.30am. Please pray for the repose of Fred’s soul and the comfort of his family.

Second Collection

Next weekend, 19/20 March there will be a second collection for Lenten Alms. This is a mandatory Diocesan collection. Meanwhile, envelopes for CAFOD are still available at the back of Church and can be brought back any time during Lent.

1st Sunday of Lent

Reflection

Repentance of itself is not enough—grace must be available.
But if grace is offered and not accepted,
then nothing comes of that either.
There is no point putting up a sail if there is no wind.
There is no point in planting a seed if the ground is frozen.
There is no point in pruning the tree if spring does not come.
It is not enough to cut into people’s hearts
in order to save them—they must be touched by grace.
Lord, touch our hearts with your grace,
so that we may produce the fruits of repentance.

CAFOD Family Fast Day

Next Friday 11th March is Family Fast Day. There are envelopes at the back of Church today for the CAFOD collection. Please take one, put in your donation and bring it back any Sunday during Lent. Another collection for Lenten Alms will be taken up in a few week’ time. This is a mandatory Diocesan Collection.

Emergency Appeal For Ukraine

The people of Ukraine are suffering untold privations at this time and Salesians are working on the ground in Ukraine, hosting refugees and looking after vulnerable young people. If you would like to contribute to this work please either send a cheque to Mrs. N. Howell at the Provincial Office, Sharples Park, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 6PQ clearly marked UKRAINE. All cheques should be made out to SDB Trustees, or access the Salesian Just Giving page from the link below to make a donation. If you are a UK taxpayer, the donation can be gift aided.

Quiz and Bingo Night

Jack Lyon and Youth Active are organising a Quiz and Bingo Night to help raise money for VIDES UK and its upcoming projects. The event will take place on the 25th March 7pm to 10pm in Brunswick Youth and Community Centre. £4 per person for entry, and a small additional fee to play the quiz and bingo. Bring your own drinks and snacks and come down for a great night raising money for a great cause.

VIDES UK is the charity of the Salesian Sisters who provide many opportunities for young people to get involved in lots of different ways! VIDES worked in our parish, running a summer camp for 5 years between 2007 & 2012. If you are able to, please try to go along and support!

8th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reflection

When I was young and fired with the love of God, I thought I would convert the whole world. But soon I discovered that it would be quite enough to convert the people who lived in my town and I tried for a long time to do that but did not succeed. Then I realised that my program was still too ambitious so I concentrated on those in my own household but I found that I could not convert them either. Finally it dawned on me: I must work on myself. When people complain about what’s wrong with the world, they are usually blaming somebody else. They should look at themselves first. That way, they will know they are making a difference in at least one life. We can’t take anyone farther than we’ve gone ourselves.

Survive Miva

There is a second collection this Sunday for Survive Miva. Someone from the organisation will give a short appeal at the end of each Mass.

Prayer for peace in Ukraine

God of Mercy,
We pray for Ukraine.
For all of humanity distorted by war.
For all the lives lost, homes seized and peace broken.
May the Spirit of comfort and compassion envelop all who dwell in fear.
May the Spirit of wisdom and humility enliven our leaders.
May we affirm the dignity and rights of all.
May we seek peace.
Amen

Ash Wednesday

Wednesday of this week, 2nd March, is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the season of Lent. It is a day of Fast and Abstinence. Masses in the Parish will be at 10am and 7pm. At both Masses ashes will be blessed and distributed.

Funeral

The funeral of Angela Rice will take place here in St James’ on Tuesday 1st March at 11am. Please pray for the repose of Angela’s soul and the comfort of her family.

7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reflection

There are those who give but only on condition that they receive something in return and receive it immediately.
There are those who give on condition that they receive something in return later on and with a handsome profit.
And there are those who give without expecting anything in return now or ever: they scatter the seeds of the heart without looking for any harvest. These are imitating the generosity of God, who bestows his love on good people and bad and grants mercy to saints and sinners.

Survive Miva

Next weekend at both Masses there will be an appeal on behalf of Survive Miva. Someone from the organisation will come to talk to us and there will be a second collection for them.

Marriage Encounter

Want to give your marriage a boost? Treat yourselves to a life changing Marriage Encounter Experience. Our next experiences are 4-6 March, 14 & 21 May and 11-12 June.

Fr Provincial

We welcome Fr Gerry Briody, our Provincial, who is with us on visitation for the next few days. He will lead the Parish Masses this weekend and be meeting various groups and people while he is here.

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reflection

Blessed are the clean of heart;
they will see God.
Blessed are the humble of heart;
they will find rest for their souls.
Blessed are the warm-hearted;
they will radiate goodness.
Blessed are those who work with the heart;
they will find joy in their work.
Blessed are those who do not lose heart;
they will find the strength to persevere.
And blessed are those who set their hearts on the Kingdom of God;
everything else will be given to them.

CAFOD’s walk against hunger Lent challenge

There are 200 million children in the world whose lives are at risk from malnutrition. This Lent, challenge yourself to walk 200km and help give hunger its marching orders. Do 5k a day, your way, for 40 days, get sponsored and you’ll conquer your 200km in time for Easter and help people round the world to live free from hunger. To take part, click the link below.

Funeral

The Funeral Mass for Letty Larkin will take place here in St James’ on Friday 18 Feb at 11.30am. Please pray for the repose of Letty’s soul and the comfort of her family.

Provincial visitation

Our Provincial, Fr Gerry Briody, will be doing the official visitation of our community from 19th -24th February. He will preside at both Masses next weekend and be with us for the days following. I know you will give him a warm welcome when you see him around.

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reflection

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate but that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?” Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We are born to make manifest the Glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Could you be a deacon?

Our Synod Pastoral Plan sets out concrete actions to change our ways of working so our Church becomes more inclusive and engaged with those on the margins.

The ministry of deacons will continue to evolve in the service of the presthood. If you feel this may be your calling, please join Archbishop Malcolm and the diaconate team in a meeting for men who are wondering if they are called to serve and what the formation involves. Wives and supporting priests or deacons are also welcome.

It is on Tuesday 22 Feb 7:30-9 (Refreshments from 7) St Gregory’s Parish house, Weldbank Lane, Chorley PR7 3NW

Funeral

The funeral Mass for Mike Hogan will take place here in St James’ on Tuesday 8th February at 11.30am. Please pray for the repose of Mike’s soul and the comfort of his family.

Mass in honour of Our Lady of Lourdes

This will take place at Christ the King Church, Queens Drive, Childwall, L15 6YQ on Tuesday 11th February at 7:30pm

The Feast of St John Bosco

Reflection

The Holy Spirit spoke to Don Bosco through many different means, including dreams. As a nine year old boy, the Spirit revealed to him the scope and purpose of his life: to teach the young the ugliness of sin (life outside the life giving power of the Spirit) and the beauty of virtue (a life crafted in response to the Spirit's promptings).

To the young, the poor and the abandoned of Turin’s Industrial revolution, the Holy Spirit sent Don Bosco to stir up new flames of hope from the ashes of despair, to breathe transforming dignity into places of shame, and to enkindle a network of meaningful relationships through education, faith formation and responsible social service. Thus, generations were freed from the bleak, dehumanizing cycle of poverty and exploitation… and the ever-expanding Salesian family was born.

In apostolic times, the Holy Spirit commissioned Christian disciples to become witnesses of the Lord, even to the ends of the earth. That same Spirit would inspire Don Bosco to send Salesian missionaries beyond Italy to every continent on the planet. Ever since November 11, 1875, Salesian missionaries have brought the Gospel to every continent, to peoples awaiting the Springtime of Divine Love, inviting them to join the symphony of joy and optimism that comes through knowledge of Christ and active membership in his Body, the Church.

Summary of latest Covid guidelines from the Archbishop

Face coverings are strongly recommended for everyone attending services. There should be the opportunity to sanitise hands before and after entry into church. There should be a return to the normal mode of celebrating Mass and other liturgies though Holy Communion will remain under one kind only (The Sacred Host). There is no longer any need for social distancing. Good ventilation should continue. Holy Water, the sign of peace and use of hymn books can be restored.

Funeral

The funeral Mass for Mary Dunne will take place here in St James’ on Thursday 3rd February at 10am. Please pray for the repose of Mary’s soul and the comfort of the family.

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reflection

Jesus stood up to read from the prophet Isaiah. It was a passage about the coming Messiah. Here he is announcing himself as the Messiah: “the spirit of the Lord has been given to me”. What follows is a “mission statement” of his kingdom - bringing good news to the poor, liberty to captives, sight to the blind. Jesus is the servant king. We are called to be the same. Jesus tells his hearers that, with his own coming, God is visiting his people right now. And he’s visiting every single one of his people, from that day to this.

Sacrament of Confirmation

Any young person currently in Year 8 (or above) is welcome to register to receive the sacrament of confirmation. Registration will close on Monday 21st March. To register they can visit the link below and click ‘Register for Confirmation’ at the top right hand side of the page. Information about the preparation scheme that young people will follow can also be found on the Liverpool Called website.

Feast of John Bosco

Next Sunday, 30th January, we will celebrate the Feast of Saint Bosco, founder of the Salesians, here in the Parish. We are delighted to say that the new Bishop, Bishop Tom Naylon, has agreed to come and celebrate the Mass with us on the Sunday at 10.30am. I know you will give him a warm welcome.

Second Collection

The second collection today is for the White Flower Appeal on behalf of SPUC. There is information material at the back of Church to take away.

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reflection

Jesus brought the wine of God’s love into the world.
Everywhere he went the old was made new.
For the couple at Cana he changed water into wine.
For the widow of Nain he changed tears into joy.
For Zacchaeus he changed selfishness into love.
For the thief on Calvary he changed despair into hope.
And on Easter morning he changed death into life.
Lord, be present with us today and throughout our lives.
And when through human weakness the wine of love is found wanting, touch our hearts and strengthen our wills so that we may taste the wine of unselfish love.

Thank you from CAFOD

Thank you to all parishioners at St James for your generous support of Cafod this year and for your latest donation of £496.87.

Universal Synod 2023

Archbishop Malcolm is calling us to take part in the listening phase of the Universal Synod on synodality 2023, which Pope Francis has invited us all to join. Although we have already engaged with the process as part of Synod 2020, we may find ourselves in a different place on our journey. This may include fresh insights, which will be submitted to the Bishops’ Conference with the summary of the listening phases of Synod 2020. Download discussion questions and submit your responses from 10 Jan to 10 March by clicking on the link below.

Second Collection

Next Sunday, 23rd January, there will be a second collection for the White Flower Appeal on behalf of SPUC. There will be some information material at the back of Church to take away.

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