St James Bootle
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
St James Bootle
Christmas
Christmas
St James Bootle
4th Sunday of Advent
4th Sunday of Advent
St James Bootle
3rd Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday)
3rd Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday)
St James Bootle
2nd Sunday of Advent
2nd Sunday of Advent

Christmas Arrangements at St James'

The situation in the country at present means that our celebration of Christmas will be more subdued and controlled.  On Christmas Eve our First Mass of Christmas will be at 8pm.  On Christmas day there will be Masses at 10am and 11.15am.  The Masses will be simple and with no singing, only quiet music played over the speakers.

Following guidelines sent by the Diocese, entrance to all the Masses will be by ticket only, to limit the numbers in Church.  56 tickets are available for each Mass.  10 of these tickets can be “Family tickets” which allows up to 4 people from the same family or bubble to sit together.  The rest are individual tickets.

Tickets will need to be booked in advance.  For tickets for the Christmas Eve Mass at 8pm please ring Rita on 07716396010  or on Email at nshannon@sky.com.  For Christmas Day tickets ring the Parish office on 0151 933 8022.   Once all the tickets have gone for a particular Mass, no one else will be allowed in.  This is not what we would have wanted, but we recognise the safety demands of our gatherings.  The stewards on duty will show people to their seats.

Our intention is to “live stream” the 10am Mass on Christmas morning, which might help those unable to attend.


MASSES DURING THE CHRISTMAS SEASON


BOXING DAY:                          MASS 10AM.

27TH DECEMBER:                     MASS 10AM

28TH DECEMBER:                     MASS 10AM

29TH DECEMBER:                     MASS 7PM.

30TH DECEMBER:                     MASS 10AM.

31ST DECEMBER:                     MASS 10AM.

1ST JANUARY:                          MASS 10AM.

2ND JANUARY:                         NO MASS.

3RD JANUARY:                          MASS 10AM.

4TH JANUARY ONWARDS:         NORMAL WEEKLY PATTERN FOR MASSES.

Online Christmas Market

The joyous Christmas season is approaching! The season that is filled with love, family and, most importantly, God.

As you may be aware, Sisters from the St. Elisabeth Convent (Minsk, Belarus) are unable to participate in annual Christmas markets in our region due to travel restrictions. Nevertheless they have found a great way to spread the Christmas joy, love and deeds of mercy.

They are launching the very first Online Christmas Market this year, so that people from all over the world can purchase Christmas presents and souvenirs made with love and continuous prayer.

Please, click here to participate:

Through purchasing beautiful Christmas gifts each one of us will be able to serve the poor, sick, homeless and lonely people. Because every item purchased at the Online Market is a donation towards one of the Convent’s ministries.

The Online Christmas Market of St. Elisabeth Convent offers a range of unique handmade items that will make memorable Christmas gifts, including:

  • traditional hand painted Christmas ornaments;

  • wooden toys and souvenirs;

  • Santa Claus and Father Frost figures;

  • handcrafted Christmas tree baubles;

  • Nativity scenes and sets;

  • Christmas themed ceramics and glass products;

  • Orthodox Nativity icons;

  • Russian matryoshka dolls and much more.

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Sisters are sending their prayers and blessings from Minsk.

PS - Throughout the pandemic and shutdowns, the Sisters were able to continue running and supporting their multiple social ministries that care for the vulnerable and sick nearby the Convent. Their biggest inspiration has been Saint Elisabeth who helped the sick and the needy during her lifetime.

National Youth Sunday 2020

National Youth Sunday is a unique opportunity to celebrate the role and significance of young people in the Catholic Church in England and Wales today.

Celebrated on the Feast of Christ the King, National Youth Sunday is an opportunity to recognise young people as a gift in the Church, enable the youth ministry and parish community to celebrate young people and affirm the contribution of young people in the Church and those who work with them. NYS takes place on Sunday 22nd November 2020.

This year the theme is Together. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every part of life. The way we live, work, study, play and pray has all changed. The most significant change has been that we have not been able to do many of those things together. This year’s theme recognises what it means to be ‘together’; with ourselves, with others and with God.

To come out of this crisis better than before, we have to do so together; together, not alone. Together. Alone no, because it cannot be done. Either it is done together, or it is not done. We must do it together, all of us, in solidarity.

Pope Francis, September 2020

As we learn to live together again alongside the COVID-19 virus, the world isn’t quite the same as it was. But there is still much to make us hopeful.

There is something special about being together – being a part of a community – it is our togetherness which tells us who we are. It heals us and makes us complete.

Let’s celebrate National Youth Sunday together!

Visit the Youth Sunday website:

 
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Lockdown and Public Communal Worship

Following yesterday's statement of the Prime Minister, the government's guidance required banning communal worship among other things. This is very troubling as acts of worship, especially the Eucharist, are central and essential. Cardinal Vincent Nichols together with our Archbishop Malcolm McMahon have released a statement, part of which reads:

"Our communities have done a great deal to make our churches safe places in which all have been able to gather in supervised and disciplined ways. It is thus a source of deep anguish now that the Government is requiring, once again, the cessation of public communal worship. Whilst we understand the many difficult decisions facing the Government, we have not yet seen any evidence whatsoever that would make the banning of communal worship, with all its human costs, a productive part of combatting the virus."

The draft legislation will be placed before Parliament on Monday 2 November. One of the suggestions from the bishops is to contact local MPs regarding the cessation of public common worship. Please consider taking action.

Read the full statement of the bishops here: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/statement-from-the-president-and-the-vice-president-of-the-conference-on-the-prime-ministers-statement/

More on this topic: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54768430

Bootle Brownies meet again

Our Brownies have recently enjoyed their first outdoor meeting since the lockdown. They met to get together and say goodbye to our Year 6 leavers from the summer term and to celebrate their time in the Brownies. To mark this occasion they all received special leaving gifts: a special Girlguiding badge for 2020 (“spending time apart but together at heart - conquering the covid crisis in 2020”).

All the girls had a great time. There were many games and plenty of food. Hotdogs made by John and butties prepared by Marie were especially popular! The event was fully risk assessed, and all guidelines were followed.

New Brownies are now welcome to join and the waiting list is open. Do you know anyone who might be interested? Contact Sue or send us a message for more details.

How great to meet together again!

New RCIA course at St James'

Each year in St James’ we run an RCIA course.* We meet on Wednesday evening at 7:30pm in St James’ Parish House. It is designed for inquirers from other Christian Groups or adults who have not been baptized. Sometimes people are apprehensive but soon settle in and enjoy it. There is no exam! We just discuss what is believed by Catholics and prepare for formal welcome into the Church at Easter next year. You could phone the parish at 0151 933 8022 or Rita 07716396010 or Fr Michael on 944 5456 and leave your name and phone number. Thank you.

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (R.C.I.A.) is an ancient rite of the Church which was re-established at The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). Adults who have already been baptized in another Christian denomination (C.of E., Presbyterian,etc.) with the correct words of baptism AND adults who have not been baptized but who wish to become Catholics, attend a number of meetings -minimum 18 hours or so- over a year or more with catechists.  Then they meet  the bishop of the diocese at the Rite of Election on the first Sunday of Lent.  At the Easter Vigil in their own parish they receive the relevant sacraments i.e. baptism if required, Confirmation and Eucharist. In St. James' parish we have an R.C.I.A. team and have received adults yearly since the early eighties.  We meet every second Wednesday evening at 7:30 pm.

* Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults

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Ordination to Permanent Diaconate

Today we held a very special celebration. After a few years of preparation and training, Michael Bennett has been ordained deacon. We thank God for Michael's vocation. Unfortunately due to current restrictions we were unable to open this celebration to all of our parishioners, but the live-stream from the Mass is available.

 

Photos from the celebration

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time