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

3rd Sunday of Easter

Reflection

Those who care about others pick up a lot of wounds.
There may be no great wounds, just a multiplicity of little ones—a host of scratches, wrinkles and welts.
But there can also be a lot of invisible wounds: the furrows left on the mind and the heart by hardship, worry and anxiety, disappointment, ingratitude and betrayal.
These wounds are not things to be ashamed of.
They are badges of honour.
They are the proof of our love.
Jesus didn’t hide his wounds.
Neither should we.
By his wounds we are healed.


Some upcoming Special Days

Tuesday of Fifth Week of Easter (4th May)
Day of Prayer for Victims and Survivors of Abuse;

Sixth Sunday of Easter (9th May)
Day of Prayer for Eastern Christians;

Fourth Sunday in July
Holy Father’s Day for Grandparents and the Elderly;

26th September
World Day of Prayer for Migrants and Refugees.


Funeral

The Funeral Service for John McDowell will take place here in St James’ on Thursday 22nd April at 11.45am.
Please pray for the repose of John’s soul and for the comfort of his family.

Second collection

There will be a second collection next Sunday for the Priests’ Training Fund.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to Pope emeritus Benedict XVI! The first Pope to reach the age of 94 (on 16th April). May God bless him!

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Divine Mercy Sunday

Reflection

Defending the Christians before Emperor Hadrian, Aristides, a non-Christian, said of them:

“These Christians love one another. They never fail to help widows. They save orphans from those who would hurt them.
If a man has something, he gives freely to the man who has nothing.

If they see a stranger, Christians take him into their homes and treat him as a brother.

And if they hear that one of them is in jail, or persecuted for professing the name of their redeemer, they all give him what he needs. If it is possible they bail him out.

If one of them is poor and there isn’t enough food to go around, they fast several days to give him the food he needs.
We are dealing with a new kind of person. There is something divine in them.

Gift Aid

Thank you for your continued support of the Gift Aid programme.
If you are a tax payer and would like to join the scheme please speak to Bob Jones.

We can reclaim the tax on your weekly donations at no extra cost to yourself.

We are grateful for your ongoing support.


Second collection

There will be a second collection on 25th April for the Priests’ Training Fund.

Funeral

The Funeral Service for Jimmy Connell will take place here in St James’ on Monday 12th April at 11.30am.
Please pray for Jimmy’s soul and the comfort of his family.

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Easter

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Happy Easter

Fr Brian, Fr Jim, and the Salesian community would like to wish all out Parishioners a very Happy Easter. May the Risen Lord bless your families and grant us all a swift return to normality very soon!

A Big Thank you

After a full year of restricted Church Services, I would like to thank our group of Stewards who have faithfully monitored the numbers for each Service and cleaned the Church after each Service has taken place.

They have kept us safe and allowed us to continue to have Mass when other places have closed. A big Thank You to them for their generosity.


Gift Aid

If anyone would like to join the Gift Aid scheme or would like an offertory envelope, please see Bob.

Excerpts from the Archbishop’s Easter message

For over a year now we have been living under the darkness of the pandemic. Just as the light of the Risen Christ is always with us, so is the light offered to us by the heroes of our NHS, carers and all who have worked to keep the country going.

Easter is a time of reawakening and this year our country is approaching our own reawakening. Towns and cities have been quiet but are slowly coming back to life. We are seeing hope through the vaccine developed through the gifts of science, giving us hope for a better and safer future.

There have been times of grief, loss, doubt and despair during the dark days and we hold in prayer all who have suffered. We bring those times to our celebration of the resurrection which begins in darkness in our churches with the lighting of the Easter Candle symbolising the risen Christ. A life-giving light overcoming the darkness, bringing healing to a broken world.

Just as the lives of Mary Magdalen and the disciples were transformed on the first Easter morning so, too, our lives may be transformed as we embrace the light of the Risen Lord who sheds his peace on all humanity.

 

Palm Sunday

Reflection

Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.”

Jesus did not have to suffer and die. He had a choice.
He chose to suffer and die because he cared about the flock God had entrusted to him.

What Jesus wants from us is not our suffering but a life of love and service. Such a life will inevitably bring suffering.
But Jesus supports all those who follow him down the road of faithful love and generous service.

Holy Week and Easter Services

Palm Sunday: Mass at 10am
Holy Thursday: Mass at 7pm
Good Friday: Service of the Passion at 3pm
Holy Saturday: Easter Vigil at 8pm
Easter Sunday: Mass at 10am

Under Covid rules, only 56 people are allowed at each Mass/Service with Holy Communion at the end.
The format of each Mass/Service will be altered as there are certain things we are not allowed to do.

Chrism Mass


This will be celebrated in the Cathedral on Wednesday 31st March at 6pm. A restricted number of lay people are able to attend the Mass but need tickets to do so.

Application for tickets should be made to Claire Hanlon by Email: c.hanlon@metcathedral.org.uk. The Mass will also be streamed live on Youtube and Facebook.

Special Collection for Good Friday

There is a special collection for the Holy Places, which is traditional for Good Friday. The collection will be taken as you leave Church at the end of the service.

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5th Sunday of Lent

Reflection

Each of us is like a grain of wheat planted by God.

Just as a grain of wheat must die so as to produce a harvest, so we must die to self in order to bear the fruits of love.

This dying to self is a gradual process

and happens in little ways.

Every act of humility involves dying to pride.

Every act of courage involves dying to courage.

Every act of kindness involves dying to cruelty.

Every act of love involves dying to selfishness.

Thus the false self dies and the true self,

made in God’s image, is born and nurtured.

It is by giving that we receive;

it is by forgiving that we are forgiven;

it is by dying that we are born to eternal life.

Holy Week and Easter Services

Palm Sunday: Mass at 10am

Holy Thursday: Mass at 7pm

Good Friday: Service of the Passion at 3pm

Holy Saturday: Easter Vigil at 8pm

Easter Sunday: Mass at 10am

Under Covid rules, only 56 people are allowed at each Mass/Service with Holy Communion at the end.

The format of each Mass/Service will be altered as there are certain things we are not allowed to do.

National day of Reflection

The Bishop’s Conference of England and Wales has asked us to mark Tuesday 23rd March as a National Day of Reflection for COVID 19. We are asked to mark the anniversary of the first national lockdown with a minutes silence at midday and doorstep vigils of light at 8pm. This should also be a day of prayer.

Funeral

The Funeral service for John McNulty will take place here in St James’ on Wednesday 24th March at 12.30pm. Please pray for the repose of John’s soul and for the comfort of his family.

4th Sunday of Lent (Laetare Sunday)

The Fourth Sunday of Lent is when the Church takes a bit of a breather from Lenten practice. On this Sunday, we look with expectation to Easter for which we have been preparing during the Lenten season. Laetare Sunday is meant to give us hope and encouragement as we slowly progress towards the Paschal Feast.

The Light of Christ

In Christ there is no trace of darkness.

His light shows up the darkness in us.

His truth shows up our lies.

His integrity shows up our falseness.

His generosity shows up our selfishness.

His peace shows up our conflicts.

His openness to others shows how closed we are.

However, we should not be afraid of his light.

Rather, we should rejoice in it.

Compared to his light, other lights are mere flares

in the night or candles in the wind.

Christ, radiant Light of the world,

guide our steps in the way of truth and goodness

and lead us through the gloom of this world

to the kingdom of unfailing light.

Holy Week

We have received instructions from the Archdiocese that we will be able to celebrate Holy Week and Easter this year, but the services will be simplified because of the usual safety concerns.

Our numbers will stay restricted to 58 for each service.

More information nearer the time.

Funerals

The Funeral of Thomas Goscombe will take place here in St James’ on Thursday 18th March at 1.15pm.

Please pray for the repose of Thomas’ soul and for the comfort of his family.

3rd Sunday of Lent

Reflection

The House of God

The following prayer was found written over the door of a church:

“Lord, make the door of this house wide enough

to receive all who need human love and fellowship.

Narrow enough to shut out all envy, pride and strife.

Make its threshold smooth enough to be

no stumbling block to children, nor to straying feet.

Make this house a house of prayer

and a gateway to your Kingdom."


Second collection

There will be a second collection next Sunday, 14th March, for Nugent Care.

Please put your offerings in the separate basket at the back of Church.

The next second collection will be on 2nd April (Good Friday) for the Holy Places.


Funerals

The Funeral Service for Thomas William Lunt will take place here in St James’ on Monday 8th March at 11.30am.

Please remember Thomas and all the family in your prayers.

The Funeral Service for Alex Colton will take place here in St James’ on Friday 12th March at 11.15 am.

Please pray for the repose of Alex’s soul and the comfort of his family.


The month of St Joseph

The month of March is traditionally dedicated to St. Joseph, Foster-father of Our Lord. St Joseph, pray for us!

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2nd Sunday of Lent

Reflection

Jesus often went into the hills to pray.

He preached his most famous sermon from a hilltop.

 He was transfigured on Mount Tabor, died on Mount Calvary and ascended to heaven from Mount Olivet.

It seems that he loved hills and mountains. Why was this?

Was it because he grew up among the hills of Galilee? Or was it because heights enlarge our vision and cause our spirits to soar?

Lift us up, strong Son of God, that we may see further.

Strengthen our faith that we may see beyond the horizon and when the valley closes us in, help us to remember the view from the hilltop.

CAFOD collection

This Sunday there is a second collection for the work of CAFOD .

Please put your CAFOD envelope or offering in the separate basket at the back of Church.

The next second collection will be on 14th March for Nugent care.

Funerals

The Funeral Service for Peter Shiels will take place here in St James’ on Tuesday 2nd March at 11am.

Please pray for the repose of Peter’s soul and the comfort of his family.

The Funeral Service for Paula Bell will take place here in St James’ on Wednesday 3rd March at 11am.

Please remember Paula and her family in your prayers.

Christmas cribs

The children from All Saints school were challenged by the Headteacher, Mrs Holleran, to make a home-made crib.  These are now on display at the back of Church for the Christmas period.  Have a browse: some of them are brilliant.