St James Bootle
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
St James Bootle
32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
St James Bootle
31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
St James Bootle
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
St James Bootle
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Youth Active Summer Trips 2021

During August, the Youth Active team at St.James parish, organised a week of trips for members of our Youth Active club – it was great to get back to being able to do this again!

The club had re-commenced in June, and we hoped that this week would not only be an enjoyable week for our current youth club members,  but may also serve to encourage more local young people to join in the fun.

The week commenced with a day in Croxteth Park, playing games, visiting the farm and being together. We followed that by a full day in Crocky trails, near Chester, exploring and completing the nature trail walk and then having a great time on all the slides and activities in the adventure playground. Great fun was had by all.  We then moved on to a day at the seaside and visited New Brighton. The group really enjoyed the time on the beach, making sandcastles, and digging moats to be filled by water that was gone in a second. We were not very successful at crab fishing, but we tried, and the day ended with some time on the fair.

We had been blessed by beautiful weather for the start of our adventures.

Thursday, the rain was coming, but it didn’t matter – we were going to Flip Out for party fun at the trampoline park. We were also able to celebrate the birthday of one of our members that day.

We had planned to finish the week with a celebration day on the lawn at St.James Church however the weather had other ideas, and the thunder storms meant we had to change the date. Fortunately our re-arranged day was a great success and we had a day full of craft, games, football, a bouncy castle and an inflatable assault course.

The children and volunteers really enjoyed the week – having fun together, sharing stories, jokes, and packed lunches!  It was also gave some well needed respite time for families.  We will still be able to offer a further trip for Bowling, thanks to the support we have received, and are looking to create more opportunities for teenage members.

We would like to thank the Salesians for their generous grant towards our trip week.

We would also like to thank Fr Brian and the community for their on-going support of Youth Active since we resumed, on the church lawn, in June, and their support for the week of trips;  and to  Mr Costello at Savio Salesian College for use of their mini-buses.

It has been a true parish, church, and school venture.

Here’s to many more youth sessions!

 

Youth Active Team

St.James Church

Bootle

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reflection

God’s inspiration is at work in everyone. However, there are people in whom divine inspirations seems to have no effect; people who commit crimes cold-bloodedly and who never rejoice at the sight of the true and the beautiful. Even though they may seem to prosper, their punishment is assured even in this world. The anxieties and fears that assail them make their prosperity a bitterness to them. As for the just, even though their passage through life is often dogged by misfortune, the inward satisfaction of obeying divine inspiration gives them great strength and sufficient reward in this world and eternal life in the next.


Funerals

The funeral Mass for Thomas Hurley will take place here in St James’ on Monday 20th September at 12:30pm.
Please pray for the repose of his soul and the comfort of his family.

Seasons of Creation

Next Sunday is the annual World Day of Migrants and Refugees. A day the Church has kept since 1914. It is appropriate that this day falls during the Season of Creation because, in addition to war and persecution, the climate emergency is a direct cause of migration. Towards an ever wider “we” is the theme chosen by Pope Francis for this year’s Word Day of Migrants and Refugees. It’s an appeal to build a universal “we” rather than a national “we”. Instead of repeating mantras we’ve heard such as “our country is full”, or “they come over here and take our jobs”, Pope Francis invites us to look at the reality of why people leave their homes and countries and to enter into the experience of these vulnerable people who are running from situations we can’t imagine and pray for them as they face so many challenges. Pope Francis also asks us to become aware of the opportunities migration offers of countries and communities. The Vatican has a website to help the Church and others, which aims to help the Church and others, to accompany those forced to flee and make sure they are not shut out or left behind.

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reflection

A watch may have a gold chain but if it doesn’t tell the time it is useless. A fruit tree may be teeming with blossoms but if it doesn’t produce fruit it is useless. A lamp may be studded with diamonds but if it doesn’t give light it is worthless. And a faith that doesn’t result in good works is dead. The fruit of prayer is faith, the fruit of faith is love, the fruit of love is service and the fruit of service is peace.

Funerals

The Funeral Mass for William Francis Woods will take place here in St James’ on Wednesday 15th September at 1.00pm.

The funeral service for Terence Hansen will take place at Thornton Crematorium on Thursday 16th September at 10:30am.

The funeral Mass for Thomas Hurley will take place here in St James’ on Monday 20th September at 12:30pm.

Please pray for the repose of their souls and the comfort of their families.

Seasons of Creation

The UK will host the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November 2021. COP means “conference of parties”. Leaders from 197 countries, including Pope Francis, who have signed up to the UN’s climate change treaty, will travel to Glasgow to take part in the conference. This will be the largest gathering of world leaders ever to take place on British soil. CAFOD invite us to sign a petition urging the Prime Minister to make sure the hardest hit communities are listened to at COP26. Click the link below to sign the petition.

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reflection

To do the work of Christ is really quite simple. It means to be faithful in little things, for to be faithful in little things is a big thing. It means to do one’s task, no matter how humble, not only thoroughly but joyfully. It means to make oneself available yet never to seek the limelight. It means to make oneself useful without seeking to push oneself. It means to carry one’s own burden without, as far as possible, becoming a burden on others. In a word, it means to be at one’s post, helpful and faithful, loyal and constant. Lord make me an instrument for the building of your kingdom.

Sea Sunday

Apostleship of the Sea is the Catholic Church’s maritime agency that provides spiritual and welfare support to seafarers arriving in Great Britain and ports around the world. Its extensive network of port chaplains and ship visitors offer pastoral and practical assistance to seafarers who work far from home, separated from their families, and in sometimes harsh working conditions.

Nearly 95% of what we consume in Britain arrives by ship crewed by seafarers and we are dependent upon them to bring us what we need. Due to advances in technology, modern ships no longer spend weeks in port but these days unload and load their cargoes within days or hours. Seafarers, many of whom come from Catholic countries such as the Philippines, Poland and India, spend up to nine months at a time at sea, away from their families.

AoS port chaplains and ship visitors offer seafarers practical assistance such as providing phone cards and internet access so they can communicate with their loved ones back home, and spiritual and emotional support including arranging for Mass and prayer services on board ships and being a friend to them.


Forthcoming second collections

There are second collections coming up over the next two weekends.
The first one is this Sunday, for the Apostleship of the Sea;
The second is next Sunday, 18th July, for Retired Priests.

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reflection

Disturb us, O Lord,
when we are too well pleased with ourselves;
when our dreams have come true
because we dreamed too little;
when we have arrived safely
because we sailed too close to the shore;
Stir us, O Lord, to dare more boldly,
to venture more seas,
where storms shall show your mastery,
where losing sight of land we shall find the stars.
In the name of him who pushed back the horizons
of our hopes and invited the brave to follow him.
Amen.

Funeral

The funeral service for Kathleen Williams will take place here in St James’ on Wednesday 7th July at 11.15am.
Please pray for Kathleen and her family.

Forthcoming second collections

There are two second collections coming up in July,
The first one is next Sunday, 11th July for the Apostleship of the Sea;

The second is on Sunday 18th July for Retired Priests.

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reflection

Each of us is capable of doing some healing because we have eyes that can see, ears that can hear, tongues that can speak, hands that can touch and above all, a heart that can love.
Lord, make us instruments of your healing power.
Where there is hatred, let us sow love.
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
Amen.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to our newly Ordained Salesian Priests of the GBR Province, Frs Gregory and Joe Tran by Bishop Paul Hendricks, Auxiliary Bishop of Southwark in the presence of Fr Gerry Briody SDB, Provincial.

May God bless their ministry abundantly in service of the young, especially the poor and abandoned youngsters.


Please follow the link below to view the live streaming of the Ordination Mass.

Cafod Thank you

Thanks to your support, CAFOD has been helping communities around the world cope with the Pandemic. Installing hygiene stations and training front-line health workers for example.

Thank you for supporting people in more than 30 countries worldwide.

Synod 2020

The Synod took place last weekend and 420 people took part by Zoom and at the Cathedral Mass. Votes were taken on the 19 Synod recommendations and the full results can be found in the July edition of the Catholic Pic and from the link below. Thank you to everyone for your help and support on the journey so far. There are leaflets about the Synod available at the back of church.

Funeral

The Funeral service for Linda Symes will take place here in St James’ on Tuesday 29th June at 11am. Please keep Linda and her family in your prayers.

11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reflection

On many an idle day have I grieved over lost time. But it is never lost, my Lord. You have taken every moment of my life in your own hands. Hidden in the heart of things you are nourishing seeds into sprouts, buds into blossoms and ripening flowers into fruitfulness. I was tired and sleeping on my idle bed and imagining all work had ceased. In the morning I woke up and found my garden full with wonders of flowers.
Rabindranath Tagore


Synod 2020

The Archbishop has asked everyone in the Diocese to join in a week of prayer in preparation for the Synod which will take place on 19th June.
Leaflets are available giving a prayer for each day this week.
Please take one and join us in prayer for the future of our Archdiocese.


St James' Youth Club Returns

Our youth club is back. If you would like your son or daughter to join, contact John McCormick.

Second Collections

Next Sunday, 20th June, there is a second collection for the Day for Life.
The Sunday after, 27th June there is a collection for Peter’s Pence.
Both these collections are mandatory.

Corpus Christi

Reflection

On this great feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ we renew our gratitude for this precious gift. In our celebrations of this Holy Sacrament we are the witnesses of the self-giving love of God revealed in the death and resurrection of Jesus. The presence of Christ within us is renewed and we become more deeply the members of the Body of Christ alive and at work in our world. Our Synod is just two weeks away now. Once again we ask for God to bless the work of the Synod. We are the Body of Christ. Through the work of the Synod may our Church reflect more faithfully the beauty and mercy of Christ in all that we do in His name.

We humbly thank you for the love you have revealed in the precious gift of the Body and Blood of your Son. May our Synod be an instrument in your hands. As you have fed us, so may we work to feed our hungry brothers and sisters. As you have blessed us so may you make us a blessing to the people you call us to serve. You have shown us your great mercy, help us to bring your forgiveness and love into the world today. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

Fr Albert Shaw

Some of you may remember Fr Albert Shaw who served this parish alongside Canon Casey and Fr Peter Kelly from 1975 to 1979. Sadly he passed away, peacefully, in Southport hospital on 25th May, aged 91.
His funeral will take place at St Helen’s Church, Alexandra Road, Crosby on Tuesday 8th June at 12noon



Gap Year Opportunities

Our Salesian Retreat House in Bollington, Cheshire, is looking to recruit Gap Year students or school leavers for their Retreat Team next Academic year.
You would join a Team of young people and Salesians giving retreats to school groups. You would live in the house in Bollington and be trained for the job you will be asked to do. This would be a year of service and a wonderful opportunity. If anyone is interested please get in touch with Fr Brian or Fr Jim.

The Most Holy Trinity

Reflection

On the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity we celebrate all that God has revealed to us of God’s beauty and love. We thank God for the gift of faith and we pray that our faith in God may be deepened and lived out more fully in our daily lives. We pray again for the work of our Synod which will take place on Saturday 19th June. May the Synod help us all to live more fully the call we received when we were baptised in the name of the Holy Trinity.

Merciful God, Father Son and Holy Spirit, may you be faithfully loved, honoured and served by all the members of the Church. Guide the members of our Synod in the holy task you have entrusted to them. Help us all to proclaim your mercy and love to the ends of the earth. We ask this Father through our Lord Jesus Christ, your son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
Amen

Synod 2020

After a long journey, the Archdiocesan Synod will finally take place on Saturday 19th June on Zoom. Over the next four weeks, the Archbishop has asked us to prepare for this event in prayer. There will be a special prayer and reflection on the next three Sundays, culminating in a week of prayer before the 19th June. Please do your bit by praying for the success of the Synod over the next four weeks.


Retreat week

The Salesian Community are on their Province Retreat this week through zoom. It will be a quiet, prayerful time, with two talks every day. The Parish Masses will take place as normal.

Mobile phones

Can I remind people that we ask, as a courtesy to everyone, that you switch your mobile phone off during Mass. I regard it as a sign of disrespect to be texting and checking messages during Mass.

Pentecost

Reflection

On this great Feast of the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church, we thank God for the constant guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in the life of the Church. We pray for our Synod which will take place next month and ask God to guide all those who will take part. May this be a moment of blessing and renewal for all the members of the Church in the Archdiocese.

Merciful Father, Faithful God, our Church has never lacked
the life-giving presence of your Holy Spirit.
May your Holy Spirit always be at work among us, helping us to be more like Christ in our love of you and of our neighbour. We ask your blessing upon our Synod. May we be truly open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Help us to become ever more fully
the Church that you are calling us to be.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord..
Amen

Synod 2020

After a long journey, the Archdiocesan Synod will finally take place on Saturday 19th June on Zoom. Over the next four weeks, the Archbishop has asked us to prepare for this event in prayer. There will be a special prayer and reflection on the next three Sundays, culminating in a week of prayer before the 19th June. Please do your bit by praying for the success of the Synod over the next four weeks.

Thank you

We received a letter from CAFOD thanking us for our latest donation to them of £269.03.
Thank you for your generosity in these trying times.


Mobile phones

Can I remind people that we ask, as a courtesy to everyone, that you switch your mobile phone off during Mass. I regard it as a sign of disrespect to be texting and checking messages during Mass.