15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reflection

The Good Samaritan was someone who cared.
Blessed are those who care:
They will let people know they are loved.
Blessed are those who are gentle: they will help people to grow as the sun helps the buds to unfold.
Blessed are those who listen: they will lighten many a burden.
Blessed are those who know how to let go: they will have the joy of seeing people find themselves.
Blessed are those who, when nothing can be done or said, do not walk away, but remain to provide a comforting and supportive presence: they will help the sufferer to bear the unbearable.
Blessed are those who recognise their own need to receive: they will be able to give all the better.
And blessed are those who give without hope of return: they will give people an experience of God.

Confirmations

Young people from our Deanery will be receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation in St Monica’s Church on Monday 11th July and Thursday 14th July at 7pm. Bishop Tom Neylon is celebrating the Sacrament on both nights.

Sea Sunday

Every year Churches around the world celebrate Sea Sunday. It is a day for people to come together to pray for seafarers and fishers and thank them for the vital role they play in all of our lives. Let us pray for God’s blessing on them today.

Former Parishioners of St. Richard’s

As you may be aware, The Archdiocese is now in a position to put the church up for sale. If you know of any families who had loved ones’ Ashes interred in the grounds of the Church, could you please contact St. Monica’s (on: 0151 922 4819) to let them know. If there is no-one available to take your call, could you please leave a message, and someone will get back to you.”

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reflection

Whose woods these are I hardly know.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much
Seek to be consoled, as to console;
To be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
(St Francis of Assisi)

Confirmations

Young people from our Deanery will be receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation in St Monica’s Church on Monday 11th July and Thursday 14th July at 7pm. Bishop Tom Neylon is celebrating the Sacrament on both nights.

Life is winning

As you have probably seen in the media, on Friday 24 June, the US Supreme Court struck down the Roe v Wade decision. The long-awaited victory for the pro-life movement means that the matter of abortion legislation is now returning to individual states.

There has been much misinformation spread online about the implications of this decision. Lord Alton has published an excellent piece that sets out the key facts on the decision. You can access the article from the link below.

Memorial Mass

The Memorial Mass for Maureen Burgess will take place here in St James’ on Friday 8th July at 12.30pm. Please remember Maureen and her family in your prayers.

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reflection

Whose woods these are I hardly know.
His house is in the village though;
he will not see me stopping here
to watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
to stop without a farmhouse near.,
between the woods and frozen lake
the darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
to ask if there is some mistake;
the only other sound is the sweep
of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep
but I have promises to keep;
and miles to go before I sleep
and miles to go before I sleep.

Robert Frost

Saints Peter and Paul

Wednesday of this week, 29th June, is the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul and is a holiday of obligation. Masses will be at 10am and 7pm.

First Communion 

Our last First Communion candidate, Isabell Bowden, will be making her First Communion this Sunday at the 10.30am Mass. Please remember Isabell and her family in your prayers.
 

Funerals 

The Funeral Mass for Paula Woods will take place here in St James’ on Tuesday 28th June at 12 noon. Please remember Paula and her family in your prayers.

The Funeral Service for Ann Hall will take place here in St James’ on Thursday 30th June at 1.15pm. Please pray for Ann and her family. 

Corpus Christi

Reflection

Jesus said to his apostles: “Do this in memory of me.”
We all love to be remembered.
This was true even of Jesus.
But if we want to be remembered, we have a duty also to remember.
Memory is a powerful thing, wrongly used it brings death; rightly used it brings life and is a form of immortality.
It keeps the past alive.
Those we remember never die, they continue to walk and talk with us.
Lord, when we celebrate the Eucharist we are remembering you.
May that remembering bring us life here and hereafter.

New Priest

This Sunday, Feast of Corpus Christi, Fr Miroslav Kosiec (Mirek) from Poland, who has just been ordained to the priesthood, and who spent some time here as a brother, is coming to celebrate the 10.30 Mass.

I’m sure you will give him a warm welcome.

Tea and Coffee

Due to popular demand, from this Sunday, Feast of Corpus Christi, tea and coffee will be available at the back of Church after the 10.30 Mass. Another sign of our return to something near normality. Thank you to those parishioners whose generosity makes this possible.

Funeral

The Funeral Mass for Michael Hibberd will take place here in St James’ on Monday 20th June at 10am. Please remember Michael and his family in your prayers.

Collection

There is a mandatory collection this weekend for Day for Life

Trinity Sunday

Reflection

Nowadays, thanks to the security camera, we are often being watched. Watched by a cold dispassionate eye, intent only on catching us in wrong-doing. The feeling that someone is watching us is not a pleasant feeling. But the feeling that someone is watching over us is a lovely feeling. God is not watching us, God is watching over us. The conviction that God is watching over us gives us comfort in times of sadness, strength in times of weakness and hope in times of despair.

Please note there will be no 10am Mass on Thursday 16th June.

New Priest

Next Sunday, Feast of Corpus Christi, Fr Miroslav Kosiec (Mirek) from Poland, who has just been ordained to the priesthood, and who spent some time here as a brother, is coming to celebrate the 10.30 Mass.

I’m sure you will give him a warm welcome.

Tea and Coffee

Due to popular demand, from next Sunday, Feast of Corpus Christi, tea and coffee will be available at the back of Church after the 10.30 Mass. Another sign of our return to something near normality. Thank you to those parishioners whose generosity makes this possible.

Funeral

The Funeral Mass for Owen Ryan will take place here in St James’ on Thursday 16th June at 11.30am. Please keep Owen and his family in your prayers.

Pentecost

Reflection

On Pentecost Day the Apostles spoke a new language. It was the language of peace rather than war; the language of cooperation rather than of competition; the language of forgiveness rather than of vengeance; the language of hope rather than of despair; the language of tolerance rather than of bigotry; the language of friendship rather than of hostility; the language of unity rather than of division; the language of love rather than of hate. Through the gift of the Spirit, people of different languages learned to profess one faith, to the praise and glory of God. This is the real miracle of Pentecost, and it is a miracle which, thankfully, still happens.

Sunday Obligation

The bishops of England and Wales are to re-introduce the Sunday obligation at Pentecost, months after it was restored in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The resolution was issued last week, in which the English bishops said the ‘reasons which have prevented Catholics from attending Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation no longer apply.’

The obligation was suspended due to the pandemic whilst many Catholics watched Mass online. The resolution states that the ‘Virtual viewing of Mass online does not fulfil the Sunday obligation’. England and Wales are the last in the British Isles to reintroduce the obligation, which was reintroduced by the Scottish bishops on the First Sunday of Lent and the Irish bishops on Easter Sunday.

The reintroduction does not apply to those unable to attend Mass due to health concerns.” We understand there will still be some members of our congregations who, for reasons of health, do not feel safe enough to return to Mass,” the letter reads. “It has always been the understanding of the Church that when the freedom of any Catholic to attend Mass in person is impeded for a serious reason, because of situation such as ill-health, care for the sick or legitimate fear, this is not a breach of the Sunday obligation.”

Two cathedrals Pentecost service

Join us on Sunday 5th June 2022 for the Pentecost and Platinum Jubilee celebrations. The celebrations start with an act of worship on the steps of the Metropolitan Cathedral at 2:30. Worship continues with a family service at Liverpool Cathedral starting at 3:45. Following this, we have the Big Picnic for the Platinum Jubilee. With fun for all the family, we will be having a massive street party inside the cathedral. There are giant games like snakes and ladders, skittles and quoits, alongside crafts and a trail…. fun for all ages to celebrate.

6th Sunday of Easter

Reflection

To be glad of life because it gives you a chance to love, to work, to play and to look up at the stars. To despise nothing in the world except what is false and mean. To fear nothing except what is cowardly. To be guided by what you admire and love, rather than by what you hate. To envy nothing that is your neighbour’s except his kindness of heart and gentleness of manor. To think seldom of your enemies, often of your friends and every day of Christ and to spend as much time as you can with body and spirit, in God’s out-of-doors. These are little signposts on the footpath of peace.

First Holy Communion

The following children will be making their First Communion this weekend: Ruby Goulding, Poppy Moss, Mason Fenlon, Ayemerie Novense Okuduwa, Isabell Bowden, Mylie Walsh, Jake Hilton, Joseph Hilton and Amanda Pasternak.

Please remember the children and their families in your prayers.

Feast of the Ascension

Thursday of this week, 26th May, is Ascension Thursday and a major feast in the Church’s calendar. Masses that day will be at 10am and 7pm.

Second collection

Next Sunday is World Communications Day, and a second collection will be taken up for the work of Communication in the Church. Another Mandatory collection.

5th Sunday of Easter

Reflection

It’s easy to love at a distance, but not so easy to love at close quarters. It’s easier to give a few pounds to relieve famine in Africa than to relive the loneliness of someone living next door. It’s easy to love people who are far away, but not always easy to love those who are close at hand. Yet, these are the people Christ asks us to love. We must begin by loving the people near us. That is where our love must start. But, of course, it doesn’t have to end there. And it shouldn’t.

First Holy Communion

The following children will be making their First Communion this weekend: Erin McQuillian, Kourtney Mae Stephens, Juan Carlos Mejias Zaccaria, Mya Albert-Stanley, Eleanor Pruden, Lydia Hughes and Bella Humphries. Please remember the children and their families in your prayers.

RCIA

An outdoor Mass of Thanksgiving will be celebrated at Our Lady’s, Lydiate, L31 4HH on Thursday 9 June 2022 at 7pm followed by a light buffet. All are welcome! RSVP by Friday 5 June for catering purposes. Full details are in the information pack sent to parishes. RSVP to rcia@rcaol.org.uk if you or your RCIA group wish to attend.

4th Sunday of Easter

Reflection

The deepest wound of all is that which affects the heart, the feeling that one has not been loved, that one is not precious to anyone. Many people today are wounded at heart. Each of us can do something to heal their wounds. We have hands that can make things and minds that can understand things. But above all we have hearts that can give life. We are not sterile people, we can give life to people who are inwardly broken. We can show them that they are important and so bring life to them. Today, Good Shepherd Sunday, is also vocations Sunday. But all vocations are vocations to love.

First Holy Communion

The children making their First Communion this weekend are: Owen Ovbiebo Harrison, Michelle Ovbiebo Harrison, Jay Kendrick, Connie Cousins, Patrick Bodziany, Chloe Carter, Ashley Irabor Stevens, and James Meadows.

Funerals

The funeral service for Margaret Dewsbury will take place here in St James’ on Tuesday 10th May at 10am.
Please pray for Margaret and her family.

The funeral Mass for Carol Benson will take place here in St James’ on Thursday 12th May at 11.15 am.
Please pray for the repose of Carol’s soul and the comfort of her family.

Second collection

The second collection this weekend is for the Priests’ Training Fund.

3rd Sunday of Easter

Reflection

It can happen that we lose interest in people and even become blind to their strengths when we discover their limitations. During his passion Jesus discovered the limitations of Peter, yet he didn’t write him off. He continued to believe in him and in time he came good. Like Peter, we are weak human beings who are inconstant in our beliefs. We need someone who understands our weaknesses, who realises that it may take time for us to overcome them and who doesn’t write us off because we don’t produce the goods at once.

First Holy Communion

For the next four Sundays, a number of Children will be making their First Holy Communion at the 10.30Mass. In the usual way, these children and their families will occupy the first few front benches on either side of Church.

The children making their Communion this Sunday are: Sophie Hanlon, Ruby Gerrard, Abbi Casson, Andrea Zsurzs and Jay Kendrick. Please remember them and their families in your prayers.

Diocesan COVID Update

In Church, the wearing of masks and sanitising are both optional. The Priest/Deacon will still sanitise and wear a mask while distributing Communion. Communion under both kinds is still not possible. Anyone who wants Communion on the tongue should come at the end of the queue.

Second collection

Next Sunday, 8th May, is Vocations Sunday, and there is a second collection for the Priests’ Training Fund. This is another mandatory collection.