10 January 2021 – Baptism of Our Lord
MASS INTENTIONS THIS WEEK
Sheila O’Reilly RIP
Margaret & Thomas Ryan RIP
Parishioners
Jason Welch RIP / Nicky Hanley RIP
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WELCOME TO THE NEW WEBSITE FOR SS PETER & PAUL, MAWDELSEY! Church is closed for public worship as from 10 January, for the duration of the current lockdown.
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PARISH NEWSLETTER
MASS ON SUNDAYS
Don’t forget that Masses will continue to be live-streamed and televised for many months yet, so you can still take part in Sunday worship and the Act of Spiritual Communion will continue to be an important part of people’s worship for the foreseeable future. Please remember that the Sunday obligation remains lifted. This is especially important for those over 70 and those with underlying health issues, who may be wary of attending public events.
If you have any queries or concerns, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
READINGS FOR 10 JANUARY
1st Reading: Isaiah 55:1-11, Come to the water. Listen and your soul will live.
Psalm: Isaiah 12:2-6 – With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation
2nd Reading: 1 John 5:1-9, The Spirit and water and blood
Gospel: Mark 1:7-11, You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you
Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! John saw Jesus coming towards him and said: This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Alleluia!
Communion antiphon: Behold the one of whom John said: I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God
SPIRITUAL REFLECTION FROM ‘OUR FAITH ON SUNDAY’ – 10 JANUARY
‘The Spirit of the Lord fills the world’, we read in the Book of Wisdom. Jesus, we hear today, is filled with the Holy Spirit who comes down on him ‘like a dove’. In the Spirit, Jesus goes out in to the wilderness; in the Spirit, in the power f the creating Spirit, he goes round the Holy Land bringing new life, physical and spiritual, to those who will accept it.
They have reason to accept his claims to spiritual authority ‘ ‘Go in peace, your sins are forgiven’ – for he demonstrates in himself the power of the Creator over the physical world. He walks on the water, creates bread from nothing, raises the dead.
St Peter, years later, in his second letter to the churches, reminds the churches, ‘We have seen his majesty with our own eyes.’ Jesus’ words as man are always effective; what he says will come about in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amazingly, John the Baptist tells those listening to him: ‘Jesus will baptise you with the Holy Spirit!’ In other words, Jesus will give to those who follow him, his own intimacy with the Creating Spirit!
In the Church’s sacraments, in the Christian saints through the centuries, is clear evidence of the truth of that promise. The Word of God speaks through the Church and through the lives of those who are baptised.
PRAYER INTENTIONS THIS WEEK
Archbishop Malcolm has asked us to pray the following at this time of crisis:
God Our Father, each person is precious to You.
You are the Giver of life.
Have mercy on us and protect us at this time, as the coronavirus threatens health and life.
You are an ever-present Helper in time of trouble.
Watch over those who are suffering, give strength to those who are aiding the sick and give courage to all in this time of anxiety.
We ask this of you in the name of your Son,
Jesus Christ.
Amen.
PAX CHRISTI – PRAYER FROM POPE FRANCIS FOR PEACE SUNDAY (17 JANUARY)
The peace Jesus gives us
Is a peace for today and for the future.
May the Lord give us this peace,
Full of hope,
That makes us fruitful,
That makes us communicative with others,
That creates community
And that always looks to the definitive
Peace of Paradise.
Amen
THE ACT OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love you above all things, and I desire to receive you into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace you as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to you.
Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.
OFFERTORY DONATIONS DURING THE LOCKDOWN
Many thanks to generous parishioners who have sent in donations to our churches. Your thoughtfulness is very much appreciated.
Instead of putting money in offertory envelopes each week, those who are able to make an offering are asked to complete a Standing Order Mandate for your bank, from the parish office. We can email the document to you, if you wish, so that you can print off, complete and send to your bank.
Alternatively, you may still wish to write a cheque (payable to ‘Ss Peter & Paul Church Mawdesley’) and post to the presbytery with a covering letter and one offertory envelope for gift aid purposes.
MASSES ONLINE WILL CONTINUE TO BE STREAMED INDEFINITELY
Locally, there is St Clare’s, Sharoe Green Lane, Fulwood: www.saintclares.co.uk which streams Mass daily at 9.30am (New time). Please follow the easy links on the website.
https://www.vaticannews.va/en Pope Francis
https://www.churchservices.tv/whats-on-now/ Great selection of Masses and other Church services https://www.lourdes-france.org/en/tv-lourdes/ Mass and daily at 2pm, the Rosary in English
https://www.livemass.org Extraordinary Form (1962 Missal)
Use the website links to EWTN, those who have Sky can tune in on Channel 588, or the Archdiocese to access daily Masses
On the radio: Catholic Radio Sky Channel 0147
Also, you may wish to try the Pray as you Go phone app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pl.foxcode.prayasyougo&hl=en
PRAYERS from the Archdiocese, for Stations of the Cross etc: https://www.liverpoolcatholicresources.com/
Please email the Parish Office with details of any other online services you know of that may help parishioners at this very difficult time. We will try to include them in next week’s Newsletter.
YEAR OF ST JOSEPH: With his apostolic letter, ‘Patris Corde’ (‘With a Father’s heart’), Pope Francis has proclaimed a ‘Year of St Joseph’ running from 8 December 2020 (Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception) to December 2021.At the end of the letter, he asks us to pray the following prayer to St Joseph:
Hail Guardian of the Redeemer,
Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
To you, God entrusted his only Son,
In you, Mary placed her trust,
With you, Christ became man.
Blessed Joseph, to us too,
Show yourself a father
And guide us in the path of life.
Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage
And defend us from every evil.
Amen
THE INCARNATION:
At the time appointed by God, the only Son of the Father, the eternal Word, that is, the Word and substantial Image of the Father, became incarnate; without losing his divine nature he has assumed human nature.
Jesus Christ is true God and true man, in the unity of his divine person; for this reason, he is the one and only mediator between God and man.
Jesus Christ possesses two natures: one divine and the other human, not confused, but united in the one person of God’s Son.
Christ, being true God and true man, has a human intellect and will, perfectly attuned and subject to his divine intellect and divine will, which he has in common with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
The Incarnation is therefore the mystery of the wonderful union of the divine and human natures in the one person of the Word.
From The Catechism of the Catholic Church (479-483)
THANK YOU: To all parishioners who kindly made donations during the year for flowers – especially the Christmas donations. Flowers are so very important in helping to cheer us and uplift us during these difficult times.
And a special Thank You to Freda Helme for the beautiful arrangements.
PRAYER CARDS FOR THE YEAR OF ST JOSEPH: Please take a prayer card home and say the prayer to St Joseph during the week. We know we can rely on his guidance and protection in every difficulty and challenge.
FURTHER GUIDANCE ON PUBLIC WORSHIP: The Archdiocese has offered more guidance whilst churches remain open during this national lockdown. Copies were emailed to many parishioners during the week, and hard copies are available to take home (in the narthex)
PEACE SUNDAY (PAX CHRISTI) – 17 JANUARY – A Culture of Care as a Path to Peace
Resources and prayers are available at https://paxchristi.org.uk/peace-sunday-2021
HELP US TO HELP MARY’S MEALS!: Don’t forget to place your orders (email or phone) for the calendars: the proceeds will be split between our two parishes and the amazing work done by Mary’s Meals, to feed children in undeveloped countries, so we’d like to sell as many of these high-quality calendars as possible Price: £10 each (cheques payable to ‘Ss Paul & Peter Club).
CALENDARS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AT MASS
MARY’S MEALS: In spite of the horrors inflicted by the pandemic, Mary’s Meals has managed (miraculously) to keep their promise of a daily meal for more than 1.6m children in the world’s poorest communities. They have also been able to provide meals for new schools as well. Obviously the work must go on and there are always children to feed. It’s very easy to forget them, especially when everyone is feeling challenged and stressed by this Crisis, but there is some wonderfully encouraging news: the Mary’s Meals ‘Double the Love’ campaign means that any donations made up to 31 January 2021 will be doubled by the UK Government, so the more calendars we can sell, the more money we can raise and the more children we can feed. What a great start to the New Year!If you’ve already got your parish calendar but would like to find out more about Mary’s Meals, please use the link: www.marysmeals.org.uk
Alternatively, you may like to text a donation: text ‘DOUBLE1’ to donate £1 or DOUBLE5’ to donate £5 to 70450.
CHILDREN’S LITURGY – SEE THIS NEW INITIATIVE! ‘The Mark 10 Mission’
This is a brand new project created by a small team of young lay people to share the Gospel with children. The video episodes are completely free and have been used in many primary schools across the country each week since September. Please click on the link below:
https://www.themark10mission.co.uk/theepisodes/seriestwo
The Mark 10 Mission team is passionate to see the Gospel shared with children and to help them grow in their relationship with Christ. The website is updated each Friday morning with a new episode, so happy viewing!
LOTTERY WINNERS – December: 1st – Mrs P Harvey, 2nd – Mr S Mercer (Bretherton), 3rd – Mr J Mercer (Euxton)
HELP DURING THE PANDEMIC
It is important that we all follow the rules for the Tier 5 National Lockdown in order to protect all age groups, but especially the most vulnerable.
Check out the government website https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home to find out what the restrictions (and exceptions) are, and to keep abreast of changes in the future
The good news, though, is that the Covid-19 vaccination programme started in West Lancashire on 15th December. The NHS contacts those eligible for a vaccine to arrange an appointment.
QUICK GUIDE
Only essential food shops remain open (and post offices)
Leave home to exercise once a day only
No meeting of groups, even outside
No mixing of households
Travel allowed for key / essential workers only
Follow instructions to self-isolate if alerted by Track and Trace
Take regular Covid tests (whenever possible), especially if you’re not displaying symptoms.
It is essential to continue to observe the ‘basics’: hand hygiene, face masks, social-distancing – and lots of good ventilation – at all times
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUERIES OR NEED ANY HELP, PLEASE CONTACT FR ANDERS AT THE PRESBYTERY IN TARLETON ON 01772 812242, OR EMAIL THE MAWDESLEY OFFICE.
WISHING ALL PARISHIONERS AND THEIR FAMILIES GOOD HEALTH AND A HAPPY AND BLESSED NEW YEAR!