12 September 2021 – 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
MASS INTENTIONS THIS WEEK
Special Intention
Rodney Cooper RIP
Private Intention
Parishioners
| LATEST UP-DATE |
|---|
|
WELCOME TO THE WEBSITE FOR SS PETER & PAUL, MAWDELSEY! Church is now open for public Masses / Service. Please ring or email to book places for weekend Masses on Fridays between 10.30am and 3.00pm if you wish to sit in the social-distancing areas. THE OFFICE IS CLOSED NEXT FRIDAY, SO PLEASE RING/EMAIL ON TUESDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 9.30am to 12 noon TO BOOK FOR THE FOLLOWING TWO WEEKENDS. THANK YOU
|
| Ministry |
| This Week | ||
|---|---|---|
| E. Minister | Reader | |
| Saturday | ||
| Sunday |
| Next Week | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ministry | E. Minister | Reader |
| Saturday | ||
| Sunday |
PARISH NEWSLETTER
THIS WEEK’S NOTICES & MASS READINGS / REFLECTIONS
PLEASE NOTE OTHER PARISH OFFICE OPENINGS DURING SEPTEMBER
The Office will be closed on both Friday 18 and Friday 24 September
The office will be open on Tuesday 14 September, 9.30am to 12.30pm for Mass bookings for both weekends: 18 & 19 September / 25 & 26 September (ie book for two weeks).
Apologies for any inconvenience
BOOKING FOR MASS: You will still need to pre-book if you wish to be seated in the designated section for social-distancing. Please telephone or email the Parish office on Tuesday 14 September between 9.30am and 11.30am to book for the next two weekends.
QR CODE: Please continue to register your attendance at church by using the NHS QR code, displayed as you enter / leave the building.
The Archdiocese has stipulated that we should all continue to wear face masks/coverings in our churches for the time being, due to rising infections.
You will still need to pre-book if you wish to be seated in the designated section for social-distancing.
QR CODE: Please continue to register your attendance at church by using the NHS QR code, displayed as you enter / leave the building. Infection rates are extremely high, so helping to support the Track & Trace programme is more important than ever now. Thank you.
READINGS FOR 12 SEPTEMBER
1st Reading: Isaiah 50:5-9, I offered my back to those who struck me
Psalm 114: I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living
2nd Reading: James 2:14-18, If good works to not go with faith, it is quite dead
Gospel: Mark 8:27-35, You are the Christ. The Son of Man is destined to suffer grievously
Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! The only thing I can boast about is the cross of our Lord, through whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. Alleluia!
Communion antiphon: The chalice of blessing that we bless is a communion in the Blood of Christ; and the bread that we break is a sharing in the Body of the Lord.
REFLECTION FOR THE 24th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
This Gospel passage holds the key to our faith: “Who do you think I am?” Jesus asks his disciples. He’s really inviting them to consider the following: ‘Who am I? Why are you following me? Am I one of the prophets? A forerunner of the Christ, the anointed one? The one promised by God?’
No, says Peter, you are the One: “You are the Christ.”
In Matthew’s Gospel, Peter says, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” In other words, the one who comes speaking (not for God, like the prophets) but as God. Thus Jesus could legitimately ask of all those who followed him, that they accept his teaching as the ultimate Truth, as leading directly and safely to eternal happiness. Why? Because he is God and that’s what God says.
As Peter once said the Jesus on another occasion, “You have the words of eternal life.” That sums up our faith – a faith based on the mediation and justice of Jesus, who was both Man and God. And a God who knows and understands us better than we know ourselves.
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.
Pope Francis’ prayer intention for September:
An Environmentally Sustainable Lifestyle
We pray that we all will make courageous choices for a simple and environmentally sustainable lifestyle, rejoicing in our young people who are resolutely committed to this
Let us pray…
That all Christians may strive for holiness by repenting of past sins;
That all who doubt or distrust the Gospel message may recognise the risen Christ in the goodness and kindness of others and learn to turn to God in faith and love;
That the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ for all people may teach us that there is no such thing as a worthless life, or a person God does not love;
That as Covid restrictions are lifted and more people receive their vaccinations, may the bonds of our relationships be renewed and strengthened
We pray now in the words Jesus gave us:
Our Father, who art in heaven…
SPECIAL FEASTS THIS WEEK
13 September – St John Chrysostom
14 September – Exhaltation of the Holy Cross – as the instrument of salvation
15 September – Our Lady of Sorrows
16 September – Ss Cornelius and Cyprian
17 September – St Robert Bellarmine
SPONSORED CYCLE: LAND’S END TO JOHN O’GROATS
Parishioner (and volunteer steward) Tom Molyneux, is raising much needed funds for the John Molyneux Foundation, to help young people with epilepsy, by cycling 1250 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats this month, over the course of 14 to 16 days. Donations can be given to Marie Molyneux or made via Tom’s Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/johnmolyneuxfoundation?utm
You can also follow Tom’s progress by visiting https://www.followmychallenge.com/live/ride-for-cjm-foundation/
CLOTHING DONATIONS FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES: Donations to Care4Calais are being collected in Aughton L39 5DW: Please email mcevoyden@gmail.com to arrange drop-off time / venue. Care4Calais is specifically asking for the following items, which must be in good condition: baby / children’s clothes & shoes (trainers), jeans and leggings, t-shirts, hoodies, & other winter clothes / shoes. You may wish to donate directly to Care4Calais: Care4Calais | Refugee Crisis Charity | Fundraise Donate Volunteer
UN CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE – COP26
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.
The focus of the conference will be how to keep temperature rises below 1.5C. If the world warms more than this threshold, millions more people in the most vulnerable communities around the globe will suffer from devastating droughts, storms, floods and other impacts of climate change. Governments will be obliged to set out more ambitious goals for ending their contribution to climate change under the Paris Agreement (2015).
CAFOD invite us to sign a petition urging the Prime Minister to make sure the communities hardest hit by the climate emergency are listened to at COP26.
You can sign the petition online here: https://eactivist.com/page/73304/petition/1
CONGRATULATIONS….!
…to the new Bishop of Plestia and Auxiliary Bishop of Liverpool, Tom Neylon who was ordained at the cathedral on Friday 3 September.
Bishop Tom was ordained by Archbishop Malcom McMahon in the first major service to be celebrated in the cathedral since the beginning of the pandemic and the first Episcopal Ordination in Liverpool since that of Bishop Tom Williams in 2003.
The cathedral welcomed Apostolic Nuncio, the Vatican’s representative in Great Britain, Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, bishops from England and Wales as well as priests and parishioners from the archdiocese to the ordination.
When announcing the appointment back in July, Archbishop Malcolm said: “When I came to the Archdiocese in 2014, Canon Tom was already a Vicar General and trustee of the Archdiocese and his excellent pastoral and administrative skills have been invaluable to me in my ministry as Archbishop. He’ll now be able to use those God-given talents at a higher level in assisting me in taking the Church forward in the coming years.”
Bishop Tom, who was ordained in 1982 by Pope St John Paul II in front of 250,000 people in Heaton Park, Manchester; has served in Wigan, Skelmersdale, St Helens, Haydock and most recently Widnes.
To see photographs of the event, please visit the Archdiocese of Liverpool Flickr account: www.flickr.com/liverpoolcatholic and there will be an ordination special in September’s edition of the Catholic Pic.
DAY OF STUDY & PRAYER: Our Lady of Walsingham
A day of Study and Prayer will be held on Friday 24 September at St Joseph’s Church, Wrightington WN6 9PS. The guest speaker is Dr Sarah Boss – an authority in Marian Studies and Director of the Marian Study Centre. The day begins with Mass at 10am. Please ring 01257 676027 or email stjwrightington@rcaolp.co.uk to book a place – and for further details.
WEEKLY MASS FOR CHILDREN: FREE RESOURCE BOOKLET
Redemptorist Publications is pleased to introduce Celebrate: an initiative designed to help children grow in their faith.
Each week they will provide a Children’s Liturgy in the form of a video of the week’s Gospel reading, a reflection and a final prayer.
Fun, engaging and practical worksheets/resources will also be provided to help children continue to practise their faith during this time. Please ring 01420 592974 or check the following link for the RP KidZone: https://www.rpbooks.co.uk/celebrate-following-your-faith?utm
APPLICATIONS FOR BISHOP RAWSTORNE ACADEMY
One of the entry requirements of C of E schools requires evidence of the commitment of one of the parents or guardians of the prospective pupil to the Christian faith, ie fortnightly worship for a period of at least one year. Please note that the Church is contacted to verify attendance for the year preceding entry. For pupils hoping to enter in Sept 2022 the period of assessment started on 1 Sept 2020. Therefore, for entry in Sept 2023, the period of assessment will begin this September. Please pass this info on to parishioners who may not always manage to see the Newsletter. Please check this link on the school’s website for further details: https://files.schudio.com/bishopr/files/Admissions/3.__Admissions_Policy_for_Sept_2022_Intake_-_Ratified_by_Full_Governors_July_2020.pdf
HELP TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS: FREE COVID LATERAL FLOW TESTS KITS ARE AVAILABLE
Local councils are asking all residents to take 2 Covid tests a week so that they can accurately monitor the number of cases in the borough. They are able to help people who test positive to self-isolate – and there is funding available to help if that means that someone is unable to go in to work for the required period.
Free test kits will be distributed at Mass over the next few weekends. They can also be dropped off at your home if you’re unable to get to Mass. Please contact the office.
MUSICAL TREATS FOR THE WEEK
You Are the Christ ~ Lyric Video – YouTube
Some inspiring and uplifting lyrics, based on Peter’s heartfelt declaration. A reminder of all we owe to our Lord.
REGULAR WEEKLY NOTICES
MASS ON SUNDAYS
As you may be aware, our Bishops have lifted the obligation to attend Sunday Mass.
To keep Sundays holy, it might be helpful to spend some time reading the Scriptures. Besides your Bible, the Magnificat publication can be a wonderful aid to prayer and of course, you also get the readings for Mass for every day of the week! At a cost of less than £1 a week, you may be interested in subscribing now: tel. 020 7448 3618; email: uk@magnificat.com or visit the website: www.catholic-herald.myshopify.com
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.
If you have any queries or concerns, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
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.
MASSES ONLINE
Locally, there is St Clare’s, Sharoe Green Lane, Fulwood: www.saintclares.co.uk which streams Mass daily at 9.30am. Please follow the easy links on the website.
https://www.vaticannews.va/enPope Francis
https://www.churchservices.tv/whats-on-now/ Great selection of Masses and other Church serviceshttps://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 (Sky 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
PRAYER CARDS FOR THE YEAR OF ST JOSEPH: Prayer cards are available – please notify the Parish Office and we will send one out to you so that you can say the prayer to St Joseph during the week. We know we can rely on his guidance and protection in every difficulty and challenge. And his intercessions are certainly much-needed by us all at the moment!
EWTN – GLOBAL CATHOLIC TV & RADIO
Getting connected is easier than you might think. EWTN is free, there’s no subscription. You can stream live and on demand via the website: www.ewtn.co.uk/get-ewtn or get the app for your mobile (EWTN APP), or Amazon’s Echo Auto.
Every day: daily Mass at 1pm and Children’s Rosary every day, at 7.30pm
CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMES ON EWTN
Children’s religious programmes, based on the teachings of Jesus, are available on EWTN every week day, from 3.30pm to 4.30pm – and on Saturday mornings, from 9am to 10am.
CATHOLIC NEWSPAPERS: These are available to order directly from the publisher (www.thecatholicuniverse.com or 0161 820 5722). It can be posted to you each week. Introductory offers: printed copies for three months – £25; twelve months – £99; or digital copy £55 for twelve months.
HOW TO MAKE YOUR OFFERTORY DONATIONS DURING THE LOCKDOWN
Many thanks to generous parishioners who continue to support the parish during this extremely challenging year.
Instead of putting money in offertory envelopes each week, those who are able to make an offering are asked to either:
- Write a monthly cheque (payable to ‘Ss Peter & Paul Church’) and post to the presbytery with a covering letter and one offertory envelope for gift aid purposes.
- Contact the office (by phone or email) to request a Standing Order mandate for your bank –
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you would like to discuss this further.
HELP DURING THE PANDEMIC
COVID TESTING
FREE test kits are available from your local chemist. Each kit contains 7 tests (2 per week, plus 1 extra in case there’s a problem with one of the tests.
Residents can also book an appointment if they are experiencing symptoms of Covid19 via www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test
COVID VACCINES – IMPORTANT
Please note that the Catholic Church has given its full support to the vaccine (all three of them) and is keen to assure Catholics that there are no moral issues linked to the science of the vaccines, whatsoever. The vaccines are safe. The Archbishop of Liverpool is anxious to dispel any myths and urges Catholics to have the vaccines. Cardinal Vin Nichols has had his first vaccine. So has the Pope – and hospital chaplains have also received their first doses.
Unfortunately some people are trying to exploit the fears of others, so be on the alert for so-called vaccine scammers, who will try and charge you for a vaccine.
There is NO CHARGE.
The vaccines are free.
GP surgeries are not paid. The government is paying for the whole programme.
Please also note that there are some scammers pretending to be the NHS. There is only one official NHS email address, which is www.nhs.uk
The NHS will never ask for details like family maiden names of bank accounts / credit & debit cards. Nor will they require you to pay anything for the vaccines. If you are contacted by a group claiming to be the NHS and they’ve asked for these details, it is a scam and you must ignore it. Then report it!
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 (ssppm@rcaol.org.uk)
WISHING ALL PARISHIONERS AND THEIR FAMILIES EVERY BLESSING FOR THE COMING WEEK