19 April 2020
MASS INTENTIONS THIS WEEK – Both parishes
Parishioners
John Keijzer RIP
Richard Hesketh RIP
Steve Corcoran
Marie Rynn RIP
Irene Forest RIP
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OUR LADY’S and Ss PETER & PAUL’S – No Masses or services. Church can no longer open for private prayer. Fr Anders will continue to say Mass for the intentions listed above. |
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E. Minister | Reader |
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JOINT PARISH NEWSLETTER
THIS WEEK’S GOSPEL REFLECTION: John 20:19-31 Eight days later, Jesus came
Today’s gospel passage is an anniversary, so to speak, of Christ giving us the forgiveness of sins. ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’ he says to his apostles, the first priests. ‘If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven’. The forgiveness of sins! It is the greatest fruit of his crucifixion. How thrilled his heart must have been, knowing that by those words he was opening, through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the ministry of his priests, the Gates of Heaven to every individual!
It is not surprising that, on entering the room, Jesus showed his apostles ‘his hands and his side’. Those wounds are the signs – and more than the signs, the reality – of what he has done for us: the price he paid for us to destroy our debt, ‘by nailing it to the cross’.
Thomas asks to see those signs before he will believe. Believe what? Not just that it is indeed the risen Jesus. In touching those wounds, he makes a statement of belief and redemption, ‘My Lord and my God!’
From ‘Faith on Sunday’
READINGS FOR 19 APRIL
Acts 2:42-47 The faithful all lived together and owned everything in common; Psalm 117: Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love has no end; 1 Peter 1:3-9 – In his great mercy, he has given us a new birth as his sons, by raising Jesus from the dead; Gospel: John 20:19-31 – Eight days later, Jesus came
Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! Jesus said, ‘You believe because you have seen me. Happy are those who have not seen me and yet believe’. Alleluia!
Communion antiphon: Bring your hand and feel the place of the nails, and do not be unbelieving, but believing. Alleluia.
PRAYER GROUP FOR BOTH PARISHES: ‘Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst’.
Are you interested in keeping in touch with other parishioners through live prayer group meetings via Zoom?
Prayer has become increasingly important to many people as a result of the stresses and uncertainties we are all facing during this pandemic. We are therefore planning to launch a weekly prayer meeting on Tuesdays from 7.15pm to 7.45pm. If you would like to take part and see what it’s all about, please email either parish office: Our Lady’s = olhct@rcaol.org.uk or St Peter & Paul’s = ssppm@rcaol.org.uk by next Wednesday 22 April. We will then contact you with further details, some preparatory reading and very importantly, your password and the link for the first of these live, streamed meetings on Tuesday 29 April.
HOW DO I MAKE AN ACT OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION?
Alone or together with others in your household
Make the sign of the cross
You could read the Gospel of the day
Then share prayer intentions quietly or aloud
Say the Lord’s Prayer
Then make an 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.
WHEN MASS CANNOT BE SAID PUBLICALLY – AN ALTERNATIVE FOR DAILY PRAYER
Introduction
Some will find it helpful to have a space as a focus for their prayer. This might include a crucifix, icon or other holy image, and a lighted candle.
Sign of the Cross In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Examen
Before listening to the Word of God take a moment to reflect:
For what am I grateful to God for today?
Where did I stray from God: through words, actions or things I did not do?
How might I do better tomorrow?
What grace do I ask from God in order to live more closely in his love?
You may wish to conclude by saying:
Lord Jesus, you have revealed yourself as the way to the Father: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
You have poured out on your people the Spirit of truth: Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
You are the Good Shepherd, leading us to eternal life: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
The Word of God
The readings for the Mass of the Day can be found in a People’s Missal or online Universalis [https://universalis.com/mass.htm].
Either read all the texts or choose just to read the Gospel of the Day.
Gospel – Example: Mark 4:35–41
On that day, when evening had come, Jesus said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side.’ And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, ‘Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?’ And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’
Silent reflection
Pause for a moment of silent reflection.
Prayers / Intercessions
• Pray for family and loved ones so that they may be held in God’s compassionate care.
• Pray for other countries who are struggling with the effects of the COVID 19 virus.
If the following intentions are said in a family or other group you may wish to conclude each one with the response: Lord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer
• For those in authority: may they offer advice with care and integrity, may they seek to protect the poor and vulnerable.
• For all who work in healthcare: give strength to all who look after the sick so that they may bring comfort and relief to the suffering.
• For the Church: may she offer prayers and consolation for all those affected.
• For our local community and all for those in need: may those who are isolated know the support and service of their neighbours.
The Lord’s Prayer: Our Father…
Spiritual Communion
Prayer of St Alphonsus
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in this Holy Sacrament of the altar. I love you above all things and I passionately desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come spiritually into my soul so that I may unite myself wholly to you now and forever. Amen.
MASSES ONLINE
There are a huge number of churches that are live streaming Masses and other services.
Daily Mass can be viewed from Bishop Barron’s Chapel at 1.15pm on You Tube
Locally, there is St Clare’s, Sharoe Green Lane, Fulwood: www.stclares.co.uk which streams Mass daily at 10am. Please follow the easy links on the website. All the Easter services will be streamed.
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)
Sky Channel 588 – for daily Mass at 1pm
Use the website links to EWTN, or the Archdiocese to access daily Masses
On the radio: Catholic Radio 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.
FOOD BANKS
Our local food banks are desperate for supplies, especially fresh milk, bread, toilet rolls, soap, tinned fruit and tinned potatoes. Whilst we cannot collect from church any more, local supermarkets are keen to continue this work, especially Booths in Hesketh Bank, Booths in Burscough and Tesco in Burscough. All contributions will be very gratefully received.
The recent lockdown has seen a huge increase in applications for Universal Credit. Processing these applications means that many families won’t be receiving any benefits until the end of May – in the meantime, they are desperate for food.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The Archdiocese is keen to encourage people who feel able to volunteer to contact West Lancs Council (Steve Kent) on Stephen.Kent@westlancs.gov.uk and Lancs County Council (Dan Holden) on https://ourlancashire.org.uk. Help is needed with deliveries, food banks, phone calls. It’s the NHS and volunteer workers who will help us to survive this crisis. Please encourage non-parishioner friends and family to get involved and spread the word. Everyone has the power to make a difference!
NEWS ITEMS FEATURED IN THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSE & CATHOLIC TIMES THIS WEEK
• Cardinal Nichols sermon on Easter Sunday focussed on the fact that the coronavirus pandemic offers us a chance to ‘reset our sights’ and ‘distinguish what is truly important from all that is only fleetingly desired’.
• An Easter like no other: the Holy Father presides at a series of lonely but striking ceremonies as the Church rejects the scourge of Covid-19 and celebrates Christ’s triumph over the grave.
• Victims of domestic violence and abuse need the nation’s support during the lockdown. So says Bishop John Sherrington. His call comes after Refuge said it had experienced a 25% rise in the number of people contacting the helpline (0800 2000 247), since Lockdown began over 3 weeks ago.
• Remembering the words of St Teresa of Kolkata: ‘I only feel angry when I see waste; when I see people throwing away things that could be used’. Many of us are using the extra time at home to have much-needed clear-outs, but given that we’ve no opportunity to hire skips / visit the tip, why not see this as a chance to do some recycling of the many possessions we accumulate over time?
• Garden pests: With all the lovely sunshine we’re enjoying at the moment, flowers and trees are out in abundance, but so too are all sorts of garden pests. Suspect number 1 is the box tree caterpillar which has a black head and a greenish brown body. The RHS has lots of ideas about how to deal with these and other unwelcome garden visitors! Check the website on www.rhs.org.uk
SYNOD 2020 & CATHOLIC PICTORIAL for the Archdiocese of Liverpool: http://www.catholicpic.co.uk/
Articles in this month’s Pic feature up-dates on Synod 2020. Whilst the Preparatory Meetings due to be held in May have had to be cancelled, the Synod Office is still working hard, going through every parish’s responses to the four themed questions. We will hear from them in the next few weeks about the re-scheduling of the Synod meeting itself – originally planned for the end of October.
AS ALWAYS, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUERIES OR NEED ANY HELP, PLEASE CONTACT FR ANDERS AT THE PRESBYTERY IN TARLETON ON 01772 812242, OR EMAIL EITHER OFFICE.
WITH EVERY BLESSING FOR THE COMING WEEK