MASS INTENTIONS THIS WEEK

Saturday   22^nd       5.00pm     A sick person
Monday     24^th      10.00am    Richard Sharrock RIP
Thursday   27^th      10.00am    Private Intention
Saturday     1^st          5.00pm    John Winifred & Mary Cobham RIP

LATEST  UP-DATE
MASS TIMES: SATURDAY VIGIL MASS at 5pm PARISH OFFICE IS OPEN ON FRIDAYS from 10am to 4pm

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 PARISH NEWSLETTER

MASSES THIS WEEK
Mondays and Thursdays at 10am; Thurdays, Mass followed by Exposition & Benediction

CHURCH OPEN  Church is open on Fridays  from 11am to 1.00pm for prayers before the Blessed Sacrament

CONFESSIONS: Next confessions: last Saturday of the month – 22 February, then 29 March, 4.15pm to 4.45pm

READINGS FOR 23 FEBRUARY
1^st Reading: 1 Samuel 26:2-23, The Lord gave you into my hand today, and I would not put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed.
Psalm 103: The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
2^nd Reading: I Corinthians 15:40-49, Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
Gospel Reading: Luke 6:27-38, Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! A new commandment I give to you, says the Lord, that you love one another,  just as I have loved you.  Alleluia! 
Communion antiphon: I will recount all your wonders, I will rejoice in you and be glad, and sing psalms to your name, O Most High

POPE’S PRAYER INTENTIONS – FEBRUARY
For vocations to the priesthood and religious life
Let us pray that the ecclesial community might welcome the desires and doubts of those young people who feel a call to serve Christ’s mission in the priesthood and religious life.

POPE’S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR MARCH
For families in crisis
Let us pray that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, re-discovering each other’s gifts, even their differences.

SAINTS & FEASTS DAYS THIS WEEK
27 February – St Gregory of Narek
1 March – St David, patron of Wales

LOTTERY WINNERS – FEBRUARY
1^st         Mrs K Cooper, Heskin                £50 (124)
2^nd       Miss C E Smith, Heskin             £30 (13)
3^rd        Mrs M I Patton, Eccleston        £20 (28)

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER 2025
This year’s World Day of Prayer is on Friday 7 March, with a service at Mawdesley Methodist Church, at 2pm.
All are welcome!
This year’s theme ‘I made you wonderful’, has been designed and devised by people of the Cook Islands.

ADVANCE NOTICE OF DATES
Ash Wednesday: 5 March, a day of fasting and abstinence
Lent: 5 March to 19 April

MASS NEXT WEEK
Archbishop Malcolm will preside at Mass next Saturday (1 March) at 5pm.  He will present the Benemerenti medal to John Peter Cobham.  Many congratulations to John for this very special recognition!

CAFOD FAMILY FAST DAY LENTEN APPEAL – FRIDAY 14 MARCH
Envelopes will be available next Sunday for much-needed donations.  This year CAFOD is aiming to support women like Lokho, in Kenya.  After 40 months of drought, Lokho’s community lost their livestock and main food source.  CAFOD’s donations last year helped the community to plant kitchen gardens using innovative shade nets to protect the crops from the harsh climate.  These gardens are feeding the community today.  Many more communities desperately need our help.

ARCHDIOCESAN DIRECTORIES 2025
We have 1 directory remaining for 2025 for sale in the narthex: only £4 each.  They include information on all our parishes.

APPLICATIONS FOR CONFIRMATION
Parents of children in Yr 8 (ie 12-13yrs) are now able to register their child for enrolment on the Archdiocesan Confirmation programme, if they do not already attend a Catholic high school.  Please follow the links on the website: https://liverpoolcalled.co.uk/confirmation
Please help to spread the word on this and let parents know.  This registration period closes on 17 March.

THE JUBILEE YEAR OF HOPE: December 2024 – January 2026
This Jubilee or Holy Year, decreed by Pope Francis, will be used by the Church to proclaim a special year of forgiveness and reconciliation.  The last jubilee year was in 2000, to mark the start of the new millennium.  This year’s Jubilee has the theme ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ and is a year of hope and trust for a world suffering the impacts of wars, the on-going impacts of the Covid pandemic and the increased threats to the environment.
For more information, please use www.giubileo-2025.it/en

CHURCH FLOWERS
We’re always grateful to our flower arrangers, Ann & Tony and Shirley & Paul, who makes sure our church is filled with beautiful flower arrangements every week.  Many of the flowers are sourced from their garden and also the grounds of the church, but inevitably many flowers also need to be bought and this incurs costs.  Any donations therefore are particularly welcome and will help to ensure that our altars continue to provide a fitting tribute to Our Lord.

DON’T FORGET! PARISH FOODBANK – DONATIONS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME
Thank you for donations already received, which have been taken to the foodbank centre at St Mary’s in Leyland.   They are particularly short of tinned pasta, tinned meat / fish and puddings. 
Please check that donations are well before their BB date!
Thank you all for your kind-hearted generosity.  It makes such a big difference.

CATHOLIC PICTORIAL
Keeping you up to date with all the news from around the Archdiocese online: www.catholicpic.co.uk
Postal subscriptions are available: 3 issues = £9.50, 6 issues = £19 and 12 issues = £37.50.
Email enquiries@cpmmmedia.com or ring 0151 709 7567.
Digital copies are also available.  Please use the phone number / email address above.

THE UNIVERSE CATHOLIC WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS
These are available to order directly from the publisher (www.thecatholicuniverse.com  or call Michelle on 0743 661 7650. ). It can be posted to you each week. A 3 months print subscription is £42.00 – 6 months is £75.00 and the year at £140.00.

HOW TO DONATE TO THE CHURCH
Standing Orders – Many find this an easier alternative to trying to remember to bring cash along each week.  Forms are available in the porch / from the Parish Office.  You can determine the amount and when it is deducted each month.  Please post compoleted forms to your bank.
Envelopes – easy, because they can be prepared before coming to church.  They afford some ‘privacy’ for the amount donated. Please contact the Parish Office so we can arrange this.
Cash / cheque donations each week and very gratefully received.
Gift Aid If you are a taxpayer then you can easily help the parish to claim 25% extra on top of every donation you make.  Eg: your donation of £10 per week could become £12.25  going to the church. Filling in a simple form to register your name and address means we can claim an additional 25% of your gift
Please collect a form from the narthex on your way out today, complete and return to the Parish Office.
THANK YOU for your continuing support and generosity in these very challenging times.

MUSICAL TREAT FOR THE WEEK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g16zSj6Ynko
A delightful version of Fauré’s ‘Cantique de Jean Racine’, performed by the sublime VOCES8, with the English Chamber Orchestra in 2021.  Spot the social spacing….

WITH EVERY BLESSING  FOR A VERY HAPPY AND PEACE-FILLED WEEK

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