St Benedict's, St Mary's and St Oswald's Warrington

3rd Week of Easter

April 30th, 2022 by Dave Heywood

Thursday 5 May 2022

I know I shouldn’t – after all, the Church is not party political – but I couldn’t resist this person’s sense of humour for today’s local elections:

Wednesday 4 May 2022

Feast of the English Martyrs

Today we keep the memory of countless Catholics and Protestants who were martyred for their faith during the English Reformation in the 16th and 17th centuries. Counted among them is Blessed James Bell, the patron of our parish. It’s because of their courageous faith that we have faith today.

At their canonisation in 1970, Pope Paul VI paid the martyrs this tribute (click on image to enlarge):

Tuesday 3 May 2022

Pope Francis on Ukraine

Today, Vatican Media reports an interview Pope Francis gave to Luciano Fontana, editor the Italian daily ‘Corriere della Sera’. The interview focussed mainly on the war in Ukraine. Since the invasion began on 24 February, Pope Francis has made many appeals for peace and attempts to mediate. He has telephoned President Zelenskyy, visited the Russian embassy to the Holy See and had a conversation with Patriarch Kiril.

Pope Francis said: “After 20 days of war I asked Cardinal Parolin to send a message to Putin to say that I was willing to go to Moscow.” He went on: “We have not yet received an answer, and we are still insisting, even if I fear that Putin cannot and does not want to have this meeting at this time.”

Reviewing the situation, the Pope clarified: “I am not going to Kyiv for now; I feel that I must not go. First I must go to Moscow. First I must meet Putin. But I am also a priest, what can I do? I do what I can. If Putin would only open the door…”.

Pope Francis also spoke about the conversation he had with Russian Orthodox Patriarch, Patriarch Kirill, via Zoom on 15 March and the “justifications” for the war cited by Kirill. The Pope said: “I told him: I completely fail to understand this. Brother, we are not state clerics; we cannot use the language of politics, but that of Jesus. We are pastors of the same holy people of God. That is why we must seek ways of peace, stop the fire of arms. The Patriarch cannot become Putin’s altar boy. I had a meeting scheduled with him in Jerusalem on 14 June. It would have been our second face-to-face meeting. But now even he agrees: ‘Let’s wait’ it could be an ambiguous signal.”

Source: Vatican News/ Luciano Fontana

Monday 2 May 2022

3rd Sunday of Easter (C) – 1 May 2022

Mass Sheet we will be using in church: Mass Sheet (Easter 3C)

Bidding Prayers: Bidding Prayers (Easter 3C)

Reflection on the Readings: prego-easter-3-year-c-2022

CAFOD’s Prayer for Ukraine

Loving God,
We pray for the people of Ukraine,
for all those suffering or afraid,
that you will be close to them and protect them.

We pray for world leaders,
for compassion, strength and wisdom to guide their choices.

We pray for the world
that in this moment of crisis,
we may reach out in solidarity
to our brothers and sisters in need.

May we walk in your ways
so that peace and justice
become a reality for the people of Ukraine
and for all the world.

Amen.

Some Funnies

God bless,
Fr Dave

2nd Week of Easter

April 23rd, 2022 by Dave Heywood

Thursday 28 April 2022

Covid Update

Given the absence of any meaningful update on the pandemic from the Government or the media, Professor Tim Spector from King’s College, London, provides some useful information here:

COVID cases in free fall but for how long? – YouTube

Wednesday 27 April 2022

Tuesday 26 April 2022 – Solemnity of St George, Patron of England

Happy Feast Day!

Today is the Solemnity of St George, Patron and Protector of England. This year, the feast has been moved from it’s usual date because the 23 April fell during the Easter Octave.

St George was a Roman soldier who was martyred on this day in 303 AD during the persecution of Christians in what is now present day Israel. He became a favourite saint for the Crusades and his feast day has been kept in England since 1222.

Let us ask St George to pray for us and for all the people of our country. Here is the prayer for today’s feast in the Roman Missal:

God of hosts,
who so kindled the fire of charity
in the heart of Saint George your martyr,
that he bore witness to the risen Lord
both by his life and by his death;
grant us through his intercession, we pray,
the same faith and power of love,
that we who rejoice in his triumph
may be led to share with him
in the fullness of the resurrection.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

Monday 25 April 2022

Bishop Paul McAleenan, the Lead Bishop for Migrants and Refugees for the Bishops’ Conference, has commented on the UK government’s plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda:

“The proposal to send some of those seeking asylum to Rwanda is at odds with the line from the Prophet Isaiah which we read as we prepared for Easter, ‘He does not break the crushed reed nor quench the wavering flame’.

Despite presenting the plan as a humanitarian need to combat trafficking, this scheme will compound the difficulties of those arriving on our shores hoping for a new beginning. The actions of the people of this country show that they wish to lift up those in need, decisions of the government should do likewise.

I am reminded of a memorial plaque on the promenade in Dover honouring those who died at sea seeking refuge. ‘Every migrant has a name, a face, a story’. This should be our starting point. We need to make it convenient for them to tell their story [their Asylum claim] remembering we are dealing with individuals made in God’s image who have endured great hardships in their own country and on their travels.

The UK Government and the whole international community, motivated by the desire to uphold the dignity of human life, need to address the problems which cause people to flee their homes.

We pray for all refugees whose sole aim is to survive each day. Led by the Christian spirit, manifested so powerfully at Easter, we should help and not discourage them.”

Source: Catholic Bishops Conference of England & Wales

2nd Sunday of Easter (C) – 24 April 2022

Mass Sheet we will be using in church: Mass Sheet (Easter 2C) StO

Bidding Prayers: Bidding Prayers (Easter 2C)

Reflection on the Readings: prego-easter-2-year-c-2022-2

CAFOD’s Prayer for Ukraine

Loving God,
We pray for the people of Ukraine,
for all those suffering or afraid,
that you will be close to them and protect them.

We pray for world leaders,
for compassion, strength and wisdom to guide their choices.

We pray for the world
that in this moment of crisis,
we may reach out in solidarity
to our brothers and sisters in need.

May we walk in your ways
so that peace and justice
become a reality for the people of Ukraine
and for all the world.

Amen.

Some Funnies

God bless,
Fr Dave

Easter Octave

April 19th, 2022 by Dave Heywood

Easter Friday – 22 April 2022

EARTH DAY

Today is Earth Day when millions of people across the continents gather together to draw attention to the need to safeguard our planet.

Cardinal Michael Czerny, the interim Prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, said: “The Church cares very much about the Earth because the Earth was created by God, the same God who created all of us as siblings who are called to live together in our Common Home and take care of it.”

“We celebrate Earth Day this year in the shadow of multiple serious, grave and menacing failures on the part of the human family to take this reality seriously.” We need to remember “our very serious, and I would say, increasing responsibility to take good care of this one Common Home we have.”

Source: Vatican News

Easter Thursday – 21 April 2022

We continue to pray for peace in Ukraine. Today, let us remember especially the many people held up in the steel plant in Mariupol.

A Prayer for Ukraine

God of peace and justice,
we pray for the people of Ukraine today.
We pray for peace and the laying down of weapons.
We pray for all those who fear for tomorrow,
that your Spirit of comfort would draw near to them.
We pray for those with power over war or peace,
for wisdom, discernment and compassion to guide their decisions.
Above all, we pray for all your precious children, at risk and in fear,
that you would hold and protect them.
We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
Amen

Archbishop Justin Welby
Archbishop Stephen Cottrell

Easter Wednesday – 20 April 2022

A little reading for today.

First, Pope Francis’ powerful ‘Urbi et orbi’ address on Easter Sunday:

urbi-et-orbi-easter-2022

Second, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Easter Sermon (which I personally thought was spot on):

Archbishop’s Easter sermon at Canterbury Cathedral Sung Eucharist

Easter Tuesday – 19 April 2022

The sanctuary at the Cathedral for Easter is simply beautiful:

You can see lots more pictures on the Archdiocesan Flickr:

Archdiocese of Liverpool | Flickr

Easter Monday – 18 April 2022

It’s a bank holiday here in the UK, so enjoy this beautiful little video from Twitter. Animals have so much to teach us.

Holy Week 2022

April 9th, 2022 by Dave Heywood

Easter Sunday (C) – 17 April 2022

“This is the day that God has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!”
(Psalm 117)

Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed!
Christus resurrexit! Resurrexit vere!
Chrystus zmartwychwstał! Prawdziwie zmartwychwstał!
Khristos voskrese! Voistinu voskrese!
Le Christ est ressuscité! En verité il est ressuscité!
Tá Críost éirithe! Go deimhin, tá sé éirithe!
Atgyfododd Crist! Yn wir atgyfododd!

A very happy Easter to you all! May the joy of this day – the greatest day of the year for Christians – lift your spirits, renew your hope, and bring peace to your hearts.

Celebrating Easter Sunday at Home: Easter Sunday at Home 2022

Reflection on the Readings: easter-sunday-year-c-2022-1

CAFOD’s Prayer for Ukraine

Loving God,
We pray for the people of Ukraine,
for all those suffering or afraid,
that you will be close to them and protect them.

We pray for world leaders,
for compassion, strength and wisdom to guide their choices.

We pray for the world
that in this moment of crisis,
we may reach out in solidarity
to our brothers and sisters in need.

May we walk in your ways
so that peace and justice
become a reality for the people of Ukraine
and for all the world.

Amen.

Some Funnies

God bless,
Fr Dave

Holy Saturday – 16 April 2022

The Easter Vigil

On this Holy Saturday night, the holiest night of the year, we keep the ‘mother of all vigils’ (St Augustine). The Vigil begins with the lighting of the big Easter candle proclaiming “The Light of Christ”. Then, in the light of the candle, we read the stories of what God has done for his people through the ages. After the Gospel of the Resurrection, we renew our baptism. Finally, we celebrate Christ’s risen presence with us always in the eucharist.

The Easter Vigil will take place at 8.00 pm at St Oswald’s.

If you’re not able to join us in church this evening, you might like to join in one of the many celebrations online.

Good Friday – 15 April 2022

Today, all over the world at 3.00 pm, Christians stop whatever they are doing (if they can) to celebrate the Passion of the Lord. In a very simple but ancient liturgy, we listen to St John’s account of the Passion of the Lord, pray for the needs of the Church and the world, and venerate the Cross.

The Celebration of the Passion of the Lord will take place at 3.00 pm at St Oswald’s.

In addition, there will be Stations of the Cross for Children at 11.00 am at St Benedict’s and Stations of the Cross at 12.00 noon at St Oswald’s.

If you’re not able to join us in church today, you might like to use this little prayer service at home:

Good Friday at Home 2022

Holy Thursday – 14 April 2022

This evening, we enter into the Easter Triduum – a three-day celebration of our Lord’s Passion, Death and Resurrection. We begin by recalling what Jesus did on the night before he died – how he washed the feet of his disciples and shared the Last Supper with them.

The Mass of the Lord’s Supper will take place at 7.30 pm at St Benedict’s followed by ‘Watching’ until 9.30 pm.

If you’re not able to join us in church this evening, you might like to use this little prayer service at home:

Holy Thursday at Home 2022

Wednesday of Holy Week – 13 April 2022

“The weapons of the Gospel are prayer, tenderness, forgiveness and freely-given love for one’s neighbour, to any neighbour. This is how God’s peace is brought into the world. This is why the armed aggression of these days, like every war, represents an outrage against God.”

(Pope Francis, Twitter, 13 April 2022)

Tuesday of Holy Week – 12 April 2022

Stations of the Cross from the Cathedral:

Stations of the Cross – YouTube

Monday of Holy Week – 11 April 2022

In the seven days between now and Easter, Lord:
touch my suffering with your passion,
touch my hardships with your Cross,
touch my pain with your deep healing,
touch my sins with your great mercy,
touch my soul with the life you gave for me,
touch my weakness with your strength,
touch my guilt with your sweet pardon,
touch my shame with cleansing grace,
touch my life each day this week, Lord,
that I might one day rise with you
to life that has no end…

Jesus,
touch my life
this Holy Week…

Amen.

(c) Fr Austin Fleming, Massachusetts, USA,
from his blog, ‘A Concord Pastor Comments’

Palm Sunday (C) – 10 April 2022

Reflection on the Readings: prego-palm-sunday-year-c-2022

CAFOD’s Prayer for Ukraine

Loving God,
We pray for the people of Ukraine,
for all those suffering or afraid,
that you will be close to them and protect them.

We pray for world leaders,
for compassion, strength and wisdom to guide their choices.

We pray for the world
that in this moment of crisis,
we may reach out in solidarity
to our brothers and sisters in need.

May we walk in your ways
so that peace and justice
become a reality for the people of Ukraine
and for all the world.

Amen.

Some Funnies

God bless,
Fr Dave

Fifth Week of Lent

April 2nd, 2022 by Dave Heywood

Thursday 7 April 2022

Covid-19

With the rate of infection so high at the moment, it’s worth remembering the symptoms:

(click to enlarge)

Wednesday 6 April 2022

Today, Pope Francis described the scenes from Bucha in Ukraine as “horrifying.” He reiterated his call for peace: “I repeat once again put an end to this war, silence the arms, put an end to the death and destruction.”

Then he showed a flag brought to him yesterday from the town of Bucha, which he called a “martyred city”.

Source (c) Vatican News

Tuesday 5 April 2022

Pope Francis’ Prayer for Migrants (click on image to enlarge)

Monday 4 April 2022

To those who are critical of the Church reaching out to our LGBTQ+ sisters and brothers, please ponder these words from Pope Francis on his Twitter yesterday:

“Those who believe they are upholding the faith by pointing their finger at others may have a certain “religiosity”, but they have not embraced the spirit of the Gospel, for they disregard mercy, which is the heart of God (cf. Jn 8:1-11).”

5th Sunday of Lent (C) – 3 April 2022