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

Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time

October 29th, 2022 by Dave Heywood

Friday 4 November 2022

Thursday 3 November 2022

Manston Migrant Centre

It’s distressing to hear the way some people talk about those coming to our shores for help, especially those in responsible positions and those given airtime in the media.

Yesterday, Bishop Paul McAleenan, Lead Bishop for Migrants and Refugees for the Bishops’ Conference, commented on reports of overcrowding and poor conditions at the Manston migrant centre in Kent. He said:

“Above all we need to remember that migrants and refugees in Manston, like all others who have found their way here are human beings, made in the image of God. Regardless of how or why people have made the journey here, they must be treated with respect and dignity.

“Reports of people being held in overcrowded and unsafe conditions are worrying and must be addressed as a matter of urgency. It is also imperative that everyone refrains from inflammatory language that undermines people’s humanity and creates tensions between communities.

“As well as the right to migrate, Catholic Social Teaching also speaks of the right not to migrate. Often this is overlooked. Our politicians recognising the global phenomenon of migration must work with others in the international community to help create conditions that will eliminate the conflict, poverty and suffering that forces people to leave their own homelands in the first place and undertake dangerous journeys in search of a better life.”

Prayer

Lord, make us bearers of hope, so that where there is darkness, your light may shine, and where there is discouragement, confidence in the future may be reborn.
Lord, make us instruments of your justice, so that where there is exclusion, fraternity may flourish, and where there is greed, a spirit of sharing may grow.
Lord, make us builders of your Kingdom, together with migrants and refugees and with all who dwell on the peripheries.
Lord, let us learn how beautiful it is to live together as brothers and sisters. Amen.

Pope Francis

All Souls – 2 November 2022

Mass sheet we will be using in church: All Souls Mass Sheet 2022

Solemnity of All Saints – 1 November 2022

Mass times today:

9.15 am School Mass in church at St Oswald’s
11.00 am Mass at St Benedict’s
7.00 pm Mass at St Oswald’s

Mass sheet we will be using in church: Mass Sheet (All Saints 2022)

Bidding Prayers: Bidding Prayers (All Saints 2022)

Monday 31 October 2022

Fr Richard Rohr, OFM, writes:

“Prayer is sitting in the silence until it silences us,
choosing gratitude until we are grateful,
praising God until we ourselves are a constant act of praise.”

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (C) – 30 October 2022

PARISH FEAST OF BLESSED JAMES BELL

Happy Feast Day!

This weekend, we celebrate our Parish Feast of Blessed James Bell (transferred from 20 April). It was four years ago, on 26 October 2018, that Archbishop Malcolm came to Warrington and inaugurated our new parish under the patronage of the Warrington martyr, Blessed James Bell, bringing together the three former parishes of St Benedict’s, St Mary’s and St Oswald’s. The picture above is a photograph of the window depicting Blessed James Bell in St Mary’s Shrine.

Mass Sheet we will be using in church: Mass Sheet (31C & Parish Feast)

Bidding Prayers: Bidding Prayers (Parish Feast)

Reflection on the Readings: prego-sunday-31-otc-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

Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

October 22nd, 2022 by Dave Heywood

Thursday 27 October 2022

Synod 2023 Update

Last year, Pope Francis called a Synod on Synodality in 2023. So, during the last twelve months, Catholics have been meeting in groups all over the world just like we did for our Archdiocesan Synod 2020. They have been following the same process of praying together, listening to each other and journeying together in discernment.

The response to all this listening was gathered together in each country and then synthesised into a document issued today at the Vatican which you can read and download here:

Documento-Tappa-Continentale-EN

You can read and download the document from our own country which fed into this process here:

synod-national-synthesis-england-wales

It’s interesting to note that the key themes emerging from Catholics all over the world are to promote greater inclusion, involvement, and shared responsibility in the Church.

Wednesday 26 October 2022

The Beauty of Creation

One of the Twitter pages I’ve followed during the pandemic is by Professor Christina Pagel. She’s well worth following. Lots of common sense, useful information, together with years of scientific knowledge and research, and credentials to match. Yesterday, she posted the photograph below before going on a walk. It’s nourished my prayer all day. Praise God for the beauty of creation – his gift to you and me!

Image (c) Prof Christina Pagel

Tuesday 25 October 2022

Click on image to enlarge:

Monday 24 October 2022

New Prime Minister

As Rishi Sunak becomes our new Prime Minister, let us pray the prayer said before each sitting of the House of Commons:

Lord, the God of righteousness and truth,
grant to our King and his government,
to Members of Parliament and all in positions of responsibility,
the guidance of your Spirit.
May they never lead the nation wrongly
through love of power, desire to please, or unworthy ideals
but laying aside all private interests and prejudices
keep in mind their responsibility
to seek to improve the condition of all mankind;
so may your kingdom come and your name be hallowed.
Amen.

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C) – 23 October 2022

Mass Sheet we will be using in church: Mass Sheet (30C)

Bidding Prayers: Bidding Prayers (30C)

Reflection on the Readings: prego-sunday-30-otc-2022

World Mission Day

Today is World Mission Day when we pray especially for those who leave home and family to work alongside communities that are poor or in need, regardless of their background or belief.

There will be a Second Collection for Missio as you leave church today. Missio is the Pope’s charity which helps to support missionaries in sharing the love of Christ with those most in need. For more information, please visit: www.missio.org.uk

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

Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

October 15th, 2022 by Dave Heywood

Friday 21 October 2022

The return of…

Animal Friday

Thursday 20 October 2022

Click on image to enlarge

Wednesday 19 October 2022

The Holy Land – Letter from 89-year-old Grandmother

Quakers Friends School Ramallah

“Dear Friends – In the early hours of this morning the Israeli occupation forces, consisting of a troop of around 12 persons consisting of army and secret service, stormed my son’s house after breaking the gate at the entrance of the compound in which we all live, so as to arrest his younger son Shadi Khoury, a sixteen-year-old child, a student at the Quakers Friends School in Ramallah. They beat him until he was bleeding all over the room and along the path on the way out of the house dragging him barefoot and blindfolded not allowing the parents to see where the blood was coming from. Shadi was taken to the interrogation section in the police compound called “the Russian compound”.

“Shadi, a child, is being “interrogated” without the presence of his parents or a lawyer, a tactic used systematically to terrorize children into submission, and ultimately using their own words to incriminate them.

“Shadi is a case among so many Palestinian children that are being harassed, tortured and imprisoned for no reason other than being a Palestinian seeking to live in dignity and freedom in their own country.

“As an 89-year-old grandmother who has lived through the Nakba, the 1967 war, the first and second intifadas, I continue to ask you my friends: “Until when will this grave injustice go on?” Because you care for human rights, and the rights of children, I am asking you to take action now and contact your parliament or congress representative, to put an end to these grave injustices especially against our children as well as our whole population living under a brutal military occupation. Shadi should not be sleeping in a prison cell. He is a child and should be home with his family.

Samia Khoury
His Grandmother”

(Source: Independent Catholic News (indcatholicnews.com)

Tuesday 18 October 2022

Fr John Gildea RIP

Last night, Fr John Gildea died suddenly but peacefully.

Fr John was parish priest of St Peter and St Michael in Woolston. Next month, he would have been 85 years old, and next year he would have been a priest for sixty years.

Warm hearted, down-to-earth, always welcoming, deeply caring and with a terrific sense of humour, Fr John was loved by so many people. We’re going to miss him greatly.

May the Lord now welcome this good and faithful servant into his heavenly home.

Monday 17 October 2022

#Liverpool4Ukraine 4th consignment delivered

The fourth #Liverpool4Ukraine consignment of aid was delivered this morning.

Three vans left Liverpool on Friday 14 October bringing the total consignment so far to twelve trucks of aid over four journeys as part of the ‘#liverpool4ukraine’ appeal. The drivers on this this fourth journey were Jill Boggan, Nicky Hegarty, and Andrew Davis from the Archdiocesan staff together with Jill’s husband, Phil, and Molly Durkin and Megan McWhire from Greenmount Projects.

The aid is now more vital than ever as it comes when there are new attacks on the country with the war intensifying. It is also a further example of the growing partnership between the two countries with Liverpool hosting next year’s Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of Ukraine.

The trucks carried dried food, thermal clothing, building tools and generators which were delivered directly to Bishop Gregory Komar, from the Ukrainian diocese of Sambir-Drohobych, who will now take the goods for distribution in the Lviv region of western Ukraine.

Bishop Gregory expressed his gratitude for the donations and explained how the aid will be used: “We have a number of centres where there are refugees that the Church looks after and we will use this aid for those people. We will also send what is necessary to the east of the country through our parish system. We need human contact, and it is important that we see you, that we talk with you and that you understand our situation. Pray and keep praying so that people will remember us and hold Ukrainians in their minds and hearts.”

The Archdiocese partnered with local organisations Greenmount Projects who supplied building tools, and Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust to help make this trip possible.

The food supplies have been financed by donations to the #Liverpool4Ukraine appeal which has so far raised over £145,000. Donations are still welcome and details of how to donate can be found here.

(Source: Archdiocese of Liverpool)

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C) – 16 October 2022

Mass Sheet we will be using in church: Mass Sheet (29C)

Bidding Prayers: Bidding Prayers (29C)

Reflection on the Readings: prego-sunday-29-otc-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

Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

October 8th, 2022 by Dave Heywood

Thursday 13 October 2022

The Grotto at St Benedict’s this evening…

Wednesday 12 October 2022

Click on image to enlarge:

Tuesday 11 October 2022

Rosary Beads

Rosary beads provide us with a physical method of keeping count of the number of Hail Mary’s said as the mysteries are contemplated.

As each prayer is recited, the fingers are moved along the beads. The intention behind the use of beads is to keep the mind as free as possible, to focus on prayer and contemplation rather than keeping track of the mysteries.

A five-decade rosary contains five groups of ten beads (a decade), with additional large beads before each decade. The Hail Mary is said on the ten beads within a decade, while the Lord’s Prayer is said on the large bead before each decade.

A new mystery meditation commences at each of the large beads.

Rosary App

In October 2019, the Vatican launched an electronic rosary. This is composed of ten black agate and hematite beads, and a metal cross that can detect movement.

These beads are connected to the ‘Click to Pray eRosary‘ mobile telephone app and are designed to connect Catholics worldwide to pray together. The rosary can be worn as a bracelet and is activated when one makes the sign of the cross.

Praying the Rosary

You can download this useful PDF (with thanks to New Advent):

new-advent-pray-the-rosary

(Source: adapted from Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England & Wales)

Monday 10 October 2022

October – Month of the Rosary

October is the month dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary.

Devotion to Mary has always been at the heart of our life and worship. Since medieval times in England and Wales, there has been a long-standing practice to pray the ‘Hail Mary’ at Mass after the last intercession of the Prayers of the Faithful (or Bidding Prayers).

It’s a good time to remember that Mary’s ‘yes’ changed the world. At the Annunciation, Mary said ‘yes’ to the Angel Gabriel, who asked her to give birth to God’s Son, freely accepting God’s will in her life.

In March 2020, Catholics and other Christians across England took part in the re-dedication of the country to Mary. The original dedication took place in 1381, when King Richard II made a series of ‘entrustment vows’ at Westminster Abbey on the feast of Corpus Christi. The country was in a period of turmoil and the 14-year-old King turned to Mary for protection.

The Story of Our Lady of the Rosary

The Rosary is a simple, powerful prayer firmly rooted in the Gospel. It’s not uncommon for Catholics who have lost touch with their faith to pick up the rosary and reinvigorate their prayer life. It can provide comfort in times of sadness and can bring you closer to the Lord during times of happiness and contentment.

Those who prayed the rosary in its earliest form are believed to have adopted the knotted prayer ropes used in early Christianity – the Desert Fathers are said to have used the knots to keep track of the number of times they said ‘The Jesus Prayer’.

The origins of the rosary are said to go back to the ninth century, but in terms of the traditional story, it’s a vision of Our Lady experienced by St Dominic in 1208 that has become widely associated with the birth of this devotional prayer.

It is believed that Mary appeared to St Dominic in 1208, presenting him with a string of beads at a quiet spot in southern France called Prouilhe in the Languedoc region. This vision received the title of ‘Our Lady of the Rosary’ and, in the 15th century, it was promoted by Alanus de Rupe – a Dominican priest and theologian who established the “fifteen rosary promises” and started many rosary confraternities.

According to Jesuit scholar, Herbert Thurston, in the twelfth century, before the birth of Dominic, the practice of reciting 50 or 150 Ave Maria’s had become generally familiar, as well as the practice of praying 150 Our Fathers in imitation of the 150 Psalms.

In the 16th century, the rosary was developed to its present form with the 15 mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious. In 2002, Pope John Paul II added the five Mysteries of Light to this devotion – the Luminous Mysteries.

The prayers that make up the rosary are arranged in sets of ten Hail Mary’s, or ‘decades’. Each decade is preceded by the ‘Our Father’ and followed by the ‘Glory Be’. Usually, five decades are recited and together they form a prayerful meditation on one of the Mysteries of the Rosary, recalling events in the lives of Jesus and his mother, Mary.

(Source: adapted from Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England & Wales)

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C) – 9 October 2022

Mass Sheet we will be using in church: Mass Sheet (28C)

Bidding Prayers: Bidding Prayers (28C)

Reflection on the Readings: prego-sunday-28-otc-2022

Week of Prayer for Prisoners and their Dependents

Prisoners’ Week 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

Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

October 1st, 2022 by Dave Heywood

Thursday 6 October 2022

The Bummer Lamb

Every once in a while, a ewe will give birth to a lamb and reject it. There are many reasons she may do this. If the lamb is returned to the ewe, the mother may even kick the poor animal away. Once a ewe rejects one of her lambs, she will never change her mind.

These little lambs will hang their heads so low that it looks like something is wrong with its neck. Their spirit is broken.

These lambs are called “bummer lambs.” Unless the shepherd intervenes, that lamb will die, rejected and alone. So, do you know what the shepherd does?

He takes that rejected little one into his home, hand-feeds it and keep it warm by the fire. He will wrap it up with blankets and hold it to his chest so the bummer can hear his heartbeat. Once the lamb is strong enough, the shepherd will place it back in the field with the rest of the flock.

But that sheep never forgets how the shepherd cared for him when his mother rejected him. When the shepherd calls for the flock, guess who runs to him first? That’s right, the bummer sheep. He knows his voice intimately.

It is not that the bummer lamb is loved more, it just knows intimately the one who loves it. It’s not that it is loved more, it just believes it because it has experienced that love one on one.

So many of us are bummer lambs, rejected and broken, but Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He cares for our every need and holds us close to his heart so we can hear his heartbeat.

We may be broken but we are deeply loved by the Shepherd.

(Adapted from an article by Sheila Walsh in ‘The Stream’, June 2015)

Wednesday 5 October 2022

Pope’s Prayer Intention for October:
For a Church open to everyone

In the video for this month’s prayer intention, Pope Francis says:

What does it mean “to synod”? It means walking together: syn-od. This is what it means in Greek: “to walk together” and to walk on the same road.

And this is what God expects of the Church of the third millennium – that it regains its awareness of being a people on the road and of having to travel together.

A Church with this synodal style is a Church that listens, that knows that listening is more than just hearing.

It means listening to each other in our diversity and opening doors to those outside the Church. It’s not about gathering opinions, nor holding a parliament. The synod isn’t a survey; it’s about listening to the protagonist, the Holy Spirit. It’s about praying. Without prayer, there will be no Synod.

Let us take advantage of this opportunity to be a Church of closeness, which is God’s style – closeness. And let us give thanks to all the people of God who, with their attentive listening, are walking the synodal way.

Let us pray that the Church, ever faithful to the Gospel and courageous in preaching it, may live in an increasing atmosphere of synodality and be a community of solidarity, fraternity, and welcome.

“We pray for the Church; ever faithful to, and courageous in preaching the Gospel, may the Church be a community of solidarity, fraternity and welcome, always living in an atmosphere of synodality”.

Video: For a Church open to everyone – The Pope Video 10 – October 2022 – YouTube

Tuesday 4 October 2022

Today, the feast of St Francis of Assisi, is the last day of this year’s Season of Creation.

This evening, a new documentary on Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home” will premiere at the Vatican and will be released free on YouTube.

You can watch it here:

The Pope, the Environmental Crisis, and Frontline Leaders | The Letter: Laudato Si Film – YouTube

Monday 3 October 2022

The Gentleness of God

“Everything that Jesus reveals about God assures us that God’s hands are much gentler and safer than our own.

God is the father of the prodigal son and, as we see in that parable, God is more understanding and more compassionate to us than we are to ourselves.

We see too in that parable how God does not wait for us to return and apologize after we stray and betray. God runs out to meet us and doesn’t ask for an apology.”

Fr Ron Rolheiser, OMI

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C) – 2 October 2022

Rosary Sunday