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

34th Week in Ordinary Time

November 25th, 2023 by Dave Heywood

Friday 1 December 2023

Please pray for Deacon Hugh Donleavy who will be ordained to the priesthood this evening by Archbishop Malcolm at St Alban’s, Warrington.

Lord our God,
who in governing your people
make use of the ministry of Priests,
grant a persevering obedience to your will
to this Deacon of your Church,
whom you graciously choose today
for the office of the priesthood,
so that by his ministry and life
he may gain glory for you in Christ.
Who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

Thursday 30 November 2023 – Feast of St Andrew

COP28 Climate Summit

As the COP28 climate summit gets under way, the Lead Bishop for Environmental Issues, Bishop John Arnold, has reiterated his call for the nations of the world to act:

“Whilst the extreme heat of last summer may be a distant memory for many of us, huge numbers of people around the world have had their lives devastated by climate disasters in the last year or so. Given that the impacts of climate change will only worsen, there is no option but for COP28 to succeed.

“I have recently written to the Prime Minister asking his government to take a real leadership role at the COP28 climate summit. Pope Francis, and our own bishops of England and Wales, have asked political leaders to take decisive action at this summit and create energy transition targets that are efficient, obligatory and readily monitored. They must also consider how such targets can be enforced so that any agreements made at the summit are meaningful.

“Care for God’s creation is intrinsically bound up with care for all our brothers and sisters and, given that climate change will affect poor countries the most, caring for creation can be thought of as an intrinsic part of the ‘preferential option for the poor’.

“Referencing his hopes for COP28, in his recent Angelus address on 26 November, Pope Francis mentioned the tragedies of war and the dangers of climate change. Both, he said, are contrary to God’s plan who created everything for life. The world is becoming more dangerous and fractious, and conflicts are increasing. It is vital, at this time, that the governments of the world overcome their divisions and work to promote real healing as well as effective co-operation to reduce carbon emissions.

“I also ask Catholics in England and Wales to pray for the success of COP28 – that real progress will be made. And I urge people to use the resources provided by our agency CAFOD so that politicians and the general public are made more aware of the urgency of this issue.”

COP28 is the 28th United Nations Climate Change conference, held from 30 November until 12 December 2023, at the Expo City, Dubai.

(Source: Catholic Bishops Conference of England & Wales)

Wednesday 29 November 2023

“Let us continue to pray for the serious situation in Israel and Palestine. It is the ordinary people who suffer. Those who wage war do not suffer. Let us ask for peace. And may we not forget the dear Ukrainian people, who are suffering so much and are still at war.”

Pope Francis, 29 November 2023

Tuesday 28 November 2023

Fr John Poland installed as an Honorary Canon

Canon John Poland was installed as an Honorary Canon in a special Mass at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King.

Canon Poland was awarded the honour following his appointment as the Judicial Vicar in the first instance in the newly launched National Tribunal Service of England and Wales.

In total, four clergy of our Archdiocese were appointed to roles on the new NTS. Bishop Tom Neylon, Vicar General, was appointed Bishop-Moderator in the second instance. Canon Aidan Prescott, Vicar General, was appointed a Judge in the first service and Fr Sean Riley, Chancellor, was appointed Promoter of Justice in the second instance.

The Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Malcolm McMahon, who works closely with Canon Poland. He described it as a great gift to be able to install Fr John as an honorary Canon.

The Mass was celebrated in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in the Cathedral, with the Chapter of Canons, the Archbishop, and other priests, including other officers of the NTS in attendance.

Monday 27 November 2023

“We do not know God very well at all when we fear coming into God’s presence replete with all that is within us, weaknesses as well as strengths. Nothing we do can ever lessen God’s tenderness towards us.”

Fr Ron Rolheiser, OMI

Solemnity of the Christ the King (A) – 26 November 2023

World Youth Day

Mass Sheet we will be using in church: Mass Sheet (Christ the King A) 2023

Bidding Prayers: Bidding Prayers (Christ the King A) 2023

Reflection on the Readings: prego-christ-the-king-year-a-2023

Prayers for Peace: Prayers for Peace

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Israeli-Palestinian Crisis

Some Funnies

God bless,
Fr Dave

33rd Week in Ordinary Time

November 18th, 2023 by Dave Heywood

Thursday 23 November 2023

Wednesday 22 November 2023

November Thoughts

“Today you will be with me in paradise!” Jesus speaks those words to the good thief on the cross and they’re meant for every one of us who dies without yet fully being a saint and without having had the time and opportunity to make all the amends and speak all the apologies that we owe to others. There is still time after death, on both sides, for reconciliation and healing to happen because inside the communion of saints we have privileged access to each other and there we can finally speak all of those words that we couldn’t speak before. We can reach across death’s divide.

Fr Ron Rolheiser, OMI

Tuesday 21 November 2023

Monday 20 November 2023

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) – 19 November 2023

World Day of the Poor

Mass Sheet we will be using in church: Mass Sheet (Sunday 33A) 2023

Bidding Prayers: Bidding Prayers (33A) 2023

Reflection on the Readings: prego-sunday-33-ota-2023-1

Message from Pope Francis: Pope Francis World Day of the Poor 2023

Prayers for Peace: Prayers for Peace

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Israeli-Palestinian Crisis

Some Funnies

God bless,
Fr Dave

32nd Week in Ordinary Time

November 11th, 2023 by Dave Heywood

Friday 17 November 2023

CSAN Statement on the Israel-Gaza Conflict

“Caritas Social Action Network supports the call by Pope Francis for an immediate ceasefire in the Israeli-Gaza conflict. In his comments after the Angelus on 29 October, Pope Francis said, “…in Gaza, may space be opened to guarantee humanitarian aid, and may the hostages be released right away. Let no one abandon the possibility that the weapons might be silenced – let there be a ceasefire”.

“We deplore the atrocities carried out by Hamas on 7 October and we agree with our sister Caritas agency CAFOD that “responding to the atrocities committed by Hamas with what amounts to a collective punishment of civilians living in the occupied Palestinian territory is leading to unimaginable levels of death and suffering”.

“We urge the Catholic community in England and Wales to pray for peace and reconciliation and to learn more about the background to this conflict, including the role played by Britain during the period of the Mandate (1920-1948). We urge Catholics to raise the voice of peace and justice in their communities with their elected representatives.

“In particular, we urge all Catholics to take a stand against anti-Semitic and Islamophobic hate crimes in their own communities. We share the concern of Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who has appealed for “restraint and the total avoidance of hateful language and action, as the impact of this conflict is felt in communities here”.

“Catholics in England and Wales can also respond in charity to the worsening situation by donating to the CAFOD appeal. Donations to the Crisis Appeal will support those affected and get funds to local trusted experts who have been working alongside communities helping those most in need to receive urgent humanitarian aid including food, water and emergency shelter.”

Raymond Friel, CEO, Caritas Social Action Network

Thursday 16 November 2023

“I know…”

The risen Christ can reach down to the deepest corners where we are hiding,
prisoners of our loneliness, our fears, our anxieties, our despair,
our depressions, our cynicism, our shame,
and there he shows us his hands and his side.

This is an important gesture. It is Jesus’ way of saying to us:

“I know what you are suffering because I shared it.
I know your sadness because I felt it,
I know your feeling of having been abandoned by God because I screamed it,
I know your loneliness because I was betrayed by all my friends.
But thanks to me all this suffering has become a source of life, peace and joy,
and it reopens to doors, it abolishes the walls,
it restores the relationship with the Father.”

From Luigi Gioia in ‘Say It To God’ (Bloomsbury, 2017)

Wednesday 15 November 2023

Israel and Palestine

“Our thoughts turn every day to the very serious situation in Israel and Palestine. I am close to all those who suffer, Palestinians and Israelis. May the weapons be stopped: they will never lead to peace, and may the conflict not widen! Enough! Enough, brothers! Enough!” (Pope Francis, 12 November 2023)

The health ministry in Gaza says the number of people killed since Israel launched its retaliatory strikes is at least 11,255. Of those, 4,630 are children and 3,130 are women.

Israel says 1,200 people were killed in the attack on 7 October and around 240 were taken back to Gaza as hostages.

Tuesday 14 November 2023

Advert for new Parish Administrator:

Careers – Join the team (liverpoolcatholic.org.uk)

Monday 13 November 2023

World Day of the Poor

Next Sunday is the seventh World Day of the Poor established by Pope Francis in 2017.

The Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN) has prepared a Novena in preparation for the day. You can download it here:

CSAN-World-Day-of-the-Poor-Resource-2023

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) – 12 November 2023

Remembrance Sunday

Mass Sheet we will be using in church:

Mass Sheet (Remembrance Sunday 32A) 2023

Bidding Prayers: Bidding Prayers (Remembrance 2023)

Reflection on the Readings: prego-sunday-32-ota-2023

Prayers for Peace: Prayers for Peace

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Israeli-Palestinian Crisis

God bless,
Fr Dave

31st Week in Ordinary Time

November 4th, 2023 by Dave Heywood

Thursday 9 November 2023

Wednesday 8 November 2023

Christ be near at either hand,
Christ behind, before me stand;
Christ with me where’er I go,
Christ around, above, below.

Christ be in my heart and mind,
Christ within my soul enshrined;
Christ control my wayward heart;
Christ abide and ne’er depart.

Christ my life and only way,
Christ my lantern night and day;
Christ be my unchanging friend,
Guide and shepherd to the end.

From the Divine Office, based on St Patrick’s Breastplate.

Tuesday 7 November 2023

Image (c) Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England & Wales

Statement on the ongoing war and violence in the Holy Land

Bishop Declan Lang, Chair of the Bishops’ Conference’s International Affairs department, and Bishop Nicholas Hudson, Chair of the Holy Land Co-ordination, have released a statement on the ongoing Israel/Hamas war:

“To our brothers and sisters across the Holy Land, particularly those sheltering in the Parish of the Holy Family in Gaza along with those in the West Bank, we remain close to you and in constant prayer for you at this most difficult, terrifying, and testing of times. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you always.

“To our own government, we urge you to continue your diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire, the immediate release of all hostages and the facilitation of humanitarian aid so that desperately needed food, water, fuel, and medical supplies can be safely delivered into Gaza. We will continue to add our voice to the impassioned chorus calling for justice, peace, and the cessation of the suffering that has descended upon the Holy Land.

“To the Catholic Community here in England and Wales, please join us in prayer for those in the Holy Land, particularly for those who have been taken hostage, those who have been killed, those who have been injured, and their families.

“We also pray for those who are wearied by the conflict to receive strength, and those in positions of power and authority receive the wisdom to guide them into ways of peace and justice.”

Bishop Declan Lang
Chair, Department for International Affairs

Bishop Nicholas Hudson
Chair, Holy Land Co-ordination

Monday 6 November 2023

Brothers and sisters, STOP!

“I continue to think about the serious situation in Palestine and in Israel where many, many people have lost their lives. In God’s name, I beg you to stop: cease using weapons! I hope that avenues will be pursued so that an escalation of the conflict might be absolutely avoided.

“Let the hostages be freed immediately. Let’s think of the children, of all the children affected by this war, as well as in Ukraine and by other conflicts: this is how their future is being killed. Let us pray that there might be the strength to say, “enough”.”

Pope Francis, 5 November 2023

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) – 5 November 2023