Fr Dave's Blog
7th Week of Easter
7th Sunday of Easter (B) – 16 May 2021
Sunday Mass
Please remember: the obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains suspended and, if you are unwell or don’t feel safe coming to church, then please stay at home.
If you are celebrating Sunday at home today, the following may be helpful:
1) You can join in Mass online:
There are lots of websites that are livestreaming Mass:
Mass will be livestreamed from the Cathedral at 11.00 am on YouTube:
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCOiDR9mRmfnAu05Yg3ifyMw
Fr Peter will livestream Mass at 10.00 am from St John Henry Newman:
www.newmanparishwarrington.com
Fr John Schofield will upload Mass on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/Tonyat999/videos
Canon Christopher will livestream Mass at 10.00 am from St Alban’s:
Parish of Sacred Heart and St Alban Warrington | Facebook
There are plenty of Masses livestreamed throughout the day at the following websites:
2) You can join in by praying on your own or with other members of your household. The following resources may be helpful:
Mass Sheet we will be using in church: mass-sheet-easter-7b
Bidding Prayers: bidding-prayers-easter-7b
Sunday Plus: sunday-plus-easter-7b
3) For Children:
You might like to use the following sheet:
Children’s Activity Sheet: look-easter-7b
If you are joining in Mass online, this sheet might be helpful:
Children’s Mass Sheet: ichthus-easter-7b
CAFOD host a virtual Children’s Liturgy of the Word on Sundays at 10.00 am:
https://cafod.org.uk/Education/Children-s-liturgy
And finally, a little humour… (click on images to enlarge)
God bless you,
Fr Dave
6th Week of Easter
Saturday 15 May 2021
Continuing the series of Reflections on the Synod Recommendations:
reflecting-on-the-synod-recommendations-5-6
Friday 14 May 2021
Thursday 13 May 2021 – Ascension Day
Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
On this fortieth day of Easter, we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord. Although today is a Holyday, there is no obligation to attend Mass because of the current pandemic. However, if you are coming to Mass today, there will be two Masses: 11.00 am at St Benedict’s and 7.00 pm at St Oswald’s.
Mass sheet we will be using in church: mass-sheet-ascension-cycle-b
Bidding Prayers: bidding-prayers-ascension-2021
Pentecost Novena (Parish): pentecost-novena-2021
Pentecost Novena (Bishops’ Conference): pentecost_novena_creation_21
Wednesday 12 May 2021
(Click on image to enlarge)
Tuesday 11 May 2021
CAFOD statement on escalating violence between Israel and Gaza
The violence in the West Bank and Gaza including East Jerusalem is deeply disturbing and must be brought to a halt before it spirals out of control and more lives are lost. Continued escalation only harms the most vulnerable people. There is an urgent need for responsible leadership ready to work for justice and peace for Palestinians and Israelis creating an alternative to this cycle of violence that divides and kills.
The latest violence was triggered by weeks of tension and clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians regarding a renewed spate of threatened evictions of Palestinian families from their homes in East Jerusalem to make way for Israeli settlers claiming ownership as well as protesting restricted access to the Haram al-Sharif (or Temple Mount) during the holy month of Ramadan. Hamas reportedly retaliated by sending rockets from Gaza into Israel with reports saying that 5 Israelis killed and Israeli airstrikes in response have killed 35 Palestinians including 10 children.
Palestinians had been protesting the imminent eviction of eight Palestinian families (around 87 people including 28 children) from the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah which Israeli police responded to with extreme violence. The right to a home is a fundamental human right and it is a question of justice for inhabitants of the city to live, pray and work there with dignity.
CAFOD opposes the eviction of Palestinian families from their homes which is a violation of international law. We call for an immediate cessation of all violence.
Pope Francis has joined calls for an end to the cycle of violence, saying: “I pray that the city might be a place of encounter and not of violent clashes, a place of prayer and peace… I invite everyone to seek shared solutions, so that the multi-religious and multi-cultural identity of the Holy City might be respected, and that fraternity might prevail…”
A statement by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, said: “The historic position of the Churches in Jerusalem is clear with regard to our denouncement of any attempt which makes Jerusalem an exclusive city for anyone. This is a city sacred to the three monotheistic religions and, based on international law and relevant UN resolutions, also a city where the Palestinian people, Christians, and Muslims, have the same right to build a future based on freedom, equality and peace.”
CAFOD believes that the only way out of the cycle of violence and for Israelis and Palestinians to be truly secure, is to revive hope for a just Israeli-Palestinian peace process, aimed at creating the conditions for a stable peace based on justice, where all must be treated equally.
Monday 10 May 2021
Mental Health Awareness Week
This week is Mental Health Awareness Week which encourages us all to talk about mental health and to break down barriers.
This year’s theme is “nature” because there’s a growing awareness of the importance of nature for good mental health. The Mental Health Foundation is encouraging us to really notice and connect with nature and, if we can, to get outside regularly to spend time in nature. Focusing on the natural world can help us reduce stress, balance our mood and feel more positive. You can find out more here:
Thriving With Nature (mentalhealth.org.uk)
Some local activities and events:
Creative Remedies, WBC
During Mental Health Awareness Week, Creative Remedies’ sessions will focus on nature and mental health. The tutors will use music, art and photography to express their own experiences. You can watch the sessions on Creative Remedies on Facebook page, also on YouTube under “Creative Remedies Warrington”.
A Zen Doodle Session
Hosted by Get Warrington Talking, this is a session for relaxation and a sense of calmness on Tuesday 11 May, 8.00 – 9.00 pm. Click on image below to enlarge for details. No booking required.
Explore Your Mental Health in the Park
Thursday 13 May, 2.00 – 9.30 pm, Victoria Park. Click on image below to enlarge for details. Booking required.
Talking Matters Warrington is offering a free, 30 minute Zoom session for Mental Health Awareness Week. The focus is on the benefits of nature for mental health. The session will be delivered every day, at different times, between 10 & 14 May. More details can be found by clicking on the poster below. Everyone is welcome to attend.
mental-health-awareness-week-poster
Directions For Men
For Mental Health Awareness Week, this local men’s mental health support group will be posting online each day, with a focus on a new issue. Interviews with athletes and artists are also planned for the week. (The group meets twice a week in Warrington: Walking Football on Tuesday nights at 9.00 pm and a Talk Session on Wednesday nights at 6.30 pm).
Mental Health and Wellbeing: Happy? OK? Sad?
www.happyoksad.org.uk is a mental health site for people who live or work in Warrington. Each of the age-related pages on the site has a section on mental wellbeing, this includes links to information, evidence-based resources and self-management strategies, which can help you maintain or improve your mental wellbeing. You can find this information, by clicking here and then clicking the dropdown heading “looking after our mental wellbeing”.
Mental Health Support
For information about a wide range of local and national mental health support services click here, then scroll down and look under the dark heading “Information and support”.
If you need help right now
Details of support services for people experiencing a mental health crisis, can be found here.
6th Sunday of Easter (B) – 9 May 2021
Sunday Mass
Please remember: the obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains suspended and, if you are unwell or don’t feel safe coming to church, then please stay at home.
If you are celebrating Sunday at home today, the following may be helpful:
1) You can join in Mass online:
There are lots of websites that are livestreaming Mass:
Mass will be livestreamed from the Cathedral at 11.00 am on YouTube:
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCOiDR9mRmfnAu05Yg3ifyMw
Fr Peter will livestream Mass at 10.00 am from St John Henry Newman:
www.newmanparishwarrington.com
Fr John Schofield will upload Mass on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/Tonyat999/videos
Canon Christopher will livestream Mass at 10.00 am from St Alban’s:
Parish of Sacred Heart and St Alban Warrington | Facebook
There are plenty of Masses livestreamed throughout the day at the following websites:
2) You can join in by praying on your own or with other members of your household. The following resources may be helpful:
Mass Sheet we will be using in church: mass-sheet-easter-6b
Bidding Prayers: bidding-prayers-easter-6b
Sunday Plus: sunday-plus-easter-6b
3) For Children:
You might like to use the following sheet:
Children’s Activity Sheet: look-easter-6b
If you are joining in Mass online, this sheet might be helpful:
Children’s Mass Sheet: ichthus-easter-6b
CAFOD host a virtual Children’s Liturgy of the Word on Sundays at 10.00 am:
https://cafod.org.uk/Education/Children-s-liturgy
And finally, a little humour… (click on images to enlarge)
God bless you,
Fr Dave
5th Week of Easter
Saturday 8 May 2021
Thought for the Day
Friday 7 May 2021
Continuing the series of Reflections on the Synod Recommendations:
reflecting-on-the-synod-recommendations-3-4
Thursday 6 May 2021
Vaccination
An article by Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, in the ‘Chicago Catholic’, 5 May 2021
While the growing availability of effective COVID-19 vaccines is a sign of hope, the pandemic is still far from over. The number of cases is growing globally, with India seeing more than 400,000 in just one day. As the virus mutates, the pandemic will continue to wreak havoc with mounting death tolls, financial ruin, social isolation and great suffering for the most vulnerable.
The Church is called to accompany humanity, as Pope Francis noted in his Sept. 30, 2020, weekly audience. We must bring “healing and salvation in the midst of sickness and death … tenderness in the midst of hatred … and ‘viralize’ love and ‘globalize’ hope in the light of faith.”
We must also bring truth and, as he urged in “Fratelli Tutti,” look upon this moment as a new opportunity to “rediscover once for all that we need one another, and that in this way our human family can experience a rebirth, with all its faces, all its hands and all its voices.”
Nothing less than the future of humanity is at stake, which is why the Holy Father insisted in January that “morally everyone must take the vaccine. It is the moral choice because it is about your life but also the lives of others.”
Because some within society — and even within the Church — have spread dangerous misinformation about the vaccines, the Vatican has published a document clarifying the vaccines’ safety, effectiveness and moral acceptability (see www.humandevelopment.va). Here are some of the document’s more salient point:
- Vaccination is a simple, safe and effective way of protecting people against harmful diseases using the body’s natural defenses to build resistance to dangerous infections. Vaccines are thoroughly tested and monitored to ensure they are safe.
- Vaccinations “can be used with a clear conscience and that the use of such vaccines does not signify some sort of cooperation with voluntary abortion.” In fact, the moral responsibility is to vaccinate in order to avoid serious health risks for children and the general population.
- Listen to the authoritative voice of the Church on moral issues. Contrary to statements made by some in the Church today, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, whose task is to promote and protect doctrine in matters of faith and morals, has made clear that in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, all vaccinations recognized as clinically safe and effective may be used.
- We need to trust science, not rumors and conspiracy theories: “Like the virus, misinformation can spread quickly. It is harmful and complicates pandemic response efforts. It is important to follow the advice of trusted sources, including local public health authorities and the websites of relevant regional and international organizations.”
- We all have a responsibility not to share unverified information that comes from dubious sources. As the Holy Father reminds us, “social aggression has found unparalleled room for expansion through computers and mobile devices,” which “has now given free rein to ideologies,” blocking “the kind of serene reflection that could lead us to a shared wisdom” and preventing us from penetrating “to the heart of matters, and to recognize what is essential to give meaning to our lives” (“Fratelli Tutti,” 44-45; 50). Yet we can together “seek the truth in dialogue,” through “the process of building fraternity be it local or universal … by spirits that are free and open to authentic encounters” (50).
This virus has left the human family vulnerable and wounded. This shared suffering teaches us that we must work together to bring this pandemic to an end. That means getting vaccinated as soon as possible — not only to protect ourselves, but also so that we do not pass on this virus to those who are more likely to die from it. It also means doing what we can to help others get vaccinated. And if you’ve already received the vaccine, consider helping neighbors who are struggling to navigate the appointment-making process, or who may need a ride.
This moment provides a new opportunity to “rediscover once for all that we need one another, and that in this way our human family can experience a rebirth, with all its faces, all its hands and all its voices,” as Pope Francis said. In other words, we are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. Getting vaccinated is an essential way to show it.
Wednesday 5 May 2021
Some light relief for the middle of the week…
The Marsh Family have another song out. Click on the link below:
Andrew Cotter’s dogs, Olive and Mabel, have been on a long walk:
Olive and Mabel – The Long Walk – YouTube
Tuesday 4 May 2021
Day of Prayer for Survivors of Abuse
Today the Catholic Church in England & Wales is keeping a National Day of Prayer for those in our families and communities who carry within themselves the deep and traumatic wounds inflicted by abuse.
We’ve all been horrified by the accounts of abuse in the Church that have emerged in recent years and angered by the subsequent coverups. Words fail us in the face of such evil perpetrated against children and those who are vulnerable.
The Church must be the one place that is safe for everyone. That’s the responsibility of us all and today we pledge again to make this a reality in our own parish, and to support those who’ve been hurt by members of the Church or members of their families or others.
Father,
since your mercy has been revealed
in the tenderness of your Son, Jesus Christ,
who said to his disciples:
“Let the little children come to me”,
we pray that your Church may be a secure home
where all are brought closer to your Beloved Son.
May all those who have been abused be respected
and accompanied by justice and reparation
so that they may be healed by the balm of your grace.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.
For more information, check out the Catholic Bishops Conference of England & Wales website which has a dedicated page for today with all sorts of information and resources:
Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales (cbcew.org.uk)
For local information, help and support, see the Safeguarding page on this website under ‘Information’ above.
Monday 3 May 2021
Some beautiful thoughts to ponder from Pope Francis:
In life, the worst anxiety, arises from the sensation of not being able to cope. We need Jesus’ help. And so we can say to Him: “Jesus, I believe you are beside me and that you are listening to me. I bring to you my troubles. I have faith in you and I entrust myself to you” (30 April).
In daily life, we can find the Risen One in the faces of our brothers and sisters above all in the poor and those on the fringes. We will be amazed how the greatness of God is revealed in littleness, how his beauty shines forth in the poor and simple (27 April).
Let us not abandon the simple prayers we learned in our families as children that we preserve in our memories and hearts. They are sure ways to access the Father’s heart (21 April).
5th Sunday of Easter (B) – 2 May 2021
“I am the vine, you are the branches”
Sunday Mass
Please remember: the obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains suspended and, if you are unwell or don’t feel safe coming to church, then please stay at home.
If you are celebrating Sunday at home today, the following may be helpful:
1) You can join in Mass online:
There are lots of websites that are livestreaming Mass:
Mass will be livestreamed from the Cathedral at 11.00 am on YouTube:
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCOiDR9mRmfnAu05Yg3ifyMw
Fr Peter will livestream Mass at 10.00 am from St John Henry Newman:
www.newmanparishwarrington.com
Fr John Schofield will upload Mass on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/Tonyat999/videos
Canon Christopher will livestream Mass at 10.00 am from St Alban’s:
Parish of Sacred Heart and St Alban Warrington | Facebook
There are plenty of Masses livestreamed throughout the day at the following websites:
2) You can join in by praying on your own or with other members of your household. The following resources may be helpful:
Mass Sheet we will be using in church: mass-sheet-easter-5b
Bidding Prayers: bidding-prayers-easter-5b
Sunday Plus: sunday-plus-easter-5b
3) For Children:
You might like to use the following sheet:
Children’s Activity Sheet: look-easter-5b
If you are joining in Mass online, this sheet might be helpful:
Children’s Mass Sheet: ichthus-easter-5b
CAFOD host a virtual Children’s Liturgy of the Word on Sundays at 10.00 am:
https://cafod.org.uk/Education/Children-s-liturgy
And finally, a little humour… (click on images to enlarge)
God bless you,
Fr Dave
4th Week of Easter
Saturday 1 May 2021
Anniversary of the Foundation of the Parish of Blessed James Bell
It was on this day in 2018 that our Parish of Blessed James Bell came into being by a formal decree issued by the Archbishop. The decree merged the three former parishes of St Benedict’s, St Mary’s and St Oswald’s into one new parish under the patronage of the Warrington martyr, James Bell. Later that year, on 26 October 2018, we had a liturgical celebration inaugurating the new parish. Today, perhaps we could pray this prayer of rededication that I put together for that celebration.
Prayer of Rededication
God our Father,
we, your pilgrim people,
gather in your presence and ask your blessing
as we seek to serve you and your people.
Under the patronage of Blessed James Bell,
and in communion with the whole Church,
form us into a community,
built on the fidelity of those who have gone before us.
May we take to heart the last words of the Lord Jesus
and go into the world
to proclaim the Good News to the whole of creation.
Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit,
may your Word take root in our hearts inspiring us
to gather and give thanks in the eucharist,
to serve you in our love for one another,
and to reach out in welcome to all people,
especially those most in need.
United with other Christian communities in this area,
may our parish be a source of grace and blessing
for the local community,
and so help to build your kingdom of justice, love and peace.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
St Joseph the Worker
Today is also the beautiful feast of St Joseph the Worker. It’s one of two days in the year dedicated to St Joseph, husband of Mary. Today’s feast remembers his vocation as a carpenter and as the patron of all workers. St Joseph is also the patron of the Universal Church, unborn children and fathers.
Let us pray for all workers – that no one might be without work, that all may receive a just wage, and that all may benefit from the dignity of work and the beauty of rest.
Friday 30 April 2021
Final Preparation for the Archdiocesan Synod (2)
Lay Ministry
Down Through the Centuries
In the first centuries of the Church,
every baptised person was a minister and had a role in the Church.
Church communities relied on the gifts of everyone;
clergy and laity acted together to do the work of Jesus.
What emerged in the 4th century, however,
was the sacramental priesthood,
and almost all pastoral ministry
was now connected to “receiving” the sacraments.
By the 4th Century, almost all pastoral ministry in the Church
was enacted by the ordained.
By that time, many lay Christians were nominal members of the Church.
What had been an early bond of shared ministry
in the communities of the first centuries
shifted to a system in which the sacraments
were simply “administered” by the clergy.
Now, rather than participating in the liturgy
lay people became mere spectators.
To this day, sadly, when lay people speak of the Church
or of what the Church teaches,
they often mean the hierarchy
and whatever members of the hierarchy teach.
Lay people generally do not see themselves as the people of God.
They may not see any role for themselves
in the ministry of the Church,
outside of “helping Father at the parish”
as though only Father has a real vocation
and lay people must share in that
rather than experiencing a calling of their own.
Women and Men Religious
When we speak of “the baptised”
we also include the large number of people
who serve the Church as members of religious communities.
In the Constitution on the Church at Vatican II,
the bishops remind us that these women and men
hold a place of honour among us
as we see in this paraphrase of article 43:
“All [members of religious communities]
seek to embody the ideals of their founders
and the Spirit of Jesus.
The religious state of life is not an intermediate state
between ordination and lay life.
Instead, it holds a place of its own in the Church
and includes members of both clergy and laity.”
These dedicated men and women serve alongside lay people
but they have always been out front
working for justice and peace,
serving the poor, sick, and vulnerable,
and providing Catholic education for us all.
When we describe the various roles of the laity
we include women and men religious
who are not ordained.
Vatican II: a New Dawn in Lay Ministry
A well-defined theology of the laity for both women and men
emerged quickly after the Second Vatican Council,
influenced by the work of theologians
such as St John Henry Newman and Yves Congar OP.
Vatican II restored an understanding of the baptised
which was common in the early Church.
In 1 Peter 2:9, for example, the author wrote,
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, God’s own people,
so that you may proclaim the mighty acts
of him who called you out of darkness
into his marvellous light.”
The author here isn’t speaking about ordained priests and deacons
but about all the baptised people of the early Church.
Indeed, the Constitution on the Church from Vatican II
lays this out plainly in article 33.
“The lay apostolate, however,
is a participation in the salvific mission
of the Church itself.
Through their baptism and confirmation,
all are commissioned to that apostolate
by the Lord Himself “(italics added).
In other words, lay people have their role
of helping to do the work of the Church
as a summons from God,
not from their parish priests.
One Priesthood in Christ
We do not confuse the ordained with the common priesthood.
There is but one priesthood in Christ,
but each expression of it
plays a vital role in the work of Christ today.
The Constitution on the Church from Vatican II
defines this and makes it clear
as we see in this paraphrase of Article 10:
“The baptised members of the Church,
because the Holy Spirit consecrates them,
share in the priesthood of Jesus Christ.”
In the broadest sense,
a priest is anyone who makes the world and its people holy
by sacrificing and praying on its behalf.
“In this sense,” article 10 goes on to say,
“every single baptised person is a priest.
As priests, therefore, all the faithful are called
to offer themselves to God
and to provide the hope of God to one another.
They should, therefore, be faithful in prayer
and live as part of the household of God.”
Can you see the connection between your call
to be a part of the common or ministerial priesthood
and the work of evangelisation?
The Constitution on the Church calls on all
in the ministerial and common priesthoods to work together.
They share responsibility
for the work of pastoral ministry.
Today we understand that the ministerial priesthood
works in a fully integrated fashion
with the common priesthood of the baptised.
This co-responsibility has not caused any confusion in the Church.
Leaders and parishioners have not blurred or merged
their roles within the Church’s ministry.
Quite the opposite is occurring
where the ministry of both ordained and baptised lay people
are gratefully acknowledged and received in the parish.
Synod Recommendation #2
Lay Ministry
We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan must include honouring the many vocations of all the baptised, women and men alike. This will also include a strong commitment to lay ministry including training employed ministers, supporting volunteer ministers, and coordinating their work alongside the clergy.
Thursday 29 April 2021
Feast of St Catherine of Siena
St Catherine said: “What is it you want to change? Your hair, your face, your body? Why? For God is in love with all those things and he might weep when they are gone.”
Reflection
I sometimes look at myself with dismay. My nose is more prominent than I think is attractive and my hair has weird straight sections mixed in with the curly. I have a beautiful friend from college and I wonder what it must be like to see that face each day in the mirror.
Then I read a quote like this one and it reminds me that I am the way I am because this is how God made me. He loves me like this. The things that I think are goofy, he finds charming. I do not have to make anything different because I am fine the way I am. So I pray for the grace to accept myself this way: flawed, a little crooked and far from perfect. (I also pray for those straight sections of hair to get curly because that is just aggravating.) I pray that I can appreciate myself as God appreciates me and rejoice in the creation that I am: his beloved daughter.
By Merridith Frediani, Milwaukee, USA
Wednesday 28 April 2021
Tuesday 27 April 2021
Final Preparation for the Archdiocesan Synod (1)
What is evangelisation?
We use the word
but we often don’t know what it means.
We may think it means making everyone a Catholic.
Or maybe we think of those people
who go about knocking on doors
and offering unsolicited advice
about eternal salvation.
Or maybe we think it means quoting Scripture at people
as though pelting them with holy words will save them!
To evangelise is simply “to invite and welcome people in Jesus’ name.”
It is to invite people to be part of the family of God.
We believe that within each of us
is an inborn hunger for God,
for the one who made us (Catechism #27).
When we invite someone to God’s family,
we’re inviting them to “come home to their own heart.”
The chief task of all who minister in the Church
—ordained priests, deacons, religious, and lay ministers—
is to invite people in this way
and to welcome them into the Church.
Evangelisation is, therefore,
both a scriptural and an ecclesial mandate.
In Matthew’s Gospel, for example,
Jesus instructs us to “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28).
Likewise, Church documents call us with one voice
to embrace this work throughout the world.
This Synod loudly echoes this call!
Pope Francis reminds us, for example,
in The Joy of the Gospel that
“In our day Jesus’ command to go and make disciples
echoes in the changing scenarios
and ever new challenges to the Church’s mission.”
God calls each of us to take part in this new missionary going forth.
“Each Christian and every community,” he goes on to say,
“must discern the path that the Lord points out,
but all of us are asked to obey his call
to go forth from our comfort zone”
to do this critical work.
The Synod now calls us to embrace such evangelisation
and each parish must do this discernment:
how and to whom are you being called?
We must remember in this that knowing Jesus
is not merely about being a “member” of the Church.
Much more is expected of us if we are to follow Jesus
together on the road of life.
Jesus invites us to offer forgiveness, for example.
When we suggest to a friend
that he forgive his ageing father
who has never shown him much love,
we’re inviting that friend to the way of Jesus
who forgave even his killers on the cross.
When we invite someone to support the poor,
we’re inviting them to the way of Jesus who taught
“Blessed are the poor…”
When we invite a friend to love one’s enemies,
to make peace,
to hold no grudges,
to withhold judgement,
or to die to him or herself with self-giving love,
we’re evangelising them.
And yes, when we invite people to join us in worship
and in the work of Jesus as done in our parishes,
we invite them to a lifetime of faith.
We cannot presuppose faith in members of the Church.
Baptism itself is no guarantee
that people have come to encounter Christ
and adhere to him and the Church
with their whole hearts.
It does not guarantee deep communion with Christ.
Therefore, our goal in evangelisation is not to target others
but instead, it’s to look first into our hearts,
and be converted ourselves,
and then to live so convincingly
that others see Christ in us.
And for our friends and neighbours
who’ve stepped away from the Church for now,
we want to nudge them toward the way of Jesus gently
whether or not they profess his name or believe in him.
Recent Church teaching profoundly echoes this.
The Joy of the Gospel gives us a wonderful invitation in article #3:
“I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment,
to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ,
or at least an openness to letting him encounter them;
I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day.
No one should think that this invitation
is not meant for him or her,
since ‘no one is excluded
from the joy brought by the Lord.’
The Lord does not disappoint those who take this risk;
whenever we take a step towards Jesus,
we come to realise that he is already there,
waiting for us with open arms.”
Synod Recommendation #1
Evangelisation
We, the people of the Archdiocese, recommend that the pastoral plan heed the call of the Church to be courageous in guiding all Catholics to deepen their relationship with Jesus, and to engage in our mission to help make Jesus known and loved in our world.
Monday 26 April 2021
Please pray for Fr Stan Swamy SJ
Fr Stan is an 84-year-old priest who has Parkinson’s and is unjustly imprisoned in India for his work with oppressed minorities.
Below, Fr Damián Howard SJ, the Provincial for the Jesuits in Britain, tells us a little about Fr Stan’s situation:
You can read more here:
Free Stan Swamy, 83 year old Jesuit priest unjustly imprisoned | Jesuits in Britain
4th Sunday of Easter (B) – 25 April 2021
Good Shepherd Sunday
Today, the 4th Sunday of Easter, is known as ‘Good Shepherd Sunday’ because we listen to the Gospel in which Jesus describes himself as the Good Shepherd. Today is also the annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations to the priesthood, the diaconate and the religious life. The Archbishop has written a Pastoral Letter which you can read here:
pastoral-letter-vocations-sunday-2021
Sunday Mass
Please remember: the obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains suspended and, if you are unwell or don’t feel safe coming to church, then please stay at home.
If you are celebrating Sunday at home today, the following may be helpful:
1) You can join in Mass online:
There are lots of websites that are livestreaming Mass:
Mass will be livestreamed from the Cathedral at 11.00 am on YouTube:
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCOiDR9mRmfnAu05Yg3ifyMw
Fr Peter will livestream Mass at 10.00 am from St John Henry Newman:
www.newmanparishwarrington.com
Fr John Schofield will upload Mass on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/Tonyat999/videos
Canon Christopher will livestream Mass at 10.00 am from St Alban’s:
Parish of Sacred Heart and St Alban Warrington | Facebook
There are plenty of Masses livestreamed throughout the day at the following websites:
2) You can join in by praying on your own or with other members of your household. The following resources may be helpful:
Mass Sheet we will be using in church: mass-sheet-easter-4b
Bidding Prayers: bidding-prayers-easter-4b
Sunday Plus: sunday-plus-easter-4b
3) For Children:
You might like to use the following sheet:
Children’s Activity Sheet: look-easter-4b
If you are joining in Mass online, this sheet might be helpful:
Children’s Mass Sheet: ichthus-easter-4b
CAFOD host a virtual Children’s Liturgy of the Word on Sundays at 10.00 am:
https://cafod.org.uk/Education/Children-s-liturgy
And finally, a little humour… (click on images to enlarge)
God bless you,
Fr Dave
3rd Week of Easter
Saturday 24 April 2021
Protests in London
It’s hard not to feel despair when some 10,000 people descend on London to protest. It’s so utterly selfish. Their conspiracy theories have been disproved, but still they march. Can they not see what is going on in India? We’ve all worked so hard to stop the spread of the virus and, together with the rollout of the vaccine, have been very successful. Protests put this hard work in jeopardy. I think this says it all…
Friday 23 April 2021 – Solemnity of St George, Patron of England
Happy Feast Day!
Today is the Solemnity of St George, Patron and Protector of England. He was a Roman soldier, 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 today, 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.
Did you know?
Palestine and Russia also have St George as their patron saint.
Pope Francis is named after St George – his birth name is ‘Jorge’.
A beautiful prayer for today from Canterbury Cathedral:
God of love,
we pray you give us love:
love in our thinking, love in our speaking,
love in our doing and love in the
hidden places of our souls;
love of our neighbours, near and far;
love of our friends old and new;
love of those with whom we find it hard to bear,
and love of those who find it hard to bear with us;
love of those with whom we work,
and love of those with whom we take our ease;
love in joy, love in sorrow, love in life and love in death,
so that at length we may dwell with you,
who are Eternal Love. Amen.
May God be your comfort and your strength,
your hope and your support,
today and everyday. Amen.
Thursday 22 April 2021
As you may know, Safeguarding in the Catholic Church in the UK is undergoing major changes following an Independent Review commissioned by the Bishops Conference last year. A newsletter about the progress of these changes is published every two weeks. You can read the newsletters here:
Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales (cbcew.org.uk)
Following on from “Echoes of God”, there will be a Zoom sharing entitled “Echoes of Isaiah” which will look at Isaiah chapter 43 and link it to the Gospel using clips from “The Chosen”. The sessions will be facilitated by Jo Wallace and Helen Jones, Pastoral Associates, and is suitable for all levels of engagement in this very welcoming and open group. Starting on Monday 26 April, 7.00 – 8.00 pm, it will run until the proposed end of Covid restrictions on Monday 21 June. Register for the Zoom link at www.thegodwhospeaks2020.org.uk.
As we approach our Archdiocesan Synod on 19 June, Synod Members are currently discerning how they will vote on the recommendations that have emerged. If you haven’t seen the recommendations yet, there are three places you can find them:
- In the April edition of the Catholic Pic: www.catholicpic.co.uk
- On the Synod Recommendations Website www.synod2020recommendations.org.uk
- In our Synod book, ‘Together on the Road’, which also includes resources for discernment and the theological reflections (available for £3 from Pauline Books and Media and the Synod Office, email: [email protected], tel: 0151 486 1206).
Wednesday 21 April 2021
This feels very apt just now…
Source unknown
Tuesday 20 April 2021 – Blessed James Bell
Blessed James Bell
Stained glass window of Blessed James Bell in St Mary’s Shrine, Warrington
Today is the Memorial of Blessed James Bell. Since the Sundays of Easter take priority over patronal feasts, we’ll do what we’ve done before and transfer the feast to the Sunday closest to the Solemnity of All Saints which, this year, is 24 October.
When I can’t pray
Lord, I can’t pray, I don’t know how to pray.
I don’t even know if I want to pray.
The well has run dry.
I’m so busy these days, how can I find time for prayer?
I don’t even know what to say any more.
When I was a child we said our prayers, it seemed so simple,
but now I wonder, what’s the point?
If we’re all praying for different things,
why do some prayers get answered and some don’t?
And why is it that good people who pray still suffer
and others, who don’t, seem to flourish?
Prayer feels like I’m talking to myself in an empty room.
My child, so many questions,
so much anxiety in your heart.
Do not be afraid, do not worry, I am with you,
whether you know that or not,
whether you feel it or not.
I know you struggle with prayer,
I know that you don’t know how to pray
but you don’t have to: my Spirit will pray in you.
All you need to do is bring your troubled heart to the well.
There I will meet you.
Let go of your fears, extend your hand to me.
That is all I want, more than anything:
an open hand and heart, a humble heart.
There I will find a home.
From ‘At Your Side’ (c) 2020 Raymond Friel & David Wells.
Published by Redemptorist Publications.
Monday 19 April 2021
Thoughts from Pope Francis
“Jesus is the Risen One, the Lord who passed through death in order to lead us to safety. Even before we begin to seek Him, He is present beside us. He lifts us back up after our falls. He helps us grow in faith” (12 April).
“Being Christian is not first of all a doctrine or a moral ideal; it is a living relationship with the Risen Lord” (18 April).
“God does not give up. You are close to His heart, you who do not yet know the beauty of His love, you who have not yet welcomed Jesus as the centre of your life, you who cannot overcome your sin” (19 April).
3rd Sunday of Easter (B) – 18 April 2021
Sunday Mass
Please remember: the obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains suspended and, if you are unwell or don’t feel safe coming to church, then please stay at home.
If you are celebrating Sunday at home today, the following may be helpful:
1) You can join in Mass online:
There are lots of websites that are livestreaming Mass:
Mass will be livestreamed from the Cathedral at 11.00 am on YouTube:
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCOiDR9mRmfnAu05Yg3ifyMw
Fr Peter will livestream Mass at 10.00 am from St John Henry Newman:
www.newmanparishwarrington.com
Fr John Schofield will upload Mass on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/Tonyat999/videos
Canon Christopher will livestream Mass at 10.00 am from St Alban’s:
Parish of Sacred Heart and St Alban Warrington | Facebook
There are plenty of Masses livestreamed throughout the day at the following websites:
2) You can join in by praying on your own or with other members of your household. The following resources may be helpful:
Mass Sheet we will be using in church: mass-sheet-easter-3b
Bidding Prayers: bidding-prayers-easter-3b
Sunday Plus: sunday-plus-easter-3b
3) For Children:
You might like to use the following sheet:
Children’s Activity Sheet: look-easter-3b
If you are joining in Mass online, this sheet might be helpful:
Children’s Mass Sheet: ichthus-easter-3b
CAFOD host a virtual Children’s Liturgy of the Word on Sundays at 10.00 am:
https://cafod.org.uk/Education/Children-s-liturgy
And finally, a little humour… (click on images to enlarge)
God bless you,
Fr Dave
2nd Week of Easter
Saturday 17 April 2021
Prince Philip greets Pope Benedict in 2010
The Funeral of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, takes place today at 3.00 pm. Here is the order of service:
Friday 16 April 2021
The Mercy of God
I was quite shocked to hear recently that, during a sermon, a priest said that Judas was damned! It seems to me that that priest doesn’t know the mercy of Jesus, but this little child does:
Thursday 15 April 2021
Hillsborough Anniversary
Today, we remember the 96 who were killed at Hillsborough Stadium on this day in 1989. We pray for them, for their families and friends, and for all those who survived. We will remember them always.
So many parishes in the Archdiocese lost someone on that sunny afternoon 32 years ago. In our own parish, it was Ian Whelan. We will offer Mass for Ian and his family on Sunday morning.
At the Cathedral this morning, the Golden Book of Remembrance was opened to display the names of the 96:
Notre Dame, Paris
On this day two years ago, Notre Dame in Paris was engulfed in flames. The cathedral was almost lost. Thankfully, two years on, the building is secure and restoration work has begun.
Pope Francis on Prayer
Yesterday, during his General Audience, Pope Francis spoke beautifully and powerfully about prayer. Here are some excerpts:
“Many of us learned how to whisper our first prayers on our parents’ or grandparents’ laps. We might, perhaps, cherish the memory of our mommy and daddy who taught us to say our prayers before going to bed.”
“We become aware that the gift we received with simplicity in infancy is a great heritage, a rich inheritance and that the experience of prayer is worth deepening more and more. The garment of faith is not starched, but develops with us; it is not rigid, it grows, even through moments of crisis and resurrection… And the breath of faith is prayer: we grow in faith inasmuch as we learn to pray. After certain passages in life, we become aware that without faith we could not have made it and that our strength was prayer – not only personal prayer, but also that of our brothers and sisters, and of the community that accompanied and supported us, of the people who know us, of the people we ask to pray for us.”
“Everything in the Church originates in prayer and everything grows thanks to prayer. When the Enemy, the Evil One, wants to combat the Church, he does so first by trying to drain her fonts, hindering them from praying. For example, we see this in certain groups who agree about moving ecclesial reform forward, changes in the life of the Church and all the organizations, it is the media that informs everyone… But prayer is not evident, there is no prayer. We need to change this… Prayer is what opens the door to the Holy Spirit, who inspires progress. Changes in the Church without prayer are not changes made by the Church. They are changes made by groups. And when the Enemy – as I said – wants to combat the Church, he does it first of all by draining her fonts, inhibiting prayer and making these other proposals. If prayer ceases, for a little while it seems that everything can go ahead like always – by inertia, no? – but after a short time, the Church becomes aware that it has become like an empty shell, that it has lost its bearings, that it no longer possesses its source of warmth and love.”
“The saints, who often count for little in the eyes of the world, are in reality the ones who sustain it, not with the weapons of money and power, of the communications media – and so forth – but with the weapon of prayer.”
“In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus poses a dramatic question that always makes us reflect: “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Lk 18:8), or will he find only organizations, like groups of entrepreneurs of the faith, everything organized well, who do charitable works, many things, or will he find faith? … The lamp of faith will always be lit on earth as long as there is the oil of prayer.”
Wednesday 14 April 2021
Thought for the Day from Pope Francis
“In the midst of the contradictions and perplexities we must confront each day, the din of so many words and opinions, there is the quiet voice of the Risen Lord who keeps saying to us: ‘Peace be with you’.”
“Jesus is the Risen One, the Lord who passed through death in order to lead us to safety. Even before we begin to seek Him, He is present beside us. He lifts us back up after our falls. He helps us grow in faith.”
Announcement from Public Health England
Tuesday 13 April 2021
This is beautiful…
BE KIND TO ANIMALS ALWAYS.
They are God’s gift to us.
Monday 12 April 2021
SYNOD UPDATE
The recommendations to be voted on by Synod members in June are now available. Overall there are 19 recommendations across a broad range of topics including evangelisation, spiritual formation, governance and synodality, property, and the place of the Church in today’s world. To help Synod members in their discernment ahead of the Synod in June, the recommendations come with a book that offers prayers, theological reflections and questions to aid either individual reflection, or local discussion groups that can be held online.
Archbishop Malcolm invited the Archdiocese to focus on the question ‘how do we become the Church that God wants us to be’. The latest stage of this journey invited written proposals from all over the Archdiocese which were compiled and then Synod members indicated which of these they were most drawn to. It is directly from these that the 19 recommendations were developed.
‘The richness of the recommendations which have come out of this Synod process we are journeying on together is great to see,’ Archbishop McMahon noted. ‘They demonstrate the commitment shown by Synod members, and indeed the whole Archdiocese, particularly in what has been a very challenging year. I am very grateful for everyone’s continued participation, discernment, and prayer.’
Around 500 Synod members will vote on these recommendations on 19 June, and through the whole process the Synod members have been running events, holding discernment meetings, and reaching out beyond those we usually engage with. It has been an exciting process of consultation and discernment, and has resulted in over 25,000 submission in the earlier listening phase, and over 3,500 practical proposals put forward more recently. This process of listening that has taken place throughout the Archdiocese has helped us all to better understand where the Spirit is leading us.
Fr Philip Inch, one of the Synod Moderators, said: ‘The Synod journey has unfolded in circumstances that we could not have anticipated, but it has made us more sure than ever of the rightness of this process and of the voice of the Holy Spirit guiding the Church in the Archdiocese of Liverpool.’
The Archbishop has convened a pastoral planning group to aid him in developing a pastoral plan that responds to the results of the Synod which will be published in the autumn. ‘The 19 recommendations, which will be voted on, will give the Archbishop a clear steer as he presents his pastoral plan to the Archdiocese,’ Fr Philip added. ‘So many voices have contributed and still continue to contribute. We are confident that “together on the road” we will “become the Church God is calling us to be”.’
More information, the list of recommendations and resources can be found at http://synod2020.co.uk
2nd Sunday of Easter (B) – 11 April 2021
Sunday Mass
Please remember: the obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains suspended and, if you are unwell or don’t feel safe coming to church, then please stay at home.
If you are celebrating Sunday at home today, the following may be helpful:
1) You can join in Mass online:
There are lots of websites that are livestreaming Mass:
Mass will be livestreamed from the Cathedral at 11.00 am on YouTube:
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCOiDR9mRmfnAu05Yg3ifyMw
Fr Peter will livestream Mass at 10.00 am from St John Henry Newman:
www.newmanparishwarrington.com
Fr John Schofield will upload Mass on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/Tonyat999/videos
Canon Christopher will livestream Mass at 10.00 am from St Alban’s:
Parish of Sacred Heart and St Alban Warrington | Facebook
There are plenty of Masses livestreamed throughout the day at the following websites:
2) You can join in by praying on your own or with other members of your household. The following resources may be helpful:
Mass Sheet we will be using in church: mass-sheet-easter-2b
Bidding Prayers: bidding-prayers-easter-2b
Sunday Plus: sunday-plus-easter-2b
3) For Children:
You might like to use the following sheet:
Children’s Activity Sheet: look-easter-2b
If you are joining in Mass online, this sheet might be helpful:
Children’s Mass Sheet: ichthus-easter-2b
CAFOD host a virtual Children’s Liturgy of the Word on Sundays at 10.00 am:
https://cafod.org.uk/Education/Children-s-liturgy
And finally, a little humour… (click on images to enlarge)
God bless you,
Fr Dave
Easter Week
Easter Saturday – 10 April 2021
Balancing the books on the backs of the world’s poorest is not acceptable
The Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, write:
Covid has taught us many things, of which one of the most important is that we depend on each other around the world. Our freedoms, our safety, our health and that of our families, and of course our faith: these are all very precious. We have each benefited recently from coronavirus vaccinations. How fortunate we are.
And how much we long for all our sisters and brothers, wherever they are and whatever they believe, to know the same security. The pandemic has reminded us that no one is safe until we are all safe. Our lives are connected.
Of course, our traditions and scriptures have taught us this for centuries. We must not walk by on the other side, and love must prevail over fear when it comes to our global neighbours.
In the small print of the recent Integrated Review of defence, diplomacy and development was a pledge to return the aid budget to 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income. This would honour the many promises made and deliver on the duty imposed by Parliament. But saying the Government will only do this “when the fiscal situation allows” is deeply worrying, suggesting that it will act in contravention of its legally binding target. This promise, repeatedly made even during the pandemic, has been broken and must be put right.
We are already seeing hastily implemented cuts to countries like Yemen, Syria and South Sudan doing real damage to life-saving work. Promises – and truth – matter in politics, as in all walks of life. Real damage has been done. But it is never too late to do the right thing.
This year, the Prime Minister will host two critical international gatherings, which will go a long way to deciding the fate of global efforts to tackle climate change and recover from the pandemic. The G7 in June in Cornwall and the COP26 UN climate negotiations in November in Glasgow are events which remind us that we are one world, and that Britain cannot prosper if it shrinks from its international responsibilities.
Just as the UK has shown leadership on Covax and efforts on vaccination, so we must show leadership on the climate crisis and that requires leadership on international development. Keeping our promises to the world’s poorest people would be a good start. Balancing the books during a pandemic on the backs of the world’s poorest is not acceptable, when Britain should be setting an example and proving our standing as a world leader.
Easter Friday – 9 April 2021
Prince Philip, RIP
At midday today, Buckingham Palace announced the death of Prince Philip, beloved husband of Queen Elizabeth, aged 99.
Cardinal Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, has released this statement:
God our Father,
grant mercy and peace to Prince Philip.
May the care and devotion of his life on earth
find a lasting reward in heaven.
Look kindly on Queen Elizabeth, her family and friends
as now they turn to your compassion and love.
Strengthen their faith and give hope to their hearts.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Archbishop Malcolm McMahon OP will offer Mass for Prince Philip and the Royal Family in the Cathedral tomorrow (Saturday) at 4.00 pm. The Mass will be open to to public and will be livestreamed here:
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCOiDR9mRmfnAu05Yg3ifyMw
Easter Thursday – 8 April 2021
Something to make you smile…
I think this cat is hungry…
And finally, you’ll have to click on this one:
Have a good day!
Easter Wednesday – 7 April 2021
The Archdiocesan Christian Education Department publish a monthly newsletter for all those involved in Religious Education. In this month’s edition, there’s an article by a pupil at St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School. In response to the question, “How can I live and grow in unity and communion with others?”, Rylie in Year 6 wrote:
Unity means staying by peoples sides no matter how hard it may be.
Unity means we are stronger together.
“Together we stand, divided we fall.”
It means loving and caring for everyone you are united with.
Jesus taught us to live in unity by telling us to always forgive.
He also told us through the feast of the 5000
because he didn’t leave anyone out,
he fed every single one of them,
therefore he was united with his people
and that was the message Jesus was trying to tell us,
to be united with your people.
We can be better friends by showing happiness,
or even by smiling.
Forgiveness is also key in a good friendship
because if you hold a grudge
they are going to move on and play without you
or find a new friend,
but if you build up the courage to forgive them,
you and them will be happy.
We can also be a better friend
by never giving up on your friends.
We bring our community together
by showing hard work and leadership.
Another way we can bring our community together
is by spreading the word.
By respecting everyone.
Always being there for someone.
Never giving up on your community.
We can be peacemakers by doing what is right
just like Noah did in Noah’s Ark,
he believed and obeyed God and that saved him.
We can be Peacemakers by encouraging and believing in people
even if they aren’t the best at something,
because that does not matter.
By being a strong role model to people younger and older than you.
By respecting everyone no matter how they look,
what they believe,
their size
and even how they sound.
By caring.
Loving and being kind to everyone around you.
Where there is Unity, there is always Victory.
Rylie (Year 6, St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School)
Isn’t that powerful? Well done, Rylie.
Easter Tuesday – 6 April 2021
The Gospel passages at Mass this week give is the various accounts of the resurrection in the four Gospels. Today, we read from St John and hear the beautiful account of the risen Lord appearing to Mary of Magdala.
Fresco of Mary of Magdala in the Magdalen Chapel, Lower Church, San Francesco, Assisi, by Ambrogio Bondone (1267-1337).
John 20: 11-18
Mary stayed outside near the tomb, weeping. Then, still weeping, she stooped to look inside, and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, the other at the feet. They said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ ‘They have taken my Lord away’ she replied ‘and I don’t know where they have put him.’ As she said this she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not recognise him. Jesus said, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him.’ Jesus said, ‘Mary!’ She knew him then and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbuni!’ – which means Master. Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go and find the brothers, and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ So Mary of Magdala went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had said these things to her.
Prayer
Halleluia!
Jesus is risen!
He is risen indeed!
May this declaration
resound not only in these walls
but touch the lives of all we meet
and forever be
the truth of which we speak.
Your love,
once sown within a garden,
tended for your own people,
neglected and rejected,
now spreads its sweet perfume
in this place
and wherever it is shown.
Halleluia!
Jesus is risen!
He is risen indeed!
(Source unknown)
Easter Monday – 5 April 2021
This week is known as the Easter Octave. In other words, every day is Easter Day!
This is simply delightful. It comes from a twitter account called “Makaton with Lucinda”. Here’s Nikki and her daughter, Lucinda, wishing us a Happy Easter in Makaton…
Easter Sunday – 4 April 2021
“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 and bring hope to your hearts.
Sunday Mass
Please remember: the obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains suspended and, if you are unwell or don’t feel safe coming to church, then please stay at home.
If you are celebrating Sunday at home today, the following may be helpful:
1) You can join in Mass online:
There are lots of websites that are livestreaming Mass:
Mass will be livestreamed from the Cathedral at 11.00 am on YouTube:
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCOiDR9mRmfnAu05Yg3ifyMw
Fr Peter will livestream Mass at 10.00 am from St John Henry Newman:
www.newmanparishwarrington.com
Fr John Schofield will upload Mass on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/Tonyat999/videos
Canon Christopher will livestream Mass at 10.00 am from St Alban’s:
Parish of Sacred Heart and St Alban Warrington | Facebook
There are plenty of Masses livestreamed throughout the day at the following websites:
2) You can join in by praying on your own or with other members of your household. The following resources may be helpful:
Prayer Service: easter-sunday-at-home-2021
Mass Sheet we will be using in church: mass-sheet-easter-sunday-2021
Sunday Plus: sunday-plus-easter-2021
3) For Children:
You might like to use the following sheet:
Children’s Activity Sheet: look-easter-2021
If you are joining in Mass online, this sheet might be helpful:
Children’s Mass Sheet: ichthus-easter-2021
CAFOD host a virtual Children’s Liturgy of the Word on Sundays at 10.00 am:
https://cafod.org.uk/Education/Children-s-liturgy
And finally, a little humour… (click on images to enlarge)
Yippee! Lent is over…
God bless you,
Fr Dave
Holy Week
Holy Saturday – 3 April 2021
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.
If you’re not joining us in church this evening, you might like to join in one of the many celebrations online. If you scroll down the page to Palm Sunday, you will find plenty of links.
Good Friday – 2 April 2021
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 world, and venerate the Cross.
If you will be praying at home today, there is a Prayer Service below that might be helpful. Alternatively, you may like to join in one of the many celebrations online. If you scroll down the page to Palm Sunday, you will find plenty of links.
Prayer Service: good-friday-at-home-2021
Video for Children: https://youtu.be/HL8R158Ujp4
Holy Thursday – 1 April 2021
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.
If you’re not able to join us in church this evening, you might like to use this little service at home:
This is the Mass sheet we will be using in church:
Wednesday in Holy Week – 31 March 2021
Celebrating Reconciliation
Just before the Easter Triduum, we usually gather together as a community to celebrate God’s love and forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This liturgy usually draws a large congregation, so it’s not wise to hold the celebration just now. Instead you might like to use this little Service of Reconciliation at home, either on your own or with those who share your home:
celebrating-reconciliation-at-home-2021
Tuesday in Holy Week – 30 March 2021
Some prayer helps for Holy Week
From the Archdiocese of Dublin:
stations-of-the-cross-the-way-of-mary
From YouTube:
Virtual Church: BEAUTY in SOUND – YouTube
(a beautiful channel mainly offering organ music but also Compline during Holy Week)
Canterbury Cathedral: Canterbury Cathedral – YouTube
(offering Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer and Reflections by the Archbishop of Canterbury)
Monday in Holy Week – 29 March 2021
Last Tuesday, we were invited to keep a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance on the anniversary of the first lockdown last year. I would like to share some beautiful prayers written for the day by two children in Year 6 at St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School. Click on images to enlarge:
Many thanks to the children for allowing me to share their prayers with you.
Palm Sunday (B) – 28 March 2021
Sunday Mass
Although we are still under a national lockdown, you can leave your home to attend church but must not mix with anyone who is not in your household or bubble.
Please remember: the obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains suspended and, if you are shielding, unwell, or don’t feel safe coming to church, then please stay at home.
If you are celebrating Sunday at home today, the following may be helpful:
1) You can join in Mass online:
There are lots of websites that are livestreaming Mass:
Mass will be livestreamed from the Cathedral at 11.00 am on YouTube:
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCOiDR9mRmfnAu05Yg3ifyMw
Fr Peter will livestream Mass at 10.00 am from St John Henry Newman:
www.newmanparishwarrington.com
Fr John Schofield will upload Mass on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/Tonyat999/videos
Canon Christopher will livestream Mass at 10.00 am from St Alban’s:
Parish of Sacred Heart and St Alban Warrington | Facebook
There are plenty of Masses livestreamed throughout the day at the following websites:
2) You can join in by praying at home – on your own or with other members of your household. The following resources may be helpful:
Sunday Plus: sunday-plus-palm-b
Archdiocese:
www.liverpoolcatholicresources.com/sunday-reflections-readings
3) For Children:
You might like to use the following sheet:
Children’s Activity Sheet: look-palm-sunday-b
If you are joining in Mass online, this sheet might be helpful:
Children’s Mass Sheet: ichthus-palm-sunday-b
CAFOD host a virtual Children’s Liturgy of the Word on Sundays at 10.00 am:
https://cafod.org.uk/Education/Children-s-liturgy
And finally, a little humour… (click on images to enlarge)
God bless you,
Fr Dave
5th Week of Lent
Saturday 27 March 2021
Here are some beautiful resources for Holy Week from the Archdiocese of Dublin, particularly useful if you will be celebrating Holy Week at home this year:
stations-of-the-cross-the-way-of-mary
Friday 26 March 2021
Stations of the Cross
A short version for this last Friday in Lent:
Thursday 25 March 2021 – Solemnity of the Annunciation
1) Enviro-Lent Tuesday
A couple of days late, but here’s the fifth and final sheet from the Salford Diocese (click on image to enlarge):
2) The Annunciation
A thought from Pope Francis: “Mary was and is present in these days of the pandemic, near to the people who, unfortunately, have concluded their earthly journey all alone, without the comfort of or the closeness of their loved ones. Mary is always there next to us, with her maternal tenderness.”
Wednesday 24 March 2021
St Oscar Romero
Today we keep the memory of St Oscar Romero who was murdered on this day forty-one years ago.
Image (c) Romero Trust
When Oscar Romero was appointed Archbishop of San Salvador in 1977, his country was broken. Many people in El Salvador were living in poverty, while an elite group manipulated all political and economic power. Death squads ensured things stayed that way.
Just three weeks after becoming Archbishop, Romero’s good friend, Jesuit priest Fr Rutilio Grande, was murdered by one of those death squads. Another five priests would be assassinated in the Archdiocese during the three years Romero was bishop.
When a military junta seized power in 1979, Archbishop Romero began broadcasting weekly sermons over the radio. He openly criticised the regime and those supporting it, denouncing cases of abduction, torture and mass murder. He became known as ‘the voice of the voiceless’.
In 1980, social tensions erupted into a civil war which lasted 12 years and left over 75,000 people dead! Archbishop Romero set up pastoral programmes to assist the victims of oppression. At the same time, he became even more outspoken, condemning human rights violations and defending the preferential option for the poor.
The day before he was killed, Romero appealed desperately to the Salvadoran military to stop killing their own people. “No soldier is obliged to obey an order that goes against the law of God”, he said. “I beseech you. I beg you. I command you! In the name of God: ‘Stop the repression!’”
It was to be his last radio broadcast. At 6.30 pm on Monday 24 March 1980, Romero was celebrating Mass in the chapel of the Divine Providence hospital. A car pulled up outside, and a lone gunman fired a single shot from the doorway straight into Oscar Romero’s heart.
Recognised by Pope Francis as a martyr for the faith, he was beatified on 23 May 2015 in San Salvador. Then, on 14 October 2018, Pope Francis proclaimed him a saint. For the occasion, the Pope chose to wear the same blood-stained belt that Romero was wearing at the altar when he was killed.
Adapted from an article on Vatican News by Seàn-Patrick Lovett, 24 March 2020.
God our Father,
you blessed your servant Oscar Romero
with a love for the poor and a passion for justice.
United with Jesus your Son,
he gave his life at the altar in love for your people.
Pour your Holy Spirit upon your Church.
Grant that we too may recognise
and serve Jesus in those most in need,
and bring your love and compassion,
your peace and justice to our world.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Tuesday 23 March 2021
Prayers on the Anniversary of the First Lockdown
Loving Creator,
We asked for strength,
and you gave us difficulties to make us strong.
We asked for wisdom,
and you gave us problems to solve.
We asked for prosperity,
and you gave us purpose and brains to use.
We asked for courage,
and you gave us fears to overcome.
We asked for patience,
and you gave us situations where we were forced to wait.
We asked for love,
and you gave us troubled people to help.
We asked for justice,
and you called us to be just and lead with integrity.
Lord, we have received nothing that we asked for or wanted.
And yet, we receive everything that we needed.
For this we give thanks.
By Colleen Hanycz PhD
Incoming President at Xavier University, America
A Prayer for all those who have died
during the Covid-19 Pandemic
Father in heaven,
we remember with love
all those who have died during the pandemic.
So many people.
So many names, so many faces.
Family, friends, neighbours, parishioners.
Scoop them up in your arms
and take them to your heavenly home
where there is new life –
the fullness of love, joy and peace for ever.
We think of those who couldn’t say goodbye
to a loved one and the hurt they feel.
We think of those who couldn’t go to the funeral
of a family member or friend.
We think of all those who have not been able to grieve
with the supports that we usually take for granted.
Come to them, Lord.
Embrace them with tenderness and reassurance.
Comfort them with your promise of new life for their loved ones
and the hope of being reunited one day.
Good Father, when the time is right,
gather us in remembrance.
May the memories we treasure
keep them alive in our hearts,
and prompt us to pray for them
and talk to them in our hearts.
Let us see them with a smile on their face
as you embrace them in love.
May they rest in peace and live in Christ.
Amen.
By Fr Dave Heywood
Parish of Blessed James Bell, Warrington
A Covid Poem
When this is over,
may we never again
take for granted
A handshake with a stranger
Full shelves at the store
Conversations with neighbours
A crowded theatre
Friday night out
The taste of communion
A routine check-up
The school rush each morning
Coffee with a friend
The stadium roaring
Each deep breath
A boring Tuesday
Life itself.
When this ends,
may we find
that we have become
more like the people
we wanted to be
we were called to be
we hoped to be
and may we stay
that way–better
for each other
because of the worst.
By Laura Kelley Fanucci
Monday 22 March 2021
Prayers Please!
Please pray for a man called John – the Lord will know who you mean.
John is an incredibly kind and generous man. He has inspired many people on their journey with God in this life.
John has a severe form of motor neurone disease which he has courageously and patiently lived with for years. The disease has now left him more or less imprisoned in his body in bed. Until recently he was at least able to use his eyes to communicate through a computer, but now even that has been taken away from him. Machines are keeping him alive.
He wants to go home to our Lord. So perhaps that’s our prayer for him now.
Lord, come to your dear servant, John.
Scoop him up into your arms
and take him home to your Father
who can heal him and give him new life.
And, if this is not your will for John just now,
be so close to him that he knows you with him,
and give him all he needs to cope
until it’s time for him to go with you to Father’s house.
This we pray with all our hearts.
Amen.
5th Sunday of Lent (B) – 21 March 2021
Sunday Mass
Although we are still under a national lockdown, you can leave your home to attend church but must not mix with anyone who is not in your household or bubble.
Please remember: the obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains suspended and, if you are shielding, unwell, or don’t feel safe coming to church, then please stay at home.
If you are celebrating Sunday at home today, the following may be helpful:
1) You can join in Mass online:
There are lots of websites that are livestreaming Mass:
Mass will be livestreamed from the Cathedral at 11.00 am on YouTube:
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCOiDR9mRmfnAu05Yg3ifyMw
Fr Peter will livestream Mass at 10.00 am from St John Henry Newman:
www.newmanparishwarrington.com
Fr John Schofield will upload Mass on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/Tonyat999/videos
Canon Christopher will livestream Mass at 10.00 am from St Alban’s:
Parish of Sacred Heart and St Alban Warrington | Facebook
There are plenty of Masses livestreamed throughout the day at the following websites:
2) You can join in by praying at home – on your own or with other members of your household. The following resources may be helpful:
This weekend’s Mass sheet: mass-sheet-lent-5b
Sunday Plus: sunday-plus-lent-5b
Archdiocese:
www.liverpoolcatholicresources.com/sunday-reflections-readings
3) For Children:
You might like to use the following sheet:
Children’s Activity Sheet: look-lent-5b
If you are joining in Mass online, this sheet might be helpful:
Children’s Mass Sheet: ichthus-lent-5b
CAFOD host a virtual Children’s Liturgy of the Word on Sundays at 10.00 am:
https://cafod.org.uk/Education/Children-s-liturgy
And finally, a little humour… (click on images to enlarge)
God bless you,
Fr Dave
4th Week of Lent
Saturday 20 March 2021
Simply this…
Friday 19 March 2021 – Solemnity of St Joseph, Husband of Mary
Today is the Solemnity of St Joseph, Husband of Mary, protector and guardian of the Church.
Today’s Gospel – Matthew 1: 16, 18-21, 24
Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary; of her was born Jesus who is called Christ.
This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do.
Year of St Joseph
Something which may have passed us by because of the pandemic is that Pope Francis inaugurated a Year of St Joseph last December. Pope Francis offers us this prayer for the year:
Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer,
Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
To you God entrusted his only Son;
in you Mary placed her trust;
with you Christ became man.
Blessed Joseph, to us too,
show yourself a father
and guide us in the path of life.
Obtain for us grace, mercy, and courage,
and defend us from every evil. Amen.
Stations of the Cross
This week’s Stations of the Cross come from the Archdiocese of Liverpool:
stations-of-the-cross-during-covid-19
Thursday 18 March 2021
Stressed
Lord, I don’t feel so good.
I don’t feel right.
Pressure is one thing.
There is pressure all the time
to perform, to deliver, to be successful.
But this is different.
This is a tightness in my chest,
a sudden, rising panic.
This is a night without sleep.
This is tearful, this is stress.
I am at the far end of my resources
and need help.
My child,
know that you are loved.
Rest in me awhile; lay down your burden.
I know stress, too. I know anguish.
I know what it’s like to beg
that the cup will be taken away.
I have been to the worst places
that you inhabit;
in your most lonely darkness,
in your Gethsemane,
you’ll find me there.
(c) Raymond Friel & David Wells in their book ‘At Your Side’ (2020). Redemptorist Publications.
Wednesday 17 March 2021 – Feast of St Patrick, Patron of Ireland
Picture (c) Diocese of Ossory
A very happy feast day to the people of Ireland, to those who have family living in Ireland, and to all our Irish friends.
At Mass today, we prayed part of a beautiful prayer attributed to St Patrick:
Christ shield me this day:
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every person who thinks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.
(From St Patrick’s Breastplate)
Tuesday 16 March 2021
1) Enviro-Lent Tuesday
Here is the fourth sheet from the Diocese of Salford (click to enlarge):
2) Tuesday 23 March
Next Tuesday, 23 March, is the anniversary of the first national lockdown. The Government are inviting us to make next Tuesday a day of reflection and the Bishops of England & Wales are inviting us to make it a day of prayer as well. You can read more here:
Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales (cbcew.org.uk)
Further details to follow.
Monday 15 March 2021
A bit of light relief for today…
The Marsh Family have just released their latest song based on Elton John’s “Goodbye yellow brick road”. It’s very good and very funny. Click on the link to watch:
“Goodbye Pandemic Road” – “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” adapted by the Marsh Family – YouTube
4th Sunday of Lent (B) – 14 March 2021
Sunday Mass
Great news! Churches in Warrington will reopen today. Although we are still under a national lockdown, you can leave your home to attend church but must not mix with anyone who is not in your household or bubble.
Please remember: the obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains suspended and, if you are shielding, unwell, or don’t feel safe coming to church, then please stay at home.
If you are celebrating Sunday at home today, the following may be helpful:
1) You can join in Mass online:
There are lots of websites that are livestreaming Mass:
Mass will be livestreamed from the Cathedral at 11.00 am on YouTube:
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCOiDR9mRmfnAu05Yg3ifyMw
Fr Peter will livestream Mass at 10.00 am from St John Henry Newman:
www.newmanparishwarrington.com
Fr John Schofield will upload Mass on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/Tonyat999/videos
Canon Christopher will livestream Mass at 10.00 am from St Alban’s:
Parish of Sacred Heart and St Alban Warrington | Facebook
There are plenty of Masses livestreamed throughout the day at the following websites:
2) You can join in by praying at home – on your own or with other members of your household. The following resources may be helpful:
This weekend’s Mass sheet: mass-sheet-lent-4b
Bidding Prayers: bidding-prayers-lent-4b
Sunday Plus: sunday-plus-lent-4b
Archdiocese:
www.liverpoolcatholicresources.com/sunday-reflections-readings
3) For Children:
You might like to use the following sheet:
Children’s Activity Sheet: look-lent-4b
If you are joining in Mass online, this sheet might be helpful:
Children’s Mass Sheet: ichthus-lent-4b
CAFOD host a virtual Children’s Liturgy of the Word on Sundays at 10.00 am:
https://cafod.org.uk/Education/Children-s-liturgy
And finally, a little humour… (click on images to enlarge)
Picture (c) Thortful
God bless you,
Fr Dave
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