Archdiocese of Liverpool – Our Lady of the Annunciation and Saint Bernadette Twenty Ninth Sunday of the Year World Mission Day 19 October 2014 Little Caesars When the Pharisees and Herodians tried to trick Jesus (“Is it permissible to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”) his reply was simple. Whatever you are called on to do, your loyalty must be to God alone. We are still faced today with lots of little Caesars, with people and institutions that claim to know what’s best for us and which demand our obedience and loyalty. It may be the State that enacts laws which no Christian conscience can accept. What do we then do? Support the government because it’s unpatriotic not to? What if we were involved in a political but unjust war? Caesar or God? And what about the little Caesars who are experts in their field? What if they decide to play with human life, to clone or to tinker with DNA in order to eradicate what they think is undesirable, to hasten the death of the terminally ill? Caesar or God? What about the religious and political Caesars who are so anxious to have their say in the appointment of bishops lest they relativise Caesar’s position? On a different level, our Caesars can often be at work. Are we involved in a business that does not break the law but certainly does not offer true value to the customer or client? Would speaking out mean that we would lose our job? Caesar or God? Even our friends. We can find ourselves caught up in company where the atmosphere and conversation usually takes a decided turn for the worst after a few drinks. But they would think we were priggish or a prude if we made any comment. The list is endless. Caesar versus God is about making our own views known without imposing them on other people, without taking away their conscience from them. Christians are at their worst when they are pointing fingers. But what is required is a clarity in the way we proclaim our faith and values, without accusing others of being less than us. Not everything that is legal is moral. It was St Thomas More who fittingly lived out today’s gospel when, as he went to his death, he said, “I die the king’s good servant, but God’s first.” Mass Intentions this week Day Church Twenty Ninth Sunday of the Year Time Intention Though you do not know me, I arm you that people may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that, apart from me, all is nothing. (Isaiah 45:5-6) Saturday St Bernadette’s St Marie’s 5.30 pm 6.45 pm Barbara Clark (LD) Alessandro Marco Ferro (LD) Sunday St Bernadette ’s St Marie’s 9.30 am 11.00 am People of the Parish Brian Barnes (Anniversary) Mo n d a y St Marie’s 9.15 am Winifred & Clifford Hesketh (Anniv) Tu e s d a y St Bernadette ’s St Marie’s 9.15 am 7.00 pm Pat Draper (Birthday Remembrance) Elizabeth Kowalski (LD) Th u r s d a y St Bernadette's 9.15 am Margaret Levy (Anniversary) Friday St Marie’s 9.15 am Roy Cash (LD) Thirtieth Sunday of the Year If you lend money to any of my people... you must not demand interest from him. (Exodus 22: 24-25) Saturday St Bernadette’s St Marie’s 5.30 pm 6.45 pm John Galvin ((Anniversary) Charles Castelli (Anniversary) Sunday St Bernadette ’s St Marie’s 9.30 am 11.00 am People of the Parish Greg Speakman (Anniversary) Clergy: Father John Hindley Saint Marie’s Presbytery Almond Brook Road Standish, Wigan, WN6 0TB Telephone: 01257 423291 Serving the Churches of: St Marie of the Annunciation Standish www.stmariesstandish.co.uk St Bernadette Shevington www.stbernadettesshevington.org.uk Parish Office at St Marie’s: Open 9.00 am to 12 noon Monday - Friday jointparishes@gmail.com www.twitter.com/stmstb Baptisms: By prior arrangement. Information available at weekend Masses. All baptisms take place during Mass. St Bernadette’s first Sunday, St Marie’s third Sunday of the month. Confessions: St Bernadette’s: Sun 9.10 - 9.20 am. St Marie’s: Tue 6.30 - 6.50 pm. or by request. Church opening: Please remember that St Marie’s Church is open for private prayer during weekdays between 9.00 am and 12 noon. Funerals and Marriages: By arrangement. Visits to sick and housebound: Please inform Fr John if you know of sick or housebound parishioners who would like Holy Communion. Hospital Visits: If you wish to see a priest please let the hospital staff know. Mass Requests: Place in an envelope and hand in to the Sacristy or to the Parish Office at Saint Marie’s. Please indicate your preferred church, if any. Please also specify the reason for the intention, i.e. recently deceased, anniversary etc. For a particular day, please request early. Newsletter Notices: Please e-mail to jointparishes@gmail.com or hand in to the Parish Office by Thursday morning. Repository: Open at the back of church after each weekend Mass St Marie’s Hall: All bookings for hall usage should be made in advance with the Parish Office during the parish office hours. Liverpool Roman Catholic Archdiocesan Trustees Incorporated. A registered charity. Number 232709. This weekend: World Mission Sunday 2014. Second collection at all Masses for APF World Missions. To gift aid your donation, please use the envelope provided in the offertory envelope box, or use the envelopes available at the back of Church. Sunday after 11.00 am Mass: Tea and coffee in the Hall. Sunday: Ecumenical Songs of Praise at Shevington Methodist Church at 3.00 pm. This week: Monday: Prayer Group in St Marie’s Hall at 7.30 pm. All welcome. Next weekend: Saturday: ACTA National Conference at Liverpool Hope University, 10.30 am – 4.30 pm. To register visit: acalltoaction.org.uk. Sunday after 11.00 am Mass: Tea and coffee in the Hall. Thank you for your offerings £1,542.89. Bonus Ball No.18 - S Foster - £17. New to the Parish? You’re very welcome. Come and say hello! St Marie’s Sanctuary Lamp Silver Wedding Anniversary. This week, we have said farewell to William Makinson Until we meet again.... Coffee Morning Thank you to all who supported the coffee morning, which raised £186.30 for the pre-school project in Hambantota in Sri Lanka. The Brick food bank Due to the increased demand on the distribution of food parcels, which now exceeds over 200 per week, the food bank is finding it extremely difficult to provide items for a substantial meal, such as breakfast cereals, tinned meats, tinned vegetables and tinned fish. Biscuits for children and tea and coffee are also needed. Food items can be left in the porch at either Church. Your support is vital and appreciated. Golden Anniversary As part of the 50th Anniversary celebrations at St Bernadette’s next year, the parish aims to compile a booklet to mark this special event. If any parishioner is willing to share any memories, photographs etc. with the parish, please contact Steve Grimes, 426090. Thank you. If you have any other ideas on how we might mark this event, there is a suggestion box on the table at the back of St Bernadette’s. Archbishop Malcom McMahon will celebrate Mass for the anniversary on Sunday, 22 February at 9.30am. Youth Conference A youth conference aimed at 16 -25 year olds, but open to all ages, takes place in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, Liverpool on Saturday, 1 November. For more information, call 0151 440 2015 or visit www.embrace-liverpool.org.uk. Christmas Draw Tickets for the Christmas Draw are on sale at St Bernadette's Church, £1 for a book of two or 50p each. Please take some away with you to sell. Donations of prizes can be brought to St Bernadette's Church at Mass times. zeal for carrying the Gospel into all the world. Charity Concert The Knights St Columba have arranged a charity concert, featuring local group 'Chonkinfeckle' (local songs, stories and humour) at the Unity Club, Standish on Friday 7 November at 8.00 pm. Tickets £5 available from John Melarkey 01942 244030, Tommy Dickens, 404038, Tom Hatton, 400308 or any KSC member. All proceeds to 'Mary's Meals' charity. Thursday Club The Thursday Club is looking for new members, aged 60 years and over. The club meets St Marie’s Hall from 1.00 pm until 3.30 pm for a chat and games of dominoes and bingo. There is occasionally a hot meal to celebrate a birthday. Ring and Ride is available. Additional helpers also welcome. Contact Bernie, 422225. Holy Rosary Thank you to all who supported the harvest bingo, which raised £160.40 for The Wigan & Leigh Deaf Children’s Society. The Rosary will be prayed in St Marie's church after the evening Mass each Tuesday during October, to which all parishioners are invited. If anyone would like to lead the Rosary, please contact Father John. Bereavement Mass Fundraising Group The next Bereavement Mass will be held at St Marie’s on Friday, 7 November at 9.15 am, followed by tea & coffee. Members of the Bereavement Support Group will be present to listen, offer support and practical advice to those who have suffered loss. There will be a Remembrance Mass at St Marie’s on Tuesday, 4 November at 7.00 pm. There will be a meeting in St Bernadette's Church on Tuesday, 18 November at 7:30 pm to discuss arrangements for the spring 2015 concert. Harvest Bingo Getting Married? Are you planning to get married in the Catholic Church either here in this country or abroad? If so, the Archdiocese has prepared new Marriage preparation leaflets, which are available at the back of Church. You can download either leaflet from www.liverpoolcatholic.org.uk/marriage. Courses for 2015 will be available from November 2014. Something to pray about We can join Pope Francis in his prayer intentions for the month of October: General: That the Lord may grant peace to those parts of the world most battered by war and violence Missionary: That World Mission Day may rekindle in every believer Baptisms This weekend, we welcome new members to our Catholic Church community when George John Egan, Harriet May Lewis and Lucy Marie Rigbye are baptised during the 11.00 am Mass. Congratulations! Dates for your diary Monday, 3 November: 50th anniversary meeting at St Bernadette’s Church at 7.30 pm.
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