The Pastoral Area of Southport On a Journey of Faith Fourth Sunday of Advent 21st December Year B FOOD AND DRINK FOR THE JOURNEY The words the angel Gabriel spoke to Mary in today’s Gospel are among the best known and most loved in the history of the world. Many of us have heard them spoken by children in Nativity plays etc. This is often delightful - but we run the risk of losing the power of what the angel was actually announcing! Everything on earth became transformed because God became human. God became like us, so that we can become like Him! Mary was a true hearer and welcomer of the Word of God and immediately responded with faith and trust, even when she didn’t fully understand. Mary’s unconditional yes "Let what you have said be done to me" gives us a good insight of who she is. If everyone trusted and responded as Mary did, who knows what joy the world would know! How we praise Him for Mary’s ‘yes’ ! MISSION STATEMENT OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF LIVERPOOL: “Taking to heart the last words of the Lord Jesus, we will go into the world to proclaim the Good News to the whole of Creation”. St Marie’s 25 Seabank Road Southport PR9 0EJ Parish Priest: Father John Heneghan Telephone: (01704) 531229 Fax: (01704) 512590 Email: stmaries.southport@rcaolp.co.uk Website: www.stmariessouthport.org.uk Archdiocesan Website: www.liverpoolcatholic.org.uk Liturgical Week Today –Fourth Sunday of Advent Next Sunday –Feast of the Holy Family **************** The Pastoral Area of Southport St Marie’s Fr John Heneghan St Patrick’s Fr Mark Madden Holy Family Fr Philip Gregory (Dean) Mgr Peter Fleetwood St Teresa’s Canon John Gaine St Joseph & Our Lady of Lourdes Fr Atli Jonsson Sacred Heart & St John Stone Fr Killian O’Mahoney Fr Sean Quinlan Fr Bernard Rolls Tel: 531229 Tel: 228943 Tel: 532613 Tel: 566865 Tel: 568313 Tel: 577722 st rd Mass in Polish – is celebrated here at St Marie’s on the 1 and 3 Sunday’s of the month at 3pm. Mass in Indian (Malayalam) – is celebrated here at St Marie’s on the last Thursday of each month at 6p.m Marian Centre for Evangelisation – this wonderful resource of our parish is behind the Church.. For more info. Tel: 07544768483 email: contact@mariancentre.org.uk, website: www.mariancentre.org.uk Please join us for tea/coffee after the 11am Mass. Visitors welcome! The New Southport Catholic Youth Service Group The first meeting took place on December 4th. Just as Advent is the beginning of the Church’s year, preparing us for the joy of Christmas and the gifts the Lord will shower on us as the months unfold, we pray that this new phase in the Church’s ministry by, with and to our children and young people may bring hope and peace to many. Thank you for your prayerful support! ************* THANK YOU Thank you for all the cards and gifts you’ve sent me! May the last days of Advent and the feast of Christmas fill you and yours with hope and peace that will lead you, not only through the new year, but into eternal life! Fr John ************* FOREVER ANGELS Emma Grimley flew to Tanzania last Monday to work for 6 months at the Forever Angels Children’s Home. Please remember her and those she will care for in your prayers. She is grateful for the support given her which raised £1,300 for the home and the support given to allow her to fund her keep for the time she is there. Thank you. Forever Angels, P.0 Box 2631, Mwanza. Tanzania Christmas Mass Times Christmas begins with Midnight Mass and ends on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord 12 Midnight Christmas Eve (with Service of Word and Carols from 11.30pm) Christmas Day 25th December 9am & 11am (with the children acting out the Nativity for us…a sight to bring everyone Christmas joy) This year our theme will be Praying for our families PONDER Listening is a way of loving Today, with the pressures of everyday living, our listening can be impaired. We need constantly to overcome the temptation to just ‘hear’ what’s said, and work on listening with our hearts, eyes and full attention Walking with Pope Francis ‘Spirit-filled evangelizers means evangelizers fearlessly open to the working of the Holy Spirit…….Jesus wants evangelizers who proclaim the good news not only with words, but above all by a life transfigured by God’s presence.’ (from his letter to us ‘the Joy of the Gospel’) ****************************************** ADVENT As this time of grace and joy brings us closer to the great feast of Christmas, may our hearts be open to receive the priceless gifts the Lord desires to give us this Christmas! ****************************************** R.C.I.A The next meeting will be on January 13th. at 7pm in the Parish House. We will explore Channels of Love – The Sacraments ****************************************** Eucharistic Ministers Rota The new Rota for 2015 is available for collection in the Sacristy. Christmas Family Prayer Tree Take a star as you enter Church and write on it the name of your family, or your ‘Church Family’ then place it in the basket near the Advent candle so we can put them on our Christmas tree next to the altar to be part of our prayer throughout Christmastide ************* CHRISTMAS DAY COLLECTION The Christmas Day collection will be put into the Parish Funds to go towards paying the priest’s annual salary of £9,000 (The Archbishop encouraged all the priests to use this system a few years ago so that each priest – whether in a poorer or wealthier parish has the same income). ************* 100 CLUB DECEMBER WINNERS £25 R Bruce, £15 J Nixon, £10 K Bennetton Congratulations! Please pick up your winnings from the Parish Office. January subscriptions are now due and can be placed in the offertory bag or handed in at the Parish Office. Please make sure your envelope is clearly marked with your name and 100 Club on. ************* May you often pause to remember that you carry a precious gift of Star-Light within you. May this Star-Light dance in your life and bring joy to those you meet each day. COLLECTIONS Offertory………….£932.59 Last Week’s Retiring Collection… £710.68 SVP This week’s Retiring Collection…. Marian-Care Next Week’s Retiring Collection… School Levy Thank you so much for your kind generosity! ACKNOWLEDGED WITH THANKS Marian-Care – £200 (Lottery Scratch Card) £39 (coins), £30, £20, £20, £10, £10, £5 Flowers - £10 Dancers Pennies for Africa - including raffles and Christmas Party £201.78 We hold in prayer all who are sick in body, mind or spirit and those who care for them; also those who have died and gone before us marked with the sign of faith… Fr Bill Redmond……. May those who grieve their passing come to experience the peace of the Risen Christ. The Parish House is open from 10.00am to 12.00 noon and from 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm Mon- Fri for general enquiries, e.g. Mass Cards, and to feed the homeless and those in need. Week Commencing 21st December First Mass of Sunday Saturday 6pm Sunday 9am Sunday 11am Monday 12 Noon Tuesday Wednesday Midnight Mass Christmas Day Christmas Day Friday Saturday Saturday 12 Noon 12 Noon mignight 9am 11am 12 Noon 12 Noon 6pm Sunday Sunday 9am 11am Edward Bennetton People of the Parish John O’Neil Service of The Word & Holy Communion Barbara Dix Margaret Callaghan People of the Parish World Peace All Families Monica Surgeon Pro -Life Deceased members of O’Brien & McCormack Families People of the Parish Andrew Nicholson The Rosary will be prayed Monday to Saturday after 12 00 Noon Mass SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION: Tuesday to Saturday 11.30 to 12.00 noon (or by appointment with Father John) EXPOSITION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT Monday to Saturday 11.30 to 12.00 noon Liverpool RC Archdiocese Trustees Inc. 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