Third Sunday of Lent

7th March 2010

 

P4633Last Chance Saloon?

I always meant to sort out that kitchen shelf and now that it’s crashed to the floor with all the crockery it’s too late. The same goes for that little chip in the windscreen that now looks like a spider’s web, and of course there’s that faulty old plug on the TV set which probably caused last night’s loud explosion during Coronation Street!

 

We love to put things off. Yes, we’ll get round to them some day but at the moment I’m a bit tired, a bit busy or a bit too distracted to do anything about them. There’s always tomorrow.

 

In today’s gospel, one of the most frightening episodes according to many people, Jesus issues a real warning. Don’t think that you can put off repentance until tomorrow because repentance is a “now-thing” and, what’s more, you never know what’s lurking around the corner. He reminds his listeners of two awful events that had just taken place in and around Jerusalem: a murderous attack on worshippers in the Temple, and a disaster that killed eighteen people when a building collapsed on them. Do you think these people had any idea they wouldn’t return home that day, says Jesus, and do you think they were more guilty than anyone else? Of course not. Then, he tells them, you too must repent now or you will perish like they did.

 

Lent reminds us that repentance is not a once-and-for-all action; we don’t make a grand act of repentance and then sit back and relax. Repentance is a constant activity of the Christian, not continually worrying about our stance before God, but striving all the time to be as close to God as we can by the way we treat other people. Repentance means taking a regular reality check that what we are doing and saying is consistent with our desire to belong to God’s family. And although we concentrate on repentance a great deal in Lent, it is something that should be a daily activity for all of us, and we need to pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit to be able to repent.

 

Is there something in your life that niggles at you? Something that you know you should do something about which will improve your quality of life with God and with others? Well, don’t worry about it; you can always do something about it tomorrow, after Easter, in the summer or in the run-up to Christmas…. Or perhaps not!


 

 

Mass Intentions this week

Day

Church

Time

Intention

Third Sunday

 of Lent

Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the other people living in Jerusalem? They were not, I tell you. But unless you repent you will all perish as they did. (Luke 13:4-5)

Saturday

St Bernadette’s

St Marie’s

5.30 pm

7.00 pm

L.I.S.C.F.

William Rainford

Sunday

St Bernadette’s

St Marie’s

9.30 am

11.00 am

People of the Parish

Frank Cheetham

Monday

St Marie’s

9.15 am

Lou Burns

Tuesday

St Bernadette’s

9.15 am

Ken Street

Wednesday

St Marie’s

7.00 pm

Charles Brazier

Thursday

St Bernadette’s

9.15 am

Margaret Stonehouse

Friday

St Marie’s

9.15 am

Joseph Green

Fourth Sunday of Lent

It was only right that we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found. (Luke 15:32)

Saturday

St Bernadette’s

St Marie’s

5.30 pm

7.00 pm

People of the Parish

Bill Cox

Sunday

St Bernadette’s

St Marie’s

9.30 am

11.00 am

Jean Robbins

Sarah Turner & Kathleen Kerr


 

This weekend:

Easter Chicken Cards on sale after each Mass.  The cost of £1.00 each will buy a day old chicken for a mission in Kenya run by the Sons of Divine Providence. The income from the chickens helps to pay for a school for handicapped children. 

Sunday after 11.00 am Mass: Tea and coffee in the Church Hall.

Sunday: Hunger Lunch, 12 noon until 2.00 pm at 17 Newgate Avenue, Appley Bridge. (253380). £3 per person / £10 family. Proceeds to Angela Price’s Hambantota Funds.

Sunday: ‘Living with Luke’, a reflective workshop on the Gospel according to Luke, 2.00 pm-4.30 pm at St Patrick’s, Southport.

Next week:

Monday: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at St Marie’s at 2.00 pm.

Tuesday: Lenten Service of reflection and prayer at the Methodist Church, Standish at 2.00 pm.

Wednesday: Stations of the Cross at St Marie’s at 6.30 pm.

Wednesday: Standish Churches Men's Fellowship meeting at the Globe Inn at 7.30 pm. A talk by Ebrahim Adia on "A Muslim View", followed by a buffet supper. Cost £6.00. Contact Joe Fairhurst 402185. Ladies are also invited to attend.

Thursday: Stations of the Cross at St Bernadette’s at 7.00 pm, followed by Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at 7.30 pm.

Next weekend:

Saturday: Conference for Catholic teachers and students at Liverpool Hope University interested in teaching or returning to teaching in Catholic schools and colleges, 9.30 am – 3.30 pm. £15.00 per delegate. Contact Sheila Hayes at Hope University by e-mail to Hayess@hope.ac.uk or telephone 0151 291 3396.

Sunday after 11.00 am Mass: Tea and coffee in the Church Hall.

Sunday after 11.00 am Mass: Home made Fairtrade cake and biscuit sale in St Marie’s Church Hall.

Thank you for your offerings

St Marie’s              £973.25

St Bernadette’s      £815.95

Papal visit

During the recent Ad Limina Visit, the Holy Father announced his forthcoming trip to the UK, possibly sometime in September 2010. Sadly, there is already opposition to this visit headed by the Secular Society of Great Britain. The Secular Society has an online petition which has already attracted over 20,000 signatures and yet a petition supporting the visit only has 1,200 signatures. You are asked to visit the website and sign the supporting petition as we welcome the Holy Father to our country. www.petitiononline.com/PopeinUK/petition.html

Confirmation catechesis

The series of meetings about Confirmation catechesis continues on 10th and 24th March at St Marie's, 7.30 pm to 9.00 pm. If anyone would like to attend, please email peteandmargjennings@hotmail.co.uk.

At the back of church…..

·         Mothering Sunday and St Patrick's Day cards;

·         Rotas for St Marie’s Eucharistic Ministers and Readers; and

·          APF Mill Hill Mission books.

Women’s World Day of Prayer

A big 'Thank You' to all the ladies who read at the service at St Anne's and to everyone who came along for the purpose of joining in prayer with other women from all over the world.

Church Development Fund

February results. £50 each: 153 F Darwin and 213 O Castelli. £30 each: 198 B. Hatton and 260 P. Kenyon. £25 each: 228 P Kidd and 122 S O'Halloran. March subs may be paid after Masses this weekend.

The parish is looking for a volunteer to take over the running of the Development Fund. Please contact Bill on 422867 if you can help.

Ladies’ Section

Ladies’ Section day out to Cheshire Oaks on Wednesday 7th April. Cost £8.00 approx. Leave Standish at 10.00 am, return 3.30 pm. Contact Marjorie (424332) or Monica (400558) asap. 

Eucharistic Ministers

Would Eucharistic Ministers please take copies of the newsletter and The Grapevine to the sick and housebound to inform them of Parish news.

Youth Alive

Each month, young people gather in different places around the diocese to celebrate their faith. Youth Alive is a good focal point for young Catholics in the Archdiocese. It is also worth bringing confirmation groups to the Masses and to the social afterwards.

7th March at St Mary’s, Lowe House at 4.30 pm. Workshops from 1.00 pm exploring justice and peace issues. Adults also welcome.

28th March (World Youth Day) at St Anthony of Padua, Queen’s Drive, Mossley Hill at 6.00 pm.

Cafod

Last weekend’s collection at St Marie’s raised £453.32 plus £70.84 from 27 gift aid declarations. The 2010 total is now £2,475.42, plus £233.66 from gift aid declarations.

The collection at St Bernadette’s raised £591.11, of which £366.86 was Gift Aided, giving an extra £102.72.

Thank you for your generosity and don't forget the 'give it up' campaign for the remainder of Lent. Boxes are still available at the back of Church.

Easter egg raffle

Tickets on sale at the 5.30 pm and 9.30 am Masses on 13th and 14th  and 20th and 21st March for the Easter egg raffle. Tickets £1 per strip. 1st Prize Easter Cake and other festive prizes. The raffle takes place on Wednesday 24th March in St Bernadette's School.

Proceeds to HCPT and other children's charities. If you would like to donate a prize, please leave it at church or with Barbara or Margaret.

Cafod Sponsored Walk

CAFOD annual sponsored walk will take place on Saturday 5th June.

Bonus Ball

No.47 - Joe Hilton - £19.

Parish websites

The websites for both parishes have been updated recently with additions to groups serving each parish. Would group leaders take the opportunity of viewing the respective websites and notify changes to the parish office.

Marriage congratulations

Congratulations to Richard France and Paula Smith whose wedding will take place at St Marie’s on Saturday 13th March.