Our Lady of Lourdes & St Joseph 15 February 2015 6th Sunday Year B in Ordinary Time Mass Schedule Saturday Vigil Mass for Sunday Sunday Our Lady of Lourdes St Joseph 5.30pm Int. Pat Stoneman 7pm John Cunningham + Year A + 9.30am Parishioners 11am Int of Mr and Mrs Howarth Mon Tue Ash Wednesday Thurs Fri – Family Fast Day Saturday Vigil Mass for Sunday First Sunday of Lent 10am 10am Int of N Place 7pm Special Intention 10am Requiem Mass Doreen Jean Cooper 5.30pm Kehoe Family 11am Int of J Whitaker 10 am Alice and Robert Clarke (A) 10am Peter des Landes 7pm John Cunningham LD 9.30am Parishioners 3.30pm Evening Prayer and Benediction We pray for the sick Mary Teresa Millington, Mia King, Louise Booth, Patricia Cosgrove, Renee Sproat, Vera Robinson, Hilda Stoker, Andrew McFayden, Phil Irlam, Patricia Taylor, Ian Dalton, Maureen Driscoll, Paul Bagshaw, Anita Meadows, Isabel Kelly, Kate Todd, Leo O’Reilly, May and Henry Kennedy-Skipton Lately Dead Jim O’Brien, Doreen Jean Cooper, Rev Tim Hall minister at Liverpool Road Methodist Church, Fr Martin Haigh OSB We pray for the Children preparing for the Sacrament of reconciliation, all ‘love birds’, ourselves as on Ash Wednesday begin our Easter preparations. Rosary 9.40am Mon, Wed, Fri at St Joseph Confessions St Joseph after 10am Mass Friday, Our Lady of Lourdes 5pm Saturday Church Cleaning Friday10.30am St Joseph Thursday 9am OLOL – Many hands make light work. Perhaps you can spare an hour a week, a month, occasionally? To hire the Meeting Rooms call Sheila Ball 567788 Tea and Coffee after 11am Mass on Sunday Collections: Envelopes £918.63 Loose Plate £380.12 Total £ 1,298.75 Received with thanks Art Group Thursdays 1pm – 3pm in the meeting rooms. Phone Marie 550706. Little Church at both Sunday Masses. Thanks to the parents who bring their children to Mass. Fourth Preface for Sundays Third Eucharistic Prayer Sacramental Preparation First Forgiveness will be celebrated: on two Saturdays in Lent. Next Session is Tuesday 21 April at 6.30pm. The Funeral for Jim O’Brien will be 25th February at 11am. Praying with the Pope in February For Prisoners That prisoners, especially the young, may be able to rebuild lives of dignity. For Separated Spouses That married people who are separated may find welcome and support in the Christian community. CAFOD Family Fast Day this coming Friday 20th February. The envelopes are available in Church. Brenda Jones will explain briefly at each Mass how our contributions will be doubled by a government initiative. CAFOD COFFEE MORNING Thursday 26 February after the 10am Mass. Youth Pilgrimage to Lourdes Three of our young parishioners Emilie Crew, Emma Seaton and Annie Hart will be joining coach 7 for Lourdes this year on the Archdiocesean Pilgrimage. They ask us to help them raise some of the monies they need for the trip during which they and the other young people will assist the sick and disabled pilgrims. The Pilgrimage is a great opportunity for them to grow in the faith and meet other young people . Contact Details: Parish Priest Fr Atli Jonsson, 40 York Road, Southport PR8 2AY, Tel 01704 568313, [email protected] Parish Deacon Rev Bill Ball, Tel 567788 http://birkdalecatholics.com In 2017 it will be 150 years since the Church was opened for worship. We should mark this occasion. Suggestions are welcomed. Talks in Lent “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12: 10) How can our vulnerability and weakness be a positive influence on our life and faith? Prayer, reflection, talk and discussion with Professor John Sullivan,Saturday 21st February, 2 – 4 pm Sacred Heart Hall. “The Passover of Jesus: the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ journey to the Cross and the Risen LIfe” Given by Fr Tom Cullinan, on Tuesdays in Lent at St John Stone Parish Centre. 7.30pm to 9.00pm Starting Tuesday 24th February Something to think and pray about this week Lent originally meant ‘springtime’ and so we can view it as a spring-time for the spirit. It is a time also to spring-clean the cave of our hearts! Whatever the variations in the practice of Lent over the last 2000 years, the main issue is whether Lent helps me to become more aware how I stand in relation to God and my neighbour. The practices designed to achieve these goals were fasting, almsgiving and prayer. The call to fast makes me focus on the affairs of the spirit rather than of the body. The call to almsgiving makes me more alert to my needy neighbour. The call to prayer nourishes my relationship with God, and especially with Jesus in his Passion. Why forty days for Lent? This period called to mind the time Jesus spent in the desert. For some it was also a reminder of the forty hours he spent on the Cross. Why Easter eggs? In the ‘good old days’ fasting was more serious than now. Dry food, bread, salt and vegetables were allowed. No eggs! Therefore eggs were blessed at the Easter Vigil and distributed as gifts to hungry friends. Eggs thus came to be associated with the Resurrection of Jesus from the tomb. Likewise, pancakes on Shrove Tuesday hinted that there would be no more food made of eggs till Easter. What about fasting? There are many little things I can perhaps do without and one may discover how little one needs. The point is that the shock to the system should lead to a deeper sense of what God may want of me! Finally Jesus warns us against trying to attract notice when we fast or pray or give alms (Matthew chapter 6). The simple act of washing off the ashes on Ash Wednesday is understood in some Christian circles as a reminder of Jesus’ admonition to look joyous! In the Roman liturgy, Lent is a ‘joyful season’. House Groups in Lent using the Sunday readings as the basis for prayer and reflection. Each group is open but please make contact with the hosts beforehand so that they know you are coming. MONDAYS (2nd,9th and 16th March) 7.OOpm start. Alan & Stella Todd 560024 21 Vivian Drive, off Bedford Rd Birkdale. TUESDAYS (3rd,10th,17th and 24th) 7-30pm. start. David & Hilary Barton 562868 6 The Swallows, 42 York Rd Birkdale. WEDNESDAY (4th 11th 18th and 25th ) 7.30pm Sister Goldie, 569072, 71 Sandon Rd Hillside. Update on the Book Sale - Book Sale after the next Family Mass. All hardbacks and none fiction We have also decided to only sell paperback novels so all none fiction and hard back only 10p pr. item. (Last Sunday raised £21) Books from the bookcases in the meeting rooms at 50 pence each. (£81) Further suggestions for the sale of books would be welcomed. Call Brenda Jones on Tel 568000 This years 4 day pilgrimage to Walsingham will take place from Thursday June 18th to Sunday June 21st. The all inclusive price will be £200. An excursion will also be included visiting a local attraction. For further details please contact Ann Davies on Southport 543113. From the Piety Stall It would be helpful if anyone who comes to Mass at Our Lady's could help cover the Piety stall at the weekend Masses. The more volunteers we have for the rota, the fewer times they would be needed to cover. If you can help please either contact Janice Cooper on 567133, or leave your details with the person on duty in the shop." Congratulations Last Sunday Baby Jonah Patrick Bruce Jones was baptised at St Joseph. We thank his family and their friends for all the food items they donated to our food bank.