Leigh Pastoral Area

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Advertising Abortion on TV

The Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales have joined the protest against plans to advertise abortion services on television.  A spokesperson for the CBCEW said:

“We believe that services which offer or refer for abortion - whether commercial or not-for-profit organisations - should not be allowed to advertise on broadcast media. Abortion is not a consumer service. To present it as such erodes respect for life and is highly misleading and damaging to women, who may feel pressured into making a quick decision, which can never be revoked. Moreover, to allow the broadcasting advertising of abortion-referral services is, in effect, to allow the exploitative promotion of these services and is not in the interests of the health or psychological well-being of women. For this reason the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has consistently opposed any relaxation of the BCAP Guidance on broadcast advertising to allow this.

The Bishops of England and Wales encourage and support women to make informed choices about their emotional, psychological and physical well-being. The Bishops support a number of charities which do this, in particular the organisation called ‘LIFE’ which offers confidential information, counselling and practical help and support for women contemplating abortion, suffering after pregnancy loss or struggling to cope after abortion.”

Celebrate The Child

ANNUAL CELEBRATION MASS
Sunday 6th June at 3.00 pm
Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral

All children and their families are invited to this annual celebration with the Archbishop.  Children who have just celebrated First Communion are invited to wear their outfits!  If any children would like to be involved in the liturgy, please email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  We expect to take a coach from the Pastoral Area - if you would like a seat, please sign the sheet at the back of church.  Further information from Fr Dave.

Permanent Diaconate

Men between the ages of 35 and 55 who are interested in learning more about the Diaconate should contact the Director for the Diaconate, Mgr Austin Hunt on 01704 567072 or email:  .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Papal Visit 2010

HYDE PARK VIGIL OF PRAYER
We are hoping to send three youth delegates (aged 16-23) from the Pastoral Area to the Hyde Park Vigil of Prayer with Pope Benedict on Saturday 18th September. 

Young people will be involved in different aspects of the visit from 8.00 am until the end of the Vigil at approximately 10.00 pm.  One young person from the Archdiocese will meet the Pope and twenty young people will take part in the Vigil procession. The Vigil is not specifically a youth event, but young people from England and Wales will be involved in the animation of it and will have a good viewing position.

Youth delegates from across the Archdiocese will leave on Friday 17th September and will return on Sunday 19th September. Cost is £140 which includes travel and two nights B&B accommodation in a central London.  (Help with this cost is available from the parishes). 

There is a planning and information meeting for delegates on Sunday 4th July at St Mary’s, Lowe House, St Helens, starting at 3.00 pm and concluding with Mass at 6.30 pm.

Please contact Fr Dave: 0161 790 2390 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) if you are interesting in representing the Pastoral Area.  Closing date for applications: 31st May.

SECOND COLLECTION
Today, there will be prayers and a special collection in all parishes in Scotland, England and Wales for the Papal Visit. Prayer cards for the Visit will be distributed to all parishioners attending Mass. A collection will be held at the end of Mass to assist in meeting the costs of the Visit payable by the Church.

For more information about the Papal Visit, have a look at the website:  http://www.thepapalvisit.org.uk

Thursday, April 15, 2010

General Election 2010

Churches Together in Boothstown have arranged a meeting with candidates on Friday 30th April at 7.30 pm at Boothstown Methodist Church.  All welcome.

Boyce & Stanley in Concert

Popular Catholic singing/songwriting duo Boyce & Stanley will be performing a concert of contemporary Christian music on Sunday 9th May at 6.00 pm at EMMAUS PRIMARY SCHOOL Croxteth Park, West Derby, Liverpool L12 0JE. Incorporating dynamic praise and soulful worship, these concerts have previously been described as “a fascinating, enjoyable, ‘spiritual’, uplifting and inspiring evening”.

Tickets: £7.50 adults / £5 concessions. For information and tickets, call 0161 436 5622 or 01675 466254.  All are welcome. Visit the website http://www.cjmmusic.com to find out more about Joanne Boyce and Mike Stanley.

Marriage Preparation

Did you knopw that the Archdiocese has spaces for those interested in becoming Marriage Preparation Catechists? 

Catechists should be over 18 years of age and can be married, single, divorced, separated or widowed. 

If you are interested in becoming part of a team helping couples to prepare for marriage, there will be an information meeting at Christ the King, 78 Queens Drive, Liverpool L15 6YQ, on Thursday 15th May at 7.30 pm.  See noticeboard for further details.

Thursday, April 08, 2010

SOLEMN EXPOSITION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT

In a few weeks time, we are going to join in prayer with the rest of the Archdiocese to pray for vocations in every form. All of us are called to a vocation with God. He calls us all to follow him in one way or another. On Vocations Sunday weekend, we will be praying for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life by having a time of Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in St.Richard’s Church, Atherton, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (23rd - 25th April).

Exposition will begin after the 9.15 am Mass on Friday morning until Evening Prayer at 6.30pm. Exposition will continue on Saturday morning at 10am until 6pm, then on Sunday after 9.30am Mass until 6.30pm Mass in the evening.

Please try your best to come along as often as you can – sign the lists at the back of church which are there to ensure someone will be present at all times – and join us in prayer over this special weekend. More details soon.

Prayer for those who have suffered abuse

Praise to you, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
source of all consolation and hope.
By your Son’s dying and rising
he remains our light in every darkness,
our strength in every weakness.

Be the refuge and guardian
of all who suffer from abuse and violence.
Comfort them and send healing
for their wounds of body, soul and spirit.
Rescue them from bitterness and shame
and refresh them with your love.
Heal the brokenness in all victims of abuse
and revive the spirits of all who lament this sin.

Help us to follow Jesus
in drawing good from evil, life from death.
Make us one with you in your love for justice
as we deepen our respect
for the dignity of every human life.
Giver of peace, make us one in celebrating your praise,
both now and forever. Amen.
   
(Bishop of St Cloud, USA)

Prayer for Gaza

The Parish Priest of Gaza invites us to join him
in prayer for the people of Gaza:
“God of peace, give our country peace;
God of mercy, give our country mercy.

Here I Am Lord!

The monthly meeting hosted by the Archdiocesan Vocations Team for those considering a vocation to the Priesthood and Religious Life will take place on Friday 30th April (7.00 -9.00 pm) at St Bede’s Presbytery, Appleton Village, Widnes WA8 6EL.
 
The evening gathering will begin with the celebration of Mass, followed by a talk or discussion, a meal and concludes with Night Prayer. For more information, please contact Fr. James Preston on 0151 424 2738 or see the poster at the back of the church.

GENERAL ELECTION

A message from the Bishops of England & Wales

Shortly we will be choosing our next Government. It is an important responsibility and all Catholics should use their vote.

There are questions to be asked about the party you are considering voting for, and about the particular candidate. This message sets out some of the considerations we should all have in mind when making those choices. As Bishops we are not advocating any particular political party. That is not our role.

There are limits to what any Government can do on its own. On their own, targets, rules and regulations cannot improve the quality of our shared life. People do that. They do it by choosing the common good rather than pure self interest. We are all responsible and we need to put our moral values to work in a spirit of neighbourliness and mutual support. That is what happens in a crisis, but we need to see it every day as well. We depend on each other. And we need a Government that draws out what is best in all of us, and which aims to serve the common good.

So the fundamental question we each need to ask ourselves in deciding who to vote for is not who will best serve me, but who will best serve the common good of all of us.

This is about restoring trust at the heart of our society: trust in each other and in our institutions to do the right thing by choice, not by constraint.

In early March 2010 we published a pamphlet “Choosing the Common Good” which explores these ideas more fully. We encourage you to study and discuss it. It can be obtained from Alive Publishing or downloaded from http://www.catholicchurch.org.uk

On the above website address, we also note some specific issues and questions which we believe are particularly important. We encourage you to ask Parliamentary candidates where they stand on these issues.

We also ask you to pray for God’s guidance on the choices we all make, and for His guidance for our future Government and for all those who are called to serve society as Members of Parliament.

Sunday, April 04, 2010

Easter Sunday 2010

God our Father, creator of all,
today is the day of Easter joy.
This is the morning on which the Lord
appeared to those who had begun to lose hope
and opened their eyes
to what the scriptures foretold:
that first he must die, and then he would rise
and ascend into his Father’s glorious presence.

May the risen Lord
breathe on our minds and open our eyes
that we may know him in the breaking of bread,
and follow him in his risen life.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

(Alternative Opening Prayer for Easter Sunday in the Roman Missal)

May the joy and hope of Easter Day touch your heart and fill you with the peace of the risen Lord.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

THE EASTER TRIDUUM 2010

“The Three Days of Easter”

The Easter Triduum begins with the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Maundy Thursday, continues with the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday afternoon, reaches its high point in the great Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night, and concludes with Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday.  During these days, we keep one celebration of the Lord’s passion, death and resurrection.

St Richard’s & Sacred Heart, Atherton
Maundy Thursday
Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7.30 pm
Good Friday
Celebration of the Lord’s Passion at 3.00 pm
Holy Saturday
The Easter Vigil at 8.00 pm

St Ambrose Barlow, St Gabriels &  Holy Family
Maundy Thursday
Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7.30 pm
“Watching” at the Altar of Repose until 11.00 pm
St Ambrose Barlow, Astley
Good Friday
Celebration of the Lord’s Passion at 3.00 pm
Holy Family, Boothstown
Holy Saturday
The Easter Vigil at 7.30 pm
St. Gabriel’s, Higher Folds

St Edmund Arrowsmith Pastoral Area
Maundy Thursday
Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7.30 pm
Our Lady of the Rosary
Good Friday
Celebration of the Lord’s Passion at 3.00 pm
Sacred Heart, Leigh
Holy Saturday
The Easter Vigil at 7.30 pm
Twelve Apostles, Leigh

HOLY WEEK 2010

HOLY WEEK PENANCE SERVICE
(Service of Reconciliation)
Tuesday 30th March at 7.30 pm
Holy Family, Boothstown

CHRISM MASS
Two coaches will travel to the Cathedral on Wednesday for the Chrism Mass at 7.30 pm.  Departure times:
Coach 1
Twelve Apostles 5.30 pm
St Richard’s 5.45 pm
St Ambrose Barlow 6.00 pm
Coach 2
St Joseph’s 5.30 pm
St Mary’s Way 5.45 pm
Our Lady’s 6.00 pm

GOOD FRIDAY
Stations of the Cross
10.00 am Atherton Parish Church (Ecumenical)
11.00 am Holy Family (especially for children)
7.00 pm St Gabriel’s, Higher Folds

GOOD FRIDAY COLLECTION
Annual Collection to support Christians living in the Holy Land.  The collection will be taken as you leave church.