St. Joseph’s Newsletter – 21stMay 2017
Bonus Ball Winner: 41 – Pat Williams and Marie Eden
Offertory £1801.85 (inc. standing orders)
CAFOD – £67.50
Sanctuary Lamp
Canon Christopher Cunningham
On His Golden Jubilee
Marian Candle
Jackie Atkinson (RIP)
Lately Dead
Jackie Atkinson (74),
Brightlights Festival is an annual event for Catholic young adults (ages 16-30) taking place June 23rd – 26th in the beautiful grounds of Alton Castle in Staffordshire. Come and join us for a weekend of live music from artists including One Hope Project and Guvna B. To journey together in Faith through liturgy and worship. And to hear simulating input the possibilities of living life: UNLIMITED. To find out more information or book tickets, visit our website: brightlights.org.uk, call 0300 075 0115 or find us on social media: T/FB/IG: BLFestival
The Legion of Mary wish to extend heartfelt thanks to Fr. Malcolm and to everyone who contributed in making the Mass for the Sick a meaningful and successful event, either by assisting in a variety of ways or by taking part or both. Thank You.
WOMEN V CANCER – Whiston Midwives Ride the Night
Breda and Eileen are cycling in London again on 27th May 2017 throughout the night with four other midwives. Its 25 years since Eileen had breast cancer and they are celebrating by cycling 100km (62 miles!) If you would like to sponsor these fantastic women, there are forms at the back of church. Thank you for your kind support once again
St Joseph’s Family Centre Museum Street Warrington, a registered charity, is seeking to appoint a full-time Centre Manager. The Centre offers a counselling service for children and adults and is an accredited child contact centre and provides a welfare service.
Applicants should ideally have experience in mental health services or social care fields allied to proven operational management experience.
Salary in the range of £34,000 to £39,000 per annum
For an application pack please call 01925 635448, email or visit the website
The closing date for applications is the 8th of June 2017.
Stations of Light
The Stations of Light is a spiritual journey with Christ through fourteen of the most important inspiring events of his life after the Resurrection. In the early church it was knows at the “Via Lucis” or the Way of Resurrection. It mirrors the Way of the Cross and shows us that our faith is of the cross of despair that turns into glory, the empty tomb that is the sign of life. Sadness turned to glory.
Join us over the next twoWednesdays leading to Pentecost at St. Joseph’s Church at 7.15pm for forty minutes on 24th May as we trace these events in music, readings and reflections.
General Election June 2017
Pope Francis reminds us that we have a shared responsibility for others and the world, and calls us to join a new dialogue about the future. During this election campaign, we can all stand up for an open, tolerant and welcoming society. We must encourage and challenge all political parties and candidates to show how they will do the same. Cafod is asking parishioners to ask the following questions of their local candidates:
What will you and your party do to continue to tackle poverty overseas?
(For more than a decade, there has been cross-party support for spending 0.7% of national income on aid. UK aid saves lives every day, and must always be focused on the needs of most vulnerable)
How will you and your party make tackling climate change a priority and prevent more people being pushed into poverty because of the changing climate?
(In 2015, Britain joined with 195 other nations to agree urgent global action on climate change.)
How will you and your party ensure that Britain is an outward-looking, tolerant and welcoming nation in years ahead? (Whether it is in agreeing new trade deals or addressing the needs of refugees worldwide, Britain must recognise the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable). What will you and your party do to help build strong, inclusive communities so that all people can flourish?
(Nine million people – one fifth of the UK population– privately admit to being “often or always lonely”.)
You can contact your candidates by email or letter, by writing an open letter to the local paper, by calling your local radio station, by tweeting candidates with your questions or asking in person when they knock on your door.
Sheila Barnes and family would like to thank Fr. Malcolm, the choir, organist, servers and all who attended the lovely Requiem Mass for John. A Mass will be offered for your intentions.
Grandparents Group
The next meeting will be on Tuesday 30th May at 7.30pm in the small Meeting Room of St. Joseph’s Parish Centre. All are welcome.
Gospel Reflection for the Sixth Sunday of Easter
If you Love Me.
Jesus’ ‘farewell discourses’ are a bit like a teacher’s final lesson before an exam ….. packed with important advice. “If you love me you will keep my commandments.” “Love one another as I have loved you.” “The Spirit of Truth will abide with you when I am gone.”
Love of course is key to all Jesus’ last minute advice. There is lots we already know about love from our own relationships. If we love and care about each other we say where we are going and what time will be back home. If we love each other we don’t keep secrets of have affairs. If we love each other we put our loved one’s needs before our own. It’s the same with God; we show God we love him by keeping his commandments. Commandments aren’t there to create unnecessary discipline; they are there to keep us in love with God and with each other.
Jesus knew that once he was gone some of his commandments would become less clear. Two thousand years down the line there are many issues that have grey areas, such as euthanasia, and the sciences that govern nuclear energy or reproduction. For instances such as these, Jesus left us an ‘Advocate’ a ‘Spirit of Truth’. We are promised that the ‘Spirit of Truth’ will guide us through all of life’s difficult decisions. Jesus left us with hope and help, now it’s down to us.
St. Rita of Cascia
22nd May
Born at Roccaporena in central Italy, Rita wanted to become a nun but was pressured at a young age into marrying a harsh and cruel man. During her 18-year marriage, she bore and raised two sons. After her husband was killed in a brawl and her sons had died, Rita tried to join the Augustinian nuns in Cascia. Unsuccessful at first because she was a widow, Rita eventually succeeded.
Over the years, her austerity, prayerfulness and charity became legendary. When she developed wounds on her forehead, people quickly associated them with the wounds from Christ's crown of thorns. Rita has acquired the reputation, together with St. Jude, as a saint of impossible cases.
National Missing Children's Day 2017
Day of Prayer
25th May
International Missing Children's Day, 25 May, is a day where people around the world commemorate the missing children who have found their way home, remember those who have been victims of crime, and continue efforts to find those who are still missing.
The main purpose of International Missing Children's Day is to encourage everyone to think about children who remain missing, pray for their safe return, and to spread a message of hope.
Barnabas Fund Appeal
Tragedy upon Tragedy in Iraq: Can you help?
It is now almost three years since Islamic State drove some 200,000 Christians from their homes in northern Iraq, committing atrocities which many see as genocide. Around 175,000 displaced Christians are still in a hopeless limbo, destitute, unable to go back to their old homes, unable to go forward to settle and start their lives again for no Western country seems to want them.
Christians in Iraq are utterly dependent on support made possible by generous donations. Please help give hope and practical support that lasts beyond the end of this month to our brothers and sisters in Iraq. Let them know they have not been forgotten.
Donate online at Follow the ‘Donate’ link and then scroll down to choose the project you want to support.
Bitesize
Seek truth and you will find a path.
Frank Slaughter
Mass Intentions for week commencing 22ndMay 2017
Monday22nd 9.30amPeter Ryan
Tuesday23rd 1.00pmRequiem Mass
Jackie Atkinson
6.30pmSt. Joseph’s 1st Holy
Communion
Wednesday24th 9.30amBeryl Painter
Thursday 25th 9.30amRosemary Harvey 6.30pm St. Vincent’s 1st Holy
Communion
Friday 26th 9.30amAnthony Bond
Saturday 27th
Sunday28th 8.30am Una Redmond
10.30amJoan Ackers
4.00pmPeople of the Parish
FUNERALS
A will Requiem Mass will take place on Tuesday23rd May at 1pm at St. Joseph’s for Jackie Atkinson.
May She Rest in Peace
Please remember in your prayers all the parents’ and their little ones who are making their 1st Holy Communion this week. God Bless Them All.
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will take place at St. Joseph’s on Wednesday and Friday this week from 8.30am until 12 noon.