St. Joseph S Newsletter 21Stjanuary 2018

St. Joseph’s Newsletter – 21stJanuary 2018

Bonus Ball Winner: 46 – Shirley Cullen

Offertory - £1848.72 (inc. standing orders)

CAFOD (next week)

Sanctuary Lamp

Peter Newton (RIP)

Marian Candle

Ellen Glynn

(In Loving Memory)

Lately Dead

Peter Newton, Edward Taylor

If anyone knows of any sick or housebound parishioner who would like to receive communion at home, please let Fr. Malcolm know. Thank you.

“25 Years of Laughter & Song”

St. Joseph’s Pantomime Group 2018 proudly presents – “PUSS IN BOOTS”

Tickets are selling out quickly – so don’t delay, secure yours today! The Matinee performance on Saturday afternoon is now SOLD OUT! Show times start at 7.15pm on Wednesday, 24th January, Thursday, 25th January, Friday, 26th January and Saturday, 27th January. To reserve your tickets, please contact Marion James on 01925 493360. Prices are £7.50 for adults and £5 for children.

With You Always – Sacramental Programme 2018

1stReconciliation and 1st Holy Communion at St. Joseph’s

There will be an enrolment Mass on Monday 22nd January at 6.30pm in St. Joseph’s Church for all families whose children wish to receive the Sacraments of 1st Reconciliation and 1st Holy Communion. If your child does not attend either St. Joseph’s or St. Vincent’s Primary Schools, but wishes to receive these Sacraments, and will be aged 9 years during this school year, please contact the Parish Office as soon as possible, during office hours, to collect an enrolment form.

Next Sunday isRacial Justice Sunday and a special Prayer card will be available at the back of church for everyone. Please visit catholicnews.org.uk/racial-justice-Sunday-2018 for more information.

The Priests – Live in Concert are singing at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall with guest mezzo soprano Danielle Thomas on Friday 1st June 2018. Tickets from £16. All funds raised from the concert will be split between Nugent and supporting the work and upkeep of the cathedral. If enough people are interested, I will arrange a coach. Please sign the sheets at the back of Church as soon as possible.

St. Joseph’s Toddler Group

Will re-commence on Thursday 11th January from 9.45am to 11.30am at the Loreto Centre. Cost is £1.50. Please contact Angela Meade on 01925 723951 for more information.

Mass in Honour of Our Lady of Lourdes

Will be held at Christ the King Church, Childwall on Saturday 10th February at 12 noon.

Gospel Reflection for the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time

Change of Heart

“Wanted:- Men and women willing to leave behind their old way of life and become fisher’s of men.”

Can you see job applicants queuing round the block? Would we respond to Jesus’ call with the same immediacy as those first disciples? Probably not! Chances are we’d hesitate long and hard. A hundred and one questions would hold us back. What would being a disciple involve? Would we be up to the job? What would we have to leave behind? What would we have to give up? Would part time discipleship be okay … after all we’ve got lots else to do! Would candidates be permitted to serve two masters, giving up one’s own agenda is surely too much to ask!

There would be lots of questions we would ask, but sadly no easy answers. There is no one answer that is right for everybody. But the one important message for us today is that discipleship usually means a major shift in direction; a change that involves leaving behind things that get in the way of our relationship with God. It is left to each of us to decide what our particular mode of discipleship might be, and what stands in the path of our new direction. Our new direction has to start with some good hard soul searching, and a change of heart.

Share the Journey

Take action on the refugee crisis

Show your support for people forced to flee their homes by signing our petition to the Prime Minister - which calls on the UK to take a lead during UN negotiations.

War, persecution, natural disaster and poverty force millions of people from their homes. Most come from poor countries, and seek safety in poor countries nearby.

We cannot turn away. These are human beings with hopes, fears, desires and stories to share, just like each one of us. Pope Francis has declared this time a ‘unique opportunity’ for us to press our governments to make global commitments which place the human dignity of people on the move at their heart. Add your voice to his. Sign the petition today. To follow the link visit cafod.org.uk/Campaign/Share-the-journey

Conversion of St. Paul

25th January

The great thing that we learn about God is that forgiveness and conversion are possible for all of us. Paul is portrayed as the greatest enemy of the earliest followers of Christ, but rather than smite him, or demonise him, Jesus instead takes his gifts of zeal and persuasion, and puts them to work for the Gospel.

An encounter with the risen Lord can do that for any of us. God doesn't give up on Paul, nor does God give up on us.

God Calls App

The Catholic Church has launched a new app to help let God lead people "on a journey of spiritual adventure and discovery".

God Calls, a free app developed for the vocations office of the bishops of England and Wales, promises to "help you explore your ultimate purpose, and discover your unique path to heaven".

It is in effect a spiritual tool-kit with snapshots of the lives of the saints, a journal to track spiritual growth and listings of Catholic retreats, study days and other events across the UK.

Special resources include prayers for dawn, noon, and night and daily questions to help understand the Gospel.