21st April 2024
Message from Fr. Peter:
Well we are now around half way through Eastertide, and that means we are about half way through our Eastertide first readings at each Mass taken from the Acts of the Apostles. Written by St. Luke as a sequel to his Gospel, Acts is a great adventure story, taking us from Easter Sunday, through Pentecost and the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, and the beginnings of the Church, leading the Apostles, to which becomes added Saint Paul, to spread the Church throughout the world from Jerusalem, and finding its new centre in the city of Rome. This week we hear about the first Great Council of Jerusalem, the first of many great Councils of the Church, when leaders of the Church would gather to discuss and formulate and correct teaching and theology, to ensure that the Catholic is truly that, Catholic meaning universal – the last Council, of course, being Vatican II in the 1960’s. The First Council especially discussed entrance rites into the Church, especially for those coming from Judaism. It’s a fascinating glimpse of the history of the Church, but also shows the holiness and determination, as well as the humanity and fallibility, of those first leaders of the Church, and also their great devotion to the formation of the Sacraments as instituted by Jesus, and their deep focus on prayer – indeed I don’t think there is a single chapter in Acts which does to contain either a prayer or some reference to the disciples praying. As the disciples spread the word of Jesus and introduced the Church to a misunderstanding and unwelcoming world, not unlike our own, perhaps we might echo the prayer of Peter in Acts 4: ‘Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.’ Amen.
First Holy Communion 2024:
Next class in St. Joseph’s Hall on Monday at 6pm, where our candidates will be looking at the Offertory and how we prepare for the Eucharistic Prayer. Please pray for our twenty children on this important step in the faith journeys.
Parish Young People Going to Lourdes with the Diocese Fund Raiser:
Come and join us for a fundraising event in St Joseph’s Hall on 4th May at 7 pm until 9 pm. This family games night is sure to be great fun and a little bit competitive. We are raising money to assist two of our parish youth members to attend the Diocese Pilgrimage to Lourdes in July. The evening will involve playing a number of family friendly board and card games and a light pizza supper. Drinks will be available to purchase and a raffle will take place. Tickets are priced at £6 for adults and £4 for under 10’s. Please come along and help raise funds for to support our young parishioners. Tickets will be available after mass each week. Tickets will not be available on the night.
Lancaster Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage:
Please join Bishop Paul Swarbrick on the Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes (July 23rd – 30th). The Youth Section will travel by coach with an evening and a day sightseeing in Paris (22nd July- 1st August). Further details are available on the Diocesan Pilgrimage website: www.lancasterlourdes.co.uk or youth email: email: youth@lancasterlourdes.co.uk
Offertory Envelopes for the New Year are here!
Please take your box from the back of Church. If you would like to Gift Aid your offerings or receive a box of envelopes, please use the forms at the back of Church. Many thanks for everyone’s continued support and generosity.
Mass Intentions:
Mass Intentions for the deceased, the bereaved, for the sick, the Holy Souls, are always welcome, and offering envelopes are available at the back of Church, and Mass cards are available from the Holy Shops after Sunday Masses.
Sanctuary Lamp:
If you would like to sponsor the Sanctuary lamp in memory of a loved one or for a special intention, please place the details and date wanted in an envelope with a £20 donation and clearly note Sanctuary Lamp on the outside. This can be placed in the offertory collection basket. The lamp will burn for a full week From Sunday to Saturday, and the intention will be published on the Newsletter.
Hospital:
Please remember to let us know if you or one of your family is being admitted hospital.
Coffee & Bacon Butties:
will be available in the church hall after the 9.15am Mass. Why not come and enjoy a chat.
St Joseph’s Care:
Do you know of anyone in our community who is in need or might need a little more support? Company or just someone to talk to? Someone who may, at times, need help with things? Please let us know and we can contact them. Or you can give them our St Joseph’s Care phone number so they can contact us Tel: 07840112265
St Joseph’s Facebook Page:
We now have over 300 people regularly following us on Facebook which is allowing us to reach out to those in the wider community and fulfil our parish commitment to evangelisation. In the last couple of months we have been able to help a number of people who have sought assistance through this medium.