26th Sunday of the Year (B)


 

Fr Paul's Sunday Reflection may now be found on the St John Rigby Newsletter for the week (see link below)

 

Churches are open again for public Mass. The Sunday 9.30am Mass at Holy Family and the 11.00am Mass at St Ambrose Barlow will be broadcast on the internet and, for those who can access it, the video will remain to be watched anytime afterwards if you miss it live. (Click on the links below)
Where possible daily Masses will be broadcast and other prayer services which can also be watched and participated in at any time later.
Facebook and  YouTube.

The Sunday obligation to attend Mass is still suspended for the time being. Please be patient as our greatest concern is the safety of everyone.

The Redemptorists have Sunday Mass online available from 12pm on Saturdays, celebrated by Fr Denis McBride C.Ss.R.

There are several churches which live stream masses throughout the Archdiocese of Liverpool. These can be accessed here.

Other streamed masses are also available, click below for more

26th Sunday of the Year (B)


First Reading – Book of Numbers 11:25-29.
Joshua resents the fact that the gift of prophecy is now given to many others besides Moses, but Moses himself welcomes this.

Second Reading – Letter of St. James 5:1-6.
We hear a strong condemnation of wealth, especially when it is obtained through exploitation of those who are weak.

Gospel Reading – Mark 9:38-43.45.47-48
Jesus warns the disciples not to harm any of the “little ones” who have faith in him. Anyone who is not against us is for us.

 

Psalter: Week 2
Readings for Weekdays: Ordinary Time Week 26

In prayerfully being present at a Mass being broadcast to you, obviously physically receiving the Eucharist is not possible. However, Spiritual Communion is.

So what is Spiritual Communion? The common practice of making such a spiritual communion indicate our desire to join with the Lord when in a situation that makes unable to sacramentally receive the Body and Blood of the Lord in Holy Communion at Mass.

CAFOD Go Green Family Fast Day Friday October 1st

Our local experts are helping people all over the world to adapt to climate change and protect our common home. By donating to CAFOD this Family Fast Day you can help communities affected by the worst impacts of the climate crisis.

Donate online through the CAFOD website or by using the CAFOD envelops. You can also easily give via text. Text  CAFOD10 to 70580 to donate £10 . Or choose to give any whole amount between £1 and £20 by texting CAFOD, followed by the amount you would like to donate to 70580

CAFOD RESPONDING TO MULTIPLE EMERGENCIES ACROSS THE WORLD
CAFOD is responding to significant crises across the world this week. We are working with local Church organisations in Haiti to deliver emergency aid to people affected by the catastrophic earthquake and tropical storm. In the tragic situation in Afghanistan, we are working to ensure the safety of our local partners and their communities. We are supporting local aid workers to deliver urgent food and water supplies to hundreds of thousands of people facing extreme hunger in Tigray in Ethiopia, South Sudan and north-east Nigeria. You can read more about how we can all express solidarity with our sisters and brothers affected by these emergencies on the CAFOD website: https://cafod.org.uk/News/Emergencies-news. Your compassion, generosity and prayers have helped us to stand together and enable us to continue to support communities in these difficult times. Thank you.

 

During the last eighteen months, many of us have been aghast at those who remain sceptical about the Covid-19 pandemic and see it as some sort of conspiracy. Sadly, there are plenty of people who view the constant warnings about climate change in a similar way. However, the evidence is undisputable, and the latest report from the United Nations warns us that if we don’t take action now, the damage to the earth, our common home, will be irreversible. Just this month we have heard about terrible fires in Europe and the United States, as well as unprecedented flooding in various cities.

In 2015, Pope Francis issued an encyclical letter, Laudato Si’, about these issues and established a Season of Creation in the Church’s Year to help us to focus on the cry of the earth. The season begins this week with the ‘World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation’ on 1 September and runs until the feast of St Francis of Assisi on 4 October.

Click the links below to find out more about the Season of Creation in this important year as the UK as we host the COP26 Summit.

Staff and volunteers of Caritas, Diocese of Salford, are now playing an active role in supporting Afghan nationals who have been evacuated to the UK. They are also preparing for those refugees and asylum seekers who are likely to make their own way to the UK from Afghanistan over the following weeks and months.

Staff are co-ordinating closely with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and collaborating with other local and national agencies.  Based on the latest identified needs of refugees accommodated in temporary provision on their arrival, you can help by donating the items listed on the Caritas website.  These can be delivered to a number of the Caritas services where staff will arrange for them to be transferred to those in need now and in the coming weeks and months. Alternatively, you may be able to give a donation to support the work of Caritas

Also:
Please visit the CAFOD website – cafod.org.uk – to find out about CAFOD's response.
There is also another website, care4calais.org/afghan-refugees-appeal, who are directly helping the refugees who are already in this country at the moment.

Reflect
In today's Gospel Jesus tells his disciples that deeds of faith can precede the words of faith. How often do or actions towards others reflect what we believe? Can others see our believe in Christ in both what we do and what we say, or are our words made meaningless by our actions?

Pray

The Lord's Prayer is the perfect example of what our relationship with the Lord and with each other should be and so we say:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,
Amen

Act
This week is the final week in the Season of Creation and Friday is Harvest Fast Day. Make efforts to give up some food on Friday, maybe forgo a meal. You could then donate the money from this meal to CAFOD, or you could donate the equivalent items of food to one of the local food banks.

Monthly Challenge

September Action
Have a look at the resources on the Creation Time 2021 page and see what you can do this month to show your support for our earth

 

About LiveSimply

LiveSimply Resources

  • CAFOD’S HARVEST FAST DAY.
    As we enter the last week of the Season of Creation, we are invited to give thanks to God for the gift of creation and the fruits of the earth which sustain us. Many churches and schools do this through Harvest Festivals – bringing the fruits of the earth and the work of human hands and sharing these offerings with those in need.  In  the  UK,  for  the  last  sixty  years,  the  Catholic  Church  has  marked  harvest  time  by  observing CAFOD’s Harvest Fast Day on the first Friday in October. So, this coming Friday, 1 October, we are invited to give thanks by going without a meal or some form of amusement and giving what we save  in  this  way  to  CAFOD.  CAFOD  uses  our  offerings  to  help  those  across the world who don’t have  access  to  the  fruits  of  the  earth  because  of  extreme  poverty,  food  shortages,  conflicts  and
    natural disasters.  
    You can find out more about this Friday’s Fast Day here: https://cafod.org.uk/Fundraise/Family-Fast-Day
  • Food Banks
    Although St Gabriel’s Food Bank is well stocked, the SVP of our parish are supporting the Leigh & Atherton Food Bank. Donations of food are encouraged directly to them to support those in need in our local community. Alternatively donations can be left at Holy Family
  • Church Hall Development at Holy Family
    This will cause some disruption to both parish and school as parking will be reduced and at times there will be no access at all as the project goes forward. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we will no doubt enjoy and benefit greatly from new facilities and a proper car park.
  • THE POPE’S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR SEPTEMBER 2021:
    An environmentally sustainable lifestyle: Let us pray that we all will make courageous choices, the choices necessary for a simple and environmentally sustainable lifestyle, taking inspiration from our young people who are resolutely committed to this.
  • Mass on the Phone - Parishioners who have no access to the internet and so are unable to watch online Mass may hear Mass at Middlesbrough Cathedral. The Mass is provided free of charge, except for the local phone charge. Phone: 01642 130 120 to be connected to the Mass for that week. You can listen at any time of day or night.
    If you are aware of anyone who may benefit from this service, please let them know.

Please refer to the individual Parish Newsletters for Mass and Service times.

Guidance has been received from the Archdiocese allowing a lessening of restrictions. However, after consultation with stewards and others it has been decided that we will cautiously remain as we are for the summer. This is because of very high transmission rates in our local area. Some of the Covid restrictions will continue in Churches, though these may vary between churches in the deanery….

  • Face coverings will remain mandatory for all those attending a church service.
  • Social distancing will not be mandatory any longer – though churches may create space for those who feel more vulnerable.
  • Hand sanitising will remain necessary as people arrive.
  • The capacity of each church for ALL services will depend on the space available.
  • Holy Communion will be restored to its traditional place in the Mass (please continue to follow the directions of the stewards who will invite you forward row by row)
  • Holy Communion under both kinds will not be re-introduced at this time.
  • Mass will end in the traditional way.
  • Singing can be restored.
  • Hymn books and service sheets can be used but only ONCE A DAY.
  • The collection basket should NOT be passed around – please leave your collection as you leave church.

Further details may emerge in the coming weeks.

The practice of booking places with the parish office is being continued and bookings will be taken each week from Tuesday. Face masks will continue to be required to be worn unless medically exempt, and I point out recent changes in government guidelines that state that visors do not offer any protection unless worn with a face mask so face masks are what is stated to be worn in places of worship.

Confession

(The Sacrament of Reconciliation) is available by request or by appointment, following social distancing guidelines.

With regard to singing in church, no advice has yet been given about a change in regulations already made.

Most weeks there may well be a number of feast days. We don’t necessarily celebrate them all. Some saints are more important in certain parts of the country than others and will be celebrated more on a local level, whilst other saints will be celebrated everywhere. So each week we will comment on the feast-days that we should celebrate in our regional Church.

Sunday September 19th - 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Monday September 20th - Ss Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Priest, Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, and Companions, Martyrs

Tuesday September 21st - St Matthew, Apostle, Evangelist

Wednesday September 22nd -

Thursday September 23rd - St Pio of Pietrelcina

Friday September 24th - Our Lady of Walsingham

Saturday September 25th -

Sunday September 26th - 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Some resources for families who would like to celebrate the Liturgy of the Word with their children.


The Redemptorists have created an Advent and Christmas time resource for children. Access it by clicking on the picture

Martin at Ten: Ten is making available for free their daily prayers resources: https://www.tentenresources.co.uk/primary-subscription/prayers-for-home/daily-prayers-for-home/ and their Family Liturgy for Sundays: https://www.tentenresources.co.uk/primary-subscription/prayers-for-home/sunday-liturgy-for-families/

The God who Speaks now have a section on the Word at home: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/home/events/the-god-who-speaks/word-at-home/

CAFOD has several useful items to use with children -  updated weekly

There are four newsletters published weekly in the Deanery, you can access current and past editions here:

St Edmund Arrowsmith Newsletters (St Joseph's, Sacred Heart, Twelve Apostle, Our Lady's - Leigh)

St Margaret Clitherow Newsletters (Holy Family, Boothstown; St Ambrose Barlow, Astley; St Gabriel's, Higher Folds)

St Lewis, St Catherine's & All Saints Newsletters (Croft, Lowton & Golborne)

St John Rigby Newsletter (Sacred Heart, Hindley Green; St Richard's, Atherton; Sacred Heart Hindsford)

 

( Newsletters download as pdf files in a new window.)

 

There are several items of interest available from the Archdiocese of Liverpool.

New resources now available include:

 The Liverpool Catholic website also has up to date information on the Church's Policy regarding Coronavirus and lots of other useful information.

St Joseph's Centre - 01942 673517

Fr Paul Seddon - 01942 883395 (St Richard's & Sacred Heart.)
Fr Paul Grady - 0161 790 2390 (Holy Family, St Ambrose Barlow & St Gabriel's)
Fr Kieran O'Grady - 01942 673517 (Sacred Heart & St Joseph's)
Fr Gordon Abbs - 01942 273851 (St Lewis, St Catherine's & All Saints)

St Margaret Clitherow Enquiries: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

St Edmund Arrowsmith Enquiries: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

St John Rigby Enquiries: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

St Catherine of Sienna and All Saints, Golborne & St Lewis, Croft: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.