Serving people in Old Swan and Tuebrook

Weekday Mass

There will be NO Mass this coming Tuesday as Fr. Mark is taking part in the UCM Annual National Council.

Saints - Helping Us Today

This new programme is postponed until September.

Renew Your Strength

This is an inspiring evening with CaFe’s David Payne & Tim Stevens to take place on Monday 21st May 7.30 p.m. - 9 p.m. in St. Sebastian’s. The evening will be a mix of testimony, input, DVD clips, refreshments, prayer and lots of laughter too. It’s a wonderful opportunity for people to prepare for Pentecost and ideal to bring family and friends who may not currently go to church. All are welcome.

Confirmation 2012

The Pastoral Area Celebration of Confirmation will take place on Monday 2nd July, 7.00 p.m. in the Cathedral. Those who have filled in application forms will be notified about the preparation sessions.

Ministers Of The Eucharist

We are looking for new Ministers of the Eucharist, especially people who are willing to take Holy Communion to the various Nursing Homes in the area. If you would like to be considered, please see Fr. Mark. There is a Training Day on Saturday 2nd June.

All Eucharistic Ministers must complete the CRB procedures before they begin.

Holy Land May 2012

Thank you to everyone one who took part in the 2012 Holy Land Pilgrimage which was very special, enjoyable and prayerful. Already 25 people have expressed a wish to arrange a pilgrimage in 2014. Please give your name to the Parish Office if you would like more information. Reports and photographs taken last week are on the parish website.

Afternoon Tea

To celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, an Afternoon Tea and Garden party will be held at the Cathedral, Sunday 10th June at 3.00 p.m. Come and join us for a glass of fizz, cucumber sandwiches and little treats in the tranquil setting of the Cathedral garden. There will be songs to join in with, and a party atmosphere to celebrate in great style. Tickets are £8 and can be obtained from the Cathedral.

The Priests

The world famous classical music group made up of three Irish Catholic priests will be performing a concert in aid of Jospice on Friday 16th November in the Metropolitan Cathedral. Tickets are £20 and Fr. Mark has reserved 20 but can reserve more. If you would like a ticket, please give your name and money to the Parish Shop or Parish Office.

Saint Of The Week

St Bede the Venerable (673 - 735)

He was born in the north of England, near the monastery of Wearmouth. He joined that monastery, and spent all his life there or at Jarrow, teaching and writing. He was the outstanding ecclesiastical author of his time. He wrote commentaries on Scripture; an ecclesiastical history of the English people, which is a unique and irreplaceable resource for much of early English history; and the first martyrology (collection of saints’ lives) to be compiled on historical principles. He was also the first known writer of English prose, though this has not survived. He died at Jarrow on 25 May 735: he taught and worked until the last moments of his life. He is venerated as the “light of the Church” in the Dark Ages, and as a forerunner of the 8th and 9th century renaissance of the Western Church. His feast day is celebrated on Friday.

Northern Catholic Conference

The annual conference will take place at Liverpool Hope University, Friday 8th - Sunday 10th June 2012. The theme is: “Corpus Christi” - The Eucharist, the real presence of Jesus.  Inherent to this year’s theme is the invitation from Jesus to “Come and  see.”

There will be a Youth Ministry Day on the Saturday to which all young people, 12-16 yrs are warmly invited to attend.

For more information please call: 07543 800812 or visit the website: www.northerncatholic.co.uk for information on the Guest Speakers and a application form.

World Communication Sunday

This Day of Prayer will take place this year on Sunday 20th May 2012, the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord. This is the day when Catholics are asked to reflect on the necessity of fulfilling the command of Jesus to preach the Good News of the Gospel to the whole world. A key to communicating with “the whole world” is the world of the media and its insatiable demand for news on every aspect of the life of the Church and its people. The Catholic Communications Network, the media office of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, seeks to be of service both to the Church and the world in offering professional channels of communication.

Pope Benedict invites Catholics to reflect on the relationship between silence and word in his message of World Communications Day 2012. He says: “Learning to communicate is learning to listen and to contemplate as well as to speak”. Our support in the work of the Catholic Communications Network will enable the Church to speak the Truth to power in the very powerful world of the Media.

Please support the retiring collection during the weekend of 19/20th May.

Thank You

Fr. Mark has received a letter from OliveAid Uk to acknowledge that our latest donations have planted a further 20 Olive Trees at the Wadi Rahal district of Bethlehem. The site measures 8 Dunums and is owned by the Usama Abdulrahman family. This is the second family we are now helping and a plaque will soon be erected at the site with our parish name. Thank you to everyone who has contributed and further donations can still be made. If you wish to receive a personal acknowledgment from OliveAid you MUST provide an address otherwise no letter of thanks can be sent.

Catholic Pic

The May edition now on sale in the Parish Shop, £1.

Catechists

This new programme will only be successful if parishioners are willing to make it successful. CAN YOU HELP? Please see Fr Mark. A few willing volunteers have kindly offered to get involved but we still need many more people to help.

Priests Training Fund

This very important collection will will remain open for one more week.

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Cake Sale

There will be a Cake Sale in aid of the FHL during the weekend of 19-20th May in all three churches. We need lots of people to bake cakes and bring them to church over that weekend. We also need a couple of volunteers who can sell the cakes at St. Brendan’s. Please see Monica or Fr. Mark if you can help. The Cake Sale raised a lot of money last year, let’s see if we can do better this year.

Discovering God’s Plan For You!

(ARE YOU AGED 13-21 AND THINKING ABOUT THE PRIESTHOOD?)

On Sunday 3^rd June the Vocations Team will be holding its monthly discernment meeting a St Mary’s Lowe House, St Helens, The meeting begins at 5pm, and after the meeting we go into Church for the monthly Youth Alive Mass. This meeting is aimed at young men aged between 13-21. The group allows young men to pray, socialize and learn more about the vocation of the priesthood. If you would like to attend this event or would like more information then please contact Father James Preston on 0151 489 1296.

Two Cathedral Service

The two Cathedrals of Liverpool take their place on the city’s skyline as powerful symbols of the Church, and the faith in Jesus that the Church represents. Since the 1980’s, the biennial Two Cathedrals Service has provided an opportunity for the Christians of Merseyside to celebrate the faith that we share, and the growing unity we feel with our brothers and sisters from other traditions. more....

Angel Voices

Saturday 26th May, 7 p.m. in Liverpool Anglican Cathedral. This concert will feature the Girl Choristers of Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Liverpool Anglican Cathedral & Cologne Cathedral. Entrance is free.