Feast of the Holy Family, 30 December 2018

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1 Newsletter Parish of St John Vianney, incorporating the former Parishes of St Andrew, Holy Family & St Mark St Therese of Lisieux Pastoral Area Parish Administration: Maureen Conley (Mon & Tues 9am-1pm) Jacqui O Rourke (Thurs & Fri 9am-1pm) St John Vianney Parish Office, Penmann Crescent, Liverpool, L26 0UG Tel: johnvianney@rcaolp.co.uk Website: Parish Priest: Father Matthew Nunes Tel: Outside of the urgent need for a priest, all enquiries should please be directed to the Parish Office ( ) in the first instance. Feast of the Holy Family, 30 December 2018 Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family. This feast is part of the Christmas season and we should place today's Gospel in the context of what Luke's Gospel tells us about the birth of Jesus. Luke has been answering the question Who is Jesus? through his stories of the births of John the Baptist and Jesus. Today's Gospel reading continues this theme. It has no parallel in the other Gospels and is the conclusion of Luke's Infancy Narrative. Mary, Joseph and Jesus are presented in this Gospel as a faithful Jewish family. They are participating in the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, an event shared each year with family and friends. When Jesus is found, Luke describes him as seated in the Temple in the midst of the Jewish teachers. Although he is young, Jesus seems not to need teaching about his Jewish tradition. In his dialogue with these learned teachers, Jesus astounds them with his insight and understanding. Jesus is a child of Israel. His Father is God. The dialogue between Mary and Jesus contains many references to family relationships. In fact, in this Gospel reading Mary and Joseph are never identified by name. Instead they are referred to by their relationship to Jesus. Ultimately, this emphasises Luke's point about the identity of Jesus. When Mary and Joseph find Jesus in the Temple, they question Jesus and express their anxiety. Jesus replies in words that many have thought to be disrespectful. Jesus says that he was never Liverpool RC Archdiocesan Trustees Incorporated. A registered Charity

2 lost; he was at home. Jesus is God's Son and he is in his Father's house. Luke will continue to suggest that faith in Jesus establishes new family relationships as he describes Jesus' public ministry. In Luke's Gospel, Mary's importance is even greater than her role as Jesus' mother. Mary is the first disciple and will be present with Jesus' disciples after his Resurrection at Pentecost. Living The Paschal Mystery The family has been called the domestic church as it is the first encounter children have with the Gospel and it is the dwelling place of faith and lived Christian relationships. But often we hear such ideas and think that a family must therefore be a place of perfection and we all know from our own experiences that families (or churches for that matter) are anything but places of perfection. So the idea can be daunting and seem unattainable. But Luke gives us an image of family life that might be more relatable. Even the Holy Family had their share of challenges and so we have hope for ourselves and our own family situations. We know from experience, confirmed by research, that we learn more by imitation and example than we do by preaching and teaching. In other words, our actions speak more loudly than words. How we live the gospel message in the midst of family life says much more about our faith commitment than what we say about the Gospel. Our homes and families ought to be places of security, welcome, love, care, concern and forgiveness. Speaking about such things does not mean as much as living them. The same can be said of the Holy Family. Their behaviours speak more loudly than their words. Today on this feast of the Holy Family, we might pause to consider what message we convey by our actions. Parish Office Obviously, the Parish Office will be closed on Tuesday, 1 January Open as usual on all other days. 2

3 Baptismal Information The next Baptism Registration meeting will take place on Monday, 7 January 2019 at 6.00pm in St Mark s Annexe. As for next year's Year 8s and their parents, more information to follow in the New Year. Nugent Signed Mass A signed Mass for the deaf community is held on the first Sunday of the month at Christ the King Church, Queens Drive at 4.30pm. Linen Purificators These linen cloths seem to be dwindling in numbers. If you could check at home to see whether you have any, especially Eucharistic Ministers and return them, this would be really appreciated. New for 2019 Year 8s Confirmation Programme This new process will be rolled out at a local level. Adults who would like to find out about the new Archdiocesan Confirmation Programme for Teenagers and/or perhaps become involved, are invited to attend a come and see evening at Hope University Chaplaincy on Wednesday, 9 January at 7.00pm. Just turn up. Lourdes Nominations If you wish to nominate someone from our Parish to go to Lourdes in 2019 and be supported through our fund, please contact the office as soon as possible. Also, would the lady who spoke to the office about the child with a disability going to Lourdes, please contact the office again. What s On At Our Cathedral Epiphany Carol Service, Sunday, 6 January, 3.00pm-4.00pm. Come along to the Cathedral to celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany in words, music and movement. The Carol Service will begin at the Crib before choir and congregation process around the Cathedral. Through scripture readings and music, we will reflect on the visit of the Magi 3

4 and early period of Jesus s ministry. The service will include carols for all to sing. All are welcome. Keep In Your Prayers Please remember in your prayers all who are sick especially those who are housebound and those in our hospitals and care homes. We pray also for anyone who has died in our Parish especially Bernadette Fennell and Ernest Windle. Let us remember the families and friends who mourn and for all those who have no one to mourn for them. Prayerful Reflections From Pope Francis It is a profound spiritual experience to contemplate our loved ones with the eyes of God and to see Christ in them. We can be fully present to others only by giving fully of ourselves and forgetting all else. (Amoris Laetitia 323) As family members, in order to see each other in this way means to put down the iphones, ipad, turn off the computer and TV and pay attention to the loved ones in our lives. We need to focus on who is in front or what s in front of us and give them our time and attention in loving and caring ways. Parish Finance Gift Aid Envelopes Other Envelopes Loose GASDS Total Offertory 1, Standing Orders Bonus Ball Retiring Collection This weekend none. Next weekend Parish Building Fund. Confessions Holy Family, 4.45pm, Saturday Our Lady Of The Assumption, Gateacre, 11.30am-11.55am, Saturday St Mary s, Woolton, 11.00am-11.45am, Saturday Our Lady Of The Annunciation, BE 4.00pm-5.00pm, Saturday Blessed Sacrament Shrine, Mon-Sat 11.00am-12 noon 4

5 Volunteer Pastoral Assistants Funeral Lay Ministers Carole Clancy Ron Smith Baptism Coordinator Mrs Chris Myles With You Always Coordinator Mrs Kami Lester Our Synod Prayer Father, we thank you for the love you have shown us in the gift of Jesus, your Son. We thank you for the gift of the Church, through which you show us that you are always with us and are always at work in our lives. As we journey together to Synod 2020 help us to become the Church that you are calling us to be. May your Holy Spirit be powerfully at work among us. Strengthen each of us and guide Francis, our Pope and Malcolm, our Archbishop. Help us to respond to the challenges of our times in new ways to bring your love to all our sisters and brothers. We make this prayer through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen Eucharistic Ministers This Weekend 5.15pm L Parry, S Coleman, S Daniels, A Stubbs, C Morris Log on to synod2020.co.uk for all the latest news. 5

6 WHAT S GOING ON AND WHERE IN OUR PARISH COME ALONG & GET INVOLVED Who What Where & When Bereavement Care Team Support and a listening ear over a cuppa SJV Choir, new members always welcome Choir rehearsal St Mark s Annexe, as advertised in the newsletter Every Friday, 7.30pm, Holy Family Church SVP Good Companions, new members always welcome RCIA Vianney s Voice, new members always welcome Ladies Group, new members always welcome Chronic Pain Group, new members always welcome We meet to discuss how we can support the local community Senior citizens club, 60+, quiz, bingo, trips out, friendship Adults seeking to become Catholics or receive Confirmation Social and spiritual activities/fundraising for our young people, Year 7 upwards Social and spiritual activities Sharing advice and experiences 3 rd Tuesday of the month, 7.00pm, St Mark s Annexe Every Wednesday, 1.00pm-3.00pm, St Mark s Annexe Courses are run from Bishop Eton. Please enquire at our office. Last Wednesday of the month, 7.00pm-8.30pm, St Mark s Annexe. 1 st Wednesday of the month, 7.00pm, Holy Family Meeting Room 2 nd Friday of the month, St Mark s Annexe, 2.00pm 6

7 Question of the Week Adults: When have you found it difficult to understand or accept a teaching of the church? What helps you be faithful? Children: Who teaches you to have faith in God? Feast Of The Holy Family 30 December 2018 Date 2018/2019 Holy Family Church St Mark s Church Saturday, 29 December Feast of St Thomas of Canterbury Sunday, 30 December Feast Of The Holy Family Monday, 31 December Seventh Day Within the Octave of the Nativity Tuesday, 1 January 2019 Solemnity of Mary, The Holy Mother of God Wednesday, 2 January St Basil & St Gregory Thursday, 3 January Friday, 4 January Saturday, 5 January Sunday, 6 January The Epiphany Of The Lord 3.00 pm Wedding Service for Anthony Shaw & Zara Cook-Hannah 5.15 pm Mass (George Marsh) am Mass (People of the Parish) Mass (Edward Cullen) am Service of the Word 5.15 pm Mass (Joseph & Mary Murphy) am Mass (Tina Harris) 9.15 am Mass (Sadie & Jimmy Devine) am Requiem Mass for Bernadette Fennell am Mass (Teresa Wakefield) am Mass (Mary Lonsdale) 9.15 am Mass (People of the Parish) We apologise for when times and Mass intentions may occasionally need to be changed at short notice to allow for a Requiem Mass or Funeral Service. Guidelines for the submission of Mass Intentions can be found on our website Readings for The Epiphany of the Lord Matt 2:1-12 Isa 60:1-6 Eph 3:2-3, 5-6 7

8 Wishing You All A Very Happy And Peaceful