ST. FRANCIS XA VIER's SALISBURY STREET LIVERPOOL L3 8DR

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1 ST. FRANCIS XA VIER's SALISBURY STREET LIVERPOOL L3 8DR TEUFAX: The Jesuit Communily HOIlSI! is at : SF}( Church. SaHsbury Sl1'eet. LJ 8DR Tel' Parish Priest: Fr. Adrian HoweU SJ w..,w.sfxchurchliverpoolcom Fr. James Nugent-Pastoral Area 1 (City Centre Nortb) SUNDAY 26th JANUARY THIRD SUNDAY OF THE YEAR (A) THE GOSPEL FOR TODAY'S MASS; A-M-D-G He went and settled in Capemaum: in this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be folfilled. Hearing that John had been arrested Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capemaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled: Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan. Galilee of the nations! The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the /and and shadow of death a light has dawned From that moment Je!U)s began preaching with the message. 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.' As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast in the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, 'Follow me and I will make you fishers of men. ' And they left their nets at once and followed him. Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, "Follow mt... " mending their nets, and he called them. At once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him. He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness 'among the people. Matthew 4: J 2-23

2 MASS FOR THE WEEK 26th January Sunday 10.15am (!'he Third Sunday of the Year) (A) 27th January Monday 12 noon. Monday Crew noon Funeral Mass - : l\1a.rgaret.o'keeffe 28th January Tuesday 12 noon (St. Thomas Aquinas) Wednesday No Service 29th ~anuary 30th January 31st January 1st February Thursday Friday (St. John Bosco) Saturday 12 noon 12 noon 11 am Holy Hour with Exposition Confessions from 11.ISam 12 noon Mass -- CHURCH COLLECTION: Last week's collection received with grateful thanks was: ( on the plate and in gift aid) TODAY's RETIRING COLLECTION: IS IN AID OF JESUIT MISSIONS. Today we welcome Richard Greenwood so he can keep us up-to-date on the work Jesuit Missions carry out and where our generous donations are helping. Your continued generosity is very much appreciated for today's retiring collection. MONDAY CREW: Gather at 9.30am to 12 noon. Many hands make light work so wc'd be gratcrul for any help. Thank you. MONTHLY AFTERNOON SOOALS: Our first gathering is for 'Afternoon Tea with Fizz' on Tuesday 28th January Ipm. To book your place please pay 5.00 today which includes refreshments and a game of bingo. Please do come al~ng so we can make a start on our social calendar, which is open to all adults of all ages! FRIENDS OF SFX CHURCH OPEN BUSINESS MEETING: Monday 3rd February, Ipm, in SFX Qturch Shaw Room. r CONGRATULATIONS ARCHBISHOP VINCENT NICHOLS *** Appointed to become a member of the College of Cardinals at the next consistory in Rome at the end of February. He will be visiting the Metropolitan Cathedral on the afternoon of Sunday 16th M arch to meet and pray with those in our Archdiocese. So please look out for the details!

3 LIVERPOOL METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL - BE A CHORISTER FOR A DAY: Boys in years 3 to 5 are invited to go along on Sunday 2nd February, 10.30am to 4pm. For more details and to register please contact 0151,708' 7283 (first come, first served, basis) A new play by Kenny O'ConnelJ - Re-live the history, myths and legends of an extraordinary place THE HEART OF EVERTON'S BADGE. Thursday 6th February, 7pm, at North Liverpool Academy Theatre Tickets 3.00 from WECC, the Shewsy or local schools. Also performing at Capstone Theatre on Tuesday, 4th February - contact Hope University for tickets. LIVERPOOL DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES Friday 25th July to Friday Ist August SFX are not organising a group to travel to Lourdes but independent booking is available through Joe Walsh Tours on prices starting from 669 (Hotel La Solitude 779 fully inclusive). If wheelchair assistance is required whilst in Lourdes registration MUST be made through the Liverpool Hospitalite. I f you would like any further infol1oation, please contact Debbie in the Church Office. HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY 27th JANUARY J L1BERA non OF AUSCHWIT:lrBIRKENAU Betwcen I and 1.5 million people died in Auschwitz: between I and I.3 million were Jews, 70-75,000 were Poles and around 20,000 were Gypsies. About 15,000 Soviet Prisoners of War, and between 10,000 and 15,000 prisoners from other ethnic backgrounds also died in Auschwitz. WE REMEMBER 17fFM ST. JOHN 80SCO Feast day 31st January 'Do you want the Lord to give you many graces? Visit him in the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist and the devil will be powerless against you. (St. John Bosco) CHURCH OPENING TIME please note on Thursday 30th January, church will not open until I0.30arn. Funeral Mass this week: Monday 27th January t 2 noon - Margaret O'Keeffe THE LIGHT OF CHRIST Pope Francis, in his new encyclical Lumen Fidei. encourages us to draw near to Christ so that His light may shine even more brightly in our lives. Lord. let your light shine on me. Let your kindly light expose the darkness of sin and heal my wounds. This year respond wholeheartedly to the call to follow the Light of Lift and the Light of the World.

4 TODAY'S MASS The Good News we haw heard is like a beacon light which draws men irresistibly to Christ. We must not be content with lesser lights. FIRST READING: Isaiah 8:23-9:3 In Galilee of the nations the people has seen a great light. RESPONSORJAL PSALM: Psalm 26 PLEASE RECITE THE COMPLETE PSALM TOGETHER 1. The Lord is my light and my help. The Lord is my light and my help; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; before whom shall I shrink? 2. There is one thing I ask of the Lord, for this I long, to live in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life, to savour the sweetness of the Lord, to behold his temple. 3. I am sure I shall see the Lord's goodness in the land of the living. Hope in him, hold firm and take heart. Hope in the Lord! The Lord is my light and my help. SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 1: Make up the differences between you instead of disagreeing among yourselves. GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: AIIeluia, aiie1uia, aiieluia! (sung) Jesus proclaimed the Good News of the kingdom, and cured all kinds of sickness aoiong the people. AUeluia, aueluia, aueluia! (sung) L-D-S

5 Even as a child, Pierre Favre was drawn to thinking and speaking about the things of God. At the age of six, he could be found sitting on a large stone in the village square giving little catechism classes to other children. The adults would listen in astonishment, and be admonished if they interrupted. They would reward him with apples and nuts which Pierre would divide out carefully among the poorest children. "I ask that 1 may in truth be a disciple of Christ and an attentive listener to his words and those of all the saints... to be helpful to all in every way and hurtful to none." Pierre Favre, Memoriale ( ) His parents were poor and Pierre would tend the sheep in the high mountain pastures. But he was a bright child and yearned for the opportunity to go to school. His parents scraped together their meagre resources but he quickly exhausted all that the village school could teach him and, at even greater sacrifice, was sent to the College La Roche nine miles away. Here Pierre came under the care of Pierre Veil hard, a holy and learned man, who taught him not only Latin and Greek but also opened his mind to the ways of God. After nine years at La Roche, Pierre went to the University of Paris, the most prestigious and forwardthinking university of his day.

6 It was here that Pierre shared a room with the young nobleman Francis Xavier and then with Ignatius loyola also. He was able to help Ignatius, some 20 years his senior, with his study of Aristotle in Greek. Ignatius spoke with Pierre, often long int'o the night, about the inner life and his dreams to do great things for God. The three men became lifelong friends. Pierre Favre and Francis Xavier were at the heart of the small group of companions who gathered around Ignatius. They described themselves as 'friends in the lord' and dedicated themselves to praise, reverence and serve God under vows of poverty and chastity. They journeyed to Rome to seek the Pope's blessing to go on pilgrimage to the Holy land. But wars and storms prevented their departure and they put themselves at the Pope's disposal to do whatever was needed. Pierre was immediately appointed by the Pope to teach at Rome's old university, the Sapienza. "Rule your thoughts and intentions so that all your occupations and exertions may be directed to the glory of God... Strive that, resting or working, God may be your first motive, then your own and your neighbour's salvation." Pierre Favre, Rule for the Confraternity at Parma (1542) Quickly gaining a reputation for wisdom, learning, kindness and holiness, Favre was much in demand and served at the Courts of the Holy Roman Emperor, and in Spain and Portugal. But all the while, he would live in the local hostel for the sick and the destitute, and would take time to instruct and care for the poor. Everywhere he travelled, Favre would use the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius to open people's souls and show them the presence of God in their lives where they had not noticed and encouraged them to respond generously to his call. "Yes, I am a pilgrim and so are all my Companions, and not only in this part of the country but all the world over, and so I shall be, thank God, till my death." It was as he was making his way to the Council of Trent as a papal theologian that Favre fell ill. He died in Rome in the presence of his Jesuit companions, including St 1546, the second of the

7 ,, The Spirit of St Pierre Favre A Brief Biography of Pierre Favre "A man in love with the glory of God, who by the grace of the holy Spirit, knows how to weigh the things that are of God, will be able more easily to obtain faith by the gift of the Holy Spirit, by means of which he will be able to work great and wonderful things to the glory of God." Memoriale ( ) "1 ask of you, my Lord, to remove anything which separates me from you, and you from me. Remove anything that makes me unworthy of your sight, your control, your rebuke, of your speech and conversation, of your kindness and love. Cast from me every evil that stands in the way of my seeing you, hearing, tasting, savouring and touching you, fearing and being mindful of you, knowing, trusting, loving and possessing you, being conscious of your presence and, as far as may be, enjoying you. This is what I ask for myself and earnestly desire from you. Amen." A Prayer of Pierre Favre "1 suggest to you nothing more than repeating frequently in your heart: 'Christ poor, and I rich. Christ fasting, and I full. Christ naked, and I clad. Christ suffering, and I living in enjoyment.'" Conversation at the Court of Spain (1545) Pierre Favre is born at Villaret in France and grows up tending sheep in the mountains of the Haute Savoie Begins studies at the parish school and soon completes the Latin grammar course Pierre determines to spend his life in the service of Christ although he does not know what that will turn out to be Moves to the College La Roche where he is taught and greatly influenced by the learned and holy Pierre Veilhard Favre begins studies at the University of Paris, his roommate is Francis Xavier Ignatius Loyola becomes a third roommate Favre is directed in the Spiritual Exercises by St Ignatius July, Favre is ordained priest August, at Montmatre, Ignatius, Favre and five companions, vow a life of poverty and chastity Favre is appointed to teach Scripture at the Sapienza, Rome's university Sent to help reform of the diocese of Parma Sent as theological advisor to the Emperor at the Diet of Worms and then at Ratisbon - an attempt to reconcile Protestants and catholics The Society of Jesus is approved by Pope Paul III with Favre as one of the first companions and founders Favre is missioned to Germany Missioned to Portugal Missioned to Spain May, Favre lays the foundation stone of the first Jesuit college at Gandfa in Spain He is appointed a theologian at the Council of Trent, on his way there Favre falls ill and dies at Rome on 1 st August 1546 Pope Pi us IX beatifies Favre December, Pope Francis declares Favre a saint Cl 2014 Jesuit Institute London Painting of Pierre Favre (2004) by Bronislaw Podsiadly SJ