WELCOME TO MASS AT ST MARY’S NEWHOUSE

Mass Times and Intentions

Please remember in prayer our sick or housebound parishioners, and all who have died recently, or whose anniversary of death is about this time. We include Sister Agnes Lyons (worked with Catholic deaf people) and two deacons, John Kennedy and Frank Bell, R.I.P. 

Bill Cousins, R.I.P. Bill’s funeral at Fernyhalgh 22^nd Jan, 11.00am, followed by burial here, in the family grave.

Reconciliation (Confession): Wednesdays, after 7.00pm Mass.  Or ring 862437 for a better day or time.

THANK YOU: 5^th Jan: parish collection £443.94 incl. £60 St. Order. Mass attendance: 95.   

 12^th Jan: parish collection £363.35 incl. £60 St. Ord.  Cafod box £19.  Holy Souls box £10 (Mass to be offered soon). CRIB BOX £37.50. Thank you. This will go to “The Friends of the Holy Land”. Mass attendance: 112.

MARRIAGE COURSE at St. Clare’s, starts January 21^st .You need to enrol now and attend, if you are to marry in 2020 or 2021.  Details from Fr. Bob  

If you have at home a copy of the recent Mass-book (Missal), please may we have it to store here in case, such as occasions when attendance is greater than usual?

VACANCY: for Lead Diocesan Education Officer, 0.8 FTE Term-time only. Salary £40,987 to £45,220. Apply by 12 noon Feb 1^st. Details 01524 841190, or educationservice@lancasterrcdiocese.org.uk

LOURDES 2020. 23^rd July to 1^st August, with Lancaster Diocese. Change of tour operator to Joe Walsh Tours info@joewalshtours.co.uk . Prices down on last year. From £779 general pilgrims. Fr. Bob has booking forms.   £595 for Youth Section (apply to Castlerigg,)

See noticeboard posters.

ON SALE:  Diocesan Directory for 2020, £3.50 please.

CATHOLIC “ALPHA” COURSE continues, Cottam, St. Andrew and Blessed George Haydock, Tuesdays, at 7.00pm. Invitation cards for you to take.   

Please bring old Christmas cards (only the fronts, please) to make new ones to fund a Care Home’s social activities.

PLEASE NOTE: Finance and Property Committee meets Wednesday 29^th after evening Mass, not this week (22^nd) as originally scheduled.

This “WHITE FLOWER” collection was £107, thank you for generosity. Special thanks to the organisers.

PLEASE COMPLETE A POSTCARD and leave with Liz Boyle to send off. The postcard asks the government not to allow time for a Bill that would extend abortion even further. 

SETTLEMENT SCHEME. Not all EU citizens living here have applied, so they risk losing right to stay. (Incidentally, many are Catholics.) Some are elderly, or vulnerable, or long-term residents who don’t realise. To help, see www.gov.uk/help-eu-settlement-scheme.

The Tea-bar after Mass. Next one is next week, 26th January. Fewer people recently. Opinion has veered towards 2^nd and 4^th Sundays of month. Your view?

OUR MISSION AS PARISHES and parishioners: -

Discuss this, for both parishes, at OLSE presbytery (parish house), Tuesday 21^st Jan, 7.30pm

Boar’s Head devpt proposal. Leaflets in porch, but there is more than one point of view.

CAN YOU HELP? Sit in as assistant in Confirmation classes, and maybe Communion classes? Please see Fr. Bob

NO, please don't throw them away! Many thanks to all who helped decorate the church benches. Next year, same idea, but theme of BELLS, so please keep cards showing bells (just picture, not friends’ messages).

Please bring other used Christmas cards (just the fronts) to church so that they can be used to fund a Care Home's social activities. There is a basket in church - thank you.

Our Mission as Parishes and parishioners. Please join us to discuss this and to plan, for both parishes, at Our Lady and St Edward's presbytery (parish house) on Tuesday 21st Jan, 7.30pm.

CHRISTIAN UNITY service TODAY,                                                                  Brock Valley Churches Together, at Trinity Church, Goosnargh, 3.00pm today, 19^th January. Please will a good number from SMN attend.?  It will be a distinctive service, designed to show how a team of local Christians is enacting Bible stories in schools, hoping to recruit more talent!

(Fr. Bob says: I can’t attend; I’ll be at St. Anthony’s -same day, same time - for Fulwood’s equivalent service.)

SUNDAY OF THE WORD OF GOD is Pope Francis’

title for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (next week).

That will be our worship theme. So, please will all PARISH READERS gather in the sacristy before Mass next Sunday, even if it’s not your turn on the rota? It won’t involve extra reading, just a way of giving honour to the Bible as used in church.

DROUGHT AND FAMINE hit Zambia & Zimbabwe. There is an Emergency Appeal, so we’ll have a collection on 2^nd Feb. I know the Lend Fast Day is not far off, so, if you can’t give just now, no pressure. 

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