Sunday 17 March 2024
Fifth Sunday of Lent
Ordinarily, Sunday would be the feast of Saint Patrick, but the Fifth Sunday of Lent takes precedence over the usual celebrations. However, given so many of our parishioners are Irish or of Irish descent, and many are Nigerian or of Nigerian descent - Saint Patrick being Patron Saint of both Ireland and Nigeria - may I take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhuit!
Meanwhile, this Sunday we enter the final phase of Lent and the beginning of Passiontide. It is traditional to veil images and statues in Church this Sunday to give us a deep sense that something is coming and something has changed: the beauty is veiled ahead of what is to come - the Passion of the Lord. In these final days of Lent ahead of Holy Week, let’s ask the Lord to help us, through our Lenten penances, to prepare well for, what is for Catholics, the most important week in the whole of the year.
Father Edmund
Saint Joseph
Tuesday is the Solemnity of St Joseph, Husband of our Lady and Patron of the Universal Church
SMA Craft Sale
Today, after the 9am Mass at St Mary of the Angels, there will be a Craft Sale, in aid of the Foodbank
Holy Week
Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week is just one week away: Holy Week Schedule detailed inside
Restoration of The Annunciation
Further to the restored painting being returned, I am very grateful to Janis Smith who has painstakingly restored the beautiful frame, ready for me to reframe the restored painting into it, ahead of rehanging it in the Church. Huge thanks to Janis for giving of her time to repair the delicate tracery and mouldings and restore the gilding to areas of damage.
Lent Lunch at St Mary of the Angels
Catherine Jones writes: There will be an ecumenical Lent Lunch in the Stanley Hall at St Mary of the Angels this Friday 22 March, 12 noon-2pm. Please come along for a bowl of soup, bread and cheese, a cup of tea or coffee and a chat with friends. The cost is £4, with proceeds going to CAFOD. There will also be Hot Cross Bun Coffee Mornings at Little Sutton Methodist Church on Saturday 16 March at 10.30am and at St Paul’s Church, Hooton on Saturday 23 March at 10-11.30am and a Lent Lunch at St Paul’s on Thursday 28 March at 1pm. Everyone welcome!
Holy Communion: Non-Catholic Schools
I am very grateful to Pauline and Margaret, and the team, that is coming together to prepare children at non-Catholic schools for their first Confession and their first Holy Communion. Parents are asked to register their child(ren) by the closing date of Easter Monday by emailing the Parish Office at parishoffice@rcchep.co.uk with the following details:
Full Name and Date of Birth of Child
Full Names of Parents Address
Contact number and email address
Place and Date of Child’s Baptism
Preparation Session 1
Monday 15 April, 6.30pm
Preparation Session 2
Monday 22 April
Preparation Session 3
Monday 29 April
Preparation Session 4
Monday 13 May
First Confession
Saturday 18 May 2024 at 10.30am (in Church)
First Holy Communion
Saturday 25 May 2024 at 10.30am (in Church)
Missio Red Boxes
Noreen Darwent writes: Thank you all again for your continuing support for Missio.I have received copies of the Spring Edition of the Missio Today magazine. I will leave these at the back of the churches. Please take a copy even if you don't have a red box because it will give you an idea what the organisation does. If you would like a red box please contact me and I'll get one to you. Contact no. 07707190567. A date for your diaries. On Saturday 1 June at 11am there will be a Mass offered by Bishop Mark for the diocese of Shrewsbury to celebrate Missio at St Michael & All Angels New Hey Road, Woodchurch. Everyone will be most welcome.
Talks on Our Lady
Last Tuesday we considered our Lady’s Assumption into Heaven. This coming week we consider, in the final talk, whether the Church might, in the future, declare our Lady as co-redemptrix, to express that she has a unique role in salvation. What questions or concerns might this raise? What would it signify? All welcome. St Saviour Church, Tuesday, 6.30pm.
As the talks conclude, my sincere thanks to the large number who have attended the talks on our Lady during Lent. It was very encouraging to see so many of you there and I hope that the talks have given food for thought, new areas of interest and knowledge have opened up for you but, above all, that your love for our Lady has increased and deepened these past five weeks, and that your devotion to her has taken on a new life and impetus. I would ask that if parishioners would like any further talks or series on any subject or area of our Catholic Faith, let me know and I will give some thought and consideration to what we do next. With my thanks, again.
Easter Egg Hunt: Easter Monday 1 April
Kathryn Joyce writes: There will be an Easter egg hunt on Easter Monday 1 April at St Mary’s Hooton at 10.30am for all the children of our parish! Please register your interest via our website: Also could we kindly ask for any donations of Easter eggs and Easter treats for our hunt?
Donations of Easter eggs can be handed into the Sacristy or into the Parish Office. No guarantee any chocolate will last to Easter, as all donations will have to be quality tested by the parish priest, just to be safe . . .
Solemnity of St Joseph
A reminder that Tuesday is the Solemnity of St Joseph, Husband of our Lady. There’s still time to write a petition to St Joseph ahead of Mass on Tuesday, asking his intercession.
Readers for Holy Week
I would like to invite those who read at Mass across the three Masses of the parish to begin to discuss together the different Readers required for the Holy Week Masses and Liturgies. The Easter Sunday Masses Readers are already scheduled - many thanks - but we will need Readers for:
Mass of the Lord’s Supper - Thursday 28 March 7pm
Up to two Readers required for:
First Reading Psalm
Second Reading
Solemn Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion - Friday 29 March 3pm
Up to two Readers required for:
First Reading -
Second Reading
The Easter Vigil Saturday 30 March 8pm
Up to four Readers required for:
First Reading
Psalm
Second Reading
Canticle
Third Reading
Psalm Epistle
I have asked Pauline Hotchkiss to co-ordinate the Readers to compile a Readers list. My thanks in anticipation of our Readers being willing and available for the different times of Masses and Liturgies during Holy Week: please approach Pauline at Mass or else contact through the Parish Office.
Readers for Holy Week
I would like to invite parishioners to volunteer for the Washing of The Feet, which takes place during the Mass of The Lord’s Supper, that re-enacts the moment that the Lord modelled how we ought to serve one another.
If you would be willing to have your feet washed and can be present at the Mass of The Lord's Supper, Holy Thursday 28 March at 7pm, please do sign up: Sign Up Sheets are at the back of Our Lady Star of the Sea and St Mary of the Angels.
Many thanks in anticipation!