The Fifth Sunday of Lent 6th April, 2025 Cycle C
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road,
New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish - Priest: Fr Mario Ashuikeka
Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com Websites http://www.stjohntheevangelistnewferry.com
The Fifth Sunday of Lent, 6th April, 2025. Cycle C
FAITH IN FOCUS: FAULTY JUDGEMENT
If you commit the crime you should do the time. This is something we hear a lot today, along with suggestions that some people should be locked up and the key thrown away. For all our pretence at civilisation and sophistication, we find ourselves in a society that is very far from the values of Jesus and particularly the core Christian value of forgiveness. Sidelining forgiveness allows us to be judgemental. It allows us to make comments about other people as if we were better than them, as if we were never guilty of sin ourselves; yet all our judgment is faulty, for we have all sinned.
This is the pitiful scene that Jesus faced when they brought a woman who had been caught committing adultery. Jesus seems not to be dismayed by the woman’s sin (and her partner whom we never meet). What does dismay him is the arrogance of the scribes and Pharisees who presume a “holier than thou” attitude towards the woman. And so, despite the carefully prepared trap to get him to be at odds with the Law, Jesus first sets about dismantling the judgemental hypocrisy of the accusers rather than tackling what the woman has done.
It’s worth noting that forgiveness is not ours to give. Forgiveness comes from God and all we can do is to pass it on, just like love. God is love and our love is merely a sharing in his perfect love. God is forgiveness and when we forgive we are simply holding up a mirror to the God who has first forgiven each of us. “Our” forgiveness is simply a reflection. Of course, if we refuse to forgive then we cannot expect forgiveness for our trespasses. This has always been the simple message of the Our Father.
Very often when we judge others it is because we see the same fault in ourselves, and condemning the other person allows us to expiate our own frailty. Of course, Jesus did not praise the woman for what she had done; he told her to go away and sin no more. But what he did do is to prevent her from being judged by people who were as weak as she was but pretended to be better. Ring any bells?
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ENTRANCE ANTIPHON: Give me justice, O God, and plead my cause against a nation that is faithless. For the deceitful and cunning rescue me, for you, O God, are my strength.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM: What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory. I will leave this place and go to my father and say: Now, now, - it is the Lord who speaks – com back to me with all your heart, for I am all tenderness and compassion. Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory!
COMMUNION ANTIPHON: Has no one condemned you, woman? No one, Lord. Neither shall I condemn you. From now on, sin no more
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Devotions/Adoration: Saturday Morning Devotions will be prayed in Church (the Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises) from 10:30am-11:30am. Fr Mario will be available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation between 11.00am- 11.30am.
On Saturday 12th April 10.00am there will be a Day of Recollection led by The Northern Teams of Our Lady. There will be no morning Devotions on that morning.
All morning services will take place in St Anne’s house; at St John’s: From Monday 31st March all Masses will be held in the Main Church.
Three Parishes Reconciliation Service: will be held at St John’s on Tuesday, 8th April at 7pm.
Last Weeks’ Offertory Collection: this week’s total is £706.79p. Many thanks for your continued support.
CAFOD Family Fast joint collection from St John’s & St Luke’s amounted to £767.90p (including £435 Gift Aid). Thank you for your generosity.
Further to the recent Boiler appeal, a separate bank account has now been set up specifically to ‘ring fence’ contributions to the new boiler fund. Please make cheques payable to St John’s New Ferry and write 29001/NFJ/DU on the reverse. Cash donations should be placed in an envelope with 29001/BNFJ/DU written on the outside.
Thank you for the further generous donations received towards the Boiler Fund.
Bookings for the reception & Celebration of Sacraments: Baptism, Holy Communion, Confirmation & Wedding, Please enquire & arrange for these through the parish emails / Secretaries of St. Anne’s & St. John’s. Also contact the Parish Priest/Administrator through 0151-645-3314 You can get in touch with Ann Murray on 07745490279 regarding general parish queries.
Mass Intentions If you would like to have a Mass said for your own or someone else’s intentions, fill in one of the Mass offering envelopes at the back of Church, place a donation in it & put it through the Presbytery letterbox. If a particular date is requested please give at least THREE week’s notice. If the date has been filled, we will put your intention in as near as possible to the original date. Thank you for your patience and co-operation.
In Memoriam. Please continue to pray for all our parishioners who have recently died and their grieving families. May they and all the faithful departed, rest in the peace of Christ.
Children's Liturgy – takes place during the 9.30am Mass. All are most welcome.
Sunday Morning Teas continue on the first Sunday of each month. Come along for tea/coffee & biscuits whilst enjoying a chat. THIS SUNDAY, 6th APRIL 2025.
Wirral Foodbank Appeal: Please help to support our local Foodbank as much as you can with both food & funds. All items urgently needed are listed on the notice board at the back of church.
First Sacraments: Thank you to all those who have signed up to be prayer sponsors for our children making their First Sacraments this year. Please keep the children in your prayers. Just a reminder, that on Tuesday 29th April at 2.00pm, there will be a special Mass for Prayer Sponsors in St John’s Junior School. Please telephone the school on 0151 645 9615 to let us know if you are able to attend or not. Many thanks.
Parishes of Saints Anne, John & Luke Pilgrimage to St Josephs (Eucharistic Shrine), Stockport Thursday 5th June Price £15 per person. The list is now closed. Diane Baylis will be collecting your money after Mass on Saturday evenings and Liz Jones will be available after Mass on Sunday mornings.
FATIMA & MEDJUGORIE 2025: if you are interested in joining Fr Mario on pilgrimage to Fatima on 10th June for 5 days (£650) or to Medjugorie on 16th September for 8 days (£749), please contact Maria Fryer on 07576243343. Flying from Manchester, airport transfer, tour guide, bed, breakfast and evening meal included.
Lenten lunches- Soup will be served after 12 o’clock Mass at St Anne’s church every Friday during Lent. If you are available to help please contact Paddy on 07862 11712
Booking for 2025 Jubilee Pilgrimage to Lourdes is now open. The brochure and booking forms are available to download from the Pilgrimage website www.shrewsburypilgrimage.co.uk .
New Offertory Envelope Boxes Please collect your NAMED box of envelopes from the table at the back of church which start from 6th April
IF YOU HAVE RECENTLY COMPLETED A GIFT AID FORM, PLEASE DO NOT TAKE AN UNMARKED BOX OF ENVELOPES. A BOX WITH YOUR NAME IS ON THE TABLE FOR YOU TO COLLECT.
Shrewsbury Lourdes Hospitality: You are invited by Shrewsbury Lourdes Hospitality to join them in prayer, saying the Rosary together via Zoom on Wednesdays during Lent. Details secretary@teamshrewsbury.co.uk
Divine Mercy and St Michael Retreat is being held on Friday 2nd May 2.00– 3.30pm at Birkenhead Carmelite Monastery Grosvenor Place, Birkenhead, Prenton, Merseyside CH43 1UA. See poster on the notice board at the back of church for details.
+55 Group : The meeting being held on Tuesday, 6th May at 12.30pm is to Celebrate 80 Years Since the End of WW2. Cost £7. There will be a buffet, raffle & entertainment. If you are attending, please contact Sheila McAllister as she needs to know numbers for catering purposes - RSVP 07484285954. THERE IS A SIGN UP SHEET ON THE TABLE AT THE BACK OF CHURCH.
There is a vacancy within St John’s for the Volunteer Role of Parish Safeguarding Representative. Please speak to Fr Mario if you are interested in applying for this position.
ALTAR SERVERS TRAINING: There will be a training session for all altar servers who wish to serve during the Easter Triduum. This will take place at St John’s Church on Saturday 5th April between 9.00am-10.30am. Altar servers must attend if they would like to serve. Any queries please message Amy on 07595163193.
HELP NEEDED PLEASE: to move a large commercial photocopier from the presbytery and take it to the electrical section of the local council tip. It is too big for a car or SVU. It will need someone with a van and a licence to go into the tip. If you can help, please contact Ann Murray 07745490279 or ring the Parish office 0151 645 3314.
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Saturday 5th 10.30am Devotions – Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
5.00pm Roy Turner RIP
The Fifth Sunday of Lent 6th 9.30am Margaret & Edward Moore RIP
3.00pm Stations of the Cross
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Monday 7th 9.15am Phyllis Prendergast
Tuesday 8th 9.15am Christine McLoughlin RIP
7.00pm Lenten Reconciliation Service
Wednesday 9th 9.15am Lenten Novena
7.00pm MASS AT ST JOHN’S ONLY
Int Les Connor (NI)
Thursday 10th NO MASS
Friday 11th 9.15am Philly McLean 2nd Annv RIP
Saturday 12th 10.00am The Northern Teams of Our Lady Day of Recollection
5.00pm Philip White RIP
Palm Sunday of the Passion of Our Lord 13th 9.30am John McNulty RIP
3.00pm Benediction
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Weekend Masses - Please note that the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed immediately before each Mass. Please use this as a time for prayer & quiet devotion. Please enter the church quietly & remain so. Thank you.
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ST ANNE’S WEEKLY MASS INTENTIONS
Saturday 5th 6.30pm John McDonough RIP Anniversary
Fifth Sunday of Lent 6th 11.00am Ron Jones RIP
Phil Rooney RIP Anniversary
Monday 7th 12noon UCM
Eileen Dunbavin RIP
7-8pm Holy Hour
Tuesday 8th 12 noon Mary Duff B.day Rem
7.00pm Lenten Reconciliation at St John’s
Wednesday 9th 7.00pm MASS AT ST JOHN’S ONLY
Thursday 10th NO MASS
Friday 11th 11.00am Stations of the Cross
12 noon Joseph Locke RIP
Saturday 12th 6.30pm For Prison Staff
Palm Sunday of the Passion of Our Lord 13th 11.00am Mary Basden RIP
Lew & Christopher Doyle Remb.
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On Palm Sunday, Shrek, the Donkey will be taking part in the procession into church at the 9.30am Mass. Children will be able to have rides on the donkey in the car park before Mass.
Good Friday Churches Together Parade is gathering at 12pm at the Sundial in Port Sunlight Village.
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