Home Newsletters Services Parish Prayers Papal Intentions Health & Safety Safeguarding Useful Links Deanery Mass Times Jane's Corner Parish Directory Sacraments Child's First Catechism Declaration of Faith Privacy Policy Gallery Find Us

Newsletter and  

Notices

Fr. Peter Charles Crowther obl. sbso | The Presbytery, Bury Lane, Withnell, Chorley, PR6 8SD | Tel 01254 830 995 | Reg Charity: 232709

Universalis

© 2021 St Joseph's Catholic Church, Withnell. All Rights Reserved.

Please pray for Pope Francis, Benedict XVI and Archbishop Malcolm McMahon                                                   

Liverpool Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool Reg. Char. 232709

moorlandsanctuary@gmail.com

www.moorlandsanctuary.com


TODAY'S  MASS:  Mark shows the warmth of Jesus' humanity with his concern for a leper. The leper had no right even to approach Jesus, but must have felt that he would get a favourable response and no word of reproach. “Jesus felt sorry for him” is rather a weak translation; the Greek is far stronger. Colloquially it literally means 'was gutted'; so Jesus felt compassion to the depths of his being. Then Jesus touched him  -  in this touching he was both reaching out to someone ritually impure and risking infection. There have been famous repetitions of this brave and heartfelt gesture: Francis of Assisi kissing a leper's hand, Princess Diana shaking hands with an AIDS sufferer  (when the sickness was thought to be contagious by touch ). One can imagine the awestruck horror of the bystanders at this outrageous expression of love and sympathy. Why, then, does Jesus 'sternly' send him away?  A more faithful rendering would be not 'sternly' but 'in anger.' It is possible that the anger is directed at the leprosy, considered as an exterior invasion, and so he sent it ( the disease ) away. At least Jesus' whole-hearted emotional involvement with the sufferer is palpable.   (Fr. Henry Wansbrough, osb )


WEEKLY PONDER: How at peace am I with my own wounds, sins and imperfections?   (Liguori Publications)


THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: To us, leprosy or any serious skin condition is a medical and perhaps a cosmetic issue. In Jesus' day, by contrast,  such things entailed social exclusion, and the sufferer became literally untouchable. Hence the shock in the Gospel: he touched him. Before congratulating ourselves for not being so 'primitive,' it might not be any harm to ask who are the marginalised and excluded in our own time and culture? The categories are wide: socio-economic groups, ethnicity, orientation, religion. Are there people I never encounter?   (Fr. Kieran O'Mahony, osa)


PRAYER: We come before You, O God, confident in Christ's victory over sickness and death. Heal us again from sin, which divides us, and from prejudice which isolates us. Bring us to wholeness of life through the pardon you grant your people.   (Fr. Kieran, osa)


ASH WEDNESDAY:  Today is a day of Fasting and Abstinence. No meat, and only one full meal and two little ones. Don't go overboard; use your common sense!!


THE HOLY SEASON OF LENT:  Lent offers us all a very special opportunity to grow in our relationship with God and to deepen our commitment to a way of life, rooted in our baptism. In our busy world, Lent provides us with an opportunity to reflect upon our patterns, to pray more deeply, experience sorrow for what we have done and failed to do, and to be generous to those in need.  (Creighton Ministries)


ASH WEDNESDAY PRAYER:  Lord, I know there is darkness in me and around me. Bless these days with your Word. Let your light shine in the darkness. Help me to long for that Light until we celebrate at the Vigil six weeks from now. Most of all Lord, help me to honour this day with sprinkled ashes. They help me to remember where I have come from and where I am going. May I acknowledge to you my sins, and my deep need for your loving forgiveness and grace.  (Creighton)


EXPOSITION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT:  During Lent and so starting next Sunday, there will be Eucharistic Adoration from TWO until FOUR streamed. No Exposition on Saturdays. Use the time well for prayer and reading. Take John's Passion and divide it up over the weeks and meditate on your personal “Divisions.” It will also be an opportunity for you to do the Stations at home in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.


THE HOLY ROSARY:  The Rosary should be a part of our daily prayer life; just a little each day for our own and others' intentions. Mary is the Mother of the Church and our Mother.  We need her, and the Church as a whole needs her, at this time. People are going through difficult times, and have been for a good twelve months. When things are difficult we naturally turn to our mothers. We should turn to Mary; Mother of Sorrows and Health of the Sick.


MEDITATION: Do you know who you are? Not the person you've been told all your life by the world you are, but do you know who your Creator, the one who made everything in the universe, including yourself, made you to be?  At the end of the day, God's opinion is the one that matters above all others combined. The Holy Spirit says that you are one of God's very own children. You're family. God is your father and Jesus is your brother. Think about all that true identity means for you today.  (New CREEations)


WEEKLY BIBLE: The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God; and if children, then heirs: heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. If indeed we suffer with him, it is so that we may also be glorified with him.  (Romans 8:16-17)


YOUCAT: (Question 440) Are Christians obliged to become involved in politics and society?  It is a special duty of the Christian people to become involved in politics, society and commerce in the spirit of the Gospel: in charity, truth and justice. Catholic Social Teaching offers them clear guidance in this endeavour.


THE POPE:  Jesus says he is the real instrument of the Father's mercy, who goes to encounter everyone, bringing consolation and salvation, and, in doing so, he manifests God's justice. The blind, the lame, the lepers, the deaf regain their dignity, and are no longer excluded because of their disease.


SAINTLY GEMS: Happy the person who, at grips with an uncomfortable situation, dares to say, “I am like a bird singing in a thorn bush.” Doesn't the Gospel invite us to welcome the Holy Spirit in that part of ourselves where our childhood heart is still to be found?    (Pope St. John XXIII)

Nothing can bring greater happiness than doing God's will for the love of God.  ( St. Miguel Febres Cordero Munoz)


FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Our life is a gift from God. What we do with that gift is our gift to God   (Anon)

You can live differently to that the world lives; you can possess a patience that the world does not have. Why? Because you know that the purpose of God will prevail in the end.   (Allen R. Hunt)



YEAR OF ST. JOSEPH:  The Holy Father has designated this year the Year of St. Joseph. It has slipped by somewhat because of all the other things that have been happening. Here is a short daily prayer to St. Joseph. He was the Foster Father of Jesus, and as such would have helped form the earthly character of Jesus along with Our Blessed Lady. “O St. Joseph, do assist us by your powerful intercession and obtain for us from your divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, so that having experienced here below your heavenly power, we may offer our thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of fathers.”


CHORLEY FOOD BANK:  Thank you for your continuing support.


COLLECTION ENVELOPES:  These can be placed in the plastic box outside the church. Your support is much appreciated. Churches will remain closed in the Deanery for the moment except for a limited access at St. Mary's. There are too many Variants knocking about, and we priests are responsible for your welfare and our own.


CORONAVIRUS:  We are asked to keep in our prayers the more than one hundred thousand people who have passed over, and their families left behind. Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord.......


OUR SICK AND HOUSEBOUND: You are all in our prayers and thoughts! We will be out and about again when permission has been given.  Car Park Holy Communion will also resume as soon as possible.


MASKS: Must be worn in church grounds. Don't remove them until you exit the gates please.   (Fr. Peter)


OPENING OF CHURCHES:  The Archbishop has stated that churches should not open before the schools open!


KEVIN HARVEY:  Mr. Kevin Harvey has been our area Archdiocesan Surveyor and Health and Safety Officer for the last thirteen years. He has done his job well and has never let us down. Kevin is leaving the employ of the Archdiocese on Friday. We will miss him in Chorley and can only wish Him well for the future.


Lately Deceased

Fr. Peter Charles Crowther, obl.sbso

01254 830 995

Email: moorlandsanctuary@rcaol.org.uk  

Parish Administrator and Catechist: Jane Gilbertson, B.Ed. (Hons), B.Sc. (Hort), CTC.

Ordinary Week 6B  ,  14th. February 2021


Valentines Day    Quinquagesima

Hand in hand w1ith Jesus         Remember your daily Rosary

 


 



  


 



















 












Ecce mihi in Deum protectorem.....

Anniversaries

Sick & Housebound

Feastdays

Readers

Anointing / Forgiveness

Mass

Intentions

Fr. John James White, Dcn. Don Campion, Fr. Denis Harvey, Fr. Patrick Walsh, sss., Fr. Raymond Walker, Bert Bagshaw, Bert Fairclough, Edward Barrow, Lily Ellen Holt, John Turner, Frank Barnish, George Fisher, Mary Ellen Thompson, George Bailey, Agnes Clayton, Rosemary Taylor, Antoinette Scatliff, Peter Anderson, Dick Lett, Ann Hill, Irene Parkinson, Irene Hagan, Thomas Knowles, Alan Abbott, John Clayton, Vera Holden, Bill Rossall.

Fr. Laurence Mayne, Fr. Dunstan Harrington, Fr. Cassian Dickie, osb., Fr. John Daulman, Philip Rushton, Ian Davies, Anne Beconnsall, Rita Maher, Kathleen Mee, Rachel Mason, Eamon Neary, and others.

Next Week:   

COLLECTOR:



Today:  

COLLECTOR:



Dcn. Gerald Marsh

“You can heal me”