Pastoral Plan:
On this 1st weekend of Advent, the beginning of a new Church year, we are delighted to be able to receive the pastoral plan. As the Archbishop has said: “This is to chart the way forward for the archdiocese in the years to come.” The Plan will be available online at https://liverpoolpastoralplan.org.uk/or you can arrange to purchase it from Pauline Books and Media, 84 Church Street, Liverpool at a cost of £2 per copy.
There is a summary document for you at Mass this weekend and a postcard for you to take home containing some of the key words from the plan and details of how to access the pastoral plan online.
To find out more, you are welcome to any of these open meetings:
Saturday 4th Dec 11.00am – 12.30pm in St Mary’s Church, Leyland
Tuesday 7th Dec 7.00pm – 8.30pm in Holy Rosary Church, Aintree
Thursday 9th Dec 7.00pm – 8.30pm on Zoom.
The link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86421512557?pwd=SVd5cFhtQ0dwUFJzQjhLSlQ5VjJJQT09
Meeting ID: 864 2151 2557 Passcode: 132667
Confirmation:
If you are registered for Confirmation but were unable to attend Saturday 13th meeting please email the parish at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. urgently.
Have you heard the Good News?
Mary’s Meals seeks to bring joy to those who are marginalised; those who feel like they have been overlooked and forgotten. From November to January, every gift given to Mary’s Meals will doubled by a group of generous supporters, up to £1.6m. Your kindness will help us serve life-changing school meals and will bring joy to more than two million children around the word – including those affected by natural disasters, conflict and the ongoing Covid pandemic. There are many ways to donate, including choosing Mary’s Meals gift cards as a meaningful gift this Christmas, or setting a virtual place at your Christmas table. For more information, please visit www.marysmeals.org.uk/doublethelove Thank you.
St Matthew’s School:
If your child is due to start school September 2022 and you would like to visit St Matthews school please contact Mrs Hall on 0151 226 1871 to book an appointment.
The final date is:
Thursday 4th December
LINK TO HOPE SHOEBOX APPEAL 2021
Unfortunately, we are once again unable to take part in a physical shoebox collection across our two parishes. However, it has been agreed that we will do what we did last year and send a cash donation to the appeal, instead. If you wish to take part in supporting this very worthy cause, please take an envelope, (which can be found at the back of church) place your donation inside, seal it and return it to the basket in church as soon as possible.
ALL ENVELOPES MUST BE RETURNED NO LATER THAN THE WEEKEND OF 27TH/28TH NOVEMBER; AND PLEASE REMEMBER TO ONLY TAKE AN ENVELOPE IF YOU ARE INTENDING TO MAKE A DONATION. THANK YOU.
Confirmations:
COP26:
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales (CBCEW) in partnership with CAFOD, have written a prayer to encourage people to pray for the leaders’ meeting at COP26 starting at the end of this month. The prayer is prepared in the hope that God will provide world leaders with the courage necessary to take action on behalf of the environment and the world’s poorest. This prayer is part of a wider effort by the Church to pursue ecological justice. Prayer cards can be found at the back of church.
North Liverpool Foodbank:
The Foodbank are currently running short of the following:
Tinned Potatoes, Toms, Carrots, Peas, Sweetcorn
Mashed Potato
Fruit Juice
Coffee
Curry and Pasta Sauce
Custard
Cup a Soups
Noodles
Jam
Please donate items to North Liverpool Foodbank, Clubmoor Community Centre, 16 Larkhill Lane, Liverpool, L13 9BR. Alternatively, a number of local supermarkets have a collection point / trolley near the exit were donations can be left.
Polite reminder:
Face coverings remain mandatory for all those coming into Church.
Lourdes Youth Pilgrimage 2022:
If you are aged between 15 and 22 and would like to be a part of the Youth Pilgrimage to Lourdes in July 2022, applications will be available online from 4th October. The cost of the pilgrimage is £540. For more information visit www.liverpoollourdesyouth.co.uk
Clatterbridge Cancer Centre - Liverpool:
Are looking for volunteers to assist at the hospital. Duties will include way-finding and general assistance around the wards. If you would like to become a volunteer or for more information, please contact David Lee, the Volunteer
Co-Ordinator on: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
CAFOD:
CAFOD responding to multiple emergencies across the world: CAFOD is responding to significant crises across the world this week. We are working with local Church organisations in Haiti to deliver emergency aid to people affected by the catastrophic earthquake and tropical storm. In the tragic situation in Afghanistan, we are working to ensure the safety of our local partners and their communities. We are supporting local aid workers to deliver urgent food and water supplies to hundreds of thousands of people facing extreme hunger in Tigray in Ethiopia, South Sudan and north-east Nigeria. You can read more about how we can all express solidarity with our sisters and brothers affected by these emergencies on the CAFOD website: https://cafod.org.uk/News/Emergencies-news. Your compassion, generosity and prayers have helped us to stand together and enable us to continue to support communities in these difficult times. Thank you.
Standing Order:
HSBC are going through some changes which effects us in the way we deposit our weekly offerings.
Have you considered setting up a Standing Order? Your offering can be made weekly or monthly on a date that suits you and can be cancelled at any time. If you would like a form please contact Lyndsey on 228 1310.
Job Vacancies:
The archdiocese have numerous job vacancies available. For more information please visit www.liverpoolcatholic.org.uk/jobs
Church Procedures Following July 19th Covid Regulation Changes:
The following is based on National, Archdiocesan and Local guidance:
Has now re-opened. If you would like to book the function room contact Michelle on 228 1679.
YouTube:
If you still feel unable to attend Mass, you can watch Mass each Sunday on our YouTube channel ‘Cecilia Matthews’
Gift Aid:
If you do not already gift aid your weekly offerings could we ask that you please consider signing up for Gift Aid. This enables the parish to receive an extra 25% on top of your offering. If you would like more information please contact the office for a form.
Archbishop Charles Heerey (Caring Aid) Online Prayer Group:
We, the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary would like to invite all our interested Parishioners to a group prayer meeting.
Initially this will be an online group meeting via Zoom. If you would like to know more, please register with a mobile number & email address.
God bless, Sr Mary Priscilla Ohawuchi, IHM
07368 155 194 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Please visit our website to read more about our projects: www.caringaid.org
Fundraising
The Sisters are also fundraising for their charity Caring aid, which helps different project worldwide.
Pens: Please take a pen and make a free donation to support our work for the vulnerable people around the world.
Boxes: If you would like to take a box home to support poor families.
Or you could become a regular supporter of our education fund for children from poor and less privileged families in Nigeria. £10 a month can support a child in nursey or primary school.
For more information on our charity work & projects please visit our website www.caringaid.org
Mary’s Meals:
Since our humble beginnings, Mary’s Meals, named after Mary the Mother of Jesus, has been built on a foundation of prayer and the many little acts of love from those who support us. This May, the month traditionally dedicated to Our Lady, we invite you to join us in prayer to celebrate the wonderful work of Mary’s Meals and give thanks that we are now reaching more than 1.8 million children with a nutritious meal in 19 countries every school day. We also pray for God’s continued blessing on our beautiful mission, that through His providence it will always flourish, enabling us to reach more hungry children. You will find inspirational resources for our Pray In May campaign, including our prayer card, on our website: www.marysmeals.org.uk
Thank you:
A big thank you to our stewards and volunteers, thank you for helping our Churches to stay open and keeping us safe.
Covid 19 Rapid lateral flow test:
Around 1 in 3 people with COVID-19 do not have symptoms.
Rapid lateral flow tests help to find cases in people who may have no symptoms but are still infectious and can give the virus to others.
The test usually involves taking a sample from your tonsils (or where they would have been) and from your nose, using a swab. You can get a result in 30 minutes.
The government are now urging all adults aged over 18 to take a rapid lateral flow test twice a week (every 3-4 days)
These tests can be ordered online: Order coronavirus (COVID-19) rapid lateral flow tests - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
By calling 119 Lines are open 7am to 11pm and calls are free.
Local pharmacies can issues a box of 7 tests, local pharmacies are listed below:
Lloyds pharmacy - 202 Cherry Lane
L Rowland & Co - 115/117 Townsend Avenue
Asda - Utting Avenue
Liverpool Pharmacy Group - 17 Green Lane
Lloyds Pharmacy - West Derby Road
Welcome Back:
It’s nice to be back celebrating Mass with you all this
weekend.
Just a reminder:
On this 1st weekend of Advent, the beginning of a new Church year, we are delighted to be able to receive the pastoral plan. As the Archbishop has said: “This is to chart the way forward for the archdiocese in the years to come.” The Plan will be available online at https://liverpoolpastoralplan.org.uk/or you can arrange to purchase it from Pauline Books and Media, 84 Church Street, Liverpool at a cost of £2 per copy.
There is a summary document for you at Mass this weekend and a postcard for you to take home containing some of the key words from the plan and details of how to access the pastoral plan online.
To find out more, you are welcome to any of these open meetings:
Saturday 4th Dec 11.00am – 12.30pm in St Mary’s Church, Leyland
Tuesday 7th Dec 7.00pm – 8.30pm in Holy Rosary Church, Aintree
Thursday 9th Dec 7.00pm – 8.30pm on Zoom.
The link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86421512557?pwd=SVd5cFhtQ0dwUFJzQjhLSlQ5VjJJQT09
Meeting ID: 864 2151 2557 Passcode: 132667
Confirmation:
If you are registered for Confirmation but were unable to attend Saturday 13th meeting please email the parish at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. urgently.
Have you heard the Good News?
Mary’s Meals seeks to bring joy to those who are marginalised; those who feel like they have been overlooked and forgotten. From November to January, every gift given to Mary’s Meals will doubled by a group of generous supporters, up to £1.6m. Your kindness will help us serve life-changing school meals and will bring joy to more than two million children around the word – including those affected by natural disasters, conflict and the ongoing Covid pandemic. There are many ways to donate, including choosing Mary’s Meals gift cards as a meaningful gift this Christmas, or setting a virtual place at your Christmas table. For more information, please visit www.marysmeals.org.uk/doublethelove Thank you.
St Matthew’s School:
If your child is due to start school September 2022 and you would like to visit St Matthews school please contact Mrs Hall on 0151 226 1871 to book an appointment.
The final date is:
Thursday 4th December
LINK TO HOPE SHOEBOX APPEAL 2021
Unfortunately, we are once again unable to take part in a physical shoebox collection across our two parishes. However, it has been agreed that we will do what we did last year and send a cash donation to the appeal, instead. If you wish to take part in supporting this very worthy cause, please take an envelope, (which can be found at the back of church) place your donation inside, seal it and return it to the basket in church as soon as possible.
ALL ENVELOPES MUST BE RETURNED NO LATER THAN THE WEEKEND OF 27TH/28TH NOVEMBER; AND PLEASE REMEMBER TO ONLY TAKE AN ENVELOPE IF YOU ARE INTENDING TO MAKE A DONATION. THANK YOU.
Confirmations:
Thank you to all our candidates for the Sacrament of Confirmation who registered earlier this year. The ceremony will take place on 3rd December at 7.00 pm in St. Oswald’s Church (Old Swan, parking available in Tesco). I’m happy to inform you that we have Cardinal Michael Fitzgerald presiding at our services.
Given the unusual circumstances of the last year most of the preparation has been provided through the RE curriculum in our schools. There is also a series of Confirmation information videos provided by our Animate Youth Service which can be accessed on YouTube - “Animate Liverpool Confirmation 'Called by Name’” .
Thanks and God bless,
Fr. Conor
Fr. Conor
COP26:
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales (CBCEW) in partnership with CAFOD, have written a prayer to encourage people to pray for the leaders’ meeting at COP26 starting at the end of this month. The prayer is prepared in the hope that God will provide world leaders with the courage necessary to take action on behalf of the environment and the world’s poorest. This prayer is part of a wider effort by the Church to pursue ecological justice. Prayer cards can be found at the back of church.
The Foodbank are currently running short of the following:
Tinned Potatoes, Toms, Carrots, Peas, Sweetcorn
Mashed Potato
Fruit Juice
Coffee
Curry and Pasta Sauce
Custard
Cup a Soups
Noodles
Jam
Please donate items to North Liverpool Foodbank, Clubmoor Community Centre, 16 Larkhill Lane, Liverpool, L13 9BR. Alternatively, a number of local supermarkets have a collection point / trolley near the exit were donations can be left.
Polite reminder:
Face coverings remain mandatory for all those coming into Church.
Lourdes Youth Pilgrimage 2022:
If you are aged between 15 and 22 and would like to be a part of the Youth Pilgrimage to Lourdes in July 2022, applications will be available online from 4th October. The cost of the pilgrimage is £540. For more information visit www.liverpoollourdesyouth.co.uk
Clatterbridge Cancer Centre - Liverpool:
Are looking for volunteers to assist at the hospital. Duties will include way-finding and general assistance around the wards. If you would like to become a volunteer or for more information, please contact David Lee, the Volunteer
Co-Ordinator on: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
CAFOD:
CAFOD responding to multiple emergencies across the world: CAFOD is responding to significant crises across the world this week. We are working with local Church organisations in Haiti to deliver emergency aid to people affected by the catastrophic earthquake and tropical storm. In the tragic situation in Afghanistan, we are working to ensure the safety of our local partners and their communities. We are supporting local aid workers to deliver urgent food and water supplies to hundreds of thousands of people facing extreme hunger in Tigray in Ethiopia, South Sudan and north-east Nigeria. You can read more about how we can all express solidarity with our sisters and brothers affected by these emergencies on the CAFOD website: https://cafod.org.uk/News/Emergencies-news. Your compassion, generosity and prayers have helped us to stand together and enable us to continue to support communities in these difficult times. Thank you.
Standing Order:
HSBC are going through some changes which effects us in the way we deposit our weekly offerings.
Have you considered setting up a Standing Order? Your offering can be made weekly or monthly on a date that suits you and can be cancelled at any time. If you would like a form please contact Lyndsey on 228 1310.
Job Vacancies:
The archdiocese have numerous job vacancies available. For more information please visit www.liverpoolcatholic.org.uk/jobs
Church Procedures Following July 19th Covid Regulation Changes:
The following is based on National, Archdiocesan and Local guidance:
- There is, as yet, no restoration of an obligation to attendance Sunday Mass
- Face coverings remain mandatory for all those coming to a church service. (Exemptions for medical reasons excluded.)
- Social distancing will not be mandatory in our churches. (In both our churches we will have an area at the rear right hand side reserved for those who may still feemore comfortable sitting socially distanced, please be aware of this and only sit there if you wish to observe such distancing.)
- Hand sanitising will remain necessary as people arrive.
- Holy Communion under both kinds will not be re-introduced at this time.
- Singing can be restored.
- Hymn books can be used but only once a day.
- The collection basket/plate will still not be passed around but kept in the now familiar location
Has now re-opened. If you would like to book the function room contact Michelle on 228 1679.
YouTube:
If you still feel unable to attend Mass, you can watch Mass each Sunday on our YouTube channel ‘Cecilia Matthews’
Gift Aid:
If you do not already gift aid your weekly offerings could we ask that you please consider signing up for Gift Aid. This enables the parish to receive an extra 25% on top of your offering. If you would like more information please contact the office for a form.
Archbishop Charles Heerey (Caring Aid) Online Prayer Group:
We, the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary would like to invite all our interested Parishioners to a group prayer meeting.
Initially this will be an online group meeting via Zoom. If you would like to know more, please register with a mobile number & email address.
God bless, Sr Mary Priscilla Ohawuchi, IHM
07368 155 194 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Please visit our website to read more about our projects: www.caringaid.org
Fundraising
The Sisters are also fundraising for their charity Caring aid, which helps different project worldwide.
Pens: Please take a pen and make a free donation to support our work for the vulnerable people around the world.
Boxes: If you would like to take a box home to support poor families.
Or you could become a regular supporter of our education fund for children from poor and less privileged families in Nigeria. £10 a month can support a child in nursey or primary school.
For more information on our charity work & projects please visit our website www.caringaid.org
Mary’s Meals:
Since our humble beginnings, Mary’s Meals, named after Mary the Mother of Jesus, has been built on a foundation of prayer and the many little acts of love from those who support us. This May, the month traditionally dedicated to Our Lady, we invite you to join us in prayer to celebrate the wonderful work of Mary’s Meals and give thanks that we are now reaching more than 1.8 million children with a nutritious meal in 19 countries every school day. We also pray for God’s continued blessing on our beautiful mission, that through His providence it will always flourish, enabling us to reach more hungry children. You will find inspirational resources for our Pray In May campaign, including our prayer card, on our website: www.marysmeals.org.uk
Thank you:
A big thank you to our stewards and volunteers, thank you for helping our Churches to stay open and keeping us safe.
Covid 19 Rapid lateral flow test:
Around 1 in 3 people with COVID-19 do not have symptoms.
Rapid lateral flow tests help to find cases in people who may have no symptoms but are still infectious and can give the virus to others.
The test usually involves taking a sample from your tonsils (or where they would have been) and from your nose, using a swab. You can get a result in 30 minutes.
The government are now urging all adults aged over 18 to take a rapid lateral flow test twice a week (every 3-4 days)
These tests can be ordered online: Order coronavirus (COVID-19) rapid lateral flow tests - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
By calling 119 Lines are open 7am to 11pm and calls are free.
Local pharmacies can issues a box of 7 tests, local pharmacies are listed below:
Lloyds pharmacy - 202 Cherry Lane
L Rowland & Co - 115/117 Townsend Avenue
Asda - Utting Avenue
Liverpool Pharmacy Group - 17 Green Lane
Lloyds Pharmacy - West Derby Road
Welcome Back:
It’s nice to be back celebrating Mass with you all this
weekend.
Just a reminder:
- We are still limited with numbers in church.
- Masks must be worn at all times.
- Hand sanitiser must be used on entering.
- Practise social distancing at all time.