MASSES DURING LENT
Tuesdays, 10am
Wednesdays
5.30pm Confessions
6.00pm Mass (with meditation on the Way of the Cross and Benediction)

READINGS FOR 25 FEBRUARY
1^st Reading: Genesis 22:1-18, The sacrifice of Abrham, our father in faith
Psalm 115:  I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.
2^nd Reading: Romans 8:31-34, God did not spare his own Son.
Gospel Reading: Mark 9:2-10, This is my Son, the Beloved.
Gospel acclamation: Glory and praise to you, O Christ!  From the bright cloud, the Father’s voice was heard: “This is my Son, the Beloved.  Listen to him!”  Glory and praise to you, O Christ!
Communion antiphon: This is my Son, my Beloved, in whom is all my delight.  Listen to him.

POPE’S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR FEBRUARY
The Terminally Ill
That terminally ill patients and their families always receive the necessary medical and human care and support.
POPE’S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR MARCH
For the new martyrs
We pray that those who risk their lives for the Gospel in various parts of the world inflame the Church with their courage and missionary enthusiasm.

SAINTS & FEAST DAYS THIS WEEK
1 March – St David, patron of Wales

LENTEN SERVICES
Please check times and days of additional services during the forthcoming season of Lent: there is a second weekday Mass (Tuesdays at 10am and Wednesdays at 6pm), with  additional opportunities for confession.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS DURING LENT – Fridays at 7.00pm
Stations of the Cross in our family of parishes
23 Feb          Our Lady’s, Tarleton
1^st March        St Catherine’s, Leyland
8 March          St Oswald’s, Longton
15 March         St Mary’s, Leyland
22 March        St Mary Magdalene, Penwortham
Please let people know about our services during Lent.  All are very welcome.

LENTEN ALMS BOX
Our Lenten Alms this year will be donated to the Children of Gaza & the Holy Land.  Let us continue to pray, with increasing urgency, for peace in Our Lord’s homeland and an end to the suffering of so many innocents on all sides in this terrible conflict.
PRAYERS DURING LENT
We are asked to pray for the following intentions
Candidates for the Sacraments (especially on Sundays); Women (Women’s World Day of Prayer on Friday 1 March); the Needy and Hungry of the World; Penitents and Wanderers. 

CAFOD FAMILY FAST DAY
Family Fast Day was on Friday 23 February.  Please place donations in the envelopes provided if you can gift aid.  Final week for donations is next Sunday, 3 March.

EXTRAORDINARY MINISTER OF HOLY COMMUNION
We are expanding our provision of Holy Communion and as a consequence, five parishioners have recently undergone training to perform this important task.  Fr John will formally authorize and commission Dave Cawley, Elisabeth & Gerry Cheetham, Brian Moore and Keren Standing at Sunday’s Mass. 
Dear friends in Christ, let us pray with confidence to the Father: let us ask him to bestow his blessings on our brothers and sisters chosen to be ministers of the Eucharist.  Amen

COFFEE MORNING NEXT WEEK, SUNDAY 3 MARCH
Everyone is welcome to our March Coffee Morning in the hall after Mass next week for ‘Springtime Cakes & Bakes’.  It’s a lovely chance to have a proper chat and to get to know people over a cuppa and some delicious home-baking.  All donations (including the raffle) go to our Church Hall Refurbishment Fund.

STEWARDSHIP OF OUR TALENTS
Our prayer time during Lent provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the talents with which God has blessed us, and a chance to consider how (rather than burying our talents away), we might develop them and use them for the benefit of our parish.  It is important to recognise what Almighty God has done for us, and for us to have this chance to work together, using our talents, to help our parish community to grow and develop into one that truly reflects the pro-active compassion of Christ in the Gospels.  More details on this next week!

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER: FRIDAY 1 MARCH, ALL SAINTS CHURCH, HESKETH BANK at 7.30pm
The service has been organised and planned by the women of Palestine and the theme is ‘I beg you, bear with one another in love’ (Ephesians 4:2) – an immensely powerful message. Despite living in an area of the world where there is ongoing conflict and the future is uncertain, the women of Palestine remind us that they are there, and they want to give hope to everyone.  Please use the link for further information and access to resources: https://www.wwdp.org.uk/

HOLY WEEK & EASTER SERVICES
This year, we will keep the full rites of the Easter Triduum, that is: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil and Easter Day.
There will also be a Service of Reconciliation.  Details of times will follow in due course.

MASS INTENTONS
Mass intentions are welcome, not just for our dear departed, but for any other occasion eg in thanksgiving, successful outcome (exams / operation), wedding / anniversary blessings. Please write your name and intention, with the preferred date – if applicable –  on a piece of paper and place in an envelope, along with your offering, either in the weekly offertory basket or through the presbytery door.  It may not be possible to guarantee the specific date requested, for various reasons, however every effort will be made to find a date as near as possible. 

PARISH FOODBANK
Rev Dave wishes to pass on his thanks and blessings to all those who regularly donate foodstuffs.  There is still a need for dried foods eg pasta and rice, breakfast cereals, plus tins of vegetables, meat and fish.  Your generosity is a real help to our local families, especially now that autumn has set in and energy bills are increasing again.  Please ensure that donated items are all well within their Best Before dates – Thank You!
DISUSED GLASSES / SPECTACLES
Please have a rummage at home and bring old prescription glasses along.  They can be used by opticians in Africa to help local communities. 

OFFERTORY ENVELOPES + GIFT AID
If you are a taxpayer then you can easily help the parish to claim 25% extra on top of every donation you make.  Eg: a donation of £5 per week would result in £6.25 going to the church. Filling in a simple form to register your name and address means we can claim an additional 25% of your gift.  If you are able to help, please collect a form from the porch on your way out today, complete and return to the Parish Office.
In addition, you may wish to consider using an offertory envelope (they are free and use re-cycled paper) in which to make your weekly donation.  It’s akin to ‘wrapping up your gift’ for Our Lord!  Again, please contact the Parish Office if you’d like to start using them.

CATHOLIC PICTORIAL
Keeping you up to date with all the news from around the Archdiocese online: www.catholicpic.co.uk
Postal subscriptions are available: 3 issues = £9.50, 6 issues = £19 and 12 issues = £37.50.
Email enquiries@cpmmmedia.com or ring 0151 709 7567.
Digital copies are also available.  Please use the phone number / email address above

DONATIONS FOR IAT – MOSS LANE DEPOT
Please remember that unwanted clothing, bedding, tins of food, packs of dried food will be gratefully received by volunteers at our local depot, to help those thousands of Ukrainians affected by the flooding as a result of the recent bombing.  They are very grateful for all help received.  It really makes a difference.

PLEASE CONSIDER OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INVOLVED IN YOUR PARISH
We are very grateful for offers of help already, with regards to gardening jobs and keeping the grounds of the church neat and tidy.  Thank you!
However, there are still a number of opportunities for our parishioners to become a bit more involved in parish life and your help is both needed and much appreciated.  Areas where help is needed include with the Little Church group on Sundays, singing with the choir, flower arranging, church cleaning, altar serving and some serious fund-raising.  Help is welcome from all ages, and advice / training will be provided. Please contact the Parish Office by email or ring on Thursdays, in order to find out more.