CHURCH OPEN: Thursdays 11am to 1pm for visits to the Blessed Sacrament and quiet prayer, meditation.

WEDNESDAY EVENING MASSES
Please Note: No Wednesday Mass this week

ARCHDIOCESE PRAYER FOR UKRAINE
Heavenly Father, hear our prayers for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine.
We ask for peace for those who need peace, reconciliation for those who need reconciliation and comfort for all who don’t know what tomorrow will bring.
We ask for you to be with all – especially children who are suffering as the crisis in Ukraine deteriorates. For those who are anxious and fearful. For those who are bereaved, injured or who have lost their lives. And for those who have lost loved ones. Lord, hear our prayers.
We also pray for wise actions from global leaders – who have the power not only to start wars, but to stop them too.
Father in heaven, we cry out for an end to this crisis and for mercy, peace, and truth – that the healing power of your love will restore peace, families and communities.
Amen

READINGS FOR 23 JULY
1^st Reading: Wisdom 12:13, 16-19, After sin, you will grant repentance
Psalm 85: O Lord, you are good and forgiving
2^nd Reading: Romans 8:26-27, The Spirit expresses our plea in a way that could never be put into words.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 13:24-43, Let them both grow till the harvest.
Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia!  May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our mind, so that we can see what hope his call holds for us. Alleluia!
Communion antiphon: The Lord keeps in our minds the wonderful things he has done.  He is compassion and love; he always provides for his faithful.

POPE’S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR JULY
For a Eucharistic life
We pray that Catholics may place the celebration of the Eucharist at the heart of their lives, transforming human relationships in a very deep way and opening to the encounter with God and all their brothers and sisters.

SPECIAL FEASTS THIS WEEK
24 July – St Sharbel Makhluf, a Lebanese monk & hermit devoted to Our Lady
25 July – St James, apostle & first apostle martyr
26 July – Ss Joachim & Anne, parents of Our Lady
29 July – Ss Mary, Martha & Lazarus, friends and apostles of Our Lord

RETIRING COLLECTION LAST WEEK: Priests in Retirement – £38.12  Thank you.

FR ANDERS: 40^th ANNIVERSARY
Thank you all so much for the Papal blessing and also for your kind and generous gifts and donations.
It was great to see so many of you at the Afternoon Tea in Tarleton.  Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make this happen: organising everything, preparing the hall, catering, serving the tea, sandwiches and wonderful cakes.
I was so delighted with everything.
God bless you all.

OUR LADY’S – FROM 3 SEPTEMBER
Mgr John Goddard (who wishes to be known amongst parishioners as ‘Fr John’) has written a letter for all parishioners, setting out his thoughts and plans for our parish. 

My brothers and sisters in Christ,           
I am so grateful to Archbishop Malcolm for inviting me to become your parish priest at Our Lady Help of Christians and am excited by the prospect of our worshipping and working together.
The development of parishes in the diocese collaborating with each other, while remaining distinct, is described as a pattern of ‘families of parishes’.  This concept will lead to new ways of priests and people working together for the benefit of all.  It is clear that faced with a reduction in the numbers of priests, this model of a ‘family’ will enable parishes to have the regularity and consistency of Sunday Mass, with more effective sacramental and pastoral care for God’s people.  I am committed to this.   
Tarleton, Longton and Penwortham have a natural opportunity of working together, and with three priests, we will be able to cover for each other as needed.  This is not about the closure of Our Lady’s – far from it!  I hope that this will prove to be for the parish’s growth, development and flourishing.
We will not be independent parishes, but rather an inter-dependent family of a group of parishes: each distinct and with their own priest, but also working collaboratively, to assist each other as equal partners.
So, the Sunday Mass at Our Lady’s will be offered each week, plus Mass during the week and of course, on holy days of obligation.  The only change is that Sunday Mass on 3 September (and Sundays thereafter) will now be at 10.00am.  This change of time will allow all three priests to cover for each other, as and when the need arises.
Some of you may be wondering about the term ‘parochial administrator’: it may be as new to you as it is to me!  This title recognises flexibility as we go forward.  This is not a temporary appointment.  I shall be your priest.  However, whilst I shall be half-time, I will always offer Mass at 10am on Sundays, except when covered by fellow priests at holiday time.  (You presently enjoy Fr Anders for a third of his priestly time, as he is managing three parishes, of course).  As I am not longer 25(!), these arrangements appear appropriate.
To be clear therefore, I am committed to the Catholic church in Tarleton and will seek to encourage Our Lady’s to flourish and grow in numbers and in spirituality as we, together, share in ministry, and witness through evangelisation and pastoral care.  I am also committed to enhancing our worship in music and liturgical presentation. 
Please note the emphasis of ‘together’, for to achieve this – by God’s grace – we will develop our lay ministry, our participation and our responsibility, as we grow spiritually.
In my Anglican parish ministry of over forty years, my parishioners all grew in number and decline was reversed.  I pray and hope that this will prove to be the case at Our Lady’s as we – with God’s loving guidance – engage together in our shared future.  I hope this helps to clarify the situation for you.
In all of this, I will of course, be building on Fr Anders’ 17 years of faithful service and ministry, for which I’m sure, you are all very grateful.
Finally, I would like to add that I come into your parish community as a fellow pilgrim, following Christ.  I hope to serve you in such a way that Our Lord will liberate you in the fullness of your baptismal vocations.
May Our Lady Help of Christians pray for us.
Yours in Christ,
Mgr John

LOURDES – PRAYER INTENTIONS
The O’Hare family will shortly be travelling to Lourdes and have kindly offered to present parishioners’ prayer intentions on their visit to the shrine of Our Lady.  If you would like to leave a prayer intention, please use the paper slips that are available on the table and leave in the labelled basket.  Deadline: Sunday 30 July.
Please don’t leave any offerings or donations

1st COMMUNION REGISTRATION 2023-24
Registration forms are available in the porch for parents who wish to enrol their child on the Sacramental Programme for making their 1^st Holy Communion in June 2024.  Those eligible will be starting in Yr 4 in September. Please let family members and friends know.  The deadline is Sunday 6 August.

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.

ASLAND WAY PILGRIMAGE WALKS
the promise of better weather encourages us all to get out our walking shoes and discover more about our local area.  Representatives from our churches have been working to put together a series of walks and ted around Our Lady’s: A Tarleton Prayer Pilgrimage and a Tarleton Heritage Route.  Leaflets are available from the porch / to download from owo are basur Facebook page.

HELP NEEDED
The advent of warmer weather means that weeds are beginning to make their annual unwelcome appearance along the paths around the church, at the back of the presbytery and around the car park.  Please consider spending an hour or so – in the fresh air! – helping us to keep our church looking tidy, cared-for and inviting. The more, the merrier.  (No prior experience needed!)

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.