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

WEDNESDAY EVENING MASSES
Wednesday evenings, at 6pm.
PLease Note: there will be no Confessions / Benediction / Exposition on Wednesday 19 July.

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 16 JULY
1^st Reading: Isaiah 55:10-11, The rain makes the earth give growth
Psalm 64: Some seed fell into rich soil and produced its crop
2^nd Reading: Romans 8:18-23, The whole creation is eagerly waiting for God to reveal his sons.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 13:1-23, A sower went out to sow.
Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia!  Speak Lord, your servant is listening; you have the message of eternal life. Alleluia!
Communion antiphon: The sparrow even finds a home, the swallow a nest wherein to place her young, near to your altars O Lord of hosts, my King, my God!  How happy they who dwell in your house!  Forever they are praising you.

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
20 July – St Apollinaris
21 July – St Lawrence of Brindisi
22 July – St Mary Magdalene – the first witness of the resurrection

RETIRING COLLECTION THIS WEEK 16 July: Priests in Retirement

FR ANDERS: 40^th ANNIVERSARY OF ORDINATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD
We are privileged to be able to celebrate with Fr Anders, the wonderful achievement of 40 years’ service in the ministry of the Church. Seventeen of those forty years (nearly half) have seen him working for the parishioners and community of Our Lady’s, so we are delighted to be able to host a joint celebratory Afternoon Tea this afternoon, along with parishioners from Ss Peter & Paul’s in Mawdesely and St Agnes in Eccleston.
The actual date of Father’s anniversary is Monday 17 July when he will be offering Mass at 10am at Ss Peter & Paul’s.  Everyone is very welcome to attend.
God bless you, Fr Anders – we thank God for your devotion and service and will keep you in our prayers.

BAPTISM
We welcome SEBASTIAN ALEXANDER ROBERTS into our faith community.  Sebastian was baptised here recently – and we ask God’s blessings on him and his family.

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.

NEWS OF THE VATICAN SYNOD 2022-24 – Published 20 June 2023
‘Instrumentum laboris’ is a sixty-page booklet which calls for a welcoming church that embraces diversity.
It will be the basis for the work of the participants in the General Assembly of the Synod on Synodality, which begins in the Vatican in October 2023 and concludes with a second Assembly in October 2024.
For more information please visit https://www.cbcew.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/06/synod-instrumentum-laboris.pdf

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.