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

MASS ON WEDNESDAYS – Holy Mass – 6.00pm
Eucharistic Exposition 6.25pm-6.55pm
Sacrament of Reconciliation: 6.25pm-6.55pm, Benediction: 6.55pm

READINGS FOR 19 NOVEMBER
1^st Reading: Proverbs 31, A perfect wife, who can find her?
Psalm 127: O blessed are those who fear the Lord.
2^nd Reading: Thessalonians 5:1-6, Let not the Day of the Lord overtake you like a thief.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 25:14-30, You have been faithful in small things, come and join in your master’s happiness.
Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! Make you home in me, as I make mine in you, says the Lord.  Whoever remains in me bears fruit in plenty. Alleluia!
Communion antiphon: I tell you solemnly, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours, says the Lord.

POPE’S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR NOVEMBER
For the Pope
We pray for the Holy Father; as he fulfils his mission, may he continue to accompany the flock entrusted to him, with the help of the Holy Spirit.

SAINTS & FEAST DAYS THIS WEEK
22 November – St Cecilia
23 November – St Clement
24 November – St Andrew Dung-Lac & Companions
25 November – St Catherine of Alexandria

SPECIAL COLLECTION NEXT SATURDAY (25 November): Animate Youth

ANIMATE YOUTH
Animate Youth is a diocesan youth ministry, based at Lowe House in St Helens, under the leadership of Fr Simon Gore.  Young volunteers live as part of a community (for up to 12 months) working together, going into schools on Mission Days and hosting retreats, enabling schoolchildren and young people up to the age of 25 yrs to deepen their faith.

CHRISTMAS DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Mass for the 1^st Sunday of Advent: 3 December, 10am
Christmas Fayre / Coffee Morning & Christmas Draw: After Mass on 3 December: Christmas cakes and bakes, plants, crafts, books available, plus the return of our annual Christmas Draw, with some great prizes.  Tickets available for £5 per strip / £1 per individual ticket – for parishioners, families and friends – please collect an envelope after Mass!
SERVICE OF RECONCILIATION: Friday 15 December, 7pm
Christingle Service: Sunday 17 December at 3pm – followed by tea/coffee in the hall and the Christmas Draw.
Christmas Masses: Christmas Eve – 10am & First Mass of Christmas at 8pm, Christmas Day – 10am

CHRISTMAS FAYRE – SUNDAY 3 DECEMBER  Help Needed!
Please let the welcomers / Diane know if you can spare an hour (5.30pm-6.30pm) on Saturday 2 December, to help set up the hall for the Fayre.  More hands make light work!  Thank you.
In addition, please sign the list in the porch if you are able to donate goods for the following:

• Bottle & Chocolate Tombola
• Plant stall
• Craft Stall
• Cakes & Bakes

CHRISTMAS FUNDRAISING DRAW 2023: Tickets & Prizes
Raffle tickets (£5 per strip / £1 per individual ticket) are available for this year’s Draw.  Please help to sell them and return counterfoils, with name and contact number on, by Sunday 17 December, when we will have the draw after the Christingle Service.
Prizes of wines / alcohol are needed.  Vouchers from local businesses are also welcome.  Please have a word with Paul Allison if you would like to donate.

GDPR FORMS
A reminder that all forms need to be returned to the Parish Office asap please, so that we can update our database with your permissions to contact you via telephone / post / email for the next three years.  Please help us to keep in touch with you! We will be unable to contact you after 31 December, if the forms are not returned. (Only 13 received so far). Thank you.

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.
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. 

PARISH GARDEN: PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN
Thanks to the tremendous efforts of parishioners back in June, we now have a lovely patch of colour brightening up the front of the presbytery – much appreciated by increasing numbers of pollinators.  However, the recent rain and the current heatwave mean that the weeds are overwhelming the flowers! 
If any parishioner is able to spare an hour during the next couple of weeks to pop along at any time (no appointment needed!), in order to weed / de-head it would be very much appreciated.  Please bring your own kneeler / trowels – and water.  Garden waste can be put straight into the brown bin.  Many thanks.

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.