FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
21st APRIL 2024
,
Sun 21ST FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER (p.261)
10.00 Mass at St Mary’s Chorley
11.30 Mass – John Collinson (80th birthday)
Mon 22nd
Tues 23rd
St George, Patron of England
10.00 Mass – Mary Fearnhead
Perpetual Succour Novena
Wed 24th St Adalbert, St Fidelis of Sigmaringen
11.00 Funeral Mass – Jane Gilbertson
Thurs 25th St Mark, Evangelist
Fri 26th Bds Robert Anderton of Euxton & William Marsden of Chipping
10.00 Mass – Jessie Hollows (LD)
Sat 27th St Maughold, Patron of Isle of Man
Sun 28th
FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER (Mass book p. 264)
11.30 Mass – Richard and Marie Kenyon (Diamond Wedd Anniv)
12.30 Baptism
PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK AND THE HOUSEBOUND: Joan Bailey, Francis Brennan, Anne Byrne, Mary Patricia Case, Gerard Clarke, Leo Duffy, Clare Edwards, John Fearnhead, Pat Font, Tom Fraser, William Freeman, Bob Goulding, Rosemary Hough, Veronica Hughes, Cathy Hull, Mary Johnston, Archbishop Emeritus Patrick Kelly, John Kerfoot, Bill King, Emma King, Val McGlade, Janet McGowan, Fintan McPeake, Fr Laurence Mayne, Fr Roman Mirchuk, Ellen Morris, Irene O'Neil, Heidi O’Neill, Barrie Swift, Sylvia Walsh, Jean White, Betty Wignall, all at Grove House &
Marley Court.
RECENTLY DECEASED: Jane Mary Gilbertson (68) died on Sunday 14th April in St Catherine’s Hospice after a long illness. Our condolences go to her brothers, Rev. Simon and Patrick, and to Fr Peter Crowther, whose parish assistant and secretary at St Joseph’s Withnell she has been for many years. In her previous teaching career Jane was Head of Geography at St Joseph’s High School in Horwich. May she rest in
peace and rise in glory. Requiem Mass on Wednesday 24th April at 11am at St Joseph’s Anderton followed by burial in the church yard.
MUSIC GROUP NEXT PRACTICE will be held in church Tuesday 23rd April at 19.00 for 11.30 Family Mass on Sunday 28th April. Hospitality after Mass will be supported by SVP. All welcome. Thanks, Kath Heald
RETIRING COLLECTIONS: 21st April - Priests’ Training Fund 28th April - SVP
MISSIONARY APPEAL LAST WEEKEND: Sister Mary Priscilla of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary visited us last Sunday. Thank you for your generous donations.
BAPTISM DATES: 28 April, 26 May, 30 June, 28 July
APRIL EDITION OF THE CATHOLIC PIC is available to download
on: https://tinyurl.com/yv24h9ef
VOCATIONS SUNDAY; On this Good Shepherd Sunday we can listen to the Pastoral Letter from the Archbishop.
In his pastoral message for Good Shepherd Sunday, the Chair of the National Office for Vocation, Archbishop Malcolm McMahon, has affirmed the value of being a good listener in order to hear God’s call to holiness.
“One of our modern problems is that our world is very noisy, and it is often
difficult to hear our own voices and thoughts in the surrounding din, let alone the words of others,” he writes. “One situation that can occur is we find ourselves on set paths in life, and it is not easy to change direction even if we want to do just that. Commitment to our families and other responsibilities block our ears and we just carry on as before.”
St John Henry Newman teaches that God has a definite purpose for each and every one of us, but Archbishop McMahon is keen to highlight the huge value of priests, nuns and monks to the Church:
“There is no doubt that the church needs priests to celebrate the Eucharist and other sacraments, and Religious to offer a living witness to the values of the Kingdom of God. Without them, we would be a very impoverished Church.”
But how can we work out whether God is calling us to a particular vocation?
The Archbishop of Liverpool suggests women and men should ask whether their vocational journey is likely to bring them contentment:
“One simple test is whether following a particular path in life gives us joy. If we are happy and content, or at least think we will be, then it is worth giving it a try. I am not saying that we should be deliriously happy all the time but there should be an underlying knowledge that we have chosen the right path in response to God’s call.”
Archbishop McMahon is quick to point out that although discerning a vocation involves a leap of faith, it is not a leap into the unknown:
“Just as there are risks in getting married, no matter how much we prepare for it, so there are risks in offering yourself for priesthood and religious life. In all cases we have examples of happy and fulfilled people living their vocation.”
Quoting Pope Francis, he proposes two pillars of Catholic life that can help people interpret God’s call – serving others and spending time before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
“Adoration is a special kind of prayer which helps us shirk off everything except that one person who is important to us – Jesus Christ. Pope Francis’ second point was to steer us towards service of others. In serving others, giving ourselves to other people in response to different needs, we undoubtedly find Jesus.”
FROM THE VOCATIONS DIRECTOR, FR RON JOHNSON
Our synodal journey reinforced our commitment to becoming a Church that values the vocation of all the baptised, but on the Fourth Sunday of Eastertide, we are reminded of the importance of praying in a special way for vocations to the priesthood and religious life. This Good Shepherd Sunday we have much to celebrate because this
academic year is a significant one for vocations to the priesthood within our Archdiocese. God willing, by the end of July five men will have been ordained to the priesthood for our Archdiocese.
Fr Hugh Donleavy was ordained to the priesthood on 1 December at St Alban’s Church in Warrington and plans are underway for the ordination of Deacons James Finnegan and Martin Fyles (from the Venerable English College, Rome), Peter Ross (from St Mary’s College, Oscott) and Lister Tonge, (a former Anglican Minister).
If all goes to plan, they will be ordained together in the Cathedral on 13 July.
There are currently three other men in formation for our Archdiocese in the
Beda College, Rome and Allen Hall, London and two candidates currently involved in the process of applying to begin seminary in September. Usually, on the first Saturday
of each month a group of men gather together to reflect on the priesthood and to discern whether this is God’s calling for them. The road to the priesthood is long and these men need your continued prayer and the support you give to the Priest Training Fund collection that takes place today.
There is no one type of man that God is calling and our seminarians and discerners come from different backgrounds, have had a wide range of life experiences and cover a range of ages. Perhaps God is calling you!
If you think God might be calling you to serve as a priest within our Archdiocese and are ready to explore this further and perhaps meet other men who are thinking about their vocation, please contact the Vocations’ Director, either by telephoning the Parish of St Charles and St Thomas More in Aigburth on 0151 727 2493 or email vocations@rcaol.org.uk
CHORLEY AND PRESTON HOSPITALS: Please contact St Joseph's Chorley (262713) if any member of your family is admitted into Chorley Hospital and needs a visit. In urgent situations or emergency please ask the ward staff to call the duty Chaplain on his bleep/phone. For the chaplaincy at Royal Preston Hospital please ring
01772 522435. For the chaplaincy service at Wigan Infirmary T. 01942 822324.
QUOTATIONS ON THE GOOD SHEPHERD
It takes some of us a lifetime to learn that Christ, our Good Shepherd, knows exactly what He is doing with us. He understands us perfectly. W. Phillip Keller God has, in fact, thought of us from eternity and has loved us as unique individuals. He has called every one of us by name, as the Good Shepherd 'calls His sheep by name.'
Pope St John Paul II
God has not abandoned us any more than he abandoned Job. He never abandons anyone on whom he has set his love; nor does Christ, the good shepherd, ever lose track of his sheep. J. I. Packer
I saw a young sister, just before this service; and I said to her, "When did you find the Lord?" She replied, "It was when I was very ill." Yes, it is often so; God makes us ill in body that we may have time to think of Him and turn to Him....What would become of some people if they were always in good health, or if they were always prospering? But
tribulation is the black dog that goes after the stray sheep,and barks them back to the Good Shepherd. I thank God that there are such things as the visitations of correction and of holy discipline, to preserve our spirit, and bring us to Christ. Charles Spurgeon
It is the duty of a good shepherd to shear his sheep, not to skin them. [Boni pastoris est tondere pecus non deglubere] Tiberius, reported by Suetonius
The Lord called Himself and is the 'good Shepherd' (Jn. 10:11). If you believe in His guidance, then you will understand by your heart that as a zealous shepherd when feeding his flock does not allow the sheep to disperse, but gathers them together, so also the Lord pastures our souls, not allowing them to wander in falsehood and sins,
but gathering them on the path of virtue, and not allowing the mental wolf to steal and scatter them. John of Kronstadt
Is not our Lord as meek and humble in the Blessed Sacrament as He was during His life on earth? Is He not always the Good Shepherd, the Divine Consoler, the Changeless Friend? Happy the soul that knows how to find Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, and in the Eucharist all things! St Peter Julian Eymard
A shepherd may be a very able, trusty, and good shepherd, without a sweetheart-better, perhaps, than with one. But what is he without his dog?
Parish Priest: Fr Francis Marsden
Secretary: Mr Frank Webster
Parish Office: St Joseph’s Presbytery, 28 Bolton Road, Adlington, Chorley PR6 9NA
Wednesdays 10.00-13.00
Tel: 01257- 480237 or 01257- 262537 (St Mary’s Chorley)
E-mail: stjosephs.anderton@tiscali.co.uk
Parish Website: www.stjosephsanderton.com
ARCHDIOCESE OF LIVERPOOL Registered Charity No. 1199714
