NEWSLETTER FOR THE PARISHES OF

In the Pastoral Area of St Raphael and St Paul with Blessed Sacrament 474 2682

Holy Name and Our Lady & St Philomena 476 0289

Parish Priest: Fr Chris Fallon Assistant Priest: Fr Anthony KellyDeacons: Chris Housbey, Malcolm Fletcher, Donagh McKillop

Live Streaming SystemAll services from both churches are now live streamed via Church Services TV. You can view services via the links on our websites, Facebook and Twitter sites or for Our Lady’s at www.churchservices.tv/croxteth and for St Teresa’s at www.churchservices.tv/teresanorrisgreen .

Your prayers are asked for those who have died recently, especiallyWilliam Dale, Nellie Ward, Anthony Hendricks, Maroun Mourani, Judge John

Morgan, Josie, Francis White, John Cassin, Margaret Johnston, William Patrick Roberts, Joe Williams, baby Oscar O’Neill, Robert Edwards,

Terry Sweeneyand for those whose anniversaries occur about this time

Dorothy Finlay, Robert TaylorPlease pray too for all those who are lonely or housebound and for

those who are sick, at home or in hospital, especiallyJanet Clark, Margaret Bradley, Peter Fraser, John Murphy, T. C. Sheila Willcox,

Andreas Samaras, John Walker, David & Julie Pearce, J. G., Mary Mousley, Paul & Kate, Angela Adlen, Giles Rowe, Angela Gregory, Anna Gawlik, Jon, Mick

Sunday 22nd November 2020 SOLEMNITY of Christ the King

Lawrence, Joan Turner, Brian McEvoy, Elizabeth O’Grady, David Holgate, Eleanor March, Raymond Doran, Joan, Daria McCusker

ALL MASSES WILL BE LIVE STREAMED ONLY

National Youth Sunday 2020 (NYS) takes place this Sunday 22nd November, the feast of Christ the King. National Youth Sunday represents an opportunity to explicitly recognise young people - their gifts, talents and uniqueness. It also provides the Church with an opportunity to thank them for and affirm their contribution to the life of the local and universal Church.Animate have created a video to celebrate Youth Sunday. It can be found on the Animate You Tube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/AnimateYouth then search for ‘Youth Sunday 2020’).

Our Annual Mass for the Bereaved will be livestreamed at 7.00 pm on Monday 23rd November, St Teresa’s and Tuesday 24th November, Our Lady Queen of Martyrs. During this Mass the names of all those who have died during the last year will be called out.

National Grief Awareness Week is fast approaching (Wednesday 2nd December – Tuesday 8th December). This year during the Covid19 pandemic, we know that those grieving at home, have endured a myriad of restrictions and limitations that have profoundly affected their grief. The issues around not being able to reach out to family and friends for a much-needed hug and human connection

THURSDAY 26th November9.00am Mass: Queen of Martyrs

FRIDAY 27th November9.00am No Mass10.15am Funeral St Teresas

SATURDAY 28th November6.00pm Mass: Queen of Martyrs

SUNDAY 29th November10.00am Mass: St Teresa’s11.30am Mass: Queen of Martyrs

All Masses are live streamed via the parish websites.

via the parish websites.

has been incredibly difficult and has caused a great deal of trauma and distress. However, distance should not prevent us from reaching out and sharing our grief.

Broken Poppy The poppy lay like blood upon the blackened earth.

The petals were the deepest red, all broken and unfurled.

Just like Flanders poppies, whose petals did fall at war.So we could have a better time, to live our lives once more.

But the poppy was a reminder, how fragile peace can be.All broken on that blackened earth, on this Remembrance Sunday.

by Freda RentonSynod Members Zoom MeetingThere are two opportunities this week to meet together. If you would like to join one of these meetings please email the Synod Office to book your place (synod2020@rcaol.co.uk). The dates are:17th November, 2pm – 3:30pm & 19th November, 7pm – 8:30pm

Prayer and other Resources form the ArchdioceseNew resources now available include:

● Reflection for the Feast of Christ the King (also available as an audio download).

● Readings for the Feast of Christ the King and the Season of Advent .

● Week 11 in the series of ‘Armchair Retreats’ with Fr Denis Blackledge SJ .

● Responding to the Psalms (November/December) .

The Irenaeus Newsletter contains lots of new and useful information, including the Christmas Carol Service on 21st December. It promises to be very uplifting and of course very different - find it at www.irenaeus.org.uk

The Green RevolutionLockdown this spring provided a clear demonstration of what environmentalists have been arguing for years: that our towns and cities have been ruled by the motorcar, to the detriment of public health and the climate. Now Boris Johnson has announced a £12bn plan for a “green industrial revolution” spanning renewable energy, nuclear power and countryside restoration. There's also a promise of 250,000 green jobs. Read the ten point plan at www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/17/the-key-areas-of-boris-johnsons-green-industrial-revolution

Nugent Care we have a vacancy for a new Charity Shop Manager at their Shop in Allerton. Full details of this vacancy and how to apply can be found on our website. The closing date for applications is midday on Thursday 19th November 2020. https://www.wearenugent.org/careers/

‘You did it to me’

Today we celebrate the significant Solemnity that brings to a close Ordinary Time in the Church’s year - that of Christ the King. Christ in His own Kingship did anything but be clothed in robes or in jewels but he was brilliant at the criteria of today’s Gospel - doing it to the least of His brothers and Sisters - in his compassion for the hungry, the sick, the prisoners. Mother Teresa once took the hand of a priest and, with her forefinger, spelled out this message on his fingers. ‘The entire mystery’, she said, ‘is here Fr Paul, in this one sentence’ - “You-did-it-to-me”. She then said it a second time, to re-emphasise the point, “You did it to me”. He thought she thought him to be a slow learner! When we carry out any of these acts of mercy it is the eyes of Christ who look back at us. How much easier it might be to carry this out if we physically saw the face of Christ - but Jesus tells us this is how it really is, for ‘as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me’.

In addition, today is a double celebration as it also happens to be Youth Sunday. For a few years I had the great experience of accompanying a coach of young people to Lourdes with the Archdiocesan Pilgrimage. Each year it was great to see them shine and watch them grow as good young people, specifically in the way they accompanied the sick - chatting to them, helping them, sharing a drink with them - carrying out Jesus’s message by doing it to the least of their brothers and sisters.

Sometimes, young people get a bad press but we all know a good number within our own families, schools and communities who are exemplary human beings, especially in the way they live out their lives in their thoughtfulness and love for others. At times, maybe we can learn a lot from them in how to act out the role of being a good Christian. It is true that we are only young once, but it is also true that we never stop learning.

Serving and helping those who need our care and our support is the best way we can imitate the one true King, ‘doing it to Him’ because that, after all, is the criteria which will win us brightest crown of life.

Fr Anthony