Twenty First Sunday Mass times

“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, 

for many will seek to enter and will not be able.”

  

Twenty First Sunday of Year C.

Saturday 23rd August

5pm Mass at St Catherine's Church

        Confessions following

Sunday 24th August

8.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

10.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

               

FINAL MASS OF 

CELEBRATION AND THANKSGIVING  

Offered by Archbishop John Sherrington

ST CATHERINE’S 5th SEPTEMBER AT 7pm.

Marquee Drinks Reception 

with light bites to follow.

Tickets to assure the original St Catherine’s parishioners have seats have now all been taken, but there will be room for others to attend, so please just come along. 

A reminder that this coming Saturday evening Mass at 5pm (30th August) will be the final “Sunday” Mass at St Catherine’s, so a reflective time for us before the final Mass with Archbishop John on 5th September. The following Sunday 7th September, there will be a special celebration at Masses at St Mary’s to inaugurate a new era with St Mary’s as our one parish church for the people of Euxton & Farington. We will honour St Catherine by welcoming her statue into church. 

Please note that it is not envisaged to transfer the Saturday evening Mass to St Mary’s. Our numbers attending each weekend show that there is plenty of space for everyone to fit in to the two Sunday morning Masses.

A little refection from elsewhere on the process of two parishes becoming one: 

Church mergers are very much like marriages. For one to be successful, both congregations need to form new traditions together and be able to let go of long-time practices and old ways of ‘doing church.’ Things like worship styles, governance, staff, how the congregation deals with money, stewardship, budgeting, plus the role of the priest, all have to be discussed and compromised on before a merger can be successful. 

The biggest mistake merging churches make is in not fully accepting that two churches coming together are truly making something new. A merged church is not a continuation of the old congregations. It is an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to start afresh. Whether stated or unstated, the goal of a church merger should never be ‘to help us hang on a little longer and pay some bills.’ That sort of merger is unlikely to be God-inspired. Successful church mergers don’t move a patient from critical to regular care. Instead, they move two congregations back to the birthing wing of the hospital.

The most successful mergers see themselves as a new church; a new work of God with a new mission. A Spirit-led merged congregation has the opportunity to begin anew, free of hindering traditions, programs, and buildings. 

MASSES DURING THE WEEK

Monday SC 9.30am Mass

             

Tuesday SM Mass 9.30am

Wednesday SC 9.30am Mass

Thursday SM 9.30am Mass

Friday SC 7pm NOVENA & BENEDICTION

             

Twenty Second Sunday of Year C.

Saturday 30th August

5pm Mass at St Catherine's Church

        Confessions following

Sunday31st August

8.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

10.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

               

20th Sunday of the Year

 

Pope St Pius X. Feast on Thursday.

Twentieth Sunday of the Year

Saturday 16th August

5pm Mass at St Catherine's Church

        Confessions following

Sunday 17th August

8.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

10.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

               

Final Mass of Thanksgiving at St Catherine's on Friday 5th September at 7pm with Archbishop John Sherrington. Regular parishioners from St Catherine's who wish to attend now all have tickets, so anyone who wishes can come along on the evening. There is a Reception to follow in a marquee in the grounds. All welcome.

MASSES DURING THE WEEK

Monday SM 9.30am Mass

             

Tuesday SC Mass 9.30am

Wednesday SM 11am Requiem Mass for Frances Pearson

Thursday SM 9.30am Mass

Friday SC 11am Requiem Mass for Linda Durkin

                  7pm NOVENA & BENEDICTION

             

Twenty First Sunday of Year C.

Saturday 23rd August

5pm Mass at St Catherine's Church

        Confessions following

Sunday 24th August

8.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

10.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

               

Eighteenth Sunday of the Year and St John Henry Newman, Doctor of the Church.

 

Eighteenth Sunday of Year C.

Saturday 2nd August

5pm Mass at St Catherine's Church

        Confessions following

Sunday 3rd August

8.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

10.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

               

NEWS THIS WEEK.

The Vatican announced that St. John Henry Newman will be proclaimed the newest "Doctor of the Church."     Newman, a convert from Anglicanism, was a brilliant preacher and writer even before his conversion in the 1840s.

With several fellow Anglicans, he founded the influential "Oxford Movement" to defend and restore the doctrinal integrity of the Anglican Church, threatened in a number of ways. Then, as he reflected more deeply, he dramatically, and controversially, converted to Catholicism. Newman suffered greatly for this decision, losing many friends. Some never spoke to him again.

Newman's greatest contribution to scholarship and to Catholic thought, arguably, was his reflection on the concept of doctrine itself: that the Church's teaching, being true, cannot change, but, that that teaching may and should "develop" over the decades and centuries, as the Church faces new challenges from science and technology, and inevitably must teach on those new matters by "developing" fundamental teachings from earlier times.

Here we come to an essential point: doctrine is supposed to "develop" but... not change. And it precisely the lure of the modern world, and of modern science -- this "Modernist" time in our history -- that causes many to conclude, falsely, that Church doctrines must change, in order to keep up with modern times. Newman never supported or defended this. He always was meticulous in his search for the "roots" of doctrine in the Scriptures and in the teaching of the Church Fathers. This is the correct way for the "development" of Catholic teaching to occur, Newman argued.

However, for a century and a half, there has been a more radical understanding of "development of doctrine" which is known as "evolution of dogmas." This view, mixed in with philosophical currents such as vitalism, immanentism and historicism, was at the heart of the modernist controversy during the papacy of Pius X, and this view was condemned by Pius X in his 1907 encyclical Pascendi dominici gregis.

Although modernist intellectuals such as George Tyrrell and Alfred Loisy did at times cite the influence of Newman's ideas on their thinking, their goal was, it seems, not so much to understand the ancient roots of Church doctrine, but to make that doctrine change meaning, according to their own ideas, in keeping with the liberal spirit of the times. This is the temptation that a number of progressive Catholic theologians today are drawn toward.

G.K. Chesterton characterized the development of doctrine as follows:

 When we say that a puppy develops into a dog, we do not mean that his growth is a gradual compromise with a cat; we mean that he becomes more doggy and not less. Development is the expansion of all the possibilities and implications of a doctrine, as there is time to distinguish them and draw them out. (G.K. Chesterton, Ch I, St Thomas Aquinas, 1933).

 The fact that Pope Leo chooses now -- as one of the first acts of his pontificate -- to call attention to the thoughtful and faithful teaching of St. John Henry Newman, and to honor him with the very special title of "Doctor of the Church," suggests that Leo is quite well aware of this "modernist" temptation, and wishes to draw those in danger of being seduced by the idea of the possible "evolution" of doctrine back to the orthodox position proclaimed by Newman: that doctrine may develop, but not change, not "evolve."

For this reason, this decision of Leo takes on the character of an important "cornerstone" in the new Pope's emerging effort to confront and guide the debate over doctrine in modern times, a debate which is certain to be intense during this pontificate.

With the model of Newman's holiness, wisdom, fidelity and courage, Leo is providing us with a model for us to keep ever-present as we proceed forward in the doctrinal battles of these times.

 From an article by Dr Robert Moyniham. 

  

 

MASSES DURING THE WEEK

Monday SC 9.30am Mass

             

Tuesday SM Mass 9.30am

Wednesday SC 9.30am Mass

Thursday SM 9.30am Mass

Friday SC 7pm NOVENA & BENEDICTION

Saturday SM 3pm Baptism of Freddie & Oliver Fell

                               & a Convalidation of Marriage

             

Nineteenth Sunday of Year C.

Saturday 9th August

5pm Mass at St Catherine's Church

        Confessions following

Sunday 10th August

8.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

10.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

               

Seventeenth Sunday of the Year & World Day of Prayer for Grandparents

Seventeenth Sunday of Year C.

World Day of Prayer for Grandparents

Saturday 26th July. 

5pm Mass at St Catherine's Church

        Confessions following

Sunday 27th July

8.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

10.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

               

In the Catholic Church the World Day of Prayer for Grandparents and the Elderly is celebrated on the Sunday nearest the feast day of Saints Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the grandparents of Jesus Christ. This special day is a time for honoring and recognizing the important role that grandparents play in the lives of their grandchildren. Pope Francis established the day in 2021, although, of course, the feast day of Ss Joachim and Anne is much older. 

Grandparents Day is a special time to honor and celebrate the invaluable role that grandparents play in the lives of their grandchildren. It is a day to recognize the wisdom, love, and guidance that grandparents provide to their families. This day is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of family bonds and connections, and to show appreciation for the generations that came before us. On this day, families come together to celebrate their grandparents and the traditions that have been passed down through the generations. It is a time to share stories, memories, and laughter, and to create new memories that will be cherished for years to come. Whether it is a special meal, a family gathering, or a phone call to a grandparent who may be far away, Grandparents Day is a time to show love and gratitude to those who have helped shape us into the people we are today. 

As we celebrate Grandparents Day, let us take this opportunity to reflect on the importance of family, the strength of our bonds, and the love that holds us together. Let us cherish the time we have with our grandparents and appreciate the wisdom and guidance they share with us. May this day be a joyous celebration of family traditions and a reminder of the legacy of love that will endure for generations to come. 

If you are a grandparent, you might feel able to invite your grandchildren to come to Mass with this Sunday. Or if you are a grandchild, you might think of coming to Mass with your grandparents. 

 

MASSES DURING THE WEEK

Monday SC 9.30am Mass

             

Tuesday SM Mass 9.30am

Wednesday SC 9.30am Mass

Thursday SM 9.30am Mass

Friday SC 7pm NOVENA & BENEDICTION

Saturday SM 10.30am Baptism of Robin Watts

             

Eighteenth Sunday of Year C.

Saturday 2nd August

5pm Mass at St Catherine's Church

        Confessions following

Sunday 3rd August

8.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

10.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

               

Seventeenth Sunday

 
St James - Feast on Friday

Sixteenth Sunday of Year C.

Saturday 19th July. 

5pm Mass at St Catherine's Church

        Confessions following

Sunday 20th July

8.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

10.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

               

               

MASSES DURING THE WEEK

Monday SC 9.30am Mass

             

Tuesday SM Mass 9.30am

Wednesday SC 9.30am Mass

Thursday SM Requiem Mass for Thomas Allan Robinson

Friday SC 7pm NOVENA & BENEDICTION

             

Seventeenth Sunday of Year C.

Saturday 26th July. 

5pm Mass at St Catherine's Church

        Confessions following

Sunday 27th July

8.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

10.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

               

Fifteenth Sunday in the Parish

 

Fifteenth Sunday of Year C.

Saturday 12th July. 

5pm Mass at St Catherine's Church

        Confessions following

Sunday 13th July

8.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

10.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

               

               

MASSES DURING THE WEEK

Monday SC 9.30am Mass

             

Tuesday SM Mass 9.30am

Wednesday SC 9.30am Mass

Thursday SM 9.30am Mass

                SM 6pm St Mary's School Leaver's Mass

Friday No public Mass today

Saturday SM 10am Baptism of Candice Cooper

             

Sixteenth Sunday of Year C.

Saturday 19th July. 

5pm Mass at St Catherine's Church

        Confessions following

Sunday 20th July

8.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

10.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

               

Fourteenth Sunday of the Year

 

Fourteenth Sunday of Year C.

Saturday 5th July. 

5pm Mass at St Catherine's Church

        Confessions following

Sunday 6th July.

8.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

10.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

               

MASSES DURING THE WEEK

Monday SM 9.30am Mass

             

Tuesday -----------------

Wednesday ---------------

Thursday SM 9.30am Mass

Friday SC 7pm Novena and Benediction

             

Fifteenth Sunday of Year C.

Saturday 12th July. 

5pm Mass at St Catherine's Church

        Confessions following

Sunday 13th July

8.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

10.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

               

Ss Peter and Paul this week

 

Solemnity of Ss Peter & Paul

Saturday. 

5pm Mass at St Catherine's Church

        Confessions following

Sunday. 

8.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

10.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

               

MASSES DURING THE WEEK

Monday SC 9.30am Mass

             

Tuesday SM 9.30am Mass

Wednesday SC 9.30am Mass

Thursday SM 9.30am Mass

Friday SC 7pm Novena and Benediction

             

Fourteenth Sunday of Year C.

Saturday. 

5pm Mass at St Catherine's Church

        Confessions following

Sunday

8.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

10.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

               

Corpus Christi

 

Solemnity of Corpus Christi

Saturday. Year C.

5pm Mass at St Catherine's Church

        Confessions following

Solemnity of Corpus Christi. Year C.

8.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

10.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

Concluding with 

Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament

MASSES DURING THE WEEK

Monday SC 9.30am Mass

             

Tuesday SM 9.30am Mass

             

Solemnity of Ss Peter & Paul

Saturday. Year C.

5pm Mass at St Catherine's Church

        Confessions following

Solemnity of Ss Peter and Paul. Year C.

8.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

10.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

               

Trinity Sunday

     

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

Saturday. Year C.

5pm Mass at St Catherine's Church

        Confessions following

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. Year C.

8.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

10.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

MASSES DURING THE WEEK

Monday SC 9.30am Mass

             

Tuesday SM 10.30am Requiem Mass for Sheila McGeown

             

Wednesday SC 9.30am Mass

                                                

Thursday. SM 9.30am Mass

Friday SC 10am Requiem Mass for Barbara Fow

            SM 1pm Funeral Service for Andrew Gilman

Please note: there will be no Devotions this evening.

Solemnity of Corpus Christi

Saturday. Year C.

5pm Mass at St Catherine's Church

        Confessions following

Solemnity of Corpus Christi. Year C.

8.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

10.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

               

Soemnity of Pentecost

 

Solemnity of Pentecost

Saturday. Year C.

5pm Mass at St Catherine's Church

        Confessions following

Solemnity of Pentecost. Year C.

8.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

10.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

               

MASSES DURING THE WEEK

Monday SM 12 noon Requiem Mass 

               for Dr Zakariya Udden

             

Tuesday SM 9.30am Mass

             

Wednesday SC 9.30am Mass

                                                

Thursday. SM 9.30am Mass

Friday SC 7pm NOVENA & BENEDICTION

                  7.30pm Parish Meeting

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

Saturday. Year C.

5pm Mass at St Catherine's Church

        Confessions following

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. Year C.

8.30am Mass at St Mary's Church

10.30am Mass at St Mary's Church