St Teresa & St John Southworth Churches, Cleveleys
Fr Chris Cousens—Phone: 853340
Rev Bernard Ward (Deacon) (Tel: 858346)
Enquiries for St John Southworth: Phone: 853340
5 May 2024
http://www.st-teresas-church.co.uk
Email: st.teresas.cleveleys@gmail.com
Lancaster Roman Catholic Diocesan Trustees Registered Charity Number 23433
Sunday : 6th Sunday of Easter
Contents: Gospel
Notices
Reflection
Gospel: 15:9-17
Jesus said to his disciples
‘As the Father has loved me,
So I have loved you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments
You will remain in my love,
Just as I have kept my Father’s commandments
And remain in his love.
I have told you this
So that my own joy may be in you
And your joy be complete.
This is my commandment:
Love one another,
As I have loved you.
A man can have no greater love
Than to lay down his life for his friends.
You are my friends,
If you do what I command you.
I shall not call you servants any more,
Because a servant does not know
His master’s business;
I call you friends,
Because I have made known to you
Everything I have learnt from my Father.
You did not choose me,
No I chose you;
And I commissioned you
To go out and to bear fruit,
Fruit that will last;
And then the Father will give you
Anything you ask him in my name.
What I command you
Is to love one another.’
Gospel Reflection : Lucy – A Light To Show The Way
Most days Lucy would pick up two of her neighbours, who didn’t drive and who couldn’t walk very far, and bring them to Mass, and when needed to the shops afterwards.
Visiting her in the hospital a day after she’d had a stroke, I stepped into the sideroom, and saw her partly-paralised body surrounded by monitors and tubes.
Going up to her bed I gently called Lucy’s name, and her eyes opened. Though finding it difficult to speak, and me taking a long time to understand what she was saying, I eventually got it : “What are you doing here. Haven’t you been busy with a wedding?”
And I thought to myself – “Lucy, how can you worry about me at a time like this?” Yet, “laying down your life” for people, when done often enough, becomes habit forming, and everyone benefits.
We Remember In Our Prayers : John Stevenson whose Funeral Mass is at St. Teresa’s on Tuesday, 14th May at 2 pm, and Eileen Lee whose Funeral Service is at Carleton Crematorium on Friday, 24th May at 1.15 pm. We remember them and their families, and those whose anniversaries are at this time. May they all be in God’s peace.
We also continue to keep in our prayers the children who are preparing for their First Communion, and their families. The First Communions for both our parishes are being celebrated at the 10 am Mass at St. Teresa’s next Sunday, 12th May.
We Welcome Into The Family of the Church Winnie-May Waring, whose Baptism takes place this Sunday at St.Teresa’s.
The Feast of the Ascension is celebrated this Thursday, 9th May, a Holyday of Obligation. The Mass times at our two churches are as follows :
At St. Teresa’s, 6.30 pm on Wednesday, 8th May (Vigil Mass), and 9.30 am on Thursday, 9th May.
At St. John Southworth, 6.30 pm on Thursday, 9th May.
At This Time When We Certainly Need Peace, The Rosary, A Prayer For Peace, will be prayed at St.Teresa’s on Monday mornings at 9.10 am, before the 9.30 am Mass, and at St. John Southworth on Wednesday mornings at 9.10 am before the 9.30 am Mass there. All are very welcome to come and join in.
CAFOD Sudan Crisis Appeal : As announced last week, again this weekend at all Masses there is an emergency collection for the people of Sudan. 25 million Sudanese need immediate emergency help. A huge famine is looming, and CAFOD is one of a few aid agencies allowed in the country. A very big thank you to those who were able to be generous last weekend.
A Diocesan Pilgrimage To Walsingham, led by Bishop Paul, has been organised for 2-6 September 2024. For more details please see the notice at the back of church, and for more information contact Deacon Charlie Conner on 07895 742732 or email charlie.conner@lrcd.org.uk
The Church Shop in the porch at St. Teresa’s is open before and after each weekend Mass, and has cards and gifts for First Holy Communion. Please call in and browse. You will be most welcome.
Thornton-Cleveleys Friends of Trinity Hospice Are Holding A Coffee Morning in St. Teresa’s Parish Hall on Saturday 11th May at 10 am. This of course is for our wonderful Trinity Hospice in Bispham, and our support is always very much appreciated.
Advance Notice : Pentecost Sunday (19th May) will be an opportunity for Parishioners to volunteer their time and talents to help in the important, various needs of the Parish, eg. Readers, Eucharistic ministers, Welcomers, Visitors to the sick and housebound, church cleaning, and gardening, to name but a few. More information will be available when we celebrate Pentecost, when there will be tables at the back of church, as in previous years, itemising all the different roles which are so welcome, and which will ‘lighten the load’.
Also : In a further step to returning to pre-Covid ‘normality’, the Sunday Mass weekly basket Collection and Offertory Procession will recommence on Sunday, 19th May.
Also : As you know our 10 . 00 am Sunday Mass at St.Teresa’s is live-streamed. We are sensitive to the possibility that some of us may feel a little unsure about being seen on the World Wide Web.
Please be assured that any such ‘exposure’ is very minimal, but anyone with any such concern can ask for clarification and reassurance.
Daily Reflections for this week
Monday (A New Catechism)
We must trust in the Spirit of God, who leaves nobody untouched, and concentrate on the truth and goodness which other religions and philosophies offer to all. And then they can also be helpful to us. The gleam of truth in another way of life can help Christians to gain a deeper and more vital conviction of Jesus’ truth. As St. Thomas Aquinas said “All truth, no
matter by whom it is uttered, comes from the Holy Spirit.”
Humanity’s groping quest for God is animated by God’s quest for us.
Scripture (Acts 10:34-35,44-48)
Then Peter addressed them, ‘the truth I have come to realise is that God has no favourites, but that anybody of any nationality who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.’ While Peter was still speaking the Holy Spirit came down on all the listeners. Jewish believers who had accompanied Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit should be poured out on gentiles too, since they could hear them speaking in strange languages and proclaiming the greatness of God. Peter himself then said ‘Could anyone refuse the water of baptism to these people, now they have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ He then gave orders for them to be baptised in the name of Jesus.
Tuesday (Henry Scougal, 1677)
I must regret that so few understand what ‘religion’ means, some placing it in orthodox notions and opinions. Others believe if they live peaceably with their neighbours, observe the returns of worship and occasionally extend their hands to the relief of the poor, they think they have sufficiently acquitted themselves. Others again aim only to pray with passion and from thence assume a great confidence of their salvation. But those who are acquainted with religion disdain all those false imitations of it. They know by experience that true religion is a union of the soul with God, a real participation of the divine nature.
Scripture (Wisdom 7:24-27)
Wisdom is quicker to move than any motion; she is so pure, she pervades and permeates all things. She is a breath of the power of God, pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; so nothing impure can find its way to her. For she is the reflection of the eternal light, untarnished mirror of God’s active power. She renews the world, and, generation after generation, passing into holy souls, she makes them into God’s friends and prophets; for God loves only those who dwell with wisdom.
Wednesday (Anthony de Mello)
A very religious-minded old woman was dissatisfied with all existing religions, so she founded one of her own. One day a reporter, who genuinely wanted to understand her point of view, said to her “Do you really believe that no one will go to heaven except you and your housemaid?” The old woman thought for a while and then replied “Well, I’m not so sure of Mary.”
Scripture (Luke 18:9-14)
Jesus said, ‘Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood there and said, “I thank you, God, that I am not unjust, grasping, adulterous like everyone else, and particularly that I am not like this tax collector here. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes on all I get.” The tax collector stood some distance away, not daring even to raise his eyes to heaven; but he beat his breast and said, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” This man, I tell you, went home justified; the other did not. For anyone who raises himself up will be humbled, but anyone who humbles himself will be raised up.’
Thursday (Caryll Houselander)
I had long been haunted by the Russian concept of the humiliated Christ, the lame Christ limping through Russia, begging his bread. Now, in the flash of a second, I knew that this dream is a fact; Christ in man. Christ in his perfect human nature, Christ in his risen glory and Christ in his need and his suffering on earth, are reconciled. We have the whole Christ. I knew too that since Christ is One in all, everyone is included in him; there can be no outcasts, no excommunicates, excepting those who excommunicate themselves—and they too may be saved, Christ rising from death in them. Christ is everywhere; in him every kind of life has a meaning and has an influence on every other kind of life.
Scripture (John 15: 9-16)
I have loved you just as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my own joy may be in you and your joy be complete. This is my commandment: love one another, as I have loved you. No one can have greater love than to lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. You did not choose me, no, I chose you; and I commissioned you to go out and bear fruit, fruit that will last.
Friday (Nicholas Berdyaev)
The life and destiny of the least human being has an absolute meaning in respect of eternity; each person’s life and dignity are everlasting. For that reason we may not do away with a single human creature; we must consider the divine image and likeness in everyone.
Scripture (Psalm 98)
Sing a new song to Yahweh, for he has performed wonders.
Yahweh has made known his saving power, revealed his saving justice for the nations to see. The whole wide world has known the saving power of our God. Acclaim Yahweh, all the earth, burst into shouts of joy! Let the sea thunder and all it holds, the world and all who live in it, for he is coming to judge the earth; he will judge the world with saving justice and the nations with fairness.
Martin Bennett