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
21 July 2024
http://www.st-teresas-church.co.uk
Email: st.teresas.cleveleys@gmail.com
Lancaster Roman Catholic Diocesan Trustees Registered Charity Number 23433
Sunday : 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Contents: Gospel
Notices
Reflection
Gospel: Mark 6:30-34
The apostles rejoined Jesus and told him all they had done and taught. Then he said to them, ‘You must come away to some lonely place all by yourselves and rest for a while’; for there were so many coming and going that the apostles had no time even to eat. So they went off in a boat to a lonely place where they could be by themselves. But people saw them going, and many could guess where; and from every town they all hurried to take place on foot and reached it before them. So as he stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he set himself to teach them at some length.
Gospel Reflection : Barnacle Bill
In earlier Space exploration, the rocket ‘Pathfinder’ and the buggy ‘Sojourner’ sent back photographs from the Red Planet that made us gasp, even though no Martians materialised! It was a journey into the unknown.
The scientists back on earth focused on a boulder which they called ‘Barnacle Bill’, because they were puzzled how it had become attached to the surface.
Perhaps the whole experiment can be interpreted as a parable of what is happening in the inner space of our conscious and subconscious minds.
With the Gospels as our pathfinders, and as we probe deeply into the recesses of our minds, we become aware of aspects of our personality which perhaps have been previously hidden.
It may make us gasp to find barnacles attached to our motivations in life, of which we have been quite unaware. Jesus took his disciples aside to reflect on their motives for following him into the unknown.
We Remember In Our Prayers Beryl Puddifer, whose Funeral was last week and Brenda Feeney whose Funeral Mass is at St. John Southworth Church on Friday 26th July at 12 noon and Gladys Hughes, whose Funeral Service is at Carleton Crematorium on Wednesday, 31st July at 3.30pm. We remember them and their families, and those whose anniversaries are at this time. May they all be in God’s peace.
Another Social/Fundraising Event : Members of the SVP and CAFOD groups at St. Teresa’s are holding an Afternoon Tea in the Parish Hall on Wednesday 7th August, 2 pm -4 pm. Tickets are £10 each, which includes a raffle ticket, and can be purchased at the back of church.
There Is the annual Special Collection for The Good Shepherd Fund taken at All Masses This Weekend. This Fund is used to support the calls on Bishop Paul to help those in need.
Next Weekend The SVP (the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Teresa’s) take their regular collection for those in need locally.
A Big Thank You To those who have organised and set up for the Parish/Community Social Evening this Saturday (20th), starting at 7 pm in the Parish Hall.
Another Thank You – To Everyone who has given to the ‘bottle top collection’ at St.Teresa’s. After many weeks there is now enough for their purpose, which is to be used at the Christmas Fayre.
Please Note : This coming week there is no 9.30 am Mass on Tuesday 23rd and Friday 26th at St. Teresa’s, but there will be a Eucharistic Service at that time.
A Message from Trinity Hospice : Love, Celebrate, Remember “Join us this summer as we celebrate those special to us with an outdoor service of reflection and remembrance, Sunday 28th July. at 4 pm.” There are leaflets about this event in the outer church porch. Please take one.
The Food Pantry, situated at the back of church at St. Teresa’s, is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 10.30 am – 12 noon, and on Wednesdays, 2.30 pm – 4 pm. We are so grateful for all the volunteers who work in the Pantry, and all those who donate contributions.
Advance Notice – Confirmation : This year, for both our parishes, Bishop Paul is coming to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation at St. Teresa’s church, on Monday, 18th November, at 7 pm.
Young people, Year 8 or above at school. or any older people who may have missed out in the past, are invited to take part in the preparation programme, and receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Please give the names of any young person (or older) to Fr. Chris (Tel. 01253 853340)
The dates of the Preparation Programme are as follows :
Thursday 10th October
Thursday 17th October
Thursday 31st October
Thursday 7th November
All 6 30 pm – 7.45 pm
Saturday, 9th November, 10 am – 2 pm
Sunday, 17th November Practice after the 10 am Mass
Monday 18th November Confirmation Mass at 7 pm
Daily Reflections for this week
Monday (St. Teresa of Avila)
When you have received our Lord, since he really dwells within you, try to close the eyes of your body and open those of your soul; look into your heart I have told you, and shall tell you again and again, that if you accustom yourself to keep with him when you communicate, his coming will not be so hidden but that, in many ways, he will reveal himself in proportion to the desire you have of seeing him. If we care nothing for him, or busy ourselves about other and lower matters what would we have him do? Must he drag us by force to look at him and stay with him? He will not show himself openly except to those who desire him.
Scripture (Mark 6:30-34)
The apostles rejoined Jesus and told him all they had done and taught, and he said to them ‘Come away to some lonely place all by yourselves and rest for a while’; for there were so many coming and going that there was no time for them even to eat. So they went off in a boat to a lonely place where they could be by themselves. But people saw them going and many recognised them; and from every town they all hurried to the place on foot and reached it before them. So as he stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he set himself to teach them at some length.
Tuesday (Caryll Houselander)
There was one dazzling moment, upon Mount Tabor, when those apostles who were to see Christ in his dereliction, suddenly and briefly saw the radiance of his divinity: He was transfigured. The apostles knew Christ as a man, one in whose presence they were remarkably at ease; in that moment they saw his glory, the very garments that he wore burning with his beauty. That is God’s way with us, to hide and reveal himself at the same time; to show his desire for man’s love, making himself accessible, even ordinary, that he may come close, yet at the same time playing a game of hide and seek, saying, “seek and you shall find”. God does not force his secrets upon us; he does not force his love upon us.
Scripture (John 14:7-11)
Philip said, ‘Lord, show us the Father and then we shall be satisfied.’ Jesus said to him, Have I been with you all this time and you still do not know me? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father, so how can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? What I say to you I do not speak of my own accord: it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his works. You must believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe it on the evidence of these works.
Wednesday (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)
This is what we mean when we speak of Christ dwelling in our hearts. His life on earth is not finished yet, for he continues to live in the lives of his followers. Indeed, it is wrong to speak of the Christian life: we should rather speak of Christ living in us. Jesus Christ, incarnate, crucified and glorified has entered my life and taken charge. And where Christ lives, there the Father also lives, and both Father and Son through the Holy Spirit.
Scripture ( Galatians 2:20)
I have been crucified with Christ, and yet I am alive; yet it is no longer I, but Christ living in me. The life that I am now living, subject to the limitation of human nature, I am living in faith, faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.
Thursday (Pope Francis, Gaudete et Exsultate)
[We must not ignore] the need for moments of quiet, solitude and silence before God. Quite the contrary. The presence of constantly new gadgets, the excitement of travel and an endless array of consumer goods at times leave no room for God’s voice to be heard. We are overwhelmed by words, by superficial pleasures and by an increasing din, filled not by joy but rather by the discontent of those whose lives have lost meaning. How can we fail to realize the need to stop this rat race and to recover the personal space needed to carry on a heartfelt dialogue with God? Finding that space may prove painful, but it is always fruitful. Sooner or later, we have to face our true selves and let the Lord enter.
Scripture (Jeremiah 23:2-4)
This, therefore, is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who shepherd my people “You have scattered my flock, you have driven them away and not taken care of them. Right, I shall take care of you for your misdeeds, the Lord declares! But the remnant of my flock I myself shall gather from all the countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their folds; they will be fruitful and increase in numbers. For them, I shall raise up shepherds to shepherd them and pasture them. No fear, no terror for them anymore. Not one shall be lost, Yahweh declares!
Friday (Bede Griffiths)
Through all these years I thought I had been seeking God. The presence which had appeared to me beneath the forms of nature that day at school; the beauty I had found in the poets; the truth which philosophy had opened to me; and finally the revelation of Christianity; all these had seemed to be steps on my way, of ascent to God. Now I suddenly saw that all the time it was not I who had been seeking God, but God who had been seeking me.
Scripture ( John 10: 14-16)
I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep. And there are other sheep that I have that are not of this fold, and I must lead these too. They too will listen to my voice, and there will be only one flock, one shepherd.
Martin Bennett