Latest
Please Pray for . . .
At Mass we pray especially for ...
Friday, 28 March
9am, Matt Talbot,
Clinton Family, Pat Higgins,
Ann & Suzanne Hilliard
Saturday, 29 March
5.15pm, People of the Parish
Sunday, 30 March
9.15am, Andrew Cannon,
Tommy Lynch, Denis Morris,
Geraldine Morton
11am, John McVicker,
Joanne Maloney
Tuesday, 1 April
9am, March Clancy
Thursday, 3 April
6.30pm, Special Intention
Friday, 4 April
9am, Marion Kenny,
Margaret Guppy, Lesley Cowling,
Special Intention SW
The Easter Triduum, which begins on Maundy Thursday evening and concludes with evening prayer on Easter Sunday, focuses on the events surrounding the crucifixion, death, and subsequent resurrection of Jesus, as described in the Gospels. It is the most solemn and glorious time in our Christian life.
The Triduum is a single, unified liturgical celebration that marks the end of Lent and culminates in the celebration of Easter.
If you are going to one or all of these celebrations, then maybe you would consider volunteering for one of the many roles which make these services so special.
This is an incredible opportunity to participate in such an important event in our faith and we would be pleased to welcome as many different parishioners to take part. In the porch are sign-up sheets listing all the activities/roles for each service where assistance is required.
Cathedral Chrism Mass
In Holy week, the Chrism Mass takes place at the Cathedral on Wednesday, 16 April at 7.30pm. We are looking at the possibility of hiring a 16 seater minibus to take parishioners to the service. If you would like to attend the Chrism Mass, please put your name on the sign up sheet in the porch. If there is sufficient interest, we will find out the cost and if a suitable minibus is available.
Parish Retreat
A Parish Retreat has been organised for Saturday, 12 July at The Irenaeus Project in Waterloo. As this date falls shortly after Pentecost our theme will be the Holy Spirit. The retreat will start at 10am, end at 3pm and the cost will be in the region of £30pp to include lunch. If you are interested, please sign up at the back of church.
Prayer Garden Fund - Donate To Our Future Prayer Garden
As part of our ‘Live Simply’ Plan, the group have been investigating creating a prayer garden and prayerful space at our churches. Starting with St Mark’s we are looking to develop an outdoor space with benches, trellis, flowers, plants to attract pollinators and tubs. There will be an opportunity for you to sponsor our garden in different ways:
- general donation, for plants, materials etc for both churches.
- a more specific donation could be made towards seating as this can be quite costly.
- there will be an opportunity to sponsor a bench at St Mark’s where memorial plaques will be placed. Cost of contributions to this will be in the region of £70.
If you are interested in donating, please have a chat with Jen Jones, Peter Renwick, Janet Markey, David Manning, Mark White, Ann Farrell, Ron Smith or contact the Parish Office on 486 3992.
Young Adults Online Discernment Workshops
Taking place on 1, 15 and 29 April, this series of workshops teaches and explores how we discern, what we mean by freedom and how to make choices that are consistent with our faith. Link to register
Young Adults Lent Retreat
Taking place on 9-16 April, the retreat will be offered online and in person. You can join as a week of guided prayer or take some days of silence. There will be an opportunity during the week for prayer together as well as a meeting with a prayer guide at regular points through the week . Link to register
Parish Centre Manager Running London Marathon!
On Sunday, 27 April our very own Emma Harvey who manages the Parish Centre will be running the London Marathon. Emma is running to raise vital funds for the Megan Hurley Foundation. Megan, from Halewood, was a young victim of the Manchester Arena bombing and the Foundation supports families who have experienced unimaginable loss.
Emma has opened a GoFundMe page so if you feel able to support her efforts with a donation please visit:
BBC Young Chorister of the Year 2025
Songs of Praise and Radio 2 are searching for the Junior and Senior BBC Young Choristers of the Year 2025! Entries are now being accepted for this year’s BBC Young Chorister of the Year event, which will be recorded in June or July. Eligible singers will be aged 10-17 and will enjoy singing sacred music of any genre, as a member of a choir of any type, a worship group, or even just singing at home.
There are two categories - the Junior section for singers aged 10 - 13 and the Senior section for singers aged 14-17 as of the 7 April 2025. It’s very easy to enter and all the details including the entry rules, FAQs, tips on how to record your entry and the online application form can be found at: www.bbc.co.uk/songsofpraise
Please note that all applications must be received by 23:59 on Monday, 7 April 2025. Any questions email: YoungChorister@ctvc.co.uk
Music for Lent at The Metropolitan Cathedral
A special programme of sacred music sung by the Cathedral Choir. Admission is free and all are welcome.
Sunday, 30 March, 3pm, Stabat Mater – Pergolesi.
Sunday, 13 April, 7.30pm, Tenebrae.
The Big Christian Aid Quiz
This is a family friendly evening taking place on Friday, 30 May, 7.30pm at Greenalls Social Club, Alder Hey Road, St Helens, WA10 4DN. Tickets £12pp includes hotpot supper. To book contact Janice Watkins: 01744 27425/07947 743 219 or Andy Watkins: watkinsa@edgehill.ac.uk
Baptismal Information
If you would like the Sacrament of Baptism for your child you must first register your interest at one of our Baptism Registration meetings. These meetings take place at 6pm in St Mark’s annexe on Penmann Crescent. For all baptism enquiries please ring Chris Myles on 07443 018 816. Dates fill very quickly so it is recommended you register well in advance of the date you are hoping to secure. Please note, we do not offer dates for baptism during August.
Upcoming registration meetings: 7 April, 12 May, 2 June, 7 July, no meeting in August.
Please note, children due to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion in 2025/26 require to have first received the Sacrament of Baptism.
Starting School September 2025/26 or Starting First Holy Communion Preparation 2025/26?
If the above applies to you, please be aware that all children are required to produce a Baptism Certificate in order to be eligible. Dates fill quickly so if you wish your child to receive the Sacrament of Baptism please attend a Baptism Registration meeting as soon as possible.
What is a Jubilee Year in the Catholic Church?
An ordinary jubilee happens in the church every 25 years – the last one was in the year 2000. Occasionally, there can also be Extraordinary Jubilees called, for example, we had one in 2015, that ran until 2016, called the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. Jubilee years date back to the 1300s, and traditionally, it is a year that sees the remission of sins, debts and universal pardon.
2025 will mark 60 years since the second Vatican Council, or Vatican II. Following a Year of Prayer in 2024, celebrations will now begin. The theme is Pilgrims of Hope.
This year’s Jubilee logo is rich with imagery that can help you to understand the meaning of the Jubilee. Father Simon Gore explains: “The logo shows a group of people travelling together, reminding young people that they’re never alone on their journey of faith and will always have support in their faith communities. There's also the symbol of the wave, a reminder of the potential difficulties of being a follower of Christ in the modern age. But most importantly, there's the anchor – the anchor of hope – to show that no matter the difficulty, we can always find hope and comfort in our faith.”
Watch this space for more news and events.
Looking for a Late Catholic Gap Year?
Do you know anybody who is Catholic, aged around 18 to 22 and still not got anything lined up for the year ahead? Castlerigg Manor (the Diocese of Lancaster Retreat Centre, located in the Lake District) are still looking for young people to join their youth ministry internship scheme. The scheme provides comprehensive training and experience as well as accommodation and food for the year, and a stipend each week. Interested? Please visit: castleriggmanor.com or email Jack Regan – director@castleriggmanor.co.uk
St Mark’s Parish Centre
Every Sunday, 7pm-10.30pm, Karaoke Night.
Liverpool Catholic Ramblers
The LCR Association is a rambling group now in its 97th year that is open to non Catholics and which conducts walks on Sundays throughout the year, which vary in length and physical demands.
All walks are led by experienced ramblers. A walks can be 10 to 15 miles and are for the more experienced ramblers, B are shorter and C are shorter still and can be 7 to 8 miles. Consideration is given in advance to the difficulty of the course, the terrain, whether stiles, steep hills, or busy roads are to be crossed and the numbers who may be expected to take part.
For more info contact: Will Harris on 0151 486 6541 or email willharris33@btinternet.com
RCIA Meetings
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the process given to us by the Church to initiate adults and older children into Christianity as it is lived within the Roman Catholic tradition. Do you know anyone who wants to become a Catholic? Whatever your starting point you are very welcome to come along.
This course has now started and takes place every Thursday, 7pm in St Mark’s annexe. All enquiries to Reverend Peter Renwick on 07707 917 554.
Looking for something to help you to pray? Why not try out Pray As You Go - daily meditations and many others reflections and inspirations for prayer.
