As public Masses are suspended until further notice due to the coronavirus pandemic, from tomorrow, Sunday Mass will be live streamed onto this Facebook page. The Mass will be available to watch from around 9:30am. Be sure to tune in!

https://www.facebook.com/SJHNParishMorecambe/

The popular Lenten Devotion called Stations of The Cross takes place in the Parish every Friday evening at 7:00pm. Please see the weekly Newsletter as the devotion moves around the three parish churches each week. If you haven’t attended Stations of The Cross before, you are very welcome to do so!

The Diocese of Lancaster has issued a decree concerning the Coronavirus. Please read it here: http://www.lancasterdiocese.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Coronavirus-Chalice-and-Peace-00000002.pdf

The Catholic Bishop’s Conference have issued some advice regarding the Coronavirus outbreak. You can view it by clicking on this link: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/02/advice-for-parishes-regarding-coronavirus-V2ab.pdf

On Sunday we started the new liturgical year with the First Sunday of Advent.

• Advent is the Season that includes four Sundays preceding Christmas. The Advent Season marks the beginning of the Liturgical Calendar. It always begins in late November or early December. On November 30th or on the Sunday that is the closest to this date, the Catholic Church begins the Liturgical Season of Advent. Advent ends on December 24th before the evening prayer of Christmas.
• The word “advent” is derived from the Latin word “adventus,” which means “coming” or “arrival.” During this time the faithful are admonished to prepare themselves for the coming of the Lord Jesus in three ways:
• (1) First, to prepare themselves for the coming of the Lord as the Judge, either at death or at the end of this world, whichever may come first.
• (2) Secondly, to prepare themselves to receive the Real Presence of our Redeemer at Christmas through the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.
• (3) Thirdly, to prepare themselves for the coming of Christmas, the birthday anniversary of the Lord’s coming into this world as God incarnate.

Today is the Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch.

St Ignatius followed St Peter as bishop of Antioch and was thrown to wild beasts in Rome (possibly at the Colosseum) during the persecution of Trajan. He wrote 7 epistles, which give a clear picture of Christian belief and practice a century or so after Christ’s birth.

Last Sunday in Rome, Pope Francis Canonised Cardinal John Henry Newman. Therefore he is now a Saint no longer a Blessed. For us a Parish and indeed many others this is wonderful news! Now the Canonisation has taken place we have some changes to make within the Parish. Our noticeboards need updating and also our social media pages need their names changing. You can now find our updated Facebook and Twitter pages here: 
 https://twitter.com/SJHNMorecambe https://www.facebook.com/SJHNParishMorecambe/

At the 10:30am Mass on Sunday we will be celebrating the Titular Feast of St Mary’s Church ‘Our Lady of the Seven Dolours’. We can be reminded of this by looking at the stained glass window inside the Church (see the photo above).
What are the Seven Sorrows? 

1. The prophecy of Simeon. (St. Luke 2:34, 35)  
2. The flight into Egypt. (St. Matthew 2:13, 14)  
3. The loss of the Child Jesus in the temple. (St. Luke 2: 43-45)
4. The meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross.
5. The Crucifixion.
6. The taking down of the Body of Jesus from the Cross.
7. The burial of Jesus.
   

Our good wishes and prayers to all who have returned to School and those who are starting in our local Parish Primary and High Schools. May Our Lady watch over you all!

On this very hot August Bank Holiday weekend, one of our Sacristans took this photo after Mass in St Mary’s this morning.

Can you guess the Saint?