I can almost feel the following question being asked far and wide...
"Why is this necessary"
It is not possible to stay as we are. Fewer priests AND congregation have resulted in a deficit of human resources with an excess of ageing buildings.
Where are the young people, younger adults, families and children? How do we create a vibrant, caring Church where they want to be, to create a community where we all want to be, loving our neighbours and loving God?
We have identified 3 areas where we must be active in a family way - to the youth, to the adults, and in charitable work to those in need, whoever they are - allowing us to receive from 'Christ in them’, not merely being ‘doers’ of good things.
Blessed Carlo Acutis
The Deanery has selected a patron, the Blessed Carlo Acutis, a young man who gave himself in service of others. He was diagnosed with leukaemia at a young age, and offered his suffering for Pope Benedict and the Church, and sadly died at the age of 15. Whilst he was alive, he used his young gifts and talents in loving God and the people around him, maintaining a keen interest to use media to evangelise and proclaim the Gospel, setting up a website for this purpose.
We felt this was a wonderful way of showing a young life, even if a short one, devoted to Christ, and a great example to us all.
Prayer to Blessed Carlo Acutis
O God our Father, we thank you for giving us Carlo,
a model of life for young people, and a message of love for all.
You made him fall in love with your son Jesus,
making the Eucharist his 'highway to heaven'.
You gave him Mary as a beloved mother,
and you made him, through the Rosary,
a cantor of her tenderness.
Receive his prayer for us.
Look above all on the poor, whom he loved and assisted.
Grant me too, through his intercession, the grace that I need (mention your intention).
And make our joy full, raising Carlo among the saints of your church,
so that his smile shines again for us to the glory of your name. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
Your Deanery Synodal Council consists of
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Ben Miller (Chair)
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John Sullivan (St John Stone & Sacred Heart)
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Bruce Soden (St. Marie's & St. Patrick's)
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Rosanne Mason (St John Stone & Sacred Heart)
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Fr. Paul Seddon (St John Stone & Sacred Heart)
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Louise Newton (Birkdale Catholics)
- Sr Maureen McKnight
- Michael Evans-Freke (Our Lady of Victories, Hightown)
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John Moffat (Holy Family)
- Pauline Collier (St John Stone & Sacred Heart)
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Monsignor John Walsh (Dean)
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Fr. John Heneghan (St. Marie's & St. Patrick's)
If you feel called to help in any way please contact one of the above members who will be delighted to talk to you.
Please pray for us, and join with us:
Prayer of the Deanery of Sefton Coast North (under the Patronage of Blessed Carlo Acutis)
God our loving Father, you call each one of us, through Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit, to proclaim your Kingdom, glorifying you by our lives!
We thank you for each of our Church communities that make up our Deanery, and for the witness to the joy of the Gospel we continue to give.
Drawn together by your loving wisdom, may we help each other to produce the fruit you desire by working more closely, sharing our gifts so that all may come to know Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life!
As members of our Deanery under the patronage of Blessed Carlo Acutis, (here the name of the Parish Patron may also be inserted) we give glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen
We meet every couple of months and have had many conversations as we all learn our own synodality, where the decisions of our (sorry, YOUR) council stem from a consensus of how the members hear the Spirit moving.
Our 3 Missions stem from this listening and acting on the Spirit...
The sections for each MISSION are inital thoughts and will be refined as we progress towards implementation.
Please join us on this journey together...
MISSION for Youth
MISSION for Charity
MISSION for Adult Faith Formation