Parish Priest

Fr. Vincent McShane

Email: vianney.halewood@

btinternet.com


Pastoral Assistants

Sr. Clarissa and Sr. Ijeoma (Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary)

Tel: 0151 421 1758

Sr. Catherine Farrelly (Daughters of Charity of St Vincent De Paul)

Tel: 0151 220 2525


Weekend Masses

Sunday Vigil

Sat 5.15pm Holy Family church

Sunday Morning

9.30am St. Mark's church

11.00am Holy Family church

Sunday Evening

6.00pm St. Mark's church

Information on all other Masses, including weekdays, can be found in the News section.

St. John Vianney

Curé d'Ars

Jean Vianney began to be known internationally, and people from distant places began traveling to hear his sermons. "By 1855, the number of pilgrims had reached twenty thousand a year. During the last ten years of his life, he spent sixteen to eighteen hours a day in the confessional. "Even the bishop forbade him to attend the annual retreats of the diocesan clergy because the souls awaiting him yonder" (Susan T. Otten). At that time, a life-long friend of Vianney, the Venerable Father Colin was ordained a deacon. Even Mother Marie de la Providence, who founded the Helpers of the Holy Souls, was asking Vianney for advice. "His direction was characterized by common sense, remarkable insight, and supernatural knowledge" (Susan T. Otten).

Vianney had a great devotion to St. Philomena, a Martyr of the early Church. Jean looked at her as his guardian and erected a chapel and a shrine in honor of the saint. The shrine still stands today. During May of 1843, Vianney fell so ill he thought that his life was coming to its end. He asked St. Philomena to cure him and promised to give one hundred masses at her shrine. Twelve days later, Vianney was cured and he attributed his cure to St. Philomena.

On 4 August 1859 Jean-Marie Vianney died at age seventy three. Biographers recorded miracles he did throughout his life, obtaining money for his charities and food for his orphans; he also had supernatural knowledge of the past and future, and could heal the sick, especially children. On 3 October 1874 Pope Pius IX proclaimed him Venerable; on 8 January 1905 Pope Pius X declared him Blessed and proposed him as a model to the parochial clergy; in 1925 Pope Pius XI canonized him, and assigned 4 August as his feast day.

Source: Wikipedia

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