The Mass
The Second Vatican Council taught that the celebration of the Eucharist is the “source and summit” of the life of the Catholic Church. Thus it is the primary activity in the Catholic life of the parish.
From 9 April 2023 the Mass times at St Elizabeth’s are as follows:
Sunday
5.30pm: Vigil (Saturday) with confessions at 5pm;
9.30am
Wednesday & Friday
9.30am
Holy Days of Obligation
5.30pm: Vigil (evening before)
9.30am
Covid-19 Notice
There is now no requirement to book places for Mass, nor to wear masks or to maintain social distance. Please continue to sanitise your hands when entering Church. The Church in England and Wales has no plans at present to restore Communion from the chalice given the ongoing health risks.
Now public Mass is available on Sundays and during the week there is no longer any live-streaming:
You can read our latest Covid-19 information here:
Sacramental Programmes
Below you will find information explaining how the Catholic sacraments can be received at St Elizabeth’s. At the bottom of this page is a link if you are looking to explore a vocation to the priesthood or religious life.
Baptisms are held by appointment and are usually performed at 11am on Sunday mornings, or during Sunday Mass. Before the baptism can proceed the parents or guardians need to complete a short programme of preparation. Our baptism coordinator is Mrs Bernadette Halsall. To enquire about having your child baptised and starting this process please download the baptism form and return to the parish office. You must normally live in the area covered by the parish.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation, or Confession, is available from 6pm on Saturdays and 6.30pm on Thursdays, or on request. During Advent and Lent the parish also celebrates communal services of Reconciliation. Children make their First Reconciliation as part of their preparation for First Holy Communion.
As a parish we currently follow the Liverpool Archdiocese sacramental preparation programme, With You Always. At the parish school, St Mary’s, this programme is for Year 4 children. Letters are sent out prior to the course beginning. If your child is at another school please contact the parish office.
A new course to prepare for Confirmation has been started in the Archdiocese. Please contact the parish office for further information.
Marriages are by appointment and at least six months’ notice is required. Please ensure that the church is available before booking the venue for the wedding reception. Couples preparing for this sacrament will attend the archdiocesan marriage preparation course and be mentored by a married couple in the parish. The programme is run regularly throughout the archdiocese, and at least once a year at St Anne’s in Ormskirk. The course is completed within one day, usually a Saturday. To enquire about getting married at St Elizabeth’s and starting this process, please download the marriage application form and return to the parish office.
Our priests are always available to celebrate the Sacrament of the Sick, or Anointing. The sacrament is for Catholics who are sick and in need of the Lord’s healing grace, as well as those who are near death. Please contact Fr Hugh on 01704 880226.
We remember our sick in the parish bulletin every week. If you would like anyone to be included in the bulletin prayer list please contact the parish office either by phone on 01704 880226, or by email scarisbrickcatholic@outlook.com.
Have you ever thought of becoming a Catholic?
Normally, the Exploring Catholic Faith course runs from November to June, and aims to prepare adults who are thinking about becoming members of the Catholic Church. It is also known as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).
Weekly sessions are currently held in St Anne’s Pastoral Centre or church, and are led by an experienced team, with contributions from the clergy.
A few points about the course:
- The sessions are themed but conducted in an informal way with ample chance for discussion
- Opportunities are also provided for one-to-one sessions, where questions and areas of interest can be discussed
- The course aims to help you consider becoming a Catholic, but we understand that you may decide at any stage that you are not ready for this very personal commitment
- You do not have to be baptised already to follow this course, in which case adult Baptism would be incorporated into your reception into the Church
- Sometimes people have joined the course because their children are also being received into the Church. This is a wonderful way in which a family can follow the same journey towards becoming Catholics. But please consider this course as a path that you want to explore for yourself, and not simply on behalf of your child (the two programmes are separate from each other)
- If you are interested in more details about the course you should contact the Parish Office
Prayer can take many forms, including:
- a conversation with God
- paying loving attention to God
- resting in God’s presence
- asking help from God
- reading God’s word in scripture
Our life as a Benedictine parish encourages us to:
- Search for God through personal prayer and lectio divina (prayerful reading of the scriptures)
- Place the Mass at the centre of parish life and our personal lives
- Develop a strong sense of community, with hospitality a key feature, as well as finding concrete ways of valuing the gifts of all
- Promote ongoing theological and spiritual formation for all through courses, study days and talks
- Foster a sense of the Church which is truly Catholic, able to look beyond the local diocese, and striving for Christian unity
Vocations to the Religious Life: Is Jesus Calling you?
The following links will provide more information regarding vocations.
The first is to the vocations page at Douai Abbey, the Benedictine monastery, from where our parish priests are sent—click here.
For vocations to the diocesan priesthood, permanent diaconate and other forms of religious life there is a link to the vocations page at Liverpool Archdiocese—click here.
For further information about a vocation to the permanent diaconate please contact Rev Canon Christopher Fallon at the Archdiocesan Office:
diaconate@rcaol.org.uk
For information about a vocation to the religious life please contact the Episcopal Vicar for Religious, Fr Godric Timney OSB:
paxorm@btconnect.com
Participating in the Liturgy and the life of the parish
There are a number of ways in which you can become involved in the liturgy and the life of the parish, including those listed opposite.
If you are interested in any of these, you would be most welcome to join the existing teams. Please contact the parish office for more information:
- Eucharistic Visiting
Flower Arrangers
Readers
Church Cleaning Team
Choir
Grounds & Fabric Team
Ushers