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LiveSimply
LIVE SIMPLY
This section of the website reflects St Mary's Woolton's 'LiveSimply' journey. To follow Bishop Eton's journey visit https://www.bishopeton.org.uk/live-simply.html
In March 2024 both parishes were awarded the Live Simply Award.
In September 2025 the parishes of Our Lady of the Annunciation Bishop Eton, St Mary's Woolton and St John Vianney joined forces to form LiveSimplyTogether
Purpose:
Purpose:
We care about Creation and we care about people who are living in poverty.
We celebrate the wonders of the natural world and the diversity of our brothers and sisters, both here and right across the planet.
We are really worried about the impact that the climate crisis and other environmental threats are having on our world, particularly the impact on the poor.
We are committed to promote a variety of actions and initiatives across our two Parishes, which will help us to live out our faith by caring for our common home.
Aim
We aim to be a catalyst for change, inspiring the parishioners of Bishop Eton and St Mary's to live more simply, more sustainably and in greater solidarity with the poor.
Patron
Prior to his death in April 20206 Fr Jim Casey C.Ss.R was our patron, there are no plans to replace him.
Contact details
For further information and to help with the project contact Pauline Volk at
LIVESIMPLY IN ST MARY’S AND BISHOP ETON
Every week we think about small steps we can take support the principles of Living Simply. A small step forward at St Mary’s is our monthly uniform swap and book swap from 12 noon on Sunday 5th February and then on the first Sunday of each month.
Our friends at CAFOD are inviting us to take one big step forward by joining The Big Lent Walk. Walk 200km in 40 days to raise funds to help fight global poverty.
Think about signing up or offer to sponsor a friend so that we can live in solidarity with others: https://cafod.org.uk/Fundraise/Sponsored-challenge-events/Community-Big-Lent-Walk
LIVESIMPLY IN ST MARY’S AND BISHOP ETON
Introducing our new Live Simply Logo, which we now have courtesy of our talented parishioner Ben Smith! In aiming for the CAFOD LiveSimply Award, we have been gathering the evidence to demonstrate the combined efforts of both Parishes to Live Simply, Live Sustainably and to Live in Solidarity with the Poor and since September we already have been able to compile a significant list of events and activities, (check out our LiveSimply section on the Parish webpage).
Pope Francis said, “All it takes is for one good person to restore hope!" (LS71).
Well, we have already witnessed many good people coming together to support this initiative, a huge thank you to everyone. Looking ahead, we will continue with our weekly newsletter messages; we aim to celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight; have a 2nd Creation Walk; another Fashion Show; further fundraising events to support the Project Zimbabwe, to name but a few. If there are other events/ activities/ suggestions you would like to share with us, please get in touch either via email, or drop a note into the office.
One small suggestion for this week, if you shop online consider signing up first at https://www.giveasyoulive.com/, where you can choose a charity to support, before you then access your chosen online shop. This allows your charity to receive a percentage of the sale without any further cost to you. Thank you!
CAFOD FUN RUN
A number of parishioners from Bishop Eton and from St Mary's took part in the annual CAFOD Fun Run (and Fun Stroll) at Wavertree on 27 December. Over 200 people took part in the event despite the less than ideal weather conditions. Tim Walsh, of our LiveSimply team, was one of the organisers and was supported by a group of 18 family members plus 1 dog.
LIVE SIMPLY - ST MARY’S AND BISHOP ETON
This week marks the beginning of both Energy Saving Week (17th-23rd) and Christian Unity Week (18th-25th). Each challenges us to rethink what we do to try to make the world a better place for everyone. Sometimes we feel there is little we can do, but the actions don’t need to be huge to make a difference. Perhaps we could make a real effort to live sustainably by turning off electrical devices and lights when we aren’t actually using them? As well as being involved in unity services and praying for church unity, we could also live more simply by trying to get to know what goes on in other churches nearby. How about joining in activities such as walking groups, drama groups, knit & natter groups or supporting local church events? For even more ideas please visit:https://ctbi.org.uk/go-and-do-week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-2023/
The next meeting of the Live Simply Group will take place on Wednesday 18 January at 7pm in the Hughes Room at Bishop Eton. If you are interested in joining us, please email for further details, or just come along.
VEGANUARY!
As the new year begins, you may be asking – how can I live a more climate-friendly life in 2023? Well, you're in luck! Apart from being delicious, eating more plant-based meals is one of the most effective ways to reduce our carbon footprint and have a positive impact on the climate, help stop deforestation and biodiversity loss, plus save water too. Hurray! From 1-31 January, lots of people will be taking part in Veganuary, a month-long opportunity to explore plant-based food, with recipes, meal plans and helpful tips straight into your inbox. More information can be found at: https://veganuary.com/recipes/
MOTHER TERESA- MISSIONARIES OF CHARITY COLLECTION:
The LiveSimply Team would like to thank everyone who donated to the Christmas Food Collection, which was taken to the nuns at Seel St who generously help feed the homeless in our city. Huge thank you to Lisa and Alison who delivered the food items to the Missionaries of Charity Sisters.
LIVE SIMPLY - ST MARY’S AND BISHOP ETON
Holocaust Memorial Day is marked this week, on Friday, 27 January 2023 and the theme this year is ‘ordinary people’. We are invited to think about the millions of ordinary victims of persecution and genocides in countries such as Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur. We are also prompted to think about how easy it is for ‘ordinary people’ to become perpetrators. Equally, there are many examples of ‘ordinary people’ who become heroes and heroines by their unselfish, and often heroic, actions during persecutions.
We are so blessed not to be facing the systemic hatred that many people, young and old, still have to endure. Let us pray for a world where such horrors are overcome and do whatever we can on a daily basis to challenge prejudice and discrimination, and to promote peace.
Pope Francis reminds us: “Saint Therese of Lisieux invites us to practise the little way of love, not to miss out on a kind word, a smile or any small gesture which sows peace and friendship. An integral ecology is also made up of simple daily gestures which break with the logic of violence, exploitation and selfishness.”LIVESIMPLY - ST MARY’S AND BISHOP ETON
As the new year begins, you may be asking – how can I live a more climate-friendly life in 2023? Well, you're in luck! Apart from being delicious, eating more plant-based meals is one of the most effective ways to reduce our carbon footprint and have a positive impact on the climate, help stop deforestation and biodiversity loss, plus save water too. Hurray! From 1-31 January, lots of people will be taking part in Veganuary, a month-long opportunity to explore plant-based food, with recipes, meal plans and helpful tips straight into your inbox. More information can be found at: https://veganuary.com/recipes/
Thinking about changing our eating routines; Pope Francis reminds us to give, “thanks to God before and after meals. I ask all believers to return to this beautiful and meaningful custom. That moment of blessing, however brief, reminds us of our dependence on God for life; it strengthens our feeling of gratitude for the gifts of creation; it acknowledges those who by their labours provide us with these goods; and it reaffirms our solidarity with those in greatest need.”
So maybe we can all consider returning to the habit of stopping and giving thanks before we eat.
LIVE SIMPLY MESSAGE 1ST JANUARY 2023
The World Day of Peace, instituted by St Paul VI in 1968, is celebrated each year on 1 January. Pope Francis said that “the greatest lesson we learned from Covid-19 was the realisation that we all need one another”. In his 2023 World Peace Day message, Pope Francis has urged reflection on what lessons can be learned three years after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. “We cannot continue to focus simply on preserving ourselves; rather, the time has come for all of us to endeavour to heal our society and our planet, to lay the foundations for a more just and peaceful world, and to commit ourselves seriously to pursuing a good that is truly common,” he said.” He asks: “What new paths should we follow to cast off the shackles of our old habits, to be better prepared, to dare new things? What signs of life and hope can we see, to help us move forward and try to make our world a better place?”
To read the full letter follow the below link
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/peace/documents/20221208-messaggio-56giornatamondiale-pace2023.html
LIVE SIMPLY - ST MARY’S AND BISHOP ETON
A Positive Outcome:
During the COP15 on Biodiversity, an agreement was reached, which includes a commitment to protect 30% of land and water considered important for biodiversity by 2030 and has been coined “30 by 30.” As part of the deal, $200 billion will be raised by 2030, along with plans to phase out or reform subsidies that could provide another $500 billion for similar causes.
LIVESIMPLY - ST MARY’S AND BISHOP ETON DEC 18th 2022
SOME CAFOD LIVESIMPLY THOUGHTS FOR CHRISTMAS:
Christmas is what you make it. It should be a time of love for both your own family and for our brothers and sisters in our worldwide family. For last minute presents you may wish to buy a CAFOD World Gift. We used our donations from the Nearly New Fashion Show to buy a permanent water supply for a remote community, a soil free garden, a cow, emergency food, emergency water and emergency shelter. There are lots of other World Gifts available; which one would you choose? You can find lots of ideas on the CAFOD website at: www.cafod.org.uk/worldgifts
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Our St Mary’s Children’s Liturgy group decorated gift bags for our Christmas Special Afternoon Tea. Let’s think about how we can help each other this Christmas.
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CHRISTINGLE:
Join us at 3:00pm on Sunday 18 December for our Christingle Service. Everybody is welcome to share the joy that our children bring to our nativity. It’s always a wonderful time to reflect as we look forward to our celebrations on Christmas Day. Children of all ages can join our catechists from 12:15pm for our workshop and rehearsals, in the hall.
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