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Thank you for your offerings last week of £1616.74 and £1449.13 for the Maintenance Fund. Mass attendances were 788.
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Sunday 3/7/16 |
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
6.00pm In Loving Memory of Joshua Canning (Canning Family)
9.15am People of the Parish
11.00am Elena Lams RIP (Lams Family)
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Monday 4/7/16
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Feria/St Elizabeth of Portugal
9.30am Fr David Camilleri – Anniversary of Ordination
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Tuesday 5/7/16 |
Feria/St Anthony Zaccaria
9.30am The Hyland Family (Sr Ursula)
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Wednesday 6/7//16 |
Feria/St Maria Goretti
9.30am Jean Sankar (I Hutchins)
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Thursday 7/7/16 |
Feria
9.30am Private Intention (Lanaine)
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Friday 8/7/16 |
Feria
9.30am Sarah & Phil May – Thanksgiving, 30th Wedding Anniversary
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Saturday 9/7/16 |
Vigil Mass
6.00pm Peter Keen RIP (Keen Family)
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Sunday 10/7/16 |
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
9.15am Safe Arrival of Baby Albert Ward (A Ward)
11.00am Anthony Olivelle RIP (M Olivelle)
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Confessions heard Saturday 5.00pm-5.45pm or by appointment. |
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Morning Prayers - Takes place Monday – Friday at 9.10am. All are welcome to attend. |
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Pondering the Word (Lectio Divina)
A quiet reflective look at the following Sunday’s Gospel. Mondays 11-12 noon here in the church. All welcome.
Fr David writes…
I remember very clearly at the age of 29 being assigned to leave Malta, my family and friends, to minister as a priest in Melbourne. Part of me was so excited to start a new life in a different country with all the possibilities that lay ahead of me. Another part of me was anxious. Will I see my parents, family and friends again? Will I be welcomed in the new country? Will I fit in with the community and the people there? Will I settle down in the new land? My emotions were real and well founded. Leaving your own heritage, family, language is like leaving part of you behind. Especially at the beginning, one needs to learn things from scratch. Moving house is bad enough – uprooting yourself to move to another country is much worse. I have done it three times in my life now and I am sure that I don’t have the energy and the aptitude to do it another time again. It demands courage and determination. Otherwise you won’t be able to do it. You are totally dependent on the mercy and hospitality of strangers. Actually arriving in Melbourne in 1993 was an amazing experience. I felt completely welcomed by the people there. They couldn’t do more for me. This gave me a secure base to feel more and more at home and minister with much more vigour. Of course I felt homesick at times but the feeling of being welcomed in the home of others with open arms helped me to feel happy and contribute effectively in my adopted country. The same thing happened to me when I arrived in the UK. Although it took a bit more time. In 2003 when I arrived in London, I felt that people were sussing me out first. I almost used to hear people saying in their minds and hearts – shall we trust him? Is he a person we can open up to? And I can understand very well why. Apart from being a cultural characteristic here I think, we need to earn trust. It does not automatically come along with the role. You need time to get to know another.
Unfortunately an unforeseen consequence of the Referendum has been the unleashing of a very unattractive characteristic in the UK. For some people it has given them the permission and empowered them to make people from other countries, feel very much unwelcome. Some and thank God not the majority have been actively making foreigners feel that they don’t belong here anymore. This week, we have heard atrocious stories of people being bullied, told to go back home and made them feel that they are not welcomed in this country anymore. These migrants are contributing to the economy of this country and paying taxes. On social media, someone filmed an episode on a bus in one of our cities, where a group of young people abused a man who had a different skin shade and told him to go back home when he was trying to tell them that he has been in this country for more years than their age and that he had also spent 8 years in the military here in the UK. Thank God other people on the bus told them exactly what they thought of them and shamed them. Unfortunately the current situation is not the best for some ethnic minorities at the moment.
When Jesus sends out the seventy-two, giving them missionary instruction, he had no illusion about the territory; compared to the wolves roaming around, his own crowd are like lambs. He charges them to lead the radical lifestyle of the wandering preacher who must face homelessness and renunciation of family and property. In all of this, Jesus tells his disciples that they must depend on the SHALOM they bring, the peace of the kingdom. They depend on the SHALOM they bring and they depend on the hospitality of the strangers who receive them. They have something to offer the people in their teaching and healing. In return for that work the people have something to offer the disciples in welcoming them. Hospitality therefore is not just a social virtue. It is a response to the word of God which seeks to enter. So inhospitality to the disciples is a rejection of the word of God. On the other hand, I have also been hearing stories, including in our parish of parishioners who have been very sensitive to their own neighbours who are not British. Some had been actively taking cooked food to them to let them know and feel that they are welcomed to be here. I wish to encourage these small but powerful gestures. Whatever has happened now on the political sphere, we need to pull together and as Christians we need to show hospitality by example. “Do unto others what you would like to be done unto you”. Instead of closing our hearts and minds and living in a very small world of our own, let us be open and welcome others. As we have heard in today’s gospel, hospitality is rewarded and blessed by our God.
“Drop-In” – Evening Surgery
The next Surgery will take place on Tuesday 5th July, 5.00-7.00pm. Please call at 281a Crescent Drive – no appointments necessary.
After Mass on Sunday
Please do come in to the Community Centre after both the 9.15am and 11.00am on Sunday for a coffee. All are invited.
Second Collections
Next weekend the second collection will be for the Maintenance Fund.
Summer Prize Draw – all Cash Prizes: 1st - £500, 2nd - £250 & 3rd £100
Please support this draw which will take place on Sunday 17th July. Tickets are being sold after each Mass at the back of the church. Please ensure that all completed ticket stubs and monies are handed in to the Events Team after Mass or to the Parish Office.
Baptism Preparation Classes
Will take place this Monday 4th July for those parents that have been invited.
Parish Group Activities
Traidcraft Stall This Weekend
Stock up on your favourite items, next stall not until September. In addition to aiding poor producers all profit from the stall will go to our Parish Overseas Charity.
Discussion Group
The next discussion sessions will take place on this Tuesday, 5th July at 8.00pm in the Community Centre. The passage we will be discussing is Mark 1: 40-45. Everyone is very welcome.
Sharing our Faith
If you are a catechist, would like to find out more about being a catechist or just want to know a little more about sharing your faith please join us on Saturday July 9th, 10.00am-2.30pm in St James' Community Centre. Mary Crosby from St Joseph's will be spending the morning with us, giving us some ideas about how we might share our faith. After lunch we will discuss how we can develop opportunities to share our faith within the Parish.
You will have the opportunity to discuss your thoughts and ideas, but there will be no pressure on you to join any groups or become a catechist if you do not wish to. Coffee and tea will be available, but please bring a packed lunch. If you would like to join us please email the Parish Office so that we have an idea of numbers. If you would like any more information about the day please contact Sue David (sue.david@stjamespettswood.org)
Parish Social Evening
The next Social Evening will take place this coming Saturday 9th July after Mass in the Community Centre.
Clergy Support Fund Campaign
If you have received an invitation to attend the presentations and have not yet responded would you please do so soon. Thank you.
1950s Vintage Tea Party & Fun Run on Sunday 17th July
As these two events are now combined, we have decided to reduce the cost of entrance to the garden party to £1. Food will now be available to buy separately throughout the afternoon instead of being included in a higher-priced ticket. If you have already purchased a ticket for the Vintage Tea Party, please bring your ticket along to the back of the church where one of the event organisers will refund you, or alternatively this can be done on the gate on the day. The Tea Party will start at 3.00pm in the parish garden.
Registration for the Fun Run will start at 2.00pm at the entrance to Jubilee Park next to St James’ Primary School. The race will start promptly at 2.30pm finishing in the parish garden for hot dogs, cakes and drinks (the bar will be open too!).
Do join us in the garden to celebrate St James’ Day with music, the summer prize draw and fun run prizes. Entrance will be £1 – buy your tickets after Mass or on the day at the door.
Youth of the Parish
Youth Café
This coming Thursday 7th July the Community Centre will be open from 6.30pm for all youth aged 14+ to come along for a coffee, cake and chat.
Hotdogs!!
The next youth social evening will take place this coming Saturday 9th July after Mass in the Community centre. Come along for a chat with your your friends. There will be a tuck shop available, games, bingo and a hotdog or two!
Youth Retreat 30th September-2nd October 2016 – few remaining spaces!
The Parish Youth Team are organising a retreat on the above dates at St Vincent’s Centre Whitstable. All young adults that have been confirmed are invited to attend this retreat. The cost will be £75.00.
If you could confirm your interest to the Parish Office via telephone 01689 827100 or email parish.office@stjamespettswood.org.
The youth of the Parish are encouraged to join the St James’ Catholic Youth Ministry – CYM Facebook page to find out all the up to date news on events that are happening within our church.
Foodbank Request
We are having a food bank collection on the 9th/10th July. This is an important collection as during the school holidays children have no access to school dinners or breakfast clubs. This places an extra strain on families who are already finding it difficult to make ends meet. Our local food bank has a list of things that they are "low" on but are very appreciative of all donations. This list includes: tinned tomatoes, hot meats, stewing steak etc., shower gel, coffee, washing powder, sweets and biscuits. If you are able to donate your contribution in a 'bag for life' that would also be enormously helpful. Thank you again for your generous support. Justice and Peace Group
Leftover dishes/Tupperware
If you have used the facilities in the Community Centre recently and left your own dishes/utensils there, could you please collect them as soon as possible.
Running for the Manna Centre
Sponsor now to raise funds for a wonderful homeless charity
I (Martin Smith) have never been a runner, nor had the slightest thought of running 10k ever crossed my mind. However, I have been inspired to put my name forwards to run the British 10k on 10th July for the Manna Centre as I really wish to help raise funds for their fantastic work for the homeless and those in need. The Manna Centre's Spring newsletter request amazingly stirred me into action and after a few concerned queries from others I have now seriously taken up training and hope to complete the run. Your sponsorship will make a real difference to the Manna Centre's support for the homeless and will hopefully encourage me to make it all the way round!
Thank you in advance of your sponsorship. Donations can be made via: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/RunningManna. You can also text MANA90 £10 to 70070, which will donate direct to the justgiving RunningManna fundraising page.
Thanks to J&P group who will also be helping collect sponsorship via a Manna Centre sponsorship form at the back of church after Mass in coming weeks.
Our parish has keenly supported the Manna Centre over the years and this is another great opportunity to show our support for their work.