Fr David and Fr Barry would like to thank everyone for all your Christmas cards, notes and gifts and for your Christmas offerings.  New Year offerings were £1,406.  Mass attendances were 568.

Sunday 8^th January	The Epiphany of the Lord
6pm (Saturday Vigil)	Elisabeth Pottier RIP (M. McArthur)
9.15am	People of the Parish
11am	Cathleen Benson RIP (Benson family)
Monday 9^th January	The Baptism of the Lord
9.30am	Desmond Ryan RIP (CWL)
Tuesday 10^th January	Feria
9.30am	Anthony Olivelle RIP (M. Olivelle)
Wednesday 11^th January	Feria (St James’ Whole School Mass in Church)
9.30am	Ivy Nelligan RIP (Nelligan Family)
Thursday 12^th January	Feria
9.30am	Alice & Doris Turner RIP
Friday 13^th January	Feria
9.30am	Laurence Beesley RIP (V. Gibson)

Sunday 15^th January	Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
6pm (Saturday Vigil)	Frank Donelan RIP(Donelan Family)
9.15am	People of the Parish
11am	Freda Malone RIP (Malone Family)
Monday 16^th January	Feria
9.30am 7.00pm	Trevor & Moira Lyons RIP (The Lyons Family) Funeral Mass for  Carmela Battista RIP
Tuesday 17^th January	St Anthony, Abbot
9.30am	Edward & Margaret Cushman RIP (E. Cushman)
Wednesday 18^th January	Feria
9.30am	Rob Feeney RIP (Howell Family)
Thursday 19^th January	Feria
9.30am	Joan Hansord (The Hansord Family)
Friday 20^th January	Feria
9.30am	Alice & Doris Turner RIP
Sunday 22nd January	Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
6pm (Saturday Vigil)	Terence Quinlan RIP
9.15am	People of the Parish
11am	Margaret Walsh RIP

Confessions heard Saturday 5.00-5.45pm or by appointment.

Morning Prayer: Takes place Monday – Friday at 9.10am.  All are welcome to attend.

Pondering the Word (Lectio Divina)

A quiet reflective look at the following Sunday’s Gospel.  Mondays 11am - 12 noon, except for Bank Holidays, here in the Church.  All welcome.

Holy Baptism

Next weekend we welcome Mark Lawrence Amor and his parents Ross and Caron.

Second Collections

There will be a second collection this weekend (7^th/8^th January) in aid of the “Society for the Protection of Unborn Children” (SPUC) and next weekend (14^th/15^th January) for the Maintenance Fund.

Fr David writes…

On New Year’s Day last Sunday, I had the privilege to watch one of the most awaited movies this year – Silence.  It’s the story of two Portuguese Jesuits priests who in the seventeenth century set out on a journey in Japan to search for their Mentor.  This movie is considered to be a passion project of the great director Martin Scorsese.  It has been in development since 1990, two years after the release of Scorsese’s controversial movie, also with religious themes, The Last Temptation of Christ.

When asked why he retained interest in the project for over 20 years, Martin stated.  “As you get older, ideas go and come.  Questions, answers, loss of the answer again and more questions, and this is what really interests me.  Yes the cinema and people in my life and my family are most important, but ultimately as you get older, there’s got to be more.  Much much more.  The very nature of secularism right now is really fascinating to me, but at the same time do you wipe away what could be more enriching in your life, which is an appreciation or some sort of search for that which is spiritual and transcends?  Silence is just something that I am drawn to in that way.  It’s been an obsession, it has to be done…it’s a strong, wonderful true story, a thriller in a way but it deals with these questions”.

The search which is portrayed in the movie is multi-layered.  It does not provide straight forward answers to our existential and spiritual pursuits.  And this is what made this movie very intriguing to me.  These two missionaries set out on this very dangerous search in a Japan where Christianity is being heavily persecuted.  They were both very focussed on their pursuit – the finding of their mentor.  On their way they come across several Christian communities in hiding.  The Jesuit priests become a channel of God’s faithfulness in their struggles.  They bring God’s presence to them in hiding, sacramentally through the Eucharist and sacrament of Reconciliation.  But the journey was not only about the Christians in hiding.  The journey disturbs also the searchers.  They set out on the journey with black and white thinking on theological concepts.  Yet the journey in itself transforms them by first disarming their convictions and sets them on the journey of doubt.  They experience the Silence of God in the midst of suffering and pain.  The witnessing of the suffering of faith filled people and their own personal physical, emotional and psychological pain leads them to experience their nothingness and the abandonment of God.  At the same time it gives them permission to question God and the Catholic Church in ways that they had never dared before.  Through the obvious identifications with the passion of Jesus, the main missionary in a particular way, experiences his raw humanity, moments of consolation in his ministry as nourishment to the people on the way, however he also experiences betrayal and ultimately torture and judgement.

The journey without trying to give anything away from the movie, does lead them to their destination.  The missionary does find what he was searching for but even the object of his destination was also the object of challenge, disturbance and transformation.  He ended up devoid of all judgement and condemnation, looking at himself, his mentor, his church, his faith and ultimately God in a different way.  For me, the story line of the movie is a metaphor for me of what happens when we are truly engaged together with God to search for the Truth.  It comes in ways that you do not expect.  It also disarms one’s convictions and assumptions and leads you to more questioning rather than answers.  In a way it has helped me to envision the feast of the Epiphany in a different way this year.  The three kings coming from a faraway countries, searching for what was going to give them existential and spiritual meaning, also set out being a dangerous journey in foreign terrain.  They also meet with difficulties and deceit especially in the Herod character.  It seems that our spiritual journeys need to entail – betrayal.  Once they arrive to their destination, they found something which must have thrown them completely – a poor dependent and vulnerable child.  They also must have re-questioned their own theological concepts and meaning and existence.  They also left the child, transformed by what they had experienced.  They were not the same men as they had started out the journey.  Every spiritual journey transforms us, changes us, disturbs us and challenges us.  Have we allowed ourselves to set out on this journey yet?  What is our heart searching for?  Do we still see life and faith as black and white?  Let’s allow the Child today to help us question our perceptions on life and faith.  Happy Feast for all the pilgrims and searchers amongst us.  And by the way, I hope that I have wetted your appetite to take the opportunity to watch – Silence.

“Drop-In” – Evening Surgery

The next Drop-in Surgery will take place on Tuesday 17th January 5pm – 7pm.  Please call at 281a Crescent Drive.  No appointments necessary.

Evangelisation Pillar

RCIA – Journey in Faith at St James’ (the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) will meet on Tuesday 10^th January 8 – 9.30pm in the Community Centre.

First Holy Communion 2017

If you would like your child to take part in our parish programme for First Holy Communion, please send an email to the Parish Office with all relevant details, child’s name, date of birth, school, names of parents, address and contact details.  Candidates must be in Year 3 or above.  All preparation classes are held on Saturdays from 4.30 to 5.45 and will run from January to June.  Dates for First Holy Communion are 10^th and 17^th June 2017.

‘Care for Our Common Home’ event

On Saturday 11th February we will have the opportunity to find out about Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’.  We are delighted that Susy Brouard of the CAFOD Theology team is coming to give us an overview of what the Holy Father tells the world about caring for our planet.  This invitation is to parishioners of all ages.  We will run a crèche if there is sufficient demand.  The event will start at 2pm and finish in good time for 6pm Mass.  So shake off thoughts of a dreary February Saturday afternoon and hear the Catholic Church's teaching about preserving the planet for future generations – and making contemporary life less stressed!  Please take a flyer as you leave today and sign up to this free event.  You can also register by emailing laudato.si@stjamespettswood.org.

Young Church Pillar

Are you a young person aged between 9-18yrs?   

‘Faith in Action’ is a new, national, catholic award scheme from CYMFED which challenges young people of faith to make a difference in the world.  There are four levels of the award - Pin, Bronze, Silver, Gold and each one recognises the good work young people already do in the Church, whilst encouraging them to become involved in a wide range of activities and projects which positively contribute to their parish, school or community.  The Faith in Action award scheme will run each year, from January to November, finishing with an awards ceremony to celebrate the work of those who complete each stage.  There will be frequent opportunities for young people to spiritually reflect on their chosen activity in the light of the Gospel message, to seek meaningful ways to develop their own unique gifts and talents and to embrace the challenge to become disciples of the modern world.  All young people in Bromley Deanery aged 9-18 years are invited to take part in the Faith in Action Award Scheme, which will be launched on 28^th January 2016 at 11am at St Joseph’s Church, Plaistow Lane, Bromley.  So, if you are a young person who already reads at Mass, sings or plays an instrument in the choir, altar serves, helps or volunteers in your school or community in any way, then come along to register – you may already qualify for one of the awards!  Alternatively, you may want to become involved but are not sure how to begin – come along to meet the team and learn more about the range of exciting opportunities open to you.  For more information please see our website:

http://www.bromleydeanery.org/faith-in-action-award-scheme-2017/

or email susan.longhurst@bromleydeanery.org.

CYM Flame 3 – March 11th

We are hoping to take a larger group of young people to Flame 3 at Wembley Arena in the coming year and are currently liaising with St Edmund’s Church in Beckenham to organise one or two coaches.  There are some tickets available at the reduced price of £18 rather than £22, for a limited time.  It would be extremely helpful to know if young people from St James’ would like to go by Friday 13^th January 2017 (or sooner if possible) as this will enable tickets to be reserved at the reduced price and the travel arrangements to be finalised.  S. Longhurst / S. Horner

Liturgy Pillar

Eucharist Adoration

takes place for an hour each Wednesday shortly after the morning Mass starting at 10.45 am and finishing at 11.45 am.  This Devotion to the Eucharist is a time of silent prayer and quiet music.  Everyone is welcome for all or part of this time of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.

First Friday of Month - Eucharist Adoration also takes place on the 1^st Friday of each month from 7.30 pm – 9pm and concludes with Benediction.  Everyone is welcome for all or part of this time of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.

Eucharistic Ministers and Readers

We are looking for some additional people to become Readers and Eucharistic Ministers at the Sunday morning 9.15 Mass.  Training will be provided.

Children’s Liturgy

If your child is 3 years old or above, they are welcome to join us for Liturgy sessions at the 9.15am Sunday Mass each week.

Calling Children to Read and Sing at Mass

We are inviting children who have made their First Holy Communion and those who are older to become readers/singers at the 9.15am Mass on Sunday mornings.  We are hoping to start a Children’s Mass once a month at 9.15 am when the children do the Readings but also the singing and serving.  Please let the Parish Office know if you are interested.

Communications Pillar

Launch of Parish Facebook Page

We are launching a new Facebook page for the Parish, on which we intend to post a mixture of Spiritual and Informative items.  If you would like to receive these updates from the Parish on Facebook you can find the page by searching Facebook for ‘St James’ the Great RC Church Petts Wood’ and click on ‘Like’. 

Parish Overseas Project

Fr Alex the Parish Priest of St Helen's parish in Arequipa, Peru has sent us a Christmas and New Year message.  A link for this can be found on the St James’ website home page and there are also copies on the table in the lobby at the back of the Church.  Fr Alex has also sent us more photographs of his parish and some of these are being put on the notice board in the lobby which contains information on the work in St Helen's parish.

Parish diary now online

There is now an online diary mapping out parish events for 2017.  It can be accessed at www.stjamespettswood.org/diary.html or go to the parish website and use the main menu item "Parish diary".  Please check that information is correct and report back, via the parish office, any problems.  Bookings will continue to be made through the parish office but hopefully people will be able to check when there are available slots for meetings, social events etc.  PPC

The Monday Club

Restarts on 9^th January 1.30-4.30pm in the Community Centre.  Please come and join us –it’s fun!

Parent & Toddler Group

A Parent & Toddler Group meets every Friday during term time in the Community Centre from 1.30 – 3pm.  Parents with babies from 0 up to age 5 are welcome to attend.  Do come along and enjoy the companionship and the fun.  Refreshments provided.

DAD & Me – 21^st January

The next meeting of Dad & Me will be held at the Community Centre on Saturday 21^st January at 10 am – 11.30 am.

Christmas Decorations

We are going to take down the Christmas decorations on Saturday 14^th January at 10.30am? If you have an hour to spare please can you come and help? Thank You.

Parking

would all parishioners attending Mass please ensure the disabled parking spaces are left available for those with blue badges or those who have mobility difficulties.  Many thanks!

Reminder for Parents

Food & Drink should not be brought into the church for consumption during Mass.  Thank you for your co-operation

Rotas – thank you for helping.

15^th January
Mass	Saturday 6pm (Vigil)	Sunday 9.15am	Sunday 11am
Welcomers	Katarzyna Kirby	Linda Samuels John Samuels	Sheila Barradell Peter Benson
Readers	Lisa Rusmini Andrew Prifti	Cheryl D'Souza Chris Hairs	Peter Dabrowski Riza Rowan
Ministers of Holy Communion	Peter Crosland Jan Bajorek Helen Rothon Monica Cahill Chris Cahill	Madeleine Howell Sofia Cotta Doreen Hairs Bruno Cotta Will David	Angela Evans Phil May Sue Ingle Rosa Del Guercio Zosia Bajorek
Coffee		Emilia Aletta Sandra Dixon	Teresa Troy Jackie Cosgrave Barbara Bridle
Bar	Owen Clutton Austin Barradell Michael Horner
Tellers	Austin Barradell, Sheila Barradell

Saturday 14th January
Cleaning the Church	Susan Lams, Linda Monsah, Dominika Generowicz, Kathryn Salter

22^nd January
Mass	Saturday 6pm (Vigil)	Sunday 9.15am	Sunday 11am
Welcomers	Kevin Moon	Jon-Paul Samuels Lisa Foster	Sue Ingle Jack Ingle
Readers	Danielle Woolston Jan Bajorek	Children's Mass	Zosia Bajorek Rosa Del Guercio
Ministers of Holy Communion	Gladis Foster Clare Wakefield Simon Poulton Cheryl Cosgrave Phil Cosgrave	Brigid D'Arcy Teresa Forde Martin Smith Madeleine Howell Sofia Cotta	Teresa Troy Barbara Bridle Angela Bunnage Pat Murray Vicky Terry
Coffee		Denise Delf Felicity Curran	M Harrington Suzy Paris R Scott
Bar	N Long Brian Meehan
Tellers	Lorna Lynch Mary Ardron

Saturday 21^st January
Cleaning the Church	Owen Clutton, Maureen Mathews, Rocio Blanco, Rachel Mwansa