Today we celebrate the Baptism of
Jesus. It is
significant that this comes at the start of a new year because baptism itself
is the start of our Christian journey. We remind ourselves of our
baptism each time we cross ourselves with holy water at the entrance to the
church.
For Jesus it marked the start of his public
ministry.
For us, baptism is the first sacrament of
initiation into the church, and is completed by confirmation. Although Jesus is
God’s beloved Son, we too are the beloved children of God. And just as Jesus had to live out his
baptismal commitment, so also do we. And it can be a struggle!
For immediately after his baptism Jesus goes into the desert to face
the demons, through prayer and fasting. And so must we (and not just in Lent).
Regular self-examination, daily prayer and scripture reading,
and weekly prayerful
attendance at Sunday Mass, offering our gifts to build up the church, a spirit
of charity, working for justice....
All these things will help us to overcome the power
of evil and will further God’s kingdom on earth. And that’s what it’s all about. Any
takers?
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Mass
attendances last Sunday were 541. |
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Sunday 9/1/11 |
The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus
Christ 6.00pm – Margaret Callaghan RIP (the
Callaghan family) 9.15am – Winifred Malone RIP (the Malone family) 11.00am – People of the Parish Petts Wood Festival Chorus – today-here in church 3pm-5pm.1st
rehearsal of Mozart’s Requiem. ALL warmly welcome. There will be a retiring collection today
for Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC). |
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Monday 10/1/11 |
Feria 9.30am – Kenneth Jackson RIP (the Pastoral and Advisory team meeting – presbytery 7.30pm |
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Tuesday 11/1/11 |
Feria 9.30am- John & Teresa Lynch RIP (the Benediction and confessions after
morning Mass 7.15pm Marie & Bill Morley
(Madeleine Howell) Confessions 6.45pm 8pm – Evangelium- starts again tonight in the presbytery (281A Crescent Drive) |
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Wednesday 12/1/11 |
Feria 9.30am –The Canning family (Madeleine
Howell) |
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Thursday 13/1/11 |
Feria 9.30am –Deceased members of the Kelly
families (Margaret Kelly) |
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Friday 14/1/11 |
Feria 9.30am – Cornelius O’Shea RIP (Eileen
Gibson) |
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Sunday 16/1/11 |
2nd Sunday in Ordinary
time (A) 6pm – Private Intention (Ellen
Cushman) 9.15am- People of the Parish 11am – Paul Searle RIP (Sarah Boot- Handford) Today (after Sunday Masses): sale of genuine Peruvian articles supporting Paul Elliston’s work with
the very poor. 3-5pm - rehearsal - Petts Wood
Festival Chorus. |
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Meeting, for parents
applying for Catholic schools 2012, Monday January 24th 7.30pm. It is
essential that each child is
represented by a parent. |
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To all
Readers who were unable
to attend the
training day September. The alternative Readers' Training Day will be
Saturday 12th February – 10am-12.30. Please put this in diaries. |
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Please
remember the sick in your prayers: Bill Morley, Gerald Colman,
Gloria Calnan, Joshua Canning (11 yrs.), Florence Angel and Bishop Michael
Evans ( Please
pray for the souls of Moya Riley, Olive Cosgrave and Fr Thomas Hennessey (of the
Salvatorian Fathers) who died last
week. May they rest in peace - our prayers and sympathy to the families. Ministry
to the sick – please let me know as soon as possible
if you are ill (and especially if you are in hospital) so that a visit
can be arranged. I am always pleased
to visit but I must know! |
Turn Us Around
Turn us
around, God-
around into
your way of thinking,
around into
your way of loving.
Turn us
around, God,
and
confront us with Jesus.
Baptise our
fears with your joy.
...........A poem by Ruth
Burgess
Every blessing...... Fr Bryan