Hope is one of the great themes of Advent. What are you hoping for?
The people of the Bible hoped for a better world and in today’s gospel reading we see some of that happening – the blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear – and all this is Good News.
Human progress is important. The Kingdom of God was inaugurated by Jesus and its extension continues until today.
We cannot simply equate progress with God’s Kingdom but we must be thankful for the wonderful advances in medicine and technology which enhance our lives. However there is always a down side and we must never let scientific discovery master us - rather the reverse.
Many millions in God’s world do not enjoy a decent standard of living or have much education. My nephew Paul Elliston with his wife Rachel (known to our Justice and Peace (J&P) Group), is working in Peru for the Peru Children’s Trust in one of the most deprived areas of the Peruvian Andes.
Next Sunday after Mass we will have Peruvian articles from Paul’s village for sale to raise money for this Trust and I hope you might find a few late Christmas presents!
Paul emailed me this week “the poverty rate is 53% and many children cannot go to school because their parents cannot afford to buy uniforms and books etc. Any money raised from your stall will be used to bolster work with families, providing finances to run small scale projects designed to improve living standards and a family’s capacity to generate their own income”.
You have been so generous recently but I do hope you might support this “one-off” effort. Paul and Rachel hope to visit J&P again when they are in England.
“The Lord keeps faith forever, he is just to those who are oppressed; it is the Lord who loves the just but thwarts the path of the wicked.” (Today’s Resp. Psalm)
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Mass attendances last Sunday were 563. |
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Sunday 12/12/10
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3rd Sunday of Advent (A)
We welcome through Holy Baptism (Sat 2pm and 4.30pm) Rory Patrick Evans (5mths) his parents Katie and Peter and godparents Brian, Richard and Clare; Eireann Ailis Markey, her parents Joanna and Bernard and godparents Sinead and Nicholas.
6pm- Mervyn Cardoza RIP (Cecily & Christine Cardoza) 10am- People of the Parish 11.30am – Martin Browne RIP (Annie Cane)
Second collection for U Touch Africa
7pm Taize Service (Advent theme)
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Monday 13/12/10 |
St Lucy 9.30am – Stella Alhadeff RIP (G & B Ford)
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Tuesday 14/12/10
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St John of the Cross 9.30am- The Sick of the Parish Benediction and confessions after morning Mass
7.15pm –Bill Morley ( the Howell family) Confessions 6.45pm
No Evangelium (next: Jan 4th 8pm)
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Wednesday 15/12/10 |
Feria – 9.30am – (St James School at Mass in church) – The Princess Royal University Hospital
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Thursday 16/12/10 |
Feria 9.30am – Children & Young People of Our Parish
Choir practice (final) – 7.45pm-9.15pm
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Friday 17/12/10 |
Feria
9.30am – Holy Souls
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Sunday 19/12/ 10 |
4th Sunday of Advent (A) 6pm- Josephine & Seamus McMorrow 10am- Frances Raymond RIP (P Lundy & family) ( making Christingles in Social Centre – also sale of Peruvian articles) 11.30am – People of the Parish
Christingle Service at 5pm (refreshments at 5.45pm); and Now Thrice Welcome Christmas at 6.30pm (foll. by mince pies & mulled wine.).
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Monday 20th December - Carol Singing (meet in church 7pm) Please sign lists in porch- we must know numbers!
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Tuesday 21st December-8pm - decorating the church for Christmas - please help if poss.
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Christmas rotas – if you are a minister, reader, welcomer etc, please fill in the Christmas Masses today as we must cover them all – thank you!
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Bright God of Advent, blaze in our darkness, incinerate our iniquity, light up our road.
Riddle the ashes of our desires. Rekindle in us your justice and love. ............Ruth Burgess |
See the parish calendar for main events. Fr Bryan