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Thank you for your offerings over the last two weeks of £1325.55 (29/5) and £1269.20 (5/6) and £602.24 for the 4 in 1 collection. Mass attendances were 594 (29/5) and 566 (5/6).
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Sunday 12/6/16 |
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
6.00pm Darrell D’Silva RIP – 1st Anniversary (N & J D’Silva)
9.15am People of the Parish
11.00am Christopher Keane RIP (H & J Forde)
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Monday 13/6/16
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St Anthony of Padua
9.30am Ann & Peter Ruggiro
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Tuesday 14/6/16 |
Feria
9.30am Sr. Augustine Day (Sr Ursula)
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Wednesday 15/6/16 |
Feria
9.30am Colin Richard Smart RIP (E Daly)
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Thursday 16/6/16 |
Feria/St Richard of Chichester
9.30am Pat Smith RIP (A & S Barradell)
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Friday 17/6/16 |
Feria
10.00am Requiem for Alice Barradell (please note change of time)
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Saturday 18/6/16 |
Vigil Mass
6.00pm Helen Geoghegan RIP (M Thompson)
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Sunday 19/6/16 |
Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time
9.15am People of the Parish
11.00am John Dingli RIP, Ronald John Dingli RIP, Ronald Alexander Dingli RIP (Dingli/Vass Family)
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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…
When I was ministering in Australia, I had friends who used to enjoy organising dinners. Their dinners were somewhat different though as they revelled in inviting people they knew from all walks of life, beliefs, ages and education. They were always intriguing. I remember as we started gathering, the extroverts would immediately start talking, leaving us, the rest feeling a bit awkward at first. However, once we used to gather around the big round table, and after being served some red and white wines, starting to loosen up, stories would start to be narrated. And in no time at all from total strangers we used to start to become more visible to one another. It always intrigued them that they had a priest in their midst. Not always in a good way! I used to feel that for some I became a target of their curiosity or else the scapegoat of all their pre conceived prejudices against the church and priesthood. For some, in disclosing what I did in life, gave them the permission to judge me according to what their previous experiences of the church had been or what they had read on newspapers and seen on TV. The fact that Australia at the time had been shaken by clerical sexual abuse didn’t help either. Unfortunately, I did not feel that I was seen by them as an individual. The ones that liked priests neither did see me. They just saw their own assumption of who I was. So for most of the times, after my disclosure of what I did, I became the role. Whereas before the disclosure, they could see something of “David”. My role hindered me to enter into authentic encounter with some of them. I was forbidden to be me. I was judged and perceived through the lenses of the role and not on the pretext of being an individual.
I am not sharing this story to be pitied. Unfortunately as human beings we do this all the time to one another. We miss out on a lot of enriching conversations and experiences because we just connect with roles and preconceived ideas of who others are. We judge each other according to their education, according to what we wear – the image that we project in the public domain. We judge each other by the colour of our skin and we stereotype each other according to the culture and accent that we speak. Once we do that – we decline to see each other as individuals. We need time to really get to know one another beyond our prejudices and mental gymnastics that happen each time we do meet someone new.
In today’s gospel Jesus is a guest in the house of Simon the Pharisee. The first thing Jesus does is to take his place at table – the three marks of hospitality are missing though – the kiss of greeting which was normal courtesy between the host and the guest, the anointing of the head with oil and finally when guests entered a house they would leave their sandals at the door, and their feet would be washed as an act of service. These though are supplied by an uninvited guest, a woman whose reputation is well known – she is probably a prostitute. She comes prepared to minister hospitality to Jesus and she lavishes on him the fullness of her care. Her tears wash his feet which she dries with her hair; she covers his feet with kisses; she anoints them with ointment. In all this she does not say a single word. Her language is in her body as she demonstrates her love for Jesus. Simon the Pharisee looks at this extravaganza and is shocked. He judges her immediately. Jesus confronts him with the true question “Simon do you see this woman?” – that is the problem. Simon does not see the woman – he just sees that she is a prostitute. True the woman does have a bad name – but is that all she is? In dining at Simon’s house, Jesus confronts his host with the question of how he sees and judges people. That question is addressed to us too. Do we see other people in such a way that encloses them in their wrong doing? Or do we see others as Jesus does – in such a way that allows them a future? Forgiveness and mercy promotes change in people, it funds them for a new future. This weekend we are also celebrating the First Holy Communion of our first group of young parishioners. Let us keep them and their families in our prayers on their special day. Have a good week.
“Drop-In” – Evening Surgery
The next Surgery will take place on Tuesday 14th June, 5.00-8.00pm. 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
This weekend of there will be second collection for the Catholic Trust in England & Wales.
1st Holy Communion
This weekend the following children will be receiving their First Holy Communion. Please keep them and their families in your prayers.
Elizabeth Boyce
Freddie Bridle
Connie Caple
Niamh Clifford
Emily Curran
Isabella Deer
Giselle Diniz
Mmesomachim Edi
Madeleine Gordon
Ciaran Gribben
Aimee Lynch
Lucy McGovern
James Merriman
Frida Proud
Alan Rayan
Emily Teare
Julia Torpy
Olivia Turowska
Tommaso Wallace
Thomas Woods
Parish Group Activities
Parish Annual General Meeting
Will take place on Tuesday 21st June at 8.00pm in the Community Centre. If you have any items that you would like discussed, please contact the Parish Office.
Newcomers event, Saturday 25th June, 3.30 - 5.30pm
The Parish would like to invite any new parishioners who have joined our Parish Community over the last few years to a social event on Saturday 25th June between 3.30 and 5.30pm. This will be an opportunity to meet various members of the Community, including Father David and some parish groups, in a relaxed manner. There will be music and light refreshments for everyone to enjoy. This is open to all the family, so please feel free to come along.
Please register your interest by either completing your details on the form at the back of the church or email belinda.guyton@stjamespettswood.org by Sunday 19th June.
Parish Fun Run
will take place this weekend after the 11.00am Mass. Good luck to all those taking part.
The next Social Evening will take place on Saturday 18th June in the Community Centre after the 6pm Mass. Please do come along for a drink or two. All are welcome!
Discussion Group
The next discussion sessions will take place on 5th July at 8.00pm in the Community Centre.
Youth Ministry
The next meeting will take place on 29th June at 7.30pm in the Community Centre. All young people who have been confirmed are welcome to attend.
The Passage
Please support the excellent work which The Passage does for homeless people in Central London, by attending The Passage annual Garden Party in the beautiful and historic College Garden, Westminster Abbey on Friday 15 July, from 6.00 pm to 8.30 pm. Tickets at £35 each, include wine, soft drinks, buffet supper, prize raffle, and live music.
Tickets are available from The Passage, St Vincent’s Centre, Carlisle Place, London SW1P 1NL. Tel: 020 75921856. Email: tickets@passage.org.uk. See also www.passage.org.uk It will not be possible to purchase tickets at the Abbey. All proceeds in aid of The Passage.”
Special Foodbank appeal
Father’s Day can be a difficult time for men facing crisis, especially dads who are unable to provide food for their families or afford the basic toiletry products many of us take for granted. the Bromley Foodbank has emailed us to say:
If you aren’t able to afford food, you won’t be able to afford basics like razors and shaving cream, which can make such a difference to how you’re feeling, before a job interview for example. This Father’s Day we will be doing all we can to continue bringing hope and help to both dads and mums who are struggling to put food on the table. By donating men’s toiletries you’ll be showing support for a man during one of the most difficult points of his life. Thank you
Please leave your donations in or on the box at the back of church. The J&P group will deliver them to the Foodbank in good time for Father’s Day.
Red Mission Boxes
Please bring in your Red Mission Boxes if they haven’t been emptied for a year or more. Please leave them in the Repository after Weekend Masses and ensure all boxes are labelled with your name and address. Thank You.