|
Thank you for your offerings last week of £1514.85 and £507.06 for World Communication Day. Mass attendances were 826.
|
|
|
Sunday 15/5/16 |
Pentecost Sunday
6.00pm People of the Parish
9.15am Peggie & Mai Linehan
11.00am Confirmation Candidates
|
|
Monday 16/5/16
|
St Simon Stock
9.30am Edith Mary George RIP (George Family)
|
|
Tuesday 17/5/16 |
Feria
9.30am Seamus & Josephine McMorrow
|
|
Wednesday 18/5/16 |
Feria/St John I, Pope
9.30am Dolores & John Ash (Whole School Mass with St James’ School here in church)
|
|
Thursday 19/5/16 |
Feria/St Dunstan, Bishop
11.00am Requiem for Alice Sullivan (please note change of time)
|
|
Friday 20/5/16 |
Feria/St Bernardine of Sienna
9.30am Micheál Logan (Wharton Family)
|
|
Saturday 21/5/16 |
Vigil Mass
6.00pm Margaret Thompson (K Woolston)
|
|
Sunday 22/5/16 |
The Most Holy Trinity
9.15am Gloria Calnan RIP (Guyton & Calnan Family)
11.00am Anna Vassallo RIP (V Terry)
|
|
Confessions heard Saturday 5.00pm-5.45pm or by appointment. |
|
|
Morning Prayers - 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 11-12 noon here in the church. All welcome.
Fr David Writes…
Feeling stuck is not a good place to be. We all yearn for a life where it is always possible to dream of a better future. Where life flows smoothly – where the sun always shines, where our plans and ambitions are always realised. Where are relationships are life giving. We all love to wake up in the morning and say – it’s so good to be alive! So when for one reason or another we feel that life somehow has let us down. When we feel that life is cruel. We start to feel disillusioned about life and others. When life starts lacking passion, meaning and direction. When the well of our soul dries up – then we start to feel cynical and resentful and sometimes even lock ourselves in both literally and metaphorically. Something in us dies. Something in us desires to be lifted up and be set on fire again.
A group of dispirited followers of Jesus had gathered and locked themselves in an upper room. There was fear and suspicion. The room was occupied by a group of followers who were afraid that they would suffer the same fate as their master. So they listened to every step on the stair; they waited for the knock of the executioner; they prayed that no one would discover their hiding place and that the world would leave them alone safe in their sacred enclosure. In contrast there is the powerful image of the Holy Spirit as one who is not shy of boundaries and the barriers that people erect. He is not halted by locked doors or locked hearts. He does not restrict himself to the restrictive areas people tend to settle in. When the Holy Spirit comes, it is not like a spring breeze that whispers unnoticed through a room. It is more like a hurricane that lays flat all the precious protections against its force. And the Spirit takes this group of dispirited people and fires them with a new energy and a new enthusiasm and a new authority. The presence of the Spirit makes the disciples open their lives to others; from being locked up in their own fears – paralysed – they find themselves going outdoors. They go out meeting people where they are at and sharing with them the good news. The good news which they themselves had experienced in their own lives on a personal level first and foremost. They are fired up. From feeling that their life had no meaning or direction any more, they felt that life had just started for them bringing back a different kind of enthusiasm and fire. They speak now the language of all humanity. Others can understand what they are saying because they speak their language of pain and suffering, of death, of resurrection.
We too need the spirit to lift us up especially when we feel so low at times. We too need a new way of being, a new confidence of a new dream regardless of our age, regardless of our history. We all need this good news. This weekend our Confirmandi are going to receive the gift of Confirmation conferred by Bishop Pat Lynch. They too do not know what the future has in store for them. They too might be feeling fearful of their commitment and what this commitment will entail of them. I pray that this day on the feast of Pentecost, they will be able to risk in order to allow the Spirit to work in them and through them. I also wish to pray for their families so that it would be an opportunity for them to thank God for the gift of life and renew them in their love for each other as families. This day will enable our young people to feel more a sense of belonging to our parish and engage more in its mission in the world. Come Holy Spirit! Come and enflame our hearts with your love. Amen.
“Drop-In” – Evening Surgery
The next Surgery will take place on Tuesday 17th May, 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
Will take place this weekend for the Maintenance Fund.
Confirmation 2016
This weekend the following young people will be Confirmed at the 11.00am Mass by Bishop Pat. Please keep them and their families in your prayers.
Abbie Clifford
Anna Crosland
Marcus Day
Lucy David
Hugh Fitzgerald
Emilio Hasa
Rachel Hawes
Jessica Lamb
Benedict Lawrence
Cameron McCracken
Luke Meehan
Sophie Molloy
Ellie Murray-Ireland
Junior Mwansa
Mark Nash
Lucia Paris
Matthew Politz
Victoria Price
Caitlin Prifti
Leo Scott
Tess Wakefield
Ellen Wilson
Daniel Yanez-Cunningham
Our Parish Faith Formation
2016 First Holy Communion Programme
The next session will take place on Saturday 21st May, 4.30pm-5.45pm in the Community Centre. This Session is for both the children and parents.
Parish Group Activities
Plant Sale next weekend
If you have a garden or just a few pots please visit the PLANT SALE after all Masses. It will be held in the yard adjacent to the Community Centre, entrance via hall or gate at far end of main car park. No fixed prices just make a donation please. All proceeds will go to our Parish Overseas Project, St Helen's Parish, Peru (see display board at back of church). Some of our Parish ‘garden experts’ will be available for advice. Help with your purchases will be provided by members of our Junior Youth Group, Scouts & Guides. Donated plants (with an identification label if possible please) and any small items of garden equipment in good condition can be left at Church any time on Sat 21st (near gate, right of entrance to main car park), or bring before any Mass. Enquiries to diana.betts@stjamespettswood.org or joe.falzon@stjamespettswood.org or roger.wright@stjamespettswood.org. Children – you can help the Parish Overseas Project by growing a sunflower. Sow 2 seeds in pots (supervised) to take home (50p). In September we will ask you about your successes (or even disasters!) and any drawings or photos for a display. Thank you. J & P & Garden Team
Launch of the Friends of St James’
This Saturday 14th May from 7.00pm, you are invited to join us for an evening of wine, art and canapés to celebrate the launch of the Friends of St James’. The evening is free and no tickets are necessary. We look forward to meeting you!
Bromley Foodbank
Has asked all supporters to donate the following types of food because stocks have run very low: Milk, Fruit Juice, Sponge Puddings, Squash, Pasta Sauce, Coffee, Cold Meat, Sweets, Deodorants, Washing Powder, Shampoo, cleaning agents and 'bags for life'. Please place your contributions in or on the labelled box near the church entrance. Thank you, J&P Group.
Welcomers Meeting
The next meeting for the Welcomers will be held on Monday 16th May at 8pm in the Community Centre (please note change of date). If you are not a Welcomer, but would like to know more about this important ministry, then please feel free to come along or contact Belinda Guyton at belinda.guyton@stjamespettswood.org
Social Evening
On 21st May the Community Centre will be open after the 6pm Mass, this coincides with the launch of the Youth Café, all are welcome!
CWL Meeting
The next meeting of the Catholic Women’s League will be at 8.00pm on Monday 23rd May and will be held in the Community Centre. Please come along if you would like to learn more about the CWL.
Dad & Me Group
the next meeting will be on Saturday 28th May, 10.00am-11.30am in the Community Centre.
Healing Mass
will take place on Sunday 5th June at 2.30pm, followed by refreshments in the Community Centre.
Parish Fun Run
will take place on Sunday 12th June after the 11.00am Mass. More details to follow.
Discussion Group
Following the successful discussion group session we are planning to run further sessions on 7th June and 5th July at 8pm in the Community Centre. More details to follow.
Clergy Support Fund
Please see the attached note regarding this initiative which is being fronted and supported by Archbishop Peter. More details regarding this will be provided to the Parish over the coming weeks.
Diocesan Event
Pope Francis has appointed Fr Paul Mason as the new Auxiliary Bishop of Southwark. His ordination will take place in St George’s Cathedral on Tuesday 31st May 2016.
Youth Ministry
Youth Group
The next session will be held on Saturday 21st May, 12.00pm – 2.00pm.
Youth Café
Next Saturday 21st May the youth of the parish will be holding their first Youth Café at the Social evening. If you have any bean bags or rugs (in good condition) that you think would be suitable to furnish our Den then please contact the Parish Office.
The Sisters of St Andrew
have moved from Edenbridge to Lewisham - 99 Belmont Hill, Lewisham, SE13 5DY. They are holding an Open Afternoon on Sunday 22nd May between 2.00pm and 5.30pm, and are inviting anyone who is interested to visit the new home, with its chapel and gardens. Sister Marie-Christine of the order was one of the Guides during our recent Week of Accompanied Prayer. Please see the announcement in the porch for further details.