Thank you for your offerings last week of £1,245. Second Collection £925. Mass attendance 785.
Sunday 17^th September (Saturday Vigil)	Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time 6pm Patrick Meehan RIP (Meehan Family)
	9.15am People Of The Parish 11am Terence Quinlan RIP (E Quinlan)
Monday 18^th September	Feria 9.30am Sharon Fernandes RIP (Howell Family)
Tuesday 19^th September	Feria 9.30am Relatives & Friends of James Porter (Foundation)
Wednesday 20^th September	Saint Andrew Kim Tae-gon 9.30am Mary Casartelli
	10.45am Eucharistic Adoration
Thursday 21^st September	Saint Matthew
	9.30am International Day Of Peace (J&P group)
Friday 22^nd September	Feria 9.30am Michael Feeney RIP (M Feeney)
Sunday 24^th September (Saturday Vigil)	Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time 6pm Dennis Ashton RIP (K Griffin)
	9.15am People Of The Parish 11am John Jagger RIP (S Jagger & Family)

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.

Please note that Lectio Divina will be not be held on Monday 2^nd October.

Second Collection

This week’s second collection will be for Home Mission which “provides the bishops with resources to spread the gospel in our own country”.

Fr David writes…

A few years ago, I decided to go on a silent retreat called “The Healing Journey of the Heart”, run by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. The whole focus of the 8 day retreat was that in silent prayer and with the aid of a daily encounter with a spiritual director, I had the opportunity to go through a reflection of my whole life dividing it into different stages and allowing myself to remember especially those difficult moments of life. One of the days was focussed on unforgiveness and the resentfulness which burden us and holds our hearts enslaved. Starting from childhood hurts by family members, teachers, fellow students and friends. It was amazing what kind of memories began to resurface for me of situations which I had buried very deep hidden in my psyche. Some hurts were easy to forgive and move on, whilst others held a certain kind of energy still around them. I was encouraged to hold them for some time and then express them either in the writing of a letter to the person concerned or through painting them in colour. I remember that that was a very difficult day – heavily laden with past memories and wounds. Somehow I realised that even my body was still holding these experiences. I struggled to let go. I struggled to forgive and move on. In the evening, we were invited to attend a reconciliation service in which through listening to scriptural readings and evocative music, we were encouraged in our time, to place our written letters and paintings which we had worked upon during the day, in a little furnace which was placed at the foot of the altar. As I approached the furnace reluctantly and as I saw the letters burn, I experienced a sense of liberation and healing. I felt lighter. Maybe I could not confront those who did hurt me personally because of one reason or another, but I knew that on that day, God had helped me to let go, forgive and move on.

Forgiveness is not easy. It is easier said than done. Once someone hurts us we feel wounded. We feel resentful. We want to revenge. That is natural. On the other hand, holding on to resentfulness and unforgiveness does hinder us to live fully and with more freedom. Some people stop living once they get hurt. They do hold grudges for a long time. They waste so much energy in thinking about the other person that they forget how to live in peace with themselves. They give so much power to the other person that they find themselves thinking and talking of the other all the time. What really helps me in this process of forgiveness is to be aware of my limitations and how much I need forgiveness. What helped me in that retreat, a few years ago now, were my meditations of the moments when God gave me another chance, a new Beginning. Even now, I feel so humbled when I know that I had wronged a person by word or example and yet they find it within themselves the ability to forgive me. To give me another chance. Something in me feels disarmed. Something softens within me. And gratefulness enfolds my soul. There is definitely a connection between unforgiveness and holding resentfulness and our health – mental and physical.

In today’s gospel, Matthew continues to deal with relations between human beings especially focussing on the need for the forgiveness between members of the faith community. Peter asks Jesus how often he should forgive his brother or sister, then he answers himself by suggesting seven times. According to Jesus, this answer is radically insufficient. Just as in the Old Testament, there was no limit to hatred and vengeance, so among Christians there is to be no limit to mercy and forgiveness. The parable of the unforgiving official is told in order to underline the need for forgiveness. The King feels sorry for the servant and decides to remit the whole of his vast debt. The official though learns nothing from his experience for he refuses to give a colleague time to pay a little debt and instead he throws him in prison. When this heartless behaviour is reported to the King, full forgiveness is retracted and the unforgiving official is thrown to the torturers. When we forget our own sins, it leads us to lack compassion to the other. Remembering how our sins have been forgiven by God and neighbour should lead us to forgive others. In this way, in every Mass we start by remembering our own sins and ask God for forgiveness. If we truly experience God’s forgiveness in our life, then we cannot hold grudges and resentfulness in our hearts. Sometimes it takes a long time to forgive and that is ok. Sometimes it is also wise to protect ourselves from people who have hurt us – that is fine too. But for our own happiness and peace of heart, we need to ask God to help us forgive. We need to let go. I would like to pray for those amongst us at the moment who are finding it very hard to forgive someone who has truly hurt them. May God help you to risk letting go in order to live in more personal freedom. May you find people who because of their unconditional love and forgiveness towards you, you might find the ability within yourself to forgive those who have hurt you and have the courage to move on. Thank you for your prayers for me. Much appreciated.

“Drop-In” – Evening Surgeries

There will be no drop-in evening surgeries until further notice. So if you would like to see Fr David, please email him or phone the parish office for an appointment. Thank you.

The Parish Pastoral Council

The next meeting of the Parish Pastoral Council will take place on Wednesday 20^th (not 13^th as previously advertised in the printed version of Briefly) September at 7.30pm in the Community Centre. Parishioners are very welcome to come along for the first half hour of the meeting. Alternatively, you may raise any relevant issue using the PPC mailbox which is ppc@stjamespettswood.org

One Parish Weekend, our Autumn Festival on 30th September

Please plan to come along to our Autumn Festival on 30^th September and please return your raffle tickets (and the money for them!) as soon as possible. If you would like to help in other ways, please:

· donate a bottle for the bottle tombola (there’s a box for this in the church porch).

· sign up to display your national dancing skills, e.g. Irish, Scottish, Indian, Morris Dancing and please provide your own music for this

· sign up to cook or bake a national dish or cake.

We need to know about dancing and hot food contributions by 24^th September at the latest so that we can include you in our planning. So please fill in the forms in the church porch to let us know what you would like to do as soon as possible. Thank you!

The Missionary sisters of St Peter Claver

will be in our Parish to sell their Mission Calendars on the weekend 23^rd /24^th September 2017. Having a Mission Calendar is a way of reminding ourselves all the year round of our duty to sustain the missions by our prayer and sacrifice. Please help the sisters generously

200 Club winners!

£100 No 146 Mrs Patricia Cantopher

£50 No 152 Mrs Eugenie Bryant

£25 No 113 Mrs Jackie Padfield

£25 No 106 Mrs Doreen Tan

Congratulations to our winners. There are still places available for any new parishioners or late comers. Please contact Ken Evans for details.

CWL Meeting

The next meeting of the Catholic Women’s League will be at 8.00 pm on Monday 25th September and will be held in the Community Centre. Please come along if you would like to learn more about the CWL.

One World Week – Sunday 15 October 2017 at 4.00pm in our Community Centre

Mercy Ships – Good neighbours – My World Depends on Us

Our church will be the host for members of the local churches to celebrate One World Week. The guest speakers will be Peter and Sonia Wright from the Mercy Ships charity. The charity has helped transform the lives of more than 2.54 million people in the poorest countries of the world since 1978 on its floating hospital ship. Come and hear about the charity’s work and then meet members of the local churches afterwards for a shared buffet. Please bring a national dish to share at the buffet.

Mass Intentions

You can now view Mass intentions on the website. This should enable people to see available dates. However there are circumstances when a confirmed date has to be changed such as funerals.

For clarity a Mass offering or stipend is given for the Mass. Suggested amounts are between £5 and £20. You may of course offer more or less depending on your circumstances. The money is not a payment for the Mass but your offering for your intention. On a practical level this contributes towards the priest's income as Catholic priests receive no salary.

Steps to booking a Mass intention:

1 Check availability online or with the office.

2 Complete one of the Mass intention envelopes stating all relevant details and include your offering. Please do not just email the office.

3 Put the completed envelope in the box at the back of the church or through the parish office door.

4 Your Mass intention will be found online the following week if it is submitted by Wednesday.

For online checks go to the parish website and select the margin menu item Masses, then click on Intentions. Alternatively use the link www.stjamespettswood.org/masses.html.

Hopefully this will make the system of booking Masses easier for all. The PPC.

Confirmation 2018

Calling all Year Nine and above students who wish to be confirmed next year. There is a “Come and See” meeting on Monday 6^th November at 7.30pm in the Church. This meeting is for candidates and their parents. At the end of the meeting, packs will be distributed ready for enrolment into the programme which starts with a kick off day on Saturday 25^th November. If you intend to come to the meeting on the 6^th, please let the parish office know by phone or email: parish.office@stjamespettswood.org.uk. We look forward to meeting you all. The Catechists

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.

Pastoral Care Pillar

Healing Mass

This will take place on Thursday 28^th September at 6pm, followed by refreshments in the Community Centre. Should you require a lift to and from the Healing Mass please contact the parish office giving your name, telephone number and address. A member of the Pastoral Care Team will then contact you to make the necessary arrangements.

Blessing of Pets – St Francis of Assisi Feast Day

In anticipation of the Feast of St Francis of Assisi on Wednesday 4 October, we are planning to hold a blessing of pets at Church on Sunday 1 October at 3pm. St Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) was the patron saint of ecologists, florists and poets. Please bring along your pets to the Church Garden at 3pm.

Invitation to a day on the Pope's Post Synodal Apostolic Exhortation

"Amoris Laetitia" – The Joy of Love

Saturday 14th October 2017

This event will be held in St James’ Community Centre from 9.30am to 3.00pm. In Pope Francis' Exhortation he tries to address all aspects and challenges of modern family life. The document is an invitation to revisit the sanctity of family based on Christian values with bonds of love, compassion and commitment. Our key speaker for the day will be Sr Helen Costigane SHCJ a lecturer of Pastoral studies at St Mary's University, Twickenham. She will focus particularly on chapter eight of the document giving an overview of its meaning and the function of conscience and discernment. There will also be a time for discussion, questions and answers.

Please bring a shared lunch. Tea and coffee will be provided. All are welcome.

Baby Loss Awareness Week. 9th - 15th October 2017.

Many will know and understand the pain of losing a baby at any stage of pregnancy. National charity lifecharity.org.uk have designated a week to encourage as many people as possible to provide support in prayer for those who have suffered such a loss. Here at St James’ to mark the week a candle will be lit at the altar alongside a dedicated display and from 8.30am to 9.30am before Mass each day, people will be able to come into the church for quiet prayer.

Peace Candle in Our Lady’s Chapel

A quiet space has been set aside in Our Lady’s Chapel and a book is available for anyone who wishes to write a prayer for peace for their own personal intentions.

Communications Pillar

Parish Facebook Page

We have a Facebook page for the Parish and are posting 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’.

What is easyfundraising.co.uk?

Raise parish funds when you click the link on our home page before shopping online with retailers such as Amazon, eBay, M&S, John Lewis, Argos, tour operators, etc. Without any extra cost to you, St James’ will receive a donation each time you buy something this way. Supermarkets also make donations but only for non-food items. You have to register first but once that’s done it really is easy! So far we have raised £2,253 for the parish. The current figure is updated regularly on the parish website home page.

Appeal from Knights of St Columba

Please continue to bring in your used postage stamps. If they are on postcards, it is fine to donate the postcard as well. Many thanks for your continued support.

Evangelisation Pillar

St James’ Parish Formation Day

You are warmly invited to join us at this forthcoming event:

Date Saturday 23rd September 10:30am (prompt start)- around 4pm finish

Theme A Biblical Journey through the Mass

Venue St James’ Community Hall

Speaker Brian Purfield (Director, Faith Formation, Mount Street Jesuit Centre)

The Mass is the centre of our faith. We celebrate it every day. We know all the responses. We know all the gestures. But do we know what it all means? In this Formation Day, we will take a tour of the liturgy and explore the biblical roots of the words and gestures in the liturgy and reflect on their profound significance. The day will also be an excellent start to our preparation for the Eucharistic Congress in Liverpool in September 2018.

There will be four 1 hour sessions of talk/ discussion during the day. Teas & coffee will be provided and there will be a shared community lunch.

There are around 35 places left. So, if you wish to attend, please email Ken Chan on ken.chan@stjamespettswood.org to reserve your place (on a first come first serve basis) or if you would like more information about the day.

Justice & Peace Group

The group will meet on Wednesday 27^th September at 7.45pm in the Parish Office meeting room (281A Crescent Drive). All parishioners are assured of a warm welcome.

Foodbank requests this week

Please use this list if you are able to donate to the Foodbank in the coming week:

Rice puddings, Custard (tins or packets), Cold meat (spam, corned beef), Coffee (small jars), Tinned tomatoes,

Tinned veg. (carrots, peas, potatoes), Tinned fruit, Jam/marmalade, Drinks (UHT milk, UHT fruit juice and small bottles of squash), Toiletries (especially men's), such as shampoo, shower gel, deodorants

As you can see there is great need for replenishment of stock at the moment.

Thank you as always, and especially to the person who anonymously donated £15 worth of supermarket vouchers for the Foodbank. J&P Group.

Befriending offenders

Have you ever considered befriending offenders in prison helping them to reconnect with the world outside? New Bridge is non judgmental, trustworthy and constantly in support of prisoners. The charity was set up by Lord Longford and training for befrienders is provided. A befriender can write letters, visit a prisoner and keep in contact wherever the prisoner moves. Any prisoner who wants a befriender can write to New Bridge. More can be learnt about the organisation via www.newbridgefoundation.org.uk.

Altar Servers

If you have made your First Holy Communion and would like to help us by joining our Altar Servers then please complete the form at the back of the church and return to Fr David or the Parish Office (281A Crescent Drive).Training sessions will be given

Wanted

If you have any unwanted Jam jars could you please leave them in the box in the porch. Jam Jars ONLY please.

Seeing a Chaplain if You Are Admitted to Hospital

Protecting personal information (data protection) is really important when you become an inpatient in hospital.

So please specifically ask hospital staff to pass on your details to the hospital’s Roman Catholic chaplain as soon as you are admitted if you would like a Chaplain to visit you.

Fr David would always be very happy to visit you too, so please ask a relative or friend to let him know about your admission. You or they can email Fr David on father.david@stjamespettswood.org, or phone the parish office on 01689 827100.

Weekend Rotas: Thank you for helping.

Saturday 23rd September
Cleaning the Church	A Haylock, A Crossland, G Macmanus, K Evans

Wednesday Coffee 20^th September

M Gyi, S Barradell, B D’Arcy

24^th September
Mass	Saturday 6pm (Vigil)	Sunday 9.15am	Sunday 11am
Welcomers	K Kirby	L Thomas F Mace	S Barradell P Benson
Readers	D Woolston K Lams	Children’s Mass	P Dabrowski M Morley
Ministers of Holy Communion	P Cantopher C Wakefield S Poulton C Cosgrave P Cosgrave	T Forde A Hawkins M Howell S Cotta A Ward	T Willard R Mwansa K Chan K Evans A Evans
Bar			B Fleeman P Troy
Coffee		L Lynch S Barradell	T Troy J Cosgrave B Bridle

Tellers

M Shea, T Wrafter, K Evans