Thank you for your offering last week of £1519.38.  Mass attendances were 788.

 

Sunday

22/11/15

6pm Saturday  Johanna & Dennis Ashton RIP (Wedderspoon Family)

 

9.15am People of the Parish

 

11.00am  Intention of Canon Tom McHugh (Canon McNamara)

 

Monday

23/11/15

 

Feria/St. Clement I, Pope & Martyr

 

9.30am Louise Mages (S & A Barradell)

 

Tuesday 24/11/15

St. Andrew Dũng-Lac

 

9.30am Teresa & John Lynch RIP (Jackson Family)

 

Wednesday

25/11/15

Feria

 

9.30am Dolores & John Bray & Family

Thursday

26/11/15

Feria

 

9.30am  Louise Mages RIP

 

Friday

27/11/15

Feria

 

9.30am M Lowe & Family

 

Saturday

28/11/15

Vigil Mass

 

11.00am  Mass for Noreen Alford Smith RIP (See additional notice)

 

6.00pm People of the Parish

 

Sunday 29/11/15

First Sunday of Advent (C)

 

9.15am  Kenneth Thomas RIP (Llew Thomas)

 

11.00am  Sally Ashoka & Family (A & P Powell)

 

Confessions heard Saturday 5.00pm-5.45pm or by appointment.

Morning Prayers

take place Monday - Friday at 9.10am.  All are welcome to attend.

Fr David Writes ….. 

Something has changed once again in our common consciousness following last weekend’s Paris atrocities.  We are no longer the same.  It is too close to home for us to ignore.  Our deepest fears have been unearthed once again.  The faces of insecurity and vulnerability have once more been exposed and we are left feeling the rawness of what makes us human.  Our natural disgust towards what has taken place is natural to us.  And we cannot believe that any human being would be able to perform such atrocities.  We feel anger and these feelings have bonded us once again together.  We have forgotten our differences for a while and we have joined together to express solidarity towards the French.  Even Russia, which historically has always been apart, has found a way to engage with the rest of the western world.  Our “civilized world” has taken generations to come to a point of appreciating “Liberty, Equality and Fraternity”.  We pride ourselves in the way we live our lives in freedom.  We pride ourselves in the painful journey in history to have arrived to this point.  And so we protect freedom with our own lives.  Now that we have acquired this freedom, we would not want to allow anyone to take it away from us.  We value it.  We have embraced it completely.  This is our collective journey.  This is our Truth.

So we feel confused when other people do not adhere to the same principles.  They disturb us.  We would want everyone to share our values of freedom and democracy for us and, because it has worked, we feel that everyone should embrace this lifestyle.  Sometimes we forget that the roots of our western civilization had been Christian based.  Although not everyone accepts this in our own culture today.  We also forget that not all cultures come from the same roots.  Religions do inform our way of thinking and our perspectives upon the world, on ourselves and others.  The histories are different.  We see the same historical event from opposite dimensions sometimes.  And we all think that we are right.

We had God with us.  We were on the side of the Truth.  But what is the Truth?  Is there absolute Truth?  Or are there aspects of the Truth?  What is motivating these Muslim radicals to be ready to explode themselves for what they believe in.  We might say that they are brainwashed and yes they are being brainwashed to do these atrocities.  However how come they are ready to die for what is personified Evil in our eyes?  How can they possibly envisage themselves to be martyrs for God?  How can they even start imagining that they are fighting a holy war – a Jihad.  How can they believe that once they die and kill others for their beliefs, they end up going straight to heaven.  Is this their Truth?   Although we are speaking of the same event, it is envisaged from a totally different standpoint.

Aren’t we both claiming that we are in the Truth?  How can it be?  This is my question which I have been trying to explore for some time now.  Is Truth so subjective?  So dependent on ones point of view?  What is the Truth which Jesus is speaking of in this Sunday’s gospel?  When Pilate asks Jesus “Are you a Jew?” Jesus answers by saying “Do you ask this of your own accord, or have others spoken to you about me?  Jesus calls Pilate to face the truth of the question but Pilate is beyond troubling about the consequences of his own questions.  Instead he defends himself by saying that he is not a Jew and that Jesus’ own people have handed him over.  However Pilate is curious about what Jesus has done to engender such fierce hostility.  Jesus refuses to satisfy Pilate’s curiosity but points out that his kingship is not in the realm of political struggle; his claim to be king therefore can hardly affect national security.  Jesus’ kingship is in the realm of witnessing to the truth – something that Pilate is having great trouble doing.  Pilate has already found Jesus innocent; if he acts on that truth then he will free Jesus.  Pilate may be sincere in his concern for Jesus’ safety, but he is not serious about the truth he has discovered.  Jesus is innocent.  The truth is not a force that is going to influence Pilate’s real behaviour.  Searching for the Truth demands a willingness on both parties to converse.  It demands deep listening to one another and being humble enough to let go of our egos to see and hear the other from where they are coming from.  If there is no willingness to listen then there would be no dialogue.  NO real desire to find the truth.  Truth demands real sincerity to understand and genuine.  May the world be blessed by people who are truly searching for the truth.

Second Collection

Will take place next weekend for the Maintenance Fund. 

Month of the Holy Souls

During the month of November we are invited to remember our deceased parents, relatives and friends.  At the back of the church there are small slips of paper that you should complete and post into the labelled box.  All these slips will then be placed on the altar for the whole month of November and we will remember your loved ones and keep them in our prayers at all the Masses.

Holy Baptism

This weekend we welcome:

·                Aadhanya Tharsisius, her parents Abiramee and Jude and godparents Antonita and Joseph;

·                Maximilian Foley, his parents Jenna and Neil and godparents Alexandra and Joseph;  and

·                Aiyla Devereux, her parents Monica and William and godparents Rhiannon and Charles.

Baptism Preparation Classes

Will take place this Monday 23rd November at 8.15pm in the Parish Meeting Room, 281a Crescent Drive for those parents that have been invited.

“Drop-In” – Evening Surgery

The next surgery will take place on Tuesday 24th November between 6.00pm and 7.30pm, in the Parish Office, 281a Crescent Drive.  If you wish to speak to me about any matter, please feel free to come along.  No appointments are necessary.  Fr. David.

Noreen Alford Smith RIP

A Mass is being held here next Saturday 28th November at 11.00am followed by the internment of Ashes at St. Marys Chislehurst.  Those parishioners who knew Noreen and would like to attend are very welcome.

Primary School Supplementary Information Forms (SIF)

If you are applying for a place at a Catholic Primary School and need me to sign your SIF, could you please ensure that all paperwork is handed in (to me or the Parish Office) by Thursday 10th December at the latest. Thank You.  Fr David.

Church Cleaning

Saturday 28th November – Year 2 Parents.

A new church cleaning rota will start from the weekend of 5th December.  For those people who kindly volunteered to go on the rota, please keep an eye out on the website for the rota to be posted.  A paper copy will also be available to view at the back of the church.  As well as the volunteers, certain parish groups are also listed on the new rota.

If you would like to help out with the church cleaning, please contact the Parish Office.  Many thanks.

Traidcraft Stall

It will take place this weekend.  There will be many seasonal items in addition to regular products.  Please continue your generous support. Your purchase of Christmas gifts and goodies will help impoverished producers rather than boosting the profits of large retailers at Christmas.  J&P

Climate Change petition

CAFOD has been in touch to thank the 205 parishioners of St James' who signed the paper petition (we know that several people also signed online).  The 35,000 names will be presented at Downing Street on 23rd November.  CAFOD will be playing a significant role in the climate change march to be held in London on 29th November, just ahead of the important UN summit in Paris.  If you would like to join the march, see the poster on the notice board or contact roger.wright@stjamespettswood.org.

Christmas Market and Christmas Prize Draw

Due to the lack of availability of the hall this year’s Christmas market will not take place. Many thanks to all of you who volunteered to help.  All the donations that we have received will be held over until our next fundraising event.  However we have a fabulous Prize Draw (1st Prize £500 cash).  We would urge you to please collect books of tickets at the back of the church.  Please return completed subs and money as soon as possible to the parish office or hand to organiser after Mass.

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.

Christmas 2015

For information, Christmas cards & Advent Calendars are now available from the repository.

CAFOD World Gifts

If you don't know what to buy family and friends for Christmas this year, why not help people in developing countries by buying one of CAFOD's charity gifts?  They offer the chance for us to buy things like water for a family, a goat, a greenhouse, a school starter pack, or simply a meal for someone in poverty.  If you think this is your kind of giving then go to www.cafod.org.uk/worldgifts.  The receiver of your gift will get a card showing how it will benefit a family or even a whole community.

Diocesan Financial Secretary

The Diocese is looking for a new Financial Secretary to replace Monsignor Canon Martin Lee who will be retiring in the spring of 2016.  To get more information and to apply please visit the Diocesan website www.rcsouthwark.co.uk.

St James’ Preschool vacancies

St James' Preschool currently has a limited number of vacancies for 2½ to 5 year olds.  We offer early years education in a friendly and safe environment.  For further details please visit www.stjamespreschool.co.uk or email stjamespreschool@live.co.uk.

Youth Gospel Choir

We would like to invite you to join our new and exciting Youth Gospel Choir.  It will be on Thursdays between 5.00-6.00pm and is open to all 14-18 year olds.  For further information please contact the Parish Office.

Calling all St James’ Youth (14-18 yrs)

On the 5th December from 3pm we are organising an ice-skating, doughnut and hot chocolate trip to Bluewater. The cost will be £20 per head fully inclusive.  To sign up, please contact the parish office parish.office@stjamespettswood.org by Monday 23rd November.

Week of accompanied prayer

Sunday 28th February to Saturday 5th March 2016

Early in the New Year, further details will be given about this special Lent Week which we are hosting with other churches in Petts Wood.  To be part of this, all that is needed is that each day of the Week you spend a period of time in personal prayer, and then say something brief about the experience to a prayer guide, in complete confidence, at a time convenient to you.  It's a wonderful opportunity to grow in your prayer, having a short retreat in the midst of daily life.  Those who did it last time are also welcome.

There will be a Taster Session on Sunday Jan 17th at 3 - 4 pm.  Please put the dates in your new diary, and plan to participate.

Parish Overseas Project for 2015/16

As the Parish will be aware we have supported the home for homeless and vulnerable children and young adults run by Jesuit Missions in Harare over the past 15 months.

The Justice and Peace Group have looked at alternatives for a new overseas project that the Parish might now support for 2015/16 and suggest that we support the parish of St Helen’s near Arequipa high in the Andes in Peru.

We have been in contact with Fr Alex Busutti of the Missionary Society of St Paul (mssp) the parish priest there.  Fr David was a member of the mssp.  The parish covers a large area with a number of different settlements.  Many there are poor and live in difficult conditions.  Much requires to be done for their pastoral and material care.  Most consider themselves to be Catholic even though many have not even been able to be baptised.

Fr Alex has asked if St James’ could support the building of a small chapel in the parish's children's home which is being developed into a family centre.  The Justice and Peace Group feel that this would be an excellent cause to support.

There will be the first collection held for this on the weekend of 06 December and members of the Justice and Peace Group will address the parish to give more information on St Helen's parish at each Mass next weekend.