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Thank you for your offering last week of £1488.50. Mass attendances were 834. |
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Sunday 24/1/16 |
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
6.00pm Bridget & Paul Wiggins
9.15am Carey D’Souza RIP (Rebello Family)
11.00am People of the Parish
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Monday 25/1/16
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The Conversion of St Paul the Apostle
9.30am Fr David Camilleri (CWL)
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Tuesday 26/1/16 |
St Timothy & Titus, Bishops
9.30am Ted Bryant RIP (E Bryant)
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Wednesday 27/1/16 |
Feria/St Angela Merici
9.30am Richard Nelligan RIP – 20th Anniversary (M&J Ardron)
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Thursday 28/1/16 |
St Thomas Aquinas
9.30am Chris Pullan, Aljo, Paul & Gerrard Chittilappily RIP (N Chittilappily)
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Friday 29/1/16 |
Feria
9.30am Relatives & Friends of Marie Porter (Foundation)
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Saturday 30/1/16 |
Vigil Mass
6.00pm Neil Meehan RIP (Meehan Family)
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Sunday 31/1/16 |
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
9.15am People of the Parish
11.00am Peter Judge RIP (Mr & Mrs Miele)
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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 …….
We are born into a particular place – a particular memory that associates us with people and places and stories. We are able to call on all this, which gives us a sense of belonging and a hold over our own identity. Place of origin and identity are interconnected and interrelated. I am becoming more aware how Petts wood as a village is more of an adopted place for many of us. This does not mean that there are not also people who have been born here and lived here all their lives. But if I am not mistaken, the majority of us, have chosen to come and live in Petts Wood for one reason or another. This means that our homeland or home county is somewhere else. It does take time to feel a sense of belonging to a place or community if one’s roots are somewhere else. On the other hand we are living more and more in a very globalised and mobile existence nowadays. We do easily uproot ourselves because of work, because of schools for our children, because of better housing in the suburbia away from the centre of London and many more other reasons. Hopefully a community like our faith community can be an important agent in order to help us all feel more rooted and be a breeding ground for new relationships to happen. I truly desire that St James’ will be ever more a place of “oasis” for most of us who are busy in our daily lives. A place where we can be nourished spiritually, a haven where we can feel safe and can be ourselves. Apart from being an oasis, I wish that it will be a Centre for building new relationships. I wish that St James’ will be ever more a place of being a home away from home. This can be built if we continue to be open and inclusive to new members and hospitable in our outlook. This can happen if we continue to be open to new ideas, new skills, new challenges and new members. I am hoping that everyone will feel welcomed in this place and every one will feel valued as a person. That is my dream. I believe that this is the only way how one can fulfil their own personal potential. Opening new doors for people to be engaged in the mission of the parish. And the parish recognizing these gifts and empowers members, especially new members, to take up new responsibilities within the parish.
In today’s gospel we see Jesus going back to his roots – to his homeland – Nazareth. The place of his upbringing – the place which gives him the identity of Jesus of Nazareth. We know that Jesus left home to go and see John the Baptist, and we know that his life-style changed after his time with John. Jesus did not stay in the wilderness to live a hermit’s life with John. He received a prophetic anointing in his baptism to announce the new age of the kingdom of God. So he became a travelling preacher. By the time Jesus returns to his home town his reputation has arrived before him. When he goes in the synagogue on the Sabbath as he usually did, this time he is invited to preach. He chooses a passage from Isaiah which gives a beautiful summary of the programme of his new mission. Jesus points to himself as the fulfilment of ancient prophecy. At first their reaction is one of approval. But then they remind themselves of his identity and say “this is Joseph’s son surely”” they won’t allow Jesus to grow up so they lock him into the past and into a former identity. Perhaps the neighbours had a vested interest in focusing on whom Jesus was to them rather than who he is now. It’s much easier having a carpenter around the house than a prophet. It is much easier talking about broken chairs than broken lives. The neighbours want to keep Jesus at the level they can handle him at. Jesus reminds them that no prophet is accepted in his own homeland. On the other hand moving away from our “homeland” gives us the freedom to create new identities for ourselves. That is the positive aspect of uprooting one’s self. On the other hand we can do this only if we find another community to welcome us in and welcome our gifts and skills. I am more than confident that St James’ is the place where this is happening. So please especially new comers to our parish, approach me and let me get to know you – especially if you can during one of the Tuesday drop in sessions. On my part I am very happy to get to know you. Welcome and hope that you will feel welcomed in our midst.
Holy Baptism
Baptism Preparation session will take place this Monday 25th January at 8.15pm for those parents that have been invited.
“Drop-In” – Evening Surgery
The next Surgery will take place this Tuesday 26th January, 5.30pm – 9.00pm. Please call at 281a Crescent Drive – no appointments necessary.
2016 First Holy Communion Programme
The next session will take place on Saturday 30th January, 4.30pm-5.45pm in the Community Centre.
Prayer for Christian Unity
Petts Wood Churches together is organising Prayers Around the Cross Service – in Taize Style during the Octave for Christian Unity. This year it is our turn as the parish of St James’ to organise it. The Ecumenical Service will start at 4.00pm this Sunday the 24th January. Afterwards all are invited for tea/coffee at the newly renovated St James’ Community Centre. Please do come and experience this kind of meditative prayer.
2016 Confirmation Programme
The next session will take place this Monday 25th January 7.00pm – 8.30pm in the Community Centre.
CWL Meeting
The next meeting of the Catholic Women’s League will be at 8.00pm on Monday 25th January and will be held at the back of the church. Please come along if you would like to learn more about the CWL.
Launch of Community Centre
On Saturday 30th January at 8.00pm, you are invited to join us for an evening of wine and canapes to celebrate the launch of the St James’ Community Centre. This is a ticket only event and these can be reserved via the Parish Office via email parish.office@stjamespettswood.org or telephone 01689 827100 and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Please note no children at this event.
On Sunday 31st January the Community Centre will be open again after both Masses with refreshments being provided. All parishioners are welcome to come along to these events. No tickets required.
Traidcraft
Traidcraft goods will be on sale next weekend after each Mass.
Week of Accompanied Prayer (WAP) – Sunday 8th February to Saturday 5th March 2016
Please collect an Invitation to participate in this special opportunity to grow in ways of praying and finding greater connection between prayer and daily life. Are you willing to find time to pray, Monday to Friday of the Week, and meet your prayer guide at an agreed time? The Week will begin with an Opening Session, Sunday 28th February at 2.30 pm at Petts Wood Methodist church (across the road from Morrisons) and end with a Closing Session, Saturday 5th March at 11 am at Christ Church URC, Tudor Way, followed by a shared lunch. Forms need to be returned as soon as possible to the box in the porch, or online as described in the Invitation.
Petts Wood CWL are supporting our local Bromley Women’s Refuge
During the first weekend of February (6th/7th) the CWL will be collecting new goods to give to the Women’s Refuge. Items requested include new toiletries, bedding, towels and underclothes. There is a list of items needed on the CWL notice board at the back of the church. Thank you for your support.
Year of Mercy – 24 Hours for the Lord
As part of the many events taking place to mark The Jubilee Year of Mercy, Southwark Catholic Youth Service have announced “24 Hours for the Lord” which will take place at St George’s Cathedral on 4th and 5th March 2016. An opportunity to unite in adoration and prayer across the world, the 24 hours will start with Mass at 12:30pm on Saturday and finish with Mass at 12.30pm on Sunday. Evening prayer will begin at 7.30pm to start a night of music, art, film, prayer and reflection led by the SCYS team as well as a range of activities available in Amigo Hall throughout the night (refreshments will also be available). If you are interested in taking part in this event, please contact the Parish Office.
Children’s Liturgy during 9.15 Mass
We are very excited that Children's Liturgy will soon be up and running again in beautiful surroundings! If you have young children (3 years and over) and they enjoy coming out to listen to the gospel at their level, then perhaps you might consider being a helper or leader? You do not need to be a Catholic to be a helper. We desperately need new leaders and helpers as one of our leaders is expecting a baby in May. If we cannot recruit anymore people then unfortunately this Ministry will not run every week. Please seriously consider helping, as it not only benefits your child but the whole parish as well. For more information please email childrens.liturgy@stjamespettswood.org.
Piano
We currently have an upright piano (Spencer). If you would be interested in helping it find a new home, please contact the Parish Office.
Manna Centre
The J&P group would like to thank everyone who contributed to the wonderful collection of clothes for the Manna Centre last weekend. They were collected on Monday and will help to keep many homeless people warm over the next few weeks. Please don't leave any more items until the next announced collection.