Incarnate

Incarnate

“Christ became a man of his people and of his time:

he lived as a Jew,

he worked as a labourer of Nazareth,

and since then he continues

to become incarnate in everyone.

If many have distanced themselves from the Church

it is precisely because the Church

has often distanced itself from humanity.

But a Church that can feel as its own

all that is human,

and wants to incarnate the pain,

the hope,

the affliction of all who suffer and feel joy,

such a Church will be Christ loved and awaited,

Christ present.

And that depends on us.”

Archbishop Oscar Romero – murdered by government troops in Central America in March 1980

A very warm welcome to everyone and especially visitors to Petts Wood over this Christmas weekend.

Christmas is a wonderful time here at St James’ and this is due to the commitment and hard work of so many people – those involved in liturgy, music, church cleaning, decoration and maintenance and administration – together with all those who keep the parish “on the road” throughout the year. It is an immense privilege to be a Catholic priest in a place like this with so much support from so many people. I do thank you for all you offer to Christ through our community here, and want you to know that it is greatly appreciated.

Teresa and I thank you for your many cards and gifts and pray that you will experience the Christmas season (which, of course, does not end until the feast of Our Lord’s Baptism on 10th January) as a time of joy and renewal. Our thoughts are especially with the sick, the lonely and those living difficult lives. May the Christ Child bring us all new hope in God and in each other as we celebrate the tremendous mystery at the heart of our faith.

Every blessing, Fr Bryan.

Notices and Items of interest
Every day this Monday to Thursday there will be Mass at 10.00am and Morning Prayer at 9.40am (NO Evening Prayer until further notice).
Friday 1/1/10	Midday Mass at 12 noon – Mary Mother of God and World Day for Peace
First Holy Communion	12th June 2010. Parents of children Year 3 and above NOT at Catholic schools should take a letter from porch and return it to Presbytery as soon as possible – thank you.
Confirmation	Tuesday 18th May 2010 at 7.30pm with Bishop Pat Lynch. Young people in school years 8 and 9 who would like to be confirmed should take a letter from porch and return it to Presbytery as soon as possible – thank you.

A New Course for a New Year!

Evangelium (“Good News”) is a new course teaching the fundamental beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church, starting with a “taster evening” (without obligation) on Monday 11th January at 8.30pm (coffee from 8.15pm) and ending promptly at 9.45pm. The course is largely visual, using a digital projector, and follows the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The first formal session will be on Monday 18th January at 8.30pm.

You might:

● be a non Catholic

● be married to a Catholic and would like to learn a little more...

● come to Mass each Sunday with your Catholic family and would like to really understand the Mass...

● feel that you may be excluded because of past experiences (actually no one is excluded from membership of the church...)

● be a Catholic but have not practised regularly for years....

● be a baptised Christian seeking the fullness of the Catholic Faith...

● be an ordinary Catholic who has not really studied the Faith since school....

● have intellectual doubts, difficulties, or dilemmas about Catholicism

If you relish the idea of really learning about the Catholic Faith in a welcoming and informal environment then this is for you! Do see details of the course on the porch board. There is no need to register, just turn up for coffee in the Social Centre on Monday 11th January. This has been timed to enable those with young families to come along.

Mass attendances last week – 647

NB – No Exposition or Confession on Monday 28th December.

No Mass at 7.15pm on Tuesday 29th December.

Don’t forget to visit our parish website: www.stjamespettswood.org

Mass Intentions for the week of Sunday 27th December, The Holy Family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Sunday 27th	6.00pm	People of the Parish
	10.00am	John and Katherine Breslin, RIP ( Marion Smith)
	11.30am	Patrick Nolan, RIP (M Jackson)

Monday 28/12/09 Holy Innocents	10.00am	CWL – Peace in the world
Tuesday 29/12/09 St Thomas of Canterbury	10.00am	Deceased relatives and friends of Teresa and David West (T & D West)
	7.15pm	*No Mass this evening*
Wednesday 30/12/09 Of the Octave	10.00am	Anne Pelter, RIP (Teresa West)
Thursday 31/12/09 Of the Octave	10.00am	John O’Neill, RIP (M Kelly)
Friday 1st January New Year’s Day The Blessed Virgin Mary	12noon	Kenneth Jackson, RIP

Mass Intentions for Sunday 3^rd January 2010 The Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Sunday 3 /1/10	6.00pm	Frances Raymond, RIP (Pam Lundy and family)
	10.00am	Tom Kelly, RIP (M Kelly)
	11.30am	People of the Parish