Margaret Westcar 1st RIP Anniversary – Thursday 29th July at 11:45am, Requiem Mass St. Wilfrid’s Church
It is my beloved Mum, Mrs Margaret Westcar 1st RIP Anniversary on Thursday 29th July 2021. So I have arranged with Fr Rory to do a Requiem Mass In Celebration of my beloved beautiful Mum❤️Life & family life. All dear parishioner friends are welcome to attend this Mass celebration.
The readings this weekend explain how God, like a good shepherd, redeems His people and provides for them. The readings challenge us to use our God-given authority in the family, in the Church, and in society, with faith and responsibility. In the world of today this includes of course the pastoral care given by our priests but also includes the loving service given by all Christians who follow different callings to serve and lead others.
We need God’s grace to become good shepherds. The Christian life can be regarded as being in the presence of God, then to the presence of people and then back to God again. We do this through prayer which is essentially listening to God and talking to Him. We should allow God the opportunity to speak to us and recharge us with spiritual energy and strength by setting aside time for Him to speak to us and for us to speak to Him. One important way we can facilitate this is by spending some time every day reading the Bible and meditating on the message God gives us in Scripture. We receive strength from God to do our share of the shepherd’s preaching and healing ministry by asking for it individually, in the family, and as a community in the parish Church, when we participate in Mass. We must be people of compassion. We must be able to feel deeply the suffering of others, to understand why they fear and worry. We are all called to lead and “govern wisely” living out what we communicate. We must guide people in right paths and are to be concerned about what is right and just. Our pastoral care should be involved with people’s real needs, both spiritual and material, and provide peaceful care and guidance. There are so many people searching for truth today, people hungering for instruction, good people who are looking for direction. They may be parents who are worried over the future of a troubled child; a man suffering because of unemployment; a woman facing a pregnancy alone; elderly people who feel lonely; people who are angry and confused because they have lost confidence in their leaders. They are all people who are looking for answers and for meaning. They are like sheep without a shepherd. They all need someone filled with the spirit of Christ the “Good Shepherd to help them.
Let us all try in the coming days to be people of compassion and put ourselves out to help at least one person in need. We can all be good shepherds.
Our Diocesan Youth Adviser, Lizzie, is hosting another round of Deanery Confirmation Catechist meetings this week, and is delighted to be able to tell you that your local secondary school chaplains have been invited, which will give you a chance to get to know them better. We will also be looking at the theme ‘Known and Loved’. If you are not already a member of your local network, please contact Lizzie directly [email protected]
St George’s First Communion Catechists have decided to run the ‘I Belong’ programme for 12 sessions from 12th September the children will then all be prepared and ready to make their First Communion on the Feast of Christ the King Sunday 21st November. This programme is only for any children who have missed out on taking the sacrament over the last two years due to Covid restrictions and will be in school year 4 or above from September 2021. If anyone would like to register an interest in being part of this programme please contact Sandra on 07791627368 or email [email protected]
St Wilfrid’s Community Lunch at the Treacle Mine – 12 noon on the 5th August:
After our very successful meal together in June, we have decided to have another on Thursday the 5th August at 12 noon at the Treacle Mine. If you are interested, please contact Joan tel: 07873390944. We invite all our friends from St George’s and St Wilfrid’s and look forward to seeing you there. The latest date for confirming your place will be Sunday 1st August. Please don’t leave it to the last date as I have to confirm ASAP with the management at the Treacle Mine. Thank you.
Today is Sea Sunday, when the Church prays for all those who live and work at sea. Today’s second collection is for Stella Maris (Apostleship of the Sea), the Catholic Church’s official maritime welfare agency. It supports seafarers both practically and spiritually. For an appeal talk from Bishop Paul Mason, and a video showing some of what Stella Maris does, please visit www.stellamaris.org.uk/SeaSunday. This collection is vital to enable Stella Maris to continue its important work. To donate, please visit www.stellamaris.org.uk/donate or text ‘SEA’ to 70460 to donate £5. Stella Maris is dependant on voluntary donations, so please give generously. Thank you.
Saint Oscar Romero (canonized 14 October, 2018, by Pope Francis) is an outstanding example of being a true witness of Christ. When he was made Archbishop of El Salvador in 1997, Romero was a conservative. But he soon changed when he saw what was happening. Every Sunday he preached at the Cathedral. His homilies so electrified the country that national affairs halted when he spoke from the altar. He made public the unspeakable crimes being committed by many agents of the government. He was under constant threat of death. Some of his best friends were murdered. And still he would not be silenced. Nor would he go into hiding or exile. “At the first sight of danger the shepherd cannot run and leave the sheep to fend for themselves. I will stay with my people,” he said. He was shot in March 1980 while saying Mass. According to Romero, staying in the open and bearing direct witness to the Truth Jesus IS didn’t take courage. All it took was the understanding that his enemies dwelt in fear, and the fact that he was not afraid of them, to take away any power they thought they had over him. They might be able to kill his body, but they would not and could not kill his soul. There is also a story of a Protestant minister who, during the genocide in Rwanda (1994), sheltered Tutsis in his house. When a mob arrived at his door and ordered him to release them, he refused to do so. They shot him and took the people away. Even though we may not aspire so such heights of heroism, people like these are an inspiration to us. (Flor McCarthy)
CCRS – The Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (CCRS) is beginning again in our Diocese this September. The course is designed for teachers in Catholic schools, for Catechists and for anyone who would like to grow in understanding as they live their Catholic faith. The CCRS offers a very flexible and accessible way of learning, it includes some online content and is made up of eight modules: six core and two specialist modules. Each module involves ten hours of course time and an assignment. For more information or to register your place please contact our Formation Adviser
NEW Colour and Shape website launch! Mass resources for families.
Colour and Shape developed over the pandemic providing a weekly video liturgy for families to use at home during lockdown. This video – Connect Sunday – has now changed into a new shorter format, along with a set of accompanying resources on a brand new website. Head over to www.colourandshapeonline.com to check out the resources reflecting on the Sunday Gospel each week, plus links to Spotify playlists, ideas on how to pray together as a family, and information on how to join the online community supporting families.
The Open Cloister @ Worth Abbey:
Desert Wisdom: the power of thoughts – Online Day Retreat led by David Clayton & Michael Woodward
Saturday 24th July 2021. 10am-4:30pm
Evagrius (b.345) is honoured as ‘one of the most important names’: come & see why his teaching lives. . . To book your place online go to www.worth.co.uk/retreats/online-retreats For further information email [email protected]
