Category: Saint George’s latest news

Mary Kenward’s Funeral Service will be held at 12 noon, on Wednesday, 2nd June 2021,  at Horam Cemetery.  All parishioners are welcome to the Service and, afterwards, to The May Garland pub in Horam to celebrate Mary’s life.

This Sunday is called Pentecost Sunday.  Pentecost literally means 50th. It is a feast celebrated on the 50th day after the feast of the Resurrection of Jesus by Christians.

There were 4 important and unique events which happened on the day of Pentecost: 

1. The Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary as fiery tongues.  The frightened apostles were      transformed into fiery preachers and evangelisers and were given the gift of tongues by a special anointing of the Holy Spirit. 

2. The listeners experienced a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit through the apostles’ gift of tongues: they heard Peter speaking in their native languages. 

3. The early Christians became powerful witnesses and brave martyrs for their Faith in Jesus.

The Holy Spirit plays a huge role in our lives as Christians. Some of these roles are:

1. As an indwelling God, the Holy Spirit makes us His Living Temples (I Cor 3:16). 

2. As a strengthening God, He strengthens us in our fight against temptations and in our mission of bearing witness to Christ by our transparent Christian lives.

3. As a sanctifying God, He makes us holy through the Sacraments: Through Baptism He makes us children of God and heirs of Heaven. Through Confirmation, He makes us temples of God, warriors, and defenders of the Faith. Through the Sacrament of      Reconciliation, He enables us to be reconciled with God by pardoning our sins. Through the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, He gives us spiritual nourishment by converting bread and wine into Jesus’ Body. Through the Sacraments of Ordination and Marriage, He makes the Church community holy.

4. As a teaching and guiding God, He clarifies and constantly reminds us of Christ’s teachings and guides the Church in presenting Christ’s teachings correctly. 

5. As a listening and speaking God, He listens to our prayers, enables us to pray, and speaks to us, mainly through the Bible.

6. As a Giver of gifts, He gives us His gifts, fruits, and charisms, thereby enriching the Church.

2021 – A year of opportunity
An online talk with Christine Allen, Director of CAFOD
26th May at 7.30 pm, Cost £5

This year the UK will host two major international gatherings: the G7 and the Climate Conference (COP26). Christine Allen will explore ways in which these events could make a difference to our world, especially to the lives of people who live in poverty. She will reflect on the impact of COVID-19 and draw lessons for the future for our interdependence with one another and with our natural world as we seek to recover and heal after the pandemic. You can book online or T: 01428 642161

Smarties – thank you to all the children who saved their pennies during Lent in their Smartie tubes.  The money raised was for us to buy something for Chestnut Tree House.  This could buy arts and craft materials, Lego or games, but we want to know what the children would like to buy so please ask them to vote for their preferred purchase and text the choice to Sandra on 07791627368. 

We have heard a lot about ‘LOVE’ in the readings this Eastertide. This coming Sunday, the last before the great feast of Pentecost, is no exception. The love of God is not easy to explain to children since they are not able to see it for themselves. Yes, we tell them stories about Jesus and take them to Mass but the concept of believing in something they cannot see can be very difficult. However, we do try to give them something they can see – we give unstintingly of our love which has no conditions attached, and is always there for them to see and feel. This is how children learn what love is. This week let us imagine God whispering to each one of us “I will always love you and have always done so. I know you by your name so take courage, trust me to guide you along the path of love. Love for me and for all you meet.” Always remember that Jesus prayed for us, loved us and hoped that we will be one with him and live in God’s love. We, too, can pray for His love and that we will never fail or forget Him. Let us all think and do like St. Peter did when he said to Jesus, face to face, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”

So, every day, there is something we can all do: Tell him in your prayers 

Fundraiser for Pax Christi:
In the week from 15 to 21 May, Pax Christi, the Catholic Peace organisation, will be trying to raise funds to make up for lost income due to Covid19. Fausta is having a dance-a-thon, Bruce is delivering a peace message to foreign embassies in London, Matt is cycling 50 miles visiting peace sites, Pat is going on a walk from Victoria to the Peace Pagoda in Battersea Park, Rachel will be cycling for 75 miles, to celebrate Pax Christi’s 75th anniversary. More fundraisers are joining the fun.
Please go to their website www.paxchristi.org.uk/register-you-interest/  for details on how you can sponsor them.

Confirmation – Plans are currently underway to prepare Catechists to undertake Confirmation instruction for children, who will be in year 10 and above, and wish to take the Sacrament in 2022.  More details to follow once a programme has been fully planed by the Catechists and Children’s Liturgy team. 

St George’s First Holy Communion – We are delighted to confirm that on 27^th June three of our children will share Communion for the first time at St George’s Church.  We hope to be able to welcome as many parishioners as possible to attend this service, priority will be given to the families’ guests, but there will be space for others. If you wish to attend please contact Margaret Piegrome or Sandra King.  Please keep the children and their families in your prayers at this very special time in their Faith Journey.

St George’s Children’s Liturgy:  We are delighted that Children’s Liturgy has now returned bi-weekly in St George’s Hall.  The dates we will be in session are as follows: 9^th May, when we will discuss the day’s Gospel with the children, when we hope to make a crown of flowers and Crown Our Lady’s Statue in the memorial garden; other dates  –  23^rd May, 6^th June, and 20^th June.  We may return to weekly from July but will be guided by the Covid-19 changes.   All children are welcome to the sessions but you must book in advance by contacting Sandra by email at [email protected] or phone 07791 627368. 

Introduction: Today in America they thank their mothers, pray for them, and honour them by celebrating Mother’s Day offering our mothers on the altar of God.

Anna M. Jarvis (1864-1948) first suggested the national observance of an annual day honouring all mothers because she had loved her own mother so dearly. At a memorial service for her mother on May 10, 1908, Miss Jarvis gave a carnation (her mother’s favourite flower), to each person who attended. Within the next few years, the idea of a day to honour mothers gained popularity, and Mother’s Day was observed in a number of large cities in the U.S. On May 9, 1914, by an act of Congress, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. He established the day as a time for “public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.” By then it had become customary to wear white carnations to honour departed mothers and red to honour the living, a custom that continues to this day. Proverbs 31:10-31 offers us God’s description and estimation of what a godly wife and mother looks like.

This is a day to admit gratefully the fact that none of us is able to return, in the same measure, all the love that our mothers have given us. Their influence on their children is so great that it affects the children throughout their lives. Our mothers not only gave us birth but nursed us, nurtured us, trained us in their religious beliefs and practices, taught us good manners and ideal behaviour, disciplined us as best as they could, and made us good citizens of our country, our Church, and our society. There is a beautiful Spanish proverb: “An ounce of mother is better than a pound of clergy.” Hence, it is highly proper for us to express our love and gratitude to our mothers by our presence (if possible), gifts, and prayers on Mother’s Day. We offer this Eucharistic celebration on Mother’s Day for all the mothers in our congregation, whether they are alive here or have gone for their eternal reward.   The word “Mom” is synonymous with sacrificial, agápelove in its purest form, as commanded by Jesus in his farewell speech:   “Love one another as I have loved you.” Hence, let us lavish our love on our mothers and express our gratitude for them in the form of fervent prayers offered for them before God.

Remember that a Christian has two mothers: On Mother’s Day, let us acknowledge the truth that we have two mothers: our earthly mother and our Heavenly Mother, the Mother of Jesus. The Catholic Church proclaims the great nobility of the Mother of Jesus, Mary most holy, and presents her as the supreme model for all mothers. On this Mother’s Day, presenting all mothers on the altar, let us sing the beautiful song we sing on the Feast of the Presentation, “Gentle woman, peaceful dove, teach us wisdom, teach us love.” Let us show our love and appreciation for both of our mothers and let us ask our Heavenly Mother to take care of our earthly mothers. We need to be persons for others, sacrificing out time, talents, and lives for them as our mothers are now or have been.