Category: Saint George’s latest news

Las Posadas -A Journey Towards Christmas

Would you like to join us on a special journey of Advent Preparation? This year we are adapting the Mexican tradition of Las Pasados which we would like to invite all ages, young and old, to enjoy.

In Mexico “Las Posadas” is celebrated during Advent when villagers carry figures of Mary, Joseph and the donkey from house to house in a re-enactment of their search for lodging in Bethlehem.  The figures are accepted in a different home every night until Christmas Eve, when they are taken to the local church and the baby Jesus is put in the crib in the Nativity Scene.

We have adapted this tradition so that you can now offer to give a home to our own Posada family (small figures of Mary, Joseph and the donkey), who will be looking for “lodging” during Advent. The journey begins on the first Sunday of Advent and will end when the Posadas figures are brought back to the Church in time for our Christmas Masses. One family will take the nativity figures home from church, welcome them into their home with simple prayers and find a place to display them. The next day this family will pack up the figures and travel to a neighbour, who has also agreed to go on this journey with Mary and Joseph.

An important aspect of Las Posadas is to remind us how important we are to each other as a community and to appreciate the kindness of friends and strangers. The giving and the receiving of a little hospitality with families you may not know is an important part of this process. When it is your turn to welcome Mary and Joseph, you and your family will receive the figures at the same time as you welcome the family who has had them for the day before you. They will arrange a time to come to your home and lead the prayers and they will leave the figures with you. You will provide light refreshments (tea, coffee, biscuits…maybe a mince pie). On the following day, you will travel to the next family’s home and this time your family will lead the prayers. You will therefore need to be able to set aside an hour on 2 separate days (once to receive the figures in your home and once to travel with the figures to the next home)

If your family would like to host the Posada family for a night as a reminder of what Christmas is really all about, please add your name to the sign- up sheet at the back of the church before Sunday November 20^th.

We hope you had a Lovely birthday and break away with your family.

Christmas cards are on sale at the back of St. George’s Church.

Can you help with Tea and Coffee after mass one Sunday a month? Speak to Sandra.

“Retrouvaille” is a programme for healing marriages, even when couples are separated, going through divorce, or are divorced. It is never too late when both are willing to try.  Couples work together to learn a better way to relate and live. The virtual programme commences on 13 – 16 October 2022.  Call or text + 44 788 7296983/+44 797 3380443 – email [email protected] or visit www.retrouvaille.org.uk

all 11-19 youth along with their parents/carers are invited to attend our launch event at St George’s Hall Polegate 4pm Sunday 9th October.  More info please speak Anette, Angela, Teresa, Mary B, Mary O, or Sandra after mass.  Or call/text Sandra on 07791 627368.

Last Sunday’s Harvest Masses were extremely successful, donations to the foodbank were generous Eastbourne

confirmed 62.9kilos being received and Hailsham a good haul so far that will be collected w/c10th Oct. 

Please Note: St George’s has a basket for ongoing weekly donations and St Wilfrid’s will continue to collect up to 9th October.  The demands on this local charity to feed those in need are at there highest.

Our Cafod fundraising so far has raised over £320.  St George parishioners’ charity breakfast was delicious and donations were generous.  St Wilfrid’s sale of fresh produce was also extremely fruitful with promises of more payments this week.  Our thanks to all those who gave their time to plan these fundraisers and helped with  baking, donating fresh foods,  serving and selling on the day.  And of course those who attended and bought.

We still have more opportunities to maximise the Parish Harvest support to CAFOD with Next Friday’s Harvest Fast Day (7th October) there  will be a retiring collection next Sunday after mass.  Please collect an envelope.

All three readings for this Sunday speak a lot about “Faith” and how it works in our lives. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote: “To one who has Faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without Faith, no explanation is possible.” It is this Faith that is the basis of the readings today. They give us three concepts of Faith. The theological virtue of Faith enables us to believe something to be true and therefore worthy of trust simply because it has been revealed to us by God. In his instructions to Timothy, Paul shows Faith operating as a believing, trusting, loving relationship with Christ. The third concept of Christian Faith is that trusting Faith is God in action, shown by steadfast loyalty, fidelity and total            commitment to Him. This results in our offering ourselves to Him in those we encounter, through our humble, loving service. 

This ought to lead us to three things we should do this week and every week. First, we need to thank God, giving Him the credit for our well- being.  It is easy to forget God’s providence when our earthly affairs are going well.  We often pray to Him only when trouble strikes – that is too late!  In His Infinite Goodness however, God often answers such prayers. A stronger Faith will help us to accept the adversities and the trials of life when we ask God to “Increase our Faith, Lord!” at all times.

Secondly we can increase our Faith ourselves by becoming active servants of God.   We grow in Faith as we act in Faith. Surely we can find many ways to help to make Christ known to a neighbour – a quiet word, a charitable gesture, an unselfish interest in a neighbour’s troubles can do more good than a multitude of sermons given by some well known theologian.

Thirdly, we need to grow in Faith by using the means Christ has given us in his Church – through prayer, Bible study, participation in the Mass and leading a determined spiritual life.                      With my love and prayers for you all. DJ

Talk by Fr Kevin Dring: “The Poor in the Heart of God and the Church’s Response” – Thurs 29th Sept @ 7.30 pm. Our Lady of Ransom.

Thank you for your recent generous support for seafarers and fishers on Sea Sunday. The Catholic charity Stella Maris (formerly Apostleship of the Sea) invites you to join a webinar on Tuesday 27^th September 7.30 to 9pm  to learn more about the issue of seafarer abandonment, and how donations like yours on Sea Sunday are supporting those in crisis. If you would like to attend, please register in advance at www.stellamaris.org.uk/abandonment