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John & Margaret’s Diamond Wedding Anniversary

John & Margaret’s Diamond Wedding Anniversary:  A really big thank you from us and the Macmillan Cancer Support for donating £140.00 which was raised from celebrating our ‘Diamond Anniversary’.   Macmillan understand that cancer can impact people’s whole life – health, money, families, work; everything.  They provide support that’s about all these things, helping people live their life with cancer.  They advise on work and benefits, and are always there for emotional support when things get tough.  They give people the support, energy and inspiration to feel more like themselves.  Thank you.

St George’s

At St George’s we need someone to train up as a Sacristan, either gender.  As you know we have three Masses a week. Sunday at nine o`clock and Tuesday and Thursday at ten o`clock. It is such a rewarding and uplifting task, preparing for Mass . If you feel you could do it, please ask Fr. Rory, Angela or myself Cathy or ring me 01323 487688 for more information.  Thank you.

Deacon John Writes

I found this account concerning this Sunday’s special significance for us on the Internet:

Mothering Sunday is the fourth Sunday Of Lent. Although it’s often called Mothers’ Day it has no connection with the American festival of that name. Traditionally, it was a day when children, mainly daughters, who had gone to work as domestic servants were given a day off to visit their mother and family. Today it is a day when children give presents, flowers, and home-made cards to their mothers. Most Sundays in the year churchgoers in England worship at their nearest parish or ‘daughter church’.

Centuries ago it was considered important for people to return to their home or ‘mother’ church once a year. So each year in the middle of Lent, everyone would visit their ‘mother’ church – the main church or cathedral of the area.

Inevitably the return to the ‘mother’ church became an occasion for family reunions when children who were working away returned home. Most historians think that it was the return to the ‘Mother’ church which led to the tradition of children, particularly those working as domestic servants, or as apprentices, being given the day off to visit their mother and family. As they walked along the country lanes, children would pick wild flowers or violets to take to church or give to their mother as a small gift.

Another thought is that the name comes from one of the Bible readings for that day, which refers to motherhood in a different way. In Galatians 4:26 we read: “But the Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all”. 

The writer of the text wanted to explain to the Galatian community what their relationship as Christians was to the Jewish Law.

Mothering Sunday was also known as Refreshment Sunday because the fasting rules for Lent were relaxed that day.

Originally, both Old and New Testament lessons on mid-lent Sunday made a point of food. The Gospel reading from the New Testament told the story of how Jesus fed five thousand people with only five small barley loaves and two small fish. The food item specially associated with Mothering Sunday is the Simnel cake. This is a fruit cake with two layers of almond paste, one on top and one in the middle. It has 11 balls of marzipan icing on top representing the 11 disciples. (Judas is not included.) Traditionally, sugar violets would also be added. The name Simnel probably comes from the Latin word simila which means a fine wheat flour usually used for baking a cake.

There’s a legend that a man called Simon and his wife Nell argued over whether the cake for Mothering Sunday should be baked or boiled. In the end they did both, so the cake was named after both of them: SIM-NELL. 

Fr Rory Writes

Our journey through Lent is speeding by.  The changing hour of the clock is a clear sign that it is nearly over.  It is a very special time of grace if we are faithful to our Lenten journey.  The way of the cross, the stations of the cross have a most important role to play.  Each year, one of my very strongest memories is my dad making the stations of the cross after mass during Lent, because he had much suffering in his life.  It is a very fitting memory when aligned with the hope “after this our exile will be a welcome to our true home in heaven”.  We now have the stations of the resurrection at St Wilfrid’s, once when I was doing the rounds of the stations they merged for me at the 13th station “Jesus is taken down from the cross”.  This became a real sign of hope when my eyes turned to the station of the resurrection “Mary and the Apostles pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit”.  The disciples set about preparing for Pentecost “little did they know then what was in store for them”.  The Holy Spirit came upon them “in tongues of fire”.

At the same time it revealed a thought, maybe an attitude on my part “the day of Pentecost never came”.  When I was first ordained the Pentecostal movement, with marriage encounter Taizé and its prayer seemed to be flourishing with a promise of great things to come.  So after my first parish I had a minor sabbatical, a great window of experience….  most of it spent in America, where there was a lot of good experiences in the life of the church.  Now, in the light of our present experience, I feel the institutional church did not embrace the “Spirit of the times”.  After the 2nd Vatican Council with the closing of so many seminaries, and a closing of hearts to so many, promising sighs of spring.  Now I look forward to new life, the Synod opens the way if it is allowed to bring new life, a new Spring.  Remember seeds take time and the right environment to prosper and grow.  Please God, this will happen for us this Spring.

The second failure is actually two fold.  We have received “Missio” The Red Boxes, which over the years has played a good part in our “giving” and supporting new life in the church.  The material stimulate new hope “build a vibrant catholic church for the future”.  Also, the material used by St George’s church for confirmation preparation “The Alpha” youth discussion guide.  Hearing words of Deacon John’s excellent way of the cross, with the richness of the story, the script, the seeds are there.  It calls for the response.  So members in attendance were very disappointing.  Sincerely this time last week I had intended to attend, but a circumstance from the pandemic turned up and took priority.  It was something important ….  So prayers for guidance and who can give the best guidance “only the Holy Spirit”.  Let us this year prepare for Pentecost.

CAFOD

Thank you for giving to CAFOD’s Lent Appeal.  Your generous gifts will ensure that CAFOD’s local experts, like Sister Anthonia in Sierra Leone, can support families with training in growing and making healthy food so that children can grow up big and strong.  You can still donate on the CAFOD website (cafod.org.uk/lent) or join CAFOD’s Walk Against Hunger to raise vital funds to tackle extreme hunger and its causes.

Volunteer Opportunity at St George’s for Sacristan

At St George’s we need someone to train up as a Sacristan, either gender.  As you know we have three Masses a week. Sunday at nine o`clock and Tuesday and Thursday at ten o`clock. It is such a rewarding and uplifting task, preparing for Mass . If you feel you could do it, please ask Fr. Rory, Angela or myself Cathy or ring me 01323 487688 for more information.  Thank you.

Children’s Good Friday Way of the Cross (family friendly)

Children’s Good Friday Way of the Cross

On Good Friday (15th April) at 10.30am in St Wilfrid’s Church we will be holding a Way of the Cross Service. Although designed specifically for our children, we warmly welcome ALL parishioners to this event. Following the service we will be sharing hot cross buns in the hall. Donations to our Lenten Appeal, Tiny Tickers, will be gratefully received.