SCRIPTURE READINGS (A)
Acts
2:14 , 22-28
Peter addresses the crowd: the One you crucified
is risen!
Psalm
15
Show us Lord the path of life
1
Peter 1:17-21
Your ransom has been paid by the blood of Christ
Luke
24:13-35 The
road to Emmaus - how they
recognised Him in the
the breaking of the bread
SERVANT
OF THE SERVANTS OF GOD
What
a wonderful title to be conferred on someone, and no finer
person than the late Holy Father, Pope John Paul II.
I
once spent some time in his home town of Wadowice in Poland
– a rather small, grim and lonely place which was then
still in the grip of the Communist's martial law. His
family home, immediately next to the Church in the central
square, was a small and very ordinary few rooms, no different
from any other, and left for visitors to inspect. It is
difficult to imagine what his life must have been like
in a country where God and the Church had been attacked,
but one could certainly sense the oppression and hardness
in the air of a people living under fear. In such circumstances,
faith takes on somewhat different dimensions than we may
be used to, particularly in its interior effect.
It
seems from all accounts that his vocation was formed after
not one, but two car accidents. The details of these are
not known nor are the influences which changed the young
Pole from becoming an actor to becoming a priest. But
something of fundamental importance must have happened
then; some realisation, perhaps even some encounter, which
opened up within him the desire to follow Christ. There
is no doubt that he had many options open to him to follow
– he could have continued with acting and literary studies
and devoted himself to that. He might have become many
other things too, but no, he chose the Priesthood. Not
only that, his devotion to prayer to Christ and His Mother
and the practises of the Church made him into the spiritual
person recognised the world over, as we saw on Friday.
This tangible and ever-present quality trans-mitted itself
very clearly.
He
also had immense personal courage – that was needed to
take on a vocation which, in Poland when he was young,
flew in the face of the ruling powers and exposed one
to danger and fear – and he brought this to the Vatican
where he brushed aside some expected ways of doing things
and suited himself.
So
as we finally say goodbye to this towering figure, we
can wonder about the origins of his vocation. Perhaps
his brushes with mortality and death in the road accidents
were his own Emmaus where Christ made Himself present
and opened the eyes of the young man to a life and vision
he himself had not known before. We can only guess. But
something happened; something which changed him within
and gave him the strength to become a Priest, then a Bishop
and then a Pope. It is the same Christ who was present
to him at the beginning as at the end. It is the same
Christ who accompanies us.
May
he rest in light, happiness and peace.
James Campbell,
S.J.
SPECIAL
NOTICE
A
SOLEMN MASS IN HONOUR OF JOHN PAUL II
will
be celebrated here next Sunday April 17 th at 11am with
music by Mozart, Duruflé and Fauré.
A
final Mass of the Nine Days of Mourning will be celebrated
at Westminster Cathedral tomorrow, April 11 th, at 5.30pm
with Bishops and clergy of the Diocese. All are welcome.
SADHANA
: A WAY TO GOD
An
introduction to Christian contemplation is being offered
at 114 Mount Street over six evenings: Thursdays, 6.30pm-7.30pm
. This is based on Eastern techniques. You can join any
time. See notices at the doors for details.
Last
Sunday's Collection: £3,417.42. Many, many thanks!
EVENTS
CALENDAR
“WAKE
UP TO
TRADE
JUSTICE”
Join
the CAFOD group outside Westminster Cathedral on Friday
April 15th at 9pm to take
part in a procession to the Abbey and Houses of Parliament
in an all-night event (stay as long as you like) for international
trade justice. Details from Alison : 8980 9735.
LONDON
MARATHON
Jesuit
Missions is booking runners for the Marathon on Sunday
April 17th . See posters
for details of how to apply.
JESUIT
REFUGEE SERVICE
QUIZ
NIGHT
Monday
April 18th in the Church
Hall, 7pm for 7.30pm . Support this great work and have
some fun at the same time. This is a chance to meet other
parishioners! Please let Caroline Blaazer know if you
are coming: 8299 2490. See posters.
WALSINGHAM
A
parish pilgrimage to the historic shrine of Our Lady will
take place on Saturday May 7
th with a coach leaving at
8.30am from the church and returning at 8.30pm . Nicholas
Steeves SJ will be accompanying. Tickets (including lunch)
£25. Please contact Joan Hammet for details: 8657
6367 (after 6pm ).
VOCATIONS
SUNDAY
Next
Sunday we pray throughout the world for vocations to the
priesthood and religious life. Although we are a Jesuit
parish, we fully support the Diocese of Westminster so
please take an envelope for the Westminster Ecclesiastical
Education Fund and bring it back next Sunday to help pay
for the training of seminarians. Copies of The New Mulberry
(the Allen Hall magazine) are on display
INTRODUCTION
TO ST PAUL
A
series of talks by Fr Peter Edmunds SJ of Campion Hall,
Oxford , on the life and writings of St Paul is being
given at 114 Mount Street on Wednesday evenings from 7pm
to 8.30pm . This is a good opportunity for detailed Scripture
study with an expert. See posters for more details.
CARDINAL'S
LECTURES
A
series of Wednesday evening lectures at Westminster Cathedral
on the theme “Faith in Europe ” begins this week. Free.
Speakers include Jean Vanier, Timothy Radcliffe, Bob Geldof,
Mary McAleese and Chris Patten. Details on: 7798 9180.
FLOWERS
Many
thanks to all who have brought flowers to the church in
the past week. Why not make a little “garden tour” around
the side altars before leaving the church today?
"YOU
ARE PETER - THE ROCK,
AND
ON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH"
REQUIESCAT
IN PACE
JOANNES
PAULUS II PP
