|
SCRIPTURE
READINGS
|
Isaiah |
66:10-14 |
| Psalm |
65 |
| Galatians
|
6:14-18 |
| Luke |
10:1-12,
17-20 |
WHEN
WEST MET EAST
This
year we celebrate the 400th anniversary of the death
of a great Jesuit missionary, the Italian Fr. Matteo
Ricci, S .
J.
He is still remembered in China with considerable
respect, not only by Catholics or other Christians
there. He is gratefully remembered because of his
open approach to Chinese culture, his ability to
enter into that culture and language, to establish
links, dialogue, friendships. In this he was living
out St. Ignatius' maxim 'Go in by their door and
bring them out by yours.' This was not meant in
any cynical or manipulative way; rather by showing
understanding of people very different from oneself
was to open a door for them to faith in Christ .Even
if it meant getting into hot water with later Roman
authorities through an insight that has only been
accepted in fairly recent times: that Chinese commemoration
of ancestors was acceptable to our faith and not
idolatrous worship.
Fr
. Ricci
brought his vast knowledge with him of the science
of his day: mathematics, geometry, astronomy. In
return he learned Chinese philosophy from scholars
in Beijing and elsewhere and was able to use it
as a starting point for explaining the Catholic
faith .
This
summing up by Fr. Jeremy Clarke, SJ, an Australian
Jesuit and professor of Asian history in an article
in the Jesuit magazine America has something important
spiritually to say to us.
‘Perhaps
the best way to think about Ricci's decades in China,
and to hold together his joy of scholarship and
his capacity to endure the thousand sacrifices of
living far from all that was once dear to him, is
to see his ministry as one of friendship.'
‘For
all Ricci's academic and personal talents, his pre-eminent
gift was a capacity to delight in the company of
others. He was able to accomplish so much - translate
geometrical principles into Chinese, engage pastorally
in theological debates with some of the brightest
Buddhists of his day, and invite thousands of inquisitive
scholars to his home - because of the mutual support
and companionship of his friends .
A few of these
were his Jesuit brothers; when Ricci died there
were eight European Jesuits and eight Chinese Jesuits
at work in the mission .
But the vast
majority of his friends were Chinese: the scholars,
officials and local people he talked with on his
travels and in the marketplace. To recall Ricci's
exploits it is necessary to remember his company
of friends.'
Fr
Tony Nye, SJ
FROM
THE PARISH PRIEST
Dear
Parishioners, Friends of Farm
Street
and Visitors,
A
big welcome to all of you as we open our doors today
for the annual Garden Party and Open Day. This is
an occasion of welcome but also of celebration.
We celebrate the life of Farm
Street
parish in all its aspects. We celebrate with gratitude
the countless people who contribute to the joy and
support that comes from a living Christian community.
We celebrate our wonderful volunteers, not least
our Parish Council and all who have helped them
make this day possible. As we enjoy the good food
and drink that will be shared at our picnic, I hope
that we will enjoy even more the simple but life-giving
pleasure of being with one another. There will be
games and music and other forms of entertainment,
but these are only the delightful means to a greater
end: to create a wonderful environment for fellowship
and for welcoming our friends and visitors. In the
end, we are celebrating not just the life of our
parish, but the life of Christ in us. May God bless
us all on this happy day and I look forward to seeing
you in the garden!
Fr William
CONCERT
IN THE CHURCH
The
Japanese Catholic Community invites you to a concert
in support of the Jesuit Refugee Service on WEDNESDAY
14th JULY at 7:30pm
. Harpist
Yuko Tomonaga with ensemble will perform music by
Bach, Respighi, Elgar, Debussy and others. Admission
£10 (students £5). For further information,
contact Mr Matsuo on 0207 240 4250 or see Fr James.
MEET
YOUR NEIGHBORS
Churches
Together in Westminster
invites
you to visit the French church (Notre Dame de France,
Leicester
Place ,
off Leicester
Square ,
Soho
) on
WEDNESDAY 14th JULY at 6:30pm
. Talk,
tour and refreshments. The event is free. See Fr
William for more information.
CHRISTIAN
LIFE COMMUNITY
Christian
Life Community (CLC) is for people who want to listen
more deeply to how God is at work in their everyday
lives. We meet regularly in small groups to pray
and share, supporting one another through the ups
and downs of ordinary life. In listening to one
another we grow to understand ourselves, deepen
our relationship with God and discover more clearly
how each one of us is uniquely called to respond
to God's love. To find out more contact the Southern
Regional Representative Cheryl Bernard:
0208
674 7902 or 0794 348 0651 or cherylsakura@talktalk.net
www.clcew.org.uk
.
DAY
FOR LIFE
As
everyone knows, the Catholic Church takes a very
strong position in defence of human life at every
stage, from conception to the final breath. The
annual day for life is promoted by the diocese to
increase our awareness both of the value of human
life and of the many threats that surround it. This
day will be kept on JULY 25 th and the emphasis
this year is on care of the dying and the protection
of the dignity of life among those who are reaching
the end of their journey. There will be materials
for prayers and reflection later in the month.
FILMS
AT FARM STREET
FFS
screens and discusses films that raise moral and
spiritual issues for contemporary Christian living.
Each screening is followed by wine and nibbles.
Every two weeks, from September to April: see calendar
for dates. On Saturday
2 October 2010
there will be a workshop on “The Language of Film”
with special reference to Pasolini's “Gospel According
to St Matthew”. This
autumn we will begin our new season of films including
Winds of Desire , As It Is in Heaven
, Juno and The Last Temptation
of Christ .
HANDS-ON
HELP FOR THE NEEDY
The
Farm
Street
branch of the St Vincent de Paul Society organizes
a ‘soup-run' for homeless people in the local area
on a Monday evening. New volunteers would be very
welcome. If interested, please come along to 114
Mount Street
any Monday at around 8pm
or
contact Dominic Beary for further information at
svpfarmstreet@gmail.com
.
OUR
SENIORS
As
readers of the Newsletter will know, Farm
Street
parish will be conducting a survey over the coming
weeks into the needs of its older persons, and of
the carers of older persons – and also into the
resources and potential volunteers who might respond
to those needs. There will be more about this shortly
– but just for the present, here are two suggestions
for action that the Hallam diocese are recommending
to all the faithful individually:
•
try to ensure
that at least one frail older person is always included
in your weekly routine (shopping, outings etc)
•
consider becoming
a Eucharistic Minister and/or a home visitor for
older people who are housebound
Food
for thought!
PAPAL
VISIT
Material
regarding the Pope's visit is available at the church
doors. Please help yourself. We regret that we are
unable to provide tickets for the Papal events.
SEA
SUNDAY
Next
Sunday there will be a collection at the doors in
support of the Apostleship of the Sea. 2010 is the
“Year of the Seafarer” and this annual appeal gives
us a chance to remember both in our prayers and
in a practical way those who go out to sea for their
livelihood and their families and friends. Their
Chaplain Bishop Tom Burns reminds us that to be
a seafarer is one of the top most dangerous occupations.
Please be generous.
A
big Thank You to the anonymous donors who add so
much to the beauty of the church through their gift
of flowers.
MOUNT
STREET JESUIT
CENTRE
114
Mount Street , London W1
Bookings
and information:
Lynne
Galloway 020 7495 1673 lynne@mountstreet.info
END
OF YEAR COMMUNITY MASS
SUNDAY
11 th JULY at 5pm
in the House Chapel 114, Mount Street. If you have
ever attended any event at the Centre then this
mass is for you, come along and celebrate bring
family and friends. The celebrant will be Fr Holman
SJ our provincial. Drinks and nibbles afterwards.
(Please note change of time from 7pm
, due
to world cup..!)
MONTHLY
CENTRE/COMMUNITY MASS
(provisionally)
every second Sunday of the month at 7.15pm .
Once
you have attended any event here, we like to think
you are part of our ever-growing community of participants
and facilitators. Our monthly Community Mass is
an opportunity to meet for an informal ‘house Mass',
held in the Upper Room of 114 Mount Street, and
to share wine and nibbles afterwards. At present
it takes place on the second Sunday of each month
at 7.15pm
, though
we will be consulting with you by email about whether
this is the best time.
IGNATIAN
PRAYER DAYS
Led
by TONY HORAN SJ
Second
Saturday of each month (except August) from 11am-4.30pm
These
are days of prayer run in an Ignatian way, in which
there is a talk, time for personal prayer and the
opportunity to listen to each other, ending with
the Mass of the Sunday. There is no need to book
for these days just come along.
If
you would like us to put on a course or a one day
workshop on a particular topic of interest to you
now is your opportunity to make your requests.
Please
use Gift-Aid envelopes for your donations if you
are a UK
Tax-payer .
|
