Newsletter_Mar28

I suppose all of us have had instances of helping other people. By and large, these moments are concerned with fairly trivial matters such as shopping, looking after children or pets or properties. When we do such things we experience a certain satisfaction within ourselves that even although we aren't doing very much, we are doing something for someone else. This is a feature of our human nature and an ingrained and perennial one at that, so much so that Aristotle asked the question whether there was any such things as a completely altruistic action; that is, something done purely to benefit someone else with nothing in it, so to speak, for ourselves. He asked if this experience of satisfaction and, therefore, a selfish matter, was not the real reason we did such things.

This question is not, as you might think, a cynical one. Aristotle is taking account of what lies in our human nature and asking hard questions as to why it might be there: does the sense of satisfaction mean that we are happy to do things for others, for example? When we ponder that we are constituted this way, we can then consider that, given we are made in the image and likeness of God, what might be the purpose of this.

St Thomas Aquinas, amongst others, picks up the Greek philosopher's point and uses it to develop a Christian understanding of human nature which depends upon an understanding of God; that is, that since the Three Persons of God cannot but give love to one another, mankind is made in that image and likeness and similarly cannot be constituted without this desire to give.

It is, of course, Christ who shows us the way in today's gospel of the Passion. Not content with healing, forgiving, consoling, reassuring and praying for us, he is drawn to give the most He can for our sakes: to lay down his life. Our lives, then, must seek to emulate his. No longer can selfishness satisfy us. No. We learn that it is only when we imitate Christ that life begins; that when we give to other that our true nature is activated and satisfied and brought alive, since that is how we have been made. It is not completely altruistic either since we do experience a sense of satisfaction, but it is one which is given to us by God who made us that way and who draws us by these moments of self-giving to share more in God's fullness of life by laying down our lives as Jesus did for us.

There will be an exchange of palms with Grosvenor Chapel at 10:45am in Mount Street Garden .

You are very welcome to bring flowers to decorate the altars during the weeks following Easter. You may leave them at reception or the sacristy and we will find a vase or you can place them in the church. Trade items will be on sale in the Hall today.

We are very grateful to all our many volunteers for the dedication they bring to serving our church. To help in their formation and training we are offering the opportunity for a half-day of prayer, reflection and practical matters for our major volunteer groups. If you are in one of these groups please put your date in your diary. The days begin at 10am and finish at around 2pm .

Sat June 12 th : Readers (this includes weekday readers as well as those on the Sunday rota)

Sat September 18 th : Welcomers (greeters, coffee and bookshop helpers and night receptionists)

Please see any of the clergy for details. We realise that there are �unattached� volunteers and we will try and serve them also.

As we begin Holy Week, a Penitential Service will take place this MONDAY MARCH 29th at 6.45pm in the church. Fr James Campbell will lead a brief reflection on the nature and meaning of sin followed by a simple examination of conscience. There will then be an opportunity to approach a priest either seated face-to-face or in a confessional in order to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The Service itself will be very low-key: a darkened church with a little music in the background. Why not come along? All are welcome and you may leave at any time.

The Annual Pilgrimage to Walsingham is on Saturday 29 th May. This year's pilgrimage will be in memory of Philip O'Brien who died last summer. The pilgrimage will be led by Fr Dominic Robinson. For further information, contact Joan Hammett on 0207 657 6367.

Fair Trade items will be on sale in the Hall today and we thank the Norris boys for helping to promote this worthy cause.

A Polish lady who is a member of our parish and is currently assisting the Tyburn nuns is offering her services for cleaning and home tasks in order to help with fees for English lessons. Contact Elizabeth : 0783 140 2218 (after 3pm) / ebalcerzak@hotmail.co.uk or see Fr William.

A young man who is a regular visitor to Farm Street seeks lodgings in central London and would be happy to board with a family. See Fr William for details.

April 15 th : El Norte (dir. Gregory Nava, 1983). A couple's journey towards self-understanding and the meaning of love as they leave their Mexican homeland for life in the US .

This popular event, based at Ushaw, will take place at Allen Hall (the Diocesan seminary located in Chelsea , on the ground once occupied by St Thomas More and his family) from July 9th to 12 th . A variety of courses are on offer. See www.livingtheology.org,uk for full details or contact Fr Dominic Robinson SJ on 0784 068 6568.

This exhibition will take place at Westminster Cathedral from 11th to 19th April. Admission free. See posters for details.

The question Jesus put to his disciples has been asked of Christians (and others) for over 2000 years. The module begins with the life of Jesus and his message and proceeds to an overview of how the Church has attempted to answer the question of the identity of Jesus Christ. Later on in the course we reflect more deeply on the centrality of our faith in the cross and salvation and, finally, consider some contemporary issues for the study of Jesus Christ in today's multi-faith context.

The aim is to introduce participants to the writings of the Old Testament in order to help them to recognise God's revelation contained there and its continuing relevance in Christian life today. Particular attention will be paid to the different types of literature that make up the Old Testament and to the diversity of images of God. The significance of the covenant and the centrality of the Exodus experience for the people of Israel will be highlighted.

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 .