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SCRIPTURE
READINGS
|
Acts |
15:1-2,
22-29 |
| Psalm |
66 |
| Apocalyse |
21:10-14,
22-23 |
| John |
14:23-29 |
A
TIME OF TRANSITION
Moving
home can be a traumatic experience, whether it's
moving from one side of the world to another or
just within the same city. In our lives as priests,
and especially in the Society of Jesus, we have
to move a lot – studies abroad, experience in one
place, working in another. Most of us find that
exciting – the Jesuit vocation is one of mobility
not stability - but we're human so the transition
can be hard, especially if we have made good friends
and valued work colleagues.
This
is a time of transition in the Church's year when
we are invited to enter into the experience of the
disciples at a very anxious time for them. Jesus
is about to leave his disciples behind. They shall
soon see him no more as He will ascend to the Father.
Yet He tells us them not to be afraid. The Father
will send the Holy Spirit into the Church. The Holy
Spirit will remind us who are left behind of everything
the Lord taught us. He will teach us how to live
out His mission in the world.
These
last weeks of Eastertide represent a sacred time
of transition for the Church, a time for prayer,
for renewal, for moving on. We, as were the first
disciples, may well be anxious, be it because of
an uncertain economic and political future, or shame
and anger at recent revelations about the Church
herself. But we are called now not to be afraid
but to pray for the Spirit of renewal, for ourselves
and for us all so we may truly carry on the mission
Our Lord has given us. And in the Gospel this Sunday
He sums up His mission very clearly. It is to love
as He has loved us.
If
we are looking for some aid to prayer and reflection
at this time one key text is our Holy Father Pope
Benedict's first Encyclical Letter ‘God is love'.
Benedict's reflection on Christian love brings to
life the mystery of God's love for us and how our
striving to follow reveals to us the profoundest
mystery of what it is to be human. Christ, because
he is human, knows the deepest yearnings of the
human heart, of our desire to give ourselves. He
reveals to us our own divine destiny as creatures
made in His image. Yet this deeply human love can
for us humans can be distorted: it can be grasping,
clinging, selfish loving. Christ , says the Pope,
calls us forward and outside of ourselves, to give
ourselves more selflessly as He did on the cross,
to be more clearly and authentically disciples of
Christ for others.
Wherever
we are in our lives we can always strive that our
desires are transformed into more selfless loving.
The Church constantly needs the gift of the Holy
Spirit promised to us again to bring us closer to
Him so we can be purified, renewed and strengthened
to bring His Gospel of love to others. And if we
desire to be close to Him the Holy Spirit will surely
move our desires to be transformed more clearly
into more authentic living witnesses of His love
and peace.
Fr
Dominic Robinson SJ
INTENTIONS
FOR THE MONTH
That
the shameful and monstrous commerce in human beings,
which sadly involves millions of women and children,
may be ended. That ordained ministers, religious
women and men, and lay people involved in apostolic
work may understand how to infuse missionary enthusiasm
into the communities entrusted to their care.
CHURCH
CELEBRATIONS
This
Saturday, two Jesuit candidates, Martin Khiet Pham
and Justin Antony Pradhu (who will preach at the
6:15pm
Mass
tonight), were ordained to the Diaconate. Keep them
in your prayers.
MONTH
OF MARY
During
the month of May there is Rosary following the 6pm
Mass
Monday to Friday. We ask for flowers to help decorate
the altars and especially the altar to Our Lady.
PARENTS
TALK
Parents
are the primary sex educators of their children,
but many parents are unwilling with this responsibility
as they do not know where to start. Greg Clovis,
head of Family Life International and father of
ten children and Robert Colquhoun will explain and
help parents talk to their children about the beautiful
gift of their sexuality on TUESDAY MAY 11th, at
7pm
in
the Hall, 114
Mount Street .
For more information or reserve a place, contact
Robert Colquhoun on 0794 769 8195 or robert543@gmail.com.
VOLUNTEERS
IN BRAZIL
Bianca
Venkata and Fiona Oteng will be giving a presentation
about their voluntary experience in Brazil
on
SUNDAY MAY 16th. The presentation will take
place at 12.30pm
in
the Meeting Room, 114
Mount Street .
Please attend, all are very welcome .
PEDAL
AGAINST POVERTY WITH CAFOD
Join
CAFOD for a sponsored bike ride to help raise funds
for CAFOD's poverty-fighting work overseas. The
family friendly sponsored bike ride will take place
on SUNDAY JUNE 13th in the beautiful Lee
Valley
Country
Park
, Hertfordshire
(10 or 19 mile routes available). For further details
and a registration form, please contact CAFOD on
0208-449-6970 or westminster@cafod.org.uk.
Closing date for applications: MONDAY MAY 24th.
WALSINGHAM
The annual
parish pilgrimage to Walsingham will take place
on SATURDAY MAY 29th
. This
year's pilgrimage will be in memory of Philip O'Brien,
our Parish Council chairman, who died last summer.
The coach leaves from 114 Mount Street at 8.30am
and returns to the same spot at around 8:30pm. Fr
Dominic Robinson will be leading the group. Cost
for the day including lunch is £30.
Cheques
payable to Farm Street Church. For further information,
contact Joan Hammett on 0208 657 6367 (after 6.00pm).
CHILD
PROTECTION
Please
pick up a copy of the Statement by the Catholic
bishops of England
and Wales
as regards to the protection of children which are
available at the church exits.
YOUNG
ADULTS RETREAT
Join
Bishop Alan and other Young Adults on a Retreat
Day to St Jude's shrine, Faversham on JULY 24th.
Meet, Pray and Relax with other Young Adults from
the Diocese. All Young Adults (17-35) are welcome
to attend. Cost: £15 includes coach travel.
For more information and to book your place, contact
David Burke on 0207 798 9357 or davidburke@rcdow.org.uk
.
NEW
CATECHISTS
Our
children's programme continues to grow but we have
lost some of our catechists this year and we need
new volunteers. The work is very enjoyable and rewarding
and only requires being with the children on Sunday
mornings (not necessarily every Sunday) and special
occasions. Training will be provided by the team.
If you are interested, contact Patsy Cummings pcummings@rcdow.org.uk.
DATES
FOR YOUR DIARY
PENTECOST
SUNDAY
MAY 23rd
At
the 6:15pm Mass we welcome the St Patrick's Gospel
Choir. St Patrick, Soho Square, is closed for a
year for major works. The Gospel Choir performs
a variety of musical styles.
SUMMER
GARDEN PARTY SUNDAY JULY 4th
This
is our annual social get-together with lots of food
and drink and good fellowship. We call this our
Open Day and we make a special effort to introduce
new friends to our church. The event takes place
in Mount Street Garden and begins at noon , finishing
with a tour of the church at 3pm and ending with
Benediction at 4pm .
ST
IGNATIUS MASS AND CELEBRATION FRIDAY JULY 30th
The
Feast of St Ignatius, Founder of the Jesuits, is
celebrated on the 31st, but in order to ensure that
as many as possible can be with us for the Mass
and reception, we are having a Vigil Mass on Friday
at 6pm
. The
choir will be performing, there will be a guest
preacher and we will be gathering Jesuit alumni
and alumnae from all over the world. A very special
event!
MOUNT
STREET JESUIT
CENTRE
THE
OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS THEN AND NOW: A BEGINNER'S
GUIDE
THURSDAYS
from May 6th to May 27th, 7– 8.30 pm
Led
by BRIAN PURFIELD
The
prophets make up almost a quarter of the Old Testament.
We may recognise them from readings we have heard
in church. They had a huge influence on later history,
especially on the world of the New Testament. Yet
we may know little about them or the times in which
they lived. This short course offers a beginner's
guide to the prophets.
BOUNDARIES
AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
FOR
PASTORAL WORK
One-Day
Workshop Saturday 22nd May, 11an - 4pm
Led
by ROGER DAWSON SJ
For
those involved in pastoral work in which issues
such as boundaries, roles and relationships, power
and protection of vulnerable people may be an issue.
It will focus not just on "good practice"
(do's and don'ts) but also the "character"
of the person involved in pastoral care. Suited
to anyone in parish ministry or working with people
in any helping capacity.
JOURNALING:
Finding
God in all Relationships
TWO
SATURDAY WORKSHOPS - 5th and 26th June 11
am - 4 pm
Led
by BILLY HEWETT SJ
Practical
applications in daily life of the Ignatian principle
of finding God in all “things”, i.e. relationships
to world around us, between us, within us, beyond
us. Theoretical input will be followed immediately
at each stage by private, written exercise/response
. No
previous knowledge required.
FINDING
GOD THROUGH ART
ONE-DAY
WORKSHOP
THURSday
10th JUNE, 10 am - 2 pm
Facilitated
by MICHAEL BARROW SJ and ANNIE BROMHAM IBVM
Many
people without any expertise find the use of paint
or clay or even dance, a wonderful way to deepen
their prayer. This day offers a chance to look at
paintings as well
as to use colour to find God in your own particular
way. Details
of these programmes can be found in the leaflets
at
the doors of the church.
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 .
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