|
SCRIPTURE
READINGS
|
Acts |
1:1-11 |
| Psalm |
46 |
| Ephesians |
1:17-23
|
| Luke |
24:46-53 |
ASCENSION
'You
see how it is written that the Christ would suffer
and on the third day rise from the dead, and that,
in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins
would be preached to all the nations, beginning
from Jerusalem . You are witnesses to this.'
I
have a friend who is a politician - but don't hold
that against him. Unfortunately, he's not a very
good politician. After 25 years of trying really
very hard, he has never yet been elected to Parliament.
And, no, this time he still didn't make. But he's
still hopeful. His problem, however, is that the
place where he lives is a stronghold of one main
party and he belongs to the other main party. So
the chances of him ever getting elected are really
pretty slim. A few years ago, shortly after his
latest ballot-box disaster, we met up in a convenient
location not far from here. And I asked him what
he would do if he ever was actually elected
to power. And I told him that I didn't really want
to hear what was in the party's manifesto - I wanted
to know what he would really do
if the people chose to give him the opportunity.
He thought for a moment and then he said: "I
would find out what people really want - what they
truly need - and give my life to get it for them."
Today
we celebrate the Resurrection and the Ascension
of Jesus - his return to the Father - to his position
of Power and Kingship. And we hear what he wants
for us - his manifesto - the program to which He
has given His life and the Gospel that he sends
out his disciples to preach - It is this: Repentance
for the forgiveness of Sins. He does not preach
lower taxes, better schools, more health centres,
more Police or a stronger army - he asks Repentance
for the forgiveness of Sins. Why is that so important
that the Son of God died and rose so that we might
have it?
One
of the sorrows of being a doctor, as St Luke the
physician probably once knew, is that there
are diseases - cancers of the Soul - which no medicine
can cure. So many people live lives of quiet desperation.
There are truly amazing numbers of people whose
lives are blighted by a suffering, a memory, a fear
or a guilt which they can never - ever - relinquish.
It may be the guilt of an action they have never
ceased to regret. Or it may be a crime done to them
which they cannot either forgive or forget, or in
any other way put behind them. It may be a critical
failure in themselves or in someone else which has
prevented them from achieving their hopes and deepest
desires in life. It is one of the sorrows in the
life of a doctor that there is no tablet, no injection
which helps people like these. My clinic is full
of them.
But
it is one of the joys in the life of a priest that
frequently people like this do find rest, peace,
repentance and forgiveness - even after many years
of carrying a burden of guilt, anger, disappointment
or whatever - in the love of God and especially
in the sacrament of reconciliation. Of all the things
I have ever done in life, I have never felt more
useful to humanity than the time I have spent hearing
confessions.
Just
recently, I gave a woman of 34 her First Holy Communion.
She had been baptised a Catholic, but not brought
up in any Faith. Her short life had been dominated
by drugs, abuse and other things I'd rather not
talk about. And when I met her, she was dying of
AIDS. She asked for Confession and Holy Communion
because she wanted to die at one with God and at
peace with herself, her family and friends. By then,
I had been a priest for some years. But it was only
after that I realised why it is that when the Lord
at his Ascension, sends out his disciples to bring
the Christian Good News to the ends of the Earth,
the message he sends is repentance for the forgiveness
of Sins. In the End - the real End - the Final End
- there is nothing else that matters.
Let
us pray that we too may be given the grace to know
God's Peace in our own lives – and to bring it to
the very many people in this world who need it so
desperately.
Fr
Paul O'Reilly 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, we celebrated the union between ORI HELLERSTEIN
and YVONNE COSTELLO, and ANDREW PURBRICK and LOUISE
WONG. May God guide them in their life together.
We also welcome CHARLOTTE VENTERS into the Church.
May her parents raise her in the love of God.
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.
PAPAL
VISIT's COLLECTION
There
will be a special second collection for the forthcoming
Papal visit on PENTECOST SUNDAY. Please, be generous.
MAY
SHE REST IN PEACE
Lots
of you may remember Kate Holdcroft. She died on
Monday. She was a relentless volunteer and was seen
regularly at the reception. Her funeral will be
here at Farm
Street
on TUESDAY MAY 18th at 11am
. All
are welcome.
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
There
are still a few places for the annual parish pilgrimage
to Walsingham 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).
WORLD
COMMUNICATIONS DAY 2010
TODAY
is World Communications Day, a day dedicated to
prayer for the work of communications professionals
across the world in supporting them to promote the
Gospel in the media. Please join your prayers to
the Pope's, as we also prepare his visit in our
country. Note that there will be two talks in preparation
for his visit held by MSJC on JUNE 14th and JUNE
21st, 7-8:30pm
.
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
.
APPEAL:
NEW CATECHISTS!
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
114
Mount Street , London W1
Bookings
and information:
Lynne
Galloway 020 7495 1673 lynne@mountstreet.info
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.
DEEPENING
OUR AWARENESS OF GOD WITH US
from
SEPTEMBER 2010 to JULY 2011
Once
again Fr TONY HORAN SJ is offering his popular course
on the Spirituality of St Ignatius. You can either
apply for the course on Tuesday evenings, 7pm to
9pm , or on Thursday mornings, 11am to 1pm. Nearly
100 people have done this course since 2006, as
one of them said, “ The course is a very special
time to reflect, pray, explore, and share with others.
We come together as a group, sensitively and gently
guided -- all of us seeking to deepen our lives
with God. It is a time for going further into the
heart of things, and for lesser things to fall away.”
Application Forms can be obtained from the MSJC
(see contact details above) or at tony.horan@btinternet.com
. Limited number for each course . It is important
to fill in the application form carefully and submit
it by 15th JUNE 2010 to the above
address.
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 .
|
