SCRIPTURE READINGS (A)
Acts
8:5-8, 14-17
The Smaritans hear the gospel and receive
the Holy Spirit
Psalm
65
Cry out with joy to God all the earth
1
Peter 3:15-18
Always have an answer ready for people who ask you
the reason for the
hope you have in you
John
14:15-21
Jesus tells his disciples: I will not leave you orphans
WHAT'S
IN A NAME?
On
the afternoon of Tuesday April 19th 2005, Cardinal Joseph
Ratzinger received the two thirds majority needed and
was duly elected pope. He took the name of Benedict XVI.
We do not know whether this was a long meditated decision
or came to him suddenly, but this particular choice is
full of instruction and may help us to understand something
of the ideas that inspire this remarkable man.
To
begin with the word Benedict means “the blessed one” and
in the New Testament it is regularly applied to God by
Saint Paul, who uses it of him at the opening of 2 Corinthians
and of the letter to the Ephesians. Saint Peter likewise
so refers to God at the opening of his letter. It still
appears in certain brief college graces in Oxford as Benedictus
benedicat meaning; “May the blessed one bless us”.
The
most celebrated, though probably not the first man to
bear the name Benedict, was Saint Benedict of Nursia (480-550)
who left the busy cultivated secular world of 6th century
Rome in order to devote himself to prayer and fasting
in the solitary area not far from Rome at Subiaco. What
looked to many like a flight from reality turned out instead
to be the beginning of one of the greatest civilizing
and humanizing forces the world has ever experienced:
the “Order of Saint Benedict". It is still with us.
The
first pope to bear the name of Benedict governed the church
from 575 to
579. It could be that he took his name from the saint
and he was the first of 16 such. The two immediate predecessors
, who share his name,
may help to shed some light on his choice of a name. Pope
Benedict XIV was elected pope in 1740 after an immensely
long conclave. He reigned for 18 years and has been described
as the most learned of all the popes. He has a rather
grand tomb in Saint Peter's. He clearly impressed the
prince of the Enlightenment, Voltaire, who dedicated his
“Mahomet” to him. Such an accolade from so very a secularising
a genius seemed to many then and may seem to us now a
rather backhanded compliment. There are some well known
public figures whose praise might be rather damaging
to the recipient. The last Benedict XV was “the Pope of
Peace" and had to live as pope from 1914 - 1922 throughout
the carnage of the First World War.
Our
new pope is a man of great learning, integrity and simplicity.
He is not a man to be pushed around, any more than was
Saint Paul (see 2 Timothy 4:1-4), by new ideas and projects.
His views are rooted in reason and in the tradition of
the Church, and he has already made his position quite
clear as against “trendy” liberalism. He also realises
that though some may clamour for change in the face of
the modern world, many more thirst for the certainty that
faith offers and brings. Add to this his commitment to
peace and unity, and the fusion of truth and love of which
he speaks so clearly and so warmly begins to take shape.
Fr Anthony Meredith SJ
Parish
Secretary and Administrative Assistant
Applications
are invited for a new part-time post assisting the Parish
Priest in the many operational and administrative aspects
of this Jesuit parish in the centre of London
. A wide range of skills and experience is needed to support
or work alongside the many (and growing) activities of
a pastoral, administrative and religious nature. You will
need to be an excellent communicator with IT and secretarial
skills, coupled with flexibility, a willingness to learn
and the ability to support and co-operate with other groups
or projects in the parish. This post is initially for
3 half-days a week (with some flexibility). Salary
is negotiable.
Please
e-mail your CV to philipobrien@usa.net
with a copy to farmstreet@rcdow.org.uk
by the closing date of
Wed
12 May 2005 .
THE
MYSTERY OF JESUS CHRIST -
TRUE
GOD AND TRUE MAN
Six
2-hour sessions led by Brian Purfield, STL , MA , a full-time
member of the Mount Street Jesuit Centre, will offer a
complete introduction to Christology – the study of Christ.
The evenings begin on May 18 th with “The Mystery of Christ”;
then “Jesus' Life and Ministry”, “Jesus' Passion, Death
and Resurrection”, “Jesus Christ in History and Tradition”,
“Jesus Christ Today”, and finally “Christology for the
Third Millennium”. The venue is 114 Mount Street . There
is a £25 feefor the course (concessions). For information
and booking:
brianpurfield@hotmail.com
tel
020 7495 1673
MAY
IS MARY'S MONTH
Why
not join the Rosary group in the church following the
1.05 Mass every day? Or contribute some flowers to one
of the many places around the church where she is honoured?
Many thanks to Stasha for faithfully keeping the flowers
in good order throughout the year!
The
Church Team
Fr
William Pearsall SJ (Parish Priest)
Fr
James Campbell SJ (Asst Priest)
Fr
Anthony Meredith SJ (Asst Priest)
Philip
O'Brien (Parish Council Chairman)
David
Graham (Director of Music)
Patrick
Mallon (Sacristan)
Fr
Hugh Duffy SJ ( Superior
of the Jesuit
Community)
NOTE: Fr William
will be in the USA until June 4th.
All business to Fr James, please.
EVENTS
CALENDAR
ASCENSION
DAY CONCERT
This
Thursday May 5th at 7pm there will be a sacred concert
in the church with students of the Royal Academy of Music
under the direction of Duncan Aspden, associate director
of music at Farm Street Church . This is a devotional
occasion and there will be no charge. Ascension is a Holy
Day of obligation and there will be Mass at the usual
time of 6pm .
WALSINGHAM
There
are only six places left for our parish pilgrimage to
the historic shrine of Our Lady on Saturday May 7th with
a mini-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 ).
JESUIT
DAY OF PRAYER AND ACTION
On
the week-end of Sunday May 15 th , Jesuit schools, parishes
and apostolic works throughout the British Province and
its missions will take part in special events to promote
the Make Poverty History campaign.
For information visit the Jesuit Missions website:
jesuitmissions.org.uk
FINANCIAL
STATEMENT
A
statement of finances for the year 2004 (and for 2003)
is posted at the doors of the church and on the website.
2003 ended with a deficit of £70,000 but we were
able to end 2004 with a surplus of £44,660. This
was due to many “one-off” factors, so continued support
of the church is essential. The level of generosity in
giving to our many charitable causes remains outstandingly
high. Well done and thank you!
WE
GIVE THANKS TO GOD ON THE ELECTION OF
POPE
BENEDICT XVI AND WE PRAY FOR GOD'S BLESSINGS ON HIM
AND
ON THE CHURCH!
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