Newsletter 24th May 2020

Mass Times * News * Fr Cyril Chiaha Writes

For more information about the parishes of Buntingford and Old Hall green,

see the websites  at https://parish.rcdow.org.uk/buntingford and https://parish.rcdow.org.uk/oldhallgreen

 

During this time, our churches remain closed, but Mass is celebrated in private by Fr Cyril

Sunday 24th May: 7th Sunday of Easter 

Tuesday 26th May: St Phillip Neri, Priest

Wednesday 27th May: St Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop

Thursday 28th May:  Easter Feria

Friday 29th May: Easter Feria

Saturday 30th May: Easter Feria

Sunday 31st May: Pentecost Sunday 

The readings for Mass can be found every day on the ‘Universalis’ website.

Some churches in our diocese stream Mass online, you may be able to watch one of these during this time.

Newsletter by email.

  • To receive the newsletter by email, sign up for e-alerts by visiting St Richard’s website and clicking the button on the right of the homepage. (For simplicity we are sending the newsletter from this one place at the moment)

Parish Office Hours

  • Please consider using the telephone. While we must all support each other in these times, we must also try and do our part in lessening the spread of this disease.

Please pray for Mr. Michael Stacey whose funeral service was on Thursday 21st May. Please pray also for Mrs. Sheila Murton whose funeral service was on Friday 22nd May. Sheila’s family have placed the floral tributes from her funeral at Our Lady’s grotto in St Richard’s church grounds.  May their souls rest in peace. Amen.

The month of May is dedicated to Mary our Blessed Mother. Praying the Rosary is one of the ways to ask for our Lady’s intercession and it would be wonderful to offer our Rosary during this month for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our Archbishop, Cardinal Vincent Nichols has recorded a pastoral message on the days leading up to Pentecost. The video is available online on Vimeo  and on the diocesan website.
Mass for the frontline workers in hospitals and in care homes, for the sick, and their families. In order to show a spiritual solidarity with all those who are involved in the ways described above, each Thursday at 7pm, a Catholic Bishop will celebrate Mass in their Cathedral, which will be live-streamed for people to join. The schedule is available on the Bishops’ Conference website. This coming Thursday’s Mass is celebrated by Bishop Terence Drainey in Middlesborough Cathedral.
Many thanks to those who give their Offertory to the parish by Standing Orders. As we are still on lockdown, it would be appreciated if those who give their offertory by using the offertory envelopes or loose cash, and whose income are not threatened by this pandemic, could consider giving their offertory by using the link ‘Donate to our Parish’, which is on the left hand side of the parish’s website. Thank you.

Fr Cyril Chiaha Writes:

The prayer that Jesus prayed in today’s gospel brings to light God’s sovereign purpose and our place in it. As recorded in the reading “Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said: Father, the hour has come: glorify your Son so that your Son may glorify you”. With those words He prayed that the ordained hour of the cross, the hour that was set for our salvation, comes to fruition.

By praying to His Father, Jesus not only teaches us about the importance of prayer and the relationship between the Father and Himself, but also discloses a pattern of relationship, one that reveals the amazing truth that God is not distant in our trials of life, that He is in solidarity with His own.

Jesus knows that our protection is found in prayer and not by avoiding or escaping the trials of life. While each of us cannot know God’s sovereign plan in advance as Jesus knew, yet Jesus’ experience reveals the understanding that God is sovereign over every human trial and suffering; all that is required of each individual is to trust God, submitting to Him in prayer and obedience, even as we face the trials of life.

This is not always easy, as the trial and suffering in life are not easily perceived as the place to find glory. Often, it is seen as punishments and humiliation; a sign of weakness.

As exemplified in Jesus, the cross or trials of life is where God’s glory are supremely displayed, offering each individual an opportunity to find God to be true to what He says, to experience God’s sustaining grace and purposeful design, reshaping the human person more into His image.

It is my hope that each of us remain steadfast in the face of trials and persecution that may come our way, just as Jesus did not give up even when he was on the cross; as our purpose on earth is to glorify God. True life is all about knowing God and that relationship comes through knowing Jesus.

Have a blessed week!