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Synod Report: A Church that involves everyone and is close to world’s wounds
Women and the laity, diaconate, ministry and magisterium, peace and the climate, the poor and migrants, ecumenism and identity, new languages and renewed structures, old and new missions (including the “digital” mission), listening to all and probing everything more deeply, even the most ‘controversial’ issues. In the Synthesis Report approved and published today by the 16th General Assembly of the Synod on Synodality, there is a renewed look at the world and the Church and their demands. After four weeks of work, which began on 4 October in the Paul VI Hall, the General Assembly concluded its first session today in the Vatican.
The document of some forty pages is the result of the work of the assembly that took place “while wars both old and new have raged in the world, with dramatic consequences that are impacting upon countless victims.” The report continues, “The cry of the poor resounded among us, of those forced to migrate and of those suffering violence and the devastating consequences of climate change. We heard their cry not only through the media, but also through the voices of many present, who were personally involved in these tragic events whether through their families or their people” (Foreword).
To this challenge and many others, the universal Church has tried to offer a response in the Small Circles and in the interventions. Everything came together in the Synthesis Report, which is divided into a preface and three parts, and which traces the path for the work to be done in the second session in 2024.
Synthesis Report
XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops adopted the following Synthesis Report
https://www.cbcew.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/11/vatican-synthesis-report-eng-oct23.pdf
Homes for Ukraine Matching Service
Caritas Social Action Network, in partnership with St John of God Hospitaller Services, an international Catholic Charity with many services for the vulnerable in the UK and Ireland, are matching Ukraine people displaced by the brutal war with people in the Catholic community willing to host them in their homes for six months. If you have a room in your home and in your heart to consider welcoming a stranger displaced by war, then we’d love to hear from you.
Please visit http://sjog-homesforukraine.uk/ for more information.
Pope Francis calls for ceasefire in Holy Land
Oct 29th, 2023
Source: Vatican News
Pope Francis has called for an immediate ceasefire in the Holy Land. Addressing the faithful gathered in St Peter’s Square for his Sunday Angelus, the Holy Father invited everyone to “continue to pray … for the serious situation in Palestine and Israel”. In particular, he asked that humanitarian aid be allowed to enter Gaza and that all hostages be freed.
The Holy Father quoted Father Ibrahim Faltas, the Egyptian Franciscan vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land in Jerusalem, who recently spoke on the Italian television programme A Sua Immagine (In his image). I listened to him and he said: “Ceasefire, Ceasefire!”
“We too, like Father Ibrahim, say Ceasefire”, said the Pope, adding: “stop, brothers and sisters: war is always a defeat-always, always.
Fr Faltas has thanked Pope Francis for his appeal – saying that up til now no one has heeded the needs of the people of Gaza.
Speaking from Jerusalem, he thanked Pope Francis, saying: “… only the Holy Father among all the powerful in this world, has used the word ‘Ceasefire’, and said that war is a defeat for all. It is only the Pope who makes these appeals.”
But his gratitude was accompanied by sadness at seeing that other “powerful people of the earth” have not heeded this cry.
“No one has listened” he said. “No one hears the needs of these people of Gaza who are homeless, without food, electricity, water, without anything.”
“There are children killed, women, people with disabilities. More than 10,000 people have been killed in 24 days. There are so many children, so many women under the destroyed houses in Gaza,” he said.
“Nobody knows how to help these people. In Gaza, everything is lacking, including the essential to be able to live. And all these wounded people, more than 20,000 people who cannot receive treatment and be saved. Only him, only the Holy Father is calling for a ceasefire. I hope they listen to him!”
Meanwhile, as the ground attack in the Gaza Strip intensifies and the humanitarian situation worsens, reports have emerged that some residents have had their internet connection restored today.
Father Ibrahim Faltas took the opportunity to contact his brothers and sisters sheltering in the Holy Family parish in Gaza. “Yes, communication is back but it is not stable,” he explained. “I did everything I could to speak with Sister Nabila Saleh, the sister of the Holy Rosary, and Father Youssef.”
“They are there with these people who are very sick. There are almost 700 people staying in their parish, sleeping there, eating there, living there,” he said.
“Just imagine 700 people all in one church, while the whole of Gaza is besieged!”
“Two million people live in Gaza, without food, without electricity, without water, medicine, nothing! It is a horrible situation there. But who listens? Who sees these things?”
On Saturday, insisted the Franciscan friar, recalling the demonstrations in the streets, millions of people “asked their rulers to cease fire, to stop this hell. It really is hell! The people of Gaza are living in hell, but we too, throughout the Holy Land, are living an extremely difficult time. It is a hell for everyone.”
LIVE ONLINE SERVICES
Sunday 9.30 am mass is live streamed. Special events, such as funerals, will also be live streamed on request.
Access via our You Tube channel – visit our channel here
Then click the video marked ‘LIVE NOW‘, usually at the top of the page
Please also visit the channel for recordings of services
***PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHANNEL BY CLICKING THE RED ‘SUBSCRIBE’ BUTTON AT THE TOP RIGHT OF THE CHANNEL PAGE. THAT WAY YOU’LL ALWAYS BE NOTIFIED WHEN A SERVICE IS ABOUT TO BEGIN. IT WILL ALSO HELP US BOOST THE VISIBILITY OF OUR SERVICES ONLINE***
SUNDAY SERVICES RECORDINGS
Permission to stream music in our live stream services obtained from One License A735471
PARISH NEWSLETTER
3rd December 2023
Click here for the archive of old newsletters
CATHOLIC CERTIFICATE IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES
The Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (CCRS) provides parish catechists with knowledge and understanding of theology and the Catholic faith. You can learn the course in person, by distance learning or online – details below:
Centers (in person learning)
http://brs-ccrs.org.uk/index.php/course-centres
Life-Light Home Study Courses (distance learning)
info@studylifelight.com
01844 351 514
CCRS Online (online learning)
ccrsonline@hope.ac.uk
0151 291 3055
CHILDREN’S LITURGY OF THE WORD
The Children’s Liturgy of the Word is at the 9.30 Family Mass on Sunday.
HOW TO BECOME A CATHOLIC
Would you like to know more about the Catholic Church and its
Teachings? Perhaps you might be thinking of becoming a Catholic and want to
know how?
Or could YOU invite someone you know to BECOME a CATHOLIC? Please think about whether you have any friends, neighbours, relatives or work colleagues you could ask to join our parish – or maybe just to find out more about the Scriptures and the Catholic Church’s teachings? Invite them along to a group for adults which meets each Wednesday at 7.30pm in the Presbytery. In the meantime, why not ask them to come to Mass with you and introduce them to Fr Dermot? Or else email the Parish Secretary finchleynorth@rcdow.org.uk so someone can phone them to answer their questions.
You will be made very welcome.
A LEGACY OF FAITH
This parish of St. Albans is able to continue to open its doors and conduct essential works and repairs thanks to the generosity and foresight of benefactors who chose to leave a gift in their will. This is an enduring way to express what the parish means to you or someone close to you. Gifts of every size make a difference and are gratefully received.
A gift in your will, left to a registered charity such as the St. Albans parish, is exempt from inheritance tax. Legacies may be left either for general purposes or for a specific use. A legacy for general purposes means that we are able to use your gift wherever it is most needed. But if there is an area of the parishes work which you would particularly like to support, you may of course request that it is used in this way.
DONATE TO THE CHURCH
Please visit the Donate to our Parish page if you are in a position to support the church financially at this time.
There is also a contactless device situated in the church porch which enables those who wish to donate in this fashion.
ST ALBAN’S CENTERING PRAYER GROUP
Every 4th Sunday of the month.
Please email Carole O’Reilly coreilly396@btinternet.com for more information as to how to join.
Especially welcome in these fragile times
CONTACT INFORMATION
Our postal address is 51 Nether Street, Finchley, N12 7NN. It is located 200 yards from Tally Ho Corner.
You can contact us on 020 8446 0224.
Our email address is finchleynorth@rcdow.org.uk
We’re keen to hear from you, so please feel free to contact us.