View from the Presbytery 25 April

ST JOSEPH’S JOURNAL Volume 53   No: 16

CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION & SAINT JOSEPH

23 ST JOHN’S STREET, HERTFORD SG14 1RX

https://parish.rcdow.org.uk/hertford

Email:  hertford@rcdow.org.uk

Parish Priest:  Canon Terence Phipps            Tel:  01992 582109

DATE: 25 April 2021                                                                                                                                                                                         

FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

The page numbers for the prayers for this Sunday’s Mass are at the front of The Parish Mass Book.  Please note that there is a Loop system in the Church.

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THE VIEW FROM THE PRESBYTERY

 

The Easter season continues and this weekend we reach the Fourth Sunday, which is usually called ‘Good Shepherd Sunday’ because the gospels used all have reference to the Good Shepherd and refer to Christ in his role as the Pastor of the Sheep. This has over the years developed into a reflection on ministry in the Church and also on a practical level has given an opportunity to have a collection for the Diocesan Priests’ Training Fund.

When a man is thinking about trying out his vocation to be a priest there is quite a long process of preparation and training to go through. He would first see the Director of Vocations and other members of the Vocations Promotion Team for a year or so and might eventually go before a selection panel, to see whether he should go to the seminary to continue the discernment process. The students at the seminary spend six or seven years in training, studying philosophy, theology, scripture,  church history, liturgy and pastoral practice (among other things) and learning to maintain a discipline of prayer and spiritual reflection, which help to provide a basis for what he might need in his future ministry as a priest. Our diocese has a seminary called Allen Hall, which up to 1975 was based at St Edmund’s College, Ware, and is now in Beaufort Street in Chelsea. It is there that most of our priests receive their training, although some train in Rome and occasionally in Valladolid in Spain. It is a very busy time for students and staff and I had the privilege of studying in Rome and later on teaching in Allen Hall for seven years. I taught Moral Theology, and was involved in general formation for much of that time.

Seminaries cost a lot of money to run, since staff and students all need board and lodging and a certain amount of financial remuneration. The buildings need to be kept in decent repair and other necessities of life and learning need to be maintained. At present there are 42 men studying at Allen Hall, 18 of whom are for the Diocese of Westminster, with two more at the English College in Rome. They need our support and prayer, and there will be an opportunity to contribute to the Fund at the end of masses this weekend. Envelopes are available on the chest at the back of the church and you can still bring them back next weekend, since the collection will be open for a while. Do fill in the Gift Aid details if you are a UK taxpayer. Pray also for vocations, since we really do need more priests, and they all need to be trained, so that they can be more like Christ the Good Shepherd and may model their ministry on his.

Restrictions for Covid 19 do seem to be easing at the moment and the number of infections and deaths are certainly going down. This is to be welcomed, but if we are to be able to ease restrictions fully on 21 June, we have to be vigilant until then and not lose focus.

As always, keep safe; keep smiling; keep going.

God Bless – Fr Terry

 

POPE’S INTENTION APRIL:

Fundamental Rights
We pray for those who risk their lives while fighting for fundamental rights under dictatorships, authoritarian regimes and even in democracies in crisis.

 

ONLINE DONATIONS TO OUR CHURCH:

Westminster Roman Catholic Diocese Trustee Hertford as the account name.

Account number 21263242

Sort code: 40-05-20

If you would like to use STANDING ORDER to donate your weekly/monthly offering, the forms are available on the website to download.

 

IF YOU WRITE A CHEQUE TO THE PARISH please can you make payable to WRCDT Hertford. Thank you.

 

IF YOU ARE A GIFT AIDER AND YOU STOP PAYING TAX OR CHANGE ADDRESS

 you must let the parish office know.

Thank you.

 

FOOD BANK:

We are in desperate need of food for the foodbank. Items can be dropped off at the church hall with Mrs. Sue Walker any weekday morning. Don’t forget that foodbanks also accept essential non-food items such as toiletries and hygiene products, helping people in crisis to maintain dignity.

 

 

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION CLASS

on Tuesday 27 April at 4pm in the church hall. If you haven’t already, please can you bring £8 per child to cover the cost of their book. Thank you.

 

A PRIEST IS AN ORDINARY MAN CALLED TO AN EXTRAORDINARY MINISTRY (Cardinal Basil Hume)

As we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday, the Vocations team wanted each parish and Catholic community to see the new poster.

The poster has tried to do something new.  It is linked to a video which you can find on the diocesan YouTube. Anybody reading the poster simply needs to scan the QR code (the square with graphics) on the poster with their phone to be directed to the video. The link to the video, is https://youtu.be/nP_u0A3S-q0

 

NEW OFFERTORY ENVELOPE BOXES

These are ready for collection. Please come to the Presbytery to collect your boxes.

 

RETROUVAILLE

Rediscover Your Marriage. The programme offers the chance to rediscover yourself, your spouse, and a loving relationship in your marriage. There is no group therapy or group work. For confidential information about ‘Retrouvaille’ or to register for the programme commencing with a ‘Virtual’ weekend on

 1st – 4th July 2021 Call or text 0788 7296983 or 044 797 3380443 – or email retrouvailleukinfo@gmail.com 

 

  

MASS INTENTIONS

Saturday: Easter Feria

6.00pm: 

Sunday: Fourth Sunday of Easter

10.30am: Simon Pearson (RIP)

6.00pm: People of the Parish

 

Monday:  Easter Feria

10.00am: Minnie Lee (Ints)

Tuesday: Easter Feria

10.00am: Private Intention

Wednesday: Easter Feria

10.00am: Private Intention

 

Thursday: St Catherine of Siena

CHURCH IS CLOSED

 

Friday: St Pius V, Pope

10.00am: John Lavelle (RIP)

Saturday: St Joseph, the Worker

10.00am: Sr Loretta Dooley (Ints)

6.00pm: People of the Parish

 

 

RECENTLY DECEASED:

Yvonne Coyle

May she rest in eternal peace.