A PROPHETIC WORD
From within our own families, communities and marriages, it is often difficult to hear a challenging or ‘prophetic’ word. These are the people with whom we live. We know their weaknesses and vulnerabilities. They know ours. To be stretched into a new level of responsibility by those with whom we live and on whom we depend is a very uncomfortable experience. We would prefer to appear perfect in their eyes, without need of change, improvement, or challenge.
Today we witness Jesus’ struggle with the same phenomenon. His reading of Isaiah stresses that challenges comfortable lifestyles, attitudinal biases, and the status quo. Members of his own community rebel. Who is he to play the prophet? Should he not just pay attention to his own life and not interfere in others’ lives?
The prophetic call has left many a challenger on the margins of society, abandoned and derided by the complacent. Many missionaries have come home with news of needs beyond the borders of their home countries and have been met with indifference, discomfort, and dismissal. The reaction of Jesus’ compatriots was even stronger; they wanted to throw him off the hill.
THANK YOU – a big thank you to everyone who helped with the celebrations last Sunday for our Parish feast day.
THANK YOU – to all those who came for the Mass with Cardinal Vincent last Sunday – it was wonderful to see the church and parish centre full of people. The link below it will take you to the photographs that were taken at the Mass. https://www.flickr.com/photos/catholicism/albums/72177720296170800
MASS INTENTIONS – We will start booking Masses for March from Tuesday 1st February. Please note that if you ask for an Intention on a specific date and a funeral is subsequently arranged on that day, the Intention will be moved to the next available date.
MICHAEL O’NEILL RIP – we pray for the repose of the soul of Michael O’Neill who died recently. We offer our condolences and prayers to his family at this time. His Requiem Mass will take place on Tuesday 1st Feb 2022 at 10am.
TUESDAY 1ST FEBRUARY – No morning prayer. No 9:30am Mass. Funeral Mass at 10am
CELEBRATIONS THIS WEEK –
Monday 31st January St John Bosco
Wednesday 2nd February The Presentation of the Lord (Candlemass)
Thursday 3rd February Ss Laurence, Dunstan & Theodore
Saturday 5th February St Agatha
THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD (CANDLEMASS) – is celebrated on Wednesday 2nd February. Mass at 9:30am will begin with the blessing of the candles. Please gather in the main entrance area of the church for the start of Mass.
BLESSING OF THROATS – The blessing of St Blaise will take place after the 9:30am Mass on Thursday 3rd February.
POPE FRANCIS – INTENTIONS FOR FEBRUARY 2022 – Religious Sisters and Consecrated Women – We pray for religious sisters and consecrated women; thanking them for their mission and their courage; may they continue to find new responses to the challenges of our times.
THANK YOU – for the collection last weekend which amounted to £508.85 (envelopes £382.45; Loose £126.40). Thank you for your continuing support.
NOW ACCEPTING CONTACTLESS DONATIONS
You will find our new DIGITAL COLLECTION PLATE, contactless terminal in the church. Just use your contactless debit/credit card or smart phone/ device to make a donation.
Simply choose the amount you wish to donate and hold your card onto the reader.
You can also opt-in for Gift Aid to increase your donation by 25%.
If you are a UK taxpayer, then donating with Gift Aid means that we can claim an extra 25p for every £1 received.
Contactless donations are simple to administer, secure and convenient.
COVID
Following the announcement by HM Government on 19th January that the measures put in place to mitigate against covid virus transmission as “Plan B” will be lifted in full on 27th January, the following guidance is offered to the dioceses of England and Wales and has been agreed with Public Health officials. It is clear from scientific evidence that transmission from surfaces (touch transmission) is now minimal.
- We ask that all parishioners (unless exempt) wear a face covering during Mass
- Please sanitise your hands as you enter and leave the church
- At Holy Communion, please follow the instructions of the Stewards (10am & 12 noon only)
From this weekend the Holy water stoups have been refilled. If you want Holy Water to use at home, please bring a bottle of water and one of the priests will bless it for you. From this weekend we will stop cleaning after all the Masses. A special word of thanks to the many parishioners who have cleaned after the Masses for the last two years.
Home Visits
Home visits can continue (or begin again if they had been suspended) by priests, deacons and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion and other volunteers. The minister to the sick or housebound person should take care to ensure that the number of visits to different homes in a single session of visiting is managed. It is recommended (outside hospital and hospice chaplaincies and social care institutions who have infection control in place) that the number of people visited is assessed beforehand to prevent the possibilities of transmitting the virus between people. Assessing the time spent with people and ensuring that there is good ventilation and cleanliness during the visit is also good practice.
BAPTISMS – Please contact Fr Perry to arrange dates for baptism.
WEDDINGS – If you are planning to get married either in this church or elsewhere, the Diocese requires the minimum of six months in order for preparation and paperwork to be completed. We will be having preparation for couples beginning in February. Please register with Fr Perry by the 7th of February.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION – Parents meeting on Monday 31st January at 7pm.
CONFIRMATION 2022 – This year our Confirmation programme will be in two parts:
- Youth Alpha – 8 weeks
- Confirmation preparation – 4 weeks
Those who register have to attend the Youth Alpha sessions at the end of which we will discuss if candidates should complete the Confirmation preparation. To register you should be in Year 9 or above and St Paul’s should be your regular place of worship. Please call the parish office Monday – Friday 10:15am to 1:30pm to arrange a time to come and meet with Fr Perry. Closing date for registration – Sunday 13th February. Sessions will begin after half-term
ADULT ALPHA IS BACK!! – Do you have questions about your faith, the world, or your place in it? Alpha might help you find the answers. The parish are running the course in Lent 2022, starting on Monday 28th February @7.30pm. It’s an excellent opportunity to meet and discuss with other parishioners in a welcoming and supportive environment, If you’d like to take part, please take a registration form or contact the parish office on 020 8888 2390 or email woodgreen@rcdow.org.uk. On the registration form you can indicate if you would prefer the sessions in the parish centre, on Zoom or a mix of both. We will go by what the majority of people are happy with. Registration closes 20th February 2022!!
PRAYING WITH ST LUKE – This Lent Fr Perry will lead a weekly group praying with the Gospel of St Luke. We will use a book – Lent for Everyone – Luke” by Tom Wright. The first meeting will be on Tuesday 22nd February at 7pm and will continue every Tuesday during Lent. Those coming to the meeting need to buy a copy of the book to use. These are available from Amazon and other bookshops.
‘REBUILT’ – Meeting on Tuesday 1st February at 7:30pm.
LOURDES PILGRIMAGE – Would you be interested in going to Lourdes during the October half-term holiday (Monday 24th – Friday 28th October) ? We would fly from Stansted to Lourdes airport. Before we approach the travel agents – please let us know if you would be interested by Monday 7th February.
NEXT SUNDAY 6th FEBRUARY 2022 – 5TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
1st Reading Isaiah 6:1-8; 2nd Reading 1 Corinthians 15:1-11; Gospel Luke 5:1-11
St Paul the Apostle Newsletter 16 January 2022
IMAGE OF GOD IN LIFE
In the wedding feast of Cana we see Jesus pressed by his mother’s compassion to respond to a social dilemma. It was a wedding feast, a primal social event within the local community. Marriage bound the community together by linking families through relationships of longevity. The social fabric of the community was strengthened by the celebrations of these unions. It was proper and fitting to celebrate with everyone present.
How embarrassing to miscalculate the needed amount of wine or to be unable to afford the quantity that would allow people to celebrate this major covenantal event! Whatever the circumstances, Mary noted the problem and approached the one person whom she knew could alleviate the discomfort. We have no idea what she thought Jesus would do, but we do know that she felt confident in asking him for help. While Jesus resists the Appeal initially, like the good son who relents and responds fully in the parable of the two sons (Matthew 21:28ff), he proceeds respectfully to honour her request.
This is not a stamen about familial control or God being subject to any human preference. It is a story that depicts Jesus as a man who cared about the needs of those around him. In everyday life, Jesus could be moved to respond in order to meet people where they were. Mary knew this capacity in her Son. She trusted him to reach out and alleviate the struggle in some way. Of Course, he made this miracle a sign of his ‘hour’ giving it a profound meaning that Mary would come to understand.
God is concerned about human dilemmas and limitations and chooses to respond. Our petitions, spoken from the depths of surrendered hearts, aware of their dependency upon a generous God, fall upon God’s ears and receive a hearing. While we may not know the precise way in which God will respond, we can be assured the voices that cry out are heard.
CRIB OFFERINGS – This Christmas our Crib Offering will be donated to the Catholic Children’s Society to support their work with disadvantaged children and families. This will help provide mental health services, family support and emergency grants for vulnerable children in our Diocese. Total collected £754.48
EXTRA-ORDINARY MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION – Those who bring Holy Communion to the housebound, sick and vulnerable, should take regular lateral flow tests to ensure they are safe to do so.
MICHAEL O’NEILL RIP – we pray for the repose of the soul of Michael O’Neill who died recently. We offer our condolences and prayers to his family at this time. His Requiem Mass will take place on Tuesday 1st Feb 2022 at 10am.
MASS INTENTIONS – Masses for February are now fully booked. Please note that if you ask for an Intention on a specific date and a funeral is subsequently arranged on that day, the Intention will be moved to the next available date.
CELEBRATIONS THIS WEEK –
Monday 17th January – St Anthony, Abbot
Friday 21st January – St Anges
PRE-MARRIAGE COURSE – For the last few years we have run our pre-marriage course for couples who are preparing for the sacrament of marriage. This has been led by 3 married couples from our parish community. We are looking for one or two other couples who could help with important work here at St Paul’s. The couples who run the course at present would work alongside any new volunteers. Please see Fr Perry for more information or if you are willing to give it a go.
THANK YOU – for the collection last weekend which amounted to £911.48 (envelopes £627.70; Loose £283.78). Standing Orders and Online Donations for December 2021 – £5516.89. Thank you for your continuing support.
COVID UPDATE
1. We ask that all parishioners (unless exempt) wear a face covering during Mass
2. Please sanitise your hands as you enter and leave the church
3. At Holy Communion, please follow the instructions of the Stewards (10am & 12 noon only)
4. Cleaners are needed after Masses to help sanitise the church.
5. People displaying any symptoms of COVID-19 should stay at home and not travel to church or participate in person.
6. If we all follow the above guidelines, then our church will continue to be a safe place for us to gather for worship, including over Christmas.
7. We encourage parishioners to get vaccinated and have the booster jab when invited.
From this weekend the stewards will be on duty to ensure we all keep to the guidelines. They are volunteering to keep us all safe.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we move forward as a Parish Community.
BAPTISMS – Please contact Fr Perry to arrange dates for baptism.
WEDDINGS – If you are planning to get married either in this church or elsewhere, the Diocese requires the minimum of six months in order for preparation and paperwork to be completed. We will be having preparation for couples beginning in February. Please register with Fr Perry by the 7th of February.
WOOD GREEN MISSION – Was founded in 1882. This year we celebrate 140 years of our parish, 135 years of St Paul’s School and 50 years of St Martin of Porres School. Cardinal Vincent will be coming to our parish to celebrate the 10am Mass on Sunday 23rd January. After the Mass he will bless our recently installed knife bin. For this celebration we ask parishioners to come in national dress. Let us fill the church for this celebration as it was for the official opening of the present church on 25th January 1971 !
REFRESHMENTS – We will have some refreshments after the Mass on 23rd January. Please come and help to set-up the hall on Saturday 22nd January at 10:30am.
A DAY OF PRAYER FOR OUR PARISH
PARISH FEAST DAY – TUESDAY 25TH JANUARY
The Conversion of St Paul the Apostle
Mass at 9:30am followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament until Benediction at 7:15pm followed by Mass at 7:30pm. Please come and join me in this day of prayer for our parish.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION – We sent an email last week to all the families who registered for the classes this year. If you did not receive the email, please contact the parish office. Please check your junk mail first.
CONFIRMATION 2022 – This year our Confirmation programme will be in two parts:
- Youth Alpha – 8 weeks
- Confirmation preparation – 4 weeks
Those who register have to attend the Youth Alpha sessions at the end of which we will discuss if candidates should complete the Confirmation preparation.
To register you should be in Year 9 or above and St Paul’s should be your regular place of worship.
Please call the parish office Monday – Friday 10:15am to 1:30pm to arrange a time to come and meet with Fr Perry.
ADULT ALPHA IS BACK!! – Do you have questions about your faith, the world, or your place in it? Alpha might help you find the answers. The parish are running the course in Lent 2022, starting on Monday 28th February @7.30pm. It’s an excellent opportunity to meet and discuss with other parishioners in a welcoming and supportive environment, If you’d like to take part, please take a registration form or contact the parish office on 020 8888 2390 or email woodgreen@rcdow.org.uk. On the registration form you can indicate if you would prefer the sessions in the parish centre, on Zoom or a mix of both. We will go by what the majority of people are happy with. Registration closes 20th February 2022!!
CHURCH HEATING – As winter sets in and the days get colder, the church will be heated but due to the need to keep the building ventilated when occupied, the doors must be kept open. We encourage you to wrap up warmly when coming for Mass.
POPE FRANCIS – INTENTIONS FOR JANUARY 2022 – For true human fraternity – We pray for all those suffering from religious discrimination and persecution; may their own rights and dignity be recognized, which originate from being brothers and sisters in the human family.
NEXT SUNDAY 23RD JANUARY 2022 – 3RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
1st Reading Nehemiah 8:2-6, 8-10; 2nd Reading 1 Corinthians 12:12-30; Gospel Luke 1:1-4, 4:14-21