Saturday
6.30pm: Elizabeth Garrad RIP
Third Sunday of Easter PMB 262
8.30am: Dec’d Parishioners (Elllis)
10am: Frances McEvoy Rec Dec
11.30am: McCarthy Family Dec Rel
Monday
NO MASS
Tuesday
NO MASS
Wednesday
NO MASS
Thursday
10am: Minnie Barker RIP
Friday
10am: Mary Welbrun RIP
Saturday
6.30pm: David Wilkins RIP
The Fourth Sunday of Easter
8.30am : Parish
10am: Derek Townsend RIP
11.30am: Michele Allen Rec Dec
Like the first group of disciples, we gather in joy to celebrate the reality of the physical resurrection of Jesus from the dead.. We come to the Eucharist to encounter the Risen Lord and then to witness to our faith.
First Reading This is part of Peter’s sermon after he and John had cured the crippled beggar at the temple. Peter confronts the people with their part in the death of Jesus. However, he goes on to excuse them as they acted out of ignorance. In this he may have been inspired by the dying Jesus who prayed “Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing”. He highlights the goodness and innocence of Jesus. He he proclaims the resurrection and urges them to repent, assuring them that if they do, their sins will be forgiven
Second Reading True love of God means keeping the commandments. But, St John knows that Christians will inevitable fail. The Good News is that we have Jesus as our advocate who will plead our cause and get us out of the mess.
Gospel This comes immediately after the account of the two disciples who meet Jesus on the road to Emmaus. It’s very similar to last week’s gospel so that is why you have a short sermon today. Although I may talk about joy I will not talk about marmalade. It’s about real bodily resurrection and the call to go out and proclaim the Good News. Jesus instructs them about the past as recorded in the Old Testament. He shows how all has been fulfilled in the New Testament. Christ had to suffer in order to enter into his glory.
Arrangements for First Sacraments. Preparation of youngsters will take place by kind permission of Mrs Hawkes at Regina Coeli School. This is for children who attend that school. We need to make other arrangements for children who attend other schools. Preparation will begin in the autumn term. It is hope that families will be able to start attending Mass soon as if not it will all be delayed for some time. There will not be meetings in the Parish Hall. However, it may be possible to have meetings for parents on a weekday evening as has been the custom in the past. I expect that date for First Communion will be some time in the spring or early summer of 2022.
Confirmation We need to get back to regular practice and Mass attendance so that the confirmandi will be able to make a serious commitment in regard to the practice of the Catholic faith. Young people can come to church now and they will of course be observing social distancing and staying safe. I am hoping for a good mass attendance before too long. The we can get moving.
Reflection The wounds of Christ show us how costly love can be. Those who care about others pick up lots of wounds. There may be no great wounds only a multiplicity of little wounds. But there can also be a lot of invisible wounds: the furrows left on the mind and the heart by hardship, worry and anxiety. These wounds are not things to be ashamed of. They are more like badges of honour. They are the proof of our love
Parish Support Many thanks to those who are helping me so generously with the office/administration/secretarial side of parish life. I am grateful to them for their professionalism and service. So much appreciated. By the way, I could never do database or put up our weekly Sunday Mass on the parish website. Without them I would sink !
CAFOD The collection to CAFOD was down this year. I believe that we should make every effort to support this leading Catholic Charity for the hungry in the Third World
CAFOD Four million children are dying in the Yemen. In the first quarter of 2019, 3.4 million died of hunger. Please help by making a donation. Envelopes available back of church. You can make a CAFOD donation any time. See above.
The Great Proof of Resurrection lies in the lived-out response of those who witnessed this event. We owe our faith to them. Something great happened. They were witnesses. It changed their lives and their witness changed the world. Their lives lived out in the glory of the resurrection have changed ours.. It means that our sins are forgiven. In other words, we will stop making bad decisions and make decisions based on faith, hope and love. It means that we can with the eyes of faith look forward to everlasting life. There is no denying that Jesus died but the point is that he died in a self-sacrificial sort of way, showing us the way to life by the way he died out of love for us all.. There’s no getting away from it. We’re not here for every. Time to start really celebrating the glorious feast of Easter. Only the Risen Lord can give meaning to our lives