Dear Friends in Christ,
At this time of the year parents are considering applications to Primary and Secondary Education; the choice of schools for your children will certainly determine their future lives. It has been drawn to my attention that this year Essex County will not be sending out reminders to parents to make the application procedure for places for Year 7 commencement for September 2019. You have to do this by yourelves and access the Essex County Council website for Secondary School Admissions. (This procedure can all be done online). The application procedure is to be completed by 31st October. I would ask all parents to kindly wait until after you have visited the various schools open evenings before you make your application. If your child has been through Roman Catholic Primary education, the natural progression would be for them to continue that education through our Catholic Secondary School, which is Trinity. I ask all parents to seriously consider all your options. A Certificate of Catholic Practice is required from all applicants who wish to attend Trinity Catholic High School. (I can only sign you Certificate if you’re attending weekly mass – this is in compliance with the Code of Canon Law’s definition of a practicing Catholic, and the Diocese of Brentwood’s guidelines). One of the things that sadden me most in this process is that once children have their place in their desired school, how many families fall by the wayside. In the annual request for the capitation charge for each pupil, I would say that approximately less than a third attend Holy Mass. Children in their early years at High School are not attending even though they have stated they are weekly mass attenders. I see parents at mass without their young teenagers! This is really serious! Our future salvation is inextricably linked to the practice of our faith; these are not pious sentiments, but an impassioned plea to all parents to reflect on these words I have shared with you.
PARISH RENEWAL: Is about commitment to Jesus Christ. As we belong to a parish family, we each have a Christian responsibility to one another. In a bid to become engaged and ‘Intentional Disciples’ I would like to invite at least one member from each family to attend the important programme to commence on October 8th at 8.00pm in the Parish Hall.
May God Bless You All,
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE ROMAN CATHOLIC FAITH? If so, please see Fr. John as soon as possible. It’s still not too late! Tel No: 020 8508 3492. The RCIA Programme commenced last Thursday at 8.00pm in the Parish Retreat., and will continue each Thursday. It is a systematic programme, covering all aspects of Catholicism, the Scriptures, Catholic Dogma & Doctrine, Liturgical Practice, Prayer, and Catholic Moral Teaching & Ethical Issues. We follow a programme called ‘Evangelium,’ (£9 each) which is very orthodox. I will give hand-outs each week of the subject matter covered in the talk. There will be an opportunity for discussion and questions. There are many who have been on this course, and I’m sure some of our new convert Catholics would be only too willing to answer any of your questions.
NOTE TO EVERYONE IN THE CONTEMPORARY MUSIC GROUP: Our next practice takes place on Monday, 1st October (6.30pm musicians / 7pm singers) to go over the hymns and music for the 11am Mass on Sunday, 7th October. We know it’s difficult for some of you to come to our Monday practices, but please do make every effort to come on the 1st October, even if it’s for a short time. We’d particularly like to practice the two new hymns we spoke about after our last Mass, so if you can all be there it would make the practice really worthwhile! New singers who may like to join us would be made very welcome and of course all our singers are also welcome to sing every week with Susan and our Parish choir.
WHAT IS AN IRREGULAR MARRIAGES: Every baptised Roman Catholic is bound by the RC faith. If a person contracts a marriage outside of the Catholic Faith without a dispensation, it is referred to as irregular, or not actually recognised by the Catholic Church – these include marriages Register Offices; in hotels and on beaches; in Las Vegas; in any other Christian Church without dispensation from the Bishop. The Church has a facility to assist and help any couple regularise their marital status, it is called Convalidation. As long as the couple are both free to contract marriage in the Catholic Church a Convalidation ceremony can be celebrated. This is a totally private and confidential service that the Church offers to couples. If you would like to know more information about this procedure please contact Fr. John directly at the Presbytery Tel No: 0208 508 3492 or e.mail loughton@dioceseofbrentwood.org For whatever reason people sometimes marry outside the church, but we are here to help you put it right!
PARISH COUNCIL MEETING:
Monday 1st October at 8.00pm in the Parish Retreat. The Parish Council is a made up of various parishioners who represent the whole community. Each member has volunteered their time and commitment for a three year period. As we are about to embark upon this new evangelisation programme of Forming Intentional Disciples, it’s important that all of our Parish Council are up to speed on everything that will be taking place over the next months. Would all the various committees and organisations please kindly submit their reports Sunday 23rd September 2018. Thank you!
BOOKING MASSES:
Has been a custom in the Catholic Church for many centuries! Parishioners can book masses in advance for any occasion. Most commonly we remember our deceased loved ones on anniversaries etc. But masses can been booked for Special Intentions, those who have recently died, Birthdays, Anniversaries, when someone is sick, wedding anniversaries, and many other occasions. If you wish to book a mass there are plenty of openings available in the Mass Book Calendar. Just complete the Mass Intention envelope in the porch of the church and enclose you mass offering. For anniversary masses, could I recommend that you put your Intention in several months in advance to avoid any disappointment with a date already taken.
PARISH GIFT AID:
“Dear fellow parishioners, I have taken over running the Parish Gift Aid Scheme following Brian Carter’s retirement after 40 years’ service – wow! I’m writing to introduce myself and to let you know that I’m available for any enquiries relating to the Gift Aid Scheme. In a nutshell, the scheme increases the value of offertory donations made by basic rate tax payers by 25p per £1 donated, i.e. a £2 donation would become £2.50. All I need from you is 30 seconds to complete a form with your name and address and I will provide you with envelopes which you’ll then use to submit your donations in the usual way during weekly mass. It’s really as simple as that! Gift Aid Forms are available in the porch of the church in a green box on one of the hymn trolleys. Please, please do consider joining the scheme. With the ever increasing financial burdon placed upon the parish, every penny really does count and even the smallest donatios can make a big difference. I am contactable on 07799 475970 or mjm70@hotmail.com Thank you!” / Maria Mosquera.
TRINITY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL: “An Open Evening for prospective entrants to Trinity Catholic High School (Science & Sports College) will be held on Wednesday 3rd October 2018 at the Lower Site, Sydney Road, Woodford Green, Essex IG8 0TB. Parents are invited to look around the School, at their convenience in accordance with the following timetable: the School will be organising two opportunities for parents to visit at 4pm and 5.30pm. Both visits will commence with an address from Dr P C Doherty OBE (Headmaster) and will be followed by organised tours of the School. This is to allow parents to select the most convenient time for their attendance. We anticipate that there will be a high level of interest, and It would also be helpful if families could limit their attendance to parents and the child for whom they will be applying. If you have any special needs in relation to attendance, please contact the School in advance so that arrangements can be made on 020 8504 8946”. The closing date for applications is 31st October 2018. Please note that applicants will need to complete a common application form which will be provided by their own Local Authority. This application will then need to be returned to the applicants own Local Authority. For applicants wishing to submit a Certificate of Catholic Practice, this Diocesan document can be obtained through your parish priest, on the Diocesan website or the priest who will be signing your form.”
DAVENANT: Open evening for prospective candidates will take place on Thursday 4th October between 6.30pm & 7.30pm.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION PROGRAMME 2018/2019:
Our parents met last Wednesday and, the children’s first session will take place on Sunday 16th September at 10.00am in the Parish hall; this will be followed by the children being presented formally by their parents as candidates for the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist at the 11.00am Mass. Please keep all the children and the families in your prayers as they prepare for the Sacramental Programme. The next Parents’ Meeting will take place on Wednesday 10th October 2018.
THE PARISH ORGAN: As you may be aware the Parish Organ has had some serious problems over the past several months. Thankfully our Organ Repairers took the ‘inner action’ away and has now repaired it; we’ve also had the organ retuned. Hopefully you will notice the difference on the weekend! I’m truly grateful to Sue Farrow our Music Director for finding a wonderful expert organ repairer to fix our instrument. Obviously, the repair of such an instrument is not cheap; please keep this in mind when you make your weekly offertory. Thank you!
FORMING INTENTIONAL DISCIPLES (FID) PROGRAMME:
This Autumn our parish is launching an exciting new programme based on Sherry Weddell’s book, ‘Forming Intentional Disciples’. In the light of the ongoing Brentwood Diocese ‘Stewards of the Gospel’ process, this is the most significant and challenging period for our parish in a generation. Mass attendances, priest numbers and vocations have been falling and, very soon, we will receive details of Diocesan plans to change and re-structure parishes, including Loughton, for the future. At the same time, Pope Francis has exhorted Catholics to go out and spread the joy of the Gospel!
So that our parish is ready to respond to these challenges and thrives as a welcoming and loving community that spreads the Good News, we shall be focusing on the Forming Intentional Disciples (FID) approach. This has been used fruitfully both in the USA and in other places, including the Diocese of Plymouth and parishes within our own Diocese of Brentwood.
We aim that at least one member of each family/household in our parish will take part. Please do all you can to come along and encourage friends and family members to be involved too?
The programme costs nothing and takes only an hour or so a week but you will need to buy a copy of Sherry Weddell’s book, ‘Forming Intentional Disciples’. You will hear more at our weekend Masses on September 29 and 30 and there will be a chance for you to sign up and get a copy of the book then.
The Introductory Meeting takes place in our parish hall on Monday 8th October. Please put in your diaries. The other sessions take place on Mondays too: October 15 and 29, November 5, 12, 19 and 26.
Volunteers!
We would appreciate help with the programme. This might include helping with refreshments, setting up the hall or helping to facilitate discussions (no special training or expertise needed). Please speak to Fr John, or one of our Stewards Maureen Perry or Mark Poulter, if interested.
Forming Intentional Disciples Presentation Evening: Evangelisation and Discipleship
Monday October 8 (8pm) St Edmund’s Parish Hall
Pope Francis tells us that when the church tells us to evangelise, she is simply pointing to the source of authentic personal fulfilment. For, ‘here we discover a profound law of reality: that life is attained and matures in the measure it is offered up in order to give life to others. This is certainly what mission means’. (Evangelii Gaudium)
Come and hear about an exciting new programme that is being launched in our parish, learn about discipleship and the joy of evangelization. ALL WELCOME!
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY OUTREACH:
As part of the Evangelisation Programme we are adopting; outreach to those who no longer attend the Church is fundamental to the whole concept of Proclaiming the Gospel message to everyone. People leave the practice of the faith for all sorts of different reasons, but I would like to think that people are still members of the Christian family, unless they have made a formal rejection of the Christian faith. The sixty-four thousand dollar question is how do we reach these people again, and encourage them to return to the practice of the faith. To help them see that the life of faith is truly enriching and really worthwhile is the greatest challenge of all. It would have to be said that there are many contributing factors as to why people leave the practice of faith: – Secularism in this present age; pier group pressure; materialism; apathy & indifference. We live in an age and society that often finds it hard to commit to anything, and religion and the practice of faith is no exception! But to explore the Roman Catholic faith, and to learn and know more and more about its foundations in the person of Jesus Christ, will give the individual a truly deeper foundation to build upon. The Basis of Catholicism is to know Jesus Christ, and this is also at the heart of all Evangelisation.
A couple of ways you can help, and be real ‘Stewards of the Gospel’, is to invite any lapsed person back to church, and perhaps even accompany them. Or to take an additional Newsletter each week and pop it thought their letterboxes – sometimes that personal contact with another Catholic is often the encouragement people need!
PARISH CHOIR: We are always looking for new members to join the choir. You will have heard a lot of the new repertoire over the past several weeks. If you enjoy singing and music, please make contact with Sue Farrow our music director, you will be more than welcome to join the choir. There are rehearsals twice a week, Wednesday evening at 7:00pm and Saturday morning at 11.00am
St Edmund of Canterbury 