St. Edmund of Canterbury & St. Thomas More
Dear Friends in Christ Fourth Sunday of Easter 2021
Today is Good Shepherd Sunday, and is the world day of Prayer for Vocations to the Priesthtood & Religious Life. Let us pray especially for an increase of vocations to the Priesthood, especially here in our own Dicoese of Brentwood. We have two deacons due for Ordinationto Priesthood this year; please keep them in your prayers. The age of the clergy is now very top heavy, and there will inevitbly be several retirements. We desperately need priests for our parishes – no priest, means no Mass – We have to ask the Good Shepherd for more priests. ‘Lord give us shepherds after the heart of God’. Let us pray earnestly for this intention.
The Gospel today uses one of the famous ‘I am’ statements in St, John’s Gospel. Jesus states: ‘I am the Good Shepherd, the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.’ Jesus prophetically refers to his own self-sacrifice. He will lay down his life for the salvation of the whole of humanity. This will be the saving action of the Cross, and will become the key element in the Apostolic preaching of the Good News.
Ravenna Mosaic – Jesus the Good Shepherd
POSTPONEMENT OF JUBILEE: I am due to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Ordination to the Sacred Priesthood of Jesus Christ on 11th July this year. Unfortunately, due to the Pandemic it has been virtually impossible to make any definite arrangements. I had originally asked our Bishop Alan to come on the 9th July in the evening for a Thanksgiving Mass, but as we really don’t know what the state of play will be with regard to total opening of Churches without social distancing until the latter part of June, I thought it would be prudent to postpone the Jubilee Celebration. Obviously, I’m a little disappointed, but the health and safety of everyone is far more important. I originally had family from Ireland; friends for the United States & Italy, a big family and of course all of you my spiritual family. None of us knows what kind of situation we’ll be in in July, and it’s so important to give people plenty of notice about celebrations & invitations, especially with regard to planning, liturgy, music, catering, stewarding etc. The actual date of Jubilee 11th July falls on a Sunday, and for me the most important part of the Jubilee of a priest would be the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. I have therefore designated the 11.00am Mass on that day as a Jubilee Mass, and invite only the parish community to share with me. Weather permitting we might be able to share a glass of wine and a piece of cake afterwards. As a Jubilee lasts for one year, I will seriously think about having the bigger celebration in July of 2022.
Thank you, and God Bless You! Fr. John x
CONFIRMATION PROGRAMME: In this unusual past year, thankfully, we have been able to conduct our Confirmation Programme through Social Media. I’m truly grateful to Mark Anthony & all our Catechists for their help and assistance to our 47 young people preparing for the reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation. Unfortunately, the Bishop hasn’t been able to attend parishes during the Pandemic, and therefore, has delegated the Parish Priests’ to celebrate the Sacrament as the extra-ordinary minister. In preparation for the Sacrament a Penitential Service will take place at the Church on Wednesday 2nd June, also a brief rehearsal for the celebration. The Confirmation dates are as follows: Wednesday 9th June: Groups 4,5,6. Thursday 10th June: Groups 1,2,3. Please pray for our Confirmandi.
WEEKLY OFFERTORY: My sincere thanks to those who are making their weekly contribution of Gift Aid envelopes and through the banking system that has been set up through the Diocese whereby your Offertory can be paid directly into the Parish Account, details below:
https://www.dioceseofbrentwood.net/donations?parish=loughton
Or you can use Parish Bank Account: Using Online Banking
HSBC Sort Code 40-13-22
Account Number: 11019651
WEEKLY OFFERTORY ENVELOPES: There are still a large number of Gift Aid envelopes which have not been collected by those who belong to the scheme. The table will be outside the Church again this weekend for collection, and then placed in Fr. John’s garage throughout the week. As stated, the HSBC bank will be closing on 13th August, it would be good for as many parishioerns as possible to go over to the direct giving through your bank. If you wish to join the Gift Aid Scheme, please see Fr. John or Maria Mosquera. Thank you for your ongoing support to the Parish.
RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS: If you know of anyone who may be interested in learning more about the Roman Catholic Faith possibly with the view of receiving the Easter Sacraments in 2022, please contact Fr. John at the Presbytery on Tel No: 020 8508 3492. The programme usually commences in September. If would be wonderful to have a number of enquirers. We follow a systematic programme of instruction, covering all aspects of Catholicism. Please spread the word about this programme. Thank you!
BRENTWOOD ECCLESIASTICAL EDUCATION FUND: The annual collection for the education of our future priests is extremely important. At present we have eight seminarians studying for the priesthood; our own Frank Westcott is coming to the end of his first year at St. Mary’s College, Oscott. There will be two ordinations to the Priesthood this summer. But there will also be retirements. As you can appreciate the age of the clergy of the diocese is now top-heavy. We continue to pray for an increase of vocations to the priesthood in our diocese. Please kindly give generously in the retiring collection at the end of all masses this weekend.
EPPING FOREST FOODBANK DONATIONS: Thank you to all parishioners who continue to generously donate items for the Foodbank during these difficult times. The Foodbank are truly grateful for the generosity our parish has shown throughout the pandemic and our donations are still needed desperately as more and more people in our community are finding it hard to make ends meet. Here are the 40 items being requested: Laundry tablets, anti-bacterial spray, washing-up liquid, UHT milk, long-life fruit juice, squash, instant coffee, tinned ham, corned beef, vegetarian tinned meal, microwave rice, instant noodles, packet mashed potato, tinned carrots, tinned potatoes, tinned sweet corn, custard, sponge pudding, rice pudding, chocolate bars, tinned spaghetti, cous-cous sachet, packet soup, hot chocolate powder, peanut butter, chocolate spread, jam, breakfast bars, cereal bars, biscuits, halal tinned meat, hand sanitiser, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, face masks, strong carrier bags. Thank you! You can also keep up to date with the Foodbank news via their facebook page: www.facebook.com/EppingForestFoodbank/
HSBC BANK LOUGHTON CLOSING: 13th August 2021. As we belong to the Diocesan Central Banking system, unfortunately the HSBC Loughton brance will close in August. It would be good if we could get most parishioners on to the Gift Aid Direct Debit Scheme.
DIARY APRIL 2021
PLEASE PRAY FOR THOSE SICK IN OUR PARISH
Margaret Baldwin, Evelyn Bearne, Brian Beveridge, Karl Britz, Carlos Camacho, Jane Downs, Steve Dalgliesh, Pat Fenn, Veronica Godsave, Bernadette Hall, Ann Hawkes, Claire Howes, Pamela Houghton, Noel Johnson, Shaun Keel, Angela Long, Lilian Mothersole, Sheila Murphy, John McKernan, Rosemary O’Rourke, Kathleen Pomeroy, Geraldine Taylor, Vera Taylor, Mary Witten, James Wright. And all our loved ones.
ANNIVERSARIES: Jamie McRory RIP, Michael Touhy RIP, and for all whose anniversaries occur at this time and for all of our deceased loved ones, Requiescant in Pace.
OFFERTORY COLLECTION: With continued thanks for your Weekly Offering. If you would like to join the Gift Aid Scheme, there are application forms in the Church Porch or ask Fr. John for a form. If you forget your envelope, there are spares in the Porch. Thank you!
SACRAMENTS CELEBRATED DURING ALERT LEVEL 4 RESTRICTIONS: In accordance with Government & Diocesan Guidelines, we are allowed to celebrate Funerals with 30 people present, strictly observing social distancing. 12 people are allowed to be present at a wedding. Baptisms are allowed to take place in the context of a Sunday Mass setting. These are really difficult times, and many couples were disappointed last year not being able to celebrate their marriages. We are hoping with the advent of the vaccine, that things will change dramatically this year. If there are any couples who are thinking about getting married, please notify the parish immediately. Thank you. Obviously until restrictions are lifted all of the above applies for the foreseeable future.
MASS INTENTIONS – APRIL / MAY 2021
| Sat 24th | 10.00am | Ron Bryant RIP (Brenda Bryant) |
| Vigil Mass for Sunday: Confessions at 5.30pm | ||
| Sat 24th | 6.00pm | Ben & Katie Romford Paramedics (B Brown) |
| Sun 25th Sun 25th | 9.00am 10.00am | Kenneth Tudhope RIP (M Duffy) Roxana – For good health & well being |
| Sun 25th | 11:00am | Peter Smith RIP (Paul Falco) |
| Mon 26th | 10.00am 10.30am | Thomas & Patricia Simpson RIP (J Simpson) Holy Hour with Exposition of Bl. Sacrament |
| Tues 27th | 10.00am | Gillian Fallon (Get Well) (G O’Donoghue) |
| Wed 28th | 10.00am 10.30am | Kavanagh Family RIP (Maree Kavanagh) Holy Hour with Exposition of the Bl Sacrament |
| Thurs 29th | 10.00am | John Maton RIP (Ferdi & Diana Tisi) |
| Fri 30th | 10.00am 10.30am | Mary Walstow RIP (Remy) Holy Hour with Exposition of Bl. Sacrament |
| Sat 1st May | 10.00am | Brian Perring RIP (anni) ((Eden Burn) |
| Vigil Mass for Sunday Confessions 5.30pm | ||
| Sat 1st | 6.00pm | Brian & Paul Street RIP (Barbara Street) |
| Sun 2nd Sun 2nd | 9.00am 10.00am | People of the Parish Michael & Breege Kerrane RIP (Mary) |
| Sun 2nd | 11:00am | Muriel & Bernard Gilley RIP (Eileen Ward) |
Please kindly be patient with your mass requests. I will try to accommodate your requested dates, but there have been a large number of requests recently and we celebrate masses in the order in which we receive them.
4th Sunday of Easter
First Reading : Acts 4:8-12
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter said: ‘Rulers of the people, and elders! If you are questioning us today about an act of kindness to a cripple, and asking us how he was healed, then I am glad to tell you all, and would indeed be glad to tell the whole people of Israel, that it was by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the one you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by this name and by no other that this man is able to stand up perfectly healthy, here in your presence, today. This is the stone rejected by you the builders, but which has proved to be the keystone. For of all the names in the world given to men, this is the only one by which we can be saved.’
Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 117(118):1,8-9,21-23,26,28-29
The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone.
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
for his love has no end.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in men;
it is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes.
The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone.
I will thank you for you have answered
and you are my saviour.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the corner stone.
This is the work of the Lord,
a marvel in our eyes.
The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone.
Blessed in the name of the Lord
is he who comes.
We bless you from the house of the Lord;
You are my God, I thank you.
My God, I praise you.
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good;
for his love has no end.
The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone.
Second Reading :
1 John 3:1-2
Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us,
by letting us be called God’s children; and that is what we are.
Because the world refused to acknowledge him,
therefore it does not acknowledge us.
My dear people, we are already the children of God
but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed;
all we know is, that when it is revealed
we shall be like him because we shall see him as he really is.
Gospel : John 10:11-18
Jesus said:
‘I am the good shepherd:
the good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep.
The hired man, since he is not the shepherd
and the sheep do not belong to him,
abandons the sheep and runs away
as soon as he sees a wolf coming,
and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep;
this is because he is only a hired man
and has no concern for the sheep.
‘I am the good shepherd;
I know my own
and my own know me,
just as the Father knows me
and I know the Father;
and I lay down my life for my sheep.
And there are other sheep I have
that are not of this fold,
and these I have to lead as well.
They too will listen to my voice,
and there will be only one flock,
and one shepherd.
‘The Father loves me,
because I lay down my life
in order to take it up again.
No one takes it from me;
I lay it down of my own free will,
and as it is in my power to lay it down,
so it is in my power to take it up again;
and this is the command I have been given by my Father.’
St Edmund of Canterbury 