The Solemnity of Corpus Christi, 2021
Dear Friends in Christ Corpus Christi 2021
Today is the Feast of Corpus Christ – The feast of the Body & Blood of Jesus Christ. It goes back to the 13th century, but it celebrates something far older: the institution of the Sacrament of Holy Communion at the Last Supper. While Holy Thursday is also a celebration of this mystery, the solemn nature of Holy Week, and the focus on Christ’s Passion on Good Friday, overshadows that aspect of Holy Thursday.
In an incredible way, Jesus was able to leave with us the gift of His Body & Blood; sharing with his friends at the table of the Last Supper this eternal gift of himself for all time. The giver became the gift. After his Passion, Death & Resurrection, Jesus couldn’t be limited to time or space, and the Eucharist is the eternal reminder that the Lord is always with us. There is no more intimate expression of his love for us, and that’s what we receive every time we present ourselves for Holy Communion. He is the Bread of Life, come down from heaven; he is the food for the journey of life; He is the great ‘I am’! Let us fall on our knees before him.
Dear Friends in Christ, Corpus Christi 2021
Every week there are new announcements about the Universal Pandemic. Here in the UK, there is much speculation as to what is going to happen on the 21st June, and whether the present restrictions are going to be lifted. The science has pointed to the contagious nature of the Delta strain of the virus, which has now taken over in the UK. Obviously, the government is stressing all the while to receive the vaccine as soon as possible. And they’ve just given the go ahead for younger people to receive it. Health and Safety are of prime importance for everyone! Keep safe and well! Please continue to follow the guidelines at Church, until we are advised otherwise.
CELEBRATION OF THE SACRAMENT OF COMNFIRMATION: This week on Wednesday 9th & Thursday 10th June we will be celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation with our young people. This is a very momentous moment in their Faith Journey. My thanks to all those who attended the rehearsal last Wednesday; some arrived very late and missed the practical session; but there will be another opportunity to be present on Monday 7th June at 7 pm for all those who were away during the half-term break. I commend to your prayers all our young people who will receive the Sacrament this week. Unfortunately, we are still bound by Covid restrictions, and therefore it is only the Candidates and their Sponsors, and parents who can be present. At present, due to social distancing in the Church, we can only accommodate about 100 persons; as I’ve stated all along your Health & Safety are of utmost importance. (If there are additional family members who would like to actually be present on either day, weather permitting, there is a speaker outside of the Church, and we can make some seating available). The Confirmation ceremony will be transmitted via Social Media – St Edmund of Canterbury Website – you will be directed to the livestream. Groups 4,5,6, Wednesday 9th June; Groups 1,2,3, Thursday 10th June; both at 7.00pm
PARISH REPOSITORY: There are a large number of Confirmation gifts and cards available in the Repository. There are medals, candles, special cards, prayer crosses, and many other items that would be suitable gifts for the Confirmandi. Please leave your money in the basket provided. Thanks
May God Bless You All This Week,
SOLEMNITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI HOLY HOUR: On Sunday afternoon there will be a special Holy Hour at 5.00pm in honour of the Blessed Sacrament. This beautiful feast is very ancient. In the past there would have been Corpus Christi processions. I invite the whole parish to come along to Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. There will be reflections on the document produced by the Bishop’s Conference ‘The Day of the Lord’ and the centrality of the Sunday Mass in our Catholic lives.
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:
Or you can use Parish Bank Account: Using Online Banking
HSBC Sort Code 40-13-22
Account Number: 11019651
NOTE TO ALL PARISHIONERS – NEW GIFT AID ORGANISER: Due to unforeseen circumstances our Gift Aid Organiser Maria Mosquera has to step down from her role. I am making an appeal to all parishioners for a volunteer to take over the role of Gift Aid Organiser? Maria will be able to help whoever takes over to learn the role and will be available should problems arise. Obviously Computer Skills will help. I’m truly grateful to Maria for assuming this role for the past few years ago. This would be a wonderful way of serving God through the Parish Community – please think about this request, thank you! If you want to speak to me personally please call Tel No: 0208 508 3492 AS YET, NO ONE HAS RESPONDEND. PLEASE THINK SERIOULSY ABOUT THIS TO HELP 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!
POSTPONEMENT OF JUBILEE: I have decided to postopone my 40th Anniversary Jubilee celebrations until a later date. With ultimate restrictions not being lifted until the latter part of June, it really doesn’t give enough time to send out invitations, and also for many friends who wanted to come from abroad to attend. I will celebrate Jubilee Thanksgiving Mass on Sunday 11th July at 11am with only my Parish Family.
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. The Foodbank have asked for support with the following items: Long-life fruit juice, tinned tomatoes, instant mash, tinned fish, tinned peas, tinned carrots, tinned potatoes, small jars of instant coffee, small or medium bags of rice, sponge pudding, snack bars, chocolate bars, chocolate spread and savoury crackers Thank you! You can also keep up to date with the Foodbank news via their facebook page: www.facebook.com/EppingForestFoodbank/
IRREGULAR MARRIAGES: An irregualr marriage is one tht has taken place outside of the Catholic Church without dispensation. For example: Marriages in hotels, and secualr venues, on beaches or Las Vegas; marriage in a non Catholic Church without dispensation from the Bishop. These marriages are not recognised by the Catholic Church, and therefore are non sacramental & irregular. But there is a facility in the Church to recetify these situations called a Convalidation (this is a strictly private facility that is offered by the church). As marriage and family life is what I specialised in while studying Canon Law, if anyone wishes to speak to me confidentially please don’t hesitate to contact me: Tel No: 0208 508 3492
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION PROGRAMME 2021/2022: It is hoped that we will be able to run a First Holy Communion Porgramme, commencing in September this year. There will be two years eligible to apply. (school years 3 & 4 as of Septmeber 2021) You have to be a practicing Roman Catholic (which means that you attend holy mass weekly). Please contact Fr. John for interview Tel No: 020 8508 3492 – Interviews Week commencing Monday 14th June concluding Friday 18th June.
DIARY JUNE 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, Violet 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: Molly Hixon RIP For all whose anniversaries occur at this time and for all of our deceased loved ones, Requiescant in Pace.
OFFERTORY COLLECTION: I would like to take this public opportunity of thanking every single member of this parish Community for your incredible support of the parish over the past 16 months of Pandemic. With the church remaining open and with online daily live streaming of Holy Mass, even during those four and half months of lockdown; in completing our Financial Returns to the Diocese, you will be delighted to know that we broke even this year. My thanks to Michael Manzi our Accountant, who looks after the Parish Accounts & Maria Mosquera who looks after the Parish Gift Aid Scheme; they have both done a truly wonderful job this year. 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 100 people present, strictly observing social distancing. 30 people are allowed to be present at a wedding. Baptisms: you are now allowed up to 30 persons at a Baptism; not too sure what the restrictions are for social event after though! These are really difficult times, and many couples were disappointed last year not being able to celebrate their marriages. We are hoping with the distribution 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 – JUNE 2021
| Sat 5th | 10.00am | Letitia Fletcher RIP (Nancy Ironside) |
| Vigil Mass for Sunday: Confessions at 5.30pm | ||
| Sat 5th | 6.00pm | John A Harvey RIP (39 anni) (Fr. John ) |
| Sun 6th Sun 6th | 9.00am10.00am | Iain Campbell RIP (Brenda Bryant)People of the Parish |
| Sun 6th | 11:00am | Peter Smith RIP (Paul Falco) |
| Mon 7th | 10.00am10.30am | David Mills RIPHoly Hour with Exposition of Bl. Sacrament |
| Tues 8th | 10.00am | Roxanne Batashi Kani RIP |
| Wed 9th | 10.00am7.00pm | Lesley Lewis RIPConfirmation Mass. Jim Shanahan RIP |
| Thurs 10th | 10.00am 10.30am7.00pm | Peter Smith RIP (Paul Falco)Holy Hour with Exposition of the Bl SacramentConfirmation Mass. Niki Bayley RIP |
| Fri 11th | 10.00am 10.30am | Ian Campbell RIP (Brenda Bryant)Holy Hour with Exposition of Bl. Sacrament |
| Sat 12th | 10.00am | Sappper Raymond Marchant RIP (Pat & Jean Marchant) |
| Vigil Mass for Sunday Confessions 5.30pm | ||
| Sat 12th | 6.00pm | Tony Galcius RIP ((Mike & Grainne Sheehy) |
| Sun 13th Sun 13th | 9.00am10.00am | Dec’d of Bacuetes Family RIPPeople of the Parish |
| Sun 13th | 11:00am | Leanne Kieran RIP (Maria Fray) |
Corpus Christi – Solemnity
First Reading : Exodus 24:3-8
Moses went and told the people all the commands of the Lord and all the ordinances. In answer, all the people said with one voice, ‘We will observe all the commands that the Lord has decreed.’ Moses put all the commands of the Lord into writing, and early next morning he built an altar at the foot of the mountain, with twelve standing-stones for the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he directed certain young Israelites to offer holocausts and to immolate bullocks to the Lord as communion sacrifices. Half of the blood Moses took up and put into basins, the other half he cast on the altar. And taking the Book of the Covenant he read it to the listening people, and they said, ‘We will observe all that the Lord has decreed; we will obey.’ Then Moses took the blood and cast it towards the people. This’ he said ‘is the blood of the Covenant that the Lord has made with you, containing all these rules.’
Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 115(116):12-13,15-18
The cup of salvation I will raise; I will call on the Lord’s name.
How can I repay the Lord
for his goodness to me?
The cup of salvation I will raise;
I will call on the Lord’s name.
The cup of salvation I will raise; I will call on the Lord’s name.
O precious in the eyes of the Lord
is the death of his faithful.
Your servant, Lord, your servant am I;
you have loosened my bonds.
The cup of salvation I will raise; I will call on the Lord’s name.
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make;
I will call on the Lord’s name.
My vows to the Lord I will fulfil
before all his people.
The cup of salvation I will raise; I will call on the Lord’s name.
Second Reading : Hebrews 9:11-15
Now Christ has come, as the high priest of all the blessings which were to come. He has passed through the greater, the more perfect tent, which is better than the one made by men’s hands because it is not of this created order; and he has entered the sanctuary once and for all, taking with him not the blood of goats and bull calves, but his own blood, having won an eternal redemption for us. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer are sprinkled on those who have incurred defilement and they restore the holiness of their outward lives; how much more effectively the blood of Christ, who offered himself as the perfect sacrifice to God through the eternal Spirit, can purify our inner self from dead actions so that we do our service to the living God.
He brings a new covenant, as the mediator, only so that the people who were called to an eternal inheritance may actually receive what was promised: his death took place to cancel the sins that infringed the earlier covenant.
Gospel : Mark 14:12-16,22-26
On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was sacrificed, his disciples said to Jesus, ‘Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the passover?’ So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the city and you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him, and say to the owner of the house which he enters, “The Master says: Where is my dining room in which I can eat the passover with my disciples?” He will show you a large upper room furnished with couches, all prepared. Make the preparations for us there.’ The disciples set out and went to the city and found everything as he had told them, and prepared the Passover.
And as they were eating he took some bread, and when he had said the blessing he broke it and gave it to them. ‘Take it,’ he said ‘this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had returned thanks he gave it to them, and all drank from it, and he said to them, ‘This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out for many. I tell you solemnly, I shall not drink any more wine until the day I drink the new wine in the kingdom of God.’ After psalms had been sung they left for the Mount of Olives. THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD.
St Edmund of Canterbury 