St. Edmund of Canterbury & St. Thomas More
This weekend we will continue listening to the Bread of life Discource from St. John’s Gospel. One of the famous ‘I am’ statements by Jesus: “I am the bread of life” confirms who Jesus is ‘the anointed one of God’. Jesus uses the analogy of Moses who gave the chosen people of God Manna in the desert for their bread. Jesus states that we should work for food that lasts, that gives life; and of course this is the eternal gift of his Body & Blood, that sustains us on the pligrim journey of life and faith. For us Catholics, it is the Eucharist that is the Sacrament of Unity. It is Jesus Christ who calls us to share in his life, but it is up to each one of us to make a personal response; no one can do this for us. But once we respond, we cannot look back.
The greatest challenge of the age in which we live with regards our faith, is a sense of indifference that has permeated the world and society. How to contend with indifference is extrmely difficult. Many have lost that sense of awe and wonder of God & Jesus Christ. It just doesn’t impinge upon their lives. This slow and gradual erosion of the sacred really changes people’s lives. All it takes is one person to stop practicing their faith, and before long it could be the end of the line of generations of Catholics. Within a genration the knowledge of faith and practice disappears; and in a secular society the likelihood of recapturing that is quite remote!
ONGOING COVID SITUATION: Every day we’re being presented with new numbers of people contracting the Delta variant. Over the past week the numbers have gone up and down. But there are still a lot of people with this awful disease. We need to continue to be vigilant and aware and senstive to each other. At church I encoruage all of our parishiioners to continue to wear a face covereing. There will be hand sanitisers on entry and exit of the church. Please be sensistive to social distancing in the church. We are still obliged to track & trace (but thankfully, we have never had a case through the church). Communion will be given under one species, the body of Christ. As of next weekend Masses will be: Vigil Mass Saturday Evening at 6.00pm Suinday Masses – 9.00am & 11.00am. Please note the 10.00am mass will discontinue. With thanks to you all for your understanding.
Dear Friends in Christ, 18th Sunday of the Year
As we have entered into the holiday season of the year. I would like to wish all of our families a happy holiday. I hope you will be able to take a break and possibly get away for a while. For many of us, it’s been nearly two years since we’ve had a break. Everyone needs that special time away to recharge batteries. Have a good rest and relaxation. With the lifting of restrictions, people may even be able to get abroad. Continue to keep safe and well. Although we are nearly 88% vaccinated here in UK, it’s not the same in Europe.
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. I am hoping to begin our programme in September, following a systematic instruction in all aspects of Catholicism. It would be wonderful to have a few people on the programme. Could you spread the word about please! If you want to know more about the programme please contact Fr. John at the Presbytery for more detials on Tel No: 020 8508 3492. Start Date for Programme: Thursday 9th September 2021.
ALTAR SOCIETY: Please can we appeal to all parishioners for help to keep our church clean. During lockdown we have only asked a few a few deep cleans but now things will be changing, we desperately need your help to keep a weekly rota going. Cleaning is split between the altar, sanctuary, main church, front porch/library, choir loft brass ware and candle racks. The duties include dusting, sweeping, mopping, polishing, window/door cleaning, hoovering, linens and polishing. You can do as much or as little as you are able to do (1 hour at the most, per month) and all parishioners are invited to help, regardless of age or gender. To register your interest please contacts Sharon Fitzmaurice on 07854919207 or shazzafitzm@aol.com THERE WAS NO RESPONSE LAST WEEKEND; CAN I MAKE AN IMPASSIONED APPEAL THIS WEEKEND. THANK YOU!
MASS INTENTIONS: There are plenty openings for Mass Intentions in the parish diary. If you would like a mass celebrated for a special intention; deceased family members; birthdays etc. Please complete Mass Intention envelope and return to the Presbytery as soon as possible please! Fr John will always try to accommodate the date you’ve requested. Thank you!
WEEKLY OFFERTORY: £634.28 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
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION PROGRAMME: Thank to all parents I’ve seen whose children from years 3 & 4 will commence their First Holy Communion preparation in September. Please remember that you should be attending weekly Mass. The programme will commence with a Parents’ Information Evening on Wednesday 15th September at 7.30pm in the Parish Hall. The children’s programme will commence on Sunday 19th September at 10.00, and the children will be formally presented as candidates of the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist at the 11.00am Mass. Please put these dates in your diary. Thank you!
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/
OFFERTORY COLLECTION: As of 16th August, The local HSBC bank will be closing. This is the Bank the Diocese uses for all parishes. Obviously, it’s going to be difficult from now on. It’s going to be very difficult with coinage. Could I appeal to the whole Parish Community to seriously think about Gift Aid Scheme, or the online giving scheme? PLEASE NOTE: Many parishioners are not quoting their GA number in the online giving. WE NEED THE NUMBER OTHERWISE WE CANNOT CLAIM ON YOUR OFFERTORY DONATION.
DIARY AUGUST 2021
PLEASE PRAY FOR THOSE SICK IN OUR PARISH
Carmen Antaki, Margaret Baldwin, Evelyn Bearne, Brian Beveridge, Karl Britz, Carlos Camacho, Jane Downs, Steve Dalgliesh, Pat Fenn, Veronica Godsave, Bernadette Hall, Ann Hawkes, Claire Howes, Noel Johnson, Shaun Keel, Angela Long, Lilian Mothersole, John McKernan, Rosemary O’Rourke, Kathleen Pomeroy, Geraldine Taylor, Vera Taylor, Mary Witten, James Wright. And all our loved ones.
ANNIVERSARIES: Mary Cocklin RIP, and for all whose anniversaries occur at this time and for all of our deceased loved ones, Requiescant in Pace.
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: It has always been a custom within the Roman Catholic Faith to have an Intention offered when celebrating Holy Mass. Intentions can be for all occasions: e.g. For a deceased member of a family; deceased anniversary mass; Birthday intention; Special Occasions; Get Well Mass; Success in exams; Special milestone anniversaries, Wedding, Ordination, Confirmation. In fact, you can offer a Mass for almost every occasion! There are Mass Intention envelopes and Special Mass Cards for all occasions in the Repository at the back of the Church. (Please complete Mass envelope and enclose your Mass Offering and drop off at the Presbytery); I will always try to accommodate the date you have requested, or the nearest date to it. It’s always beautiful to receive a Mass card from someone!
RECEIVING SACRAMENTS: Recently, 48 of our young people received the Sacrament of Confirmation. This is a milestone in a young person’s life. Sadly I haven’t seen many of them since the day they were Confirmed. This Sacrament of commitment and mission is about these young people assuming a certain amount of mature responsibility in their own Faith Journey. It’s not just about stamping the Sacramental Passport; I had it said to me recently, I quote “my parents said to me if I got Confirmed, I don’t have to go to church anymore.” This is not only an insult to the young person, but even more so, an insult to Almighty God. If faith means so little, why would you go through a Sacramental Programme knowing that you would walk away from the practice of that faith? This is a really serious issue, and not something to be dismissed lightly. I ask everyone to think seriously about what it means to be really committed in your life of faith! Life is not a dress rehearsal, it’s the real thing every day; and there can be so many missed opportunities!
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
PARISH REPOSITORY: There are a large number of gifts and cards available in the Repository. There are rosaries, statues, medals, candles, special cards, prayer crosses, Anniversary Cards for all occasions, and many other items that would be suitable gifts for all occasions. Please leave your money in the basket provided. Thanks
THOSE WHO USE PARISH GIFT AID: continues thanks to all who use the Gift Aid Scheme. I would encourage everyone to sign up for this scheme. If you are a Tax Payer, all we need is your name and address. There are forms in the Porch. Also could I make an appeal on behalf of our organiser to those who do not have their Gift Aid number on their Bank reference. Could you address this as soon as possible please? It will help to save a lot of time when we have to enter details onto the Gift Aid system. Also there are many who are making standing orders, but are not registered on the Gift Aid Scheme. It would be really good to register, if you need help contact Maria Mosquera.
MASS INTENTIONS – JULY / AUGUST 2021
| Sat 31st | 10.00am | Peter Smith RIP (Paul Falco) |
| Vigil Mass for Sunday: Confessions at 5.30pm | ||
| Sat 31st | 6.00pm | Loy Phillips Int’s (Kathleen Faherty) |
| Sun 1stAug Sun 1st | 9.00am 10.00am | Violet Hall RIP (Mrs Short) Fr John’s 40th Anni Int’s (J & K Forwood) |
| Sun 1st | 11:00am | People of the Parish |
| Mon 2nd | 10.00am 10.30am | Sarah McQuade RIP (Margaret Duffy) Holy Hour with Exposition of Bl. Sacrament |
| Tues 3rd | 10.00am | Jenny Chilton Higgins Int’s (Kathleen Faherty) |
| Wed 4th | 10.00am | Olga Nogueira B’day Int’s (Pat & Margaret) |
| Thurs 5th | 10.00am | Violet Hall RIP (Mrs Short) |
| Fri 6th | 10.00am 10.30am | Maureen Tilsey B’day Int’s (Pat & Margaret) Holy Hour with Exposition of Bl. Sacrament |
| Sat 7th | 10.00am | Tom Swan RIP |
| Vigil Mass for Sunday Confessions 5.30pm | ||
| Sat 7th | 6.00pm | Catrina Hamilton Int’s (Kathleen Faherty) |
| Sun 8th | 9.00am | Violet Hall RIP (Mrs M Cobelli) PLEASE NOTE: NO 10am MASS |
| Sun 8th | 11:00am | People of the Parish |
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.
18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
First Reading : Exodus 16:2-4,12-15
The whole community of the sons of Israel began to complain against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness and said to them, ‘Why did we not die at the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we were able to sit down to pans of meat and could eat bread to our heart’s content! As it is, you have brought us to this wilderness to starve this whole company to death!’
Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Now I will rain down bread for you from the heavens. Each day the people are to go out and gather the day’s portion; I propose to test them in this way to see whether they will follow my law or not.
‘I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel. Say this to them, “Between the two evenings you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have bread to your heart’s content. Then you will learn that I, the Lord, am your God.”’
And so it came about: quails flew up in the evening, and they covered the camp; in the morning there was a coating of dew all round the camp. When the coating of dew lifted, there on the surface of the desert was a thing delicate, powdery, as fine as hoarfrost on the ground. When they saw this, the sons of Israel said to one another, ‘What is that?’ not knowing what it was. ‘That’ said Moses to them ‘is the bread the Lord gives you to eat.’
Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 77(78):3-4,23-25,54
The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
The things we have heard and understood,
the things our fathers have told us,
these we will not hide from their children
but will tell them to the next generation:
The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
the glories of the Lord and his might
and the marvellous deeds he has done,
Yet he commanded the clouds above
and opened the gates of heaven.
He rained down manna for their food,
and gave them bread from heaven.
The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
Mere men ate the bread of angels.
He sent them abundance of food;
So he brought them to his holy land,
to the mountain which his right hand had won.
The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
Second Reading : Ephesians 4:17,20-24
I want to urge you in the name of the Lord, not to go on living the aimless kind of life that pagans live. Now that is hardly the way you have learnt from Christ, unless you failed to hear him properly when you were taught what the truth is in Jesus. You must give up your old way of life; you must put aside your old self, which gets corrupted by following illusory desires. Your mind must be renewed by a spiritual revolution so that you can put on the new self that has been created in God’s way, in the goodness and holiness of the truth.
Gospel : John 6:24-35
When the people saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into boats and crossed to Capernaum to look for Jesus. When they found him on the other side, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’
Jesus answered:
‘I tell you most solemnly,
you are not looking for me because you have seen the signs
but because you had all the bread you wanted to eat.
Do not work for food that cannot last,
but work for food that endures to eternal life,
the kind of food the Son of Man is offering you,
for on him the Father, God himself, has set his seal.’
Then they said to him, ‘What must we do if we are to do the works that God wants?’ Jesus gave them this answer, ‘This is working for God: you must believe in the one he has sent.’ So they said, ‘What sign will you give to show us that we should believe in you? What work will you do? Our fathers had manna to eat in the desert; as scripture says: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ Jesus answered:
‘I tell you most solemnly,
it was not Moses who gave you bread from heaven,
it is my Father who gives you the bread from heaven,
the true bread;
for the bread of God
is that which comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world.’
‘Sir,’ they said ‘give us that bread always.’ Jesus answered:
‘I am the bread of life.
He who comes to me will never be hungry;
he who believes in me will never thirst.
THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD
St Edmund of Canterbury 