St. Edmund of Canterbury & St. Thomas More
In today’s readings we encounter the very real tension which exists between the external religious life (exemplified in the teachers of the law and the Pharisees) and the beauty of the interior life expressed in humble love, service and generosity towards God. Perhaps there is a way in which this tension exists in us all to some extent.
The fault of the Pharisees was that they loved the recognition, praise, status, social standing and affirmation which have, since time immemorial, been the privilege of those who enjoy elevated status within the community. They enjoyed it, milked it and even financially exploited it. However, their external adherence to the Torah had no impact on the evil and darkness within their own hearts. They assumed a holiness and righteousness which simply did not exist in reality.
The temptation to rely on status and position must be very real for all bishops, priests, deacons and religious, but it’s equally real for all of us who are baptised and serve in some way or other in our parishes and local communities. We should not seek our security and affirmation from external things but from God and in humbly serving him and our brothers and sisters.
The poor widow had the right attitude: she had the disposition of a true disciple. She was aware of her poverty, and was under no illusion who she was socially or before God.
Another woman who had the disposition of a true disciple was Jeanne Jugan, the founder of the Little Sisters of the Poor. Although she was removed from all responsibility and given the task of collecting money, food and clothing for the poor – by going both door-to-door and begging in the streets – she accepted this obscure new role willingly and without complaint. To further humiliation she answered with silence, gentleness and abandonment to the will of God. Humility was at the heart of her spirituality, as it was for the poor widow.
Dear Friends in Christ, 32nd Sunday of the Year
GRAND CHRISTMAS DRAW & CHRISTMAS HAMPERS
As we’re now into the month of November, I would like to appeal to all of our parishioners to participate in our only fund-rising event of the year. As you are well aware, since the Pandemic our finances have dropped considerably, as many people are not attending church anymore. The Bazaar Committee believe that the Grand Christmas Draw & Hampers, which was such a great success last year, can be repeated again this year. Manifestly, we are wholly dependent on your generosity. No matter how great or small a gift or item may be it will be gratefully received.
Some ideas for the Grand Draw are Flat Screen TV, Laptop, Other New Electrical Goods, Restaurant Vouchers, Hotel Vouchers, National Trust Family Memberships, Crate of Wine, and Department Store Vouchers. Also Smart Tech Wearables: Fit Bits, Garmins, Air Pods, Beats.
Suggested Hamper Donations: Luxury Brand Christmas Cakes & Christmas Puddings; Bottles of Champagne, Prosecco, Spirits, Port & Wine; Tinned Meats – Gammon Ham, Potted Duck Pates; Tinned Fish – Salmon, Dressed Crab & Lobster; Jars of Fruit in Syrup; Jars of Pickles, Chutneys & Olives; Festive Marmalades; Tea & Coffee, Hot Chocolate. Biscotti, Ginger Snaps & Shortbread. Diced Fruit & Nuts; Chocolate Nut selections. Sweetmeats – Turkish Delight. Biscuits & Crackers for Cheese. Boxes of Luxury Chocolates & truffle.
There are boxes in the Porch of the church, at the Presbytery front door & in Fr John’s Garage to receive your gifs and items, and or course you can always drop off personally at the Presbytery throughout the week. If there are any parishioners who would like to donate ‘Money Gifts’ these will be gratefully received. Also, if anyone has any gift baskets you could let us have, these will be good to make up the Christmas Hampers. If you can, please help us once again this year. This is the whole parish working together. The Grand Draw will take place on Sunday 12th December in the Parish Hall at about 12.30pm there will be refreshments available.
GRAND DRAW TICKETS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED NEXT WEEKEND
May God Bless You All,
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 PLEASE BE GENEROUS IN YOUR
Account Number: 11019651 GIFT TO GOD & HIS CHURCH
PARISH FINANACES: Weekly Offertory £378.28 As you can appreciate, during this pandemic the parish income took a severe hit, and we are still not back at the same levels as we were prior to 2020. My sincere and grateful thanks to those who have signed up for online giving and Gift Aid, this is helping. Many parishioners have not returned to the regular practice of faith, and many Gift Aid boxes were not collected this year. Please consider your weekly offertory to God.
RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS The Presbytery at 7.30pm next Thursday 11th November Theme: The Church’s rules and regulations – Canon Law. If you want to know more about the programme, and the whole RCIA process, please contact Fr John, Tel No: 0208 508 3492 or Email: loughton@dioceseofbrentwood.org
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION PROGRAMME: The Children’s Programme will resume again on Sunday 7th November at 10.00am. Our Theme this week is Listening. Parents’ Meeting – Wednesday 24th November at 7.30pm. Thank you! Please pray for all our children preparing for the sacraments. This is truly a wonderful moment of time in their lives.
ALTAR SERVERS: It took a number of years to gain a good team of Altar Servers in the Parish. Sadly, with the Pandemic, many of them have not returned to Altar Serving; and, as yet have not notified me formally about not serving anymore. As a matter of courtesy, and also the return of your laundered albs; I would be sincerely grateful if you could let me know your intentions. I personally served at the altar from the age of 7 until my ordination to the Priesthood. This is a wonderful ministry in the church and I would encourage our young people to seriously consider Altar Serving.
FROM THE VICARIATE FOR ADULT FORMATION:
1. One of the new projects to help adult lay men and women deepen their understanding of the Catholic Faith is a series of online talks given by priests of our diocese. This is not a systematic course that one needs to commit to in order to benefit from but rather online talks that people can dip in and out of as they wish. I wonder if you would be kind enough to include this brief notice in your newsletter or bring these talks to the attention of your parish as you see fit:
THE THRESHOLDS OF HOPE QUESTIONS: are a series of talks for adults who want to grow in understanding and confidence when questioned or speaking about their Catholic Faith. The talks and discussion take place on Zoom from 4.00 – 5.00 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon.
The next talk will be on the 7the November and the question being explored is What does it mean to talk about morality? Fr Martin Boland, dean of Brentwood Cathedral will consider this question.
For more information about The Thresholds of Hope Questions go to www.thresholdsofhope.co.uk
2. I would also like to draw your attention to another online project developed by Mauro Iannicelli that provides an accessible guide to the Bible for adults. Mauro is a committed Catholic layman in our diocese and has provided input for the Newham Deanery in the past. He is also willing to send to your parish 200+ course invitation A6 flyers, completely free of charge. Just drop him an email request for the flyers at mauro@comeandsee.org, or to ask him any questions about the course. I recommend this initiative to you and if you feel able to do so, to promote his course in your newsletter or elsewhere:
The YouTube Bible Timeline Course Do you feel the Bible is too big and too difficult to understand? Do you get lost with all the characters and stories? If so, this course aims to help you better understand the riches of the Bible in a simple and straightforward way. For more information and to register go to www.comeandsee.org
FOR A SYNODAL CHURCH: COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION & MISSION: Pope Francis wants us to be more synodal at every level of the Church which is why he has convokeda synod about synodlaity itself. Communion, participation, and mission looked very dofferent in our country during the Reformation; and manifested itself, again, in different ways, for example, after the restoration of the hierarchy in the 19th Century. Missions preceded parishes. Communities came together to build churches and schools.
What is the Holy Spirit saying to us now as Church? What are the opportunities that are opening up? How might the Church look tomorrow? Pope Francis is inviting us all to pray, listen and discern together what the Holy Spiriti saying to us in our own community, to our diocese and the whole Universal Church. This will be the first phase of a process which will conclude in Rome in 2023. The Pope is asking us to be more Synodal, calling each and everyone of us to have a say in how the Church could change by discerning together the signs of the times and dreaming where we would like to be. This is a chance to all to have a voice, and see where we would like to be.
THE MONTH OF HOLY SOULS: During the month of November Holy Mass will be offered daily for the repose of all of our Holy Souls. Also at the end of each of our weekday masses a decade of the Rosary will be prayed for the repose of all Holy Souls. A special Mass for all who lost loved ones this year will be celebrated on Friday 19th November at 7.30pm. Please join us!
ADVENT CAROL SERVICE: You are warmly invited to join us at Walsingham House at Abbotswick for our annual Advent Carol Service on Sunday 12th December. We will have Christmas carols both classic and contemporary performed by our incredibly talented BCYS musicians, accompanied with readings from scripture and Christmas poems & stories. This year we are running two concerts, at 3pm or 7pm, however there will be limited capacity at each event and this will be dependent on any current Government restrictions or social distancing, in place at the time. Tickets are £10 and the money will go towards supporting our pilgrimages to Lourdes. To book your place please contact Joe Beattie, Walsingham House manager on josephbeattie@dioceseofbrentwood.org or 01277 373 959.
BCYS SUMMER LOURDES PILGRIMAGE: 2022: 23rd – 30th July 2022.
Applications are now open for our summer pilgrimage to Lourdes for those in Years 11-13, with those of school leaver age (18+) invited to join us as young leaders. This is one of our most popular events and after a 2 year gap we are excited to be returning next year. The week is spent travelling alongside the main Diocesan pilgrimage as we assist the elderly and infirm with going to Masses and services, as well as visiting shops and cafes within the town. For those travelling with the BCYS the week will also include a retreat, reconciliation service, as well as social events and a party. Please see www.bcys.net/events/sl22/ for more information including visas, vaccinations and how to apply
PARISH ALTAR SERVERS: It had taken a number of years to build up a good team of Altar Servers. Sadly, since the Pandemic, many have not returned to serving at the Altar. As a matter of courtesy I would be sincerely grateful to know if you have any intention of returning to the regular practice of Altar Serving? If you have no intention of serving anymore more it would be good to know; and also, if you could kindly return your albs, laundered please. I really feel saddened by this, as this is a most truly wonderful ministry for our young pepople to participate in. If there are any other young pepople in the parish who would liike to start serving, could you let Fr John know as soon as possible.
PARISH REPOSITORY: Just to let all of our parishioners know that we have a wonderful stock of Christmas Cards, Christmas Cribs and Chrsitmas gifts and items that will be available next weekend. Religious Christmas Cards truly convey the true meaning of the Christmas Season. There are Religious cards for all occasions also available. Also Statues, Rosaries, Religious Books, Candles, Medals,
DIARY OCTOBER 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: Jan Leach RIP, Anthony Orsini RIP, Joyce Gregory RIP, Pat Salter RIP, Maureen Finnegan RIP, Doreen Wiltshire RIP, Lucy Byrne-Ingle RIP, Terrence Callahan RIP And for all whose anniversaries occur at this time and for all of our deceased loved ones, ALL OF OUR HOLY SOULS. Requiescant in Pace.
REQUIESCAT IN PACE: In your mercy please pray for the Repose of the Soul of Irene Olivelle RIP, who passed away this week. We extend our condolences to her family in this time of great loss. The Requiem Mass will be celebrated on Friday 12th November at St Edmund’s Church at 12.15pm followed by Cremation at Forest Park at 1.30pm.
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!
BAPTISMS: It is now permissible once again to have Baptisms with larger groups of family & guests. Manifestly, there are many people who haven’t been able to have baptisms over the past 20 months. Kindly contact Fr. John to arrange your child’s baptism as soon as possible please. There is a Baptism Programme for first time parents.
ALTAR SOCIETY: If anyone else would like to join the Altar Society please contact Sharon Fitzmaurice on 07854919207 or shazzafitzm@aol.com It probably works out to about an hour a month, and you can do as much or as little as you wish; the more help we have the easier it is to keep the church really clean. Thanking you in anticipation!
EPPING FOREST FOODBANK DONATIONS: Thank you to all parishioners who continue to generously donate items for the Foodbank. They 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: tinned soup, tinned spaghetti, tinned tomatoes, savoury crackers, sponge puddings, chocolate bars, small and medium bags of rice, snack bars and razors. Thank you! You can also keep up to date with the Foodbank news via their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/EppingForestFoodbank/
MASS INTENTIONS – OCTOBER 2021
| Sat 6th | 10.00am | Nancy Hands Int’s (Remy) HOLY SOULS |
| Vigil Mass for Sunday: Confessions at 5.30pm | ||
| Sat 6th | 6.00pm | Mass for Helen & Family (The Godsave Family) HOLY SOULS |
| Sun 7th | 9.00am | Richard Black RIP (Kendal Family)HOLY SOULS |
| Sun 7th | 11:00am | Bernard John Gilley RIP H/S (Eileen Ward). HOLY SOULS |
| Mon 8th | 10.00am | NO MASS TODAY |
| Tues 9th | 10.00am | NO MASS TODAY |
| Wed 10th | 12.15pm | Bridie Boyle RIP (Paul Boyle)HOLY SOULS |
| Thurs 11th | 10.00am | Marta & Joao RIP Modesta & Joaquim RIP(Adelaid Alves) HOLY SOULS |
| Fri 12th | 12.15pm | Requiem Mass; Irene Olivelle RIPNo Holy Hour today. |
| Sat 13th | 10.00am | Irene Olivelle RIP (Pat & Margaret) HOLY SOULS |
| Vigil Mass for Sunday Confessions 5.30pm | ||
| Sat 13th | 6.00pm | The Dec’d members of Muccini Family RIP(Eleonora Spencer) HOLY SOULS |
Sun 14th | 9.00am | REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY service 12.15pmSapper Ramond Marchant RIP (Patrick Marchant). HOLY SOULS |
| Sun 14th | 11:00am | Lily Brennan RIP & Ben Cunnea RIP(Louise & Senan & S Pierce).HOLY SOULS |
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.
Parish Phone No: 0208 508 3492 Email: loughton@dioceseofbrentwood.org
32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
First Reading : 1 Kings 17:10-16
Elijah the Prophet went off to Sidon. And when he reached the city gate, there was a widow gathering sticks; addressing her he said, ‘Please bring me a little water in a vessel for me to drink.’ She was setting off to bring it when he called after her. ‘Please’ he said ‘bring me a scrap of bread in your hand.’ ‘As the Lord your God lives,’ she replied ‘I have no baked bread, but only a handful of meal in a jar and a little oil in a jug; I am just gathering a stick or two to go and prepare this for myself and my son to eat, and then we shall die.’ But Elijah said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, go and do as you have said; but first make a little scone of it for me and bring it to me, and then make some for yourself and for your son. For thus the Lord speaks, the God of Israel:
“Jar of meal shall not be spent,
jug of oil shall not be emptied,
before the day when the Lord sends
rain on the face of the earth.”’
The woman went and did as Elijah told her and they ate the food, she, himself and her son. The jar of meal was not spent nor the jug of oil emptied, just as the Lord had foretold through Elijah.
Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 145(146):7-10
My soul, give praise to the Lord.
It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever,
who is just to those who are oppressed.
It is he who gives bread to the hungry,
the Lord, who sets prisoners free.
My soul, give praise to the Lord.
It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind,
who raises up those who are bowed down.
It is the Lord who loves the just,
the Lord, who protects the stranger.
My soul, give praise to the Lord.
The Lord upholds the widow and orphan
but thwarts the path of the wicked.
The Lord will reign for ever,
Zion’s God, from age to age.
My soul, give praise to the Lord.
Second Reading : Hebrews 9:24-28
It is not as though Christ had entered a man-made sanctuary which was only modelled on the real one; but it was heaven itself, so that he could appear in the actual presence of God on our behalf. And he does not have to offer himself again and again, like the high priest going into the sanctuary year after year with the blood that is not his own, or else he would have had to suffer over and over again since the world began. Instead of that, he has made his appearance once and for all, now at the end of the last age, to do away with sin by sacrificing himself. Since men only die once, and after that comes judgement, so Christ, too, offers himself only once to take the faults of many on himself, and when he appears a second time, it will not be to deal with sin but to reward with salvation those who are waiting for him.
Gospel : Mark 12:38-44
In his teaching Jesus said, ‘Beware of the scribes who like to walk about in long robes, to be greeted obsequiously in the market squares, to take the front seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets; these are the men who swallow the property of widows, while making a show of lengthy prayers. The more severe will be the sentence they receive.’
He sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the treasury, and many of the rich put in a great deal. A poor widow came and put in two small coins, the equivalent of a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘I tell you solemnly, this poor widow has put more in than all who have contributed to the treasury; for they have all put in money they had over, but she from the little she had has put in everything she possessed, all she had to live on.’
THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD
St Edmund of Canterbury 