Twenty Fourth Sunday of the Year, 2022

 St. Edmund of Canterbury & St. Thomas More

The Parable of the Prodigal Son has two parts. The first we easily identify with, with its familiar motifs of joy, repentance, warm embrace and celebration. What is there not to like about it? Perhaps of all the parables, this parable, which could equally be called the Parable of the Father’s Heart, teaches us most about the nature of God the Father, who is ‘kind to the ungrateful and the selfish.’ 

The heroes of the parable are clear; the wandering, wastrel son and the kind, compassionate father. The parable could almost have finished at verse 24 with the words ‘So they began to celebrate;’ except it doesn’t end there. The remaining eight verses explore the villain of the piece; the crotchety, cantankerous, callous, rigid and self-righteous older brother. Do you recognise any of these qualities in yourself?

Now there is the crunch question: of the three characters, whom do you most relate to: the prodigal, his benevolent father or the complaining elder brother? The truth is most of us identify with the repentant younger son and caring father. Few if any identify with the elder brother. This is understandable: he is not very pleasant by any stretch of the imagination. He is moody, self-righteous, resentful, indignant and angry. He is constrained and limited by his own sense of propriety and a festering sense of self-righteousness. 

A parable is not an allegory: in other words there doesn’t have to be direct correlation between each character and one single idea or interpretation. Perhaps there is a bit of all three characters – the father, the younger son and the elder brother – in us all. What is striking is how lost the ‘righteous’ son is, as well as the unrighteous son, and how loving the father is to both of his offspring. The father does not treat him harshly, but rather affirms his love for him and reaches out to him with a touching and moving appeal, ‘we had to celebrate and be glad’. Today we ask the Holy Spirit to bring us ever closer to the Father’s heart, for there we can find rest in the bosom of God.  

Dear Friends in Jesus Christ,

It is with great sadness this week that our Monarch Queen Elizabeth II passed away peacefully at Balmoral. Since the death of Prince Philip the Queen’s health and mobility slowly declined. But her Service of 70 years to the United Kingdom & the Commonwealth will be her greatest legacy; serving right to the very end of her long life of 96 years. Even this week she received the new Prime Minister; probably her final act as Monarch. It’s wonderful that all her family were able to be around her; and now a new era has begun. The period of mourning will last until seven days after the State Funeral.  May the Lord embrace Her Majesty the Queen into the joys of Eternity! May she Rest in Peace and Rise in Glory. Amen.    

Let us pray for King Charles III as he assumes the mantel of Office as the new Monarch of our land. Long live the King!

There is a Book of Condolence in the Library next door for anyone to sign.

This week the country welcomed a new Prime Minister, Liz Truss. She has immediately taken action with regards to the increasing costs of utilities Gas & Electricity, which are going to profoundly affect all of us this autumn. As I have been sharing with you over the past weeks, having such large buildings are going to be difficult to light and heat this winter. I read in Holland they had opted to close some of the Churches for the winter months as they are unable to afford the utilities. I truly pray to God that this never happens here. We are going to try and have some additional fundraising social events to raise funds for the utilities. I ask the whole parish community to support these events please! 

SPECIAL COFFEE MORNING: After the 11.00am Mass, on Sunday 2^nd October. I have a special announcement to make at the 11.00am Mass that day.  The Coffee Morning will be a social opportunity for parishioners to meet and also support our efforts in deepening our Community awareness. If any parishioners would be able to bring along some homemade cakes or biscuits these would be gratefully accepted. All funds raised will now go towards the increasing costs of utility bills. We hope to have regular Coffee Mornings this year.

May God Bless You All        

SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION FOR 2022/23: My thanks to all the Parents who attended the Parents’ Meeting last Wednesday. On Sunday the children meet for the first time for their classes which will take place in the Parish Retreat at 10.00am. At the 11.00am Mass all the children will be presented by their parents as Candidates for the Sacraments.  Pre-requisites:- You are members of this Parish, and you are practicing Roman Catholics, attending weekly Mass! We are using a new Programme this year and the children’s work book will cost £8.00, Parents please bring money along to the meeting.

SECONDARY SCHOOL ADMISSIONS: Just a head’s up, especially to those Year Six parents who will be considering Secondary School places for their children in September 2023. According to the Brentwood Diocesan guidelines a very strict Admissions Criteria is in place, and if parents and children are not practicing their faith, e.g. weekly attendance at Holy Mass, they will not be eligible for a school place in our schools next September. All families are very aware of these facts, and it’s no use just making an appearance a couple of times prior to a Certificate of Catholic Practice being signed. Everyone has had years to prepare for this moment. Parents will be notified by Essex Education Authority as to when you have to make your application for Secondary School places. You will usually have until 31^st October to make the application. 

TRINITY Prospective Year 7 Open Evening on Wednesday 28^th September 6pm – 8pm/ Dr Paul Doherty will be speaking at 6.00pm & 7.00pm. Parents, please kindly attend Open Evenings before you complete your Essex County Form.  

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN A VOCATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD? “Enquirers’ Evening” on Tuesday 4^th October at St Edmund of Canterbury Church in Loughton, at 7.00pm, commencing with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Rosary in the Church. Our guest speaker will be Fr Damian Wade – newly Ordained. Meetings are monthly, usually the first Tuesday of each month.  For further information please contact Fr Mark Swires vocprom@dioceseofbrentwood.org

RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS: The Journey of Faith talks on Thursday 15^th September at 8.00pm in the Parish Presbytery. This is a systematic programme of Instruction in the Roman Catholic Faith. If you know of anyone who may be interested in learning a little more about the Roman Catholic faith possibly with the view of being received into full-communion with the Church at Easter 2023, please see Fr. John as soon as possible. Tel No: 020 8508 3492 

CAN YOU HELP? We are desperately in need of additional help for the Altar Society; over the past year or so, we’ve lost a number of our regular helpers who clean the church. If you are able to give an hour or so every month to help keep our Church beautifully clean and tidy, this is all we ask. If you’re able to help please contact Sharon Fitzmaurice 07854919207 or shazzafitzm@aol.com or Fr John. 0208 508 3492 We hope to have A Big Clean once a month, if you can help please come along for half an hour. Thank you!   Next Big Clean Friday 16^th September at 8.30am 

BAPTISMS: If there are parents wishing to have their children baptised at St Edmund’s could you kindly contact Fr John as soon as possible. For first time parents there is a Baptismal Programme. Baptism takes place on either Saturday or Sunday at 12.30pm  

ALTAR SERVERS: Recently we had over 30 children make their First Holy Communion. A couple of them have already started Altar Serving. I would like to make an appeal to the whole parish community for some more children to volunteer to become Altar Servers. It is a wonderful way of serving God and the community. Just speak to Fr John directly and he will arrange for training and for you to receive and Alb & Cincture

REQUESTED MASS INTENTIONS: At present, I have very few requested Mass Intentions. If any parishioner wishes to have a Mass celebrated for deceased relatives, anniversary masses, birthday masses, special intentions, for someone who maybe sick, or for any other special occasion, please make your request with the mass envelopes provided in the Porch of the Church, place your Mass Offering in the envelope and drop it off at the Presbytery.

RELICS OF ST BERNADETTE OF LOURDES COMING TO UK: The Churches & Cathedrals hosting St Bernadette’s Relics have a fixed capacity for vistors. To ensure the comfort and safety of pligrims, visitors will be asked to register to attend with a dedicated timeslot. In the diocese of Bretnwood there are two dates and two venues. The Cathedral arriving 11am 16/10/2022 Departing 12Noon 17/10/2022.   Our Lady of Lourdes Wanstead: Arrive 10am 18^th/10/2022. Depart: 9am 19/10/2022

SICK & HOUSEBOUND: We are now permitted to resume the visitation of the Sick & Housebound.  If there is anyone in the parish who would like a visit at home, or to receive Holy Communion regularly at home, please contact Fr. John on Tel No: 020 8508 3492

DIARY SEPTEMBER 2022

PLEASE PRAY FOR THOSE SICK IN OUR PARISH

Margaret Baldwin, Evelyn Bearne, Karl Britz, Carlos Camacho, Jane Downs, Steve Dalgliesh, Pat Fenn,  Veronica Godsave, Bernadette Hall, Ann Hawkes, Claire Howes, Jackie Ilines, Noel Johnson, Shaun Keel, Bridget Kinsella, Angela Long, Lilian Mothersole, John McKernan, Rosemary O’Rourke, Remy, Geraldine Taylor, Vera Taylor, Mary Witten, James Wright. And all our loved ones.  

ANNIVERSARIES: Josephine Colebrook RIP, Please pray for all whose anniversaries occur at this time and for all of our deceased loved ones, Requiescant in Pace.

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: 

Donate

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

SPECIAL APPEAL To all our parishioners who contribute to your parish weekly. Would you please consider to transferring your Weekly Offertory over to a Direct Debit. With the closing of the local HSBC Bank it has been quite difficult paying in the Offertory, and with many banks now only offering a machine deposit service. Please think about this request. Thank you! 

PARISH FINANCES: 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.

AID FOR UKRAINE: The unspeakable acts of terror in the Ukraine are atrocious, many amounting to genocide. Our brothers and sisters there are experiencing terrible suffering as they struggle to defend their country and preserve their human rights and life itself. We are doing what we can from afar: assisting by the charity of our prayers and also with what practical means we can muster. Aid to the Church in Need is on the frontline of charitable assistance to Ukrainians. If you can help, you will find this link takes you to the ACN website where you can donate: https://acnuk.org/news/ukraine-charity-rolls-out-emergency-aid/   hiccups 

HELPING THOSE IN UKRAINE & UKRAINIAN REFUGEES: Caritas Brentwood are regularly updating information on their website, covering donations, prayer and welcoming those who are fleeing the Ukraine. You will find everything at: http//www.caritasbrentwood.org/Ukraine/

PARISH REPOSITORY: There is a lot of new stock in the repository. First Holy Communion gifts and items. A variety of Candles – large and small. Greetings Cards for all occasions. Mass Cards for deceased. Children’s books. There are also a number of CTS little books in a special stand on all sorts of different issues, the saints etc. There are Statues, rosaries, medals, bracelets. Teresa Wallace is happy to order anything your request; it usually takes about a week to arrive. 

FROM OUR GIFT AID ORGANISER: Our Parish Gift Aid Organiser is Abbie Akinfenwa – abbie.akinfenwa@btinternet.com or text to 0775470934 with your name and gift aid number.  I would encourage all parishioners to join the Parish Gift Aid Scheme. If you are a Tax Payer, it’s a really painless process, all we need is you name and address, there are Gift Aid Application Forms in the Porch of the Church, and Abbie can give you all the help you need re information. We are able to claim back 25 pence in every pound donated to the church, when you use you envelopes or pay by Standing Order.  Please think about joining, and thanks to those who already belong!

CHILDREN’S SUNDAY LITURGY: Thank you for starting children’s Sunday Liturgy again. But we need more help. Parents, can you spare one Sunday every two months to help the children during the 11.00am Mass? We need more parents to join our lovely group. Please contact Mrs Elena Manara at e_vismara@yahoo.com Thank you and we hope to hear from you soon.

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 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: pasta sauce, rice pudding, jam, tinned fruit, snack / breakfast bars, chocolate bars, shower gel, toilet roll and deodorant. URGENTLY NEEDED: Small jars of coffee, washing up liquid, sponge pudding desserts and instant mash. Thank you! You can also keep up to date with the Foodbank news via their facebook page: www.facebook.com/EppingForestFoodbank/

BCYS YOUTH GATHER: 22nd – 23rd October, Mersea Island. Stay in cabins and try a brilliant range of outward bound activities from climbing high ropes, archery, zip wires and much more to keep you challenged and entertained, with guest speakers and workshops which will give you fresh insights into yourself, and your faith, by telling their stories. Open to all those in years 9 and above, book NOW at www.bcys.net/events

BOOKING FOR ALL THESE EVENTS – and all information, can be done online at www.bcys.net/events or you can email me with any questions.

IRREGULAR MARRIAGES: An Irregualr Marriage is one that 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

Pastoral Letter, 24th Sunday of the Year.

MASS INTENTIONS – SEPTEMBER 2022

Sat 10th	10.00am	Int’s of Maree Kavangh
		Vigil Mass for Sunday. Confessions at 5.30pm
Sat 10th	6.00pm	Teresa Faud B’day Int’s (Fr John)
Sun 11th	9.00am	Yvonne Grace RIP   (The O’Regans & Tusons)
Sun 11th	11:00am	Luke & Charlie Conlon RIP (Susan Monaghan)
Mon 12th	9.00am	Charlotte Pearce Int’s
Tues 13th	10.00am	Ebert Fernando RIP (Christine Fernando)
Wed 14th	10.00am	Int’s of Michelle Craven (R Ward)
Thurs 15th	10.00am	Kathleen Hayes Int’s (Maureen Perry)
Fri 16th	10.00am	Sharon Chalk B’day Int’s. (Monica Maycraft)
Sat 17th	10.00am	Carmen Antaki RIP (Pat & Margaret)
		Vigil Mass for Sunday. Confessions at 5.30pm
Sat 17th	6.00pm	Thanksgiving (Ewa Michalik)
Sun 18th	9.00am	Jim Sullivan RIP (Susan Monaghan)
Sun 18th	11:00am	Michael Bullock RIP (Steven Bullock)

Please kindly put your Mass requests in early for anniversaries etc., this is to avoid any disappointment if a particular date has already been booked, 

Parish Phone No: 0208 508 3492  Email: loughton@dioceseofbrentwood.org

The Brentwood Diocesan Trust     Registered Charity No. 234092

24^th Sunday of the Year 2022

First Reading : Exodus 32:7-11,13-14

The Lord spoke to Moses, ‘Go down now, because your people whom you brought out of Egypt have apostatised. They have been quick to leave the way I marked out for them; they have made themselves a calf of molten metal and have worshipped it and offered it sacrifice. “Here is your God, Israel,” they have cried “who brought you up from the land of Egypt!”’ the Lord said to Moses, ‘I can see how headstrong these people are! Leave me, now, my wrath shall blaze out against them and devour them; of you, however, I will make a great nation.’

  But Moses pleaded with the Lord his God. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘why should your wrath blaze out against this people of yours whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with arm outstretched and mighty hand? Remember Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, your servants to whom by your own self you swore and made this promise: “I will make your offspring as many as the stars of heaven, and all this land which I promised I will give to your descendants, and it shall be their heritage for ever.”’

  So the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

Responsive Psalm : Psalm 50(51):3-4,12-13,17,19

I will leave this place and go to my father.

Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.

In your compassion blot out my offence.

O wash me more and more from my guilt

and cleanse me from my sin.

I will leave this place and go to my father.

A pure heart create for me, O God,

put a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from your presence,

nor deprive me of your holy spirit.

I will leave this place and go to my father.

O Lord, open my lips

and my mouth shall declare your praise.

My sacrifice is a contrite spirit.

A humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn.

I will leave this place and go to my father.

Second Reading : 1 Timothy 1:12-17

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, and who judged me faithful enough to call me into his service even though I used to be a blasphemer and did all I could to injure and discredit the faith. Mercy, however, was shown me, because until I became a believer I had been acting in ignorance; and the grace of our Lord filled me with faith and with the love that is in Christ Jesus. Here is a saying that you can rely on and nobody should doubt: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I myself am the greatest of them; and if mercy has been shown to me, it is because Jesus Christ meant to make me the greatest evidence of his inexhaustible patience for all the other people who would later have to trust in him to come to eternal life. To the eternal King, the undying, invisible and only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Gospel : Luke 15:1-32

The tax collectors and the sinners were all seeking the company of Jesus to hear what he had to say, and the Pharisees and the scribes complained. ‘This man’ they said ‘welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So he spoke this parable to them:

  ‘What man among you with a hundred sheep, losing one, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the missing one till he found it? And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” he would say “I have found my sheep that was lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance.

  ‘Or again, what woman with ten drachmas would not, if she lost one, light a lamp and sweep out the house and search thoroughly till she found it? And then, when she had found it, call together her friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” she would say “I have found the drachma I lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.’

  He also said, ‘A man had two sons. The younger said to his father, “Father, let me have the share of the estate that would come to me.” So the father divided the property between them. A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery.

  ‘When he had spent it all, that country experienced a severe famine, and now he began to feel the pinch, so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who put him on his farm to feed the pigs. And he would willingly have filled his belly with the husks the pigs were eating but no one offered him anything. Then he came to his senses and said, “How many of my father’s paid servants have more food than they want, and here am I dying of hunger! I will leave this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your paid servants.” So he left the place and went back to his father.

  ‘While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly. Then his son said, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we are going to have a feast, a celebration, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found.” And they began to celebrate.

  ‘Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew near the house, he could hear music and dancing. Calling one of the servants he asked what it was all about. “Your brother has come” replied the servant “and your father has killed the calf we had fattened because he has got him back safe and sound.” He was angry then and refused to go in, and his father came out to plead with him; but he answered his father, “Look, all these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed your orders, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends. But, for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property – he and his women – you kill the calf we had been fattening.”

  ‘The father said, “My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found.”