St. Edmund of Canterbury & St. Thomas More
‘The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds’: the truth of these words form today’s reading in Ecclesiasticus is illustrated by Jesus’ hard-hitting parable in the Gospel. The tax collector’s outward actions are worth noting. He stands at a distance, reflecting his sense of shame. Ironically his physical distance, reflecting his sense of shame. Ironically his physical distance creates a spiritual proximity to God. Also, he beats his breast, which, in a commentary on St Luke’s Gospel, St Theophilus interpreted as him ‘…striking it as it were because of the evil thoughts, and moreover rousing it as if asleep.
Furthermore, the tax collector’s prayer is short, direct and full of sorrow. This is a model of prayer for us. First, it calls to mind the words of Our Lord when he says ‘… when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words’. Second, we see how the tax collector’s humility stemming from his genuine contrition leads him to becoming closer to God.
St Anthony the Great teaches Christ’s followers to …dispose your heart towards humility…For God and His angels and saints turn away from the proud of heart…hearts that are humble and contrite the Lord will not despise.
Contrition of heart comes from above all in an honest confession of our sins. The Sacrament of Reconciliation allows us to unburden our hearts, like the tax collector. Scripture says that ‘if we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness’. There’s a sense in which confessing our sins takes courage, but there are also amazing graces and gifts bestowed on those who confess. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that, ‘Through such an admission man looks squarely at the sins he is guilty of, takes responsibility for them, and thereby opens himself again to God and to the communion of the Church in order to make a new future possible.’
Dear Friends in Jesus Christ, 30th Sunday of the Year
A week in politics is a long time! We have a new Chancellor; the Prime Minister has resigned. There are all sorts of debates and discussions on the television and radio about the economy. But honestly, people are worried. Admittedly, the war in the Ukraine has sadly affected the whole world. It makes us realise that we are all affected by global events. But that doesn’t detract from the fact that utilities and the price of food and people’s mortgages have increased considerably. It is probably going to be a difficult winter. Let’s all look out for each other and help each other!
CHRISTMAS EVENT FOR 2022: Upon consultation with the Bazaar Committee, and in light of economic difficulties for everyone this year, we have decided to progress the same as last year with a Grand Christmas Draw & Christmas Hampers. We investigated the possibility of a Christmas Market, but there were so few interested. We’ll stick to what we know! Obviously, this also takes some organising as well, and if there are any volunteers who can help us, we would be most grateful. Event will be on Sunday 11th December after 11am Mass, with Cake Stall & Refreshments & Grand Christmas Draw.
We would like to appeal to your incredible generosity once again for donations of indulgent foods and drinks to create a fabulous selection of luxury Christmas Hampers. Items for a Grand Christmas Draw would be a Flat Screen TV, Laptop, Other New Electrical Goods, Crate of Wine, Theatre Vouchers, Restaurant Vouchers, Hotel Vouchers, National Trust Annual Family Membership, Department Store Vouchers, Fitbits, Air Pods, Beats Headphones.
SUGGESTED HAMPER DONATIONS: Luxury Brand Christmas Cakes & Puddings, Bottles of Champagne, Spirits, Port & Wine. Tinned meats – Gammon Ham, Potted Duck, and Pates. Tinned Fish – Salmon, Dressed Crab & Lobster, Jars of Fruit in Syrup, Jars of Pickles, Chutneys & Olives. Festive Jams or Berry Preserves. Festive Marmalades, Jars of Honey, Tea & Coffee, Hot Chocolate. Dried Fruit & Nuts. Biscotti, Ginger Snaps & Shortbread, boxes of Chocolates & Truffles, Turkish Delight. Panettone, Mince Pies, Stollen. Biscuits and Crackers for Cheese. Bottles of Live Oil, Balsamic Vinegar & Marinades, Dried Stuffing Mixes. Boxes of Table Crackers
If anyone wants to make a Cash Donation please mark it Christmas Fund, and please use your Gift Aid envelope so we can claim the Tax back on the Donation. Thank you! There is a Box & Trolly in Porch for your gifts & offerings.
If any parishioners would be willing to donate suitable wicker hamper style baskets, these will help us present our Christmas Hampers in the traditional way. Thanking you all in anticipation of your generosity!
God Bless You All & Have a Blessed Week,
PARISH UTILITIES: Thankfully, the weather has been pretty mild up to now. May I make an appeal to the whole parish community to kindly remember in your weekly offertory, and especially during this autumn and winter, the use of the utilities in our very big buildings. We are now all on the receiving end of larger Utility Bills. I’m sure we’re all being very careful with the usage of heating and lighting. I don’t think this is something that is going to go away!
FEAST OF ALL SAINTS: 1st November, is a Holy Day of Obligation and has the same status as a Sunday. There will be four masses. 10.00am, 12.15pm & 7.30pm at St Edmund’s. And 2.00pm at St John Fisher School (Parents are also welcome to this mass at school).
NOVEMBER: Month of Holy Souls. It is customary throughout the Month of November to remember our deceased loved ones in a very special way. If there are any parishioners who would like to present a November Deceased List of names, there are spare envelopes in the porch. Please complete your list of names and include your Mass Donation, and return the envelopes by the 2nd November All Souls Day. Please use your Gift Aid Number with your donation. There will be three Masses that day 10.00am, 12.15pm & 7.30pm. Holy Mass will be offered daily for the repose of all of our Holy Souls. And at the end of our weekday masses a decade of Rosary & Prayers for the deceased will be recited.
ST PATRICK’S CEMETERY, LEYTONSTONE: November Mass for the Deceased will be celebrated on Monday 14th November at 11.30am All welcome! Many have deceased family buried at St Patrick’s Cemetery.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION CLASSES: Continue after the half-term break on Sunday 6th November at 10.00am in the Parish Retreat Room. It is imperative that all children attend each of the Communion Classes. If you are unable to attend for some reason please contact Fr. John.
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 half 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 Next Big Clean on Thursday 17th November at 10.30am
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.
REQUIESCAT IN PACE: In your mercy please pray for the repose of the soul of Veronica Godsave RIP, who passed away this week. We extend our condolences to her family in this time of great loss. As yet there are no funeral arrangements
PARISH REPOSITORY: There is a lot of new stock in the repository. 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.
DAILY MASS AT ST EDMUND’S: I would like to make this special appeal, especially to those who may be retired, to think seriously about attending one or more of our daily masses at 10.00am Monday – Saturday. Daily Mass is truly a wonderful gift that is offered in nearly every parish. I get saddened sometimes as to how few people attend our weekday masses. We teach that the Holy Mass is the ‘source & summit’ of our Catholic Lives of faith. There is no greater gift that Christ gave us before his Passion, Death & Resurrection. Please think seriously about attending an additional Mass during the week; the Lord will afford you many graces and blessings.
NOTE FOR OUR CONTEMPORARY MUSIC GROUP We will next be playing and singing at the 11am Mass on Sunday, 6th November. It was really good to see so many of our singers (and new ones too!) at our last Mass, and we hope you will all be able to come and sing again at this next Mass. Because of time restraints, we’ll not be having a practice during the week beforehand, but it would be appreciated if you could arrive before the Mass starts so that we can quickly run through the music and hymns. Thanks very much and we look forward to seeing you there in full force!
DIARY OCTOBER 2022
PLEASE PRAY FOR THOSE SICK IN OUR PARISH
Margaret Baldwin, Evelyn Bearne, Karl Britz, Carlos Camacho, Jane Downs, Steve Dalgliesh, Pat Fenn, 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: Joyce Gregory RIP, Mary Fox RIP, Maura Highland 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:
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.
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/
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
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.
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!
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.
If there are children who no longer serve at St Edmund’s, would you kindly return your Alb & Cincture as soon as possible please
REGISTERING AT THE PARISH: It’s always important to have details of all of our parishioners. There are Parish Registration Forms in the Porch of the Church. Please complete and return to the Presbytery.
VACANCY – Cemetery Director. The Administrators of the Secular Clergy Common Fund are looking to appoint a Cemetery Director to be responsible for the direct management and strategic oversight of St Mary’s Cemetery NW10 5NU and St Patrick’s Cemetery E11 4HL. Salary: £45,000 – £50,000 depending on experience. Job Type: Full time, permanent Monday to Friday (35 hours a week). For an informal discussion regarding the role please contact Angela Rowe, Secretary at secretary@secularclergy.org.uk / call 07537 185800
CATECHIST TRAINING AND RESOURCES DAY – 5th November, 10.00 a.m. – 3.00 p.m. at Sacred Heart of Mary School, Upminster. Open to any First Holy Communion and Confirmation Catechists, as well as those leading Youth Groups, Children’s Liturgy or similar! A range of fantastic workshops and keynote speech from David Wells. There will also be a session for any young catechists looking to develop their faith post confirmation (16+). For all information and to book, please visit www.bcys.net/events/catechistday2022
LEADERSHIP VACANCIES IN DIOCESAN SCHOOLS: Details of all positions can be found at the following link https://www.dioceseofbrentwood.net/departments/education /vacancies/school-vacancies/
A TIME OF RETREAT AND REFLECTION Bookings have now open for this SILENT RETREAT in Brentwood. The theme is ‘My Lord and my God’ with a call to a renewed intimacy with Jesus. The guest speaker is Fr Martin Boland. Dates: Friday 4th-Sunday 6th November. To book, go to the events’ page of the Sion Community website – www.sioncommunity.org.uk
MASS INTENTIONS – OCTOBER 2022
| Sat 22nd | 10.00am | Suzanne Halfyard B’day Int’s. (John & Rosemary O’Rourke) |
| Vigil Mass for Sunday. Confessions at 5.30pm | ||
| Sat 22nd | 6.00pm | Neil Milward RIP (Carole Milward) |
| Sun 23rd | 9.00am | Eladio Dizon Jnr RIP (Ray & Ingrid Bacani) |
| Sun 23rd | 11:00am | Lucy McLay RIP (Ruiz Family) |
| Mon 24th | 10.00am | Anthony Michael Porter RIP (Munday Family) |
| Tues 25th | 10.00am | Yvonne aria Westcott RIP ((Frank Westcott) |
| Wed 26th | 10.00am | Sinead Dorn’s Int’s (John O’Rourke) |
| Thur 27th | 10.00am | Edward Martin Duffy RIP (Margaret Duffy) |
| Fri 28th | 10.00am | John W Mills RIP (Mills Family) |
| Sat 29th | 10.00am | Pina & Albert Martinelli RIP (Margaret Duffy) |
| Vigil Mass for Sunday. Confessions at 5.30pm | ||
| Sat 29th | 6.00pm | Samia Masud Int’s (The Anthony Family) |
| Sun 30th | 9.00am | Jim Sullivan RIP (Celine Sullivan) |
| Sun 30th | 11:00am | Eladio Dizon Jnr RIP (Bacuetes Family) |
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
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
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
First Reading : Ecclesiasticus 35:12-14, 16-19
The Lord is a judge
who is no respecter of personages.
He shows no respect of personages to the detriment of a poor man,
he listens to the plea of the injured party.
He does not ignore the orphan’s supplication,
nor the widow’s as she pours out her story.
The man who with his whole heart serves God will be accepted,
his petitions will carry to the clouds.
The humble man’s prayer pierces the clouds,
until it arrives he is inconsolable,
And the Lord will not be slow,
nor will he be dilatory on their behalf.
Responsive Psalm : Psalm 33(34):2-3,17-19,23
This poor man called; the Lord has heard him.
I will bless the Lord at all times,
his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
The humble shall hear and be glad.
This poor man called; the Lord has heard him.
The Lord turns his face against the wicked
to destroy their remembrance from the earth.
The just call and the Lord hears
and rescues them in all their distress.
This poor man called; the Lord has heard him.
The Lord is close to the broken-hearted;
those whose spirit is crushed he will save.
The Lord ransoms the souls of his servants.
Those who hide in him shall not be condemned.
This poor man called; the Lord has heard him.
Second Reading : 2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18
My life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his Appearing.
The first time I had to present my defence, there was not a single witness to support me. Every one of them deserted me – may they not be held accountable for it. But the Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear; and so I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from all evil attempts on me, and bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Gospel : Luke 18:9-14
Jesus spoke the following parable to some people who prided themselves on being virtuous and despised everyone else: ‘Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood there and said this prayer to himself, “I thank you, God, that I am not grasping, unjust, adulterous like the rest of mankind, and particularly that I am not like this tax collector here. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes on all I get.” The tax collector stood some distance away, not daring even to raise his eyes to heaven; but he beat his breast and said, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” This man, I tell you, went home again at rights with God; the other did not. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’
The Gospel of the lord
St Edmund of Canterbury 