Edmund of Canterbury & St. Thomas More
Traditionally November is the month the Church focuses on the four last things: death, the final judgement, heaven (and hell and purgatory), and the Second Coming – sombre subjects, to be sure, but essential and foundational to our faith. Today’s reading invites us to contemplate what the signs will be of the end of the world. The Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the talk of the Third World War makes the end of the world seem even closer.
However, the end of the world isn’t necessarily a topic we give much thought to – although sometimes the challenges and difficulties we face can make it seem like the end of the world! Believers and unbelievers alike acknowledge that one day the end will come – life on earth cannot be forever. Scientists suggest that our sun will burn up the earth in about five billion years, and throughout history false prophets have proclaimed with dogmatic certainty that the ‘end is nigh’, only to be exposed as frauds and charlatans.
The truth is, no one knows the day or the hour of our own death or the end of life on earth. What we do know, however, is that we can rely on a number of key truths. The first is that Christ lives and he has overcome death and the powers of darkness. We can also be certain that Christ is with us. In Christ the future world has already begun. The future is not darkness, confusion or fear, but by having a sure confidence that God is with us we can face it with courage and dignity.
We believe that the Lord will return – as Judge and Saviour. Jesus is the good judge: we know his face that of the Risen Christ, of Christ crucified for us. We walk and live by faith, not by sight, and even if we might rather leave the body to live with the Lord, what definitively matters is that we live lives that are pleasing to him.
Dear Friends in Christ, 33rd Sunday of the Year
THIS IS A PLEA FOR YOUR HELP WITH THE CHRISTMAS EVENT THIS YEAR. ONLY ONE MONTH TO GO. UNFORTUNATELY VERY LITTLE HAS BEEN HANDED IN SO FAR. PLEASE HELP US! IF EVERYONE BROUGHT AN ITEM OR TWO, IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT, THIS WOULD BE WONDERFUL!
CHRISTMAS EVENT FOR 2022: There will be a Grand Christmas Draw & Christmas Hampers. 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. All Toiletries
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! Box in Church Porch & Presbytery Porch for your gifts & offerings. AS YET ONLY A FEW ITEMS DONATED!
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!
May God Bless You All,
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.
REQUIESCAT IN PACE: In your mercy please pray for the repose of the soul of Veronica Godsave RIP, who passed away recently. We extend our condolences to her family in this time of great loss. Requiem Mass will take place on Tuesday 15th November at 12.15pm, with Cremation at 1.30pm at Forest Park Crematorium.
DAVENANT FOUNDATION SCHOOL: If there are any parents who have made application for a place at the Davenant Foundation School for their child for Year 7 in September 2023, I need a copy of your submission of Catholic Practice. As I mentioned to all the parents who came for meetings, the applications procedure is completely different from the Catholic sector. I cannot complete and sign the Supplementary Information Form without your ‘Practice Form’; without this, forms will be returned to Davenant unsigned.
APPLICATIONS FOR RECEPTION PLACES AT ST JOHN FISHER CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL SEPTEMBER 2023: If there are any parents who wish to apply for a place for their child in Reception Class 2023, at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, and need a Certificate of Catholic Practice signed, please see Fr John during the week November 14th – 18th. For some of you this will be the first time you have engaged in the admissions procedure. You have to complete the Essex County Form by the 15th January 2023. It’s so important that we support our local Catholic Primary School, which gives an excellent education to our children.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION CLASSES: Continue on Sunday 13th November at 10.00am in the Parish Retreat. It is imperative that all children attend each of the Communion Classes. The next Parents’ Meeting will take place on Wednesday 23rd November at 7.30pm in the Parish Hall. If you are unable to attend for some reason please contact Fr. John directly.
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 9.30am
WORLD YOUTH SUNDAY: 20th November 2022. Is a unique opportunity to celebrate the role and significance of young people in the Catholic Church in England and Wales, along with the global Church. A representative of the Brentwood Catholic Youth Service will be speaking about their work, and holding a retiring collection (you can also donate online www.bcys.net/donate ) Anything you can give is so greatly appreciated, as any money raised will go towards supporting those in need of financial support to go on pilgrimages and to events, as well as allowing us to continue running our events. Providing support and training to those working with young people and so much more. And of course, please do pray for all young people in your parish, in our Diocese and around the world.
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.
THE ADVENT LECTIONARY: A Journey towards Christmas with the Bible. The Advent lectionary is particularly rich, with readings from the prophets, gospels about John the Baptist, the ‘O’ antiphons, and the gospel accounts of events before Jesus’ birth. Fr Adrian Graffy, parish priest in East London, and a member of the Pontifical Biblical Commission, will give an introduction to the Scripture readings of Advent, and present ‘Scripture Readings: Advent’ on www.whatgoodnews.org The website pages will provide the text of the readings (Revised New Jerusalem Bible) for every day of Advent, with commentary on each, and suggestions for prayer and reflection. Wednesday 23rd November 2022 19.00 –20.00 GMT This free event is both in-person and live-stream. Good transport links on the Elizabeth Line. Easy access to the church and ample parking. For live stream simply go to http://www.whatgoodnews.orgon the day. No booking necessary. A recording of the talk will be made available after the event on the same website. Christ the Eternal High Priest Catholic Church, 410 Brentwood Road, Gidea Park, RM2 6DH
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
DIARY NOVEMBER 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: Sheila Quinn RIP, Jan Leach RIP, Anthony Orsini RIP, Joyce Gregory RIP, Pat Salter RIP, Maureen Finnegan RIP, Lucy Byrne-Ingle RIP, Doreen Wiltshire RIP, Terrence Callahan RIP, & All our Holy Souls. 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
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!
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN A VOCATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD? At present we only have five seminarians training for the Priesthood in the Diocese of Brentwood. The period of formation for each is several years. If you know of anyone who may be interested in learning more about the priesthood, or who feels they may have a vocation to the Priesthood please contact Fr Mark Swires vocprom@dioceseofbrentwood.org
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.
MASS INTENTIONS – NOVEMBER 2022
| Sat 12th | 10.00am | Peter Martin RIP (Chris Draper – Catenians) Holy Souls |
| Confessions 11am – 12Noon or on demandVigil Mass for Sunday. Confessions at 5.30pm | ||
| Sat 12th | 6.00pm | People of the Parish |
| Sun 13th | 9.00am | Matt McLoughlin RIP (Veronica & Steve Short) Holy Souls |
| Sun 13th | 11:00am | Eugene & Ellen Carney RIP (C Knight) Holy Souls |
| Mon 14th | 9.00am | Modesta Borges RIP. (Adelaide Alves) Holy Souls |
| Tues 15th | 12.15pm | Requiem Mass – Veronica Godsave RIP |
| Wed 16th St Edmund | 10.00amFeast | Margaret Duffy & Pat Ata Int’s (Frank Westcott) Holy Souls |
| Thur 17th | 9.00am | Fr Kieran Dodd RIP (Pat & Margaret) Holy Souls |
| Fri 18th | 10.00am | Carmen Antaki RIP (Frank Westcott)Holy Souls |
| Sat 19th | 10.00am | Fr Kieran Dodd RIP (Frank Westcott)Holy Souls |
| Confessions 11am – 12Noon or on demandVigil Mass for Sunday. Confessions at 5.30pm | ||
| Sat 19th | 6.00pm | Stephen Griffiths RIP (Mylinah) Holy Souls |
| Sun 20th | 9.00am | Martin Boyle RIP (Paul Boyle) |
| Sun 20th | 11:00am | Margaret Mary & Karl Joseph Britz RIP(Karl Britz) Holy Souls |
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
IN CASES OF EMERGENCY: Tuesday is usually Fr. John’s Day Off. In cases of emergency please call one of the local parishes, either in Epping – Tel: 01992 572516, or the St. Thomas of Canterbury Friary at Woodford Green – Tel: 020 8504 1688. This would also apply if Fr. John is away for a few days break or on Retreat. All the local funeral directors have a contact number for Fr. John if a funeral needs to be arranged in his absence.
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
First Reading : Malachi 3:19-20
The day is coming now, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and the evil-doers will be like stubble. The day that is coming is going to burn them up, says the Lord of Hosts, leaving them neither root nor stalk. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will shine out with healing in its rays.
Responsive Psalm : Psalm 97(98):5-9
The Lord comes to rule the peoples with fairness.
Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp
with the sound of music.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
acclaim the King, the Lord.
The Lord comes to rule the peoples with fairness.
Let the sea and all within it, thunder;
the world, and all its peoples.
Let the rivers clap their hands
and the hills ring out their joy
at the presence of the Lord.
The Lord comes to rule the peoples with fairness.
For the Lord comes,
he comes to rule the earth.
He will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with fairness.
The Lord comes to rule the peoples with fairness.
Second Reading : 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12
You know how you are supposed to imitate us: now we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we ever have our meals at anyone’s table without paying for them; no, we worked night and day, slaving and straining, so as not to be a burden on any of you. This was not because we had no right to be, but in order to make ourselves an example for you to follow.
We gave you a rule when we were with you: do not let anyone have any food if he refuses to do any work. Now we hear that there are some of you who are living in idleness, doing no work themselves but interfering with everyone else’s. In the Lord Jesus Christ, we order and call on people of this kind to go on quietly working and earning the food that they eat.
Gospel : Luke 21:5-19
When some were talking about the Temple, remarking how it was adorned with fine stonework and votive offerings, Jesus said, ‘All these things you are staring at now – the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed.’ And they put to him this question: ‘Master,’ they said ‘when will this happen, then, and what sign will there be that this is about to take place?’
‘Take care not to be deceived,’ he said ‘because many will come using my name and saying, “I am he” and, “The time is near at hand.” Refuse to join them. And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened, for this is something that must happen but the end is not so soon.’ Then he said to them, ‘Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines here and there; there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.
‘But before all this happens, men will seize you and persecute you; they will hand you over to the synagogues and to imprisonment, and bring you before kings and governors because of my name – and that will be your opportunity to bear witness. Keep this carefully in mind: you are not to prepare your defence, because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations and friends; and some of you will be put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your endurance will win you your lives.’
The Gospel of the Lord
St Edmund of Canterbury 