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Rosary for the 1st Week of Lent
This weeks Rosary is available on the parish YouTube channel is available at https://youtu.be/hsEbRKvJCFw
Wednesday Morning Mass – Live Streamed
Wednesday’s Morning Mass will be live streamed each week on our YouTube Channel and we will be live from 8.55am.
Lent Course 2021
The Lent course will be run via Zoom this year on Tuesday evenings
at 8pm. The format will be a short film (about 20 minutes) to watch
followed by a discussion. You will need Internet access and an
email to participate. If you are interested in one or all of the
session’s then please email the parish office at:
wanstead@dioceseofbrentwood.org
Please let us know the email you
would like to use to log into the sessions. The films are spiritually nourishing and an excellent accompaniment to our Lenten journey. If you are looking to do something extra for lent this year, then this is a great way to start! The dates and topics for each week are:
- THE EXISTENCE OF GOD Tuesday 23 February, 8pm
Why bother thinking about religion? Five reasons not to believe in God. Arguments for the
existence of God? - WHO IS JESUS? Tuesday 2 March, 8pm
He came to bring life to the world. The Saving Death of Jesus. The light of the Resurrection. - THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE CHURCH Tuesday 9 March, 8pm
How the Holy Spirit can change your life. No one gets into heaven alone. Why we need
signs, symbols and sacraments. - THE GIFT OF FAITH Tuesday 16 March, 8pm
What is faith? Are Christians just stupid or are there good reasons to believe? How to take a
step of faith. - FINDING TRUE FREEDOM Tuesday 23 March, 8pm
Is there such a thing as right and wrong? Where can we find moral guidance? How do you
discover your true identity? - THE MEANING OF LOVE Tuesday 30 March, 8pm
What is love? How to love your neighbour. Knowing the love of God.
Ash Wednesday – 17th February
A reminder that Ash Wednesday the first day of Lent is this year 17th
February. Restrictions permitting ashes will be blessed and imposed
during masses on the day will be at 7am 9am and 8pm.
Churches remain open during lockdown
As per the national guidance there are no changes in the Mass Schedule during the national lockdown.
Parish Office Closed
Please note: The parish office is closed until further notice due to COVID 19 restrictions.
You may contact the presbytery by telephone on 0208 989 2074 or email wanstead@dioceseofbrentwood.org only.
Pastoral Letter from Bishop Alan
In his pastoral letter for the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Bishop Alan writes:
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As we continue to celebrate the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ I take this opportunity to wish you a very happy and blessed Christmas.
For many of us the past year has been marked by difficulty and distress. Opportunities for Christmas family gatherings have been very restricted and some of us have unwelcome memories of enduring a pandemic that has yet to run its course.
In his Gospel Saint John reminds us of the necessity of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ – “God so loved the world that He sent His only Son” and that love continues in the midst of human confusion and suffering. Faithful disciples of Christ – the Saints of the Church – are people who witness to the gifts of God even in unpromising times.
All human beings need to meet Christ. In today’s Gospel Simeon and Anna encounter the Christ child and his family. They learn what so many have learned over the centuries; personal knowledge of Jesus brings salvation and peace. Simeon and Anna are moved to praise God as they rejoice in the light and glory of Christ.
In his recent Apostolic Letter about the place of Saint Joseph in the Church Pope Francis speaks of the courage of Joseph in the face of adverse events: “The Holy Family had to face concrete problems like every other family, like so many of our migrant brothers and sisters who, today too, risk their lives to escape misfortune and hunger. In this regard, I can consider Saint Joseph the special patron of all those forced to leave their native lands because of war, hatred, persecution and poverty.”
It may be that words of encouragement and consolation are difficult to hear this Christmas. During the pandemic we have become acutely aware of the fragility of human life but those who believe in Christ look for the gifts of God which are freely given despite the almost impossible circumstances we can find ourselves in.
In his reading today Saint Paul describes what happens when we allow ourselves to be loved by God. Followers of Christ live out compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Christ’s love clothes us with rich gifts; joy and gratitude find their home within us. Joseph – a pre-eminent follower of Christ – became a true father to his foster son through these virtues.
As we move forward we can thank God for medical workers and many others who care for us when we are ill and whose work has produced vaccines that hold out so much hope. We can be grateful for these gifts of God but Pope Francis encourages us, above all, to ask for “the grace of graces: our own conversion” during the coming New Year.
The Holy Father ends his letter with a short but powerful prayer:–
Blessed Joseph, to us too,
Show yourself a father
And guide us in the path of life.
Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage,
And defend us from every evil. Amen
With continued prayers,
Yours in Christ, Mary and Joseph,
+Alan Williams, sm
Bishop of Brentwood
Christmas Message from Fr Pat
Even though it was Christmas with a difference this year it was celebrated with joyful hope in the parish. Attendance at the 10 masses was lower than usual because of the pandemic but good numbers were present none the less.
It was more contemplative than usual. I hope everyone continues to enjoy the Holy season and celebrate the feast of the Holy Family on Sunday. Let us continue to pray for each other and for family life in our parish. ~ Fr.Pat.