Uncategorized

Canon Patrick Sammon RIP

Pastoral Letter from Bishop Alan for Education Sunday

Pastoral Letter from Bishop Alan for Education Sunday can be found;

Pastoral-Letter-for-10-11-September-2022 Education-Sunday.

Prayers for the Repose of the Soul of HM Queen Elizabeth II

CATHOLIC BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE OF ENGLAND AND WALES

For the happy repose of HM The Queen

Almighty God,
You are the author and sustainer of all human life;
grant that your servant, Elizabeth our Queen,
whom you granted a long and happy reign as Monarch of these lands
may be forgiven her sins and rewarded with that eternal life
promised to all those born again
in the water of baptism and power of your Spirit.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit
God, forever and ever,
Amen.

Eternal rest, grant to her O Lord,
And let Perpetual light shine upon her.
May she rest in peace.
Amen.

May her soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed,
Through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen

Psalm 121 – A Song of Ascents

I lift up my eyes to the mountains;
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the Lord
who made heaven and earth.

May he never allow you to stumble!
Let him sleep not your guard.
No, he sleeps not nor slumbers,
Israel’s guard.

The Lord your guard and your shade;
at your right side he stands.
By day the sun shall not smite you,
nor the moon in the night.

The Lord will guard you from evil;
he will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and coming,
both now and forever.

Canticle of Simeon
(Luke 2:29-32)
At last, all-powerful Master,
you give leave to your servant
to go in peace, according to your promise.
For my eyes have seen your salvation
Which you have prepared for all nations,
The light to enlighten the Gentiles
And give glory to Israel, your people.

Prayer for the Royal Family

Almighty God, source of all consolation,
we pray for the members of the Royal Family who mourn the loss
of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.
Uphold them in your love
and pour out on them the consolation of your healing Spirit.
Let them find in your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ
comfort in their sadness,
certainty in their doubt
and courage to live through this hour.

We ask this through Christ our Lord
Amen.

Prayer for the King

O God, to whom every human power is subject,
Grant to your servant His Majesty the King
wisdom in the exercise of his high office,
so that, always revering to you and striving to please you,
he may constantly secure and preserve
for the people entrusted to his care
the freedom that comes from unity and peace.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit
God, forever and ever,

Amen.

General Guidelines when Ministering Holy Communion

General Guidelines when Ministering Holy Communion is available at; https://www.ourladyoflourdeswanstead.com/ministries/ministers-of-holy-communion/general-guidelines-when-ministering-holy-communion/

The Relics of St Bernadette

Future of the 8am Sunday Mass

When the Church reopened after the pandemic, we scheduled an extra
Sunday Mass at 8am to facilitate numbers and comply with government regulations
on distance.

The present situation is that numbers at this Mass have dramatically
declined. After consultation, we have decided that we will no longer continue this
Mass and the last one will be celebrated on Pentecost Sunday 5th June.

This leaves the parish with four Sunday masses, i.e. Saturday 6.30pm, Sunday 9.30am, 11.30am and
6.30pm

Returning to Mass at Pentecost

An invitation from the Bishops of England and Wales via https://www.cbcew.org.uk/spring-plenary-2022-resolution-returning-to-mass-at-pentecost/

This is the bread come down from heaven (John 6:58)

A beautiful hallmark of the Catholic faith is the profound desire to participate in the Holy Mass and share in the Eucharist. We do so with deep gratitude and joy. The Eucharist gives the Church her identity – “The Eucharist makes the Church, and the Church makes the Eucharist.” It enables us to worship Almighty God, to support each other on our journey of faith, and to be a visible sign of faith in the world. This hallmark is supported and strengthened by the precept that our fundamental Christian duty is to worship God by participating in the celebration of Mass. Attending Mass on Sundays and Holy Days is the greatest of all privileges, sometimes referred to as “the Sunday Obligation.”

Since the beginning of the Covid pandemic, until the present time, we have shared with you our judgment that the situation of the last two years has meant that the Sunday Obligation has been impeded and has needed to be fulfilled in other ways. We thank God that this situation has now changed. The pressing challenges of the pandemic have lessened significantly. Most people have resumed the wide range of normal activities, no longer restricted by the previous Covid measures. We therefore believe that the reasons which have prevented Catholics from attending Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation no longer apply.

We understand there will still be some members of our congregations who, for reasons of health, do not feel safe enough to return to Mass. It has always been the understanding of the Church that when the freedom of any Catholic to attend Mass in person is impeded for a serious reason, because of situations such as ill health, care for the sick or legitimate fear, this is not a breach of the Sunday Obligation.

Our Catholic people and parishes have benefitted during these difficult times from the online streaming of Mass and other services. “Virtual viewing” of Mass online does not fulfil the Sunday Obligation. It may, however, be a source of continual spiritual comfort to those who cannot attend Mass in person, for example those who are elderly and sick, for whom the obligation does not apply. In this context, we recognise gratefully the ministry of those who administer Holy Communion to the elderly, sick and housebound.

We are grateful to our clergy, religious and lay faithful who have served our parishes, schools and communities with dedication and distinction throughout this pandemic. Now we look forward with renewed faith and confidence.

In the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Lord’s Supper, the Lord Jesus entrusted to us the precious gift of Himself. With humility, we glory in being a Eucharistic people for whom attendance at Mass is essential. Looking forward to the forthcoming feast of Pentecost, we now invite all Catholics who have not yet done so to return to attending Mass in person.

As the Church needs the witness of the presence of each person, so too each believer needs to journey in faith and worship with their fellow disciples. Nourished by our encounter with the Risen Lord Jesus, fed with His Word and His Body and Blood in Holy Communion, and supported by the presence of each other, we receive strength week by week, to serve the Lord and glorify Him with our lives.

Approved by the Plenary Assembly of the Bishops’ Conference
Friday 6 May 2022

Parish Table Quiz – Saturday 18th June 2022

Saturday 18th June 2022
Doors open 7.45 pm, for a prompt start at 8pm

Cost: £8 per person (bring your own drink and food)

Booking: Drop money into the Parish Office by Thursday 9th June in an envelope
clearly marked: FAO Social Committee. Include the following details:
* Your Name, Phone Number, Email Address, Number of people *

Don’t feel you have to book a whole table as we have a number of tables reserved
to seat smaller groups/individuals so that you can share the fun and pool your
knowledge.

If you are booking a table, the ideal size is 6 people (min of 4 and a
max of 8).

Early booking is recommended as this is always a popular night, so
to avoid disappointment, ensure you buy your tickets early. Any questions please
contact us at events@ourladyoflourdeswanstead.com

Please feel free to bring drinks, nibbles and glasses with you – We will be serving tea/coffee
and cakes in the interval, plus a chance to participate in the raffle (cash required!).

All proceeds going towards the upkeep of the Parish Centre

Three evening’s of intercessory prayer to Our Lady (updated)

We have three sessions of intercessory prayer to Our Lady on Wednesday 4th, Thursday 5^th and Friday 6^th May at 8.00pm. All welcome

Stations of the Cross – 8th April – cancelled