The Ascension of the Lord
Saturday 7th Feria
10.30am Mass First Holy Communion
5.30pm Vigil Mass Bertha Nesnas, RIP
Sunday 8th May
8am Mass Pauline Kidney, RIP
9.30am Mass Andrew Sheehy, RIP
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 9th Feria
9am Mass Intentions of Margaret Holland
Tuesday 10th Feria
9am Mass Intentions of Sister Mary Juliana
Wednesday 11th Feria
9am Mass Maureen Regan, RIPl
Thursday 12th St John Houghton, Pr, M
9am Mass George Copeland, RIP
Friday 13th St Erconwald, Bp
12Noon Mass Joyce Wilkinson, RIP (Anniv)
Saturday 14th Feria
10.30am Mass First Holy Communion
5.30pm Vigil Mass The People of the Parish
Sunday 15th May
8am Mass Francés Copeland, RIP
9.30am Mass Mary & John Sheehy, RIP (Anniv)
11.30am Mass Vi Coveney, RIP
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
The Ascension of the Lord
Saturday 7th Feria
10.30am Mass First Holy Communion
5.30pm Vigil Mass Bertha Nesnas, RIP
Sunday 8th May
8am Mass Pauline Kidney, RIP
9.30am Mass Andrew Sheehy, RIP
11.30am Mass The People of the Parish
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Monday 9th Feria
9am Mass Intentions of Margaret Holland
Tuesday 10th Feria
9am Mass Intentions of Sister Mary Juliana
Wednesday 11th Feria
9am Mass Maureen Regan, RIPl
Thursday 12th St John Houghton, Pr, M
9am Mass George Copeland, RIP
Friday 13th St Erconwald, Bp
12Noon Mass Joyce Wilkinson, RIP (Anniv)
Saturday 14th Feria
10.30am Mass First Holy Communion
5.30pm Vigil Mass The People of the Parish
Sunday 15th May
8am Mass Francés Copeland, RIP
9.30am Mass Mary & John Sheehy, RIP (Anniv)
11.30am Mass Vi Coveney, RIP
5.30pm Vespers & Benediction
Summary of Amoris Laetitia - The Joy of Love:
Chapter two: “The experiences and challenges of families” (31-57)
Building on the biblical base, in the second chapter the Pope considers the current situation of families. While keeping “firmly grounded in [the] reality” of family experiences (AL 6), he also draws heavily on the final Reports of the two Synods. Families face many challenges, from migration to the ideological denial of differences between the sexes (“ideology of gender” AL 56); from the culture of the provisional to the antibirth mentality and the impact of biotechnology in the field of procreation; from the lack of housing and work to pornography and abuse of minors; from inattention to persons with disabilities, to lack of respect for the elderly; from the legal dismantling of the family, to violence against women. The Pope insists on concreteness, which is a key concept in the Exhortation. And it is concreteness, realism and daily life that make up the substantial difference between acceptable “theories” of interpretation of reality and arbitrary “ideologies”.
Citing Familiaris consortio, Francis states that “we do well to focus on concrete realities, since ‘the call and the demands of the Spirit resound in the events of history’, and through these ‘the Church can also be guided to a more profound understanding of the inexhaustible mystery of marriage and the family’” (AL 31). Conversely, if we fail to listen to reality, we cannot understand the needs of the present or the movements of the Spirit. The Pope notes that rampant individualism makes it difficult today for a person to give oneself generously to another (cf. AL 33). Here is an interesting picture of the situation: “The fear of loneliness and the desire for stability and fidelity exist side by side with a growing fear of entrapment in a relationship that could hamper the achievement of one’s personal goals” (AL 34)
The humility of realism helps us to avoid presenting “a far too abstract and almost artificial theological ideal of marriage, far removed from the concrete situations and practical possibilities of real families” (AL 36). Idealism does not allow marriage to be understood for what it is, that is, a “dynamic path to personal development and fulfilment”. It is unrealistic to think that families can sustain themselves “simply by stressing doctrinal, bioethical and moral issues, without encouraging openness to grace” (AL 37). Calling for a certain “self-criticism” of approaches that are inadequate for the experience of marriage and the family, the Pope stresses the need to make room for the formation of the conscience of the faithful: “We have been called to form consciences, not to replace them” (AL 37). Jesus proposed a demanding ideal but “never failed to show compassion and closeness to the frailty of individuals like the Samaritan woman or the woman caught in adultery” (AL 38)
Cont’d next week …
St Peter’s Catholic Primary School, Dagenham Essex RM9 6UU
Class teachers - Key Stage 1 & Key Stage 2 for September 2016
Head teacher Mr Dan Craft is looking to appoint outstanding practitioners who can help us on our journey from good to outstanding. We are looking for teachers with drive and ambition who relish a challenge and who are passionate about making a difference to the lives of our young people. Please contact the school on 02082706524 or through the website http://st-peter.bardaglea.org.uk/
Closing date: 18th May.
St Peter’s Catholic Primary School, Dagenham Essex RM9 6UU
Class teachers - Key Stage 1 & Key Stage 2 for September 2016
Head teacher Mr Dan Craft is looking to appoint outstanding practitioners who can help us on our journey from good to outstanding. We are looking for teachers with drive and ambition who relish a challenge and who are passionate about making a difference to the lives of our young people. Please contact the school on 02082706524 or through the website http://st-peter.bardaglea.org.uk/
Closing date: 18th May.
HARP Fundraising meal and raffle
I would like to tell you all that I have given HARP £1600 from the marvellous meal at The Sand Bar on April 20th - huge thank you to Louise and the staff for helping with the HARP fundraising - £330 raised from the meal alone - then the rest was raised from the raffle - another huge thank you to the wonderful stores that donated smashing raffle prizes - and to the people who came to the meal, bought raffle tickets and all those who made charitable donations too. Hope the raffle prize winners enjoy their fab prizes. Niqui Denkmayer
HARP Fundraising meal and raffle
I would like to tell you all that I have given HARP £1600 from the marvellous meal at The Sand Bar on April 20th - huge thank you to Louise and the staff for helping with the HARP fundraising - £330 raised from the meal alone - then the rest was raised from the raffle - another huge thank you to the wonderful stores that donated smashing raffle prizes - and to the people who came to the meal, bought raffle tickets and all those who made charitable donations too. Hope the raffle prize winners enjoy their fab prizes. Niqui Denkmayer
New Website for the Diocese of Brentwood
On this World Communications Day, the Diocese is launching its new website. Please visit www.dioceseofbrentwood.net for all information on the life of the Diocese.
New Website for the Diocese of Brentwood
On this World Communications Day, the Diocese is launching its new website. Please visit www.dioceseofbrentwood.net for all information on the life of the Diocese.
Counters and Folders
Counters: Kitty Edwards, Bernadette Lane & Sheila West.
Newsletter Folders: Angie Martin & Joseph Martin.
Catholic Women’s League
Our next Business Meeting is on Monday, 9th May at 2pm in the Newman Room. Please feel welcome to join us.
Serving the Homeless
Our next fundraising event is a buffet meal at the East Restaurant in Alexandra Street, Southend on Wednesday 25th May at 7.30 pm. Tickets cost £15 and are available from Linda Wall 558217 or Jo Ronan 474062.
Scripture Group
Fr Con Joyce’s Scripture Group will next meet in the Parish Centre 8pm-9pm on Thursday, 19th May. These meetings are held to give us a better understanding of the Bible, to encourage us to read it and so help us to come closer to Jesus in our daily lives as Christians. All welcome.
HARP
Sincere thanks to the parishioners who have donated items of food, clothing and bedding recently: these have been much appreciated. This month’s wish list: night-pack items, UHT milk, bottles of squash, men’s boxer shorts and socks (new please).
If you are going on holiday, or have been away, and have any little bottles of shampoo, shower gel or soap bars which you are not going to use, could we please have them for the people using the shower facilities at the Bradbury Centre.
Feast of Our Lady of Fatima - Friday 13th May
Come and celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima at Nazareth House, London Road, Southend. Mass will be at 4.15pm, Procession 5pm, Benediction 5.30pm. Refreshments in the hall afterwards.
Feast of Our Lady of Fatima - Friday 13th May
Come and celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima at Nazareth House, London Road, Southend. Mass will be at 4.15pm, Procession 5pm, Benediction 5.30pm. Refreshments in the hall afterwards.
Pray for the Dead
Please pray for our dead on their anniversaries:
Canon Brian Grady, Fr Augustine Davidson, Mgr Canon John Howell,
Fr John Boyle, Fr Stanley Joynes, Fred Parsons, Arthur Chadwick,
Patrick Shanahan, Peggy Choppin, Mary Donovan, Michael McDermott,
Cestain Szymczak, Margaret Park, May Downey, Mary Jones, Wally Hurst,
Philip Wilson, Vera Fogarty, Charlotte Anderson, Robert King, Patrick O’Sullivan, Joyce Wilkinson, Iris Amner, John Lyons, Constance Newton,
Dorothy Kyrke-Smith, Margaret Philp, Joseph Edwards & John Smith.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Sixth Sunday of Easter Month of Mary
Dear friends in Christ
Throughout the coming month we will, please God, celebrate some of the more beautiful occasions in the life of our Parish Family. Over the next couple of weekends our children will receive their First Holy Communion; our young adults will be Confirmed on 18th when the Bishop makes his Pastoral Visitation of the Parish; and we will celebrate the Solemnities of the Ascension of Our Lord and Corpus Christi, with the Procession that accompanies that Feast. All this takes place within the month that is devoted in a particular way to Mary. May is generally regarded as the most beautiful of all the months of the year since it a time of natural beauty, hope and promise. The feasts of the Christian calendar help to brighten our lives and we should all make a real effort to live the culture that the Church presents to us in a manner that touches and transforms our secular world. God has given us sublime mysteries which show His Love and part of the joy of our Catholic Faith is being able to celebrate these mysteries in concrete ways through our liturgical celebrations and also within our homes and families. We do all of this under the motherly gaze of Mary during this month. Perhaps you might, as families, pray the Holy Rosary together or the Litany of Loretto; make a pilgrimage to one of her local shrines (Walsingham, Aylesford, Faversham etc), have an image of Our Lady in a prominent place in the home, or simply call on her help more consciously. Please pray for those who are preparing for the Sacraments in these coming days: not only our young people but those too preparing for Holy Matrimony and parents preparing with those families for Baptism. May God bless you all during this special month of our Heavenly Mother.
Msgr Kevin Hale
Sixth Sunday of Easter Month of Mary
Dear friends in Christ
Throughout the coming month we will, please God, celebrate some of the more beautiful occasions in the life of our Parish Family. Over the next couple of weekends our children will receive their First Holy Communion; our young adults will be Confirmed on 18th when the Bishop makes his Pastoral Visitation of the Parish; and we will celebrate the Solemnities of the Ascension of Our Lord and Corpus Christi, with the Procession that accompanies that Feast. All this takes place within the month that is devoted in a particular way to Mary. May is generally regarded as the most beautiful of all the months of the year since it a time of natural beauty, hope and promise. The feasts of the Christian calendar help to brighten our lives and we should all make a real effort to live the culture that the Church presents to us in a manner that touches and transforms our secular world. God has given us sublime mysteries which show His Love and part of the joy of our Catholic Faith is being able to celebrate these mysteries in concrete ways through our liturgical celebrations and also within our homes and families. We do all of this under the motherly gaze of Mary during this month. Perhaps you might, as families, pray the Holy Rosary together or the Litany of Loretto; make a pilgrimage to one of her local shrines (Walsingham, Aylesford, Faversham etc), have an image of Our Lady in a prominent place in the home, or simply call on her help more consciously. Please pray for those who are preparing for the Sacraments in these coming days: not only our young people but those too preparing for Holy Matrimony and parents preparing with those families for Baptism. May God bless you all during this special month of our Heavenly Mother.
Msgr Kevin Hale