MESSAGES FROM FR DAVID / DEACON JOHN
Dear Parishioners
When disaster strikes in some part of the world we are often stricken with a desire to help in some way but also a sense of our inability to offer anything useful. The recent earthquake in Haiti is a good example: we know that people are suffering and that almost anything might be a help but we are too far away to be able to help in any meaningful way. We feel helpless and, sometimes, useless.
But often we do what we can – we give money to well chosen charities and organisations that we know, or hope, can make a difference. We are also aware that they could not do what they do without our financial support –not only ours, of course, but the thousands, perhaps millions, of other people who give something to enable the work to go on. And whilst the organisations get on with the work on the ground, we continue to ‘help’ with our prayers.
I use this example as a way of trying to explain the idea behind making an offering for a mass to be said by a priest. I mention this because I have noticed that the ‘older’ generation regularly ask for masses to be offered for an intention of their choosing whilst the younger generation rarely does. Quite simply, we should all come to mass with some specific ‘intention’ to offer. This could be simply thanksgiving for something, or someone in your life - for friendship, family, children, career or just simply being alive. Equally likely might be the difficult situations in your life or in the world that need healing reconciliation, or clarification. Every mass is offered for the whole church – you will hear the priest remembering the Pope, the bishop, the clergy and the faithful. But you can also ask the priest to offer a mass for your intention and, as it were, this becomes a special intention which is now shared by the whole community present at that mass. Quite often you will hear of a special intention for someone who is deceased which is a way of sharing the memory of that person with the whole community and asking for prayer for their soul – that they may know forgiveness, healing and be brought, with us, to the glory of Christ’s resurrection.
What you may not know about is that when you ask a priest to offer a mass for your intention, it is customary to make an offering. This need not be large – just a few pounds is usual. But the idea is similar to the charity example I gave above – you give to enable someone else to do what you cannot do all by yourself. Mass stipends, as these offerings are known, are in fact the main way in which priests receive an income to live off as few priests receive a salary from church or parish.
In our parish mass offerings are becoming fewer and I thought I might use this opportunity just to make known a part of our catholic heritage and custom just in case you were unaware – its not a nag!
With my love. Fr David
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PARISHIONER'S BLOG
I wonder what you see as your role in our Parish? Are you a ‘Sunday worshipper’? Are you someone who tries to get involved with the life of the Parish?
What ever you see yourself as there will be good reasons for your views and for your decision to be what you are in the Parish.
This week I have been made to think about people’s roles in the Parish:
Firstly, after Mass last Sunday I noticed there was no coffee and one elderly gentleman commented that he was sorry about that because it is the one time each week he is able to socialise. Two minutes later I met a lady who often does the coffee, she was very distressed because she realised no-one was doing it that day – she felt guilty! I quickly suggested she should not feel that way as she does so many of the unnoticed jobs in the Parish and she should not take on more!
Secondly, I noticed someone I know quite well cleaning the church at 7.30 one morning. She was doing this because that was the only time in her very busy week that she was able to do it – and it was her week to do this ‘unnoticed’ job. She is hoping to go away for the weekend and could not bear the thought of not doing the job and making the church as nice as possible for everyone.
Another person I met in town was just going to bank the collection from last weekend having collected the money and counted it after Mass on Sunday.
Finally I saw another parishioner going into the church to check on the flowers, keeping them watered so they would still be fresh for next weekend – she was doing this little task on her way to work.
These are only four of the vey many jobs that go on behind the scenes to help Fr. David run the Parish smoothly and to create a pleasant place for the ‘Sunday worshippers’ week in and week out. I could go on and mention all the people who look after the finances, the sacristy, the altar linen, and many other things. All these are unnoticed tasks that have to be done – they are done humbly and quietly and none of the people doing them expect any praise or thanks.
Now you have read this (thank you) are you feeling that perhaps you could offer a little more to become someone who gets involved in Parish life and not just to be a ‘Sunday worshipper’? If we had more people offering to do Sunday coffee, or to go on the cleaning rota, or to wash altar linen everybody’s turn would come round far less frequently than at present – surely as we all benefit from the efforts of these people it would, actually, be fair if more people helped.
All the people I mentioned above are VERY busy people – just like you! (Marian Grannell)
YOUTH LEADERS - We currently have small number of young people who attend a monthly youth group meeting on a Saturday. The group is lead by Gloria Benson and Dominic Getting. We need more people to help with the youth and support Gloria and Dominic. Can you help? THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT because if we neglect our youth they will just drift away to people who WILL show an interest in them. So please, can you help? If interested please speak with Gloria Benson on 01252 677414 or email: gloria.benson@chyp.com
GENERAL
LENT 2010 - "The Lord is my light"
This short programme for Lent has reflections that are based on the readings which we shall hear at Sunday Mass Each week the session includes a quotation from Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical letter, Caritas in Veritate, which is about human development in the light of the current economic and ecological crisis. We hope that these excerpts from Caritas in Veritate can help to deepen our reflection on the challenges and opportunities we face today in living the Gospel.
In our parishes this year there will be a number of opportunities to take part in a group:
At Holy Family Gloria Craven will be hosting a house group. If you would like to join or find out more please contact her on 01252 321609
Also a group will run after mass on Tuesdays from 10 – 11.30am. We will probably run this in the Chapel at Holy Family depending on numbers.
Here we will be looking at the coming Sunday’s liturgy of the word and studying the Pope’s encyclical as it relates to living out our Christian vocation in the world.
Copies are available after mass for £1. Please see Fr David or Dcn John
HOPE FOR A NEW BEGINNING
Valentines Supper - big thank you!
Thank to all those who came to the Valentines supper and helped to make it a success. We raised about £300 for the church building funds. The raffle for Haiti was also a big success with just over £300 being raised, so thanks to those who donated prizes and those who bought tickets.
The biggest thanks go to the young adults of the parish, who not only helped to prepare the room, but served the supper and helped with the washing up. Well done!
Arundel & Brighton Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes: 29th July to 5th August 2010
Application forms are available in the church, the Pilgrimage Office and can be downloaded from the website www.ablourdes.org. Pilgrims requiring any level of medical, nursing or carer assistance should contact the Pilgrimage Office direct on 01903 745180
Caravan Project – Lebanon 2010
Are you 18-30, taking a gap year and interested in undertaking voluntary work in Lebanon with handicapped children? The Order of Malta are looking for such volunteers. Further information can be found on the Holy Angels Notice Board or can be obtained via Chris Mann on 01252 684115 or christopher.mann@ntlworld.com.
I would encourage anyone who has access to the web to click onto the Order of Malta website (www.orderofmalta.org.uk). I’m sure you will be both surprised and warmed by the depth and breadth of their long-term humanitarian projects and emergency disaster response of this relatively unknown Catholic organisation showing Christianity in Action.
If there was the interest I would be happy to give a talk to the joint parishes on the History and Work of both the Order of Malta and the British Order of St John, which is the governing body of St John Ambulance. Chris Mann
The Diocese of Arundel & Brighton St Cuthman’s Retreat Centre, Coolham, Nr. Horsham
Is seeking to appoint a Resident Housekeeper. This is a new post that has been created as part of the re-structuring of the domestic team, pending the retirement of the Assistant Warden at the end of March 2010. (Refer to Notice-board for further information)
Midweek masses from the beginning of November will transfer to the small chapel on the end of the house. If you don’t come to weekday mass why don’t you try this intimate and informal setting as a way to enter into the riches of the weekday lectionary and mass.
Gift Aid for Holy Family – the total amount returned to the parish as a result of your Gift Aided donations was £7443 so thank you to all who use this method and for your continuing generosity which as you know we need!
Pastoral Visits to Hospital Patients: NHS Trust hospitals (private ones too) have a duty to protect patient confidentiality. Consequently they will not disclose any personal information concerning patients without the patient’s permission. As far as Pastoral visits by the catholic Hospital Chaplain are concerned, they should not take place unless you have said specifically that you wish to be visited. It also means that the chaplain should not disclose the fact that you are in the hospital to any other person without your permission.
In practice, if you wish to be visited by a Roman Catholic chaplain, you need to say that you are a Roman Catholic when you supply details on your admission form and, if there is a place on the form to indicate you wish to be visited, say so. Emergency admissions tend to run ahead of the paperwork, but you can always ask ward staff to let the Chaplain’s office know your wishes.
www.sfo-chilworth.co.uk
The Secular Franciscan Order. Chilworth Fraternity issue a set of weekly meditations each month. Go on to the website and click on to Meditation. Give it a try this month.
ADVANCE NOTICE – In Lent this year we will be looking at the latest Papal Encyclical CARITAS IN VERITATE (Charity in Truth). The Pope highlights many of the important themes of the day which we should think about as we come up to the General Election – Climate change, immigration and population movement, technology and its uses and abuses, global economics and many other important things. We meet at venue to be decided on the first four Wednesdays in March. More info to follow
Sick and retired Priests in the Diocese need our support: THE SOUTHWARK BRETHREN is a long standing charity which helps sick and retired Priests who are in need in our Diocese. Last year the charity was able to give £1000 each to 32 Priests in the Diocese of Southwark and Arundel and Brighton, and also helped 7 working Priests who had serious sickness, to make their situation a little easier. In addition, there is a Gift Aid Scheme for those who pay tax. Please send donations to and request a Gift Aid form from: Reverend Paul Hough, by post to: St Elpheges Presbytery, 120 Stafford Road, Wallington Surrey SM6 9AY Tel: 020 8647 5079 or at: stelphegesoffice@yahoo.co.uk Thank You for your support
Calling all green thumbs: A start has been made on tidying the gardens at Holy Family. If you can spare ANY TIME your help would be greatly appreciated. At the moment the rose beds are the priority. The flower bed at the rear car park at Holy Angels also needs weeding. Please feel free to do some weeding
at either parish. You don’t have to do it all. Your help will be greatly appreciated!
Sacred Space - Many of us work at computers for much of our day. And many of these computers are connected to the internet. If you have a spare ten minutes you might like to look at “Sacred Space”. Their web site says “We invite you to make a 'Sacred Space' in your day, and spend ten minutes, praying here and now, as you sit at your computer, with the help of on-screen guidance and scripture chosen specially every day.” I have used it and so does Fr Richard Incledon and you might find it a help if you are permitted to use the internet in this way too.
GIFT AID DONATIONS (G.A.D.) A 2% cut in basic rate of income tax sounds like good news. However, this has the effect of reducing our revenue from HM Revenue and Customs by 3%. For that reason we would request that all donors consider raising their level of giving to compensate. Please note that this does not take into effect the rate of inflation which we all experience each year. If, at present, you do not donate your offertory contribution under the GAD Scheme, would you please consider joining and thereby, automatically, increasing your contribution by 25p in the pound. For further details please contact Alan or Florence (in confidence) either after Mass or telephone 687246 for Holy Family, or contact Teresa in the office who will forward your details to David Tuttlebee for Holy Angels. Many thanks.
PARISH FINANCE COMMITTEE meets every 2 months to discuss the church finances and buildings. We are looking for new members with maintenance and fabric skills to compliment the committee. If you think you have a skill or knowledge you can offer, please contact Fr David, Deacon John or leave your details at the Parish Office.
NEWSLETTER BY EMAIL – If anyone would prefer to receive the weekly newsletter via email please send me your details office@holyangelsash.org.uk
Car Parking
The landlord of the Alma has said that he would welcome CAREFUL parking by parishioners attending mass. The emphasis here is on the word "careful". You may remember that a previous landlord allowed us to use his car park but withdrew permission due to the way in which some people parked their cars. Please see this as a privilege and not a right...
ARE YOU A NEWCOMER? If so - WELCOME! Please make yourself known to Fr David after mass or to one of our welcomers. There are also Welcome Packs at the back of both of the churches with some general information and a form so that we can enter your details on our database. Please return it to Fr David or send it to the Parish Office. Thank you.
Catholic Singles is an organisation which helps single, widowed, separated and divorced Catholics of all ages (over 18 years) meet, either one to one or through social events. All members receive a monthly bulletin, called Catholic Networking. For more information please tel. 0161 941 3498, visit the website www.catholicsingles.org.uk or email info@catholicsingles.org.uk
Please note that whilst we have many separated & divorced Catholics amongst our members (I am widowed myself), we do not encourage them to remarry, though they do of course meet socially and for friendship, and a link to the A.S.D.C. is on our website.
We are now fairly well known, and have raised over thirty two thousand pounds for charities & parishes over the last nine years, but if you would like to receive more information about Catholic Singles please let me know. We are very grateful to previous help in this respect from parishes such as your own, which is vital if we are to continue.
THE CATHOLIC CENTRAL LIBRARY, with over 70,000 books and pamphlets and 150 periodicals has moved to St Michael’s Abbey, Farnborough. For details of access etc ‘phone 01252 543818 or go online www.catholic-library.org.uk
HOLY FAMILY CHILDRENS LITURGY: We are currently short of numbers to assist with the weekly Children’s liturgy. We therefore would like to seek out new volunteers to assist with the important task of sharing the weekly gospel with our young people. The commitment is likely to involve on average no more than one Sunday per calendar month. If you are concerned about being inexperienced - do not worry - we will pair you with a more experienced helper. If you have a child aged 4-11 years or would like to volunteer to support our young people please contact either Martin O'Dwyer after 9:15 am Sunday mass or telephone on 01252 678325 or Marian Holland on 01252 330368.
VOCATIONS
Vocation to the priesthood events
There will be “Vocations Retreat” at St. Johns Seminary Wonersh from Friday 5th March until Sunday 7th for adult men considering the priesthood. There is a “Discovering Priesthood Day” for young men aged between 14 –18 years on Sat 27th March at Our Lady of Consolation in West Grinstead (near Horsham) . If you would like to attend one of the vocation events please speak to your parish priest or contact Fr Paul Turner (Vocations Director) on 01203 603773 or pdturner39@yahoo.co.uk
The Vocations Discernment Community in Hammersmith offers young men in their twenties or thirties a year (September – July) where they can learn about priesthood and the various forms of religious life, and come to some conclusion about where God may be calling them. During their year in community they can be working full-time in normal jobs or doing voluntary work or in studies. Cost: £90 per week. For further details check out the website at http://vocationscommunity.org.uk or contact Fr. Stefan Park OSA. parkstefan@hotmail.com
Prayer for Vocations
God our Father,
look in love upon our homes, our families
and our communities.
Raise up from among us worthy priests:
to teach the Gospel to all people,
to minister at your altar,
and to care for your flock.
Fill us with your Holy Spirit,
and make us faithful and inspiring witnesses
to your Kingdom.
We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen
JUSTICE AND PEACE
YOUTH
YOUTH GROUP meets on the 2nd Saturday of each month in St Mary's Hall, Holy Angels.
Call or email Gloria Benson 07968030163 or Gloria.benson@chyp.com
WORLD YOUTH DAY
10-23 August 2011, Madrid
Will you be 16-35 in August 2011? We would love you to participate in our pilgrimage to Spain, spending time with a Spanish family, getting to know Spanish culture, followed by a week in Madrid meeting hundreds of thousands of other young people and enjoying the events and festivities of World Youth Day 2011. Application forms will be sent out to arrive by 1 March 2010 and will be posted online on the Youth website at the same time: www.yaab.co.uk. Interest levels are extremely high, so, if you haven’t already, please do contact us to register your interest and be among the first to receive your application pack at lucy.jardine@dabnet.org, or call Lucy on 01293 651 162.
DIARY DATES
Baptism Classes 8th and 15th March
For those of you wishing to have your child baptised this year, it is a request of Father David that parents attend the Baptism Course prior to arranging a date for their son or daughter’s baptism. These classes are run over a two week period. Each session runs for approx one hour. The first of these classes commences on the 8th March. The second is to be held the following week on the 15th March. To be held at The Holy Family Church in Heath End, Farnham Commencing at 8.00pm.
Young Adults Retreat
Worth Abbey 12th-14th March 2010
Talks from Abbot Christopher Jamison OSB and Fr Luke Jolly OSB A weekend of formation, prayer, fellowship and reflection for young adults, seeking inspiration from the ancient wisdom of the Monastic tradition for Christian living today. The weekend will include participation in the monastic rhythm of prayer, opportunities for Confession, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and walks in the beautiful Sussex countryside. This event is hosted by the Lay Community of St Benedict and the monastic community of Worth Abbey. Cost: £58
Booking: email Jo Gilbert at joziegilbert@hotmail.com
You are invited to St.Mark's for a communion service with a short talk on spiritual guides every Friday in Lent (not Good Friday) at 12.00. Deacon John will be speaking on 5th March (Smith Wigglesworth) ; Ann Edwards on 19th March (St.Francis of Assisi) and Fr.David on 26th March (Thomas Merton). If you are able to attend any or each Friday please remember that as Catholics we should only receive a blessing and not take communion.
Ecumenical Stations of the Cross - a talk and devotion lasting 45 minutes max. will take place in Holy Family on Tuesday 23rd February (this coming Tuesday) at 12.00 noon followed by Soup and a roll and again on Tuesday 23rd March at 8.00 pm followed by tea / coffee. Please come and bring a friend.
There are many other events in Farnham please see the CTF leaflet or poster in the porch.
WOMEN'S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER - This inter-denominational service will be held at Hale Methodist Church on Friday, 5 March at 2.00 p.m. The service this year has been prepared by the Christian Women of Cameroon - all are welcome
Holy Family Thursday evening Mass.......Have you ever tried it ...it's lovely! Although this is a somewhat selfish plea (as I fear it may be stopped unless attendance increases!) it is really a lovely and peaceful Mass to attend. As the end of the working week draws near it's a wonderful way to spend half an hour in the presence of the Lord. Currently we are few in number - but please do give it a try. Make a date in your diaries....7.30 Thurs. See you there. A Parishioner!
HOLY HOUR - Why not join the usual two or three and spend a little time in quiet prayer in the presence of The Blessed Sacrament on a Wednesday evening between 7pm and 8pm. All welcome! Another Parishioner!!!
Holy Family Prayer Sheet: Acknowledging the inclusion of Badshot Lea in our Parish, we have updated the Holy Family prayer sheet which will be available soon. (last one came out in 2004) Fr. David has asked to include the streets etc for the day on each Sunday and this will be an opportunity also to bring to mind in prayer our local schools and churches.
FOR YOUR PRAYERS
Prayer for the Year of the Priest
Fr’s Brendan Burke, Canon Geoffrey Burke, Ian Byrnes.
The sick: Sheila McKenna, Cyril Newey, Anthony Parsons, Mary Leahy, Molly Court, little Dara, Richard, David Tuttlebee, Sean Maher, David Edwards. Guy Wright, Mick Best and Donald Dunkley.
Beginning experience is a ministry to the widowed, separated and divorced led by a trained team of volunteers. Their work is carried out at special weekend gatherings, which encourage participants to share their need and deal with the natural process of grief and loneliness. Contacts: Ruth 0208 8679 7157 Sandra 01293 783965 or Susan 01227 264961.