MESSAGES FROM FR DAVID / DEACON JOHN
Dear Parishioners
Those of you not present for whatever reason last week will have missed the important announcement that you are to get a new parish priest!
Bishop Kieran has appointed Fr David Buckley, currently serving at Uckfield, to be the new parish priest of Holy Angels and Holy Family. He has also appointed me to a new parish too at Cranleigh with Bramley. I shall be leaving you after 8 years of great happiness and contentment – during which time we have shared many things together and tried always to keep the gospel relevant to the lives we lead but keep us seeking the ‘more’ that the gospel demands. I have not always succeeded in what I tried to do and have been left knowing that there is an enormous amount to have to leave to my successor and let go of. I am confident that with you the ‘new’ Fr David will take you into the second decade of the new millennium in a very positive way. I hope you will work with him and support him in whatever he does. Do not fear change – it is bound to happen not least simply because the people involved have changed. When Fr David does something different it is not necessarily the case that what we did before was rubbish or even that it was the only way to do it. New ways of doing things can bring freshness and renewed energy to tired methods and people. The new Fr David will have goals and ideas that are different to mine and because he is the one in leadership these ideas will be the ones you have to ‘run’ with. All, however, is done for the glory of God and of his church. All is done to bring the message of the gospel nearer to those who need to hear it afresh and make a response.
It will be an interesting time for you – and for me and equally interesting one and a challenge too! I am going to a parish that has ‘lost’ a dearly loved priest who died earlier this year. They welcome having a new priest, I’m sure, but there will be much for them to get used to in me and for me to get used to in them. I will, for a start, have to remember a host of new names – and you know how bad I am at that already!. Anyway we look to the future with hope and joy and give thanks for all that we have already enjoyed and experienced together. I must just record my thanks to all those people who have sent Helen and I messages - some of surprise and sadness and some of good wishes – sometimes both!
With my love and prayers
Fr David
GENERAL
PAPAL VISIT
The list for pilgrims to both of the forthcoming papal events has now closed. I’m afraid that if you are thinking of going you’re now too late! You will be able to watch on TV though – but won’t get the atmosphere.
Holy Family Project
The Holy Family Project committee met Thursday evening to discuss the latest developments with the proposed work to the church and hall. Mr Tony Wagstaff presented the fruit of his meetings with the architect Mr Mike Staff who had provided some drawings.
Items that were discussed included the changes at the west end of the church to accommodate a toilet suitable for the disabled, relocating the sacristy, making provision for a modern confessional, relocating the chapel of Our Lady and adapting the entrance to the church.
Other items were changes to the sanctuary to create more space with fewer changes of level and access for the disabled onto the sanctuary.
We briefly also discussed how access could be provided for the disabled into the hall. This will be part of an ongoing project into the future as costs look too prohibitive at the moment.
The meeting was very productive and good natured with everyone contributing to a lively debate and further good ideas were recognised and put forward. The committee will meet again in about 4 weeks time.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION PROGRAMME FOR 2010-2011
Applications for First Communion sessions starting in September are now in the back of church along with the full programme dates. If your child is in Year 3 or above and your family is ready to take on the commitment to the preparation of receiving this Sacrament, please take a form and return to the parish office. Location of classes alternate between Holy Angels and Holy Family and all children must attend all lessons. If you would like more information, please feel free to contact Lorraine Brown at lorrainebrown@tinyworld.co.uk or phone 01483 233289.
CATECHIST NEEDED: Do you feel the call to serve as a catechist? We are hoping to have one more person join the First Communion team for the upcoming programme year. Working as a team was very beneficial as we are all busy mums with other family commitments. The team consists of Lorraine Brown, Kerry Guy and Maria Kellock. Ideally someone from Holy Angels will step forward in order to have two catechists from each parish, but it isn’t essential. Please contact Fr. David or Lorraine Brown at lorrainebrown@tinyworld.co.uk if you would like more information.
Holy Family Children’s Liturgy Coordinator:
After 9 years of running the children’s liturgy at Holy Family I have decided that it is time to pass the baton on to someone with fresh energy and enthusiasm so that they can take the liturgy to the next level.
There is a great reward in supporting the young people of our parish and seeing them develop along their spiritual journey. We have collectively built up a lot of resources and have 9 willing and supportive volunteers.
I am therefore appealing for a willing volunteer to take over the mantle of HF CL coordinator with effect from September 2010. I would be more than happy to spend time taking any new member through the fairly limited requirements and giving them an overview of how the processes work today. If you are are interested in taking on this role please contact Martin O'Dwyer on 01252 678325 who will be happy to discuss the role or speak with Fr David
Childrens Liturgy
Owing to holiday commitments there will be no Holy Family Children's Liturgy on TODAY however, there will be a one-off holiday session, instead on Sunday 8 August.
Big Tent Event - due to be held in Aldershot from the 9th until the 12th September. Some of you will have heard of the Big Tent Event and may even have attended last year’s events but this year’s event is proving to be even bigger.
The Big Tent Event is a joint event organised by civilian Churches and the Army Chaplains. There are many reasons for this but the main one is to bring to the civilian community the work carried out by the Forces Chaplains either here at home, abroad or in Afghanistan.
[Programme of the event is displayed on Church Noticeboards.]
GARDENING AND MAINTENANCE At mass last week I spoke of Breda and Richard Read’s retirement from garden maintenance. I would like to record here my thanks to them both for all their hard work. Following on from that I would really like someone else to volunteer to co-ordinate the maintenance of the gardens for us. Do you have green fingers and an hour or two to spare. Please get in touch or I will have to apy contractors for the work.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION PROGRAMME FOR 2010 - 2011
Applications for First Communion sessions starting in September are now in the back of church along with the full programme dates. If your child is in Year 3 or above and your family is ready to take on the commitment to the preparation of receiving this Sacrament, please take a form and return to the parish office. Location of classes alternate between Holy Angels and Holy Family and all children must attend all lessons. If you would like more information, please feel free to contact Lorraine Brown at lorrainebrown@tinyworld.co.uk or phone 01483 233289.
CATECHIST NEEDED: Do you feel the call to serve as a catechist? We are hoping to have one more person join the First Communion team for the upcoming programme year. Working as a team was very beneficial as we are all busy mums with other family commitments. The team consists of Lorraine Brown, Kerry Guy and Maria Kellock. Ideally someone from Holy Angels will step forward in order to have two catechists from each parish, but it isn’t essential. Please contact Fr. David or Lorraine Brown at lorrainebrown@tinyworld.co.uk if you would like more information.
Are you celebrating a special wedding anniversary this year? Bishop Kieran will be celebrating an Anniversary Mass at St. Joseph’s Church, Redhill on Saturday 9th October 2010 at 11.30am. To book your place, please contact Ruth Gerun at the Christian Education Centre on (01293)651164 email ruth.gerun@dabnet.org or visit the website www.dabnet.org
CAFOD @ LIFE OF CHRIST 2010 WINTERSHALL
CAFOD are looking for volunteers for their stall at the play which is running from 29 June to 4 July. In return for helping with the stall at arrival time, lunch time and at the end of play, you will be given free entrance to the event. If you can assist, please ring CAFOD A&B on 01483 898866 or email arundelandbrighton@cafod.org.uk
CAN YOU SPARE AN HOUR ONCE A MONTH TO HELP KEEP OUR CHURCH CLEAN?
Over the past year we have lost 30% of our team due to illness or re-location so we really need your help. Maybe you could join up with a couple of friends to form a group. Obviously the more groups we have the less often our turn comes round. Please give serious consideration to this appeal. If you can help please ring Mary Norton on 716175 or Ann Whitworth on 327533 Thank You
Baptism Classes
If you would like to have your child baptised you need to attend two sessions of Baptism Classes in preparation. These are held at The Holy Family Church in the Parish Meeting Room. Each session lasts approx 1 hour. The next session will take place on the 12th and the 19th July. (Arrive 7.45 for 8pm)
FDFAS Farnham Schools Art Exhibition
25th September – 10th October 10am – 5pm daily
At The James Hockey & Foyer Galleries of the University for the Creative Arts, Falkner Rd, Farnham
2D, 3D and digital & lens-based Art Exhibits from Years 5, 8, 11 & 12 of 20 Farnham Schools Free entry More info: call 01252.719356 or e-mail: grannythorpe@googlemail.com
David Holmes & Sons (Funeral Directors)
David Holmes & Sons is a family owned and run funeral business who have over 35 years experience and the highest qualifications available in funeral service.
According to the information they have given, their charges are modest, they are flexible too with families in financial difficulty. For more information please refer to the few leaflets available in the Church Lobby
An urgent request from the Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group
Do you have a car? Can you please spare one day a month ?
The Gatwick Detainee's Welfare Group collects much needed clothing for the detainees at Brooke House, Gatwick Airport. They urgently need a volunteer to collect the parcels of clothes from the Group's offices in Crawley and deliver them to Brook House If you would like to discuss this further please ring the Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group on (01293) 434350 Thank you
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
Farnham Food Bank On Tuesday 8 June at Church House, Farnham (opposite Gostrey Meadow) with refreshments from 7.30pm for 8pm start. The purpose of the meeting is to set up a Food Bank in Farnham in order to provide food boxes with a 3 day supply of groceries, to bridge the gap while people qualify for State benefits. This initiative is being set up by volunteers from all the churches in Farnham. Please come along and find out more. You may be able to help in a number of ways, by volunteering a few hours of your time, praying for the success of the project, spreading the word to your friends and neighbours.
The Annual Fiesta for people with disabilities, their friends, carers and families will take place on July 4th at St Joseph's School, Amlet's Lane, Cranleigh, Surrey, GU6 7DH. Mass celebrated by Bishop Kieran at 3pm.
Farnham Community Play Public Meeting
St Andrew’s Church -Tuesday 13th July @7.30pm
Do you want a community play for Farnham?
Come along and hear what it’s all about and how you can get involved from Claque Theatre, the country’s leading community play producers.
A group of local people wanted something special to celebrate Farnham and to bring the community together in a community play. Over the past few months, this group have been undertaking a feasibility study and preparing a proposal and recommendations for an 18 month community arts project. Come along to hear their findings and ideas and add some of your own.
Jon Oram, of Claque Theatre and the country’s leading Community Play Director will explain what a community play is and how it can happen here. This ambitious project would be open to everyone. But this is your play. You decide whether it happens and what it’s about. We invite you to this inaugural meeting to find out more about what we hope will be the start if a great creative adventure for all of us.
Web linkswww.ourfarnham.org.uk
www.claquetheatre.com
Anniversary Mass Celebrated by Bishop Kieran Conry
Are you celebrating 20, 30, 40, 50 years (or more!) of marriage? Would you like to attend the Anniversary Mass at St Joseph’s Redhill, if so, pleased complete the forms which are now available in the Church lobby at both Holy Angels and The Holy Family
Refugee Week 14 – 20 June 2010-05-26
Refugee Week is a unique opportunity to discover and celebrate the contributions refugees bring to the UK. It is a UK-wide programme of arts, cultural and educational events that celebrate the contribution of refugees to the UK, and encourages a better understanding between communities. During Refugee Week loads of events take place all across the UK, all of which explore refugee experiences. Whatever you’re into – whether its arts, music, food or just meeting people in your local area – Refugee Week will have an event for you. For details of events in your area visit: http://www.refugeeweek.org.uk
BAPTISM
If you would like to have your child baptised you need to attend two sessions of Baptism Classes in preparation. These are held at The Holy Family Church in the Parish Meeting Room. Each session lasts approx 1 hour. The next session will take place on the 12th and the 19th July. (Arrive 7.45 for 8pm)
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!
Love, Marriage and Fertility Seminar
Wednesday, 12th May 2010 7.30pm - 9.30pm
At Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Rottingdean, Brighton, East Sussex BN2 7GA
Over 16? You are warmly invited to a seminar on Love, Marriage and Fertility, including a talk on married love and fertility awareness. This is especially suitable for those thinking of marriage, engaged couples, those encountering fertility problems or those seeking safe and effective ways of planning pregnancy. Talks by Elaine Cook (trained fertility educator)and Fr Graham Ricketts For more information or to book a place contact the Parish Office (tel: 01273302903) or deans.parish@ntlworld.com. Suggested Donation of £20 per couple Refreshments provided Free parking Booking Essential
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
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
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
YOU DID IT! Thank you to everyone who signed a petition or postcard in support of the campaign we were running from last summer, seeking to prevent Vulture Funds from pursuing poor countries through the British courts for the full amount of debts which they had bought for pennies in the pound. On 8 April 2010 the law went through the Lords, preventing British jurisdiction from being used in this way. Liberia and Zambia had already been sued by companies which are often based in tax havens, and make their profits from some of the poorest countries in the world. Particular thanks go to parishioners who telephoned their MP to seek support for this legislation
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
Cabrini Children’s Society - The parish’s recent donations on behalf of Cabrini Children’s Society raised in excess of £100.00 They have been in touch to ask us to pass on their appreciation for your continued support of their work providing services to vulnerable children, young people, families and to adults with learning disabilities. If you would like to be on the Cabrini mailing list and receive their Child newsletter and other communications, please contact Ann Hoggan on 020 8668 2181 or email ann.hoggan@cabrini.org.uk Alternatively to find out more about their work or get involved visit them online at www.cabrini.org.uk
“Invocation 2010”
Is a forthcoming national discernment festival for young adults which will be held in the grounds of St. Mary’s College, Oscott Birmingham from July 2nd – 4th 2010. The festival is being hosted by the Archdiocese of Birmingham, with support and cooperation from a number of organisations including the National Office for Vocation and Compass.
This national festival is aimed at young men and women aged 16-35, who are looking to deepen their relationship with Christ, discern God’s will for their lives and at least be open to the possibility of priesthood or consecrated life. The cost for each attendee is £50. This includes the entrance fee for the weekend, camping pitch or place in accommodation marquee provided, all activities and all meals. . You can book and pay online in a safe and secure environment at www.invocation.org.uk or you can download and print the booking form and send it to us with a cheque. Further information is available at the website
NB: If you are under 18 you cannot book online because you will need to send us a signed parental consent form with your booking form.
CELEBRATING LITURGY WITH CHILDREN
A day in the series arranged around the diocese for all those interested or involved in celebrating liturgy with children.
Summer Camp August 2010, Years 8 and 9. The Youth Office is proposing an exciting new venture: a summer youth camp for members of youth groups who are currently in Years 8 and 9, from 14-15 August 2010 at Wintershall near Guildford. It is important for us to know the level of interest, so if you are interested in bringing a group, please contact Lucy at lucy.jardine@dabnet.org or on 01293 651 162 by 20th April.
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
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
The sick: Sheila McKenna, Cyril Newey, Anthony Parsons, Molly Court, little Dara, Richard, David Tuttlebee, Sean Maher, David Edwards.and Donald Dunkley. Bill Cummings, Teresa Smith. Please also remember to pray for the families of the sick and all who care for the sick
.
Reconciliation
If you are expecting a guest at home or perhaps you might be going to a special event we usually go out of our way to make special preparations so that we are ready for the event. The same applies within the Church especially at Easter (Lent) and Christmas (Advent). The time before the event is often referred to as a time of pilgrimage and / or renewal.
In Lent, in particular, we are also encouraged to pray, do works of mercy and give alms in atonement for our sins. This is the way of the Church across two millennia. We are also encouraged to reconcile ourselves with God, through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This seems to be a sadly neglected sacrament. (More about this later.)
Firstly let’s look at why we should consider a need to be reconciled with God. We are all sinners, to a greater or lesser extent. This is not judgemental but plain fact. All of us contravene the two basic principles of loving God with our whole heart and mind and loving our neighbour as ourselves. We do it without any effort on our own part. Whenever we ignore these commands even in small ways we create a rift between us and God. “But isn’t God the almighty loving and forgiving Father?” I hear you say. Well of course He is, but that forgiveness, which comes at the cost of the life of His only Son, can only be offered if we recognise our wrong doings and turn around, ‘repent’. This is most effectively carried out within the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
This Sunday we will hear the familiar, perhaps too familiar, Gospel of the Return of the Prodigal Son. So let’s spend a short time reflecting on it. Firstly we have to recognise that the real centre of this story is the loving Father. His love is present at the very beginning of the story. His youngest son (it could easily be daughter in this day and age) decides that he wants his share of the inheritance now as he wants to go off and enjoy himself with that money. The Father does not say ‘no’ or remonstrate with his child, as most of us probably would, but hands over the cash and says goodbye. This demonstrates very clearly the freedom that we are given by God, His extraordinary gift of freewill. He allows us to hurt and ignore Him regardless of the cost to Him. Would you freely give your child all their pocket money (let alone their inheritance) in one sum and allow them to go off on such a trip? I doubt it very much, I know I wouldn’t.
Just for a moment we will look at the child. What real difference is there between him and us? How often do we do what we want to do without any regard as to what God would want us to do? How often do we satisfy our desires and wants? How often is it that we can’t be bothered to exercise self-control? Just in case you have any difficulty in this, here are some frequent examples. Losing my temper in a traffic queue or being cut up in the car; making sure I get the next place at the checkout in Tesco’s, at all cost. Not being courteous,
acknowledging a kindness or saying thank you with a smile. More seriously; ignoring God, missing out on prayer, deliberately missing mass and receiving communion in a state of un-grace. These are just some of the ways in which we too exhibit the type of behaviour seen in the child.
Returning to the Father, does He ignore the Son (or us) when he turned away. Definitely not! We read that he was waiting for the son to return and saw him when he was a long way off. It is pretty obvious that the son sent no warning of his return, he was too afraid of rejection. Therefore the Father must have been on the lookout every single day.
Many of us get disturbed by the elder son’s response. Once again we must listen to the Father and hear the real meaning of the parable of the workers in the vineyard. As for the party “..there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” Luke 15:7
Through the eyes of this parable we can see that God has a great desire for us to be reconciled to Him, that is why we have the Sacrament of Reconciliation. So why do so few of us make use of this wonderful grace?
Are we too embarrassed to be seen going to ‘confession’? Remember we are all sinners.
It is such a long time! All the more reason for returning to the sacrament.
I have forgotten what to do. The priest will always guide you.
“I couldn’t go to Father.” Why not?
I have to remind myself that when I go to the sacrament I am not going to any person but to a priest who is waiting for me in persona Christi, waiting to embrace me with the words of absolution and welcome me back into the family of God. Our priests are trained to hear our sins they know they are living out their ordination and being Christ for us and as such become unaware of us as individuals and certainly do not talk about our sins to other priests.
Don’t wait until you are on your spiritual uppers, as the Prodigal Son was on his material uppers, to return to the sacrament. Go to an unfamiliar priest if necessary, make use of the reconciliation services this Lent – see elsewhere in this newsletter.
Experience the Amazing Love of the Father.
Images of the Prodigal Daughter and Prodigal Son
by Charlie Mackesy
Choosing the Common Good
Below is an excerpt from the latest paper from the Bishop’s Conference regarding some principals we might like to think about in the run up to the next General Election. Have a read of these two chapters and then see whether you might like the rest. You can view it on the web at http://www.catholic-ew.org.uk/content/download/6490/44766/file/20pp.pdf or purchase it from Amazon or any good bookseller.
BRITAIN TODAY
The period before a General Election is a time to reflect on what sort of society we live in and how we would like it to be. It gives us the opportunity to renew our energies and our work for a better future. What do we really hope for in our society today? What encourages us? What alarms us?
At a first glance, bad news seems to be everywhere. Accounts of neglect, of cruelty and of over-stretched services are in the news almost every day. Stories of personal tragedy can give rise to a sense of outrage but also to feelings of helplessness.
Fortunately there is another side. There are also many stories of great generosity which raise our spirits and renew our sense of hope. Some come to the fore at times of natural disaster, as they did at the time of the tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004, and again in response to the recent catastrophic Haitian earthquake. In both cases, and in others nearer home, the people of Britain have shown an astonishing capacity for compassion, solidarity and generosity towards people who are facing hardship and misfortune regardless of race, religion or nationality.
Where does this sort of energy, compassion and generosity come from? Surely it lies beyond politics in the common humanity we recognise and share, in our sense of justice and basic decency. It also lies in the social and moral values we endorse individually and collectively.
Nationally, in our local communities and within the circle of family and friends, we may know that we would in fact find help in responses to crises and emergencies we might face ourselves. The difficulty is to make the virtues we discover in these moments part of the normal life of our society. Many will say this is impossible. They will say it is naive to think society can change when it has invested so much in the pursuit of individual self-interest, often prizing personal choice ahead of duty to others. This is not true. Change is possible. But it cannot be left to politicians alone to bring about. It needs all of us. Have we allowed ourselves to be seduced by the myth that social problems are for the government to deal with? Politics are important but there are always limits to what any government can achieve. No government can solve every problem, nor make us more generous or responsive to need. The growth of regulations, targets and league tables, which are tools designed to make public services accountable, are no substitute for actions done as a free gift because the needs of a neighbour have to be met.
Acts of willing generosity to help others are not taken because the rules and regulations say so, or because money can be made out of them. Both regulation by law and market forces have a role in modern society. But what has been increasingly overlooked is this third form of motivation, the offer of time, energy and possessions out of the spirit of good citizenship and genuine neighbourliness. If we are to have a society worth living in, this third form of motivation is crucial. Local institutions expressing good citizenship and neighbourliness, which are not beholden to the government, form a vital part of civil society. Without solidarity and the friendships that express it, many of those living alone – now Britain’s most common form of household - become still more lonely and isolated.
Many factors lie behind the decline in this spirit of solidarity of one with another, without which society starts to break down and life becomes intolerable. An excessive emphasis on each person simply pursuing their own interests is no doubt one such factor. This flows from a limited understanding of ourselves as human beings. Far from being self-contained individuals, we are, in truth, always mutually dependent. We are made for one another. This is verified by the sense of fulfilment and satisfaction we experience when we act in generosity and solidarity with those in need. We are not isolated individuals who happen to live side by side, but people really dependent on one another, whose fulfilment lies in the quality of our relationships.
The networks between people, which hold a community together, are sometimes referred to as its ‘social capital‘, by analogy with financial capital. An area which is economically rich can still be dysfunctional if it lacks this quality. Social capital is increased by use; it is depleted by neglect. It can be, and must be replenished, but this requires our society to rediscover the centrality of personal responsibility and the gift of service to others.
THE COMMON GOOD
The Catholic Church has a large body of teaching, its ‘social doctrine ‘, which presents a rounded understanding of the human person and of the importance of solidarity. Both of these are contained in the concept of the common good.
The common good refers to what belongs to everyone by virtue of their common humanity. The simple definition of the common good is ‘the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfilment more fully and more easily’. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, § 1906) Promoting the common good cannot be pursued by treating each individual separately and looking for the highest ‘total benefit’, in some kind of utilitarian addition. Because we are interdependent, the common good is more like a multiplication sum, where if any one number is zero then the total is always zero. If anyone is left out and deprived of what is essential, then the common good has been betrayed.
The common good is about how to live well together. It is the whole network of social conditions which enable human individuals and groups to flourish and live a full, genuinely human life. At the heart of the common good, solidarity acknowledges that all are responsible for all, not only as individuals but collectively at every level. The principle of the common good expands our understanding of who we are and opens up new sources of motivation.
The fulfilment which the common good seeks to serve is the flourishing of humanity, expressed in the phrase ‘integral human development’. Such development requires that people are rescued from every form of poverty, from hunger to illiteracy; it requires the opportunities for education, creating a vision of true partnership and solidarity between peoples; it calls for active participation in economic and political processes and it recognises that every human person is a spiritual being with instincts for love and truth and aspirations for happiness. Development must always include this spiritual growth, with openness to God.
Indeed this notion of development, understood in Christian terms, is the heart of the Christian social message. Every person is called to develop and fulfil themselves, for life itself is a vocation, a summons, which finds its final fulfilment only in the mystery of God. We are not created for futility. Integral human development is our vocation, and it points to the capacity in each person for responsible freedom, a freedom to be formed by truth and used for the service of truth and love.
Many have come to see that the social teaching of the Catholic Church provides a useful vocabulary for discussing the state of society and the revitalising of politics and of society in general. It clearly has significant practical consequences for the way we live today.