Weekend message Aug 26
Our Lady of Victories
St. Pius X, & St. Alphonsus,
Narborough Lutterworth
Dear friends,
The Lord helps those who help themselves: My Headmaster, when I was 12, referred to this as ‘the pickpocket’s defence’, but expected all of us boys (it was a single-gender school) to take it to heart. He told us of a young priest who didn’t prepare his Sunday sermons, trusting to God to give him the inspiration – and the sermons were uniformly awful. Eventually another (older) priest explained to him that God would inspire him as he prepared the Sunday sermon, and the better he applied himself to the preparation, the more God was likely to inspire him.
As the summer holiday season draws to a close, and we have to start thinking about autumn and being ready for winter, we are probably wondering whether (perhaps when) yet another coronavirus variant will make its appearance and how devastating it will be – whether we will have to return to face coverings in Church and other places where people meet together, whether there will be another round of restrictions on meeting together or travel or what we are permitted to do for our leisure, and whether we will ever be permitted once again to share the sign of peace at Mass and receive Holy Communion also from the chalice.
Can we take any pre-emptive action to ward off such restrictions, or at least to keep ourselves and others as healthy as possible? We cannot, of course, avoid all disease, and we know that we are all called to share the life of God in heaven eventually. But in the meantime there are, I think, at least two sets of actions (or inactions) that we can and should take.
- The first (at least for oldies like myself, but also for those with underlying health conditions, and probably for the majority of those who are middle aged) is to accept the offer of vaccination, whether against the coronavirus, or against the flu, or in respect of any other disease which may become prevalent. The Church supports the vaccination programmes, and both Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict have been vaccinated.
- The second is to avoid passing on any illnesses which we may have contracted to others, especially those who are more vulnerable. So any of us who feels ill, particularly with a heavy cold or possibly the flu or the coronavirus, or any other disease which makes us cough and sneeze, or any disease which is contagious, should not come to Church and spread it around. We should stay at home and pray for our brethren – join them in spirit, while we cannot join them with our physical presence.
I know that I have to break the second rule – but if I do so (because otherwise there will be nobody to celebrate Mass) I do try to keep away from everybody else, for example by not personally distributing Holy Communion. I recall many years ago, when I caught flu, celebrating the 9am Mass, but then being told, politely but very firmly, that the community was better off without me and I was to go back to bed!
I hope and pray that we can all look forward to a healthy autumn and winter.
New Parish Priest Father Joel will take up the responsibilities of care for you all in early October. I will leave on Monday 3rd October or Tuesday 4th October, and Father Joel will arrive on or before Friday 7th October. Please do pray for Father Joel as he prepares to take on these new responsibilities.
Altar Servers We have been delighted to celebrate First Holy Communion with nine of our young people recently. Now I ask these young people: would you be willing to help the community on a regular basis by becoming altar servers, learning how to assist Father John and Father John Joe, and Deacon Kevin as they celebrate Mass? I hope at least some of you are willing. Just let me know, and you can be kitted out in an alb and start to learn what is involved.
Welcomers at Mass and other services Everyone who attends our Church for Mass or any other service, or wishes to do so, must be made welcome. Most opf those who have done such sterling work in acting as stewards and cleaners during the last two years, to enable the Church to stay open most of the time despite the pandemic, have indicated that they would like to continue as welcomers. However, they would prefer not to have a rota, but to ‘meet and greet’ every week when they are available. However, we will need other welcomers to join this happy band.. Are you willing to be a welcomer? Please let me know
Confirmation I have met with some of our young people who are preparing to receive the sacrament of Confirmation, and I am very grateful to them and to their families for the work they are undertaking. If there are any others who wish to receive the sacrament of Confirmation this autumn, please make contact with me as soon as possible.
Parish Handbook I am very grateful to those who have helped me to produce the basis for a parish handbook. When Father Joel arrives as parish priest in October, it would be very helpful to him if we could provide contact details for those who are serving our community in these various ways, as well as their names. If anyone would prefer that their contact details not be disclosed to Father Joel, please let me know.
A reminder that our Bishops have decided that the ‘Sunday Obligation’ to attend Mass is in force again from the Feast of Pentecost (5th June)
- All are encouraged to be fully vaccinated (double vaccination and booster).
- Hand sanitizers are available to be used on entry into the Church or hall.
- The windows must be open for ventilation whenever the Church or hall is being used by a number of people.
- Anyone who feels unwell or tests positive for covid-19 should not attend Church or any social activity in the parish.
Some may well wish to avoid the greater crowd of people who attend on Sunday, and the longer time that Sunday Mass lasts. So I still celebrate Mass in Narborough on Saturday morning (10am) and at Lutterworth on Saturday evening (5.30pm) – those celebrations being less well attended, so greater ‘social distance’ can still be kept; and Mass on Saturday rarely last longer than 45 minutes. There are also (usually) weekday celebrations – 10am on Monday at Narborough, and 10.30am on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Lutterworth, for those who wish to have more space and a shorter time still, usually no more than 30 minutes.
I hope that everyone will feel able to celebrate Mass again in our Churches.
This Sunday is the Twenty-Second Sunday of the Year
Confessions: I will hear confessions from 9 until 9.30am on Saturdays at St. Pius X, Narborough; and from 4.30pm to 5.00pm on the first Saturday of the month at Our Lady of Victories & St. Alphonsus, Lutterworth.
At St. Pius X, Narborough:
Times of Mass this week & next weekend:
At St. Pius X, Narborough:
- 10am Saturday 27th;
- 9.30am Sunday 28th;
- 10am Monday 29th.
- 10am Saturday 3rd September;
- 9.30am Sunday 4th;
- 10am Monday 5th.
At Our Lady of Victories & St. Alphonsus, Lutterworth:
Times of Mass this week & next weekend:
- 5.30pm on Saturday 27th;
- 11am on Sunday 28th.
- 10.30am Tuesday 30th;
- 10.30am Thursday 1st September;
- 5.30pm on Saturday 3rd;
- 11am on Sunday 4th.
Mass Intentions: At Narborough the intentions for Mass this week will be Saturday (27th) John Bradshaw RIP; Sunday (28th) Father John Feeley RIP; Monday (29th) Deceased priests of the Diocese. Wednesday John & Molly Rich RIP, Thursday People of the Parishes; Friday Deceased members of the Johnson Fund. Next weekend Saturday (3rd September) Deceased priests of the Diocese; Sunday (4th) Jane Attaro RIP; Monday (5th) Edwin Wood RIP.
At Lutterworth the intentions for Mass will be Saturday (27th) Eileen Philips RIP; Sunday (28th) Father John Feeley RIP;. Thursday (1st September) Private Intention. Next Saturday (3rd) People of the Parishes; Sunday (4th) Holy Souls; Tuesday (6h) Holy Souls.
Prayers for the living and the dead:
Please pray for Paul Toogood, Daniel Murphy, Father Robert Rutledge, Gerald Bolsover, Malcolm Lowe, Eileen Copp, and for all who have died recently.
Please also pray for Edward Taylor, Deon Viljoen, Stephen Janssens, Chris Joy, Michael Tingle, Maria Matkovits, Tara Viljoen, John Mather, Vivian Kettle, Beulah Blomfield, Diana Coughlin, Tony Thorlby, Hayley & Kaci Dunnill, Monica Teeling, Peggy Merrell, Suzanne Foxon, John Burns-Sweeney, Tom McDermott, Dave Knapper, Teresa Maugham, Mary Dunne, and Juanita Zaman and for all who are ill.
Please let me know of any others who have died, or anyone who is ill and asks for prayers.
A prayer for Ukraine
Loving God, we pray for the people of Ukraine,
for all those suffering or afraid,
that you will be close to them and protect them.
We pray for world leaders,
for compassion, strength and wisdom to guide their choices.
We pray for the world that in this moment of crisis,
we may reach out in solidarity to our brothers and sisters in need.
May we walk in your ways so that peace and justice
become a reality for the people of Ukraine and for all the world. Amen.
The following link is for the Leicester Ukrainian Community website set up to advise how to help:
https://linktr.ee/KalynaHome?fbclid=IwAR1276GMobH47ddWizyn5Mj6vlP89le1XB5JNuhoHjS1p5r0J0Or_Lji0jQ
Poverty Challenge Following the pandemic, many households now face new hardships as prices rise. Caritas Social Action Network, the Catholic agency addressing poverty and injustice in England and Wales, has released a new booklet to increase awareness of Catholic Social Teaching on poverty, and to inform local responses. This can be downloaded from www.csan.org.uk
Refugees from Ukraine CSAN is in close contact with the UK government on responding to the war in Ukraine. Guidance on how Catholic households and groups can support refugees from Ukraine is available on the CSAN website and updated as new information becomes available. www.csan.org.uk/ukraine
Tools With A Mission is a charity which has succeeded in transforming the lives of many people in Africa, offering them the means to support themselves and their families. But the charity needs lots more volunteer tool collectors. To find out more please visit their website www.timefortwam.uk or contact the volunteer co-ordinator Paul Daley by email pauld@twam.uk
Our Lady Queen of Peace Pilgrimage to Walsingham Monday 29th August, led by Father Anthony Meredith IC. A coach will leave St. Patrick’s, Beaumont Leys Lane, at 8am. Cost £15. Contact Paul Spencer 077 1056 7183 for more information and to book a place.
Scrabble Group: Mondays 2pm – 4 pm for relaxed scrabble. At Lutterworth Catholic Church Hall. No winners, beginners welcome, just fun playing scrabble; cake and hot drink.
Evergreens: Bingo on Tuesdays from 1.30 pm until 4pm approx., in St. Pius X Narborough Parish Hall. Entry £2. All welcome.
Next Sunday is the Twenty- Third Sunday of the Year
Safeguarding: training for Volunteers:
Rachael Campion, the Director of Safeguarding for the Diocese of Nottingham has asked for volunteers to be notified about an upcoming course of 3 safeguarding training modules, in order that they may attend if they would like to do so.
You are invited to attend the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA) National Safeguarding Training via webinar. The sessions will be delivered by Sebastian Carro, the National Training Coordinator for CSSA.
The National Training Learning Portal will also provide these courses later this year, which can be completed online for those who are unable to attend the initial webinar training, further details will be released once this is available.
Volunteers who require a DBS for their role can access these courses. Details of the events and how to book will be available on the diocesan website shortly https://www.dioceseofnottingham.uk/departments/safeguarding). I have provided the content and how to book on the courses now below;
Volunteers will need to complete the following 3 modules:
Safeguarding Children in Church Communities
Safeguarding Adults in Church Communities
Creating a Safer Environment for Church Activities
All courses will start at 6.00pm and finish by 8.00pm. To register for this training and confirm your attendance please click on the appropriate link which will take you to the Eventbrite website;
Tuesday 11th October Safeguarding Children in Church Communities
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/396438547367
Wednesday 12th October Safeguarding Adults in Church Communities
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/396443311617
Thursday 13th October module Creating a Safer Environment for Church Activities
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/396445267467
Tuesday 25th October Safeguarding Children in Church Communities
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/396445929447
Wednesday 26th October Safeguarding Adults in Church Communities
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/396525878577
Thursday 27th October Creating a Safer Environment for Church Activities
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/396526520497
You will receive a link to the training event 2 days beforehand.
Please contact the Nottingham Diocese Safeguarding Department if you have any queries by emailing safeguarding@dioceseofnottingham.uk or telephone 0115 9539849.
Parish Priest’s contact details address 52 Leicester Road, Narborough. Leicester. LE19 2DF; telephone (0116) 2863676; email johnhadley1971@gmail.com
With my prayers for every blessing, Father John
