Weekend message May 27

Our Lady of Victories

St. Pius X,                                               & St. Alphonsus,

Narborough                                        Lutterworth

 

Dear friends,

 

Having just celebrated once again the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord to be with his Father and our Father, we look forward to celebrating the Feast of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (the Feast of Pentecost) next weekend

 

Our Lord promised his disciples that his heavenly Father would send the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, to them, to teach them and to remind them of all that Our Lord himself had taught them. This weekend we hear Our Lord praying that the disciples will be united, and that all of us who believe in Jesus will be united as closely and as firmly as Jesus is united with his Father in heaven.

 

We pray for the Holy Spirit to be our inspiration, to strengthen our faith, to enkindle greater love for God and for each other, to give us courage in adversity, and consolation in sadness.

 

“Lord, we worship you as the living Spirit who works in the lives of Christians and in the life of the Church, creating anew, giving us new purpose.

 

We worship you as the Spirit who encourages us to live confidently in the world as your children.

 

We worship you as the Spirit who supports us in our prayers, and gives expression to our prayers when we do not know how to pray.

 

We worship you as the Spirit who enables us to fulfil the gifts that we have received.

 

We worship you as the Spirit who enables us to serve you in so many different ways, so that God’s work may be done int he world.

 

We worship you as the Spirit who guides Pope Francis, Bishop Patrick, and all our Bishops, and through them guides the Church and draws us into unity with one another.”

 

A reminder that our Bishops have decided that the ‘Sunday Obligation’ to attend Mass will be in force again from the Feast of Pentecost (5^th June)

 

Many parishes have relaxed the restrictions that were in force after the lockdown. In our parishes we have kept most of them in place, because we wish to provide a safe environment for everyone who wishes to worship in our Churches. That means that  until further notice:

 

• All are encouraged to be fully vaccinated (double vaccination and booster).
• All (except those who are exempt) are still required to wear masks or face coverings while in Church, to protect themselves and others.
• 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.

Deanery ‘Roadshow’ There was a meeting before Easter in Birstall, at which our Bishop laid out in brief his plans for the future of the Diocese, which involved the formal merger of our two parishes, St. Pius X and Our Lady of Victories & St. Alphonsus.

 

Those who attended are now invited to a follow-up meeting at St. Patrick’s Church, Leicester (NOTE the Church, not the hall)on Monday 30^th May, from 7pm until 9pm.

 

In preparation for that meeting (in just over a week’s time – so no pressure!) Bishop Patrick asks us to come up with four ‘action points’ to help the parish develop and become more focussed on mission and outreach. He suggests we might look at these areas (I have shortened the list to remove items which are irrelevant for us):

 

• Communication – best practice; how do we ensure everyone is involved?
• How to encourage people to work together and become more missionary as a community (e.g. support for social action projects).
• How to support people who assist in our worship – readers, musicians, Eucharistic ministers, etc.
• How to care for members of the community who are ill or housebound or in need.
• How to share resources in sacramental preparation.
• Are the times of Mass and other services, and arrangements for Mass, baptisms, weddings, funerals, confessions, and so on appropriate and adequate?
• How do we promote co-responsibility in the parish – parish committee, finance committee, social committee, leadership team, and so on.
• Appropriate administrative support for the combined parishes (including finances, safeguarding, health and safety, buildings and maintenance)
• Develop relationships with ecumenical partners and civic authorities.
• Develop best use of resources, particularly buildings and finance.

 

Bishop Patrick says that these are only examples; he wants us to come up with our own four ‘action points’. (Father John would not be unhappy if the main action point was replacement of the parish priest.)

 

Please do let Father John know of any ideas you have for ‘action points’ – he does not want to go to the meeting on Monday 30^th May empty handed!

 

Parishes’ Trip to Marlow We have four possible dates for this trip. There will be a sheet of paper in the entrance to Church for you to sign if you would like to go on this trip, and please also indicate which of the four dates you would be able and willing to travel – you can of course sign up for all of them! The possible dates are Saturday 18^th June; 30^th July; 6^th August; and 3^rd September. Please do sign up if you would like to join the trip, so that arrangements can be made.

 

This Sunday is the Seventh Sunday of Eastertide

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 28^th;
• 9.30am Sunday 29^th;
• 10am Monday 30^th.
• 10am Saturday4^th June;
• 9.30am Sunday 5^th;
• 10am Monday 6^th.

 

At Our Lady of Victories & St. Alphonsus, Lutterworth:

Times of Mass this week & next weekend:

• 5.30pm on Saturday 28^th;
• 11am on Sunday 29^th.
• 10.30am Tuesday 31^st;
• 10.30am Thursday 2^nd June;
• 5.30pm on Saturday 4^th;
• 11am on Sunday 5^th.

 

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

 

Caritas Social Action Network: 1. 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

 

2. 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

 

Mass Intentions: At Narborough the intentions for Mass this week will be Saturday (28^th) Jim & Sylvia Simpkin RIP; Sunday (29^th) Willow Coates RIP; Monday (30^th) The Holy Souls. Wednesday Martyn Leader RIP, Thursday Gerry Bannister RIP; Friday Henri Dulon RIP. Next weekend Saturday (4^th) People of the Parishes; Sunday (5^th) Diane & Clive Jaynes RIP; Monday (6^th) Private Intention.

 

At Lutterworth the intentions for Mass will be: Saturday (28^th) Intentions of Owen, Martina, and family; Sunday (29^th) Catherine Burns-Sweeney RIP. Tuesday (31^st) People of the Parishes. Thursday 2^nd Private Intention. Next Saturday (4^th) People of the Parishes; Sunday (5^th) Father Thomas Delaney RIP. Tuesday (7^th) Holy Souls.

 

Prayers for the living and the dead:

 

Please pray for Malcolm Lowe, Martyn Leader, Willow Coates, Suzanne Cole, Adam & Jennie Reed, Bernadette Stean, David Janssens, Margaret Pugh ,Ashley Adams, David Sygrove, Noreen Merrion, Marie Almey, and for all who have died recently.

 

Please also pray for Maria Matkovits, Tara Viljoen, John Mather, Gerald Bolsover, Cathy Mansell, Vivian Kettle, Ann Spurrier, Beulah Blomfield, Diana Coughlin, Tony Thorlby, Hayley & Kaci Dunnill, John Southern, Monica Teeling, Peggy Merrell, Suzanne Foxon, Jim Oxley, 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.

 

Banns of Marriage Please pray for Sarah Jesson and Kieron Phillimore, who are preparing to marry at St. Pius X, Narborough, on 4^th June.

If you know of any reason why they should not marry in the Catholic Church, please inform Father John immediately.

REMINDER!  COME WITH LACY (Leicestershire Active Catholic Youth) to join Bishop Patrick on the Diocesan Pilgrimage to Walsingham  SATURDAY 11^TH JUNE 2022  Pilgrimage Mass, Picnics, Holy Mile Procession and Benediction

We have now booked a coach and there are still some places left!  £12 per person or £30 per family of 4 people plus.  Coach departing at 8.00 a.m. from St. Peter’s Hinckley Road, St. Mary’s Wigston 8.10 a.m., St. Thomas More Knighton 8.20 a.m. and The Immaculate Conception, Oadby, 8.30 a.m.  Fish and chip stop on return journey and drop offs at Churches in reverse order.  A warm invitation to all young people, families and friends of all ages to join us. Contact us now!  Don’t miss out!  paulinepayne@hotmail.com or mobile: 07885 187374.

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. Please contact Jo 01455 554298.

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 Feast of Pentecost (Whitsunday)  

Bishop Patrick wishes our two parishes to become a single parish. Please let me know if you think of any advantages or disadvantages of merging the two parishes into a single parish.

 

In the meantime there are some steps that we must take:

 

• We need to compile and publish a combined ‘parish handbook’ for our two parishes, detailing who is responsible for the various aspects of parish life;

 

• We need to arrange a joint meeting of the two parish finance committees, to review our finances and resources, and to consider the spending priorities over the next five years (this should take place when the accounts for the current financial year, just ending, have been finalized);

 

• We need to consider how to form a parish committee covering both parishes.

 

• A parish trip will be arranged for members of both parishes this summer. (See above)

 

• Possible difficulties were raised concerning the idea that telephone contact would be made with those unable to join us at Mass at the present time. Consequently, this idea will have to be delayed for a while until those difficulties can be dealt with.

 

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 Easter blessing, Father John