Parish Newsletter - Church of Our Lady

St John’s Wood
A parish of the Archdiocese of Westminster,
dedicated to Our Lady, Mother of God,
Mother of the Church.
Website www.rcsjw.org.uk Blog stjohnswoodblog.wordpress.com
Email [email protected] Telephone 020 7286 3214
Twitter @FrAllenMorris
Packing a punch...
Plane journeys with Pope Francis must be interesting. You never
quite know what is coming next.
His comments this week about how speech has consequences need
to be taken in the context of the relatively light banter exchanged
between the Pope and journalists about extremely serious issues.
I wonder if he’d been reading our parish blog of that day which
had made a similar point! If you go out of your way to insult and
ridicule, to check and challenge, then you ought not to be surprised if you get a response. Nothing can condone the sort of murderous response that brought terror to Paris: but when you know
there are extremists of that sort about you need also to take that
into account, for the sake of friend and neighbour. This is not to
promote censorship. But it is to call people – and especially journalists, even comic journalists – to mature and careful communication of ideas and values, so as to promote healthy communities,
and healthy dialogue between communities.
The Church has a particular responsibility here, for she knows the
Lord’s command to love (even and especially) our enemies. She has
a message to share which goes beyond questions of censorship
and freedom of the press. She knows the virtues of love and responsibility to be of paramount importance. The Church struggles
to live up to these things herself, as Pope Francis acknowledged in
his plane-chat. But they are values that she and we are asked to
continue to struggle to live up to.
Ministers of Word
& Holy Communion
Thank you to those who have volunteered to
join our teams of ministers. The remaining
training sessions for new minsters are below.
Minsters of the word (Readers)
Training on Sat 24 Jan from 4-5pm
Ministers of Holy Communion
Training on Sat 24 Jan from 10-11am
Current ministers
Please tick the list outside the sacristy if you wish
to remain on the ministers’ rota from February
to July. Please tick your name or email Fr Allen, or
ring the parish office to confirm your availability
as soon as possible as the new rota will be prepared ready for collection on the 1st February.
Don’t lose your right to vote
The new voting list in Westminster has fallen
sharply, with some people removed from the
registration list without their knowledge.
Don’t lose your right to vote! You can register
online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
Being self-critical and striving to be loving towards others: that is
It doesn’t take long - just make sure you have
not something you see in too many institutions, or people. Maybe
your National Insurance number with you
you could never see it in too many institutions. Part of our mission
when you sit down.
- newly reminded of our call to be an evangelising
parish - is to try to spread those two virtues. How
Scripture readings for Sunday Mass
characteristic are they of ourselves; of our families;
of our workplaces. And when they are not, perhaps
This Sunday 18th January (2nd Sunday of the Year)
we can find ways of acknowledging that - which is a
1 Samuel 3:3b-10, 19 / Psalm 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10
start - and working to help to a new honesty, a new
1 Corinthians 6:13c-15a, 17-20 / John 1:35-42
fairness and care for those who
Next Sunday 25th January (3rd Sunday of the Year)
are seen as on the outside and
Jonah 3:1-5, 10 / Psalm 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
‘beyond the pale’.
1 Corinthians 7:29-31/Mark 1:14-20
THE YOUTH CAFÉ is now open
on SUNDAYS from 7pm
Parish Church of Our Lady
54 Lodge Road, NW8 8LA
Church open 7am - 7pm each weekday
Parish Office open: Mon-Fri 10.30-1.30pm
Regular Mass Times: Sundays: (1800 Sat.); 0900; 1030; 12noon;
1800. Weekdays: 10am (Sat 9am), also Thurs 7pm
Exposition & Benediction: Sat:9.30 to 10am
Confession: Sat 9.30-10am; 1715-1745, or by appointment
Parish Team: Fr. Allen Morris (Rector);
Sr. Brigid Collins; Fr Paul Richardson.
Daniel Antonio and Thomas Treherne
Also resident: Fr. Clement Mukuka
THE O'NEILL ROOM (the lower hall)
Variety of refreshments for sale
Chapel of Ease: Our Lady, Queen of the World
25 St Edmund’s Terrace, NW8 7PY
Mass: Mon, Weds & Fri: 0800; Exposition daily.
Parish Notices
Rector’s Open Surgery
This usually weekly slot provides parishioners with the opportunity to meet
with Fr Allen without the need to make
a separate appointment. The next open
surgery is 5pm on Fri 23 Jan and 30 Jan.
UCM meets at 8pm Monday 19th
Parents & Toddlers Tues, Weds
& Thurs 9.30-11.30am.; Over 50s
group Tues at 2pm; Youth Mercy Associates Tues at 4pm.
Baptism Preparation
St Vincent de Paul Society
A branch of the SVP operates from this
Parish. Our Conference consists of 10
volunteers and our main focus is befriending local elderly people or families in need. Volunteers are needed to
give a helping hand. This work takes
up as little or as much time as you can
manage...it’s up to you. Are you interested? If so, please contact Brenda
Hyland ([email protected])
Getting Married?
The Diocese requires 6 months notice
to be given of intention to marry - for
marriages taking place in the UK and
Next preparation course for parents overseas.
of infants begins Sat 31st Jan. Details
Free English classes
at www.rcsjw.org.uk/join/Infantbapfor non-native speakers are held in
tism.html
our parish hall each Monday from
Journey in Faith Group
10am-noon. New students and volunWeds 21st Jan at 7.30pm
teer helpers are always welcome. For
more information please speak to Lois
Ada Court Mass Weds at 5pm
on 07761590240.
Tom, the youth worker, is keen to start a
DRAWING CLUB
Glad to be Dads
FOR ANYONE IN THE PARISH AGED 8 to 18.
A group for all Dads. Next meeting:
Monday 9 Feb, 8pm in the parish
house. The group offers support and
encouragement for Dad’s - who have
a vital and sometimes overlooked vocation in the Church.
Depending on interest it could become a regular
weekly or a monthly club.
Diocesan Notices
To run it he needs volunteers
otherwise it cannot happen.
Solemn Vespers to pray for Christian
Unity on Sunday 18th January at 4pm.
Preacher Rev. Fr. Brook Lunn of London Charterhouse. Followed by refreshments. All are welcome. Tyburn
Convent, 8 Hyde Park Place, W2 2LJ
Beginning in the New Year
So if you are interested either in the drawing or
volunteering please e-mail Tom on:
[email protected]
or speak to him after one of the Sunday Masses.
Prayers for Christian Unity
Diocesan Justice and Peace
Commission
Your chance to find out what is going
on around the parishes, tell us what ,
Praying for the dead and those who are sick
Please pray for those who have died recently, including Nellie Lynch whose funeral is here at 10am on Tues, Maurice Evans whose funeral is at 10am on Thurs
and Isoline Cameron whose funeral is here on Fri at 11am. Please pray also for
those who are sick, including Sr Monica, and those who take care to them.
Apostleship of Prayer:
Pope Francis’s JANUARY intentions
Universal: That those from diverse religious
traditions and all people of good will may work
together for peace.
For Evangelization: That in this year dedicated to consecrated life, religious men and
women may rediscover the joy of following Christ and strive to serve
the poor with zeal.
Daily Prayer: Each morning pray ‘Jesus I offer my day to you’ - then live
your prayer as best you can. In the evening review your day, to give thanks
and say sorry.
including you are doing, and hear our
progress. In particular we will update
you on our new Climate initiative:
Pray and Fast for the Climate. As usual,
soup, bread and cheese from 6.00pm,
talk and discussion from 7pm. St John
Vianney Parish Centre 386 West Green
Road, London N15 3QL All welcome.
Bring a friend, bring your news, bring
yourself!
Mass of Thanksgiving for the
Sacrament of Matrimony
Westminster Cathedral, Sat 23 May at
3pm. The Archbishop will invite to this
Mass all couples in the Diocese who celebrate their 10th, 25th, 30th, 40th, 50th
and 60th (and every year over 60) wedding anniversary of Catholic marriage in
2015. If you are celebrating an anniversary, please give Fr Allen the following
details: husband and wife’s names, wedding date, full postal address and email
(or phone number, if no email).
Chorister Opportunities
Year 4 boarding places for 6 probationers are available at Westminster
Cathedral Choir School For those interested check at www.choirschool.
com and attend their open morning on Sunday 8th February 2015
from 1030am to 2.30pm Register at
[email protected]
Theology of the Body lecture
‘Facing Difficulties in Christian Family Life: Insights from Theology of the
Body’ by Dr Peter Kahn, Director of
Studies of the Liverpool University
Higher Education Programme. 20th
March at 6:45pm, Vaughan House, 46
Francis St, London, SW1P 1QN. Register your interest at family@rcdow.
org.uk. Tickets, £10 or £5 concessions
(OAP, students/unemployed).
Want help learning English?
Potrzebujesz pomocy z jezyka Angielskiego?
‫؟ةيزيلجنالا ةغللا ملعت يف ةدعاسم ديرت‬
अंग्रेजी सीखने में मदद करना चाहते हैं?
Ingin membantu dalam belajar bahasa Inggris?
İngilizce öğrenme konusunda yardım ister misiniz?
Gusto mo ba ng tulong sa pag-aaral ng Ingles?
Quer ajuda para aprender Inglês?
Unataka msaada katika kujifunza Kiingereza?
Muốn được giúp đỡ học tiếng Anh?
Free classes in English Conversation
– especially for beginners
The group meets every Monday morning
from 10am to 12 noon in the Parish Hall of the
Catholic parish of St John’s Wood, 54 Lodge Road, NW8 8LA.
Our parish offers this service free of charge
to help those with little skill in speaking the English language
join more easily in the society we form and share together here in London.
For more information contact Fr Allen Morris on 0207 286 3214
Sponsored by the Diocese of Westminster Justice and Peace Commission
Catholic Children’s Society
(Westminster) are collaborating with
the Brandenburg Choral Festival to
raise money for the work of CCS. Three
a cappella acts will entertain you while
you enjoy a beverage from the very
reasonably priced bar. The concert will
take place at 8pm on Weds 28 Jan. Tickets are £12. Book, on 0208 969 5305.
The concert is being held in a top secret location in Central London to be
revealed when you buy your ticket(s).
Paid jobs in the Diocese
Most vacancies are advertised in this
newsletter, but do please also check
at www.rcdow.org.uk/diocese/jobs/
if you do not see anything listed here.
Brent- Catechetical Co-ordinator
at Kensal Rise Parish, closing on 31
Jan; Hackney- Parish Administrator
at Clapton Parish, closing on 30 Jan,
North Kensington-Parish Administrator at Kensal New Town, closing on 6
Feb, Central services- Retreat Leader
and Formation Co-ordinator at SPEC,
closing 3 Feb
Smart Loving UK
runs weekend marriage enrichment
seminars that aim to revive, affirm
and celebrate marriages. For Catholic
couples at every stage of their married life, the weekend is a chance to
rediscover the joy of being man and
wife in love, drawing on the wisdom
of authentic Catholic teaching on the
Theology of the Body. The next Smart
Loving weekend, which includes an optional overnight stay, will take place
on the 7th-8th March at Latimer Place,
Chesham, Herts. For more information and to register please contact the
marriage and family life office on 020
7931 6064 or [email protected].
Retrouvaille
is a lifeline for married couples facing
difficulties or crises in their married
life. It has offered hope and help to
hundreds of couples looking to renew
and heal their marriages. The next
programme will run from March 20th22nd 2015 in Hatfield, North London.
For more information please call 0788
729 6983 in confidence or email info@
retrouvaille.org.uk. More information
on the Retrouvaille programme can be
found at www.retrouville.co.uk.
Divine Mercy Day Of Prayer
St. Mary of the Angels, Moorhouse
Road, , W2 5DJ on Sat 24 Jan, 2 noon
- 4pm. Procession and Mass, and a
talk on Divine Mercy by Fr. Andrzej
Gowkielewicz, MIC, Eucharistic adoration and Divine Mercy Healing Service.
Please bring your own lunch.
Looking for something new in 2015?
CAFOD needs your help in ending poverty and injustice overseas. Find out
how you can live your faith and put your skills to good use at Understanding
CAFOD Day on Saturday, 24 January, in
London SE1, from 10am to 4pm. Book
online at understandingcafod.eventbrite.co.uk, or call 0208 449 6970.
Catholic
Speed
Dating
18-30s CHURCH OF OUR LADY FILM CLUB
THE SPRING SCHEDULE:
All films at 7.30pm in the Church Hall
Friday 6th of FEBRUARY - Princess Bride (a Romantic tale)
Come along
with friends
and enjoy
Friday 6th of MARCH – Babette’s Feast (a Lenten film looking forward to Easter)
the chance
to meet lots
of other likeminded people. Register
with Gabriella@austin- Friday 10th of APRIL – The Russians Are Coming (a comedy)
forum.org
beforehand
and come to
Austin Forum, Hammersmith on 54 LODGE ROAD, NW8 8LA rsvp to: [email protected]
Friday 13th February at 7.30pm, £5 only. Cash bar.
Find more info on www.facebook.com/AustinForum
Diocesan Training and Faith development opportunities
How to have a New Teenager in 5 days?
A study evening for catechists, parents and anyone involved in Confirmation
programmes on how to work with teenagers and support their parents: specific approach, skills for group & conflict management, faith developmental
issues and parental responses to changes, understanding of different ways
of thinking. Facilitators: Mgr Malachy Keegan and Ausra Karaliute STL
When: Thursday 22nd Jan 2015, 7.00pm -8.30pm
This is My Body especially for Commissioned Ministers of Holy Communion
Facilitator: Sr Anne Walsh OP and Sr Karen Marguerite d’Artois OP
When: Thu 5th Feb, 7.00 pm – 8.30 pm
The Privilege of Proclaiming the Word especially for parish readers
Facilitator: Sr Anne Walsh OP and Sr Karen Marguerite d’Artois OP
When: Thu 12th Feb, 7.00 pm – 8.30 pm
Scripture From Scratch: A Journey through the Bible.
A basic bible study programme for everyone interested. No prior knowledge
is required to attend the programme. Sessions are presented in lecture style
with some elements of discussion, Q&A and some optional activities during
the sessions, on-line and at home.
Tues 20th Jan Introduction To Pauline Writings Brian Purfield
Tues 17th Feb Pauline Themes Fr John Hemer
Sat 14th Mar RETREAT Brian Purfield (10.00am – 1.00pm)
Tue 20th Apr The Psalms, Israel’s Prayer, Christ’s Prayer (1) Fr John Hemer
Tue 11th May The Psalms, Israel’s Prayer, Christ’s Prayer (2) Fr John Hemer
Tue 8th Jun The Psalms, Israel’s Prayer, Christ’s Prayer (3) with Fr John Hemer
All events are at Vaughan House, 46 Francis Street, SW1P 1QN Booking is required. For further details and registration go to http://rcdow.org.uk/events/
or contact [email protected] or call at 020 7931 6078. Suggested donation is £3. Tea/coffee will be provided.
The Call, the Journey and the Mission
An Invitation from the Bishops of England and Wales
to reflect on the gift of Marriage and Family Life
A reading from the book of Tobit 8:4-8
On the evening of their marriage, Tobias said to Sarah,
‘You and I must pray and petition our Lord to win his grace and protection.’
They began praying for protection, and this was how he began:
‘You are blessed, O God of our fathers;
blessed, too, is your name for ever and ever
Let the heavens bless you
and all things you have made for evermore.
It was you who created Adam,
you who created Eve his wife to be his help and support;
and from these two the human race was born.
It was you who said,
‘It is not good that the man should be alone;
let us make him a helpmate like himself.’
And so I do not take my sister for any lustful motive;
I do it in singleness of heart.
Be kind enough to have pity on her and on me
and bring us to old age together.
“Today, there are those who say that
marriage is out of fashion... They say
that it is not worth making a life-long
commitment, making a definitive decision, ‘for ever’, because we do not
know what tomorrow will bring.”
Pope Francis, 28 July 2013, World Youth Day, Brazil
How can we better understand
marriage as a vocation?
And together they said, ‘Amen, Amen’.
The Call, the Journey and the Mission invites the local Church to a time of spiritual discernment on Marriage and
Family Life. Full details are available from our parish website. Each week between now and Lent one of the suggested
passages of scripture offered to feed our prayer and discernment are being posted here with a reflection question.
Archbishop Vincent and Fr Allen would be very happy to receive any final fruits of your discernment that you would
like to share with them. They will help the Cardinal prepare for the Synod and our parish consider how we might better support marriage and family life here. E-mails to the Cardinal please to [email protected] by 24th
May, and to Fr Allen on [email protected] at any time.
Catholic Parliamentary
& Public Policy Internships
Now in its twelth year, this scheme will provide eight recently graduated Catholics with an intensive experience of
political and social action in a spiritual context. Four interns
will be placed with Christian MPs at Westminster, one in a
parliamentary support role within the Secretariat, two in
public policy with CAFOD and CSAN, one in a media internship in Archbishop’s House Westminster.
In addition to educational work experience, all internships
also involve individually guided retreats and spiritual guidance throughout the year, studying Christian ethics and
Catholic social teaching at Heythrop College as well as exploring the political landscape and the Church’s involvement in social action through a series of events.
To apply for the Catholic Parliamentary and Public Policy Internship scheme you will need to have completed the Application
form and provide two referees, one of whom should be your
Parish Priest or University Chaplain and the other your most
recent employer (paid/voluntary) or course tutor. Please note
that it is your responsibility to ensure that your referees send
your references directly to us before Wednesday 4 March, otherwise your application cannot be considered for shortlisting.
http://www.cbcew.org.uk/interns
Closing date is 5pm on Wednesday, 4 March 2015
The scheme is organised by the
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of
England and Wales.
Proclaim
‘15
Building
missionary
parishes
TOWARDS A VISION FOR NEW EVANGELISATION IN THE Loving
Father,
ARCHDIOCESE OF WESTMINSTER
You
! so loved the world
that
I. THE you
VISIONsent us your only Son,
1. COMMUNION FOR MISSION that
we might
believe in him and have eternal life.
That communion is for mission; and mission for communion is a truth with which we are Mayfamiliar weand encounter
Christ
anew
this
which is underlined Jesus
by Pope Francis in Evangelii Gaudium, where day
he says, “communion and mission are profoundly interconnected.” (Evangelii Gaudium [EG] 23) and
live
the
Good
News
with
joy.
Indeed, he reprises here the words of St John Paul II in his Apostolic ExhortaJon on the role of Christ’s Lay Faithful, Chris2ﬁdeles Laici [CFL], to say, “the Church’s closeness to Jesus is Through
the power of your Holy Spirit,
part of a common journey; ‘communion and mission are profoundly interconnected’ (CFL help
us
outacJvity to the
whole
32)” (EG 23); to
more: go
“missionary is paradigmaJc for all world
the Church’s acJvity.” (EG 15)
and
proclaim
our
faith
with
confidence.
!
“the primary subject of evangelisaJon,”
a Diocese needs periodically to ask itself GiveAs us
the courage
to witness
to the
Joy
whether it needs to shiW its emphasis in any aspects of ecclesial life towards a more ofmissionary approach. the Gospel
by our words and actions.
As the last millennium drew to a close, St John Paul II called on the People of God to do just that. His Novo Millennio Ineunte portrayed a new millennium Helpopening our
parish
to become
more
welcoming
before the Church like a vast ocean; and he urged the People of God to plan for the next stages of the journey. This responded At Your Word, and
missionary
soDiocese that
youwholeheartedly may bewith known
Lord. Then Pope Benedict XVI’s renewed call to invest in the New EvangelisaJon evoked a and
lovedresponse by all
people.
most generous in this Diocese through Growing in Faith. Together, these to a truly impressive contribuJon to the Church’s evangelising eﬀort – an We iniJaJves makeamount this
prayer through Our Lord Jesus Christ, eﬀort of which we shall reap the beneﬁt for decades to come. Your Son, who lives and reigns
In Evangelii Gaudium (EG) Pope Francis afÞrms that it is the Diocese which is Òthe primary
with
you
and since
theit is Holy
Spirit,
subject of
evangelisation,
the concrete
manifestation of the one Church in one speciÞc place ... Wherever the need for the light and the life of the Risen Christ is greatest, it will want
to be there.Ó
one
God
for (30)
ever and ever. Amen.
1
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"1
Our Lady,Star of the New Evangelisation, Pray for us.
Blessed John Henry Newman,Pray for us.
St Thérèse of Lisieux,Pray for us.