Newsletter
14th SUNDAY OF THE YEAR
6th JULY 2008 - DAY FOR LIFE
CALENDAR
Friday - St Bendict of Nursia
GOSPEL REFLECTION - Out of the Mouths of Babes
How often do we laughingly say, "....Out of the mouths of babes!" We usually say it when one of the junior members of the family has stated a glaring or embarrassing truth. To children the truth is black and white, but the older we get the more we tend to complicate issues that really ought to be very simple. Perhaps we want to disguise truths that make us feel uncomfortable. Whatever the reasons, as we get older the truth is harder for us to recognise.
Today Jesus criticizes the religious leaders who over complicate the law. Jesus' intention was not to do away with the law, but he could not support the lawyers who spent their time manufacturing new and insufferable burdens for broken people. To the broken people Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."
The demands of the 21st century put many challenges our way, and we spend a lot of our time juggling priorities and trying to live our lives by more than one agenda. Why don't we look more to God for solutions? God wants us all to have peace and fulfilment; all we have to do is to yield to God's agenda. The smallest child knows the difference between what is important and what is not. Why can't we?
DAY FOR LIFE - ENGLAND & WALES
'The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those who are crushed in spirit' is the theme for this year's Day for Day for Life 2008 will focus on Mental Health. It will help raise awareness of the needs of those affected by mental ill-health, their friends, their family and their carers and the support that the parish community can bring. Millions of people across Britain and Ireland are either living with or know someone close to them who has been affected by depression, schizophrenia, suicide, self-harm, bereavement, substance misuse or mental health difficulties at some stage.
Visit:- www.dayforlife.org/2008/resources.htm for helplines and useful websites.
St. Benedict - Fri. 11th July - (Patron of Europe)
Benedict was born of a distinguished family in central Italy, studied at Rome and was drawn to the monastic life. At first he lived as a hermit in a cave high up in the mountains. Benedict had an idea of gathering various families of monks into one 'Grand Monastery'.
The Rule that gradually developed prescribed a life of liturgical prayer, study, and manual labour. In the course of the Middle Ages, all monasticism in the West was gradually brought under the Rule of St. Benedict.
Pope John Paul II dedicated six patron saints to Europe, one of which is Saint Benedict, whose feast day we celebrate on 11th July
LEAVING FOR AUSTRALIA - WYD
Those who are off to Sydney for the World Youth Day Event are due to leave on Tuesday (8th July - very early morning!!) They travel with our prayers and good wishes and with another £200.00 each in their pockets for any eventuality. (raised over the last few weeks in various ways!) There will be over 170 young people going from Westminster and over 2000 from the UK who will greet Pope Benedict on behalf of all of us!!
HOLIDAY NOTICES
Father Robert Okongwu has been in touch to say he will be with us for Friday 1st August and for the whole of the month. As has been the practice over 3 years the Sunday 5.00pm Mass will lapse through August and will be re-inaugurated on September 7th.
The Parish Newsletter will be available until July 26th/27th and will recommence in September.
NOTICE TO ALL SCHOOL WORKERS
Bishop Alan Hopes has given an invitation to everybody working at any school (Catholic or non-catholic) in the Upper Thames Deanery to come to St Edmund's, Whitton, on Monday September 29th for a Mass at 4.30pm. He will be delighted to meet you and to hear and speak about the work that you do.
The G8 Summit Japan 2008 - 7th-9th July
Take action with Oxfam at this year's G8 Summit, on aid, health and climate change.
Each year, eight of the world's richest nations come together at the G8 Summit to discuss key global issues. This year the summit begins on July 7th in Japan, which coincidentally is also a day where Japanese people tie their wishes for the future on to bamboo called the Tanabata Tree. Send your wish for world leaders to do more in the fight against poverty by reminding them to keep your aid promises. Email your messages to www.oxfam.org./en/campaigns/g8 Your messages will be delivered to the G8 leaders at their meeting in Japan and at other important meetings over the next few years. Keep visiting the website to see how your action is making a difference, and what else you can do to keep the pressure on world leaders.
PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
The 3rd quarterly meeting of the Parish Council for 2008 will be held in the Parish Centre on Thursday (July 10th) of this week at 8.00pm in the Parish Centre
SEA SUNDAY - 13TH AUGUST 2008
Next week is Sea Sunday when the Church remembers all those who live and work at Sea Seafarers are most often recruited in the poorer areas of the world where wages are lower and opportunities few. Consequently there is a higher than average human need amongst any community of seafarers.
The AoS is the official maritime agency of the Catholic Church in the UK which makes it its business to care for seafarers in every port no matter what part of the world they come from. Please give generously to this important charity.
Pope Benedict's Prayer Intention for July - "On Volunteering."
On volunteering, Pope Benedict writes, "The willingness to take up volunteer work can have various motivations. Frequently it is simply born of a desire to do something meaningful and helpful, and out of a desire for new experiences. Young people rightly and naturally also discover in volunteer work a source of joy, positive experiences and genuine camaraderie in carrying out a worthwhile project alongside others.
We are invited to join Pope Benedict's prayer intention for July, "....That there may be an increase in the number of those who volunteer to serve the Christian community with generous and prompt availability."
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