Third Sunday of the Year, 2022 – St Edmund of Canterbury, Loughton

St. Edmund of Canterbury & St. Thomas More

The Gentiles, like Luke himself, believed in Christ on the testimony of others, not because they were eyewitnesses to Jesus’ life, ministry and resurrection. But attacks on the historical existence of Jesus began to undermine their faith. To build up their faith, Luke wrote and account of Jesus’ earthly life and ministry, just as they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word’ .

Luke’s Gospel show the continuity between God’s promises made through the prophets and their fulfilment in Jesus. Jesus, reading from the prophet Isaiah the promise that God would send one who would free his people from oppression and imprisonment, and restore their freedom and liberty, announced, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing,’

His words electrified his audience. They had heard this promise many times before, but now Jesus, standing in front of them, was saying, ‘I am fulfilling this great promise of God. I am the Spirit-Bearer foretold by Isaiah and, in the creative power of God’s Spirit. I am bringing in a new age of freedom and divine favour, restoring men and women to health, and casting out demons.’ It’s not surprising that. ‘The eyes of the entire synagogue were fixed on him.’ It’s also unsurprising that they couldn’t accept him as later, ‘rose up and put him out of the city.’

Jesus stands before us, proclaiming the Good News, and restoring to us our inheritance as God’s children, freeing us from oppression and liberating us from whatever imprisons us. Do we believe this and go to Jesus for his grace and life? Or do we not believe that he can do all this and so reject him? Jesus stands before us as he stood before his fellow townspeople and challenges us to approach him for healing and freedom. The choice, however, always remains ours.

My Dear Friends in Christ, 2^nd Sunday of the Year, 2022

The Synodal Pathway: Pope Francis initiated this enquiry and consultation process throughout the whole world; a journey in which the whole Church is engaged around the theme: “‘For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission,’ three pillars. Three phases are foreseen, which will take place between October 2021 and October 2023. This itinerary was thought out as dynamism of mutual listening. I want to stress this: a dynamism of mutual listening carried out at all levels of the Church, involving all the People of God. The Cardinal Vicar and the Auxiliary Bishops must listen to one another, the priests must listen to one another, the Religious must listen to one another, the laity must listen to one another and then, all inter-listening to one another; to listen to one another; to talk to one another and to listen to one another. It’s not about gathering opinions, no. This is not a survey, but about listening to the Holy Spirit.” (Pope Francis)

As this is a listening process, and everyone has a contribution to make in the life of faith and the Church, if you would like to make comments and suggestions by the end of February, please submit them to Fr Andrew Headon, SS Peter & Paul Parish, 342 High Road, Ilford, Essex. IG1 1QP. Email:

ilfordsspp@dioceseofbrentwood.org

Some areas you may like to consider:

Communion:

During the pandemic, what strengths did you find in your faith and in your Parish? In what ways did the grace of God most clearly touch and uplift you? How were you disappointed or sorrowful?

Participation:

What gives you joy in belonging to your Parish

Mission:

What areas of mission and outreach do we need to develop in our Parish?

Each Diocese will prepare a 10 page report in light of various contributions made by parishes, individuals, groups & sodalities. We have until the end of February to submit any comments or reflections. Once ever diocese has submitted their reports, as a Country this will be forwarded to Rome for the gargantuan task of disseminating and formulating the subject matter for the World Synod in Rome in October 2023. Let us keep this process in prayer.

Have a Blessed Week, & keep safe and well,

YOUR CRIB OFFERINGS: Every year your offerings donated at the Crib are for the benefit of the Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society. Founded in our own diocese, it has helped literally thousands of children and families throughout the diocese. As it is a charitable organisation it is heavily dependent on donations. Your Crib Offerings from Christmas until the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord 2^nd February 2022 will be forwarded to the BCCS, which will help assist them in their extremely important work. Next Weekend we will collect in Gift Aid envelopes for the 2^nd February & any additional offerings. I thank you on behalf of the Catholic Children’s Society, in anticipation of your offerings. Thank You!

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION PROGRAMME 2022: The class will be on Sunday 23^rd January 2022. It is imperative that all the First Communion Children and their families are present each week at Sunday Mass. Please note that the next Parents’ Meeting will take place on Wednesday 9^th February at 7.30pm. The subject will be the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Please keep all of the children in your prayers as they continue their sacramental preparation

RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS We will now break for Christmas and resume again on Thursday 27^th January 2022. Theme: The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. If you want to know more about the programme, and the whole RCIA process, please contact Fr John, Tel No: 0208 508 3492 or Email: loughton@dioceseofbrentwood.org

THRESHOLDS OF HOPE QUESTIONS: Will be given by Fr Paul Keane, Priest of the diocese, presently Vice Rector of Oscott Seminary, Birmingham on Sunday 23^rd & 30^th January 202, 4.00 – 5.00 p.m. Theme Question: What do the Martyrs teach us about the life of faith? If you would like to join this Zoom meeting simply forward a contact email to adultformationvicariate@dioceseofbrentwood.org. For more information go to www.thresholdsofhope.co.uk

UP TO DATE COVID GUIDELINES: As of Thursday 27^th January the Government will be lifting many of Covid restrictions. There will be no more track & trace. We can use Hymn Books once again, and the Weekly Offertory with Baskets can resume. See Newsletter next weekend. Website

EPPING FOREST FOODBANK DONATIONS: Thank you to all parishioners who continue to generously donate items for the Foodbank. They are truly grateful for the generosity our parish has shown throughout the pandemic and our donations are still needed desperately as more and more people in our community are finding it hard to make ends meet. The Foodbank have asked for support with the following items: tinned soup, tinned spaghetti, tinned tomatoes, savoury crackers, sponge puddings, chocolate bars, small and medium bags of rice, snack bars and razors. Thank you! You can also keep up to date with the Foodbank news via their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/EppingForestFoodbank/

DIFFERENT WAYS TO HELP YOUR PARISH: There are all sorts of ministries in the life of faith and the Church, can you help in any way?

Parish Readers: You may have thought it would be good to become a Reader at Holy Mass; please see Fr John if you’re interested.

The Parish Altar Society: has been running for over 70 years. This involves keeping the Church in pristine condition through cleaning and care. It’s always good to have more volunteers to go onto the Rota. E.g. there is the cleaning of the church, cleaning of windows, Cleaning of Sacristies, Cleaning of the Organ Loft, Care of Sanctuary, Washing of Altar Linens, Cleaning of the Brass; if you can help in any way whatsoever, please contact Fr John or Sharon Fitzmaurice.

Additional Catechists: Helping to teach the faith to our Children through Sacramental Preparation. There is always need for further help with this very important ministry.

Altar Serving: We are always looking for new altar Servers. Sadly, we lost a lot of our Severs during the Pandemic, who have decided not to return to weekly serving. If your child has made their First Holy Communion, and would like to serve please speak to Fr. John.

Joining Choir or Contemporary Music Group: If you enjoy singing, or that you’re a musician, you may consider joining our Choir or the Contemporary Music Group. These two groups meet regularly for practice, and enrich our Sunday Liturgy.

PLEASE CONSIDER THESE SUGGESTIONS; WE ALL HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER ALMIGHTY GOD THROUGH OUR TALENTS.

https://tse4.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.PksgenkNVMwF2XWxHkXnzgHaHp&pid=Api&P=0&w=300&h=300

WEEKLY OFFERTORY: My sincere thanks to those who are making their weekly contribution of Gift Aid envelopes and through the banking system that has been set up through the Diocese whereby your Offertory can be paid directly into the Parish Account, details below:

Donate

Or you can use Parish Bank Account: Using Online Banking
HSBC Sort Code 40-13-22 PLEASE BE GENEROUS IN YOUR
Account Number: 11019651 GIFT TO GOD & HIS CHURCH

https://tse3.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.vURSDAn0WzLsHFbz_iM-jAHaIz&pid=Api&P=0&w=300&h=300

MARRIAGES FOR 2022: If anyone is planning on getting married in 2022, please could you make contact with Fr. John at the beginning of January. For those getting married in the parish we normally ask for six months’ notice; for those getting married outside of the parish at least nine months’ notice. The documentation and preparation takes quite a long time and organising Marriage Preparation Courses through Marriage Care in the responsibility of the Couple. To avoid any disappointments, please make contact as soon as possible.

Bishop’s Certificate in Catechesis and Youth Ministry: The Bishop’s Certificate is designed to be an entry level qualification to help in the ongoing formation of adults involved in sacramental preparation or youth ministry in the Diocese of Brentwood. It includes both the development of practical skills & the deepening of theological knowledge. The course is online and taught through engaging, short videos with expert interviews. The course will begin on the evening of 24th February, with an introduction and welcome evening, held at Walsingham House at Abbotswick. For more information please see our website: https://bcys.net/bishops-cert/ or email your expression of interest to bishopscertificate@dioceseofbrentwood.org by Monday 22^nd February.

BE PART OF THE WALSINGHAM HOUSE TEAM 2022/23

If you are 18+ and looking for an exciting gap year opportunity, then a year on the Walsingham House Team could be for you. Spend a year as a volunteer in a thriving young Catholic Community, working with thousands of young people from Essex and East London. We are looking for inspiring individuals who want to share their faith with other young people and are also looking to learn new skills, grow deeper in their own faith and enjoy a challenge. For more information please contact Joseph Beattie, manager of Walsingham House, by emailing josephbeattie@dioceseofbrentwood.org or calling 01277 373959. There is more information about our work on our website (www.bcys.net) and social media @Brentwoodcys

A SUNDAY EVENING PARISH YOUTH MASS: We’ve had a couple of these popular and enjoyable Masses over the past few years and hopefully we’ll be able to organise one, possibly in the New Year. The idea would be that you could get involved with the music and the readings and make it your own celebration. Hopefully, we will also have a social gathering in the hall afterwards

BCYS SUMMER LOURDES PILGRIMAGE: 2022: 23^rd – 30^th July 2022.

Applications are now open for our summer pilgrimage to Lourdes for those in Years 11-13, with those of school leaver age (18+) invited to join us as young leaders. This is one of our most popular events and after a 2 year gap we are excited to be returning next year. The week is spent travelling alongside the main Diocesan pilgrimage as we assist the elderly and infirm with going to Masses and services, as well as visiting shops and cafes within the town. For those travelling with the BCYS the week will also include a retreat, reconciliation service, as well as social events and a party. Please see www.bcys.net/events/sl22/ for more information including visas, vaccinations and how to apply

IRREGULAR MARRIAGES: An Irregualr Marriage is one that has taken place outside of the Catholic Church without dispensation. For example: Marriages in hotels, and secualr venues, on beaches or Las Vegas; marriage in a non-Catholic Church without dispensation from the Bishop. These marriages are not recognised by the Catholic Church, and therefore are non sacramental & irregular. But there is a facility in the Church to recetify these situations called a Convalidation (this is a strictly private facility that is offered by the church). As marriage and family life is what I specialised in while studying Canon Law, if anyone wishes to speak to me confidentially please don’t hesitate to contact me: Tel No: 0208 508 3492

DIOCESAN YEAR BOOK: Is now available for purchase from the Parish Repository. It cost £2.80. It really is worth investing in a Yearbook, as it gives all the latest details of parishes, priests’ addresses, statistics, general information about the Catholic Faith and the Church. PLEASE BUY ONE! Available in the Porch.

PARISH FINANCES: As you can appreciate, during this pandemic the parish income took a severe hit, and we are still not back at the same levels as we were prior to 2020. My sincere and grateful thanks to those who have signed up for online giving and Gift Aid, this is helping. Many parishioners have not returned to the regular practice of faith, and many Gift Aid boxes were not collected this year. Please consider your weekly offertory to God.

JOB VACANCY: School site Manage, at St John Fisher Catholic Primary School. St John Fisher Catholic Primary School is seeking to appoint a Resourceful and self-motivated Site Manager, who will take great pride in the school and school grounds. This is a full-time post 37 hours per week. Closing date for application Friday 28^th January 2022. Please email the school for further details. Admin@st-johnfisher.essex.sch.uk.

DIARY JANUARY 2022

PLEASE PRAY FOR THOSE SICK IN OUR PARISH

Carmen Antaki, Margaret Baldwin, Evelyn Bearne, Karl Britz, Carlos Camacho, Jane Downs, Steve Dalgliesh, Pat Fenn, Veronica Godsave, Bernadette Hall, Ann Hawkes, Claire Howes, Jackie Ilines Noel Johnson, Shaun Keel, Bridget Kinsella, Angela Long, Lilian Mothersole, John McKernan, Rosemary O’Rourke, Kathleen Pomeroy, Geraldine Taylor, Vera Taylor, Mary Witten, James Wright. And all our loved ones.

ANNIVERSARIES: Frederick Burgess RIP, Bruna Morelli RIP. Please pray for all whose anniversaries occur at this time and for all of our deceased loved ones, Requiescant in Pace.

BAPTISMS: It is now permissible once again to have Baptisms with larger groups of family & guests. Manifestly, there are many people who haven’t been able to have baptisms over the past 20 months. Kindly contact Fr. John to arrange your child’s baptism as soon as possible please. There is a Baptism Programme for first time parents.

MASS INTENTIONS – JANUARY 2022

Sat 22^nd	10.00am	COMMUNION SERVICE
		*Vigil Mass for Sunday. Confessions at 5.30pm*
Sat 22^nd	6.00pm	Cecilia Adams RIP (Mary & Eddie Pointer)
Sun 23^rd	9.00am	People of the Parish
Sun 23^rd	11:00am	Derek Dodd RIP (Anthony Family)
Mon 24^th	10.00am	Nell Hayes Int’s (John & Sara)
Tues 25^th	10.00am	Dec’d members of the McMorrow family (Maureen Perry)
Wed 26^th	10.00am	William Brown B’day Int’s (Geraldine & Robert Taylor)
Thurs 27^th	10.00am	Brenda Tisi (Diana & Ferdi & Tisi Family)
Fri 28^th	10.00am	Adrian Pearce RIP (Anthony Family)
Sat 29^th	10.00am	Jo Colebrook RIP (Remy)
		*Vigil Mass for Sunday. Confessions at 5.30pm*
Sat 29^th	6.00pm	Dr Philip Prashner RIP (Anthony Family)
Sun 30^th	9.00am	People of the Parish
Sun 30^th	11:00am	Dennis Randall RIP (Tisi Family)

Please kindly be patient with your mass requests. I will try to accommodate your requested dates, but there have been a large number of requests recently and we celebrate masses in the order in which we receive them.

Parish Phone No: 0208 508 3492 Email: loughton@dioceseofbrentwood.org

The Brentwood Diocesan Trust Registered Charity No. 234092

3^rd SUNDAY OF THE YEAR

First Reading : Nehemiah 8:2-6,8-10

Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, consisting of men, women, and children old enough to understand. This was the first day of the seventh month. On the square before the Water Gate, in the presence of the men and women, and children old enough to understand, he read from the book from early morning till noon; all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden dais erected for the purpose. In full view of all the people – since he stood higher than all the people – Ezra opened the book; and when he opened it all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people raised their hands and answered, ‘Amen! Amen!’ Then they bowed down and, face to the ground, prostrated themselves before the Lord. And Ezra read from the Law of God, translating and giving the sense, so that the people understood what was read.

Then Nehemiah – His Excellency – and Ezra, priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people, said to all the people, ‘This day is sacred to the Lord your God. Do not be mournful, do not weep.’ For the people were all in tears as they listened to the words of the Law.

He then said, ‘Go, eat the fat, drink the sweet wine, and send a portion to the man who has nothing prepared ready. For this day is sacred to our Lord. Do not be sad: the joy of the Lord is your stronghold.’

Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 18(19):8-10,15