Month: June 2023

Edmund of Canterbury & St. Thomas More

The phrase ‘Do not be afraid’ occurs 365 times in the Bible. ‘Do not be afraid’ was also the clarion call of St. John Paul II. Today’s Gospel addresses a certain kind of fear: we could call it the fear of witness or testimony. Since the beginning the Church has lived through times of terrible persecution. Believers under Nero and Diocletian were subject to all manner of torture and suffering for giving witness to their faith. Nero lit up the Roman sky with burning bodies of crucified believers; Diocletian was merciless, completely focused on eradicating Christians from the face of the earth. 

In our own time too, in countries like Syria and Iraq Chaldean/Syrian Christians are subject to constant fear and intimidation. The martyrdom of 21 Coptic Christians in Libya in February 2015 shocked the world. Before the execution the kidnapped workers were invited to renounce their faith, but they refused. They were heard to pray ‘Lord Jesus help me’ before they were beheaded in such brutal fashion.

Among their number was Matthew Ayairga from Chad. He wasn’t a Christian and was invited by his executioners to embrace Islam. He refused. They said to him: ‘Do you reject Christ?’ The witness of the other men so moved him that he said: ‘Their God is my God’ He was then beheaded. These men are martyrs for the faith, outstanding witnesses for Christ. We salute them and thank God for them, as we do for men and women around the world who suffer persecution, fear and intimidation because of their faith.

Pope Francis said: ‘As we recall these brothers who died only because they confessed Christ, I ask that we encourage each other to go forward with this ecumenism which is giving us strength, the ecumenism of blood. The martyrs belong to all Christians.’ The blood of the martyrs is the seed of love, unity and brotherhood, and bears witness that every believer is called to give testimony for Christ. Not many of us will be called to proclaim the name of Jesus. We aren’t zealots or fanatics: we are simply men and women who are always prepared respectfully and with love in our hearts to share the reason for our love and joy.

Dear Friends in Christ       12^th Sunday of the Year

ORDINATION TO THE DIACONATE: Please pray for our own parishioner Frank Westcott who will be Ordained a Deacon next Sunday 2^nd July at Oscott College by Archbishop Bernard Longley. Many of you know Frank, and it is truly a great honour for our parish and for the Diocese of Brentwood that his Ordination as a Deacon is part of that journey to Priesthood. Frank will be a transitional Deacon, meaning that in twelve months’ time he will be Ordained to the Sacred Priesthood of Jesus Christ in our own Parish. If you would like to send him a card or good wishes his address is: Oscott College, Chester Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands. B73 5AA. If there are any more contriubitions towards the special collection we had last weekend, please drop them off at the Presbytery. Thank you! As Frank has no family here in England, this would be a wonderful gesture and way of supporting him. With grateful thanks!

May God Bless You All,    

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION PROGRAMME 2023/24: My sincere and grateful thanks to all the parents who collected the First Holy Communion enrolment forms over the past week. My sincere apologies for not being able to see you all, but unfortunately I had to take to my bed with severe summer flu. If you can let me have the enrolment forms back as soon as possible, I can then order the new Work Books for the children. The prerequisites for enrolment are: a) That you are a baptised practicing Roman Catholic attending Weekly Mass. b) That your child will be in Year 3 or above, 7 rising 8 as of September 2023. c) That you live in the Parish of St Edmund of Canterbury. 

SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION: Will be celebrated in 2024. (As yet we have no date from the Bishop’s Office). If there are any young people wishing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation next year please see Fr John for an enrolment form. Prerequisites: a) Baptised, Weekly practicing Roman Catholic. b) That you will be 14 years of age and above at the time of Confirmation. c) If you have not been attending church over the past year please don’t waste our time. Sadly, out of the 48 Confirmed in 2021, very few attend weekly Mass. some have never returned since the Day of their Confirmation; this is manifestly an insult to Almighty God and the dignity of the Sacrament. PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES FOR CONFIRMATION PLEASE PERSONALLY COLLECT ENROLMENT FORM FROM Fr JOHN AT THE PRESBYTERY. Please kindly return by Friday 30^th June 2023 to Fr John, Thank you! 

THE PRAYER OF PRAYERS: An exploration of the Our Father

Fr Adrian Graffy explores this prayer of Jesus found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. What did Jesus mean in the original Aramaic he used? How has the prayer been understood by those who have used it across the centuries? Should it be prayed in archaic language or should translations be in the language of today? Fr Adrian Graffy is parish priest of Gidea Park, a Scripture scholar, and since 2013 member of the Pontifical Biblical Commission. Wednesday 12th July 7.00pm 

This is an in-person event. Tea and coffee will be available from 6.30pm. Easy access on Elizabeth Line, three minute walk to church. The event is also available on live stream free of charge at www.whatgoodnews.org No prior booking necessary. A recording of the talk will be available subsequently on the same website. Catholic Church of Christ the Eternal High Priest, Brentwood Road,  Gidea Park RM2 6DH

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY: The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SVP) is an international voluntary organization in the Catholic Church, founded in 1833 for the sanctification of its members by personal service of the poor. The St Vincent de Paul Society approaches each request for help with compassion and consideration for support tailored to the uniqueness of the individual and situation. I have been approached by a few members of the parish to re-establish the SVP here in our parish. If you are interested in joining a Parish SVP Conference please speak to Fr John or Sharon Fitzmaurice. Thank you!  More information later.    

NEW ALTAR SERVERS: If any of our First Holy Communicants would like to become Altar Servers, please see Fr. John. It would be wonderful if some of the children would consider this wonderful ministry of serving God and the Community each week. Serving at the Altar is truly a great honour, and I’m always grateful to everyone who has volunteered to become Altar Servers. 

MASS INTENTIONS: There is a lot of availability in the Parish Mass register. If anyone wants a mass intention for any reason, Anniversaries, birthdays, special occasions, for anyone who is sick, please complete the Mass Envelope in the porch and leave off at the presbytery. 

BAPTISMS: If there are parents wishing to have their children baptised at St Edmund’s could you kindly contact Fr John as soon as possible. For first time parents there is a Baptismal Programme run by Mrs Sharon Chalk. Baptisms take place on either Saturday or Sunday at 12.30pm

MISSIO COFFEE MORNING AND BOX EMPTYING: There will be a Missio Coffee Morning and “Red Box Emptying” this Sunday, 25th June, following the 11am Mass. This will be a great chance for all parishioners to meet and enjoy each other’s company while sharing tea and cake and raising some money for our wonderful missions abroad. Please bring your boxes to church next weekend and leave them in the porch after mass. Don’t forget to put your name on the bottom of the box.

NOTE FOR OUR CONTEMPORARY MUSIC GROUP: For our next 11am Mass on Sunday, 2nd July, we’ll be having a practice 7pm until 8pm on Monday, 26th June in the Choir loft. Please do come to the practice! Our previous Mass was, as always, well attended, but very few came to our last practice – we hope to see many of you there! New singers who might like to join us will be made very welcome. 

ST JOHN FISHER SUMMER FAIR: The annual Summer Fair & Bounce will be on Friday 30th June from 3.30pm – 6.30pm. The PTA would like to invite all parishioners and families to come and join the school for an afternoon of inflatable fun, BBQ, activities, entertainment, stalls and more. The tickets, £2pp entry or £7pp for entry and unlimited bouncing, will be available on the gate or by emailing ptastjohnfisher@gmail.com. Family family/group deals are also available by email. 

The PTA look forward to welcoming parishioners to the Summer Bounce!

PLEASE PRAY FOR THOSE SICK IN OUR PARISH

Edgar Azzopardi, Margaret Baldwin, Evelyn Bearne, Karl Britz, Brenda Bryant, Carlos Camacho, Jane Downs, Steve Dalgliesh, Pat Fenn, Bernadette Hall, Ann Hawkes, Claire Howes, Shaun Keel, Bridget Kinsella, Les Langan,  Angela Long, Lilian Mothersole, John McKernan, Rosemary O’Rourke, Remy, Geraldine Taylor, Vera Taylor, Mary & Steve Witten, James Wright. And all our loved ones.  

ANNIVERSARIES: Alice Bate RIP, Kazimierz Michalik RIP, Tom Smith RIP.  Please pray for all whose anniversaries occur at this time and for all of our deceased loved ones, Requiescant in Pace.

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

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.  

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN A VOCATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD? At present we only have five seminarians training for the Priesthood in the Diocese of Brentwood. The period of formation for each is several years. If you know of anyone who may be interested in learning more about the priesthood, or who feel they may have a vocation to the Priesthood   please contact Fr Mark Swires vocprom@dioceseofbrentwood.org We are hoping to resume our monthly meetings for those who may be enquirers, so please watch this space. 

CHILDREN’S SUNDAY LITURGY: Thank you for starting children’s Sunday Liturgy again. But we need more help. Parents, can you spare one Sunday every two months to help the children during the 11.00am Mass? We need more parents to join our lovely group. Please contact Mrs Elena Manara at e_vismara@yahoo.com Thank you and we hope to hear from you soon.

RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS: Journey of Faith. Is there anyone who may be interested in the RCIA Programme, possibly with the view of being received into full-communion with the Roman Catholic Faith? Every year we run this programme commencing at the beginning of September, leading to reception into the Church at the Easter Vigil. It is a systematic programme of every aspect of Catholcism, including Scripture, Sacramental Life, and The Dogma’s of our Faith, Catholic Practice & traditions, Christology & Mariology, Study of the Church.   Please see Fr John who will explain the whole process to you.  

DO YOU LIKE SINGING? As you know we have a wonderful Choir and Choir Director in Sue Farrow. We are looking for new choir members who like singing with others. We learn traditional and contemporary pieces of music, and also sing Motets in four parts. If you’re interested please speak to Sue or Fr John. Choir practice on Wednesdays & Saturdays.  

SICK & HOUSEBOUND: If there are any parishioners who have become sick or housebound, please notify Fr John, who will be only too happy to make a house call and bring Holy Communion on a regular basis. It’s important that we’re able to keep in touch with all of our parishioners, and especially those who are sick.  

PARISH ALTAR SERVERS: Quite a number of Altar Servers ceased serving at Mass since the Pandemic. I’m making a special appeal to all former Altar Servers to kindly return their Albs to the Sacristy.  Albs are extremely expensive to buy these days, and I believe there a quite a few still out there not being used anymore.  If any young person wishes to become an Altar Server, please see Fr. John as soon as possible; we can help to prepare you to serve at the Altar. This is a truly wonderful ministry, and it is a special way of serving God and the whole community of faith.

PARISH REPOSITORY: There are a variety of First Holy Communion gifts available in the repository – Children’s Missals, Rosaries, medals, statues, candles, Communion Cards, crosses. Teresa Wallace is always very helpful in ordering any religious item you wish. The parish repository is available all week. Please leave your money for items in the box provided. Thank you! 

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 and our donations are still needed desperately as more and more people in our community are struggling during this cost of living crisis. The Foodbank have asked for support with the following items: sponge pudding desserts, custard, juice, tinned meat, noodles, snack bars, small chocolate bars, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, toilet roll and deodorant. Please place any donations in the dedicated plastic boxes in the garage. Thank you! You can also keep up to date with the Foodbank news via their facebook page: www.facebook.com/EppingForestFoodbank/ 

PARISH READERS: We are always looking for some new Parish Lectors; parishioners who would be willing to read on a regular basis at one of the Sunday Masses. We have a few already, but it would be wonderful if there could be a few more volunteers. ALSO: If any of our regular weekday Mass attendees would be willing to read at the weekday masses we could organise a rota. Since Covid there haven’t been any regular readers. You may feel called to this ministry, and once again, it is doing something for God and the Community. Please speak to Fr. John.

SACRISTANS: Fr John could really do with some additional help in the Sacristy especially during the week. I have been very dependent upon Veronica Short over the past few years. But it would be good if another couple of people could volunteer during the week to help in setting up for Mass each day, and clearing up afterwards. It really doesn’t take that long to do. We could organise a rota of days. Once again this is service of God and the Community. 

FROM OUR GIFT AID ORGANISER: Our Parish Gift Aid Organiser is Abbie Akinfenwa – abbie.akinfenwa@btinternet.com or text to 0775470934 with your name and gift aid number.  I would encourage all parishioners to join the Parish Gift Aid Scheme. If you are a Tax Payer, it’s a really painless process, all we need is you name and address, there are Gift Aid Application Forms in the Porch of the Church, and Abbie can give you all the help you need re information. We are able to claim back 25 pence in every pound donated to the church, when you use you envelopes or pay by Standing Order.  Please think about joining, and thanks to those who already belong!  

REGISTERING AT THE PARISH: It’s always important to have details of all of our parishioners. There are Parish Registration Forms in the Porch of the Church. Please complete and return to the Presbytery.

IN CASES OF EMERGENCY: Tuesday is usually Fr. John’s Day Off. In cases of emergency please call one of the local parishes, either in Epping – Tel: 01992 572516, or the St. Thomas of Canterbury Friary at Woodford Green – Tel: 020 8504 1688.  This would also apply if Fr. John is away for a few days break or on Retreat. All the local funeral directors have a contact number for Fr. John if a funeral needs to be arranged in his absence.  

MASS INTENTIONS –  JUNE / JULY 2023

Sat 24th	10.00am	Int’s of John & Marian Schutz (Remy)
		Confessions 11am – 12Noon or on demandVigil Mass for Sunday. Confessions at 5.30pm
Sat 24th	6.00pm	People of the Parish
Sun 25th	9.00am	David Jarvis RIP (Sue & John Campbell)
Sun 25th	11:00am	Isabelo Ballesteros RIP (Bacuetes Family)
Mon 26th	10.00am	Bridget Kinsella RIP (Pat & Margaret)
Tues 27th	10.00am	Int’s of Mary Rose (Maureen Perry)
Wed 28th	10.00am	Edmund Schwindling RIP (Remy)
Thur 29th	9.00am10.00am12.15pm7.30pm	Kitty McDermott RIPSt John Fisher SchoolJohn McMorrow RIP (Maureen Perry)Margaret Baldwin’s Int’s
Fri 30th	10.00am	Pat McCreesh RIP (Christine Perrett)
Sat 1stJuly	10.00am	Int’s of Marian & John Schutz (Remy)
		Confessions 11am – 12Noon or on demandVigil Mass for Sunday. Confessions at 5.30pm
Sat 1st July	6.00pm	People of the Parish
Sun 2nd	9.00am	Jim Sullivan RIP (Celina Sullivan)
Sun 2nd	11:00am	Deacon Frank Westcott (Fr John & People of the Parish)

Please kindly put your Mass requests in early for anniversaries etc., this is to avoid any disappointment if a particular date has already been booked, 

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

The Brentwood Diocesan Trust     Registered Charity No. 234092

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading : Jeremiah 20:10-13

Jeremiah said:

I hear so many disparaging me,

‘“Terror from every side!”

Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’

All those who used to be my friends

watched for my downfall,

‘Perhaps he will be seduced into error.

Then we will master him

and take our revenge!’

But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero;

my opponents will stumble, mastered,

confounded by their failure;

everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs.

But you, O Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice,

who scrutinise the loins and heart,

let me see the vengeance you will take on them,

for I have committed my cause to you.

Sing to the Lord,

praise the Lord,

for he has delivered the soul of the needy

from the hands of evil men.

Responsive Psalm : Psalm 68(69):8-10,14,17,33-35

In your great love, answer me, O Lord.

It is for you that I suffer taunts,

  that shame covers my face,

that I have become a stranger to my brothers,

  an alien to my own mother’s sons.

I burn with zeal for your house

  and taunts against you fall on me.

In your great love, answer me, O Lord.

This is my prayer to you,

  my prayer for your favour.

In your great love, answer me, O God,

  with your help that never fails:

Lord, answer, for your love is kind;

  in your compassion, turn towards me.

In your great love, answer me, O Lord.

The poor when they see it will be glad

  and God-seeking hearts will revive;

for the Lord listens to the needy

  and does not spurn his servants in their chains.

Let the heavens and the earth give him praise,

  the sea and all its living creatures.

In your great love, answer me, O Lord.

Second Reading : Romans 5:12-15

Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned. Sin existed in the world long before the Law was given. There was no law and so no one could be accused of the sin of ‘law-breaking’, yet death reigned over all from Adam to Moses, even though their sin, unlike that of Adam, was not a matter of breaking a law.

  Adam prefigured the One to come, but the gift itself considerably outweighed the fall. If it is certain that through one man’s fall so many died, it is even more certain that divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift.

Gospel : Matthew 10:26-33

Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘Do not be afraid. For everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the housetops.

  ‘Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.

  ‘So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one who disowns me in the presence of men, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven.’

Edmund of Canterbury & St. Thomas More

Ordination to the Diaconate of Frank Westcott

Why does you parish exist? Is it to celebrate the Eucharist? Is it to support CAFOD or a Justice and Peace Group? Without a doubt, the aforementioned are crucial to why a parish exists. However, the raison d’etre,

the very reason for pairsh exisitence, is to evenagleise, which means attracting or winning others to the Gospel and the wau of Christ.

Now, many protest that they don’t want to force their faith down anyone’s throat or be overly enthusisiastic, as this can be rather off-putting. Indeed, proselytising (attempting to convert someone from one religion to another) isn’t recommended either. Pope Francis said, ‘Never, never bring the Gospel by proselytising. If someone says they are a disciple of Jesua nd comes to you with proelytism, they are not a disciple of Jesus.’

So, how do we evangelise? Today’s reading sheds light on this because the first thing to understand is that the workers are few but the harvest is plentiful. We’re the workers, ordinary believers, who live in the harvest field and rub shoulders with our relatives, work colleagues and friends every day. We can win others by the power of witness, the light we shine, the joy we bring, and the way we share or explain our faith. 

Pope St John Paul II said: ‘Being a Christian has never been easy… Following Christ demands the courage of radical choices, which often means going against the stream. “We are Christ!” Augustine explained. The martyrs and witnesses of faith yesterday and today, including many lay faithful, show that if necessary, we must not hesitate to give even our lives for Jesus Christ.’

May our parishes be witnesses of joy! May they overflow with the warm welcome and authentic, joyful worship of God! This is evangelisation. 

‘Dear lay faithful. As witnesses to Christ you are…called to bring the light of the Gospel to the vital nerve centres of society. You are called to be prophets of Christian hope and apostles of the One “who is…who was and sho is to come, the Almighty!” (Pope St John Paul II)

Dear Friends in Christ 11^th Sunday of the Year

ORDINATION TO THE DIACONATE: Please pray for our own parishioner Frank Westcott who will be Ordained a Deacon on Sunday 2^nd July at Oscott College by Archbishop Bernard Longley. Many of you know Frank, and it is truly a great honour for our parish and for the Diocese of Brentwood that his Ordination as a Deacon is part of that journey to Priesthood. Frank will be a transitional Deacon, meaning that in twelve months’ time he will be Ordained to the Sacred Priesthood of Jesus Christ in our own Parish. If you would like to send him a card or good wishes his address is: Oscott College, Chester Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands. B73 5AA. If you would like to contriubute to a Special Retiring Collection today as a gift from the Parish to Frank your contributions will be gratefully received. As Frank has no family here in England, this would be a wonderful gesture and way of supporting him. With grateful thanks!

May God Bless You All,    

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION PROGRAMME 2023/24: Forward planning is extremely important, as the Holy Communion Programme always starts in September. If there are any families whose children will be going into Year 3 in September, and who would like to enrol in the new programme Fr John will be seeing parents this week Monday 19^th June to Friday 23^rd June. (Please book an appointment with Fr John Tel No: 020 8508 3492) The prerequisites for enrolment are: a) That you are baptised practicing Roman Catholic attending Weekly Mass. b) That your child will be in Year 3 or above, 7 rising 8 as of September 2023. c) That you live in the Parish of St Edmund of Canterbury. 

SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION: Will be celebrated in 2024. (As yet we have no date from the Bishop’s Office) If there are any young people wishing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation next year please see Fr John for an enrolment form. Prerequisites: a) Baptised, Weekly practicing Roman Catholic. b) That you will be 14 years of age and above at the time of Confirmation. c) If you have not been attending church over the past year please don’t waste our time. Sadly, out of the 48 Confirmed in 2021, very few attend weekly Mass; some have never returned since the Day of their Confirmation; this is manifestly an insult to Almighty God and the dignity of the Sacrament. The Sacrament of Confirmation is not about stamping the Sacramental Passport! PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES FOR CONFIRMATION PLEASE PERSONALLY COLLECT ENROLMENT FORM FROM Fr JOHN AT THE PRESBYTERY. Please kindly return by Friday 30^th June 2023 to Fr John, Thank you! 

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY: The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SVP) is an international voluntary organization in the Catholic Church, founded in 1833 for the sanctification of its members by personal service of the poor. The St Vincent de Paul Society approaches each request for help with compassion and consideration for support tailored to the uniqueness of the individual and situation. I have been approached by a few members of the parish to re-establish the SVP here in our parish. If you are interested in joining a Parish SVP Conference please speak to Fr John or Sharon Fitzmaurice. Thank you!  More information later.    

NEW ALTAR SERVERS: If any of our First Holy Communicants would like to become Altar Servers, please see Fr. John. It would be wonderful if some of the children would consider this wonderful ministry of serving God and the Community each week. Serving at the Altar is truly a great honour, and I’m always grateful to everyone who has volunteered to become Altar Servers. 

FROM OUR GIFT AID ORGANISER: Our Parish Gift Aid Organiser is Abbie Akinfenwa – abbie.akinfenwa@btinternet.com or text to 0775470934 with your name and gift aid number.  I would encourage all parishioners to join the Parish Gift Aid Scheme. If you are a Tax Payer, it’s a really painless process, all we need is you name and address, there are Gift Aid Application Forms in the Porch of the Church, and Abbie can give you all the help you need re information. We are able to claim back 25 pence in every pound donated to the church, when you use you envelopes or pay by Standing Order.  Please think about joining, and thanks to those who already belong!  

MASS INTENTIONS: There is a lot of availability in the Parish Mass register. If anyone wants a mass intention for any reason, Anniversaries, birthdays, special occasions, for anyone who is sick, please complete the Mass Envelope in the porch and leave off at the presbytery. 

REGISTERING AT THE PARISH: It’s always important to have details of all of our parishioners. There are Parish Registration Forms in the Porch of the Church. Please complete and return to the Presbytery.

BAPTISMS: If there are parents wishing to have their children baptised at St Edmund’s could you kindly contact Fr John as soon as possible. For first time parents there is a Baptismal Programme run by Mrs Sharon Chalk. Baptisms take place on either Saturday or Sunday at 12.30pm

PLEASE PRAY FOR THOSE SICK IN OUR PARISH

Edgar Azzopardi, Margaret Baldwin, Evelyn Bearne, Karl Britz, Brenda Bryant, Carlos Camacho, Jane Downs, Steve Dalgliesh, Pat Fenn, Bernadette Hall, Ann Hawkes, Claire Howes, Shaun Keel, Bridget Kinsella, Les Langan,  Angela Long, Lilian Mothersole, John McKernan, Rosemary O’Rourke, Remy, Geraldine Taylor, Vera Taylor, Mary & Steve Witten, James Wright. And all our loved ones.  

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

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: 

https://www.dioceseofbrentwood.net/donations?parish=loughton

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

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.  

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN A VOCATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD? At present we only have five seminarians training for the Priesthood in the Diocese of Brentwood. The period of formation for each is several years. If you know of anyone who may be interested in learning more about the priesthood, or who feel they may have a vocation to the Priesthood   please contact Fr Mark Swires vocprom@dioceseofbrentwood.org

CHILDREN’S SUNDAY LITURGY: Thank you for starting children’s Sunday Liturgy again. But we need more help. Parents, can you spare one Sunday every two months to help the children during the 11.00am Mass? We need more parents to join our lovely group. Please contact Mrs Elena Manara at e_vismara@yahoo.com Thank you and we hope to hear from you soon.

RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS: Journey of Faith. Is there anyone who may be interested in the RCIA Programme, possibly with the view of being received into full-communion with the Roman Catholic Faith? Every year we run this programme commencing at the beginning of September, leading to reception into the Church at the Easter Vigil. It is a systematic programme of every aspect of Catholcism, including Scripture, Sacramental Life, and The Dogma’s of our Faith, Catholic Practice & traditions, Christology & Mariology, Study of the Church.   Please see Fr John who will explain the whole process to you.  

DO YOU LIKE SINGING? As you know we have a wonderful Choir and Choir Director in Sue Farrow. We are looking for new choir members who like singing with others. We learn traditional and contemporary pieces of music, and also sing Motets in four parts. If you’re interested please speak to Sue or Fr John. Choir practice on Wednesdays & Saturdays.  

SICK & HOUSEBOUND: If there are any parishioners who have become sick or housebound, please notify Fr John, who will be only too happy to make a house call and bring Holy Communion on a regular basis. It’s important that we’re able to keep in touch with all of our parishioners, and especially those who are sick.  

PARISH ALTAR SERVERS: Quite a number of Altar Servers ceased serving at Mass since the Pandemic. I’m making a special appeal to all former Altar Servers to kindly return their Albs to the Sacristy.  Albs are extremely expensive to buy these days, and I believe there a quite a few still out there not being used anymore.  If any young person wishes to become an Altar Server, please see Fr. John as soon as possible; we can help to prepare you to serve at the Altar. This is a truly wonderful ministry, and it is a special way of serving God and the whole community of faith.

PARISH REPOSITORY: There are a variety of First Holy Communion gifts available in the repository – Children’s Missals, Rosaries, medals, statues, candles, Communion Cards, crosses. Teresa Wallace is always very helpful in ordering any religious item you wish. The parish repository is available all week. Please leave your money for items in the box provided. Thank you! 

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 and our donations are still needed desperately as more and more people in our community are struggling during this cost of living crisis. The Foodbank have asked for support with the following items: sponge pudding desserts, custard, juice, tinned meat, noodles, snack bars, small chocolate bars, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, toilet roll and deodorant. Please place any donations in the dedicated plastic boxes in the garage. Thank you! You can also keep up to date with the Foodbank news via their facebook page: www.facebook.com/EppingForestFoodbank/ 

PARISH READERS: We are always looking for some new Parish Lectors; parishioners who would be willing to read on a regular basis at one of the Sunday Masses. We have a few already, but it would be wonderful if there could be a few more volunteers. ALSO: If any of our regular weekday Mass attendees would be willing to read at the weekday masses we could organise a rota. Since Covid there haven’t been any regular readers. You may feel called to this ministry, and once again, it is doing something for God and the Community. Please speak to Fr. John.

SACRISTANS: Fr John could really do with some additional help in the Sacristy especially during the week. I have been very dependent upon Veronica Short over the past few years. But it would be good if another couple of people could volunteer during the week to help in setting up for Mass each day, and clearing up afterwards. It really doesn’t take that long to do. We could organise a rota of days. Once again this is service of God and the Community. 

IN CASES OF EMERGENCY: Tuesday is usually Fr. John’s Day Off. In cases of emergency please call one of the local parishes, either in Epping – Tel: 01992 572516, or the St. Thomas of Canterbury Friary at Woodford Green – Tel: 020 8504 1688.  This would also apply if Fr. John is away for a few days break or on Retreat. All the local funeral directors have a contact number for Fr. John if a funeral needs to be arranged in his absence. 

MASS INTENTIONS –  JUNE 2023

Sat 17th	10.00am	Fr John Deehan’s Int’s (Mary Ryan)
		Confessions 11am – 12Noon or on demandVigil Mass for Sunday. Confessions at 5.30pm
Sat 17th	6.00pm	Leo Feord RIP (Clifford Family)
Sun 18th	9.00am	The dedicated Staff at Whipps Cross & UCL Hospitals (Susan & John Campbell)
Sun 18th	11:00am	Richard Dulude’s Int’s (Eileen Lee)
Mon 19th	10.00am	Bridget Kinsella RIP (Pat & Margaret)
Tues 20th	10.00am	Holy Souls
Wed 21st	10.00am	Edmund Schwindling RIP (Remy)
Thur 22nd	9.00am	Margaret’s Baldwin’s Int’s
Fri 24th	10.00am	Pat McCreesh RIP (Christine Perrett)
Sat 25th	10.00am	Int’s of John & Marian Schutz (Remy)
		Confessions 11am – 12Noon or on demandVigil Mass for Sunday. Confessions at 5.30pm
Sat 25th	6.00pm	People of the Parish
Sun 26th	9.00am	David Jarvis RIP (Sue & John Campbell)
Sun 26th	11:00am	Isabelo Ballesteros RIP (Bacuetes Family)

Please kindly put your Mass requests in early for anniversaries etc., this is to avoid any disappointment if a particular date has already been booked, 

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

The Brentwood Diocesan Trust     Registered Charity No. 234092

11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading : Exodus 19:2-6

From Rephidim the sons of Israel set out again; and when they reached the wilderness of Sinai, there in the wilderness they pitched their camp; there facing the mountain Israel pitched camp.

  Moses then went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Say this to the House of Jacob, declare this to the sons of Israel, “You yourselves have seen what I did with the Egyptians, how I carried you on eagle’s wings and brought you to myself. From this you know that now, if you obey my voice and hold fast to my covenant, you of all the nations shall be my very own for all the earth is mine. I will count you a kingdom of priests, a consecrated nation.”’

Responsive Psalm : Psalm 99(100):2-3,5

We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.

  Serve the Lord with gladness.

  Come before him, singing for joy.

We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Know that he, the Lord, is God.

  He made us, we belong to him,

  we are his people, the sheep of his flock.

We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Indeed, how good is the Lord,

  eternal his merciful love.

  He is faithful from age to age.

We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Second Reading : Romans 5:6-11

We were still helpless when at his appointed moment Christ died for sinful men. It is not easy to die even for a good man – though of course for someone really worthy, a man might be prepared to die – but what proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. Having died to make us righteous, is it likely that he would now fail to save us from God’s anger? When we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, we were still enemies; now that we have been reconciled, surely we may count on being saved by the life of his Son? Not merely because we have been reconciled but because we are filled with joyful trust in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have already gained our reconciliation.

Gospel : Matthew 9:36-10:8

When Jesus saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’

  He summoned his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness.

  These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the one who was to betray him. These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them as follows:

  ‘Do not turn your steps to pagan territory, and do not enter any Samaritan town; go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as you go, proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. You received without charge, give without charge.’

 As a parish we are truly honoured and privileged to have had a Seminarian come from one of our own parishioners. Frank Westcott was accepted by Bishop Alan as a candidate for the Priesthood three years ago. He has been following a special tailor-made course at St Mary’s College Oscott, and has been accepted for Ordination to the Diaconate on Sunday 2^nd July 2023 at 11.00am. The Ordaining Prelate will be Archbishop Bernard Longley. The journey to priesthood includes a year as a transitory Deacon. Frank will be Ordained to the Sacred Priesthood, hopefully here in our parish next summer 2024.

I thought it would be nice to do something special for Frank on this occasion of his Diaconate, as he doesn’t have any family here in the country. If you would like to contribute to a Voluntary Retiring Collection at the end of all masses this weekend I will send it to him as our gift from the parish. If you use the Parish Gift Aid Scheme please use your spare gift envelopes. We will cancel the Scheduled Retiring Collection, and just have the Collection for Frank.

Thanking you all in anticipation

Love & God Bless

Fr. John 

Edmund of Canterbury & St. Thomas More

Today we celebrate the Sacrament which is the source and summit of the Christian life. This phrase ‘source and summit’ is a rather awesome one, isn’t it? It is as if in the blessed Eucharist is contained the entire spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Passover Lamb. The great St. Irenaeus put it so beautifully when he said many centuries ago ‘Our way of thinking is attuned to the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn confirms our way of thinking.’ What does it mean to have our way of thinking attuned to the Eucharist?

Our word Eucharist has its roots in the Greek words eucharistein and eulogein, which recall the Jewish blessing – especially during a meal – of God’s works of creation, redemption and sanctification. At the very heart then, of the Eucharist is a celebration of praise and thanksgiving at which Christ is made real and present. This is why, on entering a church where the Eucharist is in the Tabernacle, we acknowledge the real presence of Christ and genuflect in adoration. 

We must continue to cultivate a genuine sense of Eucharistic wonder and awe. As we allow the Holy Spirit to work within us, he helps us grow in awareness of the fat that it is truly Christ himself whom we are receiving

This understanding that Christ is real and present in the Eucharist cannot be apprehended by the senses but only by faith, and our faith relies on God’s authority, for it was Jesus himself who said: This is my body, which is given for you.’ The eminent Church father St. Cyril said, ‘Do not doubt whether this is true but rather receive the words of the Saviour in faith, for since he is the truth, he cannot lie.’ The Eucharist is our greatest gift; it is our richest blessing and most cherished treasure. Nothing in the Christian life compares to it for in the Eucharist is Christ himself, the ‘Godhead here in hiding’. 

Dear Friends in Christ                   Corpus Christi 2023

In this most wonderful Solemnity of Corpus Christi, we celebrate the Miracle of the Mass, the great gift that Jesus gave to the Apostles at the Last Supper and, which he continues to give to us for all time, His Body & Blood, Soul and Divinity. In faith, we gather each week to celebrate this most wondrous gift. In fulfilling our Sunday Obligation to worship with the Faith Community, we become more like our Divine Master. In living the Christian life we are striving to emulate Jesus Christ in all things. It is the Eucharist which gives us the strength and courage to continue to bear witness to Christ, through the holiness of our lives. Jesus feeds us with his very presence so we can grow in his likeness! Let us always love and respect this priceless gift of his Body & Blood!  

URGENT, IMPORTANT MESSAGE – CALLING ACCOUNTANTS OR ANYONE IN FINANCE: UNFORTUNATELY AS YET THERE HAS BEEN NO RESPONSE – PLEASE CAN I APPEAL AGAIN! After many years of service to our Parish, our Accountant Michael Manzi is retiring from this voluntary post. I would like to publicly thank Michael for the incredible work he has done over many years, it has certainly been invaluable to me personally, but also in general to the whole parish community. His selfless commitment and generosity of time has been invaluable.  I now make this urgent appeal to the whole parish community for another volunteer, who would be willing to serve the parish in this capacity? Michael would be willing to help you and show you the ropes. Also being computer literate is necessary, and there is a special programme used for all Parish & Diocesan Accounts. Please contact Fr. John directly if you’re able to help Tel No: 020 8508 3492. Thank you! 

ORDINATION TO THE DIACONATE: Please pray for our own parishioner Frank Westcott who will be Ordained a Deacon on Sunday 2^nd July at Oscott College by Archbishop Bernard Longley. Many of you know Frank, and it is truly a great honour for our parish and for the Diocese of Brentwood that his Ordination as a Deacon is part of that journey to Priesthood. Frank will be a transitional Deacon, meaning that in twelve months’ time he will be Ordained to the Sacred Priesthood of Jesus Christ in our own Parish. If you would like to send him a card or good wishes his address is: Oscott College, Chester Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands. B73 5AA. 

May God Bless You All,    

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION PROGRAMME 2023/24: Forward planning is extremely important, as the Holy Communion Programme always starts in September. If there are any families whose children will be going into Year 3 in September, and who would like to enrol in the new programme Fr John will be seeing parents from Monday 19^th June to Friday 23^rd June. (Please book an appointment with Fr John Tel No: 020 8508 3492) The prerequisites for enrolment are: a) That you are baptised practicing Roman Catholic attending Weekly Mass. b) That your child will be in Year 3 or above, 7 rising 8 as of September 2023. c) That you live in the Parish of St Edmund of Canterbury. 

SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION: Will be celebrated in 2024. (As yet we have not date from the Bishop’s Office) If there are any young people wishing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation next year please see Fr John for an enrolment form. Prerequisites: a) Baptised, Weekly practicing Roman Catholic. b) That you will be 14 years of age and above at the time of Confirmation. c) If you have not been attending church over the past year please don’t waste our time. Sadly, out of the 48 Confirmed in 2021, very few attend weekly Mass; some have never returned since the Day of their Confirmation; this is manifestly an insult to Almighty God and the dignity of the Sacrament. The Sacrament of Confirmation is not about stamping the Sacramental Passport! PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES FOR CONFIRMATION PLEASE PERSONALLY COLLECT ENROLMENT FORM FROM Fr JOHN AT THE PRESBYTERY. Please kindly return by Friday 30^th June 2023 to Fr John, Thank you!

NEW ALTAR SERVERS: If any of our First Holy Communicants would like to become Altar Servers, please see Fr. John. It would be wonderful if some of the children would consider this wonderful ministry of serving God and the Community each week. Serving at the Altar is truly a great honour, and I’m always grateful to everyone who has volunteered to become Altar Servers. 

ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY: The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SVP) is an international voluntary organization in the Catholic Church, founded in 1833 for the sanctification of its members by personal service of the poor. The St Vincent de Paul Society approaches each request for help with compassion and consideration for support tailored to the uniqueness of the individual and situation. I have been approached by a few members of the parish to re-establish the SVP here in our parish. If you are interested in joining a Parish SVP Conference please speak to Fr John or Sharon Fitzmaurice. Thank you!  More information later. 

HOLY WATER STOOPS: Have been put back in place at the back of the Church. Our custom as Roman Catholics as we enter the church is to make the sign of the cross with Holy Water. This reminds us of the Day of our Baptism, and that Baptism is an ongoing celebration of the life of faith. The Holy Water Stoops are cleaned and Holy Water renewed on a weekly basis.  

FROM OUR GIFT AID ORGANISER: Our Parish Gift Aid Organiser is Abbie Akinfenwa – abbie.akinfenwa@btinternet.com or text to 07754700934 with your name and gift aid number.  I would encourage all parishioners to join the Parish Gift Aid Scheme. If you are a Tax Payer, it’s a really painless process, all we need is you name and address, there are Gift Aid Application Forms in the Porch of the Church, and Abbie can give you all the help you need re information. We are able to claim back 25 pence in every pound donated to the church, when you use you envelopes or pay by Standing Order.  Please think about joining, and thanks to those who already belong!  

MASS INTENTIONS: There is a lot of availability in the Parish Mass register. If anyone wants a mass intention for any reason, Anniversaries, birthdays, special occasions, for anyone who is sick, please complete the Mass Envelope in the porch and leave off at the presbytery. 

‘THE PRIESTS’ – CHARITY CONCERT: Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society announce the singing trio ‘The Priests’ will be performing a second charity concert on Friday 30^th June 2023 at the Brentwood Cathedral at 7.30pm. All tickets can be purchased directly through Eventbrite and are £30 per person plus booking fee: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/528414691567 We urge you to book early in order to avoid disappointment. It promises to be a great evening of entertainment. Full details are available on our website: www.bccs.org.uk/get-involved/events/

PARISH REPOSITORY: There are a variety of First Holy Communion gifts available in the repository – Children’s Missals, Rosaries, medals, statues, candles, Communion Cards, crosses. Teresa Wallace is always very helpful in ordering any religious item you wish. The parish repository is available all week. Please leave your money for items in the box provided. Thank you! 

PLEASE PRAY FOR THOSE SICK IN OUR PARISH

Edgar Azzopardi, Margaret Baldwin, Evelyn Bearne, Karl Britz, Brenda Bryant, Carlos Camacho, Jane Downs, Steve Dalgliesh, Pat Fenn, Bernadette Hall, Ann Hawkes, Claire Howes, Shaun Keel, Bridget Kinsella, Les Langan,  Angela Long, Lilian Mothersole, John McKernan, Rosemary O’Rourke, Remy, Geraldine Taylor, Vera Taylor, Mary & Steve Witten, James Wright. And all our loved ones.  

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

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

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.  

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN A VOCATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD? At present we only have five seminarians training for the Priesthood in the Diocese of Brentwood. The period of formation for each is several years. If you know of anyone who may be interested in learning more about the priesthood, or who feel they may have a vocation to the Priesthood   please contact Fr Mark Swires vocprom@dioceseofbrentwood.org

REGISTERING AT THE PARISH: It’s always important to have details of all of our parishioners. There are Parish Registration Forms in the Porch of the Church. Please complete and return to the Presbytery.

CHILDREN’S SUNDAY LITURGY: Thank you for starting children’s Sunday Liturgy again. But we need more help. Parents, can you spare one Sunday every two months to help the children during the 11.00am Mass? We need more parents to join our lovely group. Please contact Mrs Elena Manara at e_vismara@yahoo.com Thank you and we hope to hear from you soon.

RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS: Journey of Faith. Is there anyone who may be interested in the RCIA Programme, possibly with the view of being received into full-communion with the Roman Catholic Faith? Every year we run this programme leading to reception into the Church at the Easter Vigil. It is a systematic programme of every aspect of Catholicism, including Scripture, Sacramental Life, and The Dogma’s of our Faith, Catholic Practice & traditions, Christology & Mariology, Study of the Church.   Please see Fr John who will explain the whole process to you. 

DO YOU LIKE SINGING? As you know we have a wonderful Choir and Choir Director in Sue Farrow. We are looking for new choir members who like singing with others. We learn traditional and contemporary pieces of music, and also sing Motets in four parts. If you’re interested please speak to Sue or Fr John. Choir practice on Wednesdays & Saturdays.  

ST JOHN FISHER VACANCY The Trustees of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Multi Academy Trust wish to appoint a KS1/2 Teacher. Closing date Thursday 15th June, 12 noon; Interview date: Tuesday 20th June 2023. For further details please visit website below, or alternatively call Mrs Irene Nelson, H.R. Manager on 01279 425383. www.ourladyoffatimatrust.essex.sch.uk

ST LUKE’s CATHOLIC ACADEMY The Trustees of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Multi Academy Trust wish to appoint an EYFS/KS1 Class Teacher. Closing date Thursday 15th June, 12 noon; Interview date: Monday 19th June 2023. For further details please visit website below, or alternatively call Mrs Irene Nelson, H.R. Manager on 01279 425383. www.ourladyoffatimatrust.essex.sch.uk

SICK & HOUSEBOUND: If there are any parishioners who have become sick or housebound, please notify Fr John, who will be only too happy to make a house call and bring Holy Communion on a regular basis. It’s important that we’re able to keep in touch with all of our parishioners, and especially those who are sick.  

PARISH ALTAR SERVERS: Quite a number of Altar Servers ceased serving at Mass since the Pandemic. I’m making a special appeal to all former Altar Servers to kindly return their Albs to the Sacristy.  Albs are extremely expensive to buy these days, and I believe there a quite a few still out there not being used anymore.  If any young person wishes to become an Altar Server, please see Fr. John as soon as possible; we can help to prepare you to serve at the Altar. This is a truly wonderful ministry, and it is a special way of serving God and the whole community of faith.

BAPTISMS: If there are parents wishing to have their children baptised at St Edmund’s could you kindly contact Fr John as soon as possible. For first time parents there is a Baptismal Programme run by Mrs Sharon Chalk. Baptisms take place on either Saturday or Sunday at 12.30pm

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 and our donations are still needed desperately as more and more people in our community are struggling during this cost of living crisis. The Foodbank have asked for support with the following items: sponge pudding desserts, custard, juice, tinned meat, noodles, snack bars, small chocolate bars, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, toilet roll and deodorant. Please place any donations in the dedicated plastic boxes in the garage. Thank you! You can also keep up to date with the Foodbank news via their facebook page: www.facebook.com/EppingForestFoodbank/ 

PARISH READERS: We are always looking for some new Parish Lectors; parishioners who would be willing to read on a regular basis at one of the Sunday Masses. We have a few already, but it would be wonderful if there could be a few more volunteers. ALSO: If any of our regular weekday Mass attendees would be willing to read at the weekday masses we could organise a rota. Since Covid there haven’t been any regular readers. You may feel called to this ministry, and once again, it is doing something for God and the Community. Please speak to Fr. John.

SACRISTANS: Fr John could really do with some additional help in the Sacristy especially during the week. I have been very dependent upon Veronica Short over the past few years. But it would be good if another couple of people could volunteer during the week to help in setting up for Mass each day, and clearing up afterwards. It really doesn’t take that long to do. We could organise a rota of days. Once again this is service of God and the Community. 

IN CASES OF EMERGENCY: Tuesday is usually Fr. John’s Day Off. In cases of emergency please call one of the local parishes, either in Epping – Tel: 01992 572516, or the St. Thomas of Canterbury Friary at Woodford Green – Tel: 020 8504 1688.  This would also apply if Fr. John is away for a few days break or on Retreat. All the local funeral directors have a contact number for Fr. John if a funeral needs to be arranged in his absence. 

MASS INTENTIONS –  JUNE 2023

Sat 10th              CORPUS	10.00amCHRISTI	John Dowd RIP (Mary Ryan)
		Confessions 11am – 12Noon or on demandVigil Mass for Sunday. Confessions at 5.30pm
Sat 10th      CORPUS	6.00pm CHRISTI	People of the Parish
Sun 11th              CORPUS	9.00amCHRISTI	Shirley Holmes RIP (Sue & John Campbell)
Sun 11th	11:00am	Daniel, Ellen & Betsy Exley RIP (Catherine Knight
Mon 12th	10.00am	Sapper Raymond Marchant RIP (Patrick Marchant)
Tues 13th	10.00am	Martin Ward RIP (Pat Ward)
Wed 14th	10.00am	John William Shea RIP (Fr John)
Thur 15th	10.00am	Jim Sullivan RIP (Celine Sullivan)
Fri 16th	10.00am	Peter Smith RIP (Paul Falco)
Sat 17th	10.00am	Fr John Deehan’s Int’s (Mary Ryan)
		Confessions 11am – 12Noon or on demandVigil Mass for Sunday. Confessions at 5.30pm
Sat 17th	6.00pm	Leo Feord RIP (Clifford Family)
Sun 18th	9.00am	The dedicated Staff at Whipps Cross & UCL Hospitals (Susan & John Campbell)
Sun 18th	11:00am	Richard Dulude’s Int’s (Eileen Lee)

Please kindly put your Mass requests in early for anniversaries etc., this is to avoid any disappointment if a particular date has already been booked, 

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

The Brentwood Diocesan Trust     Registered Charity No. 234092

Corpus Christi – Solemnity

First Reading: Deuteronomy 8:2-3,14-16

Moses said to the people: ‘Remember how the Lord your God led you for forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, to test you and know your inmost heart – whether you would keep his commandments or not. He humbled you, he made you feel hunger, he fed you with manna which neither you nor your fathers had known, to make you understand that man does not live on bread alone but that man lives on everything that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

  ‘Do not become proud of heart. Do not forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery: who guided you through this vast and dreadful wilderness, a land of fiery serpents, scorpions, thirst; who in this waterless place brought you water from the hardest rock; who in this wilderness fed you with manna that your fathers had not known.’

Responsive Psalm: Psalm 147:12-15,19-20

O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!

O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!

  Zion, praise your God!

He has strengthened the bars of your gates

  he has blessed the children within you.

O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!

He established peace on your borders,

  he feeds you with finest wheat.

He sends out his word to the earth

  and swiftly runs his command.

O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!

He makes his word known to Jacob,

  to Israel his laws and decrees.

He has not dealt thus with other nations;

  he has not taught them his decrees.

O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!

Second Reading : 1 Corinthians 10:16-17

The blessing-cup that we bless is a communion with the blood of Christ, and the bread that we break is a communion with the body of Christ. The fact that there is only one loaf means that, though there are many of us, we form a single body because we all have a share in this one loaf.

Gospel : John 6:51-58

Jesus said to the crowd:

‘I am the living bread which has come down from heaven.

Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever;

and the bread that I shall give is my flesh,

for the life of the world.’

Then the Jews started arguing with one another: ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ they said. Jesus replied:

‘I tell you most solemnly,

if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,

you will not have life in you.

Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood

has eternal life,

and I shall raise him up on the last day.

For my flesh is real food

and my blood is real drink.

He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood

lives in me

and I live in him.

As I, who am sent by the living Father,

myself draw life from the Father,

so whoever eats me will draw life from me.

This is the bread come down from heaven;

not like the bread our ancestors ate:

they are dead,

but anyone who eats this bread will live forever.’

Edmund of Canterbury & St. Thomas More

Sometimes, in unguarded moments, clergy are often prone to confess that giving the homily on the Feast of the Holy Trinity isn’t their favourite task! The problem, they sometimes protest, it that the Blessed Trinity is such a mystery and preaching on it is, well, difficult, challenging and mysterious! In fact, what we need to understand about this feast-day is that it isn’t about getting our heads around the Trinity – that is truly an impossible task.  It’s more about getting our heads (and hearts) into the Trinity. The Trinity isn’t a mystery to be solved but rather a mystery to be discovered.

Truly, the mystery that Jesus unveiled is that God is Three Persons in the One: God is Father, God is Son and God is Holy Spirit. This pivotal truth of Christian faith cannot be accessed simply through human reason. Yes, reason can bring us to the very edge of this ocean, but faith enables us to jump in and immerse ourselves in the depth, length, width and height of God’s everlasting love revealed as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Through the grace of Baptism we come to know the Father, are redeemed by the Son and are called to live our lives in the power of the Holy Spirit – we have a relationship with each member of the Holy Trinity. The Trinity seek worshippers. At the heart of worship is praise and adoration of the goodness, truth and beauty of God. And it is through the grace of praise and worship that we are able to enter into the mystery of the Trinity.

The word ‘trinity’ does not appear in the Bible. It was coined by Theophilus of Antioch around 180AD to express this clear teaching of the New Testament. Christopher Columbus had a great devotion to the Blessed Trinity. He invoked the Trinity at the beginning of every enterprise and every letter he wrote began with the ‘In the name of the Most Holy Trinity’. On his third voyage in 1898 he vowed to consecrate to the Trinity the first land he would discover, and that was Trinidad. We too, like Columbus, can set off on a voyage into the Ocean of God’s love revealed by the Father, through the Son and in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Dear Friends in Christ,                   Trinity Sunday 2023

Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, where we proclaim that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. At our baptism we were initiated into the whole life of the Trinity; God gives himself completely to us, and we are invited to share in his life. The Feast of the Holy Trinity follows Pentecost because it is only by the inspiration of the Third Person of the Trinity, who leads into all truth, that the mystery of the Trinity can be known.    

URGENT IMPORTANT MESSAGE – CALLING ACCOUNTANTS: After many years of service to our Parish, our Accountant Michael Manzi is retiring from this voluntary post. I would like to publicly thank Michael for the incredible work he has done over many years, it has certainly been invaluable to me personally, but also in general to the whole parish community. His selfless commitment and generosity of time has been invaluable.  I now make this urgent appeal to the whole parish community for another volunteer, who would be willing to serve the parish in this capacity? Michael would be willing to help you and show you the ropes. Also being computer literate is necessary, and there is a special programme used for all Parish & Diocesan Accounts. Please contact Fr. John directly if you’re able to help Tel No: 020 8508 3492. Thank you!  

NEW ALTAR SERVERS: If any of our First Holy Communicants would like to become Altar Servers, please see Fr. John. It would be wonderful if some of the children would consider this wonderful ministry of serving God and the Community each week. Serving at the Altar is truly a great honour, and I’m always grateful to everyone who has volunteered to become Altar Servers. 

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION PROGRAMME 2023/24: Forward planning is extremely important, as the Holy Communion Programme always starts in September. If there are any families whose children will be going into Year 3 in September, and who would like to enrol in the new programme Fr John will be seeing parents from Monday 19^th June to Friday 23^rd June. (Please book an appointment with Fr John Tel No: 020 8508 3492) The prerequisites for enrolment are: a) That you are baptised practicing Roman Catholic attending Weekly Mass. b) That your child will be in Year 3 or above, 7 rising 8 as of September 2023. c) That you live in the Parish of St Edmund of Canterbury. 

May God Bless You All 

SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION: Will be celebrated in 2024. (As yet we have no date from the Bishop’s Office) If there are any young people wishing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation next year please see Fr John for an enrolment form. Prerequisites: a) Baptised, Weekly practicing Roman Catholic. b) That you will be 14 years of age and above at the time of Confirmation. c) If you have not been attending church over the past year please don’t waste our time. Sadly, out of the 48 Confirmed in 2021, very few attend weekly Mass; some have never returned since the Day of their Confirmation; this is manifestly an insult to Almighty God and the dignity of the Sacrament. The Sacrament of Confirmation is not about stamping the Sacramental Passport! 

REQUIESCAT IN PACE: In your mercy please pray for the repose of the souls of Edmund Schvindling RIP, (Husband of Remy) who passed away this recently. The Requiem Mass will take place on Wednesday 7^th June at 12.15pm and Interment at Chigwell Cemetery at 1.30pm. We extend our condolences to the family in this time of great loss.

HOLY WATER STOOPS: Have been put back in place at the back of the Church. Our custom as Roman Catholics, as we enter the church is to make the sign of the cross with Holy Water. This reminds us of the Day of our Baptism, and that Baptism is an ongoing celebration of the life of faith. The Holy Water Stoops are cleaned and Holy Water renewed on a weekly basis.  

FROM OUR GIFT AID ORGANISER: Our Parish Gift Aid Organiser is Abbie Akinfenwa – abbie.akinfenwa@btinternet.com or text to 07754700934 with your name and gift aid number.  I would encourage all parishioners to join the Parish Gift Aid Scheme. If you are a Tax Payer, it’s a really painless process, all we need is you name and address, there are Gift Aid Application Forms in the Porch of the Church, and Abbie can give you all the help you need re information. We are able to claim back 25 pence in every pound donated to the church, when you use you envelopes or pay by Standing Order.  Please think about joining, and thanks to those who already belong!  

MASS INTENTIONS: There is a lot of availability in the Parish Mass register. If anyone wants a mass intention for any reason, Anniversaries, birthdays, special occasions, for anyone who is sick, please complete the Mass Envelope in the porch and leave off at the presbytery. 

‘THE PRIESTS’ – CHARITY CONCERT: Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society announce the singing trio ‘The Priests’ will be performing a second charity concert on Friday 30^th June 2023 at the Brentwood Cathedral at 7.30pm. All tickets can be purchased directly through Eventbrite and are £30 per person plus booking fee: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/528414691567 We urge you to book early in order to avoid disappointment. It promises to be a great evening of entertainment. Full details are available on our website: www.bccs.org.uk/get-involved/events/

NOTE FOR OUR CONTEMPORARY MUSIC GROUP At our 11am Mass on Sunday, 7th May, we had 15 singers – an excellent turnout. It would be really good if we can have the same number (and more!) at our next 11am Mass which in on Sunday, 4th June (Trinity Sunday). We will be practising for this Mass on Thursday, 1st June, 7pm to 8pm and we’d love to see you all there as well. At our last practice, we only had 5 singers turn up and they get the gold stars. We have another 10 or more gold stars to give out, so please do come to the practice as well! Please pass the word around and also encourage more young parishioners and their families to join our happy group! 

PARISH REPOSITORY: There are a variety of First Holy Communion gifts available in the repository – Children’s Missals, Rosaries, medals, statues, candles, Communion Cards, crosses. Teresa Wallace is always very helpful in ordering any religious item you wish. The parish repository is available all week. Please leave your money for items in the box provided. Thank you!   

READERS & EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS: Thank you to those who contacted Julie to resume your Eucharistic Ministry.  Julie Callender, has sent out the Ministers’ Rota, but there may need to be a few adjustments. Julie’s ‘phone numbers are 07834 088661 (mobile – preferred) and 020 8502 3854 (land line) and her email is julie.callander@hotmail.com  READERS: We are in need of some new Readers at our weekend and weekday masses. We’ve contacted our former Readers, but it would be good to have some new readers especially some young readers Please contact Julie or Fr John  

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 and our donations are still needed desperately as more and more people in our community are struggling during this cost of living crisis. The Foodbank have asked for support with the following items: sponge pudding desserts, custard, juice, tinned meat, noodles, snack bars, small chocolate bars, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, toilet roll and deodorant. Please place any donations in the dedicated plastic boxes in the garage. Thank you! You can also keep up to date with the Foodbank news via their facebook page: www.facebook.com/EppingForestFoodbank/ 

BILLY-THE-DOG: on behalf of Billy, whose typing skills are rudimentary, Iain McLay would like to thank all the wonderful parishioners who supported Billy for his Cathedral Grand Tour. Putting together Cash, Card and On-line donations, plus gift-aid, Billy raised the amazing grand total of £2750. Christian Aid will be able to do such good work with that money. Billy had a fantastic time and met kind people wherever he went, but he is enjoying resting a little now, lots of snoring has been heard.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THOSE SICK IN OUR PARISH

Edgar Azzopardi, Margaret Baldwin, Evelyn Bearne, Karl Britz, Brenda Bryant, Carlos Camacho, Jane Downs, Steve Dalgliesh, Pat Fenn, Bernadette Hall, Ann Hawkes, Claire Howes, Shaun Keel, Bridget Kinsella, Les Langan,  Angela Long, Lilian Mothersole, John McKernan, Rosemary O’Rourke, Remy, Geraldine Taylor, Vera Taylor, Mary & Steve Witten, James Wright. And all our loved ones.  

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

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

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.  

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN A VOCATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD? At present we only have five seminarians training for the Priesthood in the Diocese of Brentwood. The period of formation for each is several years. If you know of anyone who may be interested in learning more about the priesthood, or who feel they may have a vocation to the Priesthood   please contact Fr Mark Swires vocprom@dioceseofbrentwood.org

REGISTERING AT THE PARISH: It’s always important to have details of all of our parishioners. There are Parish Registration Forms in the Porch of the Church. Please complete and return to the Presbytery.

CHILDREN’S SUNDAY LITURGY: Thank you for starting children’s Sunday Liturgy again. But we need more help. Parents, can you spare one Sunday every two months to help the children during the 11.00am Mass? We need more parents to join our lovely group. Please contact Mrs Elena Manara at e_vismara@yahoo.com Thank you and we hope to hear from you soon.

RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS: Journey of Faith. Is there anyone who may be interested in the RCIA Programme, possibly with the view of being received into full-communion with the Roman Catholic Faith? Every year we run this programme leading to reception into the Church at the Easter Vigil. It is a systematic programme of every aspect of Catholcism, including Scripture, Sacramental Life, and The Dogma’s of our Faith, Catholic Practice & traditions, Christology & Mariology, Study of the Church.   Please see Fr John who will explain the whole process to you. 

DO YOU LIKE SINGING? As you know we have a wonderful Choir and Choir Director in Sue Farrow. We are looking for new choir members who like singing with others. We learn traditional and contemporary pieces of music, and also sing Motets in four parts. If you’re interested please speak to Sue or Fr John. Choir practice on Wednesdays & Saturdays.  

SICK & HOUSEBOUND: If there are any parishioners who have become sick or housebound, please notify Fr John, who will be only too happy to make a house call and bring Holy Communion on a regular basis. It’s important that we’re able to keep in touch with all of our parishioners, and especially those who are sick.  

PARISH ALTAR SERVERS: Quite a number of Altar Servers ceased serving at Mass since the Pandemic. I’m making a special appeal to all former Altar Servers to kindly return their Albs to the Sacristy.  Albs are extremely expensive to buy these days, and I believe there a quite a few still out there not being used anymore.  If any young person wishes to become an Altar Server, please see Fr. John as soon as possible; we can help to prepare you to serve at the Altar. This is a truly wonderful ministry, and it is a special way of serving God and the whole community of faith.

BAPTISMS: If there are parents wishing to have their children baptised at St Edmund’s could you kindly contact Fr John as soon as possible. For first time parents there is a Baptismal Programme run by Mrs Sharon Chalk. Baptisms take place on either Saturday or Sunday at 12.30pm

LEADERSHIP VACANCIES IN DIOCESAN SCHOOLS: Details of all positions can be found at the following link https://www.dioceseofbrentwood.net/departments/education /vacancies/school-vacancies/

ST JOHN FISHER VACANCY The Trustees of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Multi Academy Trust wish to appoint a KS1/2 Teacher. Closing date Thursday 15th June, 12 noon; Interview date: Tuesday 20th June 2023. For further details please visit website below, or alternatively call Mrs Irene Nelson, H.R. Manager on 01279 425383. www.ourladyoffatimatrust.essex.sch.uk

ST LUKE’s CATHOLIC ACADEMY The Trustees of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Multi Academy Trust wish to appoint an EYFS/KS1 Class Teacher. Closing date Thursday 15th June, 12 noon; Interview date: Monday 19th June 2023. For further details please visit website below, or alternatively call Mrs Irene Nelson, H.R. Manager on 01279 425383. www.ourladyoffatimatrust.essex.sch.uk

IN CASES OF EMERGENCY: Tuesday is usually Fr. John’s Day Off. In cases of emergency please call one of the local parishes, either in Epping – Tel: 01992 572516, or the St. Thomas of Canterbury Friary at Woodford Green – Tel: 020 8504 1688.  This would also apply if Fr. John is away for a few days break or on Retreat. All the local funeral directors have a contact number for Fr. John if a funeral needs to be arranged in his absence.  

PARISH READERS: We are always looking for some new Parish Lectors; parishioners who would be willing to read on a regular basis at one of the Sunday Masses. We have a few already, but it would be wonderful if there could be a few more volunteers. ALSO: If any of our regular weekday Mass attendees would be willing to read at the weekday masses we could organise a rota. Since Covid there haven’t been any regular readers. You may feel called to this ministry, and once again, it is doing something for God and the Community. Please speak to Fr. John.

SACRISTANS: Fr John could really do with some additional help in the Sacristy especially during the week. I have been very dependent upon Veronica Short over the past few years. But it would be good if another couple of people could volunteer during the week to help in setting up for Mass each day, and clearing up afterwards. It really doesn’t take that long to do. We could organise a rota of days. Once again this is service of God and the Community. 

MASS INTENTIONS –  JUNE 2023

Sat 3rd	10.00am	Lillian Harrington RIP (Fr John )
		Confessions 11am – 12Noon or on demandVigil Mass for Sunday. Confessions at 5.30pm
Sat 3rd	6.00pm	Ann Duggan RIP
Sun 4th	9.00am	David Jarvis RIP (Sheehy Family)
Sun 4th	11:00am	Dec’d Relatives of Camilla Giovannini
Mon 5th	10.00am	John Anthony Harvey RIP (Anni) (Fr John)
Tues 6th	10.00am	Violet Hall RIP (Olga McGregor)
Wed 7th	12.15pm	REQUIEM MASS Edmund Schwiendling RIP
Thur 8th	9.00am	Pat & Margaret’s B’day Int’s (Steve & Veronica Short)
Fri 9th	10.00am	Margaret Baldwin’s Int’s
Sat 10th	10.00am	John Dowd RIP (Mary Ryan)
		Confessions 11am – 12Noon or on demandVigil Mass for Sunday. Confessions at 5.30pm
Sat 10th	6.00pm	People of the Parish
Sun 11th	9.00am	Shirley Holmes RIP (Sue & John Campbell)
Sun 11th	11:00am	Daniel, Ellen & Betsy Exley RIP (Catherine Knight

Please kindly put your Mass requests in early for anniversaries etc., this is to avoid any disappointment if a particular date has already been booked, 

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

The Brentwood Diocesan Trust     Registered Charity No. 234092

The Most Holy Trinity – Solemnity

First Reading: Exodus 34:4-6,8-9

With the two tablets of stone in his hands, Moses went up the mountain of Sinai in the early morning as the Lord had commanded him. And the Lord descended in the form of a cloud, and Moses stood with him there.

  He called on the name of the Lord. The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, ‘Lord, Lord, a God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in kindness and faithfulness.’ And Moses bowed down to the ground at once and worshipped. ‘If I have indeed won your favour, Lord,’ he said ‘let my Lord come with us, I beg. True, they are a headstrong people, but forgive us our faults and our sins, and adopt us as your heritage.’

Responsive Psalm: Daniel 3:52-56

To you glory and praise for evermore.

You are blest, Lord God of our fathers.

To you glory and praise for evermore.

Blest your glorious holy name.

To you glory and praise for evermore.

You are blest in the temple of your glory.

To you glory and praise for evermore.

You are blest on the throne of your kingdom.

To you glory and praise for evermore.

You are blest who gaze into the depths.

To you glory and praise for evermore.

You are blest in the firmament of heaven.

To you glory and praise for evermore.

Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 13:11-13

Brothers, we wish you happiness; try to grow perfect; help one another. Be united; live in peace and the God of love and peace will be with you.

  Greet one another with the holy kiss. All the saints send you greetings.

  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Gospel: John 3:16-18

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

‘God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost

but may have eternal life.

For God sent his Son into the world

not to condemn the world,

but so that through him the world might be saved.

No one who believes in him will be condemned;

but whoever refuses to believe is condemned already,

because he has refused to believe in the name of God’s only Son.’