Weekly Bulletin 19th July 2020

Sunday 19^th July 2020

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Today is the 16th Sunday of the Year: We are told today in the first reading (Wisdom 12:13.16-19) that God is very patient with us. “…your sovereignty over all makes you lenient to all” God is very patient with us because God knows of what we are made. We are described in today’s Gospel like a field of wheat that is covered in weeds. (Matthew 13:34-30). We are all made up of weeds and wheat, demons and angels, good and bad, light and dark. There is a stain glass window in a church in France that is covered with images of little angels but if one was to look closely one would also see between those little images of white angels images of many small little demons. We are all sinners. Yet sin and virtue exist side by side in each of us. Like the weeds growing alongside the wheat, we have our weaknesses. We are very fragile. However St. Paul tells us today that “The Spirit comes to help us in our weakness” (Romans 8:26). Paul knew his own weakness – writing in the same letter to the Christians at Rome he said “For I do not do the good I want but the evil I do not want is what I do” (Romans 7:19). Don’t we all know that dilemma?  Sometimes we ask ourselves where does all the weeds come from that lurk hidden within our hearts? Weeds of bitter resentments, gossipy behaviour, jealousy and envy and lack of trust in God’s mercy! God does not want our strengths, it is when we are at our weakest that God can work so powerfully through us. Pope Francis wrote an apostolic exhortation called “Rejoice and be glad” on the 19 March Feast of St. Joseph 2018. In Number 15 of that document he said: “When you feel the temptation to dwell on your own weakness, raise your eyes to Christ crucified and say: “Lord, I am a poor sinner, but you can work the miracle of making me a little bit better”. In the Church, holy yet made up of sinners, you will find everything you need to grow towards holiness.”. The Lord will never ask how successful we have been in overcoming a particular vice or sin – success and failure are accidental – but on how faithful we have been! Recently I noticed a sticker in the back of a car – it said “Christians are not perfect they are just forgiven “The Jesuit priest, Fr. James Gill, who died in 2003 founder of the Human Development Institute, was once asked how he would go about training people for ministry in the Church and he immediately replied, “I would help them learn how to fail!” Sounds all wrong, doesn’t it? We don’t need much help with that, we may feel?  But we do!  It’s also the way Jesus trained the Apostles and, like ourselves, they were slow learners. “Ring out the bells that still can ring, Forget the perfect sacrifice, There’s a crack in everything, That’s how the light gets in (and out!)  (Leonard Cohen)

Thank you for your kind donations and for your affirming words concerning our new seating arrangements in our church. We appreciate all those who volunteered to work at the new tasks that this new disposition now requires. Thanks to our ushers, collectors, and those who help to clean the seats of the church after every Mass. We are all on a steep learning curve, but with time, we will know how important it is to keep a safe environment against this dreaded disease. Fr. Charles C.P.

• Sanitising – Please use the sanitising facilities which are at each of the porch doors on entering the church.
• Social Distancing & Seating – The seats in the main body of the church are reserved for families or those of the same household. The seats in the wings/side-aisles of the Church and at the back of the altar and the gallery are kept for individuals. All the seats are marked so please ONLY SIT IN THE SEAT THAT HAS A GREEN MARKER.
• Holy Communion – Will be distributed to those in the side aisles, the gallery and at the back of the altar. The family groups who are seated in front of the altar will process up to the celebrant to receive communion, seat by seat, making sure to keep adequate distance from each other. Communion will only be given in the hand.
• Bulletin – Please take this bulletin home with you and do not leave in the church. (It is important that possible infections are curtailed.)
• Exiting the church – Please exit the Church the same door that you came in. Leave the Church one seat at a time beginning from the back. If you are incapacitated please wait until it is safe to do so.

DUTY FOR THE WEEK:  Sun &  Mon No Duty. Mon Mass @ 7pm – Arthur  Tues – Charles.  Wed: Charles.  Thurs –  Arthur   Fri – Charles   Sat –  Arthur.   

Shop Opening Hours: Mon to Sat: 9.30am – 7.30pm. Sunday – 9.30am – 5pm. Due to Covid 19 restrictions we are allowing one person at a time into the shop.

Guild Mass Cards: We have a wide selection of cards for Deceased, Mass Bouquets, Get Well, Birthday, Special Occasion, Wedding, Thinking of You  and Exam Mass Bouquets which cost £2 / €2.50 each. We value your support.