Weekly Bulletin 27th September 2020

Today is the 27 Sunday in Ordinary Time: Psalm 24 that we pray at Mass today declares “Make me walk in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour” The Gospel (Matthew 21:28-32) tells the story of a man who say all the right things but he does not translate it into action. It is not only an act of hypocrisy but a lie!  Jesus compares his words like that of the religious leaders of his day – all talk but no action! The chief priests and elders paid lip-service to John the Baptist in order to curry favour with the people. He saw through them, yet they never allowed his message to touch their hearts. Words are cheap. It is not an accident that Oxford Dictionaries selected “Post Truth” as its word of the year in 2016, defining it as shorthand for “circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotions and personal belief”  Donald Trump makes up facts on a whim, claiming that he saw thousands of Muslims in New Jersey cheering the Twin Towers coming down, or that the Mexican government purposefully sends ‘bad’ immigrants to the US, when fact-checking agencies rate 78% of his statements untrue he still becomes a President of the United States. It appears that facts no longer matter much in the land of the free. When the Brexit campaign announces ‘Let’s give our NHS the £350 million the EU takes every week’ and, on winning the referendum, the claim is shrugged off as a ‘mistake’ by one Brexit leader while another explains it as ‘an aspiration’, then it’s clear we are living in a ‘post-fact’ or ‘post-truth’ world. Not merely a world where politicians and media lie – they have always lied – but one where they don’t care whether they tell the truth or not. We live in an age where it seems that rational argument is put on the back burner and emotional speechifying  gets a hearing. Arron Banks is a British business man and political donor. He is the co-founder of the Leave EU campaign. Banks was previously one of the largest donors to the UK Independence Party and helped Nigel Farage’s campaign for Britain to leave the UK. Aaron Banks rejected fact-based arguments in favour of emotions became a good in itself. Bank said: “The remain campaign featured fact, fact, fact, fact, fact. It just doesn’t work. You have got to connect with people emotionally. It’s the Trump success.” But at what price if lies triumph over the truth. With the rise of fake news, the word of truth is being covered over by lies and deceit. How difficult it is to stay with the truth of the word! And to live it in action! 

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Feasts of the Week: Tuesday: Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael Wednesday: St. Jerome (340-420) translated the Bible into Latin. Patron saint of librarians Thursday: St. Thérése of the Child Jesus – called “Little Flower” died in Lisieux 1897. Declared a Doctor of the Church in 1997. Patroness of the Missions. Friday: The Feast of the Guardian Angels – We constantly seek their protection

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 A word of thanks for your generous contributions towards the upkeep of the Graan. We do appreciate your wonderful magnanimity and kindness. Please know that you are being remembered every day in the prayers of the community. Thanks also to our ushers, ministers of the Eucharist, and all who help to sanitise our Church after each Mass. We know it is not an easy task, and we thank you for your commitment.

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Graan Draw & Dinner Dance: Our tickets for the draw are available at the monastery. 1^st Prize will be £5000,  2^nd prize – £1000 & a further 5 prizes of £100 each. We regret our annual Dinner Dance is cancelled this year.   The present circumstances suggested that we adapt our draw as we all have had to reduce our social contacts.

DUTY FOR THE WEEK:  Sun & Mon No Duty. Monday (28^TH )  evening Mass @ 7pm  – Arthur. Tues (29TH  Sept) –  Charles. Wed 30^TH Sept – Arthur. Thurs 1^st Oct – Charles.  

Fri 2^nd Oct – Arthur.   Sat 3^rd Oct – Arthur.  

Shop Opening Hours: Mon to Sat: 9.30am – 7.30pm. Sunday – 9.30am – 5pm. Telephone 028 66322272.

Guild Mass Cards: We have a wide selection of cards including a new section of Christmas Mass bouquets. We value your support. Please visit our website to see our new range of Christmas Mass Bouquet cards.