Newsletter - 14 January 2024
PARISH NEWS
Dear brothers and sisters.
I hope you all had a happy festive season.
It is usually a time when we experience and feel the love of family and friends, with dinners and parties here and there. Some of us even had a visit from overseas of family members. We have had many reasons to rejoice and thank the Lord, first and foremost for the coming of our Saviour on earth, also for very nice liturgy celebrations at Church. Even society at large brought some joy with many parties and encounters.
January can be quite challenging, feeling the downfall after good times. We removed the crib and the Christmas trees in the Church and probably at your home too. It is time to go back to normal. If we were not sure about it, the resuming of activities removes doubts that ordinary life is starting again. Children are back to school, work has started again with the same problems and challenges – we have to cope with our duties and responsibilities again.
This week, we are starting Ordinary Time in the Church calendar. This does not look very exciting. We are more interested with extraordinary times like Christmas time which is just over or Easter time. But the truth is that the major part of our lives is ordinary, full of ordinary activities and duties. 33 out of 52 weeks are what we call Ordinary weeks in the Church calendar. When we ponder on the life of Jesus, there is not much being said on his ordinary and hidden life which lasted 30 years out of 33. Our Lord on earth indeed experienced ordinary life, like any one of us, being involved in ordinary duties and activities such as supporting his family, Jesus has learnt to read and probably helped his parents like any child and young man of his time.
In a mysterious way, our God decided that it was good for him to spend time as any ordinary person, to experience the joys and pains of any human being. Faith is the ability to see the potential in everything, the more so in the smallest of things and the courage and perseverance to unlock that potential. Brothers and sisters, let us not be afraid or worried about ordinary time, which is an essential time of growth.
Fr Pascal Sullivan, ccn
Focus of the Week
LIFE IN THE SPIRIT SEMINAR
Tuesdays 8 – 9pm
30 January – 12 March 2024
Join us for praise and worship, a short talk or testimony and time for prayer and sharing. Opportunities for baptism in the Holy Spirit. This is in partnership with Mary Immaculate & St Gregory The Great Church, Barnet.
MEDJUGORJE 21-28 MAY 2024 – A FEW PLACES STILL AVAILABLE!
Flying from Gatwick to Split. The total cost will be £760. A single supplement will apply. A £30 discount will be given to those who book and pay their £100 deposit before the 31 January 2024. The package includes flights, 23kg hold luggage, transfers to and from airport to hotel, half board at hotel – breakfast and three course evening meal with wine. Staying at The Quercus Hotel – each room is en-suite with a fridge, air-con, hairdryer, TV etc.
For further information please either talk to Fr. Christophe or contact Gail Hewett directly on 07989 879148.