Newsletter - 28 January 2024
PARISH NEWS
Racial Justice Sunday; 28 January 2024
The theme of Racial Justice Sunday in England and Wales in 2024 is ‘Seeing one another in the life of the Church’.
There are different ways that the theme could be approached. I would like to suggest one particular way.
In the history of the Church, there have been those who looked at the society in which they lived, and responded to what they saw. They looked, made a decision based on what they saw, and acted. Alert and sensitive as they were to the commandments of Christ, when they saw justice being denied to someone because of their racial origin or colour, they were prompted to act. Their actions of opposing racism, promoting equality and justice, became their life’s work. Following this path, sometimes they encountered hostility, rejection, and attempts to overturn what they were doing.
However, they persevered and became instruments of change, agents of progress, and some are acknowledged as saints of the Church. There are many, many saints in the Church. Each is different. Each chose to follow a particular aspect of the person of Jesus.
Some saw Jesus as a teacher and devoted their lives to teaching. Some followed Jesus as one who loved the sick, and opened hospices and hospitals. Others saw Jesus as the friend of the poor and gave witness to that. Among the saints are those who remembered the words of Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for what is right. They shall be satisfied.” And then they spent their lives working that everyone would be treated justly, with fairness and without discrimination.
For Racial Justice Sunday this year, can I suggest that you explore the lives of those great men and women – those who devoted their lives to the pursuit of racial justice, those who emulated God’s passion for justice, which we read about in the scriptures.
They will inspire us, teach us, and make us sensitive to the importance of racial justice and why we work for it.
May we too, like them, see one another in the life of the Church.
Bishop Paul McAleenan, Lead Bishop for Racial Justice
To learn more about some of the saints whose lives inspire us to seek racial justice, follow this link; Saints of Colour - Catholic Bishops' Conference (cbcew.org.uk)
Focus of the Week
COCKFOSTERS SUNDAY EVENING MASS
The next Sunday evening mass will be on 4 February at 5.30pm. The Mass includes music in a relaxed atmosphere, and is followed by the Cockfosters Parish Pub. Sunday evening masses are held on the first Sunday of each month.
RETREAT - SPIRITUAL EXERCISES
SHORT RETREAT AT STORRINGTON
Sunday, 3 March 12 noon - Friday, 8 March 1.00 pm, Storrington Priory, RH20 4LN
Five day guided retreat in silence, to come to know Christ more intimately through His Word in order to love Him, to recognise His call and to serve Him better in our life.
Includes teachings, daily meetings and guidance from a personal companion.