CORPUS CHRISTI

To mark the Solemnity of Corpus Christi we had a Procession of the Blessed Sacrament after the 11:30am Mass concluding with Benediction

TANTI AUGURI

Congratulations to Tracey and Chirstopher who were married at St Marie's this weekend

SOLEMNITY OF SAINT PETER AND SAINT PAUL

WEDNESDAY 29th JUNE.  A reminder that this is a HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION and we are bound to hear Mass on this day unless prevented from doing so by a serious reason.

Masses are as follows:

Vigil Mass 8:00pm in St Joseph's Church

9:30am in St Joseph's Church

12:15 in St Marie's Church

2:00pm in St Marie's Church with St Marie's School

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION

Here are a few pictures taken at the First Holy Communion Mass at St Marie's last week. Congratulations to all the children.  Do please keep them in your prayers so that they will grow in love for our Lord present in the Blessed Sacrament.

A FRATERNAL VISIT

With great joy we recently welcomed back Fr. Alosza Micinski to our pairsh.  You will recall Alsosza visited us as a deacon last year.  He was ordained to the priesthood on 12th June 2010 in his native Karaganda,

Kazakhstan.

As we heard from Father during his homily life for Christians is difficult enough in a mainly Moslem country, but coupled with that are the difficulties of daily living.  Remember how he told us the temperature falls to -44 in winter and he has to dig himself out of the presbytery in order to light the boiler?  

Life in Karaganda is hard, but Father Alosza and the people he serves are filled with faith.  They place their hope and their trust in God who will help them.  A reflection on how far things have gone in England came home to me when we were passing Tesco's on our way to St Joseph's for morning Mass and Father Alosza said 'Padre questo e il nuovo chiesa. - Father this is the new church.'  I think he might be right. 

Here are a few pictures that were taken during his visit.

In St Marie's School

In the parish centre with one of the younger parishioners

Group photo with children preparing for First Holy Communion

A NEW MASS SETTING

With the coming of the New Translation of the Roman Missal not only will we have to learn different words for the way we pray the Mas wh will have to learn some new music for the parts of the Mass that we sing.  Here is a setting that i thonk we might be able to learn without too much effort.

YOur comments would be welcome.

13 YEARS AGO...

Tomrrow (13th June) I will clebrate the 13th anniversary of my Oridnation to the Sacred Priesthood of Jesus Christ.  Spare a prayer for me tomorrow, please.

I will celebrate Mass of Thanksgiving in the Usus Antiquior (Latin) tomorrow evening at 7:30pm in St Marie's Church.  You are more than welcome to join me. 

HOLD UP YOUR LILIES!!!

Tomorrow is the Feast of St Anthiny of Padua.  There is a tradition of blessing lilies in his honour. 

O God, Who art the Creator and Preserver of all mankind, the Lover of spotless purity, the Giver of all grace and everlasting life, sanctify by Thy holy benediction these lilies, which in thanksgiving, and in honour of St. Anthony, Thy Confessor, we present for Thy blessing. Pour down upon them, by the sacred sign of the holy Cross, Thy heavenly dew, Thou Who didst so kindly create them to gladden man by their beauty and fragrance; enrich them with such power, that to whatsoever disease they may be applied, or in whatsoever home they may be kept, or on whatsoever person they may be borne with devotion, through the intercession of Thy servant, Anthony, they may cure every sickness, repel the attacks of Satan, preserve holy chastity, and bring peace and grace to all who serve Thee. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

LEMON POSSETT

For the Possett

600mls of double cream

150gms sugar

55mls lemon juice (the jiff lemons are perfect for this)

For the fruit topping

 225gms blueberries
50mls water
75gms sugar

Place the cream, lemon juice and sugar into a pan and bring to the boil. 

It is important to stir continuously to prevent the sugar burning at the bottom of the pan.

Once the cream mixture has been brought to the boil it can be placed in the serving dishes. The possett should now be allowed to cool.  This usually takes two hours in the fridge 

This recipe serves 4 but if you use smaller dishes it can be made to serve more.

Put the blueberries, sugar and water into a pan and bring to the boil, stirring from time to time.

Once brought to the boil add the vodka.  Simmer for 2 mins and allow to cool.

This recipe calls for 3 dessert spoons but more can be added to taste!!!

 Once cooled the blueberries can be spooned over the lemon cream mixture

ENJOY!!!

PASTORAL LETTER ON THE NEW TRANSLATION

CATHOLIC BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE OF ENGLAND AND WALES

NATIONAL PASTORAL LETTER ON THE NEW TRANSLATION OF THE ROMAN MISSAL

TO BE READ ON THE SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER, 29 MAY 2011

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ

At the beginning of Advent this year, when we gather for Mass, we shall be using the new translation of the Roman Missal. This will be the case not only in England and Wales but throughout the English-speaking world. The Mass will remain the same but parts of it will sound different.

Since the Second Vatican Council, the Church has produced three Latin editions of the Roman Missal. At present, we are still using a translation of the first edition which was published in1973. Although the texts we have been using have served us well, since that time there has been much development in the liturgical texts themselves and in our understanding of them.

We all become very accustomed to the words we hear; and the fact that we have been praying in a certain way for so long has imprinted that style of language and words upon our consciousness and made them very special. The changes in the language now to be introduced, however, do not represent change for change’s sake, but are being made in order to ensure greater fidelity to the liturgical tradition of the Church.

In the earlier translation not all the meaning of the original Latin text was fully expressed and a number of the terms that were used to convey the teachings of the faith were lost. This was readily acknowledged by the bishops of the Church, even back in the 1970s, and has become an increasing cause of concern since then.

There is an old adage in Latin which states that the way we pray forms the way we believe. So words and language are important for the teaching and the handing-on of the faith.

So what does this new translation offer us? First of all, there is a fuller expression of the content of the original texts. Then, there is a closer connection with the Sacred Scriptures which inspire so much of our liturgy. Also, there is a recovery of a vocabulary that enriches our understanding of the mystery we celebrate. All of this requires a unique style of language and expression, one that takes us out of ourselves and draws us into the sacred, the transcendent and the divine.

The publication of the new translation of the Missal is a special moment of grace in the English-speaking world. It offers an opportunity to deepen our knowledge and understanding of the mystery we celebrate each week. This itself will help us to move towards that fuller and more conscious and active participation in the liturgy to which the Church invites us. It will help us also to examine the dignity with which we celebrate the ‘source and summit’ of the Church’s life.

At the end of his visit last year, Pope Benedict asked us to use this moment for genuine renewal. He said: “I encourage you now to seize the opportunity that the new translationnoffers for in-depth catechesis on the Eucharist, and renewed devotion in the manner of its celebration. ‘The more lively the Eucharistic faith of the people of God, the deeper is its sharing in ecclesial life in steadfast commitment to the mission entrusted by Christ to his disciples’” (Sacramentum Caritatis, 6).

In order to achieve this, the bishops have produced resources for all our parishes and, as from September, we will gradually begin to use the new liturgical texts at Mass and hear why certain changes have been made. Each diocese is already preparing its priests and deacons, catechists and liturgical ministers. Programmes for schools are being developed and new musical settings are being composed. From September until Advent everyone will have the opportunity to study the new texts and familiarise themselves with the prayers and chants. In addition, this period of preparation will allow us to pray these new texts.

The Liturgy of the Eucharist is a gift, something we receive from God through the Church. Saint Paul spoke of it as coming from the Lord Jesus himself. Writing to the Church in Corinth, he said, “for I received from the Lord what I in turn also handed on to you” (1 Corinthians 11:23). So Eucharist is not something of our making but a gift received. Like Saint Paul, therefore, let us receive it with reverence and care, knowing that we are being faithful to what the Lord himself passed on to the Apostles, which has been handed on since, in faithfulness, by their successors to every generation of the Church.

Let us welcome the new translation of the Roman Missal as a sign of our unity and a powerful instrument of God’s grace in our lives.

Published by the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales Thursday 12 May 2011

HIGH MASS OF THE ASCENSION

Recenttly we marked the Solemnity of the Ascension with High Mass in the Usus Antiquior. 

Here are a few pictures taken at the Mass. 

The choir sang Monteverdi's Mass for Four Voices.

Introibo ad Altare Dei

Preparing to proclaim the Gospel

Sequenti Sancti Evangelii Secundum Matthaeum



Hoc facite in Meam Commemorationem



CONFIRMATION AT SAINT JOSEPH'S

Here are some of the pictures that were taken at our recent celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation with the children from St. Joseph's. 

For my homily I used the text of a prayer by Blessed John Henry Newman

God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission. I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do His work. I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it if I do but keep His commandments. Therefore, I will trust Him, whatever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him, in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him. If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends. He may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me. Still, He knows what He is about.