"Love one another"; easy words to say but the most challenging to live out. "Love one another; just as I have loved you" - to love not just those who are near us and think, believe and act like us but to love all, whatever our differences may appear to be. The painting above is an image of Christ composed of many faces; some are famous (Paul VI, JFK, Mahatma Gandhi etc) but most are less well known, some even blurred. Christ calls us to recognise and love Him in the faces of all those whom he sends our way.
RECENTLY DECEASED Please remember in your prayers all our beloved departed, especially
Prisca Saldhana (Funeral 23rd May) Fr Tom O'Brien MHM (late of Mill Hill) Yvonne (Mary) Hieu Teresa Jones and those whose anniversaries occur at this time. We continue to remember in our prayers all those who are sick and those who care for them.
ORDINATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD
I know that a number of individuals and groups plan to give their own gifts to John to mark his ordination and I support that. For others, who would like to contribute to a gift from the parish, envelopes will be made available in the Narthex. Simply return them to the Church or the presbytery marked 'John Ashu'. Next week, we will be publishing details of the arrangements for the ordination. RETURNING TO SUNDAY MASS: Because "the Eucharist gives the Church her identity; the Eucharist makes the Church, and the Church makes the Eucharist", the Bishops are INVITING those who have not yet done so to return to Mass in church by Pentecost. They recognise, however, that there may be pressing and significant reasons why some are not free to do so. The full text can be read on the cbcew.org.uk website. FOODBANK These are challenging times for all but especially for those who experience poverty. Normally, we have a food-bank collection on the first Sunday of every month but, at this time, we are willing to receive contributions at any time; just drop them in to the Presbytery. Throughout the pandemic, we distributed food and support from the Presbytery. That will finish at the end of this month and we will use the funds to support local foodbanks. CAFOD; THE PARADOX OF ABUNDANCE Over 800 million people go hungry worldwide each day, though there is more than enough food to feed everyone. A third of all food produced is wasted, which John Paul II called 'the Paradox of Abundance'. CAFOD's new campaign is called 'Fix the Food System'. More information, including resources for parishes, at www.cafod.org.uk/food. CHRISTIAN AID: A reminder of the Quiz night in Trinity Church on the Broadway, on Saturday 21st May, beginning at 7pm. Suggested donation; £6+. Bring your own food to share with your table but tea/coffee and cutlery are supplied. To book a table, call Jeanette at 089594193. MORE CATHOLIC PAPERS Also available, both in print and on-line versions, is The Tablet, a weekly journal which deals in-depth with issues of faith and spirituality. PRIEST TRAINING FUND COLLECTION Thank you so much for your very generous responses to the Priests Training Fund collection. Love one another as I have loved you AND FINALLY... The Bishops have also written on Migration issues in the UK: a key point they make is that each case must be heard with justice and respect; it is not illegal to seek asylum. The full text is on their website.
With every blessing as we continue our Easter journey, Rev Eugene Curran CM