Weekend Message July 10
Dear friends,
**Important notice concerning car parking**
Please park in the Church car parks whenever possible. If that is not possible, for whatever reason, please ensure that you are not causing an obstruction of the roadway or driveways to properties, and please remember that homeowners may wish to park outside their own homes. Please exercise Christian Charity when parking your car.
**Important notice concerning stewards and cleaners at Church**
As the summer progresses, and the regulations may enable us to open the Church more often for Mass or other public worship, we may still need to continue with our current regime of advanced booking, stewarding at Mass, and cleaning and sanitizing afterwards. If we are to open more often, we will most probably need more volunteers – we cannot expect the same small band of very cheerful helpers to do it all every day.
If you are willing to join the band of stewards/cleaners, please let me know. If we are to restart Saturday evening Mass in Lutterworth, or another weekday Mass at Narborough, we would certainly need more volunteers. Many thanks to those who have already offered.
The Holy Spirit Having written about the Blessed Trinity last week, I thought perhaps I ought to say something about the Holy Spirit. In my younger days, we hardly thought at all about the Holy Spirit, which really is quite remarkable. Then in the 1960s there was an explosion of ‘charismatic’ groups in the Church, which brought the Holy Spirit into much greater prominence. But also – if I can say so – into some disrepute, for many people viewed the ‘charismatic’ groups with considerable suspicion. To some extent this has continued. From time to time people will make comments suggesting that to be true Christians it is necessary to ‘speak in tongues’ (or at least to ‘pray in tongues’), which can cause consternation and offence among those (such as myself) who have never done so. My reaction is always to quote St. Paul writing to the Corinthians (First Letter, chapter 14 – but to get the real sense, read chapters 12 and 13 first).
St. Paul would not wish to suppress the Holy Spirit, or those inspired by the Holy Spirit – far from it. But, as he says, everything should be done decently and in good order, since God is not a God of chaos, but of peace.
So what should we say about the Holy Spirit? This is what St. Basil the Great has to say: The Holy Spirit is the source of holiness, and all creatures turn to the Holy Spirit for sanctification. All who live virtuously seek the Holy Spirit, and are refreshed by the Holy Spirit’s influence and guided to their own fulfilment.
By nature, the Holy Spirit is inaccessible, but through his generosity enables all who seek him to receive him in themselves. The Holy Spirit fills all creatures with his power, but only those who are worthy participate in the Spirit.
Just as the sunbeam benefits every creature individually, without being divided or diminished, so also the Holy Spirit remains whole, even though he is shared by so many creatures. All who share in him do so according to their own natures, and he distributes his gifts to all according to their faith.
Through the Holy Spirit hearts are raised high, the weak are led by the hand, those who are advanced gain perfection, and those whose hearts are purified are made truly spiritual through their union with him.
Just as a ray of light, shining on a bright object, makes it shine and sparkle, so too the Holy Spirit, enlightening receptive human beings, makes them truly spiritual and enables them to confer grace on others.
Booking Arrangements for next weekend:
At St. Pius X, Narborough:
You may book by email: johnhadley1971@gmail.com or by phone: (0116) – 2863676
at the following times on the following days:
- between 7pm and 8pm on Monday 12th July;
- between 7pm and 8pm on Tuesday 13th;
- between 7pm and 8pm on Friday 16th July.
Times of Mass next weekend:
- 10am Saturday 17th July;
- 10am Sunday 18th;
- 10am Monday 19th.
At Our Lady of Victories & St. Alphonsus, Lutterworth:
Please ring 079 0113 4564 on the following days, and at these times. It is not possible to leave a message outside these times:
- Monday 12th July between 9.30am and 10.30am or between 6pm and 7pm
- Wednesday 14th between 9.30am and 10.30am or between 6pm and 7pm
Times of Mass next Sunday and Tuesday:
- 11am on Sunday 18th July;
- 10.30am Tuesday 20th.
Arrangements for attending Church for Mass and other services: Masks or face coverings will be required for those attending Mass (except for those exempted from wearing them); it is necessary for those attending Church to sanitize their hands on entering; and all need to keep social distance from each other (unless they are members of the same household or family). Young persons under the age of sixteen years, and all persons who suffer from physical or mental disability, must be accompanied at all times by a responsible adult. We are not allowed to kneel down while in Church: please stand or sit as appropriate, but please do not kneel. All who attend (except for the cleaners who remain behind to sanitize the building) should leave immediately after Mass has finished, not stopping in Church to talk to other people; and please also maintain a social distance as you follow others out of Church, avoiding any ‘congregating’ in the porch or at the back of Church. I am very grateful to the stewards & cleaners who support the public celebration of Mass. It looks as though restrictions may be eased before the end of the month, but as yet we have no word from the Bishops of England and Wales regarding whether we may relax our restrictions about public worship in Church.
For the moment, please remember that it will be essential to book a place at Mass on every occasion that you wish to attend. It is not permitted to book for every Sunday, or even for a number of weeks. Please also remember to bring a mask to wear when coming to Mass.
At Narborough the intentions for Mass this week will be: Saturday (10th July) Father Simon Nolan RIP; Sunday (11th) Sydney Smith; Monday (12th) Kitty Corr RIP. Wednesday Welfare of the Priests of the Diocese; Thursday Intentions of Bishop Patrick McKinney; Friday Jean Keogh RIP. Next weekend Saturday (17th July) Stuart Tomlinson RIP; Sunday (18th) Welfare of Alice Conway; Monday (19th) Welfare of Rob Evans.
At Lutterworth the intentions for Mass will be: Sunday (11th July) People of the Parish; Tuesday (13th July) Holy Souls. Next Sunday (18th July) Gordon Siner RIP; Next Tuesday (20th July) People of the Parish.
Prayers for the living and the dead:
Please pray for Sister Margaret Mary Herlihy, Father Andrew Smith, Doreen Sullivan, and for all who have died recently.
Please also pray for Monica Teeling, Peggy Merrell, Jane Bolsover, Suzanne Foxon, Jim Oxley, Beulah Blomfield, Tom McDermott, Freda Williams, Joseph Armeni, Dave Knapper, Teresa Maugham, Elizabeth Fullerton, Mary Dunne, and Juanita Zaman and for all who are ill.
Please let me know of any others who have died, or anyone who is ill and asks for prayers.
Please pray for Cathy Mears and Ben Hebborn who will marry at St. Pius X his weekend. We pray that they will be blessed with a long and happy marriage.
Banns of Marriage: Please pray for Etike Joy Chidima and Okoye Maduako Dilichukwu who intend to marry at St. Pius X on 1st August. We pray that they will be blessed with a long and happy marriage. If anyone knows of any reason why they should not marry, please tell Father John without delay.
Please pray for Demi-Leigh Nicol and Francis John Latham, members of this parish, who intend to marry in Ravello, Italy, on 16th August. We pray that they will be blessed with a long and happy marriage. If anyone knows of any reason why they should not marry, please tell Father John without delay.
First Holy Communion: We hope to begin preparation for First Confession and First Holy Communion in September. I am very grateful to those who have already indicated that they wish to be included. Candidates should be in Year 3 at school from September (or older). Please let me have any names and contact details so that a group can be organized.
Confirmation: Bishop Patrick is willing to start administering the sacrament of Confirmation. I am grateful to those who have already said they wish to be confirmed. Are there any others who would like to join the group? Please let me have any names and contact details. Candidates for Confirmation should be in secondary education (or older) in September this year. Because of the continued restrictions, preparation for Confirmation will be delayed until the autumn.
Financial matters:
This weekend there will be a second collection for the Apostleship of the Sea. I am very grateful to all of you who have contributed to the two recent second collections, for the Day for Life, and for Peter’s Pence. At this time of year our Bishops require that Second Collections come round thick and fast!
Reminders from previous weeks:
Planned Giving Envelopes (Our Lady of Victories & St. Alphonsus, Lutterworth): The new boxes of envelopes started in April If you require your box, please ring June (01455 – 553730) or Ashley (01455 – 553493) or email Father John.
Planned Giving Envelopes (St. Pius X, Narborough): The new boxes of envelopes started in April. They are available from the sacristy in Church, or email Father John.
Standing Orders: I will provide the parish Bank details to anyone who would like to donate by Standing Order or similar electronic means – many of you already do so (and I am very grateful indeed). I can provide standing order mandates for anyone who wishes – please just ask.
Gift Aid: I have copies of the form to complete, so if you are a taxpayer and would like the tax paid on your contributions to be given to the parish, please ask me for a form.
Recycling Textiles: At the moment the firm are no longer collecting in the Leicester area and has no plans to restart collections here. If anyone knows of any other organization willing to collect clothes and other textiles in our area, please let me know.
With my prayers for your wellbeing and salvation, Father John
