Weekend message Oct 8

Dear friends,

 

Communication: As many of you will know, I had problems last weekend sending this weekly message. I don’t send out to all of you at once – over 200 email addresses now – but in blocks of between six and twelve addresses at a time. It usually takes me about twenty minutes. In order to protect your privacy, in accordance with data protection regulations, I use the Bcc button, so that none of you should be able to see the email address of anyone else I am sending to (though of course you can all see my email address).

Last weekend, each mailing to a ‘btinternet.com’ email address was ‘bounced back’ as undeliverable or else consigned to spam. I tried sending it as an attachment instead of as text – that didn’t work either. Then I tried to email those of you who have ‘btinternet.com’ addresses to say that I was having difficulty – and even that short message was bounced back. Then I tried sending messages to some of these addresses without using the Bcc button (so that each recipient would be able to read the addresses of other recipients) and that seemed to work. So then on Monday I sent out the message to all ‘btinternet.com’ addresses on my list, without using the Bcc button, and it seems to have been delivered.

I don’t know why that particular server has a problem with the Bcc button, or why the problem has only arisen after more than 18 months. I have asked the diocesan communications officer, who has asked others in the diocesan offices – and nobody has yet come up with an answer.

Meanwhile I hear that facebook was offline for about 6 hours, together with some other social media sites. My difficulties in communication must seem insignificant compared with the trials and tribulations of facebook!

Also on Monday a retired priest who is a member of the Holy Ghost Fathers (a colleague of Father Marcel, who used to be at Our Lady’s, Rushey Mead) phones me to say that he has been banned from the internet, because he doesn’t keep to their policies. I asked if he was sowing sedition, and he said he was – by which he meant that he vehemently opposes abortion. I was really asking whether he was promoting violence, which he most certainly was not!

All this reminds us that communication difficulties are a part of life. But we all just have to do our best to overcome them. A sense of humour is very useful.

Perhaps when we have difficulties in prayer (as I certainly do, very often) it would be good to remind ourselves that this is another example of our difficulties in communicating. And I do hope that God has a sense of humour.

Refreshments After Mass: We now offer refreshments after Mass in both venues. In Narborough we are offering tea, coffee, and biscuits after morning Mass on both Saturday and Sunday in the Parish Hall. In Lutterworth refreshments are offered after Mass on Thursday morning and Sunday morning. I am very grateful to those who are willing to help by making the tea and coffee, and to those who provide biscuits and cakes, and to all who serve and clean up afterwards.

Home Visits, including Holy Communion for housebound people: These are now permitted, but anyone visiting a housebound person (whether to administer Holy Communion or just a visit) should not visit anyone else during the same morning or afternoon. Visits should be short (in order to minimize the likelihood of passing on an infection) and hand sanitization must be used before and after the visit. If you would like a home visit, or know anyone who would like to be visited, please let Father John know.

This weekend is the Twenty-Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time

**Responding to changed government guidelines, we have now been able to bring more benches back into use at St. Pius X, as well as at Our Lady of Victories. St. Pius X now has a maximum capacity of 74**

Confessions: I will hear confessions from 9 until 9.30am on Saturdays at St. Pius X, Narborough; and from 4.30pm to 5.00pm on the first Saturday of the month at Our Lady of Victories & St. Alphonsus, Lutterworth.

Time of Mass on Sunday at Narborough: Mass on Sunday at St. Pius X will start at 9.30am. Mass on Saturday and on Monday will remain at 10am.

For the next few weeks there will be no advance booking for Mass at St. Pius X. Stewards and welcomers will be at the door of the Church as before, and your name will be noted on the list, or else you will be asked to provide your name and a contact. You will also be asked to sanitize your hands on arrival.  If this works well for the next few weeks, it will not be necessary to return to the prior booking arrangement, unless government advice changes again.

At St. Pius X, Narborough:

Times of Mass next weekend:

• 10am Saturday 16^th October;
• 9.30am Sunday 17^th;
• 10am Monday 18^th.

 

At Our Lady of Victories & St. Alphonsus, Lutterworth:

Mass will also be celebrated on Thursday morning at 10.30am. We are grateful to Father Maloney for agreeing to celebrate this Mass.

Times of Mass next Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday:

• 5.30pm on Saturday 16^th October;
• 11am on Sunday 17^th;
• 10.30am Tuesday 19^th;
• 10.30am Thursday 21^st.

 

At Narborough the intentions for Mass this week will be Saturday (9^th October) Father Hugh Doherty RIP; Sunday (10^th) People of the Parishes; Monday (11^th) Intentions of Eve Zankar. Wednesday People of the Parishes; Thursday Father Michael Sharratt RIP. Next weekend Saturday (16^th October) Winifred Foot RIP; Sunday (17^th) Stephen McNally RIP; Monday (18^th) Alan Gower RIP.

 

At Lutterworth the intentions for Mass will be: Saturday (9^th October) 5.30pm People of the Parish; Sunday (10^th ) Holy Souls; Tuesday (12^th) Holy Souls. Next  Saturday (16^th) 5.30pm People of the Parish; Next Sunday (17^th) Holy Souls; Next Tuesday (19^th ) Holy Souls.

 

Prayers for the living and the dead:

 

Please pray for Jay Mallett, Betty Foster, Father Hugh Doherty, Father Michael Sharratt, Father Francis Morrissey OMI, Father Patrick O’Docherty, 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, Joseph Armeni, Dave Knapper, Teresa Maugham, 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.

 

First Holy Communion: Those preparing to make their First Confession and First Holy Communion will meet on Saturday mornings at St. Pius X Parish Hall, and on Sunday mornings at Our Lady of Victories & St. Alphonsus Parish Hall. 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).

 

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.

 

Social Activities: can resume. However, “It is strongly recommended that a risk assessment for both the activity and the space is completed for the gathering.”

Remembering those who have died:

During the month of November, it would be appropriate to celebrate Mass for those who have died in our communities, and from among our families, friends, and neighbours, during the past two years, whether directly due to the pandemic or not, and also to pray for all those who have died directly or indirectly from the coronavirus. Dates for these celebrations need to be arranged later in the autumn.

Next weekend will be the Twenty-Ninth Sunday of the Year (Ordinary Time).

Reminders from previous weeks:

 

Financial matters:

 

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. I hope to have better news soon.

 

**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.

 

With my prayers for your wellbeing and salvation, Father John