Weekend message Dec 10
Dear friends,
Synod Preparation Part 2 (Narborough & Lutterworth)
Thank you to all who made suggestions or stayed behind to discuss after the weekend Masses. I have attempted to summarise the suggestions – and apologize if I have failed to incorporate all suggestions adequately. Please let me know of any further suggestions for me to add, or any changes to be made.
Suggestions for the Universal Church, the Episcopal conference of England and Wales, and the Diocese of Nottingham
Vision: A Church which welcomes all who approach.
Action to Take: Provide a simple and effective way of showing a welcome to all who approach – some immediate form of welcoming ceremony initiating them into at least ‘candidate membership’. .
Vision: To be a welcoming community for those in second marriages; divorced persons who feel unwelcome; those in same-sex marriages, and others who may feel unwelcome for similar or other reasons.
Action to Take: Provide a clear message that they are welcome, and engage with them to find ways forward.
Suggestions for the parishes of Narborough & Lutterworth and the Leicester Deanery
Vision: Regular reaching out to those who wish to be part of our worshipping community but feel as yet unable to attend Mass or other services due to the pandemic.
Action to Take: Ask for volunteers who would contact such persons by phone; set up a list of these volunteers; provide a list of those who are at present unable to attend Mass, and arrange for the volunteers to divide the list between them and telephone the members on their list at least once a month.
Set up a rota of people willing to visit housebound persons who would like to be visited. Contact housebound people to discover who would like regular visits or occasional visits.
Ensure that they are made aware of the possibility of receiving Holy Communion at home, as well as (if they are connected to the internet) the possibility of accessing Mass online.
Develop the work of the SVP and outreach groups, and ensure that both parishes are aware of this work – ask for members to speak at Mass one weekend.
Discover why so many people attend Church for Mass at Christmas and Easter, but otherwise attend only such events as weddings, funerals, and possibly baptisms.
Provide cards or leaflets with our normal routine of times of Mass and give them out to everyone who attends at Christmas.
Vision: Greater involvement with those who are ‘on the margins’ due to poverty, or lifestyle, aware that the pandemic has made the situation worse for many of them.
Action to Take: Ensure that the communities are aware of the needs of those charities with which we do currently engage, such as the Lutterworth foodbank, Mary’s Meals, Tools With a Mission, and the seafarers’ mission in Immingham.
Make a collection of good clothes, toys, etc to give to families (such as refugees or asylum seekers, and those in the women’s refuge) who are in need. Discover contact persons for donations to refugees and asylum seekers.
Ensure that there is a prayer each week for those ‘on the margins’.
Vision: A community more in tune with the needs of young adults, and aware of the reasons why many young adults have become disaffected. .
Action to Take: Find ways to engage with young adults and discover the reasons why they are disaffected. Ask parents of young adults to find out the reasons and communicate them to the parish community.
Vision: The Churches should be welcoming to children and young families.
Action to Take: Restart the children’s liturgy.
Encourage more helpers with the children; encourage more parents to undertake the DBS checks so that they can help with the children’s group.
Vision: A community which provides a welcoming environment for all who attend.
Action to Take: A rota of welcomers who will speak to all who attend Church as they arrive; inform all who attend of the refreshments after Mass.
Develop social occasions and ensure that they are advertised and that all members of the community feel invited and welcome to take part.
Vision: A more active presence of the community on the internet.
Action to Take: Ensure that the newsletter is uploaded each week onto the parish website. Revise the Narborough parish website, by asking parishioners with expertise to advise. .
Restart and develop the parish magazine for the two parishes, including an online provision.
Face coverings – Sunday Obligation – feeling marginalized
Some of our parishioners may feel marginalized because they still don’t feel safe in Church, or in any enclosed space where people gather. They may also feel guilty because they have not been going to Church, and this may lead them to feel even more ‘on the margins’ of our community.
Our Bishops have suggested that we should all consider very carefully how important it is to attend Church with the community on the ‘first day of the week’ to celebrate the Lord’s Supper together. But they also recognize that there are many who are still vulnerable, and that Christian charity requires of all of us that we take appropriate steps to try to avoid infecting others, or at least minimize the chances of doing so.
Our willingness to continue to wear face coverings in Church is one aspect of this Christian charity to others. Another aspect, however, is to understand that there are those who are exempt from face coverings for medical reasons, and that some may be unable to wear them (for example because of difficulties with breathing) even though they may not be officially exempt. Please note that from this weekend it is the law that all attending Church must wear face coverings unless exempt.
Another aspect of our Christian charity is to ensure that we do not attend Church if we are feeling unwell. In the past we may have been told that we should attend Church if (for example) we have a heavy cold – but that is no longer the case. If we feel unwell, we should stay at home and pray there – perhaps (if we wish) accessing Mass online, or otherwise ensuring that we read some passages from Scripture and say prayers for the community and for those in need. But we really should avoid, so far as possible, spreading our illnesses to others.
I usually still have to attend Church, even if unwell, because I need to preside at Mass – but even so I will take steps to avoid as much contact as I can, so hopefully will not have affected anyone from our community with the heavy cold I had two weeks ago!
Arrangements for Mass on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day
All arrangements are provisional and dependent on regulations which the Government may make.
St. Pius X Church Narborough
Please note that I will celebrate a Christmas Mass at 10am on Christmas Eve. I am hoping that enough people will come to that Mass, so that there will not be more people than we can presently cope with at 6pm or at 8pm.
Friday 24th December
10.00am: Morning Vigil Mass of Christmas
6.00pm: Evening Vigil Mass of Christmas
8.00pm: Christmas ‘Midnight’ Mass
Saturday 25th December
10.00am: Christmas Morning Mass
Sunday 26th December
9.30am: Sunday morning Mass
There will be no Mass on Monday 27th December.
Our Lady of Victories Church Lutterworth
I am very grateful to Father Anthony Pateman who has agreed to celebrate Mass in Lutterworth this Christmas.
Friday 24th December
6.00pm: Vigil Mass of Christmas
Saturday 25th December
10.00am: Christmas Morning Mass
Sunday 26th December
11.00am: Sunday morning Mass
This weekend is the Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday) (Year C).
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.
For the time being 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 for next weekend:
- 10am Saturday 18th December;
- 9.30am Sunday 19th;
- 10am Monday 20th.
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. After 16th December, the Thursday Mass will not be celebrated until further notice.
Times of Mass next Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday:
- 5.30pm on Saturday 18th December;
- 11am on Sunday 19th;
- 10.30am Tuesday 21st;
Please note that there will be no morning Mass on Thursday 23rd December.
At Narborough the intentions for Mass this week will be Saturday (11th December) Father Simon Nolan RIP; Sunday (12th) Suzanne Finnegan RIP; Monday (13th) Eric Barr RIP. Wednesday Patricia and John Joseph O’Neill RIP; Thursday People of the Parishes; Friday Holy Souls. Next weekend Saturday (18th December) James & Johanna Crispin RIP; Sunday (19th) Neville Wilson de Roze RIP; Monday (20th) Harry, Edward, and Phyllis Bright RIP.
At Lutterworth the intentions for Mass will be Saturday (11th) 5.30pm Holy Souls; Sunday (12th) People of the Parishes; Tuesday (14th) Holy Souls. Next Saturday (18th) 5.30pm Holy Souls; Next Sunday (19th) People of the Parishes; Next Tuesday (21st) Holy Souls.
Prayers for the living and the dead:
Please pray for Father Isidore Clarke OP, Brigid Davies, Vincent Roe, Joseph McGrady, Jacob Crawshaw, and for all who have died recently.
Please also pray for Hayley & Kaci Dunnill, John Southern, Monica Teeling, Peggy Merrell, Jane Bolsover, Suzanne Foxon, Jim Oxley, John Burns-Sweeney, Tom McDermott, 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.
CHRISTMAS BRUNCH and SHARED TABLE at St Pius X church hall on Sunday
19th December 2021 at 12 noon. Please bring food for shared table and any drinks you wish to have for yourselves. Tea and coffee will no doubt be provided.
“HAVE YOUR SAY : SYNOD 2021 / 2023” Leicestershire Active Catholic Youth (LACY)will be hosting an afternoon of “Games, Fun and Faith” exploring the Synod. This will be held at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 100 Beaumont Leys Lane, Leicester, LE4 2BD on Sunday 9th January 2022 – the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord – from 2.00 p.m. – 5.00 p.m. All young people, their families and friends are invited to share in the afternoon. The Pope is calling us to pass on views and thoughts to our Priests, Bishop and with each other! We value your ideas! A great opportunity to voice them..Light refreshments will be available! Full details on the LACY facebook page. Look out for our poster! We’d love to hear from you. Book in with us or just come along. All welcome. Contact information: paulinepayne@hotmail.com or claudiacoxon@googlemail.com.
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. I have tried to contact all candidates to arrange for preparation to begin. If you asked to be included in the preparation for Confirmation and have not received an email from me, please let me know.
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.”
Ratcliffe College Community Carol Service:
The President of Ratcliffe College, Father Philip Sainter IC, invites members of our parishes to their Christmas Carol Service on Sunday 12th December, beginning at 4pm. Refreshments afterwards int he College Refectory.
Lutterworth Parish Shared Table It has been decided to move this event to a date in January – more details later.
The Universe Catholic Weekly is thrilled to announce that we have launched our new online newspaper with the full support of our first subscriber none other than His Eminence Cardinal Vincent Nichols. If you are interested in subscribing, go to www.universecatholicweekly.co.uk or call us on 0743661 7650 and ask for Michelle. Special offer: Only £20 for 3 months.
Discover how Jesus is speaking to you in Scripture – On Tuesday 7th December at 7:30pm Sr Hyacinthe a Dominican Sister, catechist, tutor, writer and joy filled follower of Jesus will lead a workshop on Zoom introducing the 4 senses of Scripture. These skills are great ways to help us see how we can use and understand scripture more in our own lives and in catechesis too. Register for the talk by visiting www.dioceseofnottingham.uk/onlineevents
Encountering God in your daily work – For four Wednesdays, starting on 12th January at 7pm, the diocese will be running an online course looking at how we can encounter Jesus in our daily work and how it can help us to grow in holiness too. We spend more hours in a week at work than doing most other activities (including going to church) so lets make an experience of daily glory rather than a daily grind. For more information visit: www.dioceseofnottingham.uk/onlineevents
Next weekend is the Fourth Sunday of Advent.
Reminders from previous weeks:
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.
Financial matters:
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
