Weekend Message Jan 14
Dear friends,
Synod Preparation (Narborough & Lutterworth)
Thank you to all who contributed in any way to the questions which were put forward for discussion before Christmas. I have previously published a summary of those suggestions and discussions which were held after Mass on two weekends. I reproduce below the suggestions which were made for our own parishes to work on.
Bishop Patrick has asked all deaneries to meet on Thursday 20th to further our discussions. I have already sent in our report to the Dean, Father Raphael. Because of the continued restrictions on meeting together, he intends the deanery discussion to take place by Zoom, from 7 to 8pm. Bishop Patrick asks that each parish be represented by two laypeople. Please let me know if you would like to be considered to be one of the two representatives for either of our two parishes.
Looking further ahead, we need to consider which of these suggestions we would like to work on straight away. There is probably too much for us to achieve immediately, but we do ne4ed to start to put suggestions into practice; otherwise they remain mere ‘pipe dreams’ which will not do anybody any good. What do you think we should do first – and are you willing to be one of the people doing it?
Suggestions for the parishes of Narborough & Lutterworth to grow and develop over the next few years
Vision: Young people (aged between 5 and 25) regularly attend Church for services and take full part in the liturgical celebrations and in the social aspect of the Church and its outreach. The Churches welcome children and young families.
Actions to Take: Ask parents of families what we need to do to attract young people to Church.
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.
Contact young people to determine what hymns they would like, and form a music group. Invite young people to a meeting to receive their ideas and determine ways to act on them.
Contact the Catholic secondary schools to determine how they may encourage those of our communities of secondary school age to attend them. Encourage the schools to greater liaison with our local parishes.
Devise some form of continuous instruction for young people, using contemporary communications media.
Involve young people in our social outreach work, such as inviting them to help pack ‘Mary’s Meals’ items.
Contact LACY for some assistance.
Vision: Greater joint activity of members of the two parishes.
Actions to Take: Joint projects with Lutterworth parish: providing meals for those in need; offer services to those in need (such as gardening and small repair work).
Develop existing joint social care work of these parishes, such as the Lutterworth Foodbank, Mary’s Meals, Tools With a Mission, etc.
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.
Vision: A more vibrant parish community.
Actions to Take: Arrange more social activities, and encourage more of the community to take part.
Set up a ‘befriending service’.
Obtain new hymn books, and investigate the possibility of using media to display the words of hymns electronically.
Vision: The Churches should be welcoming communities.
Action to Take: Determine ways in which visitors, enquirers, and others not members of our communities are attracted and feel welcome.
Vision: Greater ecumenical involvement.
Action to Take: Rearrange the times of Mass on Remembrance Sunday so that the community can take part in Remembrance Day services.
Vision: Celebrate our diversity.
Action to Take: Acknowledge and find ways of celebrating – both liturgically and socially – the considerable diversity which exists in our communities (and which is very beneficial).
Vision: More prayerful celebrations of the Mass.
Actions to Take: Ensure there is opportunity for silent prayer and reflection before and during Mass.
Rosary before Mass.
Gentle hymn music played before Mass.
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.
Actions 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.
Actions 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: A community which provides a welcoming environment for all who attend.
Actions 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.
Actions 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.
This Sunday is the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time (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.
There is still no advance booking for Mass. Welcomers will be at the door of the Church, and your name will be noted on the list, or else you will be asked to provide your name and a means of contact. You will also be asked to sanitize your hands on arrival. It will not be necessary to return to the prior booking arrangement, unless the law or government advice changes again.
Please think very carefully about whether you should attend Church if you are feeling unwell; and please do not attend if you may be infectious or if you have been in contact with anyone who has had a positive Covid test. Please remember also that by law face coverings must be worn while you are in Church.
At St. Pius X, Narborough:
Times of Mass for next weekend:
- 10am Saturday 22nd January;
- 9.30am Sunday 23rd:
- 10am Monday 24th.
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 22nd January;
- 11am on Sunday 23rd:
- 10.30am Tuesday 25th;
- 10.30am Thursday 27th.
At Narborough the intentions for Mass this week will be Saturday (15th)David Sullivan RIP; Sunday (16th) Deceased friends & relations of M O’Connor; Monday (17th) Deceased family & friends of T Corr. Wednesday David Smith RIP; Thursday People of the Parish; Friday Ethel McMillan RIP. Next weekend Saturday (22nd )Kate Marriott RIP; Sunday (23rd ) Terry Barber RIP; Monday (24th) John & Freda Pyle RIP
At Lutterworth the intentions for Mass will be the Holy Souls on Saturday and on Tuesday, and for the People of the Parishes on Sunday.
Prayers for the living and the dead:
Please pray for Philip Jacques, Ian Benson, Mario Maneggio, Father Isidore Clarke OP, Brigid Davies, Vincent Roe, and for all who have died recently.
Please also pray for Tony Thorlby, 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.
Confirmation: Please will all those who wish to be confirmed collect a book from me to help with preparation.
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.”
Shared Table at Lutterworth: The Lutterworth Parish will be celebrating Father John’s 50 years of being a priest on Sunday 6th February 2022 after the 11.00 am mass with a shared table. The notice is in the foyer of the church so please add your name. Any questions please contact Eileen Fox 07988605763.
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.
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 let’s make an experience of daily glory rather than a daily grind. For more information visit: www.dioceseofnottingham.uk/onlineevents
The Week of Special Prayer for Christian Unity begins on Tuesday 18th January
Next weekend is the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time
Reminders from previous weeks:
Home Visits, including Confession, Holy Communion, Sacrament of Anointing, 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. Please also let Father John know if anyone wishes to make confession or would like to receive the sacrament of anointing for the sick.
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
