7th Sunday of Easter
‘Truth’ is the key theme that runs through our Gospel today. Jesus is the Truth. So when Jesus prays to his Father asking his people to be consecrated in the truth, he is asking that we are consecrated in Christ Jesus. Our consecration took place at our baptism. This means that we should dedicate our whole lives to Jesus, allowing him to work within us, bringing his love and his teachings wherever we go.
Pentecost Novena
Next Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. In the nine days leading up to the Feast, we pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit just as the Apostles and Mary did in the Upper Room.
Holy Spirit come into our lives.
Open our ears: To hear what you are saying to us
In the things that happen to us
In the people we meet
Open our eyes: To see the needs of the people round us.
Open our hands: To do our work well, to help when help is needed.
Open our lips: To tell others the Good News of Jesus
To bring comfort, happiness and laughter to other people.
Open our minds: To discover new truth about You and the world
Open our hearts: To love you and our fellow men and women
As you have loved us in Jesus.
To you with our Father and the Son, one God, all honour and praise shall be given now and forever. Amen.
World Communications Day
Today is World Communications Day. Pope Francis speaks of journalists as the protectors of news, that their task is not just a job but a mission. He reminds us that persons are at the heart of information, that informing others means forming others. We pray for those who work in the media and also for the valuable work carried out on our behalf by the Communications Office of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. There will be a second collection to support this work. This includes guiding bishops in their witness and engagement with current issues, promoting the Gospel through digital, social, print and broadcast media, answering media enquiries and providing a key resource for national and international media professionals. Please take a prayer card from the back of the church.
First Communion Programme
The second group of children will be receiving their First Holy Communion at the 10.30 Mass this Sunday morning. Those who are receiving First Holy Communion next weekend will be having a rehearsal at 6pm on Friday in the church.
Parish Council Meeting
The Parish Council meet on Thursday at 7.45pm in the presbytery.
Confirmation Programme
There will be a Reconciliation Service for Confirmation candidates on Wednesday at 7pm in the church. Parents and sponsors are invited to come along as well.
Baptism Preparation
The next session for parents who wish to have their baby baptised will be on Sunday 24th June at 4pm in the Dominic Room.
Adoremus
The National Eucharistic Congress takes place in Liverpool between 7th and 9th December. Delegates from parishes throughout England and Wales are attending. We have 5 delegates from the Annunciation who will be going. At Masses on the Feast of Corpus Christi (2nd/3rd June) they will be commissioned. Meanwhile each parish has been encouraged to hold a lengthy period of Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament to prepare for this Congress. We will be holding ours on Friday 1st June for 12 hours, 9.30am to 9.30pm. We invite you to sign up for a half hour watching slot on the sheet at the back of the church.
Let it Be
‘Let it be done unto me according to your word.’ These are the words of Mary at the time of the Annunciation. CAFÉ have produced an inspiring new film on the life of Mary past and present. This Monday between 7.30 and 9pm in the Canon Smyth Parish Centre, there will be an opportunity to explore this new resource, with the possibility of discovering more in the following weeks. To register and for more information, please email Warren Brown at catadmin@rcdow.org.uk. Telephone contact is 0207798 9152.
The Good Neighbour Scheme
Film Showing Wednesday 23th May.
Doors open 2pm, film commences 2.15pm
Trinity Church, Mill Hill Broadway
Donations welcome “THE ITALIAN JOB”
An action comedy starring Michael Caine and several Minis (the car)
Next film June 27th….My Big Fat Greek Wedding
WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY 2018
Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Help us to recognise the evil latent in a communication that does not build communion.
Help us to remove the venom from our judgements.
Help us to speak about others as our brothers and sisters.
You are faithful and trustworthy; may our words be seeds of goodness for the world:
Where there is shouting, let us practise listening;
Where there is confusion, let us inspire harmony;
Where there is ambiguity let us bring clarity;
Where there is exclusion, let us offer solidarity;
Where there is sensationalism, let us use sobriety;
Where there is superficiality,
let us raise real questions;
Where there is prejudice, let us awaken trust;
Where there is hostility, let us bring respect;
Where there is falsehood, let us bring truth. Amen