7th Sunday of Easter (Year C)
In today’s Gospel, Jesus is making a plea to his Father that we may be united with God. It is a deep unity that Jesus is praying for— that God may abide in us and we in him. We can recognise that this prayer has been answered when we can see God working inside others, bringing love and goodness to all types of situations. In order to make this possible, Jesus had to win glory for the whole human race. He did this by his Passion, Death and Resurrection. Now we await the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The prayer below will help up prepare.
Novena of the Holy Spirit
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, a special day of prayer for all those working in the media. Pope Francis invites us to reflect on our ‘being - in- relation’ and to rediscover, in the current communication context, the very human desire not to be left isolated or lonely. While governments seek legal ways to regulate the digital world and to protect the original vision of a free, open and secure network, we all have the possibility and responsibility to promote its positive use. There will be a second collection today for the Catholic Communications Network. The Communications Office of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales promotes the work of the bishops through digital communications and in the media. It supports the bishops and the Church in promoting the Gospel through digital, social, print and broadcast media, engaging in current issues.
Confirmation Programme
We welcome BISHOP JOHN SHERRINGTON to the parish on Friday when he will confirm 29 of our young parishioners at 7.pm. There will be rehearsals for the candidates at 7pm on Tuesday and Wednesday. Candidates are required to attend both these sessions which will take place in the church. Sponsors are welcome to attend the Wednesday session.
Baptism Preparation
The next session for parents who wish to have their baby baptised will be on Sunday 7th July at 4pm in the Dominic Room. Application forms can be collected from the sacristy.
Meeting for Mass Readers
All those who currently read at Mass and those who would like to start reading at Mass are invited along to a meeting on Wednesday 12th June at 8pm in the church.
Meeting for Eucharistic Ministers
There will be a meeting for Eucharistic Ministers on Tuesday 25th June at 8pm in the church.
New Altar Servers
We are blessed with excellent servers in our parish who give faithful service throughout the year, but we are always on the lookout for other parishioners who would like to join our ‘team’. The ministry of Altar Server is open to all – without limit of age or gender – who have received their First Holy Communion and demonstrate a wish to uphold the aims and objectives of the Guild of St Stephen.
If anyone, child or adult, male or female – in particular, those who have been part of this year’s First Holy Communion and Confirmation programmes – would be interested in becoming an Altar Server, they are invited to speak to Fr Colin or a Senior server to find out more and collect an application pack. Further information about the parish branch of the Guild can also be found on our website – www.groupspaces.com/annunciationservers – or by emailing annunciationserversteam@gmail.com. Application forms must be returned to the sacristy by Sunday 23rd June at the latest. Training sessions will be scheduled once the application deadline has passed.
Four:12 Lourdes Group
This summer, members of Four:12 will once again be giving up a week of their time to travel to Lourdes and volunteer as ‘Redcaps’ – the group of teenagers/young adults which supports the sick and elderly on the annual Westminster Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage. To subsidize the costs – which run into several hundreds of pounds per volunteer – the group will be holding some fundraising events and have also set up a Crowdfunding page. To sponsor the group, please visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/four12lourdes2019. Details of fundraising events will be advertised in the TakeHomeNews in the coming weeks. Thank you for your support.
No Novena on Tuesday
Because of the Confirmation Rehearsal, there will be no Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help this Tuesday.
Parish Council Meeting
The Parish Council meet on Thursday at 7.45pm in the presbytery.
Day of Exposition
We will be having a Day of Exposition on Friday 21st June starting after the 9am Mass and concluding with Benediction at 6.30pm. This is just before we celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi on Sunday 23rd June. Please sign up for a half-hour watching period on the sheet at the back of church.
Fire Wardens
Precision, the Health and Safety Organisation adopted by our diocese, has recommended that we have Fire Wardens at each Mass. They would be responsible for ensuring that everything is safe at each Mass, that aisles are clear of pushchairs and other obstructions and that in the event of a fire or other emergency, people are able to easily evacuate the church. They will be issued with luminous armbands so everybody knows who they are. If you would like to volunteer as a Fire Warden, please speak to me and we will sort out arrangements. Thank you.
Precision have made further recommendations relating to Health and Safety around the premises and these will be implemented in due course.
Thinking about Separation or Divorce?
Is your marriage or that of a relative or friend heading for divorce? Do you know how to save that marriage? Or do you feel helpless? Retrouvaille (pronounced retro-vi with a long i) is designed to help troubled marriages regain their health. It helps spouses uncover or re-awaken the love, trust and commitment that originally brought them together. The programme is highly successful in saving hurting marriages, even bringing reconciliation to couples that have already separated or divorced. There is no group therapy or group work. For confidential information about ‘Retrouvaille’, or to register for the programme commencing with a residential weekend on 7th – 9th June 2019. Call or text 0788 7296983 0797 3380443 or Email retrouvailleukinfo@gmail.com or visit www.retrouvaille.org.uk
Walk to Church Weekend 22nd and 23rd June 2019
We would like to invite our Parishioners to join us in our annual Walk to Church Weekend on 22nd and 23rd of June. This year, aside from answering the call of our Holy Father Pope Francis Laudato Si by cutting down our carbon emission, we are organising a Health and Wellbeing campaign for our parishioners. We are working in partnership with the British Heart Foundation and the Stroke Association UK and we will provide FREE blood pressure and weight checks after each Mass service during this event. Free Information leaflets and fruits to take home will be available from our stand. outside the main entrance and children will receive reward stickers for walking to church.
Loop System & Disability Access