Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Concordat cum originali: +Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin. Additional material, cum permissu: +Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin. Commentary by Fr Anthony Cassidy CSsR. The English translation of the Entrance and Communion Antiphons, Collect, Prayer over the Offerings, Gloria, Profession of Faith and Prayer after Communion are taken from The Roman Missal, © 2010 International Commission of English in the Liturgy Corporation. Jerusalem Bible version of the scriptures © Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd., and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Responsorial Psalms are copyright The Grail and/or Geoffrey Chapman Ltd. Published in Ireland by Redemptorist Communications (www.redcoms.org); Published in the UK by Redemptorist Publications (www.rpbooks.co.uk).
12TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME21 JUNE 2020
THE WORD Year A • Psalter Week 4
Think about how you witness to the Gospel every day, whether at work, school or at home. How good a witness are you?
DO
Today’s Gospel is part of Jesus’ mission discourse. The disciples are given reasons why they should be confident as they set out on their mission. Twice they are told, “Do not be afraid.” The first time, it is intended to inspire boldness in their preaching. The second time, it is to encourage the disciples to remain steadfast in the face of persecution.
A prominent feature of the Old Testament stories of the calling of prophets is the comforting words: “Do not fear.” The preachers of Jesus’ message take their place alongside the prophets of old. The message they are to deliver is a bold, public proclamation of the good news of the kingdom of God. They may have received much of the substance of the message in private teaching from Jesus but the time has now arrived for them to proclaim that word publicly, even “from the rooftops”. Many ancient religions claimed to have secret teaching that was only to be made known to those who had undergone lengthy rites of initiation. Christianity made no such claims. Its message was the Gospel, the good news of the coming reign of God, that was to be made known free of charge “to every creature”, as Jesus would repeat in his final words after his resurrection.
But such public proclamation runs the risk of persecution and death. The call to confidence is supported by some sayings about God’s provident care for the disciple. Mere earthly existence is not as valuable as the life of the soul. The one who has dominion over the life of both body and soul is the compassionate Father in heaven. Two comparisons of God’s providence drive the point home. Sparrows, the smallest of birds, might appear to be of insignificant value but the Father keeps count even of them. By the same token, every hair on the human head has been counted and a human being is worth more than hundreds of sparrows.
The discussion of persecution introduces the theme of public witness. Declaring oneself for Jesus was part of Christian martyrdom. A disciple was a martyr because he or she had given public testimony for Jesus before the courts. The other side of martyrdom is that Jesus, the first witness, will in turn give evidence on behalf of the disciple in the heavenly court. The contrary is also true: a disciple who is so paralysed by fear that he or she publicly disowns Jesus will in turn be disowned by him before the heavenly court. n
LEARN
“Persecutions are not a reality of the past, for today too we experience them, whether by the shedding of blood, as is the case with so many contemporary martyrs, or by more subtle means, by slander and lies. Jesus calls us blessed when people “utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account”. At other times, persecution can take the form of gibes that try to caricature our faith and make us seem ridiculous.” – Pope Francis, Gaudete et Exsultate
SAY“Lord, do not allow me to abandon or deny you in times of difficulty. Give me the strength to always speak your word.”
Matthew stresses that faith in Jesus can never be a purely private matter to be kept
under wraps. This doesn’t mean it is only preachers who give testimony to their faith in Jesus. When St Francis of Assisi was sending out his first friars to preach the good news, he told them “Preach the Gospel to every creature, using words if necessary.”
Francis appreciated the importance of the witness of life, that everything we do and say is a witness to the Gospel. That witness can be as risky as the preached message. Confessing faith in Jesus publicly will earn the right to have him stand as our witness on the day of judgement. n
REFLECT
21 June 2020 Year A • Psalter Week 4 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
ENTRANCE ANTIPHONThe Lord is the strength of his people,a saving refuge for the one he has anointed.Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage,and govern them for ever.
COLLECTGrant, O Lord,that we may always revere and love your holy name,for you never deprive of your guidancethose you set firm on the foundation of your love.Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever.Amen.
FIRST READING Jeremiah 20:10-13
A reading from the prophet Jeremiah.
Jeremiah said:
I hear so many disparaging me, “‘Terror from every side!’ Denounce him! Let us denounce him!” All those who used to be my friends watched for my downfall,“Perhaps he will be seduced into error.Then we will master himand take our revenge!”But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero;my opponents will stumble, mastered,confounded by their failure;everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs.But you, Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice,who scrutinise the loins and heart,let me see the vengeance you will take on them,for I have committed my cause to you.Sing to the Lord,praise the Lord,for he has delivered the soul of the needyfrom the hands of evil men.
The word of the Lord.Thanks be to God.
PSALM Psalm 68
Response:In your great love, answer me, O God.
1. It is for you that I suffer taunts, that shame covers my face, that I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my own mother’s sons. I burn with zeal for your house and taunts against you fall on me. (R.)
2. This is my prayer to you, my prayer for your favour. In your great love, answer me, O God, with your help that never fails: Lord, answer, for your love is kind; in your compassion, turn towards me. (R.)
3. The poor when they see it will be glad and God-seeking hearts will revive; for the Lord listens to the needy and does not spurn his servants in their chains. Let the heavens and earth give him praise, the sea and all its living creatures. (R.)
SECOND READING Romans 5:12-15
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans.
Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned. Sin existed in the world long before the Law was given. There was no law and so no one could be accused of the sin of “law-breaking”, yet death reigned over all from Adam to Moses, even though their sin, unlike that of Adam, was not a matter of breaking a law. Adam prefigured the One to come, but the gift itself considerably outweighed the fall. If it is certain that through one man’s fall so many died, it is even more certain that divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift.
The word of the Lord.Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATIONAlleluia, alleluia!The Word was made flesh and lived among us;to all who did accept himhe gave power to become children of God.Alleuia!
GOSPEL Matthew 10:26-33
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: “Do not be afraid. For everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the house-tops. “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows. “So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one who disowns me in the presence of men, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven.”
The Gospel of the Lord.Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
PROFESSION OF FAITHI believe in one God,the Father almighty,maker of heaven and earth,of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,the Only Begotten Son of God,born of the Father before all ages.God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;through him all things were made.For us men and for our salvationhe came down from heaven,
(all bow during the next three lines)
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third dayin accordance with the Scriptures.He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.He will come again in gloryto judge the living and the deadand his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,who proceeds from the Father and the Son,who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sinsand I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGSReceive, O Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation and praise and grant that, cleansed by its action, we may make offering of a heart pleasing to you.Through Christ our Lord.Amen.
COMMUNION ANTIPHONThe eyes of all look to you, Lord,and you give them their food in due season.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNIONRenewed and nourishedby the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of your Son,we ask of your mercy, O Lord,that what we celebrate with constant devotionmay be our sure pledge of redemption. Through Christ our LordAmen.
“To be connected with the church is to be associated with scoundrels, warmongers, fakes, child molesters, murderers, adulterers, and hypocrites of every description. It also, at the same time, identifies you with the saints and the finest persons of heroic soul within every time, country, race, and gender. To be a member of the church is to carry the mantle of both the worst sin and the finest heroism of soul... because the church always looks exactly as it looked at the original crucifixion, God hung among thieves.”
Ronald Rolheiser OMI
DON’T BE AFRAID (MATTHEW 10:26-33)
Jesus tells us that we have nothing to fear. God has counted every hair on our heads. God is as close to us as our very own heartbeat. Thank the Lord for the gift of his love. Ask God to deepen your faith and trust in him.
PRAY
Concordat cum originali: +Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin. Additional material, cum permissu: +Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin. Commentary by Fr Anthony Cassidy CSsR. The English translation of the Entrance and Communion Antiphons, Collect, Prayer over the Offerings, Gloria, Profession of Faith and Prayer after Communion are taken from The Roman Missal, © 2010 International Commission of English in the Liturgy Corporation. Jerusalem Bible version of the scriptures © Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd., and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Responsorial Psalms are copyright The Grail and/or Geoffrey Chapman Ltd. Published in Ireland by Redemptorist Communications (www.redcoms.org); Published in the UK by Redemptorist Publications (www.rpbooks.co.uk).
12TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME21 JUNE 2020
THE WORD Year A • Psalter Week 4
Think about how you witness to the Gospel every day, whether at work, school or at home. How good a witness are you?
DO
Today’s Gospel is part of Jesus’ mission discourse. The disciples are given reasons why they should be confident as they set out on their mission. Twice they are told, “Do not be afraid.” The first time, it is intended to inspire boldness in their preaching. The second time, it is to encourage the disciples to remain steadfast in the face of persecution.
A prominent feature of the Old Testament stories of the calling of prophets is the comforting words: “Do not fear.” The preachers of Jesus’ message take their place alongside the prophets of old. The message they are to deliver is a bold, public proclamation of the good news of the kingdom of God. They may have received much of the substance of the message in private teaching from Jesus but the time has now arrived for them to proclaim that word publicly, even “from the rooftops”. Many ancient religions claimed to have secret teaching that was only to be made known to those who had undergone lengthy rites of initiation. Christianity made no such claims. Its message was the Gospel, the good news of the coming reign of God, that was to be made known free of charge “to every creature”, as Jesus would repeat in his final words after his resurrection.
But such public proclamation runs the risk of persecution and death. The call to confidence is supported by some sayings about God’s provident care for the disciple. Mere earthly existence is not as valuable as the life of the soul. The one who has dominion over the life of both body and soul is the compassionate Father in heaven. Two comparisons of God’s providence drive the point home. Sparrows, the smallest of birds, might appear to be of insignificant value but the Father keeps count even of them. By the same token, every hair on the human head has been counted and a human being is worth more than hundreds of sparrows.
The discussion of persecution introduces the theme of public witness. Declaring oneself for Jesus was part of Christian martyrdom. A disciple was a martyr because he or she had given public testimony for Jesus before the courts. The other side of martyrdom is that Jesus, the first witness, will in turn give evidence on behalf of the disciple in the heavenly court. The contrary is also true: a disciple who is so paralysed by fear that he or she publicly disowns Jesus will in turn be disowned by him before the heavenly court. n
LEARN
“Persecutions are not a reality of the past, for today too we experience them, whether by the shedding of blood, as is the case with so many contemporary martyrs, or by more subtle means, by slander and lies. Jesus calls us blessed when people “utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account”. At other times, persecution can take the form of gibes that try to caricature our faith and make us seem ridiculous.” – Pope Francis, Gaudete et Exsultate
SAY“Lord, do not allow me to abandon or deny you in times of difficulty. Give me the strength to always speak your word.”
Matthew stresses that faith in Jesus can never be a purely private matter to be kept
under wraps. This doesn’t mean it is only preachers who give testimony to their faith in Jesus. When St Francis of Assisi was sending out his first friars to preach the good news, he told them “Preach the Gospel to every creature, using words if necessary.”
Francis appreciated the importance of the witness of life, that everything we do and say is a witness to the Gospel. That witness can be as risky as the preached message. Confessing faith in Jesus publicly will earn the right to have him stand as our witness on the day of judgement. n
REFLECT
21 June 2020 Year A • Psalter Week 4 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
ENTRANCE ANTIPHONThe Lord is the strength of his people,a saving refuge for the one he has anointed.Save your people, Lord, and bless your heritage,and govern them for ever.
COLLECTGrant, O Lord,that we may always revere and love your holy name,for you never deprive of your guidancethose you set firm on the foundation of your love.Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever.Amen.
FIRST READING Jeremiah 20:10-13
A reading from the prophet Jeremiah.
Jeremiah said:
I hear so many disparaging me, “‘Terror from every side!’ Denounce him! Let us denounce him!” All those who used to be my friends watched for my downfall,“Perhaps he will be seduced into error.Then we will master himand take our revenge!”But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero;my opponents will stumble, mastered,confounded by their failure;everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs.But you, Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice,who scrutinise the loins and heart,let me see the vengeance you will take on them,for I have committed my cause to you.Sing to the Lord,praise the Lord,for he has delivered the soul of the needyfrom the hands of evil men.
The word of the Lord.Thanks be to God.
PSALM Psalm 68
Response:In your great love, answer me, O God.
1. It is for you that I suffer taunts, that shame covers my face, that I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my own mother’s sons. I burn with zeal for your house and taunts against you fall on me. (R.)
2. This is my prayer to you, my prayer for your favour. In your great love, answer me, O God, with your help that never fails: Lord, answer, for your love is kind; in your compassion, turn towards me. (R.)
3. The poor when they see it will be glad and God-seeking hearts will revive; for the Lord listens to the needy and does not spurn his servants in their chains. Let the heavens and earth give him praise, the sea and all its living creatures. (R.)
SECOND READING Romans 5:12-15
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans.
Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned. Sin existed in the world long before the Law was given. There was no law and so no one could be accused of the sin of “law-breaking”, yet death reigned over all from Adam to Moses, even though their sin, unlike that of Adam, was not a matter of breaking a law. Adam prefigured the One to come, but the gift itself considerably outweighed the fall. If it is certain that through one man’s fall so many died, it is even more certain that divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift.
The word of the Lord.Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATIONAlleluia, alleluia!The Word was made flesh and lived among us;to all who did accept himhe gave power to become children of God.Alleuia!
GOSPEL Matthew 10:26-33
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: “Do not be afraid. For everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the house-tops. “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows. “So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one who disowns me in the presence of men, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven.”
The Gospel of the Lord.Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
PROFESSION OF FAITHI believe in one God,the Father almighty,maker of heaven and earth,of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,the Only Begotten Son of God,born of the Father before all ages.God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God,begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;through him all things were made.For us men and for our salvationhe came down from heaven,
(all bow during the next three lines)
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third dayin accordance with the Scriptures.He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.He will come again in gloryto judge the living and the deadand his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,who proceeds from the Father and the Son,who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sinsand I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGSReceive, O Lord, the sacrifice of conciliation and praise and grant that, cleansed by its action, we may make offering of a heart pleasing to you.Through Christ our Lord.Amen.
COMMUNION ANTIPHONThe eyes of all look to you, Lord,and you give them their food in due season.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNIONRenewed and nourishedby the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of your Son,we ask of your mercy, O Lord,that what we celebrate with constant devotionmay be our sure pledge of redemption. Through Christ our LordAmen.
“To be connected with the church is to be associated with scoundrels, warmongers, fakes, child molesters, murderers, adulterers, and hypocrites of every description. It also, at the same time, identifies you with the saints and the finest persons of heroic soul within every time, country, race, and gender. To be a member of the church is to carry the mantle of both the worst sin and the finest heroism of soul... because the church always looks exactly as it looked at the original crucifixion, God hung among thieves.”
Ronald Rolheiser OMI
DON’T BE AFRAID (MATTHEW 10:26-33)
Jesus tells us that we have nothing to fear. God has counted every hair on our heads. God is as close to us as our very own heartbeat. Thank the Lord for the gift of his love. Ask God to deepen your faith and trust in him.
PRAY
PARISH MATTERS
When I was studying scripture at the seminary we were asked to write about one of the prophets. I chose the Prophet Jeremiah. I have come to have great affection for him because he was a reluctant prophet. God wanted him to remind the people they needed to turn back to Him. Jeremiah protested. “Lord, look I don’t know how to speak. I am only a boy. God’s reply was “Don’t be afraid of them for I am with you to rescue you” Yet the people didn’t want to hear what Jeremiah had to say. The life of Jeremiah was filled with sadness and tragedy. His prophetic ministry from 627 to 586 b.c. witnessed the drama of sweeping international events in the Near East that ended with the capture and destruction of Jerusalem in 586 b.c. by the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar, an event that Jeremiah had long foretold. Jeremiah was con-stantly having to tell God’s people things that they didn’t want to hear. He was seen as a pessimistic figure. Yet he was faithful and had confidence in God’s protection.
We are aware that we live in a world that has lost its bearings. It is good that at this time we are declaring that “Black Lives Matter”, that we making renewed efforts to stamp out racism but there is no united voice saying that life matters from the moment of conception till the moment of death. Many of the gospel values are compromised or ignored.
When we were baptised, the priest anointed us, saying “As Christ was anointed Priest, Prophet and King may you live always as a member of his body, sharing everlasting life.” So are we all prophets today? We are a prophet in the measure that we bear the truth of God. This we do through our words and actions. We need to remind ourselves and others of the word of God, in season or out of season. Pope St John Paul II re-minded us in his letter on the role of the laity that through our participation in the pro-phetic mission of Christ, “the lay faithful are given the ability and responsibility to ac-cept the gospel in faith and to proclaim it in word and deed, without hesitating to cou-rageously identify and denounce evil. United to Christ, the "great prophet", we are called to allow the newness and the power of the gospel to shine out every day in our family and social life, as well as to express patiently and courageously in the contra-dictions of the present age our hope of future glory even "through the framework of their secular life”.
In the gospel today, Jesus tells us not to be afraid of what others may think of us when we speak the truth that others don’t want to hear or disagree with. “To bear the word of God means to make oneself vulnerable to suffering, liable to be derided and misun-derstood. God’s word inevitably encounters hostility and rejection, and those who pre-sent it often get hurt. It’s not unreasonable to be afraid of what might happen to us if we are serious about bearing witness to our faith” (Archbishop Pilarczyk) Don’t be put off. Be a prophet. Jesus is with you saying, “Do not be afraid, I am with you”
NEWSLETTER
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY
59 Burgate Canterbury Kent CT1 2HJ Telephone: 01227 462896 Email: [email protected] Web Site: www.stthomasofcanterbury.com St Thomas of Canterbury Parish Priest: Canon Anthony Charlton email: [email protected] Assistant Priest: Fr Sylvester Adeniyi CSSp Parish Administrator: Miss Linda Scott St Thomas’ Shop (01227 462896): open Sunday mornings & weekdays (Times on Shop Door)
University of Kent Chaplaincy: Fr Tom Herbst (01843 230 774) email: [email protected] St Thomas’ Catholic Primary School: Head Teacher: Miss Lisa D’Agostini (01227 462539) St Anselm’s Catholic Secondary School: Exec Prin Mr M Walters; Academy Prin: Mr J Rowarth (01227 826200)
Office closed during the Covid-19 pandemic. You can still phone or
From Fr Anthony ...
Please remember in your prayers:
Marie Strong, Pat Gill, Angeline Frizell, Alan Skeet, Louisa Ward,
Janette Hughes, Maurice Crosland, Barbara Brett, Hannelore Hall,
Mary Dittrich, Pat Gibson, Jenni Aldridge, Mary Reynolds, Brian
Wicker, Joan Sutton, Audrey Martin, Elizabeth Gilhenny, Bill Parker,
Bernie Fisher and Lucy Purbrick.
Please pray for the repose of the souls of: Maria Bryant, Pamela
Dodds Fr Gerry Flood, Roberto de Paco, John Todd, Carol Mary Kidby,
Anna Hesketh, Tom Hodges, Rebecca Judge, Fr Francis Hartley, Fr
Edmund Hartley, Gertraude Katherine Brock and Vera Fletcher.
Please pray for those whose first anniversaries are this month:
Tsige Buta , Michael Hagger and Agnes Nattrass
THANK YOU to everyone who continues to send in their Mass donations, weekly collections and other very gener-
ous payments to the parish funds. The Masses will get said - we are though limited to one a day (2 on Sunday) at the
moment so it may take a little longer. Thank you too for all the generous donations to our SVP and to CAFOD. Please
be assured they are being passed to the right people.
The Salvation Army Community Worker – job oppor-tunity
The Salvation Army is advertising for someone to work as their Community Worker. If interested take a look
at their website: https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/jobs . The closing date is this coming Sunday.
REOPENING THE CHURCH
The Parish Pastoral Council met via Zoom last
Monday evening and discussed the opening of
our church. A risk assessment has been done
and will be submitted to Canon John O’Toole,
the Episcopal Vicar for Kent, for his approval.
We are installing a ramp at the Canterbury
Lane entrance of the church. This will start
next Tuesday and take a week to do. It will
cause unavoidable noise and mess so we
cannot deep clean the church, upper room
and sacristies until this is finished. We are
aiming for possibly the 1st July if we can get
volunteers trained and the building cleaned in
time. The toilets will not be opened for the mo-
ment. Let us keep praying for a safe and early
opening.
Volunteers needed Thank you to all who have already volunteered as stewards for the opening of our church. Helen Nattress will be contacting you all regarding induc-tion and training to keep us all safe. We are still looking for volunteers so if you can help, please con-tact me through email ([email protected]) or phone 01227462896 if you are willing to help.
ARCHBISHOP PASTORAL LETTER Regarding the opening of our churches can
be found on our parish website. And the Archbishop's Statement to Young
People on Racism.
Sunday 21st June: 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Father’s Day) Mt 10:26-33
11.00am: Fr Francis Hartley & Fr Edmund Hart-ley RIP (Peter & Brenda Crow) Monday 22nd June: Sts John Fisher & Thomas More Mt 7: 1-5 12 noon: Rebecca Judge RIP (D.Carney) (Funeral of Vera Fletcher Barham Crem) Tuesday 23rd June: St Etheldreda, Abbess Mt 7: 6, 12-14 12 noon: Recovery & Wellbeing of Fr Pat Molo-ney (Hilary Mckernan) Wednesday 24th June: Lk 1:57-66,80 The Nativity of St John the Baptist 12 noon: Stanley King RIP (Theresa Punnett) Thursday 25th June: Feria Mt 7: 21-29 12 noon: John Delaney RIP Friday 26th June: Feria Mt 8: 1-4 12 noon:: Welfare of Lucy Purbrick (Sue Purbrick) Saturday 27th June: St Cyril of Alexandria Mt 8: 5-17 12 noon: Welfare of Gus Purbrick (Sue Purbrick) Sunday 28th June: Sts Peter & Paul Mt 16:13-19 9.30am: John Nolan RIP (Sue Nolan & Family) 11.00am: Agnes Nattress RIP (!st Anniversary) (Helen Nattress)
Live streaming of Mass at 9:30:
Go to the parish website to watch it
Becky Judge RIP (Aldwyth & Michael Garside)
THANK YOU to everyone who continues to send in their Mass donations, weekly collections and oth-er very generous payments to the parish funds. The Masses will get said - we are though limited to
one a day (2 on Sunday) at the moment so it may take a little longer. Thank you too for all the gener-ous donations to our SVP and to CAFOD. Please be assured they are being passed to the right people.
PARISH MATTERS
When I was studying scripture at the seminary we were asked to write about one of the prophets. I chose the Prophet Jeremiah. I have come to have great affection for him because he was a reluctant prophet. God wanted him to remind the people they needed to turn back to Him. Jeremiah protested. “Lord, look I don’t know how to speak. I am only a boy. God’s reply was “Don’t be afraid of them for I am with you to rescue you” Yet the people didn’t want to hear what Jeremiah had to say. The life of Jeremiah was filled with sadness and tragedy. His prophetic ministry from 627 to 586 b.c. witnessed the drama of sweeping international events in the Near East that ended with the capture and destruction of Jerusalem in 586 b.c. by the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar, an event that Jeremiah had long foretold. Jeremiah was con-stantly having to tell God’s people things that they didn’t want to hear. He was seen as a pessimistic figure. Yet he was faithful and had confidence in God’s protection.
We are aware that we live in a world that has lost its bearings. It is good that at this time we are declaring that “Black Lives Matter”, that we making renewed efforts to stamp out racism but there is no united voice saying that life matters from the moment of conception till the moment of death. Many of the gospel values are compromised or ignored.
When we were baptised, the priest anointed us, saying “As Christ was anointed Priest, Prophet and King may you live always as a member of his body, sharing everlasting life.” So are we all prophets today? We are a prophet in the measure that we bear the truth of God. This we do through our words and actions. We need to remind ourselves and others of the word of God, in season or out of season. Pope St John Paul II re-minded us in his letter on the role of the laity that through our participation in the pro-phetic mission of Christ, “the lay faithful are given the ability and responsibility to ac-cept the gospel in faith and to proclaim it in word and deed, without hesitating to cou-rageously identify and denounce evil. United to Christ, the "great prophet", we are called to allow the newness and the power of the gospel to shine out every day in our family and social life, as well as to express patiently and courageously in the contra-dictions of the present age our hope of future glory even "through the framework of their secular life”.
In the gospel today, Jesus tells us not to be afraid of what others may think of us when we speak the truth that others don’t want to hear or disagree with. “To bear the word of God means to make oneself vulnerable to suffering, liable to be derided and misun-derstood. God’s word inevitably encounters hostility and rejection, and those who pre-sent it often get hurt. It’s not unreasonable to be afraid of what might happen to us if we are serious about bearing witness to our faith” (Archbishop Pilarczyk) Don’t be put off. Be a prophet. Jesus is with you saying, “Do not be afraid, I am with you”
NEWSLETTER
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF ST THOMAS OF CANTERBURY
59 Burgate Canterbury Kent CT1 2HJ Telephone: 01227 462896 Email: [email protected] Web Site: www.stthomasofcanterbury.com St Thomas of Canterbury Parish Priest: Canon Anthony Charlton email: [email protected] Assistant Priest: Fr Sylvester Adeniyi CSSp Parish Administrator: Miss Linda Scott St Thomas’ Shop (01227 462896): open Sunday mornings & weekdays (Times on Shop Door)
University of Kent Chaplaincy: Fr Tom Herbst (01843 230 774) email: [email protected] St Thomas’ Catholic Primary School: Head Teacher: Miss Lisa D’Agostini (01227 462539) St Anselm’s Catholic Secondary School: Exec Prin Mr M Walters; Academy Prin: Mr J Rowarth (01227 826200)
Office closed during the Covid-19 pandemic. You can still phone or
From Fr Anthony ...
Please remember in your prayers:
Marie Strong, Pat Gill, Angeline Frizell, Alan Skeet, Louisa Ward,
Janette Hughes, Maurice Crosland, Barbara Brett, Hannelore Hall,
Mary Dittrich, Pat Gibson, Jenni Aldridge, Mary Reynolds, Brian
Wicker, Joan Sutton, Audrey Martin, Elizabeth Gilhenny, Bill Parker,
Bernie Fisher and Lucy Purbrick.
Please pray for the repose of the souls of: Maria Bryant, Pamela
Dodds Fr Gerry Flood, Roberto de Paco, John Todd, Carol Mary Kidby,
Anna Hesketh, Tom Hodges, Rebecca Judge, Fr Francis Hartley, Fr
Edmund Hartley, Gertraude Katherine Brock and Vera Fletcher.
Please pray for those whose first anniversaries are this month:
Tsige Buta , Michael Hagger and Agnes Nattrass
THANK YOU to everyone who continues to send in their Mass donations, weekly collections and other very gener-
ous payments to the parish funds. The Masses will get said - we are though limited to one a day (2 on Sunday) at the
moment so it may take a little longer. Thank you too for all the generous donations to our SVP and to CAFOD. Please
be assured they are being passed to the right people.
The Salvation Army Community Worker – job oppor-tunity
The Salvation Army is advertising for someone to work as their Community Worker. If interested take a look
at their website: https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/jobs . The closing date is this coming Sunday.
REOPENING THE CHURCH
The Parish Pastoral Council met via Zoom last
Monday evening and discussed the opening of
our church. A risk assessment has been done
and will be submitted to Canon John O’Toole,
the Episcopal Vicar for Kent, for his approval.
We are installing a ramp at the Canterbury
Lane entrance of the church. This will start
next Tuesday and take a week to do. It will
cause unavoidable noise and mess so we
cannot deep clean the church, upper room
and sacristies until this is finished. We are
aiming for possibly the 1st July if we can get
volunteers trained and the building cleaned in
time. The toilets will not be opened for the mo-
ment. Let us keep praying for a safe and early
opening.
Volunteers needed Thank you to all who have already volunteered as stewards for the opening of our church. Helen Nattress will be contacting you all regarding induc-tion and training to keep us all safe. We are still looking for volunteers so if you can help, please con-tact me through email ([email protected]) or phone 01227462896 if you are willing to help.
ARCHBISHOP PASTORAL LETTER Regarding the opening of our churches can
be found on our parish website. And the Archbishop's Statement to Young
People on Racism.
Sunday 21st June: 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Father’s Day) Mt 10:26-33
11.00am: Fr Francis Hartley & Fr Edmund Hart-ley RIP (Peter & Brenda Crow) Monday 22nd June: Sts John Fisher & Thomas More Mt 7: 1-5 12 noon: Rebecca Judge RIP (D.Carney) (Funeral of Vera Fletcher Barham Crem) Tuesday 23rd June: St Etheldreda, Abbess Mt 7: 6, 12-14 12 noon: Recovery & Wellbeing of Fr Pat Molo-ney (Hilary Mckernan) Wednesday 24th June: Lk 1:57-66,80 The Nativity of St John the Baptist 12 noon: Stanley King RIP (Theresa Punnett) Thursday 25th June: Feria Mt 7: 21-29 12 noon: John Delaney RIP Friday 26th June: Feria Mt 8: 1-4 12 noon:: Welfare of Lucy Purbrick (Sue Purbrick) Saturday 27th June: St Cyril of Alexandria Mt 8: 5-17 12 noon: Welfare of Gus Purbrick (Sue Purbrick) Sunday 28th June: Sts Peter & Paul Mt 16:13-19 9.30am: John Nolan RIP (Sue Nolan & Family) 11.00am: Agnes Nattress RIP (!st Anniversary) (Helen Nattress)
Live streaming of Mass at 9:30:
Go to the parish website to watch it
Becky Judge RIP (Aldwyth & Michael Garside)
THANK YOU to everyone who continues to send in their Mass donations, weekly collections and oth-er very generous payments to the parish funds. The Masses will get said - we are though limited to
one a day (2 on Sunday) at the moment so it may take a little longer. Thank you too for all the gener-ous donations to our SVP and to CAFOD. Please be assured they are being passed to the right people.
