Welcome to the Catholic Parish of Stamford

Saint Mary and Saint Augustine The Presbytery, 13 Broad Street, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 1PG Telephone: (01780) 762010

Website: www.staugustinescatholicchurchstamford.co.uk

Parish Priest: Father Simon Gillespie Mobile: 07760 372105 Email: simon@nottinghamcatholic.com

Deacons: Reverend Charles West-Sadler (with Oakham parish); Reverend Robert S Dawson (retired)

Parish Director of Music: Ruth Proctor Mobile: 07826 017487 Email: ruthproctor73@gmail.com

Parish Hall Manager: Anna Barwell Mobile: 07789 283140 Email: anna.barwell@tiscali.co.uk

Parish Primary School: Saint Augustine’s Catholic Voluntary Academy, Stamford (01780) 762094

Catholic Secondary School: Saint John Fisher Catholic High School, Peterborough (01733) 343646

Part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nottingham Diocesan Website: www.nottingham-diocese.org.uk

Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocesan Trustees Company Number: 7151646 Charity Number: 1134449

27th and 28th January 2018 : Fourth Sunday of the Year

Today is Racial Justice Sunday and this year’s theme is Belonging: All are Welcome.

On this day Catholics are called to pray for those who experience unjust

discrimination or are marginalised because of their race and ethnicity. We think in

particular of those who feel they do not belong within our society or our

communities because of this discrimination.

As Catholics we are asked to treat all humans with dignity, regardless of their

background or circumstance. There are many stories of alienation throughout the

Bible, with clear calls to “Love the stranger”. That the Church is a place where all

belong is clearly seen in the recent Feast of Epiphany, when Christ is revealed not

only to the Israelites, but to all of God’s people.

As Pope Francis recently wrote: “Every stranger who knocks at our door is an

opportunity for an encounter with Jesus Christ, who identifies with the welcomed

and rejected strangers of every age.”

We are invited to take one of the prayercards from the back of church, and to pray

this prayer in solidarity with those who feel outcast:

O God, who created all people in your Holy Image,

who loves the stranger, who cares for the downtrodden,

walk with those who face discrimination,

protect them from harm help them see Christ in our community.

Guide those who fan the fires of discrimination to open their eyes

to the beauty of all your creation and respect the human dignity of all people.

Open our hearts to those who face hatred and injustice because of their race,

their background, their ethnicity that we might better help them belong.

Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

Changes to Mass Times this week

There will be no public Mass on Monday or on Wednesday this week as Father Simon

has meetings elsewhere. On Tuesday the Requiem Mass for Sheila Kelly is at 10am.

Forthcoming Events in our parish, community and diocese

Peterborough Theological Society will host Dr Ann Conway-Jones speaking about

‘Sibling Rivalry – Early Jewish-Christian relations and their legacy’ on Wednesday 31st

January. Details from Canon Jonathan Baker on 01733 355300.

LACY Working Group meeting at the Franciscan Convent, Dalby Road, Melton

Mowbray, LE13 OBG on Wednesday 31st January, 7.30pm – 9.00pm. A warm

welcome awaits you! For more information contact: paulinepayne@hotmail.com

The Thursday Lunch Club meets and eats on Thursday 1st February at 12.30pm. Help

is needed – please contact Eileen Dolby if you’re able to assist, on 753913.

The SVP (Saint Vincent de Paul Society) meets next on Thursday 1st February at

6.00pm in the parish hall. All are welcome.

A Parish Singing Practice will be held after the 11am Mass (so from 12 noon) on

Sunday 4th February in anticipation of music to be sung during Lent. All are very

welcome, whether members of the choir or not, those who think they can sing and

those who haven’t yet discovered their talents!

The Annual Diocesan Marriage Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Patrick on Sunday 4th

February at 3pm in Saint Barnabas Cathedral. This Mass is open to all married couples and

their families, especially those recently married, or celebrating significant anniversaries.

The Forty Days for Life information evening will be held in Saint Barnabas cathedral

hall, Nottingham, on Wednesday 7th February at 7.30pm. For more information

about this Pro Life initiative in Lent, contact 40daysforlifenotts@gmail.com

The Rutland Theological Society are hosting Rev’d Canon Chris Chivers on Thursday

8th February at 7.30pm in Oakham Methodist Church, LE15 6QS. The cost is £3,

details from Rev’d Peter Lemmon (secretary) on 01780 720730.

Come and Sing – a Diocesan Youth Singing Day for young people aged 8 – 18, on

Saturday 10th February¸ from 10.30am until 5pm, in Nottingham Cathedral. See the

notice in the porch for more information.

Chloe Reynolds in Concert on Friday 23rd February in Spalding Baptist Church. See the

poster in the church porch for more information. Tickets are £5 and £3.

There will be a Lent Retreat for Women at The Briars in the beautiful Derbyshire

countryside from Friday 2nd – Sunday 4th March, the cost of which is £70 (inclusive).

For further information and to book in contact: bookings@ndcys.com

A free showing of the film ‘I Daniel Blake’ will be held on Saturday 10th March at 2.00pm

for 2.30pm, at Stamford Methodist Church. It highlights those involved with caring for the

vulnerable and needy, and may offer an insight and some inspiration into different ways

of engaging with those in need.

First Holy Communion 2018

On Sunday at the 9.00am Mass we welcome our First Holy Communion children as

they celebrate their Mass of Enrolment. The children will celebrate their First

Confession on Saturday 19th May and then their First Holy Communion on Saturday

23rd June at 11am Mass. If you missed the parents’ meeting last Sunday and would

like your child to make his or her First Holy Communion in 2018 please contact

Catherine Callow: (01780) 762450 or ncallow@doctors.org.uk

Job Opportunities in our Diocesan Schools

Secondary school headteacher vacancies: The Becket School and The Trinity School

Following the appointment of the current headteachers to CEO positions within the

Diocese of Nottingham, we are looking to appoint two new headteachers to these high

performing schools in Nottingham. Applicants must be practising Catholics and have a

strong understanding of Catholic education, but may, currently, be employed outside the

Catholic sector. If you are interested, please see the TES or the schools’ websites. Closing

date is midday Friday 9th February.

Reflections from ‘Marriage Matters’

Evangelisation through our Sacrament

Saint Paul infers a deeper spirituality is found among the unmarried, yet writing to

the Ephesians (5:32), he speaks of ‘the profound mystery’ of marriage and compares

it to the relationship between Christ and the Church. The Lord is at the heart of our

love for one another, providing the grace for daily living and evangelisation, through

our Sacrament.

Parish 200 Club

The parish presbytery is badly in need of some refurbishment and repairs, and those

parishioners who have visited the Open Coffee Mornings over the past few months

all agree that this should happen as soon as possible. In order to raise funds for the

presbytery refurbishment and improve the fabric of our parish facilities we are

starting a Parish 200 Club, with the first draw to be made at the end of February.

Please consider supporting our Club if you can: for £10 per month you have the

chance to win a top prize of £2,000! 50% of the proceeds go to the parish

fundraising, and the other 50% to monthly, quarterly and annual prizes.

Thank You to those who have taken letters and have applied already!

If you haven’t got a letter please take one this weekend and return to our Parish 200

Club Promoter, Mrs Christina Armitage; alternatively contact her on 01733 252212

or at ncatorpel@btconnect.com

Thanks for considering joining this fundraising club, and let’s hope you win!

Planned Giving Envelopes

Although the current boxes of envelopes continue until the end of March, the new

boxes have arrived and are ready for collection this weekend. Please take yours

home – there should be boxes for everyone who gives weekly (larger boxes) and for

those with standing orders (smaller boxes with just the second collection envelopes).

If you don’t presently have envelopes, or wish to transfer to a standing order, or sign

a gift aid form, please speak with Mairead Scott (parish secretary) or Father Simon.

Thank You to all those parishioners who support our parish through their regular

giving by standing orders, gift aid declarations and weekly envelopes; the regularity

of your giving is a great help in planning for future projects!

Nottingham Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage

Have you ever been to Lourdes? Have you ever made a Pilgrimage? Are you inspired

to celebrate your faith with people from around our diocese? Our Diocesan

Pilgrimage to Lourdes, led by Bishop Patrick, will take place from 16th until 20th July.

Father Simon will be making the Pilgrimage and it would be great to have a group

from our parish there too. Although it’s quite expensive we have time to save up

and those who made the Pilgrimage from our parish last year came back refreshed

and renewed by the experience. If you’re interested in coming on the Pilgrimage

have a chat with Father Simon and put the dates in your diary now.

From our Parish Primary School

Lions class had a great morning today at the

Stamford Library. Children received a talk about

the library, learning about how fiction and non-

fiction books are organised, before having a tour

around including their Discover Stamford, and

listening to the story ‘What the ladybird heard’.

Children particularly enjoyed having the

opportunity to use their library cards to pick out

two books they could borrow and take home.

One of the children showed a real interest in

the history section, and found a book about

our class topic, ‘Ancient Egypt’.

Sports News

On Tuesday evening, 10 Year 5 / 6 children

went down to Borderville Sports Centre to

participate in the annual Indoor Athletics

event. Running from 3pm until 6pm,

children had plenty of time to practice and

participate in a range of running, jumping and throwing events. Children

demonstrated an extremely positive attitude towards trying new sports, giving

everything a go and

trying their absolute

hardest! The event

was really well

organised, giving

children time to

participate as well as

watch and cheer on

their team mates.

Miss Auton would like to thank the children for coming along and being excellent

representatives of our school.

Mission Statement this week:

I know that I belong in a community that includes my school

Prayers For . . .

All who have died recently: especially:

Edie McLaughlin (pictured, above), who died on Wednesday

and whose Requiem Mass will be celebrated on Monday 5th

February at 1.00pm;

Pat Jones, who died on Saturday and whose Requiem Mass will

be celebrated on Thursday 8th February at 3.30pm;

Ditosa Athaide (mother of Father Kevin Athaide assistant priest

at Nottingham Cathedral);

Pauline Smith (mother of Leone);

Sheila Kelly (pictured, below), whose Requiem Mass will be

celebrated on Tuesday 30th January at 10.00am;

Sister Bridie McLaughlin (a Sister of Mercy in Derby);

May they rest in peace!

All our sick and housebound parishioners and friends:

especially Father Terry Fellows, John and Julia Newman, Maria Pinto, Catherine

Farndell, John Griffiths, John Salthouse, Marie Lunny, Mary Patrick, Dympna

Middleton, Vincent Kelly, David Peach, Sister Attracta, Verlia Duque, Father Thomas

Breslin, Provost Michael Bell, John Chapple, Father Peter Peterken, Father Chris

Hogan, Father Michael Stappard, Margaret West-Sadler, John Herd, Father Dominic

O’Connor, Father Joe O’Hanlon, Jo and Bernard Raffo, Victoria Crouch, Father James

O’Hanlon, Father Eamonn O’Hara, Peter Herrick, Father John Cairns, Deacon Bernard

Croft, Mark Grab, Rosa Maria Santos, Kenneth Court, Veronica Hosking, Beth

Coleman, Joan Middleton, Pat Dancer, Augusta Deane, Irene Mulligan, Connie Edgar,

Gladys Brown, Nora Hunt, Valerie Pellier, Fiona Ruddle, David Cooke, Maeve Swann,

Helen Allen, Jean Maker, Anna Orme, Lucy Court, Debbie Reed, Ken Woods, Lilian

Popple, Anne Woods, Father David Bingham, Deacon Bob Dawson, Father Peter

Harvey.

Many Thanks for your Generosity

Envelopes £308.91 Loose plate £167.24

Standing Order £274.00 Collection Total £750.15

Don’t forget to collect your new box of envelopes this week!

Magnificat – Daily Mass readings, prayers and reflections

There is a special introductory offer of 3 months for only £9 available to all new

subscribers, and those booking before the end of January can get February, March,

Holy Week and April – and for those who want even more reading for Lent and Easter

they can try these Magnificat issues plus the Catholic Herald throughout February,

March and April all for just £20.

If you’re interested see the poster in the church porch, or contact Dennis Charlick,

Circulation Director, on 01706 670261 or dennis@catholicherald.co.uk

The Pope’s Prayer Intention for January

That Christians, and other religious minorities in Asian countries, may be able to

practise their faith in full freedom.

Readings at Masses this Week

Monday 2 Samuel 15:13-14.30; 16:5-13; Psalm 3:2-8; Mark 5:1-20

Tuesday 2 Samuel 18:9-10.14.24-25.30-19:3; Psalm 85(86):1-6; Mark 5:21-43

Wednesday 2 Samuel 24:2.9-17; Psalm 31(32):1-2.5-7; Mark 6:1-6

Thursday 1 Kings 2:1-4.10-12; 1 Chronicles 29:10-12; Mark 6:7-13

Friday Malachi 3:1-4; Psalm 23(24):7-10; Luke 2:22-40

Saturday 1 Kings 3:4-13; Psalm 118(119):9-14; Mark 6:30-34

Liturgy this Week and next Week

Celebration Fourth Sunday of the Year Fifth Sunday

Cycle & Psalter Year B, Week 4 Year B, Week 1

Mass Page 132 Page 134

Penitential Rite B, page 8 B, page 8

First Reading Deuteronomy 18:15-20 Job 7:1-4.6-7

Psalm Psalm 94:1-2. 6-9 Psalm 146:1-6

Second Reading 1 Corinthians 7:32-35 1 Corinthians 9:16-19.22-23

Gospel Mark 1:21-28 Mark 1:29-39

Preface EP4, page 31 Sundays 4, page 55

Eucharistic Prayer Four, page 31 Three, page 28

Memorial Acclamation B (When we eat) B (When we eat) 0

Masses and Services this Week

Saturday 27th January Fourth Sunday of the Year

Racial Justice Sunday

6.00pm Vigil Mass Anthony Preston RIP

7.00pm Confessions

Sunday 28th January Fourth Sunday of the Year

9.00am School Mass Eileen Jenkins (get well)

Tea and coffee after

11.00am Mass Pro Populo (people of the parish)

Tea and coffee after

5.00pm Sung Vespers

Monday 29th January Feria

No public Mass (November Dead List)

Tuesday 30th January Feria

10.00am Requiem Mass Sheila Kelly RIP

Wednesday 31st January Memoria of Saint John Bosco, priest

No public Mass (November Dead List)

Thursday 1st February Feria

7.00pm Mass Angela and David McLeod and family

Friday 2nd February Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life

10.00am Procession and Mass Sheila, Dick and Hubert Preston

Saturday 3rd February Memorial of Saint Blaise

9.00am Confessions

Fifth Sunday of the Year

6.00pm Vigil Mass Martha Ann Greenwood Allison RIP

7.00pm Confessions

Sunday 4th February Fifth Sunday of the Year

9.00am School Mass Pro Populo (People of the parish)

Children’s Liturgy; Tea and coffee after

11.00am Mass Vince O’Neil RIP

Tea and coffee after

5.00pm Sung Vespers

National Eucharistic Congress : 7th – 9th September 2018