18th July 2010 - The Most Holy Redeemer

Friday 10^th September - 8pm - Centenary Lecture in the Large Hall on the History of the Parish, delivered by Fr Stewart Foster, Diocesan Archivist and Historian.

in the Small Hall. This will contain many items from the past hundred years of Catholic life in Billericay, with the centrepiece being a vestment worn by St John Payne.

in the Church concelebrated by Bishop Thomas and many former MHR clergy. All parishioners are encouraged to attend this Mass. Early arrival is encouraged, as the Church is likely to be full. The Mass will be followed by a Social in the Pastoral Centre. More details in 5^th September Newsletter.

Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one” (Luke 10:38-42). Our sympathy may lie with Martha who was busy preparing a meal, but Jesus tells us that being attentive to him, the Word of God, as Mary was, is to choose the better part. It is hard to get the right balance between the prayer and action, and so carry out correctly our responsibilities to God and neighbour. That is possibly one reason why there has been a decline in people attending Church or Mass, for they see doing things as being more important than spending time with God in public or private prayer. Mary gave her full attention to Jesus by listening to him and he praised her for it. Martha gave him little or no attention, for she was so busy and had so much to do that she had no time to listen to him. Jesus implicitly told her that she had not chosen the better part.

Some people engage in a type of prayer, which uses God as escape from the responsibilities and practicalities of daily life. No one can justify this self-indulgent kind of prayer, for all prayer has consequences, for the one who prays and society. The Lord’s Prayer and Ten Commandments, both begin with the focus on God, and show us that this flows into right relationships and care for others. The effects of prayer can be seen in people’s lives, for it makes them whole and holy, as they become more attentive to God and see the wisdom of his plan in the way they should act and relate to others.

Today’s temptation is to be so busy that we do not give time to God or listen to him speak to us in the Scriptures, in the community or in our heart. We drown him out with busyness and act as if everything depends on ourselves. We can exclude God as if we are not answerable to him and as if he makes no difference to our life. We need to have a Mary and Martha aspect to our life so that we give real attention to God and people, and put into practice what Jesus gives us in prayer. In Parish meetings and the Bidding Prayers, at Mass, we often use this prayer: “Almighty God, direct all our thoughts, words and actions, so that every prayer and work of ours may always begin from you, may be carried out with your assistance and be completed to the praise and glory of your name, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.”.

The schools will close and summer holidays start this week. We ask God to bless and protect people during the holiday season, so that it will be a safe, refreshing and happy time for everyone, whether at home or away.

OFFERINGS Thank you for your generous Offerings of £1568.60 for our parish last weekend, and £27.64 for our CAFOD Project in Africa. The retiring collection for Survive Miva raised £1233.78. Our thanks also for the following donations: Billericay & Wickford Trefoil Guild £50; Mother & Toddler Group £100: and Hutton & Shenfield Choral Society £100.

GIFT AID Our Parish has received a tax refund of £21,523.40 on Gift Aid donations for 2009/10. Sincere thanks to our parishioners for your contributions, to the counters for their time on a Sunday evening, and to Anna O’Keeffe and the area organisers who assist in running our Parish Gift Aid scheme. If you would like to join the Gift Aid Scheme, please complete a declaration form, which is available in the Church porch and return it to the Parish Office.

WELCOME We welcome Paul Fitzsimmons, who is a student for the priesthood, to our Parish this weekend. Paul is from the Diocese of Dromore, Northern Ireland and is studying at the Irish College in Rome. He will be working in our parish during August and September, to get practical experience of parish life, and help with his training and formation for pastoral ministry.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION & RECONCILIATION PREPARATION Application forms to enrol children who will in School Year 3 and above in September 2010 can be collected from the Repository Shop in the Church porch before or after all weekend Masses until next Sunday 25^thJuly. The forms must be returned to the Parish Office by Monday, 26^th July. Application forms received after that date will be put on file for the course which starts in September 2011.

PILGRIMAGE TO TAIZÉ (ages 18-35) August 14^th–23^rd visit www.bcys.net or contact the youth office on 01277 265286.

THE COMMISSION FOR JUSTICE & SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY will be hosting an event in the Conference Hall, Cathedral House, Brentwood on Saturday, 9^th October, 10am – 3pm, on Marriage and Family Life – all welcome. More details soon – please make a note of the date in your diary.

PRAISE & WORSHIP Evening at the SION Community, Sawyers Hall Lane, Brentwood, will take place this month on Sunday, 18^th July, 7.30 to 9.00pm. Please Note it is a week earlier this month. Everyone welcome.

CONDUCT IN CHURCH We need to change behaviour in our Church. It would be good to reduce noise levels before and at the end of Mass, so that people are able to pray silently, especially at Holy Communion time. Significant damage has been done to the seats by pens and pencils, used by children on the Word Search in the Newsletter. We ask parents to help children follow the Mass in the Mass Book or to have a suitable religious for their children. Unfortunately some adults have been using and leaving chewing gum in the church – which is beyond the pale!

RELIGIOUS GOODS FROM BETHLEHEM Next weekend we will have a visit from Catholics from Bethlehem, who wish to sell religious goods from the Holy Land. Due to the conflict in the Holy Land and the decrease in pilgrims going there, the craftsmen in and around Bethlehem now find it very difficult to make a living by selling their religious goods. We would ask parishioners to support them as much as possible, by purchasing articles next weekend.

OUR SENIOR CITIZENS wish to thank the children of St. Peter’s School for the lovely afternoon of country dancing and refreshments at the school last week

CENTENARY CAFOD GARDEN PARTY Sunday 25^th July at 1.30pm at Mountain Ash, London Road, Billericay. Tickets £10 on sale after Mass this weekend, or from Joan Keane 01277 651773, include a buffet & a glass of Pimms. You are invited to come in "Centenary Dress" if you wish, in order to give the occasion a real 1910 flavour. All are welcome - bring your friends.

HALL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE AGM on Wednesday 21^st July at 8pm in Room 3 of the Pastoral Centre. All parishioners welcome to attend.

MHR 2010 Centenary Exhibition We want to use a laptop and light-box to beam images on to the wall of the Small Hall during this Exhibition which will be held from 10th to 19th September. We would be most grateful if you could assist by loaning this equipment. Please contact the Parish Office on 01277 624891

More MHR 2010 CENTENARY NEWS

Congratulations to all those that took part in the Parish Centenary production of The King & I this week. It was a wonderful show displaying the talents of many of our parishioners, both young and not so young! Photos from the rehearsals and the show itself are on the website.

A belated thank you to everyone who attended the First Friday Mass on 2^nd July. It was a joyous occasion organised by our unformed organisations who are also celebrating their own Centenary this year. Please go to our website to see photographs from this Mass.

Tonight (18^th) at 8pm the Parish Choir will be broadcast on the BBC Radio 2 Sunday Half Hour 70^th Anniversary programme. Tune in to 88-91 FM at 8pm to hear this special hour-long programme that was recorded in St Martins-in-the-Fields Church in London.