Home Newsletters 8th Jan 2012

8th Jan 2012

THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD                                   8^th January 2012

Dear Friends,

“The sight of the star filled the wise men with delight, and going into the house they saw the child Jesus with his mother, Mary, and falling on their knees they worshipped him” (Matt.2:1-12). The Feast of the Epiphany has three aspects of Christ’s glory being revealed to the world. First, is the wise men’s visit to worship Jesus as King.  Second, is his Baptism by John the Baptist and his anointing with the Holy Spirit, which we celebrate this Monday. Third, is his first miracle at the wedding in Cana, when “let his glory be seen and his disciples believed in him”. 

The wise men followed the star, the light of truth, which led them to Jesus. People who wish to find the truth will be led by the light of God’s Word to Jesus, who said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”.  Like the wise men, we know that our place before our Saviour is on our knees, as we humble ourselves and worship him.    

When Jesus was baptised by St John the Baptist in the Jordan, the Holy Spirit came down on him in the form of a dove and God the Father proclaimed him as “My beloved son on whom my favour rests”.  Celebrating the Baptism of Jesus reminds us of our own Baptism, in which God chose us as his beloved son or daughter. The Holy Spirit comes down on us in Baptism to live in our heart, and we are anointed with the power of the Spirit to fulfil our purpose and mission in life. This is why we recognise our relationship with God as our Father and creator, Jesus as our brother and Saviour, and the Holy Spirit as the Sanctifier who lives in our heart.

When Jesus changed water into wine at the wedding feast, he let his glory be seen.  The glory of God is all around us, but we miss so much of it by seeing so little of it. In the face of a child or nature, do we see the creativeness, glory and love of God? Can we see more than the human in the love we receive and share?  When we have eyes of faith, we can see Jesus, change the ordinary into the extraordinary, as he did at the wedding feast, and we can rely on Mary, his mother, to intercede for us and bring our needs to her son, who saves us. May God bless you. Fr John 

THANK YOU to everyone who helped prepare and assist with our celebrations for Christmas in Church and the Parish. MC’s and Servers, Choirs and Musicians, Church Cleaners, Flower arrangers and parishioners who decorated the Church, Ushers and Welcomers, Readers and Ministers, Refreshments team and so many parishioners who helped in various ways.

HELP SCHEME A group of volunteers has formed a scheme to help fellow parishioners who need: transport to Mass; transport to doctor or hospital appointments; emergency help with collecting prescriptions, or shopping. The scheme operates from 1^st November and is co-ordinated by:

Grace Herbert (657550): Karen Millar (655033): Joan Forbes (655636)

CHRISTMAS PARISH NEWS & CHRISTMAS CARDS  Many thanks to our Messengers for delivering the Christmas Cards.  If any parishioner did not receive their copy of the Parish News and Christmas card, please inform the parish office so that we can check your details are correct on our database. Email: office@mostholyredeemer.org.uk or telephone 01277 624891. If you have moved into our parish recently, or changed your address within the Parish, please complete a Parish Registration Form and hand it in to the Priest’s House.  If you are a new Parishioner, please introduce yourself to Fr John. 

BOOKLETS IN THE CHURCH PORCH FOR SALE

Faith Today - £1.95, Faith Alive - FREE

SUNDAY MISSALS are for sale in the repository - price £18

BRENTWOOD DIOCESAN DIRECTORIES 2012 are available in the Church porch price £2.50.  Please put money in “Paper Box

BAPTISM CERTIFICATE BOOKLETS entitled “My Life in Christ” were given to all parents who had their children baptised in this Parish in recent years. This booklet has sections to record when a child receives First Reconciliation and Holy Communion and other sacraments during their life.

BAPTISM Congratulations to the parents of Sofia Hall, Patrick & Thomas McCarthy and Freya Smith who were Baptised in our Church recently. We pray that the Lord will help them to bring up their children in the knowledge and love of God. 

WHAT’S ON THIS WEEK   8^th January 2012

THANK YOU I express my heartfelt gratitude for your very generous Christmas offerings and the many greetings and kindnesses I have received from you at Christmas. I thank all who contributed to our Christmas celebrations in Church.  May God bless you and your families with a very happy New Year. 

Fr John   

OFFERINGS THANK YOU for your generous Offerings of £1319.73 for our parish last weekend and for £127.69 in our CAFOD Box for our Parish Cafod Project Connect2Rwanda.

SPIRITUAL LIFE & WORSHIP

CONFIRMATION will be celebrated in our parish on Pentecost Sunday, 27^th May 2012.  Candidates should be in School Year 10 or above.  Application forms are in the Church porch and should be completed and returned to the Priest’s House ASAP.  The Preparation will start on Sunday 29^th January.

TALKS ON THE CATHOLIC FAITH for people interested in finding out about our faith or becoming Catholic will resume on Monday 9^th January at 8pm in Room 2 of the Pastoral Centre. This week’s theme is: Baptism. All are welcome.

YOUTH MASS Our first Youth Mass of 2012 will be on Sunday 29th January at 5pm, for which there will be a preparation meeting on Tuesday 17^th January at 7pm in the Lounge. Please do your best to attend if you are in School year 8 and above. 

JOURNEY IN FAITH FOR YOUTH (JIFFY) For children in non-Catholic Primary Schools on 14^thJanuary in the Lounge of the Pastoral Centre at 2.30pm. The theme is The Holy Family, and the children need to bring a family photo. For details contact Fiona D’Silva at f.dsilva@talktalk.net or 655172. 

HEALING MASS will be celebrated by Fr Eamonn Power at Abbotswick, Wheelers Lane Navestock Side, Brentwood at 2.30pm on Wednesday 11^th January. All are welcome. For details visit www.abbotswick.org or call 01277 373959

ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR required in the office of the House of Prayer at Abbotswick.  Nine hours p.w.  Salary/timing of work can be negotiated.  If you are interested, please first contact recruitment@dioceseofbrentwood.org for a job description and person specification, and then send your CV, highlighting relevant experience and skills.  Closing date for CVs/applications is 20^th January.

SION COMMUNITY RETREAT A Foyer de Charité Retreat will be held at the Sion Community, Brentwood, from 6pm Sunday 29^th January to 2pm Saturday 4^th February.  The theme is God’s Plan for the Fullness of Time. The preacher is Mgr. Keith Barltrop, with help from members of the Foyer de Charité in Brittany.  These retreats are held mainly in silence, with three talks a day, and offer a holistic way of deepening our faith in the Church’s teaching and life in Christ.  To book contact Mgr. Barltrop on 07879 953953 or e-mail keithbarltrop@rcdow.org.uk 

CONGRATULATIONS to Terry Monaghan, one of our parishioners, who was awarded the MBE by the Queen, in this year’s New Year’s honours list, for services to the community. Terry has also been very committed to the Church and offered his services to the Deanery and the Church in Stock. 

FORTHCOMING EVENTS & NEWS

JUSTICE & PEACE GROUP Greeting Card Campaign 2012Sending a card with a simple, personal greeting is a powerful way to show support for people suffering human rights abuse. The signing of cards will be in the Church porch on 14/15^th January after each Mass.  Members of the J & P Group will be on hand to help with the signing. 

BROWNIES  There are some vacancies available for girls.  Please contact Jacki Butcher on email or text/call  jacki_butcher@hotmail.com – 07970401108.

MUSTARD SEEDS RELAXATION GROUP re-starts on Monday, 16^th January.  New members welcome, contact Mhairi on 01277 654124.

BAR CO-ORDINATOR Hall Management Committee need a volunteer to be responsible for buying stock & organising people to serve in the bar at a few functions in the Pastoral Centre. At present there are approximately 6 functions per year. For further information please phone Erika on 01277 655050.

FRIENDS OF CHAUVIGNY ANNUAL FUN QUIZ Ray Keilthy, David and Patricia Clark will be hosting the Annual Quiz on Saturday, January 21st 2012, in the Canon Roche Hall.  Doors open at 7pm for 7.30pm.  Come and make up a table of 6-8, or we can put you on a table.  Tickets £5. Bring your own drinks, and nibbles. This is a very popular quiz so book early to avoid disappointment!  Your contact is Patricia on 01277 625448 or   patriciaclark37@btinternet.com

FREE Classical vocal concert in Brentwood Cathedral “Now is the Night”

Simon Dyer and Emma-Claire Crook, young students from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance will perform 20^th century classical vocal music in Brentwood Cathedral at 7pm on 24^th January 2012. This is an exciting chance to hear two promising young talents perform pieces, which will include Mahler’s Ruckert Lieder and Samuel Barber’s Knoxville Summer of 1915, for free in a beautiful and atmospheric setting.  The concert lasts just over an hour with free refreshments during the short interval in the Cathedral Song School.

FLOWER LADIES To keep the flower rota rotating as older members may retire in the future, we need to think ahead and train younger members to take over.  Please give it some thought. Contact Teresa Hinder on 01277 652573.

CHURCH CLEANERS meet on Wednesdays and Thursdays on alternate weeks.  Both groups are in urgent need of more help.  If you can spend an hour or so once a fortnight, please contact the Parish Office for details. 01277 624891.

Please take one of the leaflets prepared by the Pastoral Development Group, on conduct in Mass if you have not already seen it.

WE PRAY FOR OUR SICK AT HOME AND IN HOSPITAL:

Ida Zarb, Beryl Barr, Michael Glavin, Irene Yarrow, Aileen Fleetwood, Dorothy Wheeler, Maura Stone, Michael Howlett, Bob Boon, Bernard Regan, Peter Jagger, Peter Bion, Jacques Visser, Marie Liddall, Mavis Reed, Regina Barnes, Barbara Flynn, Maeve Freeman, Anne Babb, Eileen Beard, Delia Birch, Patricia Murphy, Elizabeth Smith, George Pritchard, Denzil Reeves, Patricia McGeown, Bridget Edwards, Maureen Travers, Maeve Walmsley, Maureen Tall, Patricia Nicholson, Jim & Diane Bowen, Pam De Keyser, Isabel Jasinska, Dorothy Robertson, Debbie Dowds, Beryl Barclay, Edith Snook, Ann Hurcombe, Maureen Phillips, Isabella Butler, Lily Warner, Miriam Gregory, Marlene Hawkins, Pauline Wallace, Janice Bignall, Jean French, Elsie Jackson, Julie Halstead, Kirsti Dennett, Eileen Molloy, Julie Bouchel, Anne Cannon, Ruth Gillespie, Sarah Stewart, Margaret Sefton, Kay McCabe, Mary Carr, Gertie Walsh, Mary Keilthy, Rhona Sullivan, Mary Shane, Lyle Wheeler, Tommy Campbell, Erroll Newman, Michael Pierce, Francis Monk, Nick Ramsey, Jamie Taylor, John Nolan, Bryce Smith, Brian Mardle. Clergy: Fr John King, Fr Conrad Smith, Fr Andrew Dorricott, Fr John Taylor, Mgr Chris Brooks, Bishop Michael Rowland, Rev Warner Pidgeon. Children: Daisy Locker, Savannah & Cayde Lewis, Mark Selwood, Helen Slattery, John Quilligan & Grace.  May the healing power of the Holy Spirit come down upon them.

We ask parishioners or their families to let us know if they are ill at home or in hospital, so that the priest may visit them and minister the sacraments to them.

WE PRAY FOR OUR DECEASED RELATIVES & PARISHIONERS:

MRS CATHERINE JEWELL RIP, of our parish, who died on Thursday, 22^nd of December in Basildon Hospital.  She will be received into our Church at 4.30pm on Monday, 9^th January.  Requiem Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday at 11am followed by burial at Great Burstead Cemetery.  May she rest in peace. 

MRS GEORGETTE “Georgie” CHITTY RIP, of our parish, who died on Saturday, 31^st December, in Basildon Hospital. She will be received into our Church at 4.30pm on Tuesday 17^th January.  Requiem Mass will be celebrated at 11am on Wednesday followed by burial at Great Burstead.  May she rest in peace.

Anniversaries: Jerry Lyons, Bernard Tayler, Daniel Sullivan, Ida Callcott, Bill Smith, Margaret McCreanor, Katie Knight, William Allison, Charles Sproul, Janusz Stranc. Clergy: Canon Francis Dobson.

May they rest in peace and rise in glory, and may the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, console their bereaved families and friends.

Please bow your head in the procession to Holy Communion, as the person in front of you is receiving the Body of Christ. This is a sign of reverence for our Lord, whom we receive in Holy Communion.

MASS TIMES AND INTENTIONS

SACRAMENT OF PENANCE Saturday 11am – 12 noon & 5 - 5.30pm

                                                   and by request to the priest at any time.

ADORATION & PRAYER BEFORE THE BLESSED SACRAMENT 

TUESDAYS       9.15am - 10.15am & 10.45am - 11.15am (not this week)

SATURDAYS   11.00am – 12 noon & 5.00pm  -  5.30 pm

THE DIVINE OFFICE PSALMS are from Week 1 for Ordinary Time 

MASS ATTENDANCE SUNDAY 1^st January 2012 (Christmas Masses)

Total 504 (1573):    6pm Mass 104 (496), 8pm Mass (280), 

Midnight Mass (250), 9am Mass 105 (265), 11am Mass 150 (282), 

5pm Mass 145 (none on Christmas Day)

Pages of PARISH MASS BOOK for THE FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY

Page 7 THE BEGINNING OF THE MASS        

Page 115 THE COLLECT & READINGS of Vigil Mass (Saturday)

Page 118 THE COLLECT & READINGS on The Feast Day (Sunday)

Page 11 THE CREED                  Page 14 PREPARATION OF GIFTS

Page 15 PREFACE DIALOGUE  Page 53 PREFACE OF EPIPHANY

Page 16 HOLY, HOLY                 Page 18   EUCHARISTIC PRAYER 1

Page 43 THE COMMUNION RITE OF THE MASS

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION: Vigil, Page 117: Feast Day, Page 122