Parish Newsletter Sunday 15th February 2009

St Simon Stock Catholic Church Brookfield Road, South Ashford, Kent TN23 4EU Tel: 01233 622399

Parish Priest: Fr John Boyle Saint Simon of England RC Primary School, Noakes Meadow, Ashford, TN23 2RB. Tel: 01233 623199 Head teacher: Mrs Elizabeth Willis

MASS TIMES AND INTENTIONS th Sunday 15 Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) 10.00am Mass (Fr. John’s intentions) 6.00pm Mass (For the people of the parish) th th Monday 16 to Thursday 19 No Mass th Friday 20 6.45pm Mass (Karl Waldner’s intentions) st Saturday 21 St Peter Damian, bishop and doctor of the Church 9.00am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 10.00am Mass (Private intention) nd Sunday 22 Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) Day for the unemployed 10.00am Mass (Walter Borucki RIP) followed by baptism of Sinead O’Neill 12.00 noon Mass (Latin, 1962 Missal, Quinquagesima Sunday) (Tony Simmons RIP) 4.00pm Mass in Polish 6.00pm Mass (For the people of the parish) CONFESSIONS/CONSULTATIONS Saturday: 10.30am, Sunday 9.30am, 5.30pm. Weekdays: before or after Mass upon request. CHURCH CLEANING th th th th th 20 Sue; 27 Sue; March 6 Tara; 13 Bridie; 13 Sheila COLLECTIONS LAST SUNDAY Offertory: £418.94, (Gift Aid: £134.50, loose plate: £284.44) + £99 approx by standing order. To contribute by regular standing order please ask for a form. If you are a tax payer and are not already using the Gift Aid scheme, please ask for a Gift Aid form. Second collection: Catholic Education: £138.21. Thank you. Second collection today and next Sunday: Parish Maintenance & Development Fund. PARISH FINANCES I intend to give a review of the parish’s financial situation at all Masses next Sunday. Fr John. PARISH ADVISORY COUNCIL rd Next meeting: Monday 23 February. Please let Thereza Baker know if there is anything you think needs to be put on the agenda. MONTHLY PRAYER REQUESTS FOR PRIESTS Please pick up the revised list for February and the list for March from the table in the foyer. It is most important that priests be encouraged by the knowledge that they are being supported by the prayers of the faithful. SPUC FOLKESTONE & HYTHE BRANCH PANCAKE MORNING 11 Tanners Hill Gardens, Hythe on Tuesday 24th February from 10-12.30. All welcome. Further details: Philippa Forsdike Tel: 01303 264129 PRAYERS FOR THE SICK Please pray for Kathleen Sorrell, Jean Borucki, Sarah Shinn, Barry Crook and all our sick parishioners. If you know of anyone who needs our prayers at the present time, please place their names in the box in the Church foyer.

15th FEBRUARY 2009 SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B

TODAY’S MASS TEXTS Entrance Antiphon: Ps 30:3-4 Lord, be my rock of safety, the stronghold that saves me. For the honour of your name, lead me and guide me. First Reading: Leviticus 13:1-2. 44-46 The leper must live apart: he must live outside the camp. Responsorial Psalm: Ps 31 R: You are my refuge, O Lord; you fill me with the joy of salvation. Happy the man whose offence is forgiven, whose sin is remitted. O happy the man to whom the Lord imputes no guilt, in whose spirit is no guile. (R) But now I have acknowledged my sins; my guilt I did not hide. I said: “I will confess my offence to the Lord.” And you, Lord have forgiven the guilt of my sin. (R) Rejoice, rejoice in the Lord, exult, you just! O come, ring our your joy, all you upright of heart. (R) Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1 Take me for your model, as I take Christ. Gospel Acclamation: Ephesians 1:17-18 Alleluia, alleluia! May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our mind, so that we can see what hope his call holds for us. Alleluia! Gospel: Mark 1:40-45 The Leprosy left him at once and he was cured. Preface of Sunday 4 , Eucharistic Prayer I Communion Antiphon: Ps 77:29-30 They ate and were filled; the Lord gave them what they wanted: they were not deprived of their desire. HELPERS OF GOD’S PRECIOUS INFANTS VIGIL The next vigil at the Marie Stopes abortion facility in Maidstone will be on Tuesday led by Father Raphael CFR (Franciscan Friar of the Renewal) from 10.30 to 12 noon. See notice board for details. STATIONS OF THE CROSS IN LENT In previous years we have had the Stations on Sunday evening, before the 6pm Mass. It has been remarked that most of those who attend the Stations are not people who attend the 6pm Mass. Very few 6pm Mass attendees arrive early for the Stations. So it has been suggested that the Stations be done at another time, e.g. around the 10am Mass. Or even on another day. Friday, being the day of the Lord’s death, used to always be the traditional day. If you have a view, could you please let us have your suggestions? Many thanks. CONGRATULATIONS To Francis and Aude Alecks whose marriage was solemnized here at St Simon’s yesterday.

Email: [email protected]; Web: www.stsimon.org.uk; Parish blog: http://st-simon-parish.blogspot.com/; diocesan website: www.rcsouthwark.co.uk

FROM FATHER JOHN’S DESKTOP St Valentine: who was he? How did he become associated with love? th Until the reform of the Liturgy following the Second Vatican Council, 14 February was St Valentine’s feast day. So where Mass was celebrated according to the 1962 Missal, it would have been St Valentine whose memory was kept yesterday. There is some debate as to who St Valentine was and how many Valentines there were. What is certain is that he did exist. Archaeologists have unearthed a catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to him and, in 496, th Pope Gelasius established 14 February as the day for honouring his martyrdom. It would appear that he was a priest of Rome martyred under the Emperor Claudius. He was caught marrying Christian couples and aiding Christians who were suffering persecution. Claudius had Valentine arrested and imprisoned and grew to like him, until Valentine made the fatal mistake of trying to convert the Emperor, whereupon the priest was condemned to be clubbed and stoned to death. These attempts failed to kill Valentine, who was eventually beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate around the year 269. During his arrest and after his death, many miracles were worked by or through the intercession of St Valentine. Valentine is a patron saint of affianced couples, bee keepers, engaged couples, epilepsy, fainting, greetings, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague, travellers, young people. He is represented in pictures with birds and roses. The popular customs associated with Saint Valentine's Day undoubtedly had their origin in a conventional belief th generally received in England and France during the Middle Ages, that on 14 February, i.e. half way through the second month of the year, the birds began to pair. Thus in Chaucer's Parliament of Foules we read: For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne's day Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate. For this reason the day was looked upon as specially consecrated to lovers and as a proper occasion for writing love letters and sending lovers' tokens. (Acknowledgements to www.catholic.org/ and www.newadvent.org) th In the revised Roman Calendar, however, 14 February is the feast of Ss Cyril and Methodius, two brothers who were proclaimed co-patrons of Europe by Pope John Paul II in 1980. Cyril was a priest at Constantinople and taught philosophy there, and Methodius – following a stint as a governor of a Slav province – became a monk. In 862 they were selected for the task of evangelising the people of Moravia (part of today’s Czech Republic). They are credited with inventing the Slav alphabet, the characters being named “Cyrillic” after St Cyril, and they translated the Bible and the Liturgy into the Slave language. One could cite this as an early example of the inculturation of the Christian faith, whereby the faith, on the one hand, is expressed in a manner that is accessible to the people of a given culture and, on the other, influences and raises culture to its proper level in Christ. All the cultures of the Slavic nations owe their beginnings and development to Ss Cyril and Methodius, as so many cultures today owe their development to the labour of Christian missionaries. Fr John REGULAR EVENTS – COME ALONG! DIVINE MERCY PRAYER GROUP after the 9.00am Mass on Tuesdays. Prayers of intercession for various needs and silent adoration of the Blessed Sacrament till 10am. (Not this week.)

on the other hand, is poorly attended. If you have any views about the following possibilities for Friday, please let me know: move Mass to 9/9.30am; retain Mass at 6.45pm but in Latin in the Extraordinary Form; retain Mass at 6.45pm in the Ordinary Form as at present. On First Fridays, Mass could remain at 6.45pm for the present. Let me have your views. Fr John.

MUSIC PRACTICE TUESDAYS 7.30PM Newcomers always welcome.

MASS IN CELEBRATION OF THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY WITH ARCHBISHOP KEVIN MCDONALD AT TH AYLESFORD PRIORY 3PM SATURDAY 30 MAY Archbishop Kevin will celebrate this Mass and wants to specially invite all couples and their families in the Diocese who are st th th th th th celebrating a 1 , 10 , 25 , 40 , 50 or 60 + anniversary this year. Couples celebrating 1, 25 and 40 years of marriage have already requested invitations. Why not join them? Please let Fr. John know if you qualify for a special anniversary invitation.

BIBLE STUDY THURSDAYS 7.30PM th No meeting this week; resumes 26 February. Studying St Paul’s letters to the Corinthians and Pope Benedict’s Wednesday audiences on St Paul. EVANGELIUM – CATHOLIC FAITH ENQUIRY For all, Catholic or not, who would like to deepen their knowledge of the Catholic faith. Next meeting: 7.15pm Friday th 20 February. Topic: The Trinity. HELPING YOUR CHILDREN MAKE GOOD CHOICES All parents want the best for their children. Society today presents many challenges which make it difficult to hand on the faith to our young people. Large percentages of our children give up the practice of the Faith in their teens. Come and hear Greg and Aghi Clovis share the experiences they have gained from st raising a family of their own after 10.00am Mass on Sunday 1 March in the Church hall. The session will end at 12.15pm. Adults and teenage children are welcome to attend. See notice board.

DIOCESAN LOURDES PILGRIMAGE 2009 THE PATH OF BERNADETTE Bishop Patrick Lynch invites you to join him on the Annual st th Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes 21 to 28 August 2009. Travel by rail from £615, by air from £665. Young helpers fare £445 (by coach). Further information and booking forms from Deacon Michael Kennedy, 4 Orbel Street, Battersea, London, SW11 3NZ; tel: 020 7223 2747; email: [email protected]. YOUNG HELPERS Young people (17-25) interested in joining the pilgrimage as helpers to work alongside the medical team providing practical help and care to the sick and infirm pilgrims, whilst also having an opportunity to relax and enjoy the company of other young people from the various dioceses that join the pilgrimage, should contact John Toryusen, director of Southwark Catholic Youth Service on 01227 2372900

EVENING MASSES DURING THE WEEK Mass on Monday is in the evening because I am teaching at the seminary in the morning. On Thursday Mass is in the evening since I take time off Wednesday evening to Thursday. This Mass, in Latin in the Extraordinary Form, is well attended by those who attend Bible Study and others. Friday evening Mass, To catch up on previous newsletters visit http://www.stsimon.org.uk/Newsletters/. Parish blog: http://st-simon-parish.blogspot.com/