Parish Newsletter Sunday 1st March 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 st Sunday 1 March First Sunday of Lent (B) 10.00am Mass (In thanksgiving – Jean Claude Bonnefin) 5.15pm Stations of the Cross 6.00pm Mass (For the people of the parish) nd Monday 2 4.45pm Reception of the body of late Margaret Penny 6.45pm Mass (William Kiely RIP) rd Tuesday 3 10.30am Requiem Mass for Margaret Penny RIP th Wednesday 4 9.30am Mass (Tony Shanny RIP) th Thursday 5 4.45pm Reception of body of late Kathleen Sorrell RIP 6.45pm Mass (Latin, 1962 Missal) (Intentions of Miss E. A. Peverel) th Friday 6 First Friday Lent Fast Day Women’s World Day of Prayer 10.00am Requiem Mass for Kathleen Sorrell RIP 6.45pm Mass (Souls of the deceased relatives of the Ebenebe family) th Saturday 7 (SS Perpetua and Felicity, martyrs) 9.00am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 10.00am Mass (Maria Panza RIP) th Sunday 8 Second Sunday of Lent (B) 10.00am Mass (For the people of the parish) 12.00 noon Mass (Extraordinary form Latin, 1962 Missal) (Tony Simmons RIP) 5.15pm Stations of the Cross 6.00pm Mass (Recovery to health of Jacek Shay) CONFESSIONS/CONSULTATIONS Saturday: 10.30am, Sunday 9.30am, 5.30pm. Weekdays: before or after Mass upon request. CHURCH CLEANING th th th th rd 6 Tara; 13 Bridie; 20 Sheila; 27 Sue; April 3 Sue COLLECTIONS LAST SUNDAY Offertory: £423.24, (Gift Aid: £150.36, loose plate: £272.88) + £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: Parish Maintenance & Development Fund: £204.23. Thank you. Second collection today: Parish Maintenance & Development Fund. Second collection next Sunday: Pontifical Council ‘Cor Unum’. STATIONS OF THE CROSS IN LENT On Sunday evenings at 5.15pm and after the Friday morning Mass. Do make an effort to participate in this devotion in Lent. HELPING YOUR CHILDREN MAKE GOOD LIFE CHOICES Come and hear Greg and Aghi Clovis of Family Life International share the experiences they have gained from raising a family of their own after 10.00am Mass today in the Church hall. The session will end at 12.15pm. Adults and teenage children are welcome to attend. See notice board.

1st MARCH 2009 FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT YEAR B

TODAY’S MASS TEXTS Entrance Antiphon: Ps 90:15-16 When he calls to me, I will answer; I will rescue him and give him honour. Long life and contentment will be his. First Reading: Genesis 9:8-15 God’s covenant with Noah after he had saved him from the waters of the flood. Responsorial Psalm: Ps 24 R: Your ways, Lord, are faithfulness and love for those who keep your covenant. Lord, make me know your ways. Lord teach me your paths,. Make me walk in your truth, and teach me: for you are God my saviour. (R) Remember your mercy, Lord, and the love you have shown from of old. In your love remember me, because of your goodness, O Lord. (R) The Lord is good and upright. He shows the path to those who stray, he guides the humble in the right path; he teaches his way to the poor. (R) Second Reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22 That water is a type of the baptism which saves you now. Gospel Acclamation: John 1:12.14 Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory! Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory! Gospel: Mark 1:12-15 Jesus was tempted by Satan, and the angels looked after him. During Lent we shall use the Apostles’ Creed (p.9 in The Simple Prayer Book) Preface of the First Sunday of Lent, Eucharistic Prayer 3 Communion Antiphon: Matthew 4:4 Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

FUNERALS THIS WEEK Margaret Penny: reception of body Monday 4.45pm; Requiem Mass Tuesday 10.30am. Kathleen Sorrell: reception of body Thursday 4.45pm, Requiem Mass Friday 10.00am. PRAYERS FOR THE SICK Please pray for 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. This ‘prayers for the sick’ box is intended for those who are suffering from an acute condition or who need our prayers as they undergo some particular form of treatment, or prayers for a possible cure, or perhaps are approaching death, rather than those who are chronically (long-term) ill or who are simply growing old. All our sick parishioners, named and un-named, are remembered in our prayers.

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 Who needs a pension of £650,000 per annum from the age of 50? We can rightly question the justice of such a payout to a former chief executive of a failed bank. But what would you do if you were in his shoes? If there is, after all, no legal way of preventing the payout, would you hand it back, in full or in part? In this season of Lent, we can all seek to bear in mind the words of the prophet Isaiah: Is not this the sort of fast that pleases me: to break unjust fetters and undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke, to share your bread with the hungry, and shelter the homeless poor, to clothe the man you see to be naked and not turn from your own kin? Then will your light shine like the dawn and your wound be quickly healed. None of us may have £650,000 a year to dispose of but on Lent Fast Day this coming Friday and, indeed, throughout Lent, we have an opportunity to deny ourselves some food and give of the little wealth we might have so that others may be able to enjoy what they have a right to but are denied whether through injustice, human selfishness, poor fortune in life, or natural catastrophe. th Today is St David’s day. St David lived in the 6 century and, after ordination, made missionary journeys throughout south Wales. He founded the monasteries of Glastonbury and Menevia (later called St David’s) which were known for their strict discipline and austere life. The monks lived off a meagre diet of bread, vegetables and water. The monasteries were great centres of learning and culture. David was generous in works of mercy and mortification. He became known as ‘Aquaticus’ either because he only drank water or because he would immerse himself in freezing water st as an act of penance. David died at Menevia on 1 March 589, the monastery having been ‘filled with angels as Christ received his soul.’ Many Welsh people will sport a leek or daffodil today. As I write the daffs in the church garden are coming through. Will they have bloomed by St David’s day? Fr John. REGULAR EVENTS – COME ALONG! DIVINE MERCY PRAYER GROUP after the 9.30am Mass on Tuesdays. Prayers of intercession for various needs and silent adoration of the Blessed Sacrament till 10.30am. (Not this week because of the funeral). MUSIC PRACTICE TUESDAYS 7.30PM Newcomers always welcome. BIBLE STUDY THURSDAYS 7.30PM 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 13 March. Topic: Liturgy and the Sacraments DIVINE MERCY HOUSE PRAYER GROUP A group of parishioners meets roughly once a month. You are th welcome to join the group on Monday 9 March at 138 Beaver Road, Ashford. Arrivals from 10.00 am; finish approx. 11.30. Prayer and social. Contact Maria Lanzino 625428. LENT FAST DAY THIS FRIDAY Fasting is one of the penitential disciplines for Lent. It is connected very closely with prayer (our senses pray in a real sense through fasting) and almsgiving (we are able to give the th money saved by fasting to the poor). On Sunday 8 March a second collection will be taken and the proceeds sent to the Pontifical Council ‘Cor Unum’. COR UNUM expresses "the care of the Catholic Church for the needy, thereby encouraging human fellowship and making manifest the charity of Christ" and, on the Pope’s behalf, grants humanitarian relief in response to disasters or in promoting integral human development in needy areas of the world. Please give generously. PARISH STEWARDS You may have noticed some gentlemen of the parish wearing sashes in church. These are people who have volunteered to ensure that the collections are taken and to be a point of contact for anyone who has a query. The sash says: ‘I’m here to help.’ If you would like to be a steward, please see one of the current stewards. To those who have already volunteered, ‘Thank you!’ Wear your sash with pride!

WOMEN’S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER THIS FRIDAY Services will be held at 11am at St Teresa’s and 7pm at Kennington URC. See notice board. All are welcome. PROPOSED PILGRIMAGE TO KRAKOW, POLAND Due to pressures of other priorities, it does not look likely that it will be possible to organise this pilgrimage this year. We’ll keep it in mind for a possible trip next year. Sorry for any disappointment caused. CELEBRATE LOVE MARRIAGE ENRICHMENT SEMINAR A non-residential weekend seminar for married couples who want to stay successfully and happily married and to live marriage as God intended. March in London, June in Kent. See notice board for details. TALK ON OLD ASHFORD Mr Richard Filmer, author and speaker will be giving an illustrated presentation about Old Ashford, on Friday 20th March at 7.30 pm sharp, in our hall, tickets will be available shortly cost £2.50, a very interesting evening is guaranteed. PARISH UNITY CONTACT Bishop Paul Hendricks, one of Southwark’s auxiliary bishops, writes: ‘You will have noticed that Pope Benedict began his pontificate by stressing the centrality of the search for full unity between Christians… Ours is an increasingly secular age when a united Christian voice is all the more important whenever possible.’ Bishop Paul asks if every parish could have a ‘Parish Unity Contact’ to help promote good local ecumenical relationships. A small booklet outlining in simple terms what such a person might do is available. A training day is planned at th Aylesford on 25 April. If you might be interested in taking on this role, please see Fr John for further information. 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.

To catch up on previous newsletters visit http://www.stsimon.org.uk/Newsletters/. Parish blog: http://st-simon-parish.blogspot.com/