Parish Newsletter Sunday 1st November 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 November All Saints 10.00am Mass (Deceased parents & brothers of Sheila Major RIP) 6.00pm Mass (People of the parish) nd Monday 2 The Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed (All Souls) 6.00pm Mass (Latin, 1962 Missal) 7.00pm Mass (All the Faithful Departed) rd Tuesday 3 St Martin de Porres, religious 9.30am Mass (Deceased relatives & friends of Mary Fitzgerald RIP) followed by Divine Mercy Chaplet & Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament until 10.30am th Wednesday 4 St Charles Borromeo, bishop 9.30am Mass (Vivien Kelly RIP) th Thursday 5 6.45pm Mass (Marie, Patrick, Annie & Hugh Treacy, Phylis Wood & Sarah Mills RIP) th Friday 6 9.30am Mass (Mrs. Connolly RIP) th Saturday 7 The Dedication of the Cathedral Church of St George, feast 9.00am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 10.00am Mass (Grandad Ernie, Uncle Joey, Little Nanna, Nanna Mary & Nannu George RIP) th Sunday 8 Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time Remembrance Day 10.00am Mass (Deceased relatives of Lanzino & Panza families RIP) 12.00 noon Mass (Latin, 1962 Missal) 6.00pm Mass (People of the parish) CONFESSION TIMES Weekdays: before or after Mass upon request. Saturday: 10.30am; Sundays: ½ hour before Mass CHURCH CLEANING th th th th th 6 Tara; 13 Bridie; 20 Sheila; 27 Sue; December 4 Sue COLLECTIONS LAST SUNDAY Offertory: £506.39, (Gift Aid: £184.79, loose plate: £321.60) + £94 approx by standing order. Second collection: Parish Maintenance & Development Fund: £150.39. Thank you. Second collection today: Parish Maintenance & Development Fund. Next Sunday: Archbishop’s Diocesan Administration Fund – this collection helps to meet the cost of the central administration of the Diocese. NEXT SUNDAY- REMEMBRANCE DAY At the 10.00 Mass children will be invited to place a poppy by the altar in memory of all who have given their lives for the freedom we enjoy today. Our joint annual remembrance service with St. Teresa‟s parish will take place at Bybrook Cemetery, Kennington. Please assemble in the cemetery at 2.50pm for 3pm.

1ST NOVEMBER 2009 ALL SAINTS YEAR B

TODAY’S MASS TEXTS Entrance Antiphon Let hearts rejoice in the Lord and keep a festival in honour of all the saints. Let us join with the angels in joyful praise to the Son of God. First Reading Apocalypse 7:2-4.9-14 I saw a huge number, impossible to count, of people from every nation, race, tribe and language. Responsorial Psalm Ps 23 R: Such are the men who seek your face, O Lord. The Lord‟s is the earth and its fullness, the world and all its peoples. It is he who set it on the seas; on the waters he made it firm. (R) Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? Who shall stand in his holy place? The man with clean hands and pure heart, who desires not worthless things. (R) He shall receive blessings from the Lord and reward from the God who saves him. Such are the men who seek him, seek the face of the God of Jacob. (R) Second Reading 1 John 3:1-3 We shall see God as he really is. Gospel Acclamation: John 14:5 Alleluia, alleluia! Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give your rest, says the Lord. Alleluia! Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Preface of All Saints, Eucharistic Prayer 1 Communion Antiphon Matthew 5:8-10 Happy are the pure of heart for they shall see God. Happy the peacemakers; they shall be called the sons of God. Happy are they who suffer persecution for justice’ sake; the kingdom of heaven is theirs. PRAYERS FOR THE SICK Please pray for all our sick parishioners. Names of parishioners who need our prayers can be placed in the box in the church foyer. MASS FOR DECEASED CLERGY OF THE CANTERBURY DEANERY th Monday 9 November, 7.30pm, at St Teresa‟s. All clergy and laity of the deanery are invited to join in this Mass for the repose of the souls of all the deceased clergy who served in our deanery parishes. VOCATIONAL RETREAT th th 27 – 29 November for young men 16-32 years old with the Missionary Servants of the Poor of the Third World in Brentwood, Essex. Cost: voluntary offering. See notice board for details. AUTUMN FAYRE YESTERDAY A special „thank you‟ to Eileen, Maggie, Martine and their team for their hard work in organising the fayre, to all who ran stalls, or provided items for sale and to all who came along and supported the day.

Parish email: [email protected]; Parish website: www.stsimon.org.uk; Diocesan website: www.rcsouthwark.co.uk Fr John‟s blog: http://caritasveritas.blogspot.com/ Parish blog: http://st-simon-parish.blogspot.com/

FR. JOHN’S DESKTOP ALL SAINTS AND ALL SOULS Today the Church celebrates all those holy men and women who, even without being named „saint‟, are in heaven. They are a countless number of ordinary men and women who have lived holy lives in the midst of their ordinary affairs. The recent visit to our country of the relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux inspired many because, even though her vocation as a religious sister was very different from the vocation of the majority, she made „holiness‟ accessible through her way of Spiritual Childhood. Tomorrow we commemorate all the faithful departed, praying that the holy souls in purgatory may be cleansed by the purifying fire of God‟s love and pass swiftly to heaven to join all the saints we celebrate today. We can help the holy souls (maybe some of your deceased relatives are among them – maybe you and I will be there for a while after we die) by our prayers and sacrifices, by arranging for Masses to be offered from them, and by gaining indulgences. Here are some helpful quotes from the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church 209. What is meant by the term “heaven”? By “heaven” is meant the state of supreme and definitive happiness. Those who die in the grace of God and have no need of further purification are gathered around Jesus and Mary, the angels and the saints. They thus form the Church of heaven, where they see God “face-to-face” (1 Cor. 13:12). They live in a communion of love with the Most Blessed Trinity and they intercede for us. 210. What is purgatory? Purgatory is the state of those who die in God‟s friendship, assured of their eternal salvation, but who still have need of purification to enter into the happiness of heaven. 211. How can we help the souls being purified in purgatory? Because of the communion of saints, the faithful who are pilgrims on earth are able to help the souls in purgatory by offering prayers in suffrage for them, especially the Eucharistic sacrifice. They also help them by almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance. 312. What are indulgences? Indulgences are the remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven. The faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains the indulgence under the prescribed conditions for either himself or the departed. Indulgences are granted through the ministry of the Church which, as the dispenser of the grace of redemption, distributes the treasury of the merits of Christ and the Saints.

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. CHOIR PRACTICE THURSDAYS 7.30PM Newcomers always welcome BIBLE STUDY WEDNESDAYS 7.30PM Studying the Acts of the Apostles. Newcomers always welcome. This week at Teresa Davies‟, 16 Gravelly Field, Singleton, tel: 625799 YEAR OF PRAYER FOR PRIESTS Come and pray the Rosary for our priests 20 minutes before the morning Masses, Monday to Friday. All are welcome to join. A special prayer calendar has been produced by the Southwark diocesan Vocations Office to help us pray for all the priests of our diocese. Please take one and say the prayer daily. This st week you are asked to pray for: Sun 1 Nov Fr. Thomas nd rd Cooper; Mon 2 Fr. Brian Coyle; Tues 3 Fr. Tom Creaghth th Fuller; Weds 4 Fr. Anthony Cridland; Thurs 5 Canon James th th Cronin; Fri 6 Canon Jeremiah Cronin; Sat 7 Fr. Philip de th Freitas; Sun 8 Canon John Devane. Thank you. MEETINGS FOR ENQUIRERS ABOUT THE CATHOLIC FAITH Are you an adult who is not a Catholic but who would like to know more, a Catholic who has not been confirmed or who would like to review your knowledge of the Catholic Faith? If you are interested in finding out more, please give your name and telephone number to Fr John. Any parishioner who would like to be involved in this group is warmly invited to let Fr John know. CHRISTMAS TIMES We are planning the times of Masses etc over the Advent and Christmas Season. If parishioners wish to have a Carol Service in the parish please let Thereza Baker or Fr John know and volunteer your voices (for singing and reading) and musical and catering skills. It cannot be done unless you offer to do it. FOLKESTONE, HYTHE & DOVER SPUC BRANCH MEETING Our next Meeting is Wednesday 4th November at 84 Morehall Ave, Cheriton, courtesy of Pam Boxall, 7.30pm start. All and particularly new members welcome. Further info: Philippa Forsdike chairman: Tel: 264129 (01303)

NOVEMBER- HOLY SOULS Envelopes are now available for you to put names of deceased relatives and friends whom you would like to be remembered during November. Offerings may be placed in the envelope so that a Mass may be offered either for those whose names you have submitted or for the Holy Souls in general. COMMERATION OF THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED (ALL SOULS) TOMORROW Masses will be offered at 6.00pm (Latin, 1962 Missal) and at 7.00pm. If you would like the name of a parishioner, relative or friend who has died during the past year to be written in our Book of Remembrance and read out during the 7.00pm Mass, please write it down and hand it in by this evening please. PLENARY INDULGENCE A plenary indulgence, applicable only to the Holy Souls, may be gained once in any church either today, tomorrow (All Souls Day) or next Sunday, on the usual conditions: visit to a church and praying the Our Father and Creed, sacramental confession, Holy Communion and prayer for the Holy Father‟s intentions. Those st th who visit a cemetery between 1 and 8 November and pray for the faithful departed may obtain a plenary indulgence, applicable to the Holy Souls. DIVINE MERCY HOUSE PRAYER GROUP th The group extends an invitation to join them on Monday 9 November for prayer and social at 23 Cleves Way, Ashford. Arrivals from 10.00am finish approx. 11.30am. Contact Kath Racine 339858. WINTERSHALL NATIVITY PLAY 2009 There are a number of performances of this play. See notice board for details. People can book and go individually but if anyone would be interested in going as a group, please let Thereza Baker or Fr John know personally or by signing up on the notice board, indicating which performances you could make. Early booking is advised. Further information from www.winterhshall-estate.com. CATHOLIC SINGLES Catholic Singles is an organisation which helps single, widowed, separated and divorced Catholics of all ages (over 18 years) meet, either one to one or through social events. All members receive a monthly bulletin, called Catholic Networking. For more information please tel. 0161 941 3498, visit the website www.catholicsingles.org.uk or email [email protected]

To catch up on previous newsletters visit http://www.stsimon.org.uk/Newsletters/