Parish Newsletter Sunday 5th July 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 5 Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) 10.00am Mass (John Kelly RIP) 6.00pm Mass (People of the parish) th Monday 6 St Maria Goretti, virgin and martyr 9.30am Mass (Holy Souls) th Tuesday 7 9.00am Mass (Michael Lanzino RIP) followed by Divine Mercy Chaplet th Wednesday 8 9.30am Mass (Peggie Fairess RIP) St. Simon‟s school year 2 attending th Thursday 9 6.45pm Mass of Ss John Fisher, Bishop, & Thomas More, Martyrs (Latin, 1962 Missal) (Donor‟s intention) th Friday 10 9.30am Mass (Alan & Ciaran Potter) th Saturday 11 St Benedict, abbot, patron of Europe, feast 9.00am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 10.00am Mass (Mauro Deidda RIP) th Sunday 12 Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) Sea Sunday 10.00am Mass (People of the parish) 12.00noon Mass (Latin, 1962 Missal) 6.00pm Mass (Fr. Augustine Measures OSB) CONFESSION TIMES Weekdays: before or after Mass upon request. Saturday: 10.30am; Sundays: ½ hour before Mass CHURCH CLEANING th th th st th 10 Sue; 17 Sue; 24 Tara; 31 Bridie; August 7 Sheila COLLECTIONS LAST SUNDAY Offertory: £445.01, (Gift Aid: £171.71, loose plate: £273.30) + £94 approx by standing order. Second collection: Peter’s Pence: £113.83. Thank you. Second collection today: Parish Maintenance & Development Fund. SEA SUNDAY NEXT SUNDAY When the Church remembers all who live and work at sea. The second collection will be for The Apostleship of the Sea which provides pastoral care in ports throughout the world for those in the Merchant Navy. PARISH BARBECUE TODAY Come along to the parish barbecue after the 10.00am Mass today. Burgers, hot dogs and ploughman‟s will be available to purchase. Come for some fun and games, social time, and a bit of fundraising for the parish. Everyone welcome. SOLEMN MASS FOR THE FEAST OF THE TRANSLATION OF THE RELICS OF ST. THOMAS OF CANTERBURY this Tuesday at 8pm in Canterbury Cathedral The celebrant will be Canon Michael Bunce, parish priest of St. Thomas‟ Church, Canterbury and our Dean. All are warmly invited to attend. Fr. John can offer lifts.

5th JULY 2009 FOURTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B

TODAY’S MASS TEXTS Entrance Antiphon Ps 47:10-11 Within your temple, we ponder your loving kindness, O God. As your name, so also your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with justice. First Reading Ezekiel 2:2-5 The sons are defiant and obstinate and they shall know that there is a prophet among them. Responsorial Psalm: Ps 122 R: Our eyes are on the Lord till he show us his mercy. To you have I lifted up my eyes, you who dwell in the heavens: my eyes, like the eyes of slaves on the hand of their lords. (R) Like the eyes of a servant on the hand of her mistress, so our eyes are on the Lord our God till he show us his mercy. (R) Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy. We are filled with contempt. Indeed all too full is our soul with the scorn of the rich, with the proud man‟s disdain. (R) Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 I shall be very happy to make my weaknesses my special boast so that the power of Christ may stay over me. Gospel Acclamation: Matthew 16:18 Alleluia, alleluia! The Word was made flesh and lived among us; to all who did accept him he gave power to become children of God. Alleluia! Gospel: Mark 6:1-6 A prophet is only despised in his own country. Preface of Sunday 2, Eucharistic Prayer II Communion Antiphon: Ps 33:9 Taste and see the goodness of the Lord; blessed is he who hopes in God. PRAYERS FOR THE SICK Please pray for all our sick parishioners, particularly Rita Redman, Ann Pullen and Mr. O.V. Baby. Names of parishioners who need our prayers can be placed in the box in the church foyer. All our sick parishioners, named and un-named, are remembered in our prayers. 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. (No adoration this week) CHOIR PRACTICE TUESDAYS 7.30PM Newcomers always welcome. BIBLE STUDY THURSDAYS 7.30PM Studying the Acts of the Apostles. Newcomers always welcome. YOUTH 2000 EVENT: SANCTUARY@WALSINGHAM th st Thursday 27 – Monday 31 August. Full details can be found at www.youth2000.org for from 020 8675 2743. See poster on the notice board.

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

FR. JOHN’S DESKTOP Things parishioners ask about I was recently asked about in vitro fertilisation (IVF). When couples find themselves unable to have children, they usually suffer great heartache and disappointment. In such a situation, IVF will often be suggested, yet the Church declares IVF to be immoral as it is against the Natural Law. Why is this? In this age of rights, it is tempting to think that every woman or couple has a right to a child. But this is not so. A child is never a right one can claim but a gift. The reasons why infertility occurs are many, but just like all health problems, it is ultimately a result of the fallenness of human nature that is a consequence of original sin. As with other health anomalies, it is quite legitimate to treat the condition of infertility so that conception might occur. However, the process of conception itself should never be a technological one but rather a natural one resulting from the physical union of father and mother. To bring a new child into the world in a laboratory makes that child a product of technology rather than of nature and human love expressed sexually. From the very first moment of the union of sperm and egg, there is a unique individual human being who has rights and for whom society is responsible. It is never legitimate to carry out experiments on human embryos, however they come into existence. Each embryo has a right to live and to be protected from any harm. In the IVF process, a number of eggs are fertilised by human sperm. Scientists then examine the resulting embryos to see which might be suitable for implantation in the mother‟s womb. To guard against the risk of a multiple pregnancy, those which are considered unviable or surplus or, perhaps, with unwanted characteristics, are discarded, i.e. these human beings are deliberately killed. Some of the preferred embryos might then be frozen for later use which is also incompatible with the dignity of the human person. One or two or sometimes more of the selected embryos are then implanted. Of course, should anything be found to be wrong with one or more of the embryos during the pregnancy, they can quite logically be „terminated‟ since they are a product of human selection anyway. Further problems with IVF arise nowadays, particularly with egg and sperm donation: the union of the egg of the mother with the sperm of someone who is not the husband, and the implantation of the fertilised embryo into the womb of someone who is not the natural mother. The resulting child may therefore not be the natural child of the father and/or mother. Recently in the news we heard about a couple who had an embryo stored for future implantation, but the embryo was mistakenly implanted into the womb of another woman. When the mistake was discovered, the pregnancy was „terminated‟, without reference to the natural mother and father of the child concerned. They were naturally distraught. So a real Pandora‟s box has been opened by departing from the natural process. The Church takes this position not because She lacks compassion but because She understands and defends the dignity of human life. There are now organisations that help infertile couples and women who suffer repeated TM miscarriages in a completely morally acceptable manner. One such organisation is the Central London FertilityCare Centre. They can be contacted on 020 7437 0892 or you can visit their website: www.fertilitycarecentre.co.uk. Couples unable to have children of their own might also consider adopting a child, or devoting themselves to works of charity and apostolate, making the wider human family „their‟ family. Fr. John “A DIOCESAN DAY OF CELEBRATION”, SHARING IN THE GIFTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AT AYLESFORD PRIORY, NEXT SUNDAY This yearly event enables many people of all abilities, to share in a day of activity and prayer; activities include art, music and a disco. The day will begin with a gathering service at 12.00 noon ending with a Mass of celebration at 4pm.

THE TABERNACLE DOORS Have been taken away for restoration. This could take between two and four weeks. In the meantime, apart from before and after the Sunday Masses and any other major Masses, the Blessed Sacrament will be reserved in a small tabernacle in the Confessional area. This area will normally be locked for security but it will still be possible to pray before the tabernacle at the benches at the back of the church.

SPUC PRO-LIFE PETITION TODAY After Mass please sign The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children‟s „Child Protection Petition‟ to the Prime Minister to stop secondary schools being used as abortion referral centres. Among SPUC‟s concerns are that the Government is giving a clear remit to school nurses and other advisers to refer schoolchildren for abortions without informing parents, insisting that sex education lessons include information on how to get abortions, and aiming to establish school-based sexual health clinics. SPUC hopes to gather half a million signatures to put pressure on the Government to reverse its policy. Please add your name to the petition and help stop this unjust attack on the rights of schoolchildren, families and the unborn.

CAR PARK You may have found your parking skills tested in the area immediately in front of our „piazza‟. The lines were not meant to be painted where they are currently. Apologies! The bill hasn‟t been paid so the mistake will hopefully be rectified soon.

YEAR FOR PRIESTS Some parishioners have decided to gather to pray the Rosary for our priests. It will initially be before the morning Masses Monday to Friday and then see how it goes. Commencing tomorrow at 9.10am. This link (http://www.catholicchurch.org.uk/ccb/catholic_ church/events/year_for_priests) has interesting information about the year, including an interview with a priest about the biggest decision he‟s had to take in his life. HAVE WE FORGOTTEN WHAT IT IS TO BE CATHOLIC? (3) (From Fit for Mission? Church by Bishop Patrick O‟Donoghue) Those who never pray forget they are Catholic.

I NEED TO GO TO CONFESSION BUT I DON’T FEEL SORRY This is a common predicament. Sometimes people feel hypocritical going to confession when they cannot guarantee they won‟t commit the same sin again. We all know that we are likely to commit the same sin and other sins in the future. This does not mean that we are not sorry for the sins we have committed in the past. We would generally like to be perfect, to overcome our faults and failings and avoid sin. We know that, with the grace of God, everything is possible. But we are also aware of our human frailty. St John Marie Vianney, the Curé of Ars, said this to encourage us to go to Confession: “The good Lord knows everything. Even before you confess, he already knows that you will sin again, yet he still forgives you. How great is the love of our God: he even forces himself to forget the future, so that he can grant us his forgiveness.” ACTUAL CHURCH BULLETIN BLOOPERS The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on the Water.' The sermon tonight: 'Searching for Jesus."

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