Preparation for our Mission & Church Heating

This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King, as the last Sunday of the Church’s year. We are told in the Gospel that the sign placed above our Saviour on the cross read “This is the King of the Jews” (Lk 23:38). It was not fully realised at the time by many that in fact Jesus was the King, not only of the Jews, but of all heaven and earth. This king however is not distant and aloof, but a king of love and mercy who wants all his children to know him.
Some weeks ago there was an invitation to pray for a particular person who might benefit from knowing this fact more deeply. If we have prayed for someone we have already helped them; Jesus himself promised “Ask and you shall receive” (Mt 7:7). It may be possible though for God to help them even more and for this reason there are leaflets available this week to give away. There is also an invitation to our parish mission which begins on 8th Dec. It should be a wonderful way for someone to discover in a new way, how Christ is their King.
Church Heating
When we attempted to turn on the heating in early October it would not work and we got an Engineer to inspect it. The Engineer said that the heating system was not safe to use and isolated it. An estimate to rectify matters was obtained which amounted to £12,825.00 which included lining the existing flue.
As the two boilers are nearing the end of their useful life we asked if the repaired flue would be compatible with new boilers and were told no. As the boilers would need replacing in the near future we obtained two estimates to replace the boilers and update the whole system. The estimates amounted to £32,900.00 and £30,522.00. Following the discussions with the Finance and Premises Committee and Chris Fanning, the Diocesan Building Surveyor, it was agreed to accept the lower estimate from Hollywell Building Services, and an order to Hollywell was issued on the 13th November. Hollywell have promised to complete the installation by Christmas.
We appreciate that the cost of this installation is large but we believe that it is the right decision for the long term. We are able to meet the cost from our financial reserves. But of course that will be much reduced. We thank you for your patience over the past few weeks and ask that you bear with us whilst the work is being carried out. Work actually commenced on the 19th November.

PARENTAL FOLLOW-UP TO TODAY’S CHILDREN’S LITURGY:Perhaps your child would like to place his or her crown on a crucifix or picture of Jesus in you home.

“YOU DID IT TO ME”– Matthew 25:40: Monday 26th Nov 7:30–8:45pm

As the liturgy approaches its culmination at the end of the Church’s year we are offered images and teaching which remind us that we are on a journey which will take us one day into the very presence of God Himself. This is a good time to examine our lives in the light of God’s love and ask ourselves if we could go deeper into the vocation God has for us in the world.

In our present society we are constantly challenged by a range of values which may not necessarily be the ones which are closest to God’s desire for His children. As followers of Christ we are the ones asked to discern the ‘signs’ of the times, to ask God how we might best respond. As a move in this direction Cardinal Cormac recently published an open letter to the British public to coincide with 40th anniversary of the Act of Parliament which made the terminating of pregnancies a definite reality in contemporary society.

The Christian approach to human life is that it is God’s primary gift and so should be absolutely respected. However there are other ways of understanding life which threaten especially the unborn and the elderly. This means that laws are still being passed which affect us all in some way as, if we are right about life, they undermine the very fabric of our existence.

As a response to this and to other ‘signs’ within our culture which reflect an unhealthy stance toward life we are beginning a new monthly group in the parish. In this group we will be looking at how we can respond as Christians to this state of affairs, through:
A Prayerful deepening in our awareness of the value of life.
An Educational element informing us about current social issues being faced.
An Active response on various levels, to try and make a difference together.

When we appear before Jesus he will say “Whatever you did for the least of these, you did it to me”.May he help us as a parish to understand the importance of this call



PARENTAL FOLLOW-UP TO TODAY’S CHILDREN’S LITURGY: If this is not already part of your household routine, it might be a good time to assign your child a regular job, perhaps one connected with the evening meal, like setting or clearing the table or helping with the dishes. This should not be a way of earning money, but a way of participating in the life of the family with a cheerful attitude.

A Catholic alternative to Amnesty International

Following the decision by Amnesty International to expand its original remit as a charity focussing on the plight of prisoners of conscience around the world, to campaigning on abortion issues, thousands of Catholics and Christians of other denominations are withdrawing their support.

The charity Action by Christians Against Torture (ACAT) has suggested that former Amnesty supporters might want to join their campaign. In a statement they say: “ACAT is a registered charity and a Body in Association with Churches Together in Britain and Ireland”.

It is affiliated to the International Federation Against Torture, based in Paris. It campaigns against tortures, the threat of torture, disappearance and extra judicial executions. This is a narrower remit than Amnesty. There is a non charitable sister organisation which campaigns against the death penalty. ACAT has no policy on abortion and would endanger its charitable status if it worked in this field.

“It seems sad that Catholics who have been active in Amnesty and are committed to human rights should feel unable to continue with their campaigning. Their commitment is urgently needed in today’s world. ACAT would welcome inquires from those interested in joining its campaign.

“For more information contact Eleanor Newland, email uk.acat@gmail.com”.
Patrons of ACAT include Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Lord David Alton.
If you would like to suggest additional alternatives please write to the Westminster Record or send us an e-mail. From the October edition of Westminster Record.

PARENTAL FOLLOW-UP TO TODAY’S CHILDREN’S LITURGY: Share with your child your own faith in the resurrection and any experience that may have strengthened that faith. If the child has known a close family member who has died, share the confidence you have that, through HIs mercy, God is the God of that person, just as he is the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob.

PRAYING FOR SOMEONE OVER THE NEXT THREE WEEKS

As highlighted last week we hope you will now choose someone distanced from the Church to pray for – they might be lapsed or perhaps a non-Catholic. Over these three weeks pray that they may come into full communion with Christ’s Mystical body in the Catholic Church. Then is three weeks time we will give you a leaflet, to give to the person you’ve been praying for. The leaflet will invite them to come to our Advent Mission (starting 8th Dec), led by ex-Gangster John Pridmore and his St Patrick’s Community. May they “Come Home For Christmas”!

Here is a prayer you can use daily to pray for the person you have chosen:

As the seed grows silently in the earth,
As the yeast rises in the dough,
May your power, Spirit of God, be at work in us.
Like a city set on a hill,
Like a lamp shining in the darkness,
May we witness together,
Calling our brother/sister to the glory of your light
And the peace and justice of your kingdom. AMEN.

Painting by Elizabeth Wang

PARENTAL FOLLOW-UP TO TODAY’S CHILDREN’S LITURGY:Make some fun outdoor time with your child, in which you might use a tree as a reminder of today’s Gospel. Maybe even climb it with