St Ann's Catholic Church

13th June 2021

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ – Corpus Christi

Pope St. Pius X:  "Holy Communion is the shortest and safest way to Heaven".

Reflection – Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Corpus Christi, the Latin words for “the Body of Christ”. Today’s Gospel from Mark teaches us that Jesus shares his Last Supper with his disciples and it expresses our Eucharistic theology. It begins with the instructions that Jesus gave to his disciples to prepare their Passover celebration. The Gospel of Mark describes Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples as a celebration of the Jewish feast of Passover. The Jewish celebration of Passover is a memorial to and a ritual participation in the defining moment of Israel’s history. It celebrates God’s deliverance of his people from slavery in Egypt. The Passover meal includes many ritually important elements, such as unleavened bread, lamb, and bitter herbs. Each food item recalls an aspect of the Exodus event. The instructions for the preparation of this meal are carefully prescribed in the Law of Moses. It is a central obligation of the Jewish faith tradition to celebrate this meal and to give thanks to God for his deliverance and protection. In the description of the Passover meal found in today’s Gospel, however, Mark omits many elements of the Jewish Passover meal. Instead he describes only those elements he believes to be most essential to the Christian Eucharist: Jesus took bread, blessed the bread, broke the bread, and shared it with his disciples. Similar words and actions follow as Jesus shares the chalice with his disciples. This bread now shared is Jesus’ own Body. Those who drink from the chalice are invited to share in a new covenant which will be sealed by Jesus’ own Blood. Mark’s Eucharistic theology looks forward to the Kingdom of God that Jesus inaugurates. The Gospel for today reminds us that the Eucharist is a memorial of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. We believe that Jesus is truly present to us in the elements of bread and wine. Each time we celebrate this sacrament, we prepare for the Kingdom of God. The bread He gives is His Body, which He will continue to give as often as the community breaks bread in remembrance of Him in the Eucharist. This celebration, as the Second Vatican Council taught us, is the source and summit of the Christian life.

PADRE PIO’S PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION: Do not leave me, Lord, even though you know how easily I abandon you. I am weak, and I need you so that I may not fall. You are my light; without you I am in darkness.  Stay with me, Lord, so that I can hear your voice. Stay with me; I desire to love you and to be with you always.  Let me see you in the breaking of the bread, the bread and wine that sustains me, joy of my heart.

The Catholic Bishops of England Wales encourage Catholics

to place Sunday Mass at the heart of their post-pandemic lives.

The Bishops have issued a reflection on post-pandemic recovery and the challenges faced by the Church in encouraging people back to the Church and her Sacraments. The Bishops met for their spring plenary meeting from 19 – 22 April 2021. In a reflection titled The Day of the Lord, the Bishops praise families, parish communities and those who have worked tirelessly in hospitals, care homes, schools and prisons during these challenging times of ill-health, grief and isolation. The Bishops salute the leadership of our priests and express gratitude for the ‘immense efforts’ of those who have provided food for those most in need. Whilst acknowledging the creative and diverse methods of outreach during the pandemic – not least the live streaming of Mass – attention then turns to the post-pandemic world. The Bishops recognise that it is impossible to predict the pace at which we will emerge from the pandemic but state “what is clear is the challenge we face of bringing our communities and the practice of the faith to a still greater expression and strength.”

They identify three groups of people they are seeking to reach:

a) There are the fearful and weary, anxious about coming into the enclosed spaces of our churches; those who have simply lost the habit of coming to church. Personal contact, clear reassurance, and sensitive invitations will all be needed.

b) There are those who will have reassessed their pattern of life and priorities. The practice of faith within the community of the Catholic Church may not be among those priorities. A gap may have opened up, or widened, between the spiritual dimension of their lives and any communal expression of that spiritual quest. They represent a particular focus and concern for our outreach.

c) There are those whom we might describe as the ‘Covid curious', those who have come into contact with the Catholic Church through our presence on the internet – a contact we may be able to develop through our continuing presence across diverse media platforms.

The greatest treasure is, of course, the sacramental life of the Church and at its heart, the Eucharist. “It is the Eucharist, the celebration of the Mass, that makes the Church; and it is the Church, in the gift of the Holy Spirit, which makes the Eucharist.   

“At this moment, then, we need to have in our sights the need to restore to its rightful centrality in our lives the Sunday Mass, encouraging each to take his or her place once again in the assembly of our brothers and sisters. “We face the task of seeking to nurture the sense of Sunday as ‘a weekly gift from God to his people’, and something we cannot do without; to see Sunday as the soul of the week, as giving light and meaning to all the responsibilities we live out each day; to see the Sunday Eucharist as food for the unique mission with which we have been endowed.” For the original Statement, please click  here. 

Jesus made the crowds welcome and talked to them about the kingdom of God; and he cured those who were in need of healing (Matthew 4: 23)

A Call to be an Evangelising and Missionary Archdiocese of Southwark through Prayer.

Archbishop John Wilson is calling us to be an ‘evangelising and missionary archdiocese.’ This will not be possible without prayer. As we pray for our Church, we also pray that we are renewed. Let us pray that we may know more deeply the love of God for us and the hope Our Lord gives, so that others may also encounter him. Are you interested in joining our prayer partners praying for the mission of the archdiocese of Southwark? In response to the above call, St. Ann’s parish is exploring every Tuesday’s the Adoration or Benediction time 10:35am – 12:00pm could include or become for prayer for the theme of Evangelising and Missionary Archdiocese through Prayer. We will enrol all who join this group and email the Archdiocese as a community. Through this, missionaries aim to evangelise individuals and convert them to the Catholic faith. The sharing of the Gospel and the life of Christ started with the commissioning and sending out of the 12 apostles. Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you (Matthew 28:19-20).

Pope Francis' constant refrain: 'Go forth', evangelize, help the poor. The Holy Spirit is the protagonist of evangelization. The missionary church is a praying church. The history of missions is a history of prayer. Everything vital to the success of the world’s evangelization hinges on prayer.

Important Notices

OPENING OF ST. ANN’S CHURCH.

Saturday - Mass 10:00am, Vigil Mass 6:00pm

Sunday – Mass 10:30am

Monday to Friday - Mass 10:00am

Name:

Mobile number:

Email:

Other phone number

Postal address:

DATE AND TIME:

Please find the QR Code Poster of the Test and Trace App for St. Ann’s RC Parish in the Porch. The government introduced a new Test and Trace App on 24th September 2020. Parishioners who downloaded this App on their mobile phone and registered with their QR code can register their attendance at a particular place. Should a person receive a positive Covid test the App will be used to contact other attendees and provide them with necessary instructions. The use of this system is not compulsory for churches; however, it is strongly recommended.

Current Guidelines from the government and the

Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales:

1.     Please see this link for the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales Covid-19 Route Map [Step 3 Guidance Introduction This Guidance is offered to the Dioceses of England and Wales as the country moves into Step 3 (from 17 May) of the Government Covid-19 Response Roadmap published in February 2021]: <https://www.cbcew.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/05/CBCEW-COVID-Step-3-Guidance-v.pdf>.

2.     The Government's COVID-19 Response Roadmap, Step 3 Guidance for Communal Worship during the COVID-19 Pandemic is active as of 17 May 2021. Further guidance will be prepared for the Step 4 date of 21 June.

3.     Please see this link for the Celebration of Holy Mass, Holy Baptism, Confirmation, Ordination, Reconciliation, Sacrament of the Sick, Marriage and Funerals, Home Visits, Social Activities and Catechetical Groups/Formation Groups/Prayer Groups: <https://www.cbcew.org.uk/covid-guidance-collective-worship/>. 

4.     CIS Advice on Safe Operation of Ancillary Church Buildings – e.g. church halls: <https://www.cbcew.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/05/CIS-COVID-Safe-Operation-Ancillary-Church-Buildings.pdf>.

Mass Intentions for week commencing 13th June 2021

Sat 12th

Sun 13th

10:00am

6:00pm

10:30am

  The Immaculate Heart of The Bld. V. Mary

Vigil of 11th Sunday (B)

St. Anthony of Padua

Private Intention

People of the Parish

Sr. Angelique Mitiku

Mon 14th

10:00am

Feria

Clergy & Religious RIP

Tue 15th

10:00am

Feria

Krystyna Uwechue

Wed 16th

10:00am

St. Richard of Chichester

Terry Arpino RIP

Thur 17th

10:00am

Feria

Ernesto Silipigni

Fri 18th

10:00am

Feria

Bill & Des’ Intention

Sat 19th

10:00am

6:00pm

Our Lady

Vigil of 12th Sunday (B)

Private Intention

People of the Parish


Live streaming of Masses and Services

Even though the church is now open, streaming of daily weekday Masses and weekend Masses will still continue to be available via Facebook and YouTube, and all previous Masses are archived in these channels:

Parish Business

  1. Please kindly read the letter to Parishioners and Friends of St. Ann’s Parish which can be found via this link.
  2. For the Current Newsletter, please click here.
  3. For home learning on the subject of our Catholic Faith in relation to Science and other fundamental issues, please click here. This facility is to be used in conjunction with our Diocesan Centre for Catholic Formation’s resources.
  4. VOLUNTEERING & CHARITABLE WORK:
    • We have previously brought your attention to the needs of our neighbours to whom we should respond by all the means open to us. I would like to thank specially all of you who are already volunteering to help the needy by providing company by telephone, by doing or delivering shopping and/or medicines. There is a continuing need to donate to the food banks and we would urge you to support Kingston Foodbank via their website at https://localgiving.org/charity/kingstonfoodbank/ or your local Foodbanks.
    • At St. Ann’s Parish we are always grateful to hear from anyone who is willing to help us out, either remotely or in person, with our Masses or who would be willing to volunteer as a steward at the start of Mass or to oversee the church during other liturgies. Please do contact us and let us know if you would be willing to help or see Father Michael at the end of Mass.
  5. To make Donations to St. Ann’s RC Parish:
    • There will be an opportunity to give to the Parish through a static collection box or contactless machines as you arrive and leave the church.
    • St. Ann’s Gift Aid Form: <http://www.stanns-kingstonhill.org.uk/docs/GiftAidMandate2018.pdf> and Standing Order Form: please click here. 
    • To donate to St. Ann’s Parish, please find bank details by clicking here. 
    • Donations towards the Church can be made via this link.

Current affairs

Pope Francis appoints leadership at Congregation for Divine Worship

Pope Francis has appointed the English archbishop, Arthur Roche, 71, as the new prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, where he has been secretary since 2012. Archbishop Roche succeeds Cardinal Robert Sarah, whose resignation the pope accepted on Feb. 20 soon after he reached the retirement age of 75. The Guinean-born cardinal had served as prefect of this congregation since November 2014. The pope has appointed an Italian Franciscan Vittorio Francesco Viola, 55, the bishop of Tortona in northern Italy, as the congregation’s new secretary. 

For more, please read via this link: <https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-05/pope-francis-appointments-divine-worship-sacraments.html>.

SAFEGUARDING

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