ST. JOHN’S ST. MARY’S ST. OSWALD’S HAYDON BRIDGE H E X H A M BELLINGHAM SUNDAY NEWSLETTER TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR (DAY OF PRAYER FOR PRISONERS AND THEIR DEPENDANTS) SUNDAY 11TH OCTOBER 2020 | SUNDAY CYCLE: A | WEEKDAYS: II LITURGY OF THE HOURS: WEEK 1

CLERGY PARISH OFFICE CONTACT Fr Christopher Warren 01434 603119 stmaryshexham.org.uk Fr James Dunne Mon-Thurs. 9:00 - 13:00 [email protected] Rev. Deacon Martin Bell

MASSES THIS WEEK

Saturday (Vigil) 10th Oct 17:30 Public * Gladys Coates Sunday 11th Oct 09:15 Public * Haydon Bridge People of Our Parishes Sunday 11th Oct 09:30 Public * Hexham Eric Arthur Sunday 11th Oct 10:30 Public*, Live-Streamed Repose of the Soul of Teddy Patrick Sunday 11th Oct 11:00 Public * Bellingham Anthony Grigg Monday 12th Oct NO MASS — Tuesday 13th Oct 09:30 Public * Swinburne The Intentions of Philip Scrope Wednesday 14th Oct 09:30 Schools & Public* In Thanksgiving to Our Lady for Gareth’s Hexham Recovery Wednesday 14th Oct 18:00 Live-Streamed The Holy Souls Thursday 15th Oct 09:30 Public * Haltwhistle The Holy Souls Thursday 15th Oct 09:30 Public * Hexham Peggy Kirvan Friday 16th Oct NO MASS —- Saturday (Vigil) 17th Oct 17:30 Public * Hexham Niall Parkinson and Kelli Herman Sunday 18th Oct 09:15 Public * Haydon Bridge Fr. John Sunday 18th Oct 09:30 Public * Hexham Allan Hughes Sunday 18th Oct 10:30 Public*, Live-Streamed Hexham Peter Gregory Sunday 18th Oct 11:00 Public * Bellingham The Batey Family

* Places at these Masses should be booked in advance Mass bookings open at 11:00 am each Tuesday. Places are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. To book a place at one of these Masses, please visit www.heavenfieldpartnership.org.uk or www.stmaryshexham.org.uk Then click on the “Book a Mass” button which is in the centre of the homepage and follow the simple links to the relevant church. Alternatively, you can book a place at Mass by telephoning the Parish Office on 01434 603119. REFLECTION

MASS TODAY In a story filled with such violence as we have today, it might be easy to forget that we are dealing with a merciful God! God calls a First Reading: Isaiah 25: 6-10 people to himself and desires that they come to him. The Responsorial Psalm: destruction of the city of Jerusalem with its temple was interpreted Psalm 22 (23): 1-3, 3-4, 5, 6 by Christians at the time as God’s judgement bon Judah. A violent Response is: world saw stories of violence. Though we may wish to minimise In the Lord’s own house shall io dwell for ever the violence, unfortunately it has been part of human history from and ever. the beginning, and continues to this day. Second Reading: Philippians 4: 12-14, 19-20 It might be difficult to strip away the violent imagery and focus instead on the kernel underneath it all. Matthew’s Church has the Gospel Acclamation: wisdom and experience of decades since the death and Alleluia! Alleluia! Resurrection of Jesus. It has learned that there are some in the The Word was made flesh and lived among us: Church who do not belong, as indicated in several parables. Sadly, to all who did accept him our modern experience reflects this too. Simply being in the he gave power to become children of God. Church does not make one holy, God’s chosen. Or a paragon of Alleluia! Virtue. There are weeds within the wheat. Only God has the Gospel: Matthew 22: 1-14 authority to definitively and eternally expel such a person. The sobering reminder that “many are called, but few are chosen” should cause us to pause, reflect, and re-examine our lives.

SAINTS DAYS AND FEAST DAYS THIS WEEK

• Monday 12th October - Saint

• Tuesday 13th October - Saint Edward the Confessor

• Wednesday 14th October - Saint Callistus

• Thursday 15th October - Saint Teresa of Avila

• Saturday 17th October - Saint Ignatius of Antioch

HAPPY FEAST DAY to Saint Wilfrid the people of Haltwhistle on Monday Wilfrid was born at Ripon in North Yorkshire. As a young man he entered Saint 12th October, the Feast Aidan’s monastery on Lindisfarne, which followed the usages and liturgical customs of Saint Wilfrid of the Celtic church. He later studied in Rome, readily adopting the Roman tradition, and introduced this tradition to the monastery of Ripon, where he had been invited to become Abbot. He played a leading role at the Synod of Whitby (664), which extended the Roman usages to the whole country. His time as was fraught with difficulties: he returned from France after his consecration to find that Saint Chad had taken his place; his diocese was later divided against his will; his appeal to Rome against this division led to his imprisonment by the king of Northumbria. Much of Wilfrid’s later life was spent in missionary work in the south of England. He was responsible for the extension of Ripon Abbey and for the foundation of . In 705 he relinquished control of the Diocese of York and became Bishop of Hexham, until his death in about 709. Wilfrid was an outstanding man of his time, who never lost the courage of his convictions. His missionary endeavours in the south of England were to bring forth much fruit. WEEKLY MASS TO RESUME AT SAINT MARY’S, SWINBURNE

The regular Tuesday morning Masses will resume at Saint Mary’s Swinburne on Tuesday 13th October, at 9:30 am. Current regulations mean that places at each Mass will be limited and must be booked in advance, on a week by week basis. At the moment, the capacity for attendees at each Mass at Swinburne will be 16 individuals . Bookings for the first Mass opened at 11:00 am on Tuesday 6th October, and will remain open until noon on Monday 12th October, which is the day before the first Mass will take place. Subsequent weeks will continue in this way (e.g. bookings for Mass on 20th will open at 11:00 am on 13th and will close at noon on 19th, etc.). Bookings are accepted on a first-come-first-served basis. To book a place at each Mass, you can either access the on-line booking portal or make a telephone booking via the Parish Office: - Online bookings – visit www.heavenfieldpartnership.org.uk and click on the “Book a Mass” button, which is in the middle of the homepage. From there, you then follow the simple links to Swinburne. Telephone bookings – after 11:00 am each Tuesday, please ‘phone the Parish Office on 01434 603119. In each case, you will need to provide your name and telephone number, which is for our Track and Trace system, so do please have these to hand when you make your booking. Don’t forget, Fr. Christopher and Fr. James are looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible return to Mass over the coming weeks.

TUESDAY MASS AT HEXHAM WEEKDAY MASSES Beginning on Tuesday 13th October, Tuesday Mass will Don’t forget that publicly celebrated Masses will be held no longer be celebrated at Saint Mary’s, Hexham. each week at Saint Mary’s, on Wednesday and Thursday mornings, at 9:30am. The Wednesday Instead, Fr Christopher will celebrate Mass at Saint morning Mass includes children from Saint Mary’s First Mary’s, Swinburne. School. Places for Mass at Swinburne should be booked in As usual, places at these Masses must be booked in advance in the usual way, and everyone is welcome to advance, either by telephoning the Parish Office (01434 attend. 603119), or by using the online booking portal on Saint Mary’s website (www.stmaryshexham.org.uk). These Masses will not be live-streamed. SUNDAY EVENING MASS AT SAINT The Sunday, 10:30am Mass will continue to be live- ARY S EXHAM M ’ , H streamed. Currently, there are no plans for this Mass to resume Please remember that all of our publicly celebrated until the COVID-19 restrictions are further relaxed. Masses are open to everyone. We will maintain A Vigil Mass and two Sunday morning Masses, but all of these are contingent upon the number of volunteer stewards available. Watch this space for further information about when the Sunday evening Mass may resume.

WHEN ATTENDING MASS, IF YOU ARE ABLE TO, PLEASE ... SUNDAY’S SECOND READING: WERE THE PHILIPPIANS PAUL’S FAVOURITES? Don’t be shocked by the title of this piece! Well, do be shocked, but don’t be surprised. The letter to the Philippians is the “nicest” of all his writings – he clearly saw them as a friendly community in whom he could place the deepest trust. The city of Philippi was at the northern tip of what is modern Greece, and was an important Roman colony. Paul had preached there on his 2nd missionary journey round the Mediterranean (about 50AD, twenty or so years after Jesus’ death & resurrection). On his third missionary tour (53-58AD), he visited the place twice, before making his way to Jerusalem. Paul thanks them for their generosity – they had supported him financially and emotionally in difficult times before he wrote the letter. This is important, because Paul is usually at pains to say that doesn’t preach the gospel for financial gain – he sees it as duty that God gave him. That’s why he mentions being able to survive, “full stomach or empty stomach, poverty or plenty”. But the fact remains that he was glad of the help that the Philippians had been able to offer him – he writes in this weekend’s 2nd reading: “All the same, it was good of you to share with me in my hardships”. As a rule, he earned his own keep on his tours by his occupation as a tent-maker. This might not sound very grand to us now, but in those days, with a huge Roman army under canvas all over the world, it was a very well-paid job. Before he wrote the letter, he had been in need of financial help (for some unmentioned reason), and the Philippians had sent him money via a man called Epaphroditis. This information is in verse 18, which has been omitted from this Sunday’s material. (Perhaps it was to spare readers the nightmare of trying to pronounce the name....?) He says that this cash offering solved his financial problem, and he accepted it “as a sweet fragrance” – emotional language we never normally hear from St Paul! Rather than criticize Paul for treating the Philippians as his “teacher’s pets”, I think it’s worth saying that he’s just being honest. There isn’t a great deal of doctrinal teaching in the letter – just a friendly acknowledgement of what he owed them. Unlike Christian communities elsewhere in the region, the people there caused him no bother. For that, he was simply grateful. Perhaps people who are often hyper-critical of modern Church leaders could take a leaf from the Philippians’ book. Fr Jim Dunne.

SINGING AT MASS PLEASE PRAY FOR THE RECENTLY People attending the 10:30 mass at Saint Mary’s or joining DECEASED via the livestream will have noticed that there's now a small • PETER GREGORY, who passed away choir supporting the liturgy. Please be assured that reintroducing singing in this small way has been done with recently. the utmost care, and with careful regard for the guidance • MARIE NUTTNEY, from Haltwhistle, who and legislation. The choir and musicians are working under died suddenly earlier this week an additional risk assessment that follows the government's Performing Arts guidance, with an additional set of Details of funeral arrangements are to follow. cleaning and stewarding protocols, and the music itself is carefully-chosen so as not to prolong the mass. Please pray for the Repose of the Souls of Peter Sadly, it looks like it may be some while before we can and of Marie, as well as their families. have congregational singing again. In the meantime our parish music ministry does what it can to provide a Requiesce in Pace spiritual uplift within the constraints! OCTOBER: THE MONTH OF THE ROSARY

ROSARY WHIRLWIND On Tuesday October 13th 2020, there will be a ‘Rosary Whirlwind’ across the British Isles. This will involve people from across the country all praying the Rosary at 8:00 pm. Fr. Christopher has registered our parishes as a “virtual group” to join in with this event from the comfort of your homes. Also, and to help you to participate with this Rosary Whirlwind, Fr. Christopher will, himself, pray the Rosary with you all via our live-stream from Saint Mary’s, Hexham. It would be great if as many of you as possible could join in with what promises to be a wonderful, inspiring event.

DIOCESAN ROSARY RALLY On 31st October 2020, our diocese will take part in a Rosary Rally, together with different dioceses from across the country. Each diocese will have a designated time slot to ensure the Rosary is prayed continuously throughout the day from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm. For more information and to register, please contact [email protected].

10 AMAZING TIPS FOR PRAYING THE ROSARY 1. Carry your Rosary with You. 2. Supplement with Scripture - It’s helpful to do a brief search of each story in Scripture and meditate on it before you embark on praying the entire set of Mysteries. 3. Meditate on the virtue of each Mystery - This reflection while you pray the Rosary serves as a mini- examination of conscience to prepare you for Confession or further mental prayer later on. 4. Pray with someone - then you can each commit to praying for each other, which also strengthens your friendship. 5. Use a meditative CD or download in your car whilst you are driving. 6. Use visual aids, like statues or icons, to help you to focus. 7. Make it part of daily family time. 8. Read or sing a meditation before praying each decade. 9. Pray while you wait - train your brain to pray a decade or two whilst you are queuing or waiting somewhere. 10. Ask Our Lady and your Guardian Angel to pray it with you - you will be moved by a powerful grace.

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. CONFESSIONS The times for Private Confession at Saint Mary’s, with Fr. Christopher or Fr. Jim, will be advertised in the Parishes Newsletter each week. These Confessions have to take place outside, so are subject to cancellation at short notice, depending upon the weather. Times for Confession this week: -

• Wednesday - following the 09:30 public Mass

• Saturday - between 16:30 and 17:00 Please Remember: -

• Social distancing must be observed at all times.

• The chairs will be cleaned between each Penitent.

CAFOD FAMILY FAST DAY: Friday 9th October Please donate online at www.cafod.org.uk/give or text CAFOD to 70085 to donate the fixed amount of £10. Due to coronavirus and lockdowns – the need is greater and donations have been less. Donations at Harvest Fast Day were down by two thirds due to the closure of churches. So do please try to give generously All around the world, life is so much harder for poor communities because of the pandemic. Parents are struggling to feed their children because they can’t get out to earn money. In Brazil CAFOD have helped local farmers to continue to produce nutritious, organic food and sell it safely. They could help so many more people, but need funds to do it, and Family Fast Day is a huge challenge this year. However, this year CAFOD are offering something different – a Harvest like no other. Launch event: Listen to a live update about CAFOD’s Coronavirus response at 11am on Friday 9th October. Book your place by accessing www.bigmarker.com/cafod/harvest Family Fast Day Eucharistic Celebration - 6pm on Friday 9th October. Register to join this Mass by accessing www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/family-fast-day-eucharistic-celebration-tickets-123316540091 Global Family Food Event - Saturday 10th October, 12pm-1pm. Have fun, eat some delicious food, and raise funds to transform the lives of people in poverty. Find out more by accessing www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cafods-global-family- food-event-registration-119895708291 Harvest Like No Other Quiz - get competitive on Saturday 10th October 7-8pm. Register for this event by accessing www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cafods-harvest-like-no-other-quiz-tickets-120214014353 Prayer and reflection - On Sunday 11th October at 7:00 pm, Bishop John Arnold will reflect on Pope Francis’ catechesis, ‘Healing the World’, as well as the new encyclical, ‘Fratelli Tutti’. Book your place by accessing www.bigmarker.com/cafod/Prayer

Please pass on details of this service to people who you may know from other parishes, and also to people who do not have internet access. Many thanks. IS IT SAFE TO ATTEND MASS? SHOULD I BE THERE? With new restrictions being placed on households and hospitality venues in our area this week, it is highly likely that you’re wondering if it’s safe to come to Mass. For most of us the right question is not ‘is it safe?’ but ‘is it safe enough?’. Pretty much everything we do in life has a risk associated with it – crossing the road, driving the car, walking to school, eating cake… all these things involve a risk of something happening; an accident can befall us anywhere, and even good things like cake, can do us harm if we over-indulge. Usually we weigh-up these risks unconsciously and have a properly balanced approach to life. If we are looking for risk-free activities we would never leave the house; and even then just sitting in a chair has its own dangers to health! With COVID-19 now being never off the front pages, it is very difficult for us to properly weigh up the facts and make a judgement on whether it is wise to come to Church. In August three medically qualified American Catholics published an article on the ‘Real Clear Science’ website looking at the incidence of COVID-19 transmission in the over 1million Masses celebrated publicly in the four months since re-opening the churches in American Dioceses. In all cases the churches are using protocols based on public health guidelines very similar to those we are following in the UK – distancing ourselves in well ventilated spaces, using face coverings, and taking precautions such as hand washing. They found that: “for Catholic churches following these protocols, no outbreaks of COVID-19 have been linked to church attendance, even though we have examples... of asymptomatic, unknowingly infected individuals attending Mass and other parish functions. Their attendance could have led to an outbreak if appropriate precautions were not followed, yet in each case, we found no evidence of viral transmission. “ They go on to say “While nothing during a pandemic is risk-free, these guidelines mean that Catholics (and public officials) may be confident that it’s reasonably safe to come to Church for Mass and the sacraments.” If you’re comfortable enough to go shopping, or visit the pub, then you should be comfortable enough to come to Mass! But even if it is safe enough – should you come to Mass? Another article, this time in ‘America’ magazine, looks at how you might decide whether it is the right thing to do. Brendan Gottschall S.J. looks at this complex decision using the guidance of St. Ignatius and his Rules for Discernment. He starts from the point of view that if you, or someone close to you is particularly vulnerable, then you absolutely should refrain from attending Mass in person. If you’re not in that category, then he offers some guidance. Are you spiritually at peace? Does the desire to be at Mass help you feel calm? That might indicate its a good idea, as might the prompting of your conscience; wanting to acknowledge our wrongs and be at peace with God. He wonders if sometimes we’re making excuses. Are we really practising patience and precaution, or just being lazy? Just as often though, we might be acting properly; motivated to free up limited space for someone else to be able to attend by going less regularly. It’s a very useful read that should help everyone to discern in their own unique set of circumstances what might be the best course of action. Our Bishop, Robert Byrne, has made it crystal clear that the obligation to attend Mass will not be re-introduced until it is sensible to do so. That means that we each have to consider how to develop our spiritual life. The great resource of the Mass – the Source and Summit of the Christian Life – is now available again to those that can attend. You might consider joining in with the Universal Prayer of the Church morning and evening, which is readily available these days (for example try www.universalis.com) The Diocesan website (www.rcdhn.org.uk) has a range of resources for developing your prayer life in this time of Corona, and there is an abundance of material on Catholic websites around the world. Whatever your personal circumstances, do make use of every opportunity to develop your prayer and spiritual life. Maybe the current crisis is a prompt to us all to raise our eyes from the day to day struggles of life, and to contemplate anew the wonder of our existence and our relationship with God. You can read the full articles by accessing the following links: - www.realclearscience.com/articles/2020/08/19/evidence-based_guidelines_to_celebrate_mass_safely_are_working.html and www.americamagazine.org/faith/2020/07/13/should-you-go-to-mass-pandemic-coronavirus-covid-catholic SYCAMORE COUNSELLING SERVICE YOUR PARISHES NEED YOU! The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has impacted our lives in ways Coming soon – Online Groups that we would not have expected. Our lives have changed considerably, and the past months have presented many more Since April we’ve not been able to meet in challenges for individuals, families, workers, businesses, students, groups, though some have been meeting teachers, key workers (and many more). online. In the coming months we are going to experiment with online meetings of some We anticipate the need for mental health services to increase and groups via video links. it is our prayer and hope that all people have easy access to the care and support they need to talk through issues that are having Our first group will be a faith development an impact on their mental health. programme using the Sycamore resources (www.sycamore.fm) to guide our Our qualified Counsellors are Christians and volunteer their own conversations. It will be open to all partnership personal time to offer a donations-based counselling service to parishioners who would like to engage in those in need of support. Covering areas such as depression, discussions on various aspects of our faith. stress, anxiety, bereavement, abuse and trauma. To begin this we will need a small team of To find out more about telephone counselling (until we are able to people to help lead the online groups, and to be face to face once more), please visit our Facebook page help out with the practicalities. So, if you are @sycamorecounsellingservicehexham or telephone 07939 493030. interested in helping out, please contact the Thank you. Parish Office (01434 603119 or [email protected]) CHILDREN’S LITURGY RESOURCES As you are aware, since our Sunday Masses resumed, due to current COVID restrictions we have been unable to host any Children’s Liturgy sessions as part of these Masses. A BIG THANK YOU … Well, help is now at hand! … to the generous parishioner from Saint One of the Catechists from Saint John’s, Haydon Bridge Wilfrid’s who donated £20.00 to the produces some electronic resources and activities each week which are relevant to each Sunday Mass and which are a fun way Asylum Seekers’ Appeal. of helping our children to understand the week’s readings. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Have you any children in your family? Would you like to receive electronic copies of these resources each week? If the answer to these questions is yes, then please get in touch with the Parish Office ([email protected] or 01434 603119) as soon as possible so that your details can be added to the Children’s Liturgy Mailing List. WANTED • Currency (any country, any date)

A POLITE REMINDER • Military Medals (any conflict) • Old broken Gold & Silver The PARISH OFFICE IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED TO ALL VISITORS. This is in line with Diocesan Health • Used postage stamps (UK & Foreign) and Safety requirements, and is one of the conditions These items will be used to raise funds for placed upon us when Saint Mary’s was allowed to gradually Little Sisters of the Poor, re-open after the lockdown period. If you need to contact the Parish Office for any reason, this St. Joseph’s Home, Newcastle. should be done by telephone or email. (01434 603119 or PLEASE HELP [email protected]) Many thanks for your patience and understanding in this Contact: David & Theresa O’Neill (0191 matter. 264 5771 or [email protected]) CATHOLIC NEWSPAPERS SPECIAL COLLECTIONS IN OUR CHURCHES The Catholic Universe Next weekend (Sunday 18th October) there will be (incorporating the Catholic Times) THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL COLLECTION IN AID During the lockdown period and OF WORLD MISSION SUNDAY. subsequent restrictions, most of the copies of this weekly newspaper This collection relates to the work of the Holy See, so please purchased by Saint Mary’s have gone be as generous as you can for this worthy cause. unsold to parishioners. The decision has therefore been taken that, after THE GREAT ADVENTURE: December 2020, the parish will no longer obtain supplies of this newspaper UNLOCKING THE MYSTERY OF THE BIBLE for re-sale to parishioners. Many people want to read the Bible because they know it is Postal subscriptions, which mean that the God’s Word, but they give up because it seems so newspaper is delivered directly to your complicated. Unlocking the Mystery of the Bible helps you to home, can be obtained by accessing the get the ‘big picture’ of the Bible by showing how fourteen following link: narrative books of the Bible tell the complete story from https://thecatholicuniverse.com/product- Adam and Eve to Christ and the Church.” This new, free, category/subscribe-print/ online course is starting in the Autumn and will run across 8 sessions during November 2020 and February 2021. Subscriptions cost £22.00 per quarter, or £80.00 per year, representing a saving of To register or for more information, please email at least 30p per week on the current [email protected]. cover price of £1.90.

NORTHERN CROSS APPEAL KEEP IN TOUCH! The Northern Cross is the independent newspaper for people of the Would you like to keep up to date with all Christian faith in North East England. The newspaper launched in changes and updates as well as receiving the January 1956 and is published on the first Sunday of the month. Until Weekly Newsletter? If so, make sure that the current COVID-19 crisis hit the world, printed copies were sold you forward your contact details to the in more than 150 parishes across the region. Parish Office ([email protected] The current lockdown and other restrictions has meant that or 01434 603119). producing a printed paper has not been possible. The way forward If you change your email address, the foreseeable future is to continue with a digital newspaper and we please let the Parish Office know, so need you help to make it succeed. We have set a target of 2,020 that your record can be updated and subscribers in 2020. Some people will still prefer a traditional you continue to receive notifications. newspaper and this can still be done if we get enough people to sign up for online or postal delivery direct to your home. For more information about online subscriptions, please contact Phil TRAIDCRAFT CHRISTMAS ITEMS Smith at www.northerncross.org.uk If you would like to take out a postal subscription, or if you know Due to the current restrictions, there will someone who does not have access to the internet but would like to not be a Traidcraft Christmas stall held in read Northern Cross please call 01429 274 408 and leave a message our parishes this year. with your name and telephone number, and we will call you back. If you would like to see a catalogue or submit Thank you warmly in anticipation of your support - and we an order, please contact Rosemary encourage you to continue to send your stories to us. We would Theobalds (01434 603507 or particularly like to hear about your experiences of people and [email protected]), who is kindly co- partnerships helping one another during this time. ordinating this year’s ordering. OPEN DAYS AT SAINT MARY’S FIRST SCHOOL