SAINT PATRICK’S CHURCH 30 Park Lane, Corsham, SN13 9LG Parish Priest: Fr Michael Fountaine Tel 01249 712136 [email protected] www.stpatricks-corsham.org.uk

St Patrick’s School Lacock Road, Corsham, SN13 9HS Tel 01249 713125 www.stpatricks-wilts.co.uk

LATEST NEWS 31st MAY – SOLEMNITY OF

PENTECOST SUNDAY (A)

Liturgies are cancelled until further notice due to the Coronavirus YEAR OF COMMUNION Today is the joyful celebration of 5.30pm (Sat) VIGIL MASS Pentecost. Our Sunday Gospel speaks of the disciples locked away with Children’s Liturgy behind closed doors afraid of the Jewish authorities. Jesus comes and stand amongst them and offers them peace. Twice he says to them, 9.30am SOLEMN MASS ‘Peace be with you.’ His presence and his offering bring the disciples

Mon 1st June - Blessed Virgin Mary, great joy and confidence. It is a confidence that sends them out into the Mother of the Church world once more. This is the peace we are offered. It is not a simple handshake, it is an offering of deep inner peace which reassures us that Tue 2nd June - Ss Marcellinus & with Jesus we are safe, we can feel confident that all will be well. As Peter, Martyrs Christians we have been given many gifts. If we have a role to play in Wed 3rd June - Ss Charles Lwanga the world it is to share this gift of peace, the peace that leads to freedom & Companions, Martyrs and hope and a belief in all things that are good Thur 4th June - Feast of Jesus THE SOLEMNITY OF PENTECOST also brings the Season of Christ, the Eternal High Priest Easter to a close. The Paschal candle is now kept with honour in the Fri 5th June - St Boniface, Bp,Mr Baptistry, so that from its flame the candles of the baptized may be lit Sat 6th June - St Norbert, Bp during their baptism. At funerals, the Paschal Candle is placed near the coffin, to signify that Christian death is a true Passover. As from Sun 7th June - THE SOLEMNITY tomorrow the recitation of the Angelus resumes. This week we OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY recommence Ordinary Time with Week 9 and weekday lectionary readings of year 2

CORSHAM FOOD BANK UPDATE Thanks to everyone who has been supporting our weekly collections from St Patrick’s and to Ann-Marie and Mark for facilitating the collection. The Foodbank is currently receiving donations from all the main supermarkets and has managed to catch up with its stock so we will suspend our collections for the time being and let you know when they need to restart. Thank you all once again.

OPENING OF CHURCHES let us pray this week for our public authorities to make wise decisions, and for the Holy Spirit to help our bishops as they decide how to re-open our churches. "Spirit of Wisdom, seated at the throne of God, you filled the mind of Solomon and directed the paths of the saints. Guide your sons whom you

Tap here to add a caption have chosen to lead your church, and those who must make decisions on behalf of our country, that they may act for the glory of God and the common good of His family. Through Christ our Lord. Amen."

ORGAN DONATION On 20th May, an opt-out system for organ donation was introduced in England. The has consistently encouraged its followers to consider organ donation. The act of donating organs before or after death has been considered a gift and an intrinsic good. However, a system of presumed consent risks taking away the right of the individual to exercise this decision, and therefore potentially undermines the concept of donation as a gift. Following the change in the law, all adults in England will be considered donors in the event of death, unless they have recorded a decision not to donate or are in one of the following excluded groups: those under the age of 18; people who lack the mental capacity to understand the new arrangements and take the necessary action; visitors to England, and those not living here voluntarily; and people who have lived in England for less than 12 months before their death. The Catholic Bishops’ of England and Wales have produced Guidelines for Catholics on Organ Donation, and how to record this decision online via the Organ Donation Register (ODR). The ODR also allows you to record your faith beliefs so that they may be respected in the event of death and organ donation. See the news section of our website for further details.

WEEKLY LAUDATO SO’ TIP on Caring for Our Common Home. ‘Encourage prayer before and after meals to express gratitude to God for His generosity in meeting our daily needs, but also as a reminder of our duty to be good stewards of His creation so that it may continue to serve the needs of all His creatures’.

CO-OP MEMBERS CORONAVIRUS FUND Do you shop at Corsham Co-op? The company have decided to establish a way in which members can donate their 5% Reward to be spent on good causes and support people's needs which have arisen as a result of the virus. The Co-op will use the Members' Coronavirus Fund to support food bank initiatives and to support bereaved families who need that extra bit of help in affording a funeral, and other good causes to support those impacted by coronavirus. See the link for more details www.coop.co.uk/coronavirus/initiatives

NEED SOME SUPPORT? Please remember that we have volunteers who are willing and able to give support by ensuring people have food and medication delivered and contact with the Parish or simply just a chat. For assistance, please call Mark on 07513967191, Frank on 07751484148 or Lorraine on 07767395909 and we will endeavour to provide the help or assistance that is needed. It’s also important that we keep in touch with people and the telephone may well be a real lifeline for many. Although Fr Michael is shielding at this time, he is still very much available on the telephone (just leave a message if there is no answer and he will get back to you) or, of course by email.

PARISH NEWSLETTER Do you know of anyone who is alone and without access to the internet? Just ring Mark on 07513967191 to post/deliver them the bulletin. It’s good to keep connected.

ROSARY MISSION The Diocese of Clifton has received a request from Monsignor John Armitage, from the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, to participate in a May Rosary Mission on today, Pentecost Sunday. Each Diocese in England, Wales and Scotland has been allotted an hour in which the Rosary will be prayed either individually or in family groups. The hour allotted to Clifton is 1.00pm. At that time the Rosary will be live streamed from Clifton Cathedral. Do join in this chain off prayer and tune in the our Cathedral broadcast. FEAST OF JESUS CHRIST, THE ETERNAL HIGH PRIEST It’s not often in one week that we celebrate two new feasts added recently to the liturgical calendar, but that is what happens next week, the first week after Pentecost. On Monday, we celebrate the memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church and on Thursday we celebrate the Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal High Priest. There may be over 400,000 ordained priests in the worldwide Catholic Church and, of course, all of us by our Baptism are made priests. But really there is only one priest, our great High Priest, Jesus Christ Himself. He is the mediator between God and humanity. It is in His priesthood that we all share in our various ways. Jesus is also the Victim that is offered, for on Calvary the offering He made was of Himself for the salvation of the world. That Victimhood we too share by offering up ourselves and all that goes into our daily life. Thus, the Letter to the Hebrews says: “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4: 14-16). In 2012, Pope Benedict established this new feast day. It is celebrated on the Thursday after Pentecost and you can find the texts for the Mass, the Readings and the Divine Office here. On this day let us honour Christ the Priest. Let us pray for those ordained to the priesthood as bishops and priests, asking the Lord of the harvest to send many more labourers into His harvest (cf. Mt 9:38).

MASS FOR THE SICK, THEIR FAMILIES, NHS FRONT-LINE & SOCIAL CARE WORKERS In order to show spiritual solidarity with the sick and their families and NHS and social care workers, a Bishop will celebrate a live-streamed Mass in his Cathedral for people to join. This will take place every Thursday at 7.00pm, as follows: 4 June - Bishop , Cathedral of St John the Evangelist, Salford. 11 June - Bishop Patrick McKinney, St Barnabas Cathedral, Nottingham. 18 June - Archbishop , St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham. 25 June - Bishop , Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Norwich. 2 July - Archbishop , St George’s Cathedral, Southwark. 9 July - Bishop Tom Williams, Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, Liverpool. You can join the Mass by visiting the Cathedral webpage, or the Bishops’ Conference Webpage at www.cbcew.org.uk.

RUH If you or a loved one is going into the Royal United Hospital please let the RUH Chaplaincy know on 01225 428331 or email [email protected]

STEWARDSHIP Thank you to those who are now making use of the PayPal facility. Thank you to all who give via bank standing-order and thank you to all who are posting offerings through the presbytery door. All these continued contributions will play an important part in lessening the inevitable financial impact on the parish in the present lockdown. We not only have a smaller offertory income but also, of course, no rental income from the hall. You’re giving at this time will help considerably. Thank you.

PARISH WEB DESIGN Fr Michael has been working for several weeks with Mike Stuart our web designer on a new look web site. It’s suggested that websites should undergo a redesign every three years or so to stay modern, keep interest alive and attract new traffic. It’s an important tool in the process of evangelization and outreach for any parish. The new look will be with us in the next week or two, so watch this space. We thank Mike for all the hard work he is doing for St Patrick’s at this time.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION As the weeks go on and we cannot celebrate Mass together it is good to know that Mass is still celebrated. Even though we are not together yet it is good to remember that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ and if we desire to receive the Lord in Holy Communion, but are prevented from doing so, we can MAKE what is known as a spiritual communion. To make a spiritual communion we open ourselves to Lord and he will give us the grace of his presence. has suggested we say this prayer - “My Jesus, I believe that You are really present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the altar. I love You above all things and I desire You in my soul. As I cannot receive you sacramentally now, come at least spiritually into my heart. And, as You have already come, I embrace You and unite myself wholly to You. Let me never be separated from You.”

WATCH MASS AT HOME Our Cathedral at Clifton is streaming Mass live each day at 9.30am. Simply go to www.cliftoncathedral.org and press ‘Live Stream.’ Alternatively, you may go to www.churchservices.tv/whats- on-now/ This will give you a menu of all live services within the next two hours. Fr Michael continues to offer Mass privately each day and you are all remembered at the altar at this time. If you wish Mass to be offered for a particular intention, please call or email Fr Michael and that will be arranged for you. All mass requests have now been offered, so there is plenty of room for more!

AND FINALLY TO MAKE YOU SMILE…

“A talk on drugs will be given at the next Mothers' Union meeting. This will be followed by a bring and buy sale.”

“Don't miss the Young Wives' Victorian Evening next month. It will be a fun night and some of the women will wear clothes.”

PLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS

The Sick: Christopher Browl, Julia Wright, Pauline Feeney, John Hunt, Margaret Brown, Lindsay Price and Christopher, all suffering with Coronavirus and all in our hospitals, nursing homes and those who care for them.

Pentecost Day of Prayer for the Church

Pope Francis June Prayer Intention: Evangelisation: The Way of the heart. That all those who suffer may

Diocesan Prayer Link: St Thomas of Canterbury, Fairford with Cricklade

Christians in Corsham Prayer Link: Other Christian Communities

Pentecost in the Pandemic: A Contemporary Sequence

Come, Holy Spirit, come, Spirit of God, come with your peace, your power, your light. Come with forgiveness, courage and hope.

Come, Spirit of God, unite us with the risen Jesus, turn us again to the Father of Jesus. Together they pour You daily into our hearts.

Come now to our suffering world, sick with a killing virus and everywhere threatened with silent death, but most cruelly among your poorest children.

Come to those on the front-line, our doctors and nurses and hospital staff, the men and women who preserve the civic order and protect us from fire and bring us our food.

Come now to the hearts and minds of scientists seeking a vaccine for the pandemic, to all who support their work, bringing to it in equal measure patience and commitment.

Prayer of Thanksgiving and Praise to the Sacred Heart

Lord, you deserve all honour and praise, because your love is perfect and your heart sublime. My heart is filled to overflowing with gratitude for the many blessings and graces you have bestowed upon me and those whom I love. Forever undeserving, may I always be attentive and never take for granted the gifts of mercy and love that flow so freely and generously from your Sacred Heart. Heart of Jesus, I adore you. Heart of Jesus, I praise you. Heart of Jesus, I thank you. Heart of Jesus, I love you forever and always. Amen.

Clifton Diocese is a company limited by guarantee; registered in England and Wales under number 10462076 | Registered Charity No. 1170168 | Registered Office: St. Ambrose, North Road, Leigh Woods, Bristol, BS8 3PW