Readings & Prayers The of Our Lady of the Assumption Sunday 10.30am and St. Gregory

peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, A parish dedicated to the life of the of Our Lady of self-control; against such there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its pas- rd sions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by Sunday 23 May the Spirit. Gospel John 20:19-23 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the A very warm welcome to Mass today, especially if you are new or visiting. This sheet contains information about the week’s Mass- doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the es, along with this week’s readings and hymns. You are invited to stay behind for refreshments after the Mass, which will take Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, place, weather permitting, in Golden Square! “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad We arrive at the fiftieth day ‑ the completion of the Easter Season, and the comple- when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be tion of the Paschal Mystery: the Lord has died, is risen, has ascended to heaven and with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send now gives birth to his Church, by sending the Spirit upon the apostles. This feast of you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and the gift of the Spirit is so significant for us, because it marks the handing on of Jesus' said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins ministry to the Church ‑ in the Church we are guaranteed the presence of the Lord, in of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they his sacraments, in his ministers, in the Blessed Sacrament and in his Celebrated Word. are retained.” It also marks the fulfilment of our thoughts about baptism throughout this season: First Reading Acts 2:1-11 the gift of the Spirit which we receive in Confirmation is the ‘seal’ of our baptism, When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together guaranteeing and confirming all that baptism achieves. in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of This Sunday’s Readings fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in oth- First reading Acts 2.1-11 Preface Preface of Pentecost What would you say has been the most exciting event in your life so far? The disciples who were gathered in the upper room at the er tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should first Pentecost would have no trouble answering that question. They would immediately tell us the story of the Holy Spirit's dramatic were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto thee, O Lord, descent on the followers of Jesus. A great, thundering wind! Tongues of scarlet fire parting over their heads! Each person filled with nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came the Holy Spirit! Everyone suddenly speaking in languages they had never known before! What a day that was! At Pentecost the gift holy Father, almighty, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard of the Spirit filled the disciples with the energy and power to speak so that people from many nations could understand them. It was our Lord; according to whose true promise the Holy Spirit them speaking in his own language. And they were amazed an event that changed the world and gave birth to the universal Church. came down on this day from heaven, lighting upon the disci- and wondered, saying, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Second Reading 1 Corinthians 12:3-7,12-13 ples, to teach them and to lead them into all truth; uniting Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own The game of one-upmanship can cause trouble even in religious communities. When St. Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians, peoples of many tongues in the confession of one faith, and native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and resi- they were debating about whose spiritual gifts were better. Did those who could speak in foreign tongues have a more valuable gift giving to thy Church the power to serve thee as a royal than those who could prophesy? The truth is revealed in the letter. All of the gifts of the Spirit are valuable. And they are all given dents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and priesthood, and to preach the Gospel to all nations. There- for the common good. In the Spirit we are all made one in the Body of Christ. Whatever our different gifts, there is one God who Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya fore with Angels and Archangels, and with all the company produces them and makes us one. belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious Name; ever Gospel John 20:19-23 proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we hear them telling in our more praising thee, and saying: Holy, holy, holy &c. Some events are so life-changing that we have to keep going back to them in memory to grasp their true meaning. That's how it was own tongues the mighty works of God.’ with the gospel writers and the resurrection of Jesus. In this reading, John recalls the evening of the first Easter. Jesus appears in the Communion midst of the disciples and gives them his peace. He breathes on them and gives them the breath of the Holy Spirit so that they have the power to forgive sins. As we know from the first reading, the Spirit would be experienced again as fire and a and a mighty wind Second Reading Galatians 5:16-25 Suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing at Pentecost. But whatever form the Spirit takes, his gifts are intended to bring unity and peace to the Body of Christ. Brethren: Walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sit- of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, ting, alleluia: and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, SUNDAY MASS Music at today’s Solemn Mass and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh; for these and began to speak the wonderful works of God, alleluia, 6.00pm (Saturday Vigil), 10.30am (Solemn) Introit: Thomas Tallis O Lord, give thy Holy Spirit are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what alleluia. you would. But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under WEEKDAY MASS Mass: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Missa Brevis in D 8am Tue-Fri 12.45pm Tue-Fri the law. Now the works of the flesh are plain: immorality, Postcommunion Psalm 104 impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jeal- e humbly beseech thee, O Lord; that thou wouldest HOLYDAYS OF OBLIGATION Gradual: Veni, sancte spiritus (plainsong) ousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunk- send down upon our hearts the healthful Spirit of thy As advertised. W Offertory: William Harris: Come down, O Love divine enness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you grace; and, that we may bring forth fruit unto thee; pour up- CONFESSIONS Anthem: Edward Elgar: The Spirit of the Lord before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the on us the inward dew of his blessing; through Jesus Christ Sat 5.15-5.45pm kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, our Lord. www.warwickstreet.org.uk Readings & Prayers News & Events Saturday Vigil Mass

Holy Communion Entrance Antiphon Rm 5: 5; cf. 8: 11 only creation, but all of us who possess the first-fruits of the New guidance has now been issued by the Bishops’ Conference of and Wales which permits those who wish to The love of God has been poured into our hearts Spirit, we too groan inwardly as we wait for our bodies to be do so to receive Holy Communion on the tongue. If you wish to do so, please come up towards the end of the distribu- through the Spirit of God dwelling within us, alleluia. set free. For we must be content to hope that we shall be tion. saved – our salvation is not in sight, we should not have to be Collect hoping for it if it were – but, as I say, we must hope to be Refreshments after Mass Almighty ever-living God, saved since we are not saved yet – it is something we must You are warmly invited to join us after the 10.30am Solemn Mass. Weather permitting, we will meet outside in Golden who willed the Paschal Mystery wait for with patience. to be encompassed as a sign in fifty days, The Spirit too comes to help us in our weakness. For when Square. Should May’s meteorological delights continue unabated however, we will meet in the Challoner Hall, though we grant that from out of the scattered nations we cannot choose words in order to pray properly, the Spirit will be careful to observe the usual requirements about social distancing etc. the confusion of many tongues himself expresses our plea in a way that could never be put may be gathered by heavenly grace into words, and God who knows everything in our hearts The Day of the Lord into one great confession of your name. knows perfectly well what he means, and that the pleas of the The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has issued a reflection, copies of which are on the table at the Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, saints expressed by the Spirit are according to the mind of back of the church. It encourages us to focus once on the centrality of the Mass in our lives and also to play our part in who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God. the work of evangelisation that will follow when life begins to return to normal after so many months. Do please take a one God, for ever and ever. copy home with you. Gospel Acclamation Or: Alleluia, alleluia! Grant, we pray, almighty God, Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful Accessibility that the splendour of your glory and kindle in them the fire of your love. A number of people have commented over the years that entry to the church is made difficult by the steps leading up to may shine forth upon us Alleluia! the entrance. Plans are now drawn up to put some grab rails to make it easier for people to climb the steps. Hopefully and that, by the bright rays of the Holy Spirit, these will be put in place soon. the light of your light may confirm the hearts Gospel John 7:37-39

of those born again by your grace. On the last day and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood St Anthony of Padua Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, there and cried out: Thanks to a kind parishioner, who wishes to remain anonymous, the statue of St Anthony of Padua has been taken to be who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ‘If any man is thirsty, let him come to me! restored, and will return in due course. one God, for ever and ever. Let the man come and drink who believes in me!’ Sunday PENTECOST 10.30am (Solemn) Dr Ian McIntyre Thomas (RIP) Please pray for: First reading Genesis 11:1-9 As scripture says: From his breast shall flow fountains of living water. 23rd May Throughout the earth men spoke the same language, with the He was speaking of the Spirit which those who believed in THE SICK him were to receive; for there was no Spirit as yet because Monday In Whitsun Week No Mass same vocabulary. Now as they moved eastwards they found a 24th May Assumption Fernandez, Gill plain in the land of Shinar where they settled. They said to one Jesus had not yet been glorified. James, Bernice Taylor, Mary another, ‘Come, let us make bricks and bake them in the Tuesday In Whitsun Week 8.00am Molloy, Flutura, Norma fire.’ (For stone they used bricks, and for mortar they used Prayer over the Offerings 25th May 12.45pm Pour out upon these gifts the blessing of your Spirit, 6.15pm Rosary Skeggs bitumen). ‘Come,’ they said ‘let us build ourselves a town and we pray, O Lord, a tower with its top reaching heaven. Let us make a name for Wednesday In Whitsun Week 8.00am FAITHFUL DEPARTED ourselves, so that we may not be scattered about the whole so that through them your Church may be imbued with such th 26 May 12.45pm Francella (Intention) earth.’ love 7.00pm Sung Mass Ken Simpson (Birthday) Now the Lord came down to see the town and the tower that the truth of your saving mystery may shine forth for the whole world. Thursday In Whitsun Week 8.00am that the sons of man had built. ‘So they are all a single people 27th May 12.45pm with a single language!’ said the Lord. ‘This is but the start of Through Christ our Lord. their undertakings! There will be nothing too hard for them to Friday In Whitsun Week 8.00am do. Come, let us go down and confuse their language on the Communion Antiphon Jn 7: 37 28th May 12.45pm spot so that they can no longer understand one another.’ The On the last day of the festival, Jesus stood and cried out: Lord scattered them thence over the whole face of the earth, If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink, alleluia. Saturday In Whitsun Week 12noon Kieran Costello (Intention) and they stopped building the town. It was named Babel 29th May 6pm Vigil Mass Nelia Marmita (1st Anniversary) therefore, because there the Lord confused the language of the Prayer after Communion whole earth. It was from there that the Lord scattered them May these gifts we have consumed WHO’S WHO AT OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION over the whole face of the earth. benefit us, O Lord, Parish priest: Fr Mark Elliott Smith Hon. Assistant Priest: that we may always be aflame with the same Spirit, St James’, Spanish Place, Fr Tony Edwards Responsorial Psalm Psalm 103(104):1-2,24,27-30,35 whom you wondrously poured out on your Apostles. 22 George Street, Send forth your spirit, O Lord, and renew the face of the earth. Through Christ our Lord.

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