Bakhita Day 2021: Monday 8 February is the Feast Day of St Josephine Bakhita – the St patron of victims of modern slavery and human trafficking. On this day Catho- lics are encouraged to pray for all those affected by the crimes of modern slavery Canon Close, Rochester , Kent. ME1 3EN Tel: 01634845430 Web: stjohnfisher.me.uk Email: [email protected] and human trafficking, and the people that work to eradicate this crime. Fr Neil Vincent Rev Felim McCarthy ()

th World Day of Prayer for the Sick Thursday 11 of February: The theme for the 29th 7th February 2021 - 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Racial Justice Sunday World Day of the Sick is: 'You have but one teacher and you are all brothers'. (Mt Readings: 7:1-4, 6-7. 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23. Mark 1:29 - 39 23:8),The theme calls for a trust-based relationship of personal encounter to guide care for the sick. The Holy Father not only calls for closeness between those suffer- ing from illness and those that care for them, but also highlights the fact that hu- Responsorial Psalm 146: “Praise the Lord who heals the broken hearted.” manity cannot expect to be well in a world that is sick. For example, the pandemic has shown that inequalities exist across the world: those in poor countries Alleluia, alleluia! I am the light of the world says the world says the Lord, an- are unlikely to have swift access to COVID-19 vaccines or relief of poverty. However, yone who follows me will have the light of life. Alleluia! the outbreak of the Coronavirus has also highlighted the generosity and kindness of healthcare professionals, priests, religious and volunteers. I admire people who are disciplined, es-

pecially when they don’t have to. A Thanks for Kate Browning for sending us this to help us to pray: friend challenged himself despite being in good health, to ride his bike everyday RUAH* BLESSING for an hour, during the lockdown. When A beloved phrase of Francis is, “having a big heart open to God”. the first lock down was relaxed I went to visit him and we stopped by his GP clinic May this blessed openness set you free to surrender your future to the powerful as he had an appointment. There was a “Ruah of the Holy Spirit”. machine which did simple tests to tell May you stay strong and persevering, courageous and whole-hearted to your com- you how healthy you are and we both mitment to this vision. used it. Despite being 25 years older than me, his results were much better than mine. And this he put it down to his daily regime of cycling and walking. May your love be always stronger than your fear, your light always stronger than the Consistency in getting exercise when he didn’t have to, really made a differ- shadows which will inevitably fall across your most precious plans for Ruah. ence and has left him a very healthy person. Above all, may you be given the eyes to see the face of Christ in every face before As I was thinking about the gospel today, the bible notes I have consulted you, friend, stranger or the one you resent the most. seem to focus on how our Lord identifies with the sick and suffering and heals them. Yet greater is his need for solitude to pray, to be with his Father. May you always let Ruah blow your heart wide open to endless love. He the second person of the Trinity, God himself, who does not need to pray, ********************* shows us that in his human person how crucial prayer is. We also see as the *Ruah is the Hebrew word for Breath….(Breath of God, Breath of the Holy Spirit) Lord suffered on the cross he recited the psalms, “My God...my God why have you forsaken me” was from psalm 22, the prayer of a just man who is persecuted. Yesterday we celebrated St Paul Miki and companions, the Japa- nese , who as they were crucified and were made a show of to the people, never stopped praying and encouraging those looking on, to become Mass Intentions 5th of March at 12:00pm. Please pray for Notice of the major Solemnities and the repose of his soul, for Geoff’s wife Lucy Feasts of the Year. Sunday 7th - 5th Sunday in Ordinary and all who are mourning. Time. 17th of February - Ash Wednesday Thomas : an inspiration for the 9:00am Mass - Intention of Brigid Ost Friday 12th - Friday of the 5th week 4th of April - Easter Sunday Churches today? An online seminar mark- 11:00am Mass - Kathleen Buffini RIP in ordinary time ing the 850th anniversary of the murder of 6:00pm Mass - People of the Parish 10:00am Mass St.. 7.30 – 9 p.m. Tuesday, 23 February 2021 on Zoom. Keynote speak- er: Professor Henry Mayr-Harting, Emeritus Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History, Monday 8th Feb – No Mass today Saturday 13th - The Blessed University of Oxford. Mary Tuesday 9th Feb - Tuesday of the 5th 9:00am - Adoration of the Blessed To book, please go to https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/thomas-becket-an-inspiration week in Ordinary Time Sacrament -for-the-churches-today-tickets-139835701347 10:00am Mass - June Healy RIP 10:00am - Mass For more information, please contact the secretary at [email protected] Wednesday 10th - St Scholastica, vir- Sunday 14th - 6th Sunday in Ordi- gin, memorial. nary Time. PRAYER CAMPAIGN TO CONQUER THE VIRUS – Fr Christopher Basden of Ramsgate 10:00am Mass - Holy Souls 9:00am Mass parish writes: 11:00am Mass - In our Catholic history and tradition, Our Blessed Lady has many titles. One is Thursday 11th - Our Lady of 6:00pm Mass - People of the Parish “Health of the Sick.” We would like to ask you to consider doing something in our Lourdes, World day for the sick desperate situation today. We would suggest that you pray the Rosary every day, 10:00am Mass preferably with the whole family. At St. Ethelbert’s we priests pray the Rosary to- gether every morning, Monday through Saturday at 9.10am. It takes not much long- Christian, urging them to be baptised and to keep the faith. St John Fisher er than 20 minutes. Out of 24 hours of the day can we begrudge God 20 minutes? too, prayed the psalms before he was executed. The Lord is teaching us that through the challenges of life, we like him and the , keep some quiet One suggestion is to do it after supper on one’s knees (if those hinges still work!). time to pray, to read the bible, to come to Mass. We become recharged and The Rosary has 5 decades, each child could lead one with parents taking turns. One possibility would be to offer the 1st decade for those who are sick; the 2nd decade for the Spirit of Christ in us will give us strength to endure struggles, give us rd doctors and nurses; the 3 decade for scientific research to control and halt the vi- consolation and peace. God bless. Fr Neil. rus; the 4th decade for world leaders and pharmaceutical agencies not to be motivat- Collection Last Sunday 31/1/21: Gift Aid £109, Loose £134.62 and Direct Debit ed by profit, control or ideology. Finally, the last decade could be offered for family £120 = £363.62. The crib collection was £41. Thank you. and local intentions.

June Healy RIP: Please pray for the repose of the soul of June who was called to Our Blessed Lord tells us that if we want to enter into salva- Times of Confession eternal rest on the 2nd of January. Please pray for her husband James and her fami- tion we have to become like a little child. Furthermore, the ly. June worked at St school. June’s funeral will take place on prayer of children has always been deemed powerful. Let Sat 10:30 –11:00 Wednesday the 24th of February at 12:00pm. us therefore not allow discouragement and anxiety to dom- inate us but instead to trust in God and Our blessed Lady Sun 10:30 -10:45 Geoff Jones RIP:Please pray for the repose of the soul of Geoff who the Lord called that Grace will deliver us if we but pray! And by request. to rest on the 29th of November 2020. His funeral will take place on the Friday the