BAPTISMS IN THE PARISH: If you have a child due for Dear Friends in Christ, Fourteenth Sunday of the Year 2018 Baptism please let me know as soon as possible. To avoid any disappointment with dates contact the Presbytery to book It isn’t really possible to be a believer of Jesus and not believe in your date. If you are first-time parents, you need to contact miracles – the Gospels are full of them. The four Evangelists were Sharon Chalk, who will organise a Baptismal Preparation of authentic witnesses: they didn’t make things up; they testified to what they two sessions, and then I will come and visit you in your saw and heard with their own eyes. homes. Please don’t forget to collect your Baptismal Information Form. th In any event, we struggle with miracles FAITH SHARING PROGRAMME: Wednesday 4 July at – and many people do – we should know that 8.00pm in the Parish Retreat. Theme: What is a Vocation the Church doesn’t: it believes in miracles. We to the Priesthood? Fr. John and our Seminarian Matthew know, of course, that in order for someone to will talk about the call to the Priesthood be declared Blessed (Beatus) a miracle needs to ST. PATRICK’S CEMETARY: Leytonstone. Mass for the occur as a result of their intercession and for deceased will take place on Monday 9th July at 11.30am. There someone to be canonised, made a saint, two are many parishioners who have deceased relatives and miraculous interventions need to occur as a friends buried at St. Patrick’s. Please come and join us to result of their intercession. Mother Teresa and Pope John XXIII were celebrate this mass for your deceased loved ones. declared saints and John Henry Newman was declared Blessed because the Church was able to verify miracles had occurred through their PREPARING FOR THE REDEDICATION OF ENGLAND AS intercession. Lourdes especially is a place or miracles, and these wonderful THE DOWRY OF MARY: The Slipper Chapel Statue of Our miracles have occurred through the intercession of Our Blessed Lady. Lady of Walsingham will visit every English Catholic Cathedral And, to top them all, every time we celebrate the Eucharist, through the between 2018 – 2020. Brentwood Cathedral of St. Mary & St. miracle of grace, the priest is able (by a miracle of grace) to change the Helen, Ingrave Road, Brentwood, Essex. CM15 8AT. 19th – 21st bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. July 2018. www.dowrytour.org.uk Not only do we believe in miracles but we are People of Miracles. IS GOD CALLING YOU TO BE A PRIEST: True, we don’t hear reports of signs, wonders and miracles emerging from There is a monthly Vocations Group to help our parishes after Sunday Mass, but maybe that’s because we aren’t those who would like to find out more about a expectant of them. Maybe when a loved one is seriously sick or ill, our first possible vocation to the Priesthood! There will be thought isn’t to make available to them the anointing of the sick, the a talk, a time of prayer and some food. The next three sessions will be held at healing and therefore the miraculous sacrament of the Church St. Edmund of Canterbury, 9 Traps Hill, Loughton, Essex. IG10 1SZ 7.00pm on Tuesday 7th August; 7.00pm on Tuesday 4th September. If you would like If you don’t believe in miracles, change the way you to join us or to find out more please get in touch with Fr. Mark Swires: 07843 758961 or [email protected] think. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you that IN CASES OF EMERGENCY: Tuesday is usually Fr. John’s Day Off. In miracles are the way of the Church. Blessed John cases of emergency please call one of the local parishes, either in Epping – Henry Newman said: ‘The incarnation is the most Tel: 01992 572516, or the St. Thomas of Canterbury Friary at Woodford stupendous event which ever can take place on earth; and after it and Green – Tel: 020 8504 1688. This would also apply if Fr. John is away for a henceforth, I do not see how we can scruple at any miracle on the mere few days break or on Retreat. All the local funeral directors have a contact grounds that it is unlikely to happen.’ Perhaps today we might make a number for Fr. John if a funeral needs to be arranged in his absence. simple proclamation for faith by saying, ‘I believe in miracles.’ Dear Friends in Christ, 14th Sunday of the Year CONCERT AT ST. EDMUND’S ON SATURDAY 14 TH JULY AFTER THE EVENING MASS: My sincere and grateful thanks to all those parishioners Starting at approximately 7.15pm. Mr Art who participated in our annual ‘Forty Hours’ of Eucharistic Wangcharoensab, who is in charge of music at St. Adoration! This is a real moment of grace for any parish, and John Fisher Primary School, and who also assists at our worship of Jesus Christ is fundamental to our Roman Brentwood Cathedral with tutoring, is giving a Catholic faith. It is a known fact that parishes that have regular concert with his newly formed youth choir from the Cathedral. This will be Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament continue to grow in the their first performance in a parish, and they hope to travel around the diocese knowledge and love of Jesus and the Catholic Faith. There was in the future giving concerts. There are twelve teenage voices and they will sing a mixture of contemporary pieces and also a little bit of classical. I would an article in one of the Catholic Newspapers last weekend that like to encourage all of our parishioners to attend, especially parents and stated that Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament can rescue the Church. “The children from St. John Fisher School. If you’re at the 6.00pm Mass just stay call to adore the Lord is the antidote to the noise of the world and the on afterwards for the concert. The concert will last approximately three- Church’s most powerful weapon.” We live in an ever changing world where, quarters of an hour. All are very welcome! secularism, materialism, indifference and apathy appear to be the order of the day. But Jesus Christ is still at the heart of our Roman Catholic Faith, Summer Lourdes 2018 – the “virtual pilgrimage.” From Tuesday 24th to and every effort to promote the adoration of Christ will be a moment of grace Saturday 29th July the Brentwood Catholic Youth Service (BCYS) will present for every person, and every parish community. Please make an extra special short online videos allowing you to catch the flavour of the Diocesan effort to make a visit to the Church on a regular basis, to pray before the pilgrimage, led by Bishop Alan. The homily from each Mass, interviews with Blessed Sacrament, to invoke the Holy name of Jesus often throughout the pilgrims from all ages, and clips to help you pray and reflect will all be day, to receive Holy Communion each week, or even every day. Closeness to available. To find the links, go to www.bcys.net or find BCYS on Twitter, Jesus is closeness to His Church! Facebook or Instagram. You can also watch “Lourdes TV” to see Mass at the Grotto (Tuesday 24th, 7.30am UK time); the Torchlight procession (Tuesday THANK YOU: To those parishioners who attended the 24th, 8.00pm) and the Blessed Sacrament Procession (Wednesday 25th, 4.00pm) very important meeting last Monday concerning the as well as Tour de France, starting from Lourdes (Friday 27th, 8am – 11am). future of our parish and the diocese. I’m truly grateful The link is www.lourdes-france.org/en/tv-lourdes to Mark Lambert for coming to share with us the work that has been taking place in his own parish in Leigh-on-Sea with regards ST EDMUND’S PARISH HALL: Is available for hire for children’s Evangelisation. For the past two and half years the diocese has been parties etc. If you’re interested in hiring, please contact Mrs Antonella exploring the Stewards of the Gospel initiative. As a parish we now want to Thorpe via the presbytery Tel No: 0208 508 3492. take that one step further to engage in the Forming Intentional Disciples Programme. This very successful programme is bearing great fruit in the CHILDREN’S SUNDAY LITURGY: AS some of our Diocese of Plymouth, and many other parishes up and down the country. It Catechists have stepped down from the Rota, I have been asked is rooted in the desire and knowledge for Jesus Christ, and the sharing of the to make a request for some new Children’s Sunday Liturgy Gospel of Jesus. Having a firm intent and total commitment to see this Catechists. There are many parents whose children regularly attend the Sunday Liturgy at the 11.00am mass. You will be programme develop and grow in our community is fundamental for the taught how to conduct the session by those who’ve been process to be successful. We will now have a follow up meeting on Monday th Catechists for a long time. You will only be asked to lead the session 16 July at 8.00pm in the Parish Hall. This is open to all parishioners to approximately once every six months. This is truly a wonderful way to serve attend. Please come and join us! God and the whole community of faith.