Welcome to the Catholic Parish of Stamford Saint Mary and Saint Augustine The Presbytery, 13 Broad Street, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 1PG Telephone: (01780) 762010 Email: [email protected] Website: www.staugustinescatholicchurchstamford.co.uk Parish Priest: Father Simon Gillespie Mobile: 07760 372105 Email: [email protected] Deacons: Reverend Charles West-Sadler (with Oakham parish); Reverend Robert S Dawson (retired) Parish Hall Manager: Anna Barwell Mobile: 07789 283140 Email: [email protected] Parish Primary School: Saint Augustine’s Catholic Voluntary Academy, Stamford (01780) 762094 Catholic Secondary School: Saint John Fisher Catholic High School, Peterborough (01733) 343646 Part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nottingham Diocesan Website: www.nottingham-diocese.org.uk Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocesan Trustees Company Number: 7151646 Charity Number: 1134449 3rd and 4th June 2017 : Solemnity of Pentecost leader Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. response And kindle in them the fire of your love. leader Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. response And you will renew the face of the earth. Let us pray. O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of your faithful, grant that by that same Holy Spirit, we may be truly wise, and ever rejoice in your consolation, Through Christ our Lord. Amen. This traditional prayer to the Holy Spirit might be one we remember from childhood, or might be entirely new to us. Whichever, today is the best time of the year to renew our relationship with God the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Blessed Trinity. If we’re not so used to praying to the Holy Spirit perhaps now is the time? The Holy Spirit, promised to us by Jesus on the day of his Ascension, is the power of God at work in the world, bring all God’s purposes to their completion through our co-operation. Whenever we feel lonely, or frightened, or dejected we can pray to the Holy Spirit to once again fill our hearts, our lives and our souls with that power which was given to us at our baptism and enflamed within us at our confirmation. Come, Holy Spirit! General Election 2017 A message from the Bishops of England and Wales is available at the back of church. Please take a copy with you, and consider some of the factors which might influence the way you vote on Thursday. The message was published last weekend, but you can also see it at cbcew.org.uk/CBCEW-Home/Advocacy/General-Election Changes to Masses this week Father Simon is participating in the diocesan Clergy Conference this week; consequently there’ll be Mass at 7.30am on Tuesday and then no public Mass until Friday, at the usual time of 10.00am. Thank you for your patience! Intentions for those Masses Father Simon celebrats outside of the parish are listed in italics in the weekly timetable on the back page of the newsletter. A message from Father Aloysius Dear Simon, greetings, and thanks for the amazing hospitality last weekend. It was a great learning experience. Please do extend my gratitude to Mairead, Kevin and David for their kind help: and special thanks to the altar servers who made me extremely welcome. I am grateful that the parishioners were so very generous to the life and work of the Missionaries of Africa. Please thank them for me. Forthcoming Events in our parish, community and diocese A visitation of the National Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Fatima to our Cathedral in Nottingham, from Friday 2nd – Sunday 4th June, in honour of the centenary year of Our Lady of Fatima. Further details from the poster in the porch. Vigil of Pentecost Young Adults Prayer and Worship at The Rosmini Centre, on Saturday 3rd June. More details from [email protected] The SVP meet next on Thursday 8th June at 6pm in the parish hall. All are welcome. A Healing Mass at The Rosmini Centre, on Friday 9th June. More details from [email protected] Ian Boxall presents Jesus the Teacher on Wednesday 14th June at 7pm in the Keighton Auditorium, University of Nottingham. Contact [email protected] First Violins at All Saints church – Friday 16th June at 2.30pm. Contact the Vicarage for tickets, 01780 756942; adults £6, children £4, including light refreshments. Diocesan Walsingham Pilgrimage – Saturday 17th June – see information elsewhere in the newsletter about joining the parish minibus for the day. DoCat – Globalisation and the Poor, a study day at The Rosmini Centre, on Saturday 17th June. More details from [email protected] The Wandering Minstrels performs ‘The World of Gilbert and Sullivan’ on Saturday 17th June at 7.30pm in the Ball Room of the Stamford Arts Centre. Stamford Methodist Church presents An Evening with John Archer magician extraordinary, on Saturday 17th June at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £10, with proceeds going to various projects. More information from the poster in the porch. Fresh Ayre at All Saints church – Sunday 18th June at 3.00pm. Contact the Vicarage for tickets, 01780 756942; adults £6, children £4, including light refreshments. Come Away and See a Carmelite-led Retreat from Friday 23rd – Sunday 25th June. More information from Heather Ward, 01773 599982, [email protected] The Catholic Women’s League, Stamford Section, will be celebrating its 60th Anniversary on Saturday 24th June. We would like to invite all past and present members, and anyone interested in joining us would be most welcome. Mass will be at 11am, followed by lunch at 12.30pm, in the Parish Hall. Lection Divina with visual readings at The Rosmini Centre, on Saturday 24th June. More details from [email protected] Peterborough Theological Society’s Lecture – A time to die – Theological reflections on death– will be given by Dr Marian Carter on Wednesday 28th June at the Friends’ Meeting House, Peterborough, at 7.30pm. Solemnity of Saint Peter and Saint Paul – a Holy Day of Obligation – Thursday 29th June. Masses at 7.00am (in church); 9.00am (in school) and 7.00pm (in church). Our parish First Holy Communion Mass, will be celebrated at 11.00am on Saturday 1st July. A Celebrate Family Conference will be held in Lincolnshire on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th July. To book, visit : [email protected] Nottingham Diocesan Walsingham Pilgrimage The Diocesan Pilgrimage to Walsingham is on Saturday 17th June. A minibus has been booked for the day – if you wish to be part of the Pilgrimage please sign the list at the back of church. We’ll leave from church at about 8am and return by about 7pm (more accurate timings will be known next weekend). The cost will be £5 per person to offset the minibus hire. Speak to Father Simon if you want more details. Padley Annual Inter-Diocesan Pilgrimage The annual Inter-Diocesan Padley Pilgrimage to honour the martyrs Blessed Nicholas Garlick and Blessed Robert Ludlam will take place at Padley Chapel on Sunday 9th July. Pilgrims will assemble at Grindleford Station at 3.00pm for the Rosary Procession to the chapel. There will be ample parking on the day and stewards from the Knights of Saint Columba will be there to assist. Pilgrims are welcome to arrive at earlier, with picnics, and the chapel will be open from about 12 noon. Bring a folding / portable chair as well – and see the poster in the porch for information. The Pork Pie Pedal This cycle challenge around Rutland is being held on Saturday 1st July and includes sponsorship for the Medaille Trust, a Catholic charity to support women, men and children freed from modern-day slavery. If you’re interested in participating in the 50, 60 and 70 mile routes on offer, or perhaps in sponsoring those who are cycling, please see www.porkpiepedal.co.uk for more information, or see the poster in the porch; alternatively donations to support those freed from slavery can be given to Father Simon to be passed onto the Medaille Trust. New Deacons for our Diocese Please keep three men of our diocese in your prayers as they prepare for their ordinations to the diaconate this month: Jonathan Whitby-Smith will be ordained on Saturday 10th June in Westminster Cathedral, London (and then, Deo volente, priest next summer) Paul Smith will be ordained on Wednesday 14th June in Saint Paul’s Basilica, Rome (and then, Deo volente, priest next summer) Domhnart Padraig Lavery will be ordained on Saturday 24th June in Saint Mary and the Annunciation, New Mills, Derbyshire (as a permanent deacon). FoodBank Many thanks to the generosity of our parishioners for all the donations to the Stamford Foodbank. The arrangements of the Foodbank have changed recently and Stamford Foodbank now operates in collaboration with Oundle Foodbank. The following are the items particularly needed at the moment please: • Jam • Tinned peas • Tinned fruit • Tinned carrots • Long life fruit juice • Tinned rice pudding • Long life milk • Tinned custard • Coffee • Tinned spaghetti All of these can be left at the back of church, or handed into the presbytery. Vatican Synod 2018 – Young people’s views wanted The Catholic Church in England and Wales is consulting with young people and those who regularly engage with them in preparation for a Synod hosted by Pope Francis in October 2018. The theme of this Synod is “Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment.” The Mega Youth Poll for young people has already been launched, and if you’re aged between 13 – 29 the Bishops want to hear your views. Please take the survey (5 – 10 minutes only) at: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/parish-youth-poll A trailer is available at: youtube.com/watch?v=s9Jv4pbU7sU&feature=youtu.be Ramadan : Friday 26th May until Saturday 24th June In light of the recent attack in Manchester, and the negative publicity which can so easily fall on all Muslims, the bishops of England and Wales ask us to pray in solidarity with our Muslim brothers and sisters at this time, who around the world fast throughout their holy month of Ramadan.