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A welcome note from our Parish Priest, Father Alex ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS 2011 ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS AT ST FRANCIS DE SALES, HARTLEY. We now begin the Season of joyful expectations: Advent. As we journey in life, every stage is marked with a time of expectancy along with hope. Advent offers us the opportunity to experience this expectant waiting through liturgy and reflection on our lives. During this time, we see the world for what it is, acknowledge and recognise our own failings and see clearly that we need a Saviour. In fact, we need to be mindful of the poor, the sick, the oppressed and those less fortunate than we are. However, this mindfulness has to come from our duty to honour God, to believe in his love, to live in faith, to pray and give him worship. Advent becomes a time we encourage each other to stay awake. This time we turn to those who are astray from the faith and invite them to return home. Let us pray for all, that the Lord may remove from our hearts and souls: doubt, depression, disillusionment, discouragement, defeat, despair, faithfulness and hopelessness. And sow in them: faith, love and hope that thrive on expectation , so that Christ, the Lover with a love that is more powerful than our own, be born once again in our hearts and souls. I wish all our visitors and readers a Blessed Advent and A Merry Christmas. NOW, YOU MAY TAKE NOTE OF THE TIMES WE WILL BE HAVING SERVICES TO MARK THIS HOLY SEASON. 1-EVERY THURSDAY THE MASS WILL BE AT 11AM FOLLOWED BY EXPOSITION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENTBENEDICTION AND LUNCH 12AM . 2-11TH DECEMBER AT 3PM: PARISH RECONCILIATION 3-SERVICE LED BY FR. MICHAEL BEATTIE SJ WITH INDIVIUAL'S CELEBRATION OF THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION. 4-24DECEMBER 2011: 4.30PM CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS EVE MASS WITH THEIR FAMILIES. 7PM YOUTH'S CHRISTMAS EVE MASS WITH THEIR FAMILIES. 11.30PM MIDNIGHT MASS 5-25TH DECEMBER 2011: christmas Day Mass at 8.30am & 10.30am. I wish you a merry Christmas and a Happy New year 2012. SERVICES TO MARK EASTER 2011 AT ST FRANCIS DE SALES HARTLEY 1-Thurday 21 st April at 8pm: The Lord's Supper Mass followed by night watch until midnight. 2- Friday 22nd April at 3pm: Solemn Liturgy with veneration of the Cross. 3.- Saturday 23rd April at 8pm: Easter Vigil 4-Sunday 24th April: Easter Sunday Masses at 8.30am & 10.30am. HAPPY EASTER TO ALL OUR VISITORS AND READERS CHRISTMAS 2010 AT ST FRANCIS DE SALES, HARTLEY CHRISTMAS AT ST FRANCIS DE SALES 2O10 24TH DECEMBER: 5.30PM MASS WITH CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES. 6.45PM FOR 7PM: MASS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES. 24H MIDNIGHT MASS: PRECEDED BY CAROLS AT 11.30PM 25TH DECEMBER: 8.30AM & 10.30AM NO EVENING MASS SUNDAY 26TH DECEMBER: 8.30AM & 10.30AM A MESSAGE OF GRATITUDE FROM THE PARISH PRIESTS THANK YOU Friday evening we shall begin the celebration of CHRISTMAS, the birthday of Christ. We use all our celebrations to express our gratitude to God the Father for giving the Son as His most precious gift to the whole human family.As we are getting ready to express our gratitude to the God we cannot see it is fitting to turn to each other as well to say thank you for who we have been for each other. We deal with the God we cannot see through each other, He made Himself visible through His Son and continues to do so through each other. I seize the opportunity to thank you for your many visits to the Parish throughout the year drawing to its close. Thank you for attending Mass here. Thank you for making this your Parish through your financial assistance, your generosity in time, your faithfulness to the task you freely chose to do as your way of contributing in the building up of the Parish. Thank you for your patience, perseverance and endurance. Thank you for your humility to serve the Lord through the works and things you do for the life of the Parish. Needless to mention you by name. May the Lord who knows our secret thoughts and motivations reward you and keep you faithful in His service. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2011. FR. ALEX SABA
HARTLEY PRIORY FETEJOIN IN THE FUN FOR ALL AGES AT ST FRANCIS DE SALES CHURCH, OUR LADY OF HARTLEY SCHOOL, STACK LANE.GATES OPEN AT 1.OOPM.ADMISSION BY VOLUNTARY DONATIONMONDAY 31ST MAY 2010.Pope Benedict XVI announces new Archbishop of Southwark The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has appointed the Most Reverend Peter Smith, until now Archbishop of Cardiff, as the new Archbishop of Southwark
Archbishop Smith was named the tenth Archbishop of Southwark on 30 April 2010.
He succeeds the Most Reverend Kevin McDonald (2003-2009).
Archbishop Smith was born on 21 October 1943, ordained priest on 15 July 1972, ordained Bishop of East Anglia on 27 May 1995, transferred to Cardiff on 26 October 2001.
After receiving news of his appointment, Archbishop Smith said:
“After eight very happy years in the Archdiocese of Cardiff, I am very sad to be leaving Wales.
“Over these years I have enjoyed working with the priests, deacons, religious and laity of the Archdiocese in Wales and Herefordshire and thank them for their help and co-operation in so many areas of Diocesan life and work. I am especially grateful for their support in bringing about the re-organisation of pastoral provision for the Catholic community, and fostering the mission of the Church in so many ways. My experience of the Archdiocese is that the spirit of St. David is still very much alive and summed up in his dying words: 'Be joyful; keep the faith.'
“I should also like to thank the leaders of the other Christian Churches communities, and the leaders of other faiths in Wales. We have enjoyed a fruitful dialogue and relationship to the benefit of our particular communities and wider society. I have found the civic authorities, in particular the Welsh Assembly Government and Local Authorities, have been unfailingly courteous and helpful, as has the local media. I am deeply grateful for that too.
“I shall never forget the warmth and generosity of the people of Wales, not only the Catholic community but so many others, and their great sense of humour and cheerfulness.
“However, my sadness at leaving is tempered by the prospect of returning to my roots in South London and going home to the Archdiocese in which I was born and for which I was ordained a priest in 1972. I am very much looking forward to that and to serving the people, religious, deacons and priests of the Archdiocese of Southwark as their Bishop. It is good to be returning home, although I feel there is part of me which will always have a 'second home' in Wales.”
The Most Reverend Vincent Nichols, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, said: “I am delighted at the appointment of Archbishop Peter Smith as Archbishop of Southwark, while at the same time sympathising with the priests, religious and people of Cardiff. Archbishop Peter is an outstanding and experienced leader. He will be warmly welcomed back to his home diocese, just as he will be sorely missed in Cardiff. I can assure him of the prayers and good wishes of us all.”
Bishop John Hine, who will continue as Diocesan Administrator in Southwark until the installation of Archbishop Peter Smith on 10 June, said:
“The priests and people of Southwark are absolutely delighted about the news of the appointment of Archbishop Peter Smith to our Diocese. He is, of course, well known to so many of us and we can hardly believe our good fortune that he will back here leading us at this very significant phase of our Diocesan story.”
Archbishop Smith will be installed as Archbishop of Southwark at St George’s Cathedral, Southwark on 10 June 2010.
Should I stay or should I go?Clerical-abuse scandalTimothy RadcliffeAs the scandal of child sexual abuse and its cover-up swirls around the Church, some Catholics are considering their options as regards their very membership of the institution. Here a former Master of the Dominicans explains why the Church is stuck with him, whatever happensFresh revelations of sexual abuse by priests in Germany and Italy have provoked a tide of anger and disgust. I have received emails from people all around Europe asking how can they possibly remain in the Church? I was even sent a form with which to renounce my membership of the Church. Why stay?
First of all, why go? Some people feel that they can no longer remain associated with an institution that is so corrupt and dangerous for children. The suffering of so many children is indeed horrific. They must be our first concern. Nothing that I will write is intended in any way to lessen our horror at the evil of sexual abuse. But the statistics for the US, from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in 2004, suggest that Catholic clergy do not offend more than the married clergy of other Churches.
Some surveys even give a lower level of offence for Catholic priests. They are less likely to offend than lay school teachers, and perhaps half as likely as the general population. Celibacy does not push people to abuse children. It is simply untrue to imagine that leaving the Church for another denomination would make one’s children safer. We must face the terrible fact that the abuse of children is widespread in every part of society. To make the Church the scapegoat would be a cover-up.
But what about the cover-up within the Church? Have not our bishops been shockingly irresponsible in moving offenders around, not reporting them to the police and so perpetuating the abuse? Yes, sometimes. But the great majority of these cases go back to the 1960s and 1970s, when bishops often regarded sexual abuse as a sin rather than also a pathological condition, and when lawyers and psychologists often reassured them that it was safe to reassign priests after treatment. It is unjust to project backwards an awareness of the nature and seriousness of sexual abuse which simply did not exist then. It was only the rise of feminism in the late 1970s which, by shedding light on the violence of some men against women, alerted us to the terrible damage done to vulnerable children.
But what about the Vatican? Pope Benedict has taken a strong line in tackling this issue as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) and since becoming Pope. Now the finger is pointed at him. It appears that some cases reported to the CDF under his watch were not dealt with. Isn’t the Pope’s credibility undermined? There are demonstrators in front of St Peter’s calling for his resignation. I am morally certain that he bears no blame here.
It is generally imagined that the Vatican is a vast and efficient organisation. In fact it is tiny. The CDF only employs 45 people, dealing with doctrinal and disciplinary issues for a Church which has 1.3 billion members, 17 per cent of the world’s population, and some 400,000 priests. When I dealt with the CDF as Master of the Dominican Order, it was obvious that they were struggling to cope. Documents slipped through the cracks. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger lamented to me that the staff was simply too small for the job.
People are furious with the Vatican’s failure to open up its files and offer a clear explanation of what happened. Why is it so secretive? Angry and hurt Catholics feel a right to transparent government. I agree. But we must, in justice, understand why the Vatican is so self-protective. There were more martyrs in the twentieth century than in all the previous centuries combined. Bishops and priests, Religious and laity were assassinated in Western Europe, in Soviet countries, in Africa, Latin America and Asia.
Many Catholics still suffer imprisonment and death for their faith. Of course, the Vatican tends to stress confidentiality; this has been necessary to protect the Church from people who wish to destroy her. So it is understandable that the Vatican reacts aggressively to demands for transparency and will read legitimate requests for openness as a form of persecution. And some people in the media do, without any doubt, wish to damage the credibility of the Church.
But we owe a debt of gratitude to the press for its insistence that the Church face its failures. If it had not been for the media, then this shameful abuse might have remained unaddressed.
Confidentiality is also a consequence of the Church’s insistence on the right of everyone accused to keep their good name until they are proved to be guilty. This is very hard for our society to understand, whose media destroy people’s reputations without a thought.
Why go? If it is to find a safer haven, a less corrupt Church, then I think that you will be disappointed. I too long for more transparent government, more open debate, but the Church’s secrecy is understandable, and sometimes necessary. To understand is not always to condone, but necessary if we are to act justly.
Why stay? I must lay my cards on the table; even if the Church were obviously worse than other Churches, I still would not go. I am not a Catholic because our Church is the best, or even because I like Catholicism. I do love much about my Church but there are aspects of it which I dislike. I am not a Catholic because of a consumer option for an ecclesiastical Waitrose rather than Tesco, but because I believe that it embodies something which is essential to the Christian witness to the Resurrection, visible unity.
When Jesus died, his community fell apart. He had been betrayed, denied, and most of his disciples fled. It was chiefly the women who accompanied him to the end. On Easter Day, he appeared to the disciples. This was more than the physical resuscitation of a dead corpse.
In him God triumphed over all that destroys community: sin, cowardice, lies, misunderstanding, suffering and death. The Resurrection was made visible to the world in the astonishing sight of a community reborn. These cowards and deniers were gathered together again. They were not a reputable bunch, and shamefaced at what they had done, but once again they were one. The unity of the Church is a sign that all the forces that fragment and scatter are defeated in Christ.
All Christians are one in the Body of Christ. I have deepest respect and affection for Christians from other Churches who nurture and inspire me. But this unity in Christ needs some visible embodiment. Christianity is not a vague spirituality but a religion of incarnation, in which the deepest truths take the physical and sometimes institutional form. Historically this unity has found its focus in Peter, the Rock in Matthew, Mark and Luke, and the shepherd of the flock in John’s gospel.
From the beginning and throughout history, Peter has often been a wobbly rock, a source of scandal, corrupt, and yet this is the one – and his successors – whose task is to hold us together so that we may witness to Christ’s defeat on Easter Day of sin’s power to divide. And so the Church is stuck with me whatever happens. We may be embarrassed to admit that we are Catholics, but Jesus kept shameful company from the beginning.
Annual Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Hartley.AN AFTERNOON WITH MARY. SATURDAY MAY 1st, 2010 1.30pmAll Parishioners and visitors are invited to become Pilgrims together at St. Francis de Sales for our May Annual Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Hartley. An afternoon of Hymns, Devotional readings, Rosary and Eucharistic Adoration, with opportunity for Confession. Ending with Parish Mass at 5.30.pm. There will be refreshments afterwards in the Meeting Room, all are welcome. HOLY WEEK SERVICES AT ST FRANCIS DE SALES Holy Thursday 8pm: The Lord’s Supper Mass followed by watching till midnight.Good Friday 15h: Passion of the Lord Holy Saturday: 8pm Easter Vigil. HOLY WEEK With today’s liturgy we begin Holy Week. Each day of this week is very important. Our Parish will experience the holiness of this week through various celebrations. Morning prayer of the Church will be said after 9.15am Mass on Monday, after Communion Service on Tuesday and Wednesday, while from Thursday to Saturday it will happen at 9.15am after the rosary. Those who wish to respect the Church’s teaching about celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation at Easter and Advent, but haven’t done it up to now, are encouraged to make their personal arrangement with Fr. ALEX or seek to celebrate the Sacrament Elsewhere. Please, do your utmost to celebrate this Sacrament before the Easter celebrations; any Catholic Church you chose to visit will offer you the opportunity. Do not hesitate to contact the clergy before your visit. Wednesday morning, the whole Archdiocese will gather at St. Georges’ Cathedral in London to celebrate Chrism Mass during which the Oils of the sick, Catechumens and Chrism will be blessed. Maundy Thursday evening , we shall start the longest liturgy of our Christian year called the Triduum. It starts with the Lord’s Supper Mass at 8pm, with Reception of the Oils; Washing of the feet; procession to the Altar of Repose; Watching before the Blessed Sacrament, concluding with the Night Prayer of the Church at Midnight. We break to be back on Good Friday at 15h to celebrate the Liturgy of the Passion of the Lord. We break again to be back on Saturday at 8pm for the Easter Vigil: lighting of the Easter Fire; Easter Candle; Easter Proclamation; listening to the History of salvation from Creation to Redemption; Celebrations of Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion, Renewal of Baptismal promises, Blessing and sprinkling of the Easter water and first Mass of Easter. Thus, we conclude the Triduum we started on Thursday. It is one liturgy arranged on three days; therefore, I am encouraging us all to make the effort of attending all three as one celebration. A blessed Holy Week to you all. LENT AT ST FRANCIS DE SALES HARTLEY ASH WEDNESDAY: 9.15AM & 7.45PM MASSES WITH DISTRIBUTION OF ASHES. EVERY FRIDAY IN LENT STATIONS OF THE CROSS: 12NOON TRADITIONAL STATIONS; 8PM MODER STATIONS. SUNDAYS IN LENT: 5PM HOLY HOUR WITH EVENING PRAYER OF THE CHURCH & BENEDICTION SUNDAY 21ST MARCH AT 4PM: PARISH RECONCILIATION SERVICE LED BY FR. MICHAEL BEATTIE SJ. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO US OR TO INNOCENT PEOPLE? The first fifteen days of the year 2010 are filled with colourful events which have become topics of discussion. Close to home, the snow made lots of people housebound, caused the closure of many schools all over the country, the closure of many businesses and the slowing down of the economy in general and disrupted many activities.Away from home, the African Nations Cup started on Sunday the 10th January and one of the participating teams were attacked while travelling to Angola. There were physical and psychological casualties and two or three lost their lives in the course of this even. This resulted in the withdrawal of the country from the competition.The carnage and ruins we have seen on our television screens between the 12th and 14th January are the result of the earthquake in Haiti. Among the victims we have a Cathedral, a Bishop, priests, Christians, maybe Muslim, Hindu, believers and non believers. They have all experienced the effect of the earthquake; some have died, some were injured, some disappeared and some survived, being made homeless.At home or abroad the question people are asking is ‘What’s happening? Why this is happening to us or to innocent people?’ Even, ‘Where is God in all these? Is it the end of the world?’My first answer to all these questions is that we are witnessing nature expressing itself. Nature is peaceful and violent as well. We enjoy the peacefulness of nature most of the time. But from time to time the violence its gives becomes a warning sign for us to be aware of our vulnerability and acknowledge how precarious we are.These colourful happenings are not signs heralding the nearness of the end of the world. Despite the fact that some people have experienced the end of their own world, through death, I see them as signs calling us to prepare ourselves every day, because we don’t know when our time will come.God is not violent and does not encourage evil. But when violence and evil occur, we see Him close and His presence becomes real, touchable and comforting. I see the presence of God in the solidarity the nations of the world have shown to Haiti, through the humanitarian aids that are flowing from all over the world to help. The same comfort was displayed through the way all the participants of the African Nations Cup condemned what had happened to one of them and vowed to combat terrorism by working together for the security of all. Where there is security, there will be peace and where there is peace, God is there.Here at home, I heard on Radio 4 how the snow brought many communities together, strengthened and created new bonds and how it enabled parents to have quality time with their children and so forth.Something good always comes out of a disaster or a crisis, though we can wish to do without it. However, as Christians we know that since the day of the blood poured out on the Cross everything has become grace. Therefore, we should seek to find where the grace filling opportunity is occurring and thank or turn to our loving, compassionate, merciful and caring God Who will never let us, His beloved, know decay nor ever let us down. Fr. ALEX SABA PARISH RECONCILIATION SERVICE FOR CHRISTMAS SUNDAY 20TH DECEMBER 2009 AT 4PM WITH FR. JOHN O’TOOLE. CHRISTMAS AT ST FRANCIS DE SALES24TH DECEMBER: 5.30PM MASS WITH CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES 6.45PM: MASS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES ETC... 24H MIDNIGHT MASS: PRECEDED BY CAROLS AT 11.30PM25TH DECEMBER: 8.30AM & 10.30AM we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. WEEKEND MASSES: Saturday 5.30, Sunday 8.30 & 10.30 THE NEW ACADEMIC YEAR 2009/2010 Two weeks ago we began another academic year. Like any other year during which people do various things, this year will offer opportunities for people to prepare for various sacraments. The enrolment for them has started and will conclude this week. If you are a young person who is not confirmed yet, you have been given up until the 15th October to decide whether you would like to receive the sacrament of confirmation this year. Express your thoughts to me in writing as soon as possible. Any adult who is not initiated into the Catholic Church and is contemplating to do so, I encourage you to join us from Monday 5th October in the Church meeting room, where we will start the preparation journey with you and others. Anyone thinking about getting married in our Church this year, please be in touch as soon as possible with me, to begin your preparations. For those wishing to have their children baptised, but who, for whatever reason have not been seen yet, please think about worshipping with us before you expressing your desire. And to all who are looking for the Lord,know that He is in your life, waiting for you in the living and worshipping community. Therefore, don't hesitate to experience His living presence. may the Lord be your peace and joy, always. I pray for you; pray for me. Have a blessed academic year. Fr. Alex Saba. |
