For Catholics on the Tendring Peninsula….
SPECIAL NEWSLETTER XXXIX – keeping in touch
THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B) 23/24 January 2021
CATHOLIC PARISHES OF:
Our Lady Queen of Heaven, Dovercourt: 01255 503383
email Harwich@dioceseofbrentwood.org
website www.harwichcatholics.org.uk
Sacred Heart and St Francis of Assisi, Frinton-on-Sea: 01255 674475
email Frinton@dioceseofbrentwood.org
website: www.frintoncatholicchurch.wordpress.com
Masses to be celebrated in our churches this week:
Monday (25th) (Dovercourt) 9.30am Clare Foy
Wednesday (27th) (Frinton) 11.00am Margaret White
Thursday (28th) (Frinton) 11.00am With thanks for your generosity at Christmas (Fr
Frank and Anne)
Friday (29th) (Dovercourt) 9.30am Robin & Patricia Paxon
Saturday (30th) (Frinton) 6.00pm Marjorie Hosegood RIP
Sunday (31st) (Frinton) 8.30am Brendan & Clare Normoyle & Family
(Dovercourt) 10.45am Mary Sutcliffe RIP (Libby & family)
In addition to these Masses, Fr Bill will continue to celebrate Mass in The Presbytery. His Mass intentions are:
NHS Staff & all Keyworkers
The Homeless
Teachers & Students
Private intentions
All Parishioners
Fr Frank writes:
A former student once said to me, “Why is it you need the emotional support of the Church?” She viewed the Church as a safe haven from the world: an escape for those unable to cope. In reply I said that for me my faith was a challenge – a call to go out and work for justice: with God’s help, to live the Kingdom life! A far from comfortable life choice!
This was the experience of the prophet Jonah (see our first reading). His religion made demands on his time and energy so that the people of Nineveh could be saved.
In our Gospel reading we are reminded that Jesus began his preaching with the word ‘repent’. “Repent,” he would say, “the time has come. The kingdom of God is upon us.”
In the original ‘New Testament Greek’ the word we translate as ‘repent’ is ‘metanoia’. It means turn your life around: reorient your lives to God. And once our gaze is fixed on God we are again on that narrow path.
Our Psalm reminds us that as well as repenting we must also be humble, “he guides the humble in the right path.” We are not to rely on ourselves alone, on our own resources, but to walk in faith humbly with our God. This can be comforting, but it can also be challenging.
St Paul, in our second reading, emphasises the priorities of the Kingdom. We are not to keep our faith in a special compartment to be brought out on Sunday and at other special times. Our faith is to be the mainspring of our lives. He calls on the people of Corinth to refocus on God – this call applies to us too! Like Simon and Andrew, and James and John we are called. Called to live lives which are focussed on God and his Kingdom, and though our example and our lives of service to bring others to see God.
The current pandemic offers many opportunities to serve others. Why not call an elderly neighbour, or someone who lives alone, and ask how they are and whether you can do anything for them. This would be doing Christ’s work: living the Kingdom life.
May Christ, the Servant King, bless you, strengthen you and keep you safe in his love.
Frank ofs
Sunday Mass attendance, January 2021: 23/24 Jan surnames S-Z; 30/31 Jan, A-D. Sunday Mass attendance, February 2021: 6/7 Feb E-K; 13/14 Feb L-R; 20/21 Feb S-Z; 27/28 Feb A-D. Please note that there are no alphabetical restrictions applied to weekday Masses.
Sunday Smile: From the USA: At one time my husband, George, a priest in the Episcopal Church, did an interim in Texas assisting a bishop. when it came time to line up for the recessional, the acolyte (a young boy) came up to George, who was wearing his red chimere rochet and Indian beaded stole, and said in a whisper, “Just love your outfit.”