Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) 11 October 2020
For Catholics on the Tendring Peninsula….
SPECIAL NEWSLETTER XXVII – keeping in touch.
TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (A) 10/11 October 2020
Prisoners & Dependents Sunday
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 during the week:
Monday (12th): (Dovercourt) 9.30am Students & Staff of St Joseph’s
Wednesday (14th): (Frinton) 11.00am Brian Thurgood RIP (Lee Thurgood)
Thursday (15th): (Frinton) 11.00am Deacon Kevin Lyons (Anne Jackson)
Friday (16th): (Dovercourt) 9.30am Students & Staff of St Benedicts
Saturday (17th): (Frinton) 6.00pm Denise Butt (Anne Jackson)
Sunday (18th): (Frinton) 8.30am Sisters Jude & Rosario
(Dovercourt) 10.45am The Homeless
In addition to these Masses, Fr Bill will continue to celebrate Mass in The Presbytery. His Mass intentions are:
Students and Staff of St Philomena’s
Prisoners & their families
Justice and Peace in the World
Fr Frank & Anne
All Parishioners
My dear friends,
Our first reading this week is from the prophesy of Isaiah. It gives us a wonderful vision of heaven – a hillside picnic of rich food and fine wines. We are not to take it too literally, but it points to heaven as something wonderful.
The Gospel reading too is about heaven. In it, Jesus effectively employs his often used and powerful teaching method; the parable (an earthly story with a heavenly meaning). The wedding feast is, of course, the heavenly banquet and the king, our heavenly Father. Many are called, but not all respond. But those who do attend are richly rewarded. I used to worry about the man with no wedding garment – the judgement seems so harsh (perhaps, I thought, he was too poor to afford the ‘right’ clothes). I was taking it too literally. The man without the wedding garment is an interloper – one who is ill prepared to share in the feast. This is a message for us all: Respond to God’s call, and make sure you are prepared.
May our loving Father bless you now and always.
Fr Frank
A hymn for Sunday:
The Lord’s my shepherd, I’ll not want, Goodness and mercy all my life
he makes me down to lie shall surely follow me.
in pastures green. He leadeth me And in God’s house for evermore
the quiet waters by. my dwelling place shall be.
Our psalm this week is very familiar and has been set to music many times. This version, tune ‘Crimond’, is probably the most well-known. There is also the Christopher Walker setting ‘Because the Lord is my shepherd’ in which the words just seem to sing themselves. Another is ‘Brother James’s Air’ which has a song-like quality. But my particular favourite is the setting by Joseph Gelineau SJ. Take your pick!
This week’s reflection is the response to the psalm: ‘In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.’ (AJ)
Sunday Mass Attendance (both parishes): 10/11 October surnames L-R; 17/18 October S-Z; 24/25 October A-D. (Please remember there are no ‘alphabetical restrictions’ applied to weekday Masses.)
CAFOD is making a special appeal in view of the Covid-19 Virus which is seriously impacting on the poorer parts of the world. If you would like to contribute, please put your offering in an envelope clearly marked ‘CAFOD’ and drop it in the Offertory bucket/basket when you attend Mass.
Sunday Smile: Genuine (we are told!) notices taken from church bulletins. Don’t let worry kill you off – let the Church help.
Double Edition Twenty-Sixth Sunday 27 September and Twenty-Seventh Sunday 5 October 2020
DOUBLE EDITION
TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (A) 26/27 September 2020
TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (A) 4/5 October 2020
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 during the week:
Monday (28th): (Dovercourt) 9.30am The Recently Bereaved
Tuesday (29th): (Dovercourt) 9.30am W.A.D. Streeton
Wednesday (30th): (Frinton) 11.00am Funeral Mass: Joyce Bailey RIP
Saturday (3rd): (Frinton) 6.00pm Sister Ann CRSS RIP
Sunday (4th): (Frinton) 8.30am Eliodora Aniversario & Michael Philip Bateson RIP (Mary &
Simon Bateson)
(Dovercourt) 10.45am All Parishioners
Monday (5th): (Dovercourt) 9.30am Frank & Ada Jackson RIP
Wednesday (7th): (Frinton) 11.00am Sr Colette & sisters
Thursday (8th): (Frinton) 11.00am Margaret Jones
Friday (9th): (Dovercourt) 9.30am Florence McCarthy RIP
Saturday (10th): (Frinton) 6.00pm Marjorie Hosegood RIP
Sunday (11th): (Frinton) 8.30am Anne & Paul Bray
(Dovercourt) 10.45am Prisoners & their families
In addition to these Masses, Fr Bill will continue to celebrate Mass in The Presbytery. His Mass intentions are:
The Homeless Justice and Peace in the World
All Victims of War All students & teachers
All Students & teachers The Homeless
Mr & Mrs John Calnan & family Fr Frank & Anne
Alice McCarthy RIP All Parishioners
My dear friends,
Please note the change of Mass times/days. The Frinton Mass on Wednesday (30th) is the Funeral Mass for Joyce Bailey. In view of distancing requirements and the number of family members attending, only parishioners who have pre-booked seats will be able to attend this Mass.
May our loving and merciful God bless you today and always.
Fr Frank
Sunday Mass Attendance (both parishes): 26/27 September surnames A-D; 4/5 October E-K; 10/11 October L-R; 17/18 October S-Z; 24/25 October A-D. (Please remember there are no ‘alphabetical restrictions’ applied to weekday Masses.)
Autumn: as we move into the Autumn season the days get colder. Despite this, we need to keep our churches ventilated due to the Covid-19 virus (please do not be tempted to close the windows or doors!) Perhaps you could keep the likely church temperature in mind when choosing your coat before coming to Mass! Wrap up warm, keep well and keep safe.
CAFOD is making a special appeal in view of the Covid-19 Virus which is seriously impacting on the poorer parts of the world. If you would like to contribute, please put your offering in an envelope clearly marked ‘CAFOD’ and drop it in the Offertory bucket/basket when you attend Mass.
Sunday Smile: Genuine (we are told!) notices taken from church bulletins. Ladies, don’t forget the rummage sale. It’s a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) 20 September
For Catholics on the Tendring Peninsula….
SPECIAL NEWSLETTER XXV – keeping in touch.
TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (A): Education Day 19/20 September 2020
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 during the week:
Monday (21st): (Dovercourt) 11.30am Robert Jones RIP
12.30pm Funeral Service: Robert Jones RIP
Wednesday (23rd): (Frinton) 2.00pm Mass: Linda Hiscock RIP
Thursday (24th): (Frinton) 11.00am Sisters of Mercy, Clacton
Friday (25th): (Dovercourt) 9.30am Mr & Mrs John Calnan & family
Saturday (26th): (Frinton) 6.00pm Pauline Field RIP (Eileen Winter)
Sunday (27th): (Frinton) 8.30am Sr Colette & sisters
(Dovercourt) 10.45am All Parishioners
In addition to these Masses, Fr Bill will continue to celebrate Mass in The Presbytery. His Mass intentions are:
Students & Staff of St Joseph’s
Students & Staff of St Philomena’s
Students & Staff of St Benedict’s
Justice and Peace in the World
Fr Frank & Anne
My dear friends,
Today we especially remember in our prayers our church schools: St Joseph’s, St Philomena’s, and St Benedicts; praying for all pupils/students and all who work in, and those who support the work of, these places of education and learning. We remember, not just our church schools, but all young people and children and those in our part of the world who are committed to the education of the young in these difficult times. We also pray for our seminarians and those of our communities who are beginning a new academic year in Further or Higher Education. Finally, we thank God for the work of the Brentwood Catholic Youth Service and ask His blessing on all the young people associated with it.
Please note that, owing to the Funeral of Robert Jones, the Dovercourt Mass on Monday will be at 11.30am – this is to save me having to travel 54 miles that morning! Why not come along to Mass and remain for the Funeral Service? Linda Hiscock’s Funeral Mass will take place at Frinton at 2.00pm on Wednesday – please note the change in Mass times. May they rest in peace.
May our heavenly Father, the giver of all good gifts, bless you today and all days.
Fr Frank
A hymn for this Sunday:
Praise to the Holiest in the height,
and in the depth be praise,
in all his words most wonderful,
most sure in all his ways.
This hymn is sung to several different tunes, so choose your favourite and let rip!
The words, of course, are taken from the poem ‘The Dream of Gerontius’ by St John Henry Newman written after his conversion to Catholicism. They inspired the magnificent choral work, by another Catholic, Sir Edward Elgar.
This week’s reflection is the response to the psalm: ‘The Lord is close to all who call him.’ (AJ)
Sunday Mass Attendance (both parishes): 19/20 September surnames S-Z; 26/27 September A-D. (Please remember there are no ‘alphabetical restrictions’ applied to weekday Masses.)
Autumn: as we move into the Autumn season the days get colder. Despite this, we need to keep our churches ventilated due to the Covid-19 virus (please do not be tempted to close the windows or doors!) Perhaps you could keep the likely church temperature in mind when choosing your coat before coming to Mass! Wrap up warm, keep well and keep safe.
Sunday Smile: Genuine (we are told!) notices taken from church bulletins. The sermon this morning: ‘Jesus Walks on the Water.’ The sermon tonight: ‘Searching for Jesus.’
Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) 13 September 2020
For Catholics on the Tendring Peninsula….
SPECIAL NEWSLETTER XXIV – keeping in touch.
TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (A) 12/13 September 2020
Education Day
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 during the week:
Monday (14th) (Dovercourt) 9.30am Dick Howell RIP (Angela East)
Wednesday (16th) (Frinton) 11.00am Anne Skinner
Thursday (17th): (Frinton) 11.00am David Wright
Friday (18th): (Dovercourt) 9.30am Peter Smith RIP
Saturday (19th): (Frinton) 6.00pm Almeda Gyves
Sunday (20th): (Frinton) 8.30am Gerda McQueen
(Dovercourt) 10.45am All Parishioners
In addition to these Masses, Fr Bill will continue to celebrate Mass in The Presbytery. His Mass intentions are:
Students and Staff of St Philomena’s
Students and Staff of St Joseph’s
Students and Staff of St Benedict’s
Fr Frank and Anne
The Recently Bereaved
My dear friends,
Today’s Gospel reading makes clear how important it is for members of any Christian community to be forgiving. Peter asks Jesus how often he should forgive his brother, then answers his own question by suggesting seven times. The Jewish tradition taught that God forgives three times and punishes on the fourth occasion: it was not believed that we could be more gracious than God! By this light Peter is generous. But Jesus makes it clear that our forgiveness should never run out. We should continue to forgive. In fact, our lives should be marked by forgiveness……it is the defining quality of Christian life. We are called to love one another.
May our Loving and Forgiving God bless you now and always.
Fr Frank
A hymn for this Sunday:
Sing of the Lord’s goodness, Come then all you nations,
Father of all wisdom, sing of the Lord’s goodness,
come to him and bless his name. melodies of praise and thanks to God.
Mercy he has shown us, his love is for ever, Ring out the Lord’s glory,
faithful to the end of days. Praise him with your music, worship him and bless his name.
A lively hymn to get our teeth into this week. The element of excitement comes from the time signature of 5/4 and the syncopation. I play the piano accompaniment from Celebration for Everyone in which the rhythm and harmony mimic the opening of Dave Brubeck’s ‘Take Five’. It’s particularly thrilling to play alongside a drummer, providing you can keep together!
This week’s reflection is the beginning of the second reading, words of St Paul: ‘The life and death of each of us has its influence on others.’ (AJ)
Sunday Mass Attendance (both parishes): 12/13 September surnames L-R; 20/21 September S-Z; 26/27 September A-D. (Please remember there are no ‘alphabetical restrictions’ applied to weekday Masses.)
Autumn: as we move into the Autumn season the days get colder. Despite this, we need to keep our churches ventilated due to the Covid-19 virus (please do not be tempted to close the windows or doors!) Perhaps you could keep the likely church temperature in mind when choosing your coat before coming to Mass! Wrap up warm, keep well and keep safe.
Sunday Smile: Taken from an American church magazine (so my source newspaper tells us): The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind and they may be seen in the church basement Friday.
Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time 6 September 2020
SPECIAL NEWSLETTER XXIII – keeping in touch.
TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (A) 5/6 September 2020
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 during the next week:
Monday (7th) (Dovercourt) 9.30am Staff and students of St Joseph’s and St Philomena’s
Wednesday (9th) (Frinton) 11.00am Barbara Anslow RIP (The Women’s Group)
Thursday (10th): (Frinton) 11.00am Peter Speed
Friday (11th): (Dovercourt) 9.30am Staff & students of St Benedict’s
Saturday (12th): (Frinton) 6.00pm Regan Foy
Sunday (13th): (Frinton) 8.30am Eileen Turner (Bray)
(Dovercourt) 10.45am All Parishioners
In addition to these Masses, Fr Bill will continue to celebrate Mass in The Presbytery. His Mass intentions are:
Private Intentions
The Recently Bereaved
Justice and Peace in the World
Prisoners and their families
Fr Frank & Anne
My dear friends,
Today’s Gospel reminds us of the social nature of our Christian life as Church.
Jesus tells us that if a member of our community does something wrong, we have a responsibility to tell him/her. This is to be done in a loving way, however. We are not called to judge or look down on others, we are not called to gloat or to try and gain an advantage. We point out the other’s sin in love.
In doing this we are living the life of love, which is our true calling.
May the God of Love bless you today and always.
Fr Frank
A hymn for this Sunday:
Brother, sister, let me serve you, We are pilgrims on a journey,
let me be as Christ to you; we are trav’llers on the road;
pray that I may have the grace to we are here to help each other
let you be my servant too. walk the mile and bear the load.
Subtitled ‘Servant Song’ this is a hymn which combines meaningful words with a sympathetic tune. Verse 2 talks about ‘walking the mile’, words mirrored in the steady crotchet rhythm of the melody. It needs to be sung with a slight emphasis on the first beat of each bar to give it shape. I think it is very beautiful.
This week’s reflection is from the second reading, words of St Paul. ‘Love is the one thing that cannot hurt your neighbour.’ (AJ)
Sunday Mass Attendance (both parishes): 5/6 September surnames E-K; 12/13 September L-R; 20/21 September S-Z; 26/27 September A-D. (Please remember there are no ‘alphabetical restrictions’ applied to weekday Masses.)
Sunday Smile: Taken from an American church magazine (so my source newspaper tells us): This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs Lewis to come forward and lay an egg on the altar.
Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time 30 August
For Catholics on the Tendring Peninsula….
SPECIAL NEWSLETTER XXII – keeping in touch.
TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (A) 29/30 August 2020
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 during the next week:
Thursday (3rd)): (Frinton) 11.00am Lerma Wulff RIP (Dolores Neal)
Friday (4th): (Dovercourt) 9.30am The Jones Family
Saturday (5th): (Frinton) 6.00pm Jason Klees (John and Liz Bolger)
Sunday (6th): (Frinton) 8.30am Carmel Corcoran RIP (Sr Teresa)
(Dovercourt) 10.45am All Parishioners
In addition to these Masses, Fr Bill will continue to celebrate Mass in The Presbytery. His Mass intentions are:
Alice McCarthy RIP
Florence McCarthy RIP
The Recently Bereaved
Private Intentions
My dear friends,
In today’s second reading St Paul urges the Christians in Rome (and us too) to offer their living bodies as a holy sacrifice. We are told to offer our whole selves over to God. In offering ourselves in this way we are following Jesus’s example of self-giving – something he did on the cross and something he does each day in the Mass. What greater example could we have?
Our calling is not to come to Mass and then go on our way behaving according to the ‘world’s standards’ at home, in our communities, and at work. We are called to be completely his. Our values are his values – even if they conflict with the prevailing norms or standards in society; even if they conflict with corporate values at work; even if they conflict with the law of the land. Our prime allegiance is to God and His Holy Catholic Church.
Please note that there will be no public Masses in our churches on Monday and Wednesday this week. My apologies for any inconvenience that this may cause.
May our loving God bless you and protect you always.
Fr Frank
A hymn for this Sunday:
Will you come and follow me Will you let my love be shown,
If I but call your name? will you let my name be known,
Will you go where you don’t know will you let my life be grown
and never be the same? in you and you in me?
Subtitled ‘The Summons’ these words were written by John Bell and the Scottish melody was arranged by him. He is a member of the Iona Community which has for many years produced deeply meaningful worship resources. He will be familiar to Radio 4 listeners as he used to be a regular contributor to ‘Thought for the Day’. Fr Frank and I went to a music workshop led by him in Coventry. It was over 40 years ago but I still remember it (!!) because he was so inspirational. This week’s reflection is from the truly beautiful psalm ‘For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord my God’. (AJ)
Sunday Mass Attendance (both parishes): 29/30 August, surnames A-D; 5/6 September E-K; 12.13 September L-R; 20/21 September S-Z; 26/27 September A-D. (Please remember there are no ‘alphabetical restrictions’ applied to weekday Masses.)
Private Prayer: owing to a decline in attendance, Private Prayer times have been suspended in both churches. Our churches will be locked outside Mass times. Please do not enter church premises outside these scheduled times. There is no exception to this rule. Remember, we have a responsibility to keep one another safe.
Sunday Smile: Taken from an American church magazine: Thursday at 5pm there will be a meeting of the Little Mothers’ Club. All wishing to become little mothers, please see the Minister in his study.