First Sunday of Advent (Year B) 2/3 December 2017
Fr Frank writes:
My Dear Friends,
Today marks the beginning of the Church’s New Year (Year B). During Advent we prepare ourselves spiritually through prayer and attendance at Mass for both the coming of the great Feast of Christmas, and also for Christ’s Second Coming. This is more important than all our other Christmas preparations. To help in these essential Advent preparations we will be holding Advent Reconciliation Services and Healing Masses in both parishes.
ADVENT RECONCILIATION SERVICES: Frinton/Walton – 9th December at 10.00am
Harwich/Dovercourt – 16th December at 10.00am.
There will be three priests at both services, and, if you wish to, there will be the opportunity to make individual confession. But whether you intend to make your confession or not, please come along.
HEALING MASSES (with anointing of the sick) Frinton/Walton -7th December at 12.00noon
Harwich/Dovercourt – 8th December at 10.00am.
Please make good use of these opportunities for spiritual growth as we approach the great Feast of Christmas.
May the God for whom we wait bless you now and always.
Frank ofs
Sunday Smile:
Church Bulletin Bloopers:
- Ladies, don’t forget the car boot sale. It’s a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
- At the evening service tonight, the theme will be ‘What is Hell?’ Come early and listen to the choir practise.
- Low Self-Esteem Support Group will meet on Thursday at 7pm. Please use the back door.
- Weight Watchers will meet at 6.30pm in the church hall. Please use the large double door at the side entrance.
Our Lord Jesus Christ the King (Year A) 25/26 November 2017
Fr Frank writes:
My Dear Friends,
Today we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King. Christ is our King: the King of our hearts and minds. We pray today that we may be given the grace to model our lives ever more closely on Jesus and be always true to His Covenant.
Next Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent. This is the beginning of the Church’s New Year (Year B). To help our Advent preparations we will be holding Advent Reconciliation Services in both parishes. In Frinton on 9th December and in Dovercourt on 16th December, both beginning at 10.00am. Please put these dates in your diary. There will be three priests at both services, and, if you wish to, there will be an opportunity to make individual confession. But whether you intend to make your confession or not, please come along.
To aid our preparation there will also be Healing Masses during Advent: in Frinton at 12 noon on 7th December, and in Dovercourt at 10.00am on 8th December.
Please make good use of these opportunities for spiritual growth as we approach the great Feast of Christmas.
My apologies to Frinton parishioners, but as I shall be attending the Deanery Conference and Mass for Deceased Clergy in Colchester on Wednesday, there will be no Mass at Sacred Heart and St Francis. My thanks to our Eucharistic Ministers at Frinton who will be providing Liturgies of the Word and Holy Communion on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. My thanks too to Fr Bill who will be offering the Mass at Dovercourt on Friday (as I am at St Joseph’s School) as well as on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. How blest we are in our two parishes.
May God richly bless you now and always.
Frank ofs
Sunday Smile:
An unrepentant parishioner accosted the priest: ‘Everything you say to me goes in one ear and comes out the other.’ ‘Of course,’ smiled the priest, ‘there’s nothing in between to stop it.’
Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) 19 November 2017
Fr Frank writes:
My Dear Friends,
As we approach the end of the Church’s Year our readings take on an apocalyptic feel.
In our Gospel we are advised not to waste the gifts God has given us, but to develop them. These ‘talents’ can take many forms (we may be musicians, speakers, teachers, good at befriending others, good with our hands and so on), but we must take care that we use these gifts, and use them for good, for building up the Kingdom.
During Advent we prepare not only for Christmas but also for Christ’s Second Coming that final event that St Paul refers to in today’s New Testament reading. To help our Advent preparation we will be holding Advent Reconciliation Services in both parishes. In Frinton on 9th December and in Dovercourt on 16th December, both beginning at 10.00am. Please put these dates in your diary now. There will be three priests at both services, and, if you wish to, there will be an opportunity to make individual confession. But whether you intend to make your confession or not, please come along.
To aid our preparation there will also be Healing Masses during Advent: in Frinton at 12 noon on 7th December, and in Dovercourt at 10.00am on 8th December.
Please make good use of these opportunities for spiritual growth as we approach the great Feast of Christmas.
May God richly bless you now and always.
Frank ofs
Sunday Smile: A travelling preacher took his wife to one of his appointments. She was left on her own in the chapel and eventually sat down in a back pew. A steward came and chatted to her not knowing who she was but warmly welcomed her to the service. Afterwards, as she was on her way out, the steward whispered to her confidentially: ‘Let me tell you, we don’t get a duffer like this one in the pulpit every Sunday.’
Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) 4/5 November 2017
Fr Frank writes:
My Dear Friends,
Next Sunday we hold our Remembrance Day Requiem Masses following, in the case of Harwich/Dovercourt, a wreath-laying ceremony before the Calvary outside church. At both Sunday Masses we will remember the war dead and will hold a two-minute silence – in the case of Frinton/Walton at the beginning of Mass, and in the case of Harwich/Dovercourt as part of the wreath-laying ceremony.
On Remembrance Sunday we not only remember those who have died, but also focus on our hard-won freedom and rededicate ourselves to eradicating persecution. Sadly, this is not a thing of the past. In many parts of the world our sisters and brothers in Christ face discrimination and persecution, many in those parts of the world where our Catholic Christian Faith first put down its roots.
Last year, Aid to the Church in Need UK launched a ground-breaking campaign calling UK Christians and others to stand up for faith and freedom and to shine a light on the discrimination and violence faced by millions of Christians around the world today – the most oppressed faith group in the world!
With this in mind we are holding retiring collections next weekend for Aid to the Church in Need. This money will go directly to helping to protect our fellow Christians in those parts of the world where they face appalling persecution.
I know you will give generously, and I thank you in advance.
May God bless you, and may the souls of your dear departed ones rest in peace.
Frank ofs
Sunday Smile:
A priest and a vicar are standing by the roadside holding up a sign that reads, “The end is near! Turn around now before it’s too late!” A passing driver yells, “You guys are nuts!” and speeds past them. From around the curve they hear screeching tyres – then a big splash. The priest turns to the vicar and says, “Do you think we should just put up a sign that says ‘Bridge Collapsed’ instead?”
The Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) 28/29 October 2018
Fr Frank writes:
My Dear Friends,
On Wednesday this week we begin the month of November. In the Church November is a month when we especially remember the dead. We do this day-by-day as the ‘holy souls box’ is present at the foot of the altar during each Mass, but more especially on 2nd November (Thursday) when we celebrate our All Souls Masses. We also remember the War Dead this month on 11th November (Armistice Day), and, more publicly, on the following day (Remembrance Sunday).
Please place the names of those you wish to be remembered at the November Masses in the ‘holy souls box’. Paper and pencil can be found on the table in church.
November, however, begins with the Solemnity of All Saints – a Holyday of Obligation, a day when all Catholics should be at Mass. There are two All Saints Masses in each of the parishes. Please make a note of the times of these Masses.
May God bless you, and may the souls of your dear departed ones rest in peace.
Frank ofs
Sunday Smile:
Preacher: Can everyone hear me at the back?
Voice from the back: Yes, but I wouldn’t mind changing seats with someone who can’t.
Twenty ninth Sunday (Year A) 21/22 October 2017
Fr Frank writes:
My Dear Friends,
In today’s Gospel, the Pharisees and the Herodians ask Jesus a tricky and embarrassing question in order to trap him.
The nationalistic Jews saw the payment of taxes as illegal. These were not taxes collected to improve public services, but a levy imposed by the victorious Romans over a defeated nation – a tribute to Caesar. This was considered to be an affront to the people and to God. On the other hand, those who feared the Romans saw the refusal to pay taxes as inciting rebellion. Whichever way Jesus answers he is in trouble – either with his own countrymen or with the Romans. Jesus’ sharp response shows his irritation with these mischief-makers. It is also a clever answer which avoids the trap set by his wily foes whose malicious intent he has perceived : ‘Render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.’
We, like those addressed by Jesus, owe a duty to civil authority and have the responsibility of being useful and law-abiding members of society. But above all our primary duty is to God to whom all things belong.
May God our loving Father richly bless you.
Frank ofs
GREENWICH MEAN TIME: clocks go back one hour next weekend. An extra hour in bed on Sunday morning!
Sunday Smile: At the wedding rehearsal the bride was rather anxious. To reassure her the priest said she had nothing to worry about until after the first hymn had been sung. She was to walk calmly down the aisle towards the altar ready to sing the hymn prior to making her vows. On the day of the wedding she processed into church and was heard repeating the words: ‘Aisle, Altar, Hymn.’