Dear Brothers and Sisters,
IMPORTANT NOTICE
SAINT MARTINS CHURCH REMAINS OPEN TO CELEBRATE THE SACRAMENTS AND SHARE THE WORD OF GOD.
NONETHELESS, DUE TO THE NEW VERY INFECTIOUS STRAIN OF COVID 19 THE SEATING IN CHURCH HAS BEEN REDUCED TO INCREASE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS/ FAMILIES/ BUBBLES.
I WOULD ALSO URGE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO USE HAND SANITISER REGULARLY WHILE IN CHURCH-PARTICULARLY AFTER HAVING OPENED DOORS AND BEFORE COMING FORWARD TO RECEIVE OUR LORD IN HOLY COMMUNION.
WE ARE AS COVID SECURE AS IT IS POSSIBLE FOR US TO BE.
HOWEVER - AS YOUR PARISH PRIEST I CONTINUE TO STRONGLY URGE THAT IF YOU HAVE ANY UNDERLYING MEDICAL CONDITIONS, PLEASE CONSIDER SERIOUSLY NOT ATTENDING CHURCH JUST FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS UNTIL THE RATE OF INFECTION COMES DOWN AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE VACCINE STARTS TO MAKE A MARKED IMPACT.
WHILE BAPTISM AND THE HOLY EUCHARIST ARE NECESSARY FOR OUR SALVATION, OUR LORD WILL PERFECTLY UNDERSTAND A SHORT PERIOD OF FASTING FROM THE EUCHARIST AT THIS TIME.
I PRAY THAT YOU ALL KEEP SAFE AND WELL.
Father Victor
Services this Sunday:
8 am Mass
10 am PARISH MASS for the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time.
As we return to Ordinary Time or the Sundays after the Epiphany we are presented in our readings with the theme of calling. Just as the young boy Samuel was called by God and the first apostles called by Our Lord, we too are called through our common Baptism and incorporation into Christ’s body the Church. We are to endeavour to serve Him faithfully in accordance with His will. To build up the Body of Christ by our Christian witness within a society that is gradually going off the rails. Christ is to be made known through us. We are His hands an His feet. We are His instruments by which His Gospel is passed on. As we reflect then on this Christian call to serve, May the Lord find us generous in our response.
AND SO TO THE NOTICES
At the present time we are still seeing high infection rates and hospitals at capacity. That is why those with underlying medical conditions should really not come to Church for a few weeks. However for the rest of us, our Church remains open, and we owe it to our loving Lord, and to each other, to strive to keep and support his worship in our Parish and keep available to all who wish to partake, the Body and Blood of our Lord, the medicine for our souls, the divine gift that strengthens our incorporation into the Divine life of Our Lord, and the source of Grace.
So as I noted above - Mass can STILL be attended in person as God intended. For those particularly vulnerable, the Parish Mass on Sundays and the Wednesday lunchtime Mass will continue to be broadcast via Facebook.
AND MASSES DURING THE WEEK AT THESE TIMES:
Tuesday at 7 pm
Wednesday at 12.15 pm
(with Adoration from 11.45 am)
Thursday at 10 am
Friday at 10 am
Saturday at 10 am
SERVICES NEXT SUNDAY
Low Mass at 8 am
Parish Mass at 10 am (The Third Sunday in Ordinary Time)
TO TUNE IN VIA FACEBOOK TO JOIN IN OUR WORSHIP PLEASE OPEN THE FACEBOOK APP ON YOUR PHONE OR DEVICE AND SEARCH FOR:
“St Martin’s Parish Church, Fenny Stratford “
PLEASE don’t forget to contact me if you have any prayer requests or Mass intentions you would like me to offer at Mass or if would like someone added to our parish prayer list of the Sick or Departed.
My contact details are as follows:
Telephone: 01908 372825
Email: victorbullock@talktalk.net
I am also available in person during Surgery Hour on Saturday’s in Church between 10.30am - 12 noon.
THE SACRAMENT OF CONFESSION AND RECONCILIATION is also available at this time.
Please continue to remember the following in your prayers:
Firstly:
For a holy and Happier New year.
For a drop in the rate of Covid infections and in the number of hospitalised victims.
For the rapid dissemination of the Vaccines for Covid 19 and for all working for this end.
Those who have found themselves out of work, particularly those who have families or other dependents to support.
Those who are despairing at the future of their businesses and those that work for them.
Those who still live in fear of this global pandemic and are living with anxiety and depression.
For the Government in their seeking solutions for the common good at this time.
For peace to reign within our homes and amongst one another.
For the elderly, housebound and those living in residential and nursing homes.
For our Ambulance Service and for our other Emergency Service Staff and for Milton Keynes Hospital and all who work there.
For Bishop Jonathan and all our parish clergy as they seek to continue to make present in our midst the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass, the Sacraments of Christ and offer continuing Pastoral care.
For Genesis Abbey, the Mother House of the Monastic Community of the House of Initia Nova of the Order of Saint Benedict. For it’s Abbot Michael-John, the community and for those new to its life.
For the Sick:
For Rachel Thurston, Robert Goodman, Irene Foster, for Brother Samuel-Bruno and his household, for Jean Holden, Mary Cowan, Peter White, Roger D’Elia, Shirley Milburn, Paul Ward, Norman Kent, Peter Woodward, Gay Lavery, David Gregg, Denis & Yvonne Simpson, Mary Collier, Benjamin Duarri, David Lingham, Sandra Walduck, Eugenius Yung, Doris Weatherley and Joy Hornell.
For the Departed:
For Dave Foster and all who have died recently, and for all those who have died of Covid 19.
We pray too for all whose years mind falls at this time, among them Sydney Dunmore, Nellie Osmond, Albert Suddery, Charles Pummery, James Sellars and Alice Massouh. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let Light Perpetual shine upon them.
With best wishes and continued blessings upon you and your families as we continue to pray for better times.
Father Victor