Dear Brothers and Sisters,
IT IS GOOD THAT THE VACCINE ROLLOUT CONTINUES. THE NEWS CONTINUES TO BE POSITIVE. WORRIES EXPRESSED IN THE MEDIA OVER HOW EFFECTIVE THE PRESENT ROUND OF VACCINES WILL BE AGAINST THIS BRASILIAN VARIANT SEEM TO HAVE BEEN PUT TO REST. AND GRADUALLY OUR NUMBERS INCREASE IN CHURCH. FROM THIS POINT ON, WE CONTINUE OUR WORSHIP OF ALMIGHTY GOD IN THIS HOPE: THAT COMING TOGETHER ONCE AGAIN AS A PARISH FAMILY, WE MAY HEAR AND RECEIVE HIS HOLY WORD AND TO RECEIVE THE BOUNTIFUL GIFT OF GRACE THROUGH THE CELEBRATION OF MASS AND HIS HOLY SACRAMENTS IN PERSON, IN A VERY REAL AND IMMEDIATE WAY.
AS I COMMENTED LAST WEEK, THERE IS NO TRUE LIVING OF THE CHRISTIAN VOCATION WITHOUT ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN BAPTISM, THE HOLY EUCHARIST AND THE SACRAMENTAL LIFE OF THE CHURCH. IT IS ONLY THERE, IN PERSON, THAT WE COME INTO AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE LIVING CHRIST. THIS CANNOT BE DONE REMOTELY OR VIRTUALLY.
I LOOK FORWARD IN JOY TO SEE THE PARISH FAMILY GATHERED TOGETHER ONCE MORE.
WE WILL, THEREFORE, BROADCAST THE SUNDAY AND WEDNESDAY MASSES AS USUAL BUT AFTER THAT THERE WILL BE A SHORT BREAK AS THE EXPECTATION IS THAT YOU WILL BE JOINING US IN CHURCH ONCE AGAIN.
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 “
SERVICES THIS SUNDAY:
8 am Mass.
10 am PARISH MASS for the Third Sunday in Lent.
6 pm Vespers and Benediction.
This Sunday we are presented by the very core of the Christian challenge. Do we trust the ways of the world or do we look for a deeper wisdom which may seem sheer foolishness- the Cross of Our Lord? How will we respond?
THE NOTICES
For those who do wish the solace of the Sacraments, Saint Martins remains open. The public worship of Almighty God and the celebration of Holy Mass continue. For those who wish to respond in love to Christ’s call to discipleship, His Body and Blood, the medicine for our souls and the gift that strengthens our incorporation into His Divine life, is still available.
Spring Clean - To make our Church especially beautiful for Easter we need souls to pitch in on Saturday 13th March from 10.30 am onwards to take make the place shine. This will be subject of course to the lockdown restrictions being relaxed by then. But please make a note of the date and time so that if we can we will go ahead with this. Most of the Brass in church has not been polished since before the first lockdown. This is your church. Please let one of the Clergy know you can help.
Revision of the Sick List - Every so often the clergy are asked to pray for someone who is then added to the sick list and there they remain, often long after they have made a recovery. It’s therefore necessary to completely revise the list from time to time. After Mass this Sunday all the names on our sick list will be removed. If you would like someone to remain on the list or would like to add a name, please pass a written note or send an email to Fr. Victor at: victorbullock@talktalk.net
EXTRA SERVICES DURING LENT
Will be advertised here.
MASSES DURING THE WEEK WILL BE OFFERED AT THESE TIMES:
Tuesday at 7 pm
Wednesday at 12.15 pm (with Adoration from 11.45 am) and at 7.00 pm
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 Fourth Sunday in Lent)
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 good keeping of this Lent as a Season of Grace.
For a drop in the rate of Covid infections and in the number of hospitalised victims.
For the continued 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 continue to 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 Austin, the community and for those new to its life.
For the Sick:
For Amie Reed, Abbot Michael John Austin, Rachel Thurston, Jean Holden, Peter White, Roger D’Elia, Norman Kent, Denis & Yvonne Simpson, David Lingham, Sandra Walduck, and Doris Weatherley.
For the Departed:
For Shirley Milburn, John McDonald Moore, Grace Moore, Sr. Monica Ruth Mullen O.S.B. 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 Leslie Huckle, Henry Mortimer, Rachel Joyce, Ronald Suddery. Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord.
And let Light Perpetual shine upon them.
We begin to live in hope once more.
May God bless you and keep you.
Father Victor