Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We may be subject to higher civil authority but our God is King of kings and Lord of lords. He therefore holds power over all earthly rulers. While we are in this world we are not of it. We look beyond to that which is to come and which has been promised to us if we seek to live in Christ and for Him. While here below we serve the needs of our own society and country, we must never allow anything to compromise our commitment to love and serve God BEFORE ALL ELSE.
How faithful are we in subordinating our human loves and wants to the life giving love of God?
THE SOLEMN PROFESSION OF FATHER VICTOR (known as Brother Cuthbert in Community) AS A MEMBER OF THE BENEDICTINE HOUSE OF INITIA NOVA will take place on the evening of November the 5th. Father Victor continues to ask for your prayers as he makes this lifelong commitment to seeking God within this Community.
AT THE BACK OF CHURCH THERE IS A DISPLAY INTRODUCING SAINT BENEDICT, HIS MONASTIC RULE AND THE HOUSE OF INITIA NOVA. Please do take a look.
Please also keep in your prayers Father Sam McNally-Cross, Father Philip Benson, Rose Ellis and Michael McFarland Campbell who begin their discernment process as Postulants within the community of Initia Nova.
AT THE WEDNESDAY MEETING OF THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL a discussion took place about the usual events that in more normal times would take place at the later end of the year. Many of the events that we would usually enjoy will not be able to happen due to the Covid restrictions currently in place.
The usual All Saints Festal Mass will take place as this falls this year on the Sunday and will be celebrated in the morning at the usual 10am time. On the following Monday- All Souls - There will be a lunchtime Mass at 12.15pm and a Sung Mass in the evening at 7.00 pm at which we will remember our departed loved ones.
Our usual Saint Martins-tide festivities will be severely curtailed. There can be no firing of the Fenny Poppers this year, the Brown Willis dinner cannot take place and there can be no party or buffet. On the 11th November, Saint Martin’s Day there will be a Sung Mass in the evening at 7.00 pm which we hope will be well supported.
And finally, once more, what we can do at Christmas is also seriously reduced. We will have a Children’s Crib Service at the end of the Parish Mass on the 20th, December with presents for the kids. There will be NO Midnight Mass this year but there will be a Vigil Mass with Music at 7.00 pm on Christmas Eve and a Mass with Music on Christmas Day morning at 10.00 am.
This is to give you all advance warning.
SERVICES THIS SUNDAY
Low Mass at 8 am
Lauds (Morning Prayer) at 9.15 am
Parish Mass at 10 am
AND DURING THE WEEK AT THESE TIMES:
Tuesday at 7 pm
Wednesday at 12.15 pm
Thursday at 19 am
Friday at 10 am
Saturday at 10 am
Next Sunday (THE 30th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME) at 8 am and at 10am.
PLEASE NOTE: The Wednesday Mass will take place at 12.15 pm and will be broadcast.
AND IF WE HAVEN’T SEEN YOU IN A WHILE PLEASE DO JOIN US ONCE MORE FOR SUNDAY WORSHIP. Please take to heart that you really are safer attending Church than you are shopping at your local Supermarket.
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.
Mass is still being broadcast on Sunday Morning and Wednesday Lunchtime via our Facebook page under the Group heading: “Saint Martin’s Parish Church, Fenny Stratford. “
From time to time Sunday Vespers and Benediction will also be broadcast. We will also continue to maintain a presence on the Saint Martin’s Parish Church Facebook Page and our Church What’s App group so that we can remain in touch with as many members of our Saint Martin’s parish family as we can.
Please continue to remember the following in your prayers:
Those who live in areas of our country under stricter quarantine measures at this time.
Those who have recently returned to university or other further education.
Those who are working on a Vaccine for Covid 19 and for the countless volunteers who are assisting them.
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 those who live in fear and are living with anxiety and depression.
For those who have suffered due to racism or bigotry. For those who have suffered violence or torture at the hands of others.
For the Government in their seeking solutions for the common good at this time.
That at this continuing tightening of lockdown measures people may continue to act and behave sensibly.
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 are continuing to work there and for those undergoing surgeries as the hospital seeks to catch up with other vital treatments.
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 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 exploring a vocation to vowed life within its family.
For the Sick:
For Jonathan Kemp, Mary Cowan, Peter White, Iola Samuels, Shirley Milburn, Jean Holden, Paul Ward, Norman Kent, Peter Woodward, Gay Lavery, David Gregg, Eugenius Yung, Denis & Yvonne Simpson, Mary Collier, Benjamin Duarri, David Lingham, Sandra Walduck, Eugenius Yung & Doris Weatherley.
For the Departed:
For all who have died recently, among them Peter Salt, Robert Ziegenhals, George Tsimikalis and Margaret Catchpole.
For all those who have died of Covid 19.
We pray too for all whose years mind falls at this time, among them Barbara Curtois, Lilian Hitchman, Sidney Johnson, Kath Reeves, Carla Scott, Angus Marshal, William Wilmer and Stan Coombs. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let Light Perpetual shine upon them.
With best wishes and every blessing on you and your families,
Father Victor