Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Our hope as Christians is that we shall come, one day, to see God face to face. On this Sunday we assemble to honour the countless men and women who remained faithful to Christ and his Gospel to the hour of death. Our prayer therefore, on this Solemnity of All Saints, is that this great cloud of witnesses that resides in the nearer presence of God will aid us with their intercession so that we in our own time may also be worthy to join them in the glory of God’s heavenly kingdom.
Christ truly is our only mediator and advocate but this actually means, since ALL Christian prayer is offered within the Church which IS Christ’s body, that praying for the departed (the Church Expectant) and asking the intercession of the Saints (the Church Triumphant) IS prayer that is offered in and through Christ. As the Church Militant here on earth we are called upon to pray for and with all the different parts of the Church, living and departed, which is the living Body of Christ and under his Lordship.
TOMORROW ( MONDAY) IS THE FEAST OF 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.
THERE WILL BE A LIST AT THE BACK OF CHURCH FOR THE NAMES OF THOSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE PRAYED FOR AT MASS ON THAT DAY.
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 Thursday, November the 5th. Father Victor continues to ask for your prayers as he makes this lifelong commitment to seeking God within this Community. Please also remember in your prayers Brother Philip-Bernard who will also be making his Solemn Profession at the same time. Please pray for Fr. Sam, Rose and Fr. Philip as they begin their period of Postulancy and for Br. Frederick-James as he takes his First Vows this week.
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.
OUR USUAL REMEMBRANCE DAY COMMEMORATION will take place as normal at the Parish Mass on Sunday 8th November. There will be a Requiem Mass offered for the repose of the souls of those who laid down their lives for their country at 10 am on that Sunday.
OUR SAINT MARTINS-TIDE CELEBRATION will be, of necessity, somewhat curtailed this year. Sadly there can be no firing of the Fenny Poppers this year and for the same reason the Brown Willis dinner cannot take place. We will do our best, however, as a Parish family to honour our Patron Saint Martin and plead his prayers for us by coming together on Wednesday the 11th November, for a Sung Mass at 7.00 pm. I pray that despite everything that is happening at this time in history we might make the effort to come together to witness to Christ as a Parish family as we honour Saint Martin.
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 (Remembrance Sunday) 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 will be making Profession and Solemn Profession and for those beginning Religious Life this week.
Those who live in areas of our country under tiered quarantine measures at this time.
The people of the United States of America as they move to vote for their next President.
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 Ruth Lane, Jonathan Kemp, Mary Cowan, Peter White, Roger D’Elia, 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 and Pope Emeritus Benedict.
For the Departed:
For all who have died recently, among them Marjorie Matthew, Helen L’Estrange, Peter Salt, 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 Elizabeth Green, Arthur Parkins, Dorothy Broderick, Gilian Strawniczy, Alice Downes, Arthur Kemp and Mary Wilford. 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