EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)
27th February 2022
Dear Parishioner
Today the Gospel invite us to reflect upon our call as Christian guides of souls, as Clergy, teachers, catechists, choir
leaders, and parents. We know that Christ is calling us to help bring others to salvation. So to guide someone to Christ
means to strive to be like Jesus, our master and teacher. Otherwise we would be acting like a guide who cannot see clearly
the path that must be followed and like a blind person leading another blind person will find ourselves stumbling into any
path hole that lies on our way. Therefore, we must be humble, realizing that there is always something more we can learn
from Jesus. We can always grow more in our clarity of vision; our life can always be more Christ-like.
We are called to learn to heed, appreciate and be taught by Jesus. Our doubts about ourselves, our feelings of
inadequacy will arise but do not forget that God chose us; for no one can come to the Father unless he draws us. God having
chosen us, believes that we can be His true disciples and be like him. If I am to form myself to become a true disciple of
Christ and help him save souls, I must begin with self-examination. Do I know myself with all of my defects, my
temperament, my strengths, and weaknesses? Have I made a serious self-examination?
The fruit of prayer will be to reveal the plank in my own eye; until I have meditated deeply on a gospel passage and
experienced conversion, I have nothing to say to anyone else. I would be a hypocrite were I to attempt doing so. The test
of the good disciple is in the fruit. People who came into contact with Jesus experienced healing, forgiveness, inner
peace. Goodness wells out of the heart of the good disciple, who brings good news. The imagery is very dramatic - the
thorns and brambles and rotten fruit. Notice too that what matters is what "fills the heart", not scholarly
knowledge and cleverness. Good fruit - action - will grow out of commitment at the heart level, not wilful intellectual
determination with clenched teeth.
Fr Jijo George
Notices:
-
Cashless giving: In response to requests from parishioners and to keep up with the times QR codes have
been provided by the Diocese to enable cashless giving. These have been placed at the doors of our church. Please scan
the amount you want to donate and the money will automatically go into the parish bank account. The Donate link has
also been set up by the diocese to pay in directly to the parish account http://stream.seccomgroup.com/donations/saoc. Thank
you for your continued generosity.
- Priest Surgery: There will be Parish Priest surgery on Thursdays 5.30pm - 6.30pm. Please in order to
book a baptism date for your child, please attend the weekly Parish Surgery.
-
Baptism Enquiries: Kindly use the parish email (click
here) for any request. Please ensure that you give us your contact number/email address for further communication.
Kindly do not leave your contact number via the phone answering machine. Please do come to the Thursday parish priest
Surgery.
- Baptism Preparation: If you have booked in for a Baptism, you are asked to take part in a Baptism
Preparation Course. The course will be conducted by the Parish priest on first Tuesday of every month at 7.30pm or by
appointment. The Parents and God-parents are expected to attend the course. The baptism dates will be available on first
and third Saturdays of every month and the time for Baptism would be at 12 noon.
- Lenten Prayer intentions: Candidates for the Sacraments; Women; The Needy and Hungry of the world;
Penitents & Wanderers
- RECEIVING COMMUNION Please consume the Body of Christ in front of the Priest or Minister of
Communion NOT in your seat.
-
VOCATIONS ENQUIRERS' MEETING The next "Enquirers' Evening" for those considering or
interested in a vocation to the priesthood is on Tuesday 1 March at St Edmund of Canterbury Church in Loughton. The
speaker will be Fr Maurice Gordon. For further information please contact Fr Mark Swires click here to
Email.
-
THE PASSAGE a Catholic Charity, working with people who are homeless, is holding a St David's Day
concert on Thursday 3 March at 7.30 pm in Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Square with The London Welsh Male Voice Choir and
soloist tenor Ryan Vaughan Davies. All tickets are £20. Please support the work of this excellent charity.
Tickets at passage.org.uk/st-davids-day-concert or telephone 020 75921856.
- DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO WALSINGHAM - 28th May 2022: Join Bishop Alan and other parishes around the
Diocese of Brentwood in Walsingham as we celebrate the Year of the Family 'Hearing and Doing the Word of God'. We
will celebrate Mass at the Basilica before walking the Holy Mile to the grounds of Walsingham Abbey to celebrate Vespers
and Benediction on the site of the Holy House. Please let Fr Jijo know if you are interested in going.
-
THRESHOLDS OF HOPE QUESTION: What is new about the new evangelisation? Input will be given by Fr
Pachal Uche, assistant priest at St James the Less, Colchester, today, Sunday 20th February, 4.00 - 5.00 p.m. via Zoom.
To join this Zoom meeting simply
click here to forward a contact email. For more information go to www.thresholdsofhope.co.uk.
- BCYS YOUTH MASS Thursday 3rd March, Brentwood cathedral Come along from 6pm for pizza, followed by
Sophie from the Walsingham House team and CAFOD, who will talk about her experiences, inspiring us to get involved and
how we can take action! Mass will begin in the cathedral from 7:30pm, joined by Fr Gary Dench who will preach the Gospel.
Open to all those in years 9 and above, no booking necessary.
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BCYS LENTEN REVISION RETREAT 2nd - 3rd April, Walsingham House In years 11 -13 and preparing for exams
this year? Get a change of scenery and a fresh perspective at Walsingham House at Abbotswick this lent for times of
prayer, socialising and activities, but mostly to revise, alongside friends and the Walsingham House team members. As
always the chapel is here for times of quiet reflection throughout the day. Book online NOW at www.bcys.net/events.
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BCYS SPONSORED SLEEPOUT 8th - 9th April, 8pm - 8am Wherever you are in the Diocese, take part in your
gardens, schools or parishes, on your own or as part of a group and spend 12 hours sleeping rough outdoors to raise
money for a local charity supporting the homeless. Click here to
Email for more information and to take part.
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BCYS YOUTH GATHER 22nd - 23rd October, Mersea Island Stay in cabins and try a brilliant range of
outward bound activities from climbing high ropes, archery, zip wires and much more to keep you challenged and
entertained, with guest speakers and workshops which will give you fresh insights into yourself, and your faith, by
telling their stories. Open to all those in years 9 and above, book NOW at www.bcys.net/events.
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DIOCESAN SCHOOL VACANCIES for Sept 2022 can be viewed at https://www.dioceseofbrentwood.net/departments/education/vacancies/school-vacancies/.
- Deputy Headteacher - Holy Family Catholic School, Walthamstow Deadline for applications:
3.30pm Friday 11th March
- Headteacher, St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Upminster, Deadline for applications:
5pm on Thursday 3rd March
- Headteacher, St Alban's Catholic Primary School, Hornchurch, Deadline for applications:
12noon on Friday 11th March
- Deputy Headteacher, St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Tilbury, Deadline for applications:
3:30 pm on Wednesday 9th March
See: https://www.dioceseofbrentwood.net/diocese/working-for-us/.
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Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School, Wanstead is looking to appoint a friendly, experienced
receptionist/admin assistant for a part time role (term time only, 4 hours per day, 5 days a week). For further details
and an application pack please contact the school
click here to Email
- PARISH INCOME - If you do not pay by standing order and are not able to get to Church, you can pay
directly to "Catholic Church of St. Augustine of Canterbury Springfield" on account 91082884 at sort code
40-13-22. Envelopes can be dropped through the Presbytery letterbox.
- HOSPITAL VISITS: If you go into hospital or a member of your family, inform the Parish Office so
that the priest can visit you in hospital.
-
DBS CHECKS: It is a legal requirement for those working with children and vulnerable adults within the
Church to be DBS checked, these checks are now carried out every three years, this must be adhered to. Our Parish
Safeguarding representative is Christina Coen or for info from the Diocese please
click here to Email Antoinette.
Please remember to pray for:
Daily for the sick clergy of our Diocese
The sick and housebound
Those who have recently died
Years Mind:
Monday: Deacon Sidney Lewis
Wednesday: Deacon Dwight Hayter
Thursday: Canon Aloysius Roche, Fr Gerard Murphy
Saturday: Mgr Canon Jules van Meenen, Fr Clifford Beercroft
Sunday: Fr David Chapman