EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY OF YEAR C
31st July 2022
Driving down the road, a bumper sticker is often seen: "The one who dies with the most toys wins." This is a
contemporary rendition of the mantra of Jesus' rich fool: "Eat, drink and be merry." Juggling credit cards
and all kinds of financing schemes, many people live life like the rich fool in today's Gospel. Is the drive for
material pleasure, or security, impoverishing my soul?
What will truly make us happy? Glossy magazine ads are, for some, a source of inspiration on this point. Basically, they
are about "bigger barns": a hotter car, redder lipstick, spectacular vacations. The rich fool believes that by
increasing his capacity for material pleasure, he will be happier. But it's an illusion. Like the running wheel for a
gerbil, it is lots of movement without getting anywhere. We invest energy and effort in acquiring things, but the bigger
barn brings us little joy. That's because our hearts - not our barns - are what need to be enlarged. Our heart longs
for love. That Augustinian restlessness will never leave us in peace until we have encountered the Lord who loves us and
discovered him in the relationships ordained by his providence.
At the end of this parable, Jesus, in essence, says, "You can't take it with you." There's a place in
Rome in which this is graphically depicted. The Capuchin church of St Mary of the Immaculate Conception, on Via Veneto, is
affectionately known as the "Bone Church". Inside there is an amazingly designed and arranged display made
entirely out of the bones of four thousand Capuchin friars! While it may strike at modern sensitivities as somewhat morbid,
like today's Gospel, it teaches a valuable lesson. All those bones look alike. Unless you are a forensic expert, you
cannot tell who was fat or thin, smart or dull, handsome or homely. Death is the great leveller. Earthly advantages
dissolve. Material goods stay in this world. We go to the Lord to render an account of our lives at death. As the little
sign on the wall of the Capuchin ossarium says, "One day, we were like you. One day, you will be like us."
God bless you all.
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/Marriage Enquiries: Kindly make use of the parish email (click
here) for any request. Please ensure that you give us your contact number/email address for further communication.
Please do come to the Thursday 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.
- RECEIVING COMMUNION Please consume the Body of Christ in front of the Priest or Minister of
Communion NOT in your seat.
-
SVP SUMMER CAMP APPEAL 20222022 - FURTHER COLLECTION: This year The SVP will again be hosting a
weekend camp for some of the families we support. The children were able to return to school in September full of
stories of their adventures, including paddle boarding and toasting marshmallows at the campfire. We are also hosting a
Fun Day at St John Payne to provide an opportunity for our younger children to have a special day. Thank you to
everyone who contributed to the collection after mass last Sunday and who have donated electronically or to our
JustGiving page. We will be collecting again after mass on Saturday evening.
Catholic Church of St Augustine of Canterbury, Springfield
Account No.: 91082884, Sort Code: 40-13-22, Reference "SVP"
Or through: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/svpspringfieldsummer22.
Thank you so much for your support.
- LITTLE FREE PANTRY: Next Sunday there will be a collection of food for the Little Free Pantry. If
you are able to help, we would welcome donations of dry goods, tins, baby milk and toiletries. We try to avoid anything
in glass bottles/jars. We know that the Pantry is being well used and demand is getting higher, so thank you for any help
you are able to give.
- MANY THANKS FROM MRS PERRIER to all who supported the tombola in aid of the Denis Hurley Centre in
Durban, South Africa where they have recently had catastrophic floods. £750 was raised in the collections across
the Chelmsford churches. This will be hugely appreciated, thank you.
- "BUY A TILE" Please consider buying a tile (or two! Suggested donation £10 each) to
help towards the £13,500 needed to meet the costs of essential repairs to the church roof. See full payment info on
website. Many thanks for your generosity and support.
-
ADVENTURE IN FAITH FOR 17-27 YEAR OLDS - journey towards World Youth Day, Porto and Lisbon, July 26th - August
9th 2023. An amazing opportunity for anyone who will be aged 17 - 27 in August 2023. See https://bcys.net/events/wyd23/. Click here to Email to
express your interest. Only 40 places.
-
GAP YEAR OPPORTUNITY FROM SEPT 2022 at Walsingham House for 18-22 year olds. Details on www.bcys.net.
-
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION PROGRAMME 2022/2023
As you can appreciate forward planning is essential for the First Holy Communion Programme. I enclose herewith our
annual guidelines for this Sacramental Programme commencing in the autumn.
- That you are a practicing Catholic (attending Mass on a weekly basis)
- That your child has been attending the Springfield Parish for at least the past year.
- That your child is eligible (8 years of age by 31st August 2023)
- If you have been attending another parish, that you obtain a letter of reference from the Parish Priest.
- This is a serious commitment by parents and children. If these guidelines have been observed, please arrange for
an interview with Father Jijo and pick up an enrolment form from him. Fr. Jijo has a surgery every Thursday from
5.30pm to 6.30pm. Please return all forms by the 22nd July 2022. These are the general guidelines
adopted by parishes in our Diocese. If you have any problems please discuss them with Father Jijo. Thank you
-
MARRIAGE & FAMILY LIFE: BEGINNING EXPERIENCE WEEKEND: If you have suffered a divorce, separation
or the death of your partner, a residential weekend to help you to heal will be held from 14th to 16th October 2022 at
the Sion Community, Brentwood, Essex. If you would like more details, please ring Freda 01322-838415 or Maura
07795-498445 or 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 contact Antoinette
click here to Email.
Please remember to pray for:
Daily for the sick clergy of our Diocese
The sick and housebound
Those who have recently died
Years Mind:
Sunday: Fr Michael O'Sullivan
Friday: Fr Thomas Jordan
Saturday: Deacon Frederick Wall
Sunday: Frederick Westhorp
