St Simon Stock Catholic Church

Brookfield Road, South Ashford, Kent TN23 4EU

19th JULY 2009
Tel: 01233 622399
Parish Priest: Fr John Boyle SIXTEENTH SUNDAY
IN ORDINARY TIME
Saint Simon of England RC Primary School,
Noakes Meadow, Ashford, TN23 2RB. Tel: 01233 623199 YEAR B
Head teacher: Mrs Elizabeth Willis

MASS TIMES AND INTENTIONS TODAY’S MASS TEXTS

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Sunday 19 Entrance Antiphon Ps 53:6.8
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) God himself is my help. The Lord upholds my life. I will
10.00am Mass (Betty Gogarty RIP) offer you a willing sacrifice; I will praise your name, O Lord,
6.00pm Mass (People of the parish) for its goodness.
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Monday 20 First Reading Jeremiah 23:1-6
St Apollinaris, bishop and martyr The remnant of my flock I will gather and I will raise up
9.30am Mass (Helmi Mekelic RIP) shepherds to look after them.
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Tuesday 21
St Laurence of Brindisi, bishop and doctor of the Church Responsorial Psalm: Ps 22 R.v.1
R: The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
9.30am Mass (Peggie Fairess RIP) followed by Divine
Mercy Chaplet & Exposition of the Blessed The Lord is my shepherd;
Sacrament until 10.30am there is nothing I shall want.
nd Fresh and green are the pastures
Wednesday 22
St Mary Magdalene, where he gives me repose.
9.30am Mass (Gladys Persich RIP) Near restful waters he leads me,
rd to revive my drooping spirit. (R)
Thursday 23
No Mass He guides me along the right path;
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Friday 24 he is true to his name.
St Sharbel Makhluf, priest If I should walk in the valley of darkness
9.30am Mass (The well-being of Rita Redman ) no evil would I fear.
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Saturday 25 You are there with your crook and your staff;
Our Lady with these you give me comfort. (R)
9.00am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
You have prepared a banquet for me
10.00am Mass (Richard Cavanagh RIP)
in the sight of my foes.
5.30pm Holy Qurbana -Mass in the Syro Malabar Rite
Sunday 26
th My head you have anointed with oil;
my cup is overflowing. (R)
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)
Day of Prayer for Human Life Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me
10.00am Mass (Deceased parents and brothers of Josephine all the days of my life.
Diffley) In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell
12.00noon Mass (Latin, 1962 Missal – eighth Sunday after for ever and ever. (R)
Pentecost) Second Reading: Ephesians 2:13-18
4.00pm Mass in Polish Christ Jesus is the peace between us, and has made the two
6.00pm Mass (People of the parish) into one.
CONFESSION TIMES Gospel Acclamation: John 10-27
Weekdays: before or after Mass upon request. Alleluia, alleluia! The sheep that belong to me listen to my
Saturday: 10.30am; Sundays: ½ hour before Mass voice, says the Lord. I know them and they follow me.
Alleluia!
CHURCH CLEANING
th st th th st Gospel: Mark 6:30-34
24 Tara; 31 Bridie; August 7 Sheila; 14 Sue; 21 Sue
They were like sheep without a shepherd.
COLLECTIONS LAST SUNDAY Eucharistic Prayer 4 with its proper preface
Offertory: £372.28, (Gift Aid: £150.20, loose plate: £222.08) +
£94 approx by standing order. Second collection: The Communion Antiphon: Ps 110:4-5
Apostleship of the Sea Parish: £118.88. Thank you. Second The Lord keeps in our minds the wonderful things he has
collection today: Parish Maintenance & Development Fund. done. He is compassion and love; he always provides for
Next Sunday: Day for Life. his faithful.
DAY FOR LIFE NEXT SUNDAY INTERESTED IN JOINING THE TEAM OF FLOWER LADIES?
This year’s Day for Life aims to highlight why the Church You could if you wish work with one of them before going on the
believes that every life is worth living even when a person has rota every 3 months. If you are interested please speak to one of
lost all hope and feels suicidal and the vital role played by them, their names are on the notice board.
families and a compassionate parish community in supporting
PRAYERS FOR THE SICK
and sustaining those who may be struggling to cope. Next
Sunday’s collection will go the Linacre Centre for Healthcare Please pray for all our sick parishioners, particularly Rita
Ethics and other life-related activities supported by the Church. Redman and Jean Borucki. Names of parishioners who need
There will also be an appeal for new members of the Society for our prayers can be placed in the box in the church foyer.
the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC). ROMAN ZOLNA RIP
WELCOMERS ROTA Your prayers are asked for the repose of the soul of Roman who
If you would like to help distributing the parish and children’s died suddenly last Sunday evening. His coffin will be received
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newsletter before the 10am Mass please sign up on the notice into church at 4pm on Tuesday 28 with the funeral Mass taking
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board. place on the 29 July at 10am. May he rest in peace.
Email: parish@stsimon.org.uk; Web: www.stsimon.org.uk;
Parish blog: http://st-simon-parish.blogspot.com/; diocesan website: www.rcsouthwark.co.uk
 FR. JOHN’S DESKTOP
THE RELICS OF ST THÉRÈSE
As you may know, the relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux will be making a visit to this country from
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16 September to 15 October. Thérèse lived a hidden life as a Carmelite nun in Lisieux, France,
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towards the end of the 19 century from the age of 15 until her death at the age of just 24. She
didn’t travel anywhere (except as a young girl to Rome when she asked the Pope to allow her to
enter the Carmel at a younger age than that normally permitted) and yet her fame has spread
throughout the world. She had a great love for the missions and so is a patron saint of missionaries,
even though she never went to mission territories. She had a great love for the priesthood and
prayed particularly for priests. Although she would have loved to have done great and heroic deeds,
she found her vocation as being ‘love in the heart of the Church.’ She was declared by Pope John
Paul II a ‘Doctor of the Church’ because the way of trust in God that she lived became known as the ‘Little Way’ by
which we learn that we must place our trust in God and that is He who will give us the grace so that our lives may bear
much fruit. When her relics have travelled to other countries, they have attracted huge crowds of people. Even when
ecclesiastical authorities might have thought that no one would be interested, they have invariably been proved wrong.
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St Thérèse’s relics will be at Aylesford Priory from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 October. Archbishop Kevin McDonald
will celebrate a diocesan Mass at 11.30am on the Saturday at Aylesford and everyone is invited. If you would like to travel
by coach, please sign your name on the notice board and we will then look into organising this. If you would prefer to
travel by car, please indicate if you can provide lifts. We need to let the diocese have some idea of how many people will
be attending. The full programme of events for that weekend at Aylesford is on the notice board. A leaflet about the visit of
the relics is available from the repository and CTS pamphlet rack in the church foyer. Fr. John
REGULAR EVENTS – COME ALONG!
WALSINGHAM VIDEO
DIVINE MERCY PRAYER GROUP All, but particularly those going on the Walsingham pilgrimage on
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after the 9.30am Mass on Tuesdays. Prayers of 23 July, are invited to a showing of ‘Virgin by the Sea’, a 40
intercession for various needs and silent adoration minute video about the National Shrine of Our Lady at
of the Blessed Sacrament till 10.30am. Walsingham, at 7.30pm tomorrow in the presbytery.
CHOIR PRACTICE TUESDAYS 7.30PM
Newcomers always welcome NATURAL FERTILITY AWARENESS
Greg Clovis from Family Life International is returning at 11am
BIBLE STUDY THURSDAYS 7.30PM this Saturday to speak about Natural Fertility Awareness, also
Studying the Acts of the Apostles. Not this week commonly known as Natural Family Planning. All are welcome to
due to Walsingham trip. Newcomers always welcome. hear about the natural and moral way of regulating fertility.
YEAR OF PRAYER FOR PRIESTS Suitable for married couples, those preparing for marriage,
Come and pray the Rosary for our priests 20 minutes before the parents, young people 16+.
morning Masses, Monday to Friday. All are welcome to join. THE ROAD TO COMPOSTELLA
MONTHLY PRAYER REQUESTS FOR PRIESTS The Confraternity of St James has organised a number of
August/September list now available in the church entrance. activities about the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela,
Spain, in celebration of their patron St James whose body is
TORCHES enshrined in the famous shrine at Santiago de Compostela, one
Donations of £200 (£256, gift aided) towards the new torches of the principal pilgrim destinations in Europe. For further
have been received. Thank you. We are looking at other information, contact Susie Gray (720696) who rode her horse
possibilities to see if we can get torches of worth and dignity at a Apollo from Canterbury to Compostela. You might remember the
lower price than that mentioned last week (£537) but these items blessing of Apollo after Sunday Mass two years ago. Susie is
are not cheap. All donations received will be put towards the th
giving a talk on her pilgrimage at 7pm on Thursday 30 July at
eventual purchase. Thank you. the Dominican Priory, St Peter’s Lane, Canterbury. Details of
CHURCH MAINTENANCE other events are on the noticeboard.
The Tabernacle doors are back in place having been restored VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
and re-lacquered. The woodwork around the church roof and all The charity LIFE, who offer pregnancy counselling and care
the windows have also been restored and repainted with services, are looking for volunteers to be counsellors. Full
preserver. Your generous contributions towards the church counselling training is given of if you have counselling skills
maintenance fund are much appreciated. Please don’t forget to consider going along to help them. Contact Agnes Rees, the
gift aid your contributions if you can – this enables us to claim London co-ordinator on 07515578598 or email:
from the Revenue 28p for every £1 (£2.80 for every £10, £28 for agnesrees@lifecharity.org.uk for details.
every £100) that you give. It all adds up. If you are not part of the
Gift Aid scheme, please see Viv Conn at the repository or Fr ‘LIFE, THE GIFT WE TREASURE MOST,
John to request a form. Thank you. YET REFUSE TO BESTOW ON OTHERS’
My attention was drawn recently to an article by Charles Moore
ALTAR SERVERS SUMMERTIME AND ROME TRIP on the Telegraph website. You can find it by entering the above
There are still some places available on the Altar Servers title into your search engine. Copies are also available in the
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Summertime 11 – 14 August, Woldingham School, Surrey, church foyer. A very timely comment on the problems Britain
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and on the Altar Servers Rome Trip 27 – 29 October. faces because of the collapse of its birth rate. Fr John.
Application forms from the sacristy or Fr John.
HAVE WE FORGOTTEN WHAT IT IS TO BE CATHOLIC? (4) YEAR OF PRIESTHOOD
(From Fit for Mission? Church by Bishop Patrick O’Donoghue) A Daily Prayer for Priests
Those who live oblivious to the sufferings of the poor forget Heavenly Father, grant that our priests be strengthened and
they are Catholic. healed by the power of the Eucharist they celebrate. May the
Word they proclaim give them courage and wisdom. We pray
HUMOUR CORNER that all those whom they seek to serve may see in them the love
Ladies, don’t forget the rummage sale. It’s a chance and care of Jesus our eternal High Priest. Who is Lord for ever
to get rid of those things not worth keeping around and ever. Amen. Mary, Mother of the Church, look tenderly upon
the house. Don’t forget your husbands. your sons, our priests.
To catch up on previous newsletters visit http://www.stsimon.org.uk/Newsletters/. Parish blog: http://st-simon-parish.blogspot.com/