ST.
JOHN VIANNEY 4 Vincent Road, London N15 3QH
CHURCH
WEST GREEN
22nd /23rd February 2020
7TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Dear Parishioners,
In Matthew’s Gospel last Sunday, we heard
the words of Jesus: “But I say this to you”.
Twice we see it in today’s Gospel. Jesus is
challenging or enhancing or elaborating on
the text or teaching in the Old Testament.
He is speaking with authority and clarity.
Note the style of Jesus: “You have learnt
how it was said” … this is the way it always
was; this is how we always did it etc. Jesus
is bringing in a new covenant of love and
practice. “You must love your neighbour as
yourself; nor must you bear a grudge; you
are God’s temple … you must therefore be
perfect as your heavenly father is perfect
…” That is certainly a real challenge. The
thing to keep in mind is the importance
that we try our best. It is the spiritual
journey and the perseverance that is
important.
We are on the way to ‘perfection’ and
holiness when we try to imitate the
generosity of God by not seeking
vengrance; we are as forgiving as Jesus is
to us again and again. To return love for
hate is one of the most difficult things to
do. It’s a very high ideal, and a very
difficult one, but it makes sense. So often
our enemies are not those who hate us but
those whom we hate!
As Christians, we must try to imitate the
generosity of God who forgives us when we
repent. We must be equally forgiving to
others.
Now a word on those three scenarios;
turning the other cheek; giving your tunic
Parish Office: 020 8888 5518
E-mail: westgreen@rcdow.org.uk
Website: stjohnvianneywestgreen.co.uk
and walking the extra mile. Many scripture
commentators have a different explanation
on “turning the other cheek etc”. Jesus
knew the laws and practices of his day, as
did the people listening. Note the only way
you could slap somebody “on the other
cheek” was by using the back of your hand.
A ‘backhander’ was an insult to the giver,
not the receiver! It was a known law that
you were not allowed to make somebody
naked in public; the tunic was that inner
garment, so taking it made the person
naked and this was prohibited. The Roman
soldier could demand that anyone would
carry their gear just one mile – not a step
further subject to court-martial. So Jesus
is offering resistance to the person
committing the offence – he is saying “not
to allow people to walk-all-over-you”. This
is a different interpretation on this passage.
While Jesus was passive in many ways, he
also; ‘exploded’, like cleansing the Temple
– he called persons hypocrites and did not
allow himself to be taken as a fool! There
is such a thing as active resistance in the
face of an unjust situation. Food for
thought!
LENT BEGINS this
Ash Wednesday. We
hope and pray that this
Lent will be a time of
blessing; a time of
prayer and especially
attempting to read and
reflect on some
passages from St
Matthew’s Gospel.
That’s all for now. Have blessed week.
Fr Joe
 THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY
LAST SUNDAY!
CATECHETICAL PROGRAMMES
2019-2020
For more information, contact the
office or Sr. Devy on 07455 544 065
SUNDAY MORNING CATECHISM
st
Next session: Sunday, 1 March, 10am
plus Sunday Mass at 11:00am.
FIRST COMMUNION PROGRAMME
Next session: Saturday, 7th March, 10am
plus Sunday Mass at 11:00am.
FIRST RECONCILIATION PROGRAMME
Next session: Saturday, 29th February,
12pm-1:15pm
CONFIRMATION PROGRAMME
Next session: Fairtrade Fortnight event.
Saturday, 29th February, 5:00-6:00pm
and Sunday, 1st March 9:30am-1:30pm.
RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION
FOR ADULTS (RCIA)
The Rite of Election takes place on 29th
February at 3:00pm in Westminster
Cathedral.
Next session: Saturday, 7th Mar, 4:00pm
plus Mass 6:00pm
Let us pray for our Candidates during their
journey of faith.
BAPTISM FOR INFANTS
If you would like to have your child
baptised in March 2020 or later, please
contact the Parish Office or Sr. Devy to
make the necessary arrangements.
Note that we cannot confirm any baptism
dates or booking until we receive all the
paper works required.
LENTEN ACTIVITIES
ASH WEDNESDAY –
Mass 9:15am & 7.30pm
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Fridays at 7.30pm
[28th February]
PARISH OUTREACH
SANDWICH MAKING (PREPARATION):
on Fri. 28th Feb. 2020 after 9:15am Mass.
Next SOUP RUN: Group B
at 4.30pm on Sat, 29th February 2020
We pray for the repose of the soul of:
TERESA FERNANDES, RIP
The Funeral Mass will take place here on
Thursday 5th March 2020 at 9.15am.
We remember her and her family and
friends in our prayers.
May they rest in peace.
FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT
The Fairtrade fortnight is an annual event
in which fair and ethical trading values are
celebrated.
This year we will have a “BIG BREW” led
by our Confirmation Candidates on
Sunday, 1st March
after 9am and 11am masses
The young people will bake the cakes and
cookies themselves, using Fairtrade
products. Parishioners are also invited to
bring in Fairtrade cakes and biscuits for the
day, buy raffle tickets or join us for a slice
of cake. Please support this worthy cause -
a daily ‘cuppa’ for you can mean clean
water for tea farmers and workers!
THANK GOD ON FRIDAY
Make time to spend a moment alone with
God in thanksgiving, prayer and adoration.
Next session: Friday, 6th March, 7:30pm
 ROMANTIC VALENTINE’S BANQUET
A big THANK YOU to all who bought
tickets for the Valentine’s Banquet and
given donations in support of our young
people, as well as the Chefs who supplied a
delicious 4-course dinner, our live
entertainers and our young people who
waited on us to ensure all guests had a
delightful evening.
Well done!
£1400 has been raised so far for
their pilgrimage to Fatima.
Your support is greatly appreciated!
ST PATRICK’S CELEBRATION
Join us in our St Patrick’s celebration with
Traditional Bacon & Cabbage Dinner/Social
Sunday 15th March, 5:00pm to 9.00pm
Ticket – £10 per Adult; £5 child (primary
school to age 10); pre-school/baby – free.
Tickets available at the back of the church.
JOURNEYING WITH THE BIBLE
Fr. Javier Ruiz-Ortiz PhD and Sr. Monica
Cardona PhD are running a series of talks
for the Year of the Word on the Bible.
The dates and topics are:
Tue, 25th Feb: How do we know it really
happened?
th
Tue, 10 Mar: Major Themes of the Old
Testament.
Tue, 21st Apr: Pentateuch
All sessions take place 7:00pm-8:30pm
at Vaughan House, 46 Francis Street,
SW1P 1QN. Suggested donation £5.
Please register at livingfaith@rcdow.org.uk
YEAR OF THE WORD 2020
The God who Speaks: Matthew’s Gospel
Please read a little passage of the gospel
each day as we journey with Matthew
during this Year of the Word and rediscover
the story of the life, death and resurrection
of Jesus Christ and his teaching.
ANNUAL MASS OF THANKSGIVING
FOR THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY
Saturday, 30th May 2020 at 3pm
Westminster Cathedral
The Cardinal is inviting all couples in the
Diocese who are celebrating their 5th 10th,
25th, 30th, 40th, 50th and 60th (and every
year over 60) wedding anniversary of
Catholic marriage in 2020 to this Mass.
If you are celebrating one of these
anniversaries, please give your Parish
Priest / Parish Office the following details
before 31st March: husband and wife’s
names, wedding date, full postal address
and email (or telephone if no email)
SETTLEMENT SCHEME FOR
EUROPEAN CITIZENS
All EU, EEA and Swiss citizens living in the
UK are required by the government to
apply through its Settlement Scheme to
continue living, working and accessing
services here. The deadline for applications
is 30th June 2021.
Details and links to the application process
can be found at: gov.uk/eusettledstatus
Please bring this to the attention of friends,
family members and fellow parishioners
who may need to apply.
Information on assistance for those who
may have difficulty applying is available at:
gov.uk/help-eu-settlement-scheme
The Catholic Church in England and Wales
stands in solidarity with all European
citizens who have made their homes here.
They are a valued part of our parishes,
schools and communities.
ST. JOHN VIANNEY
NURSERY APPLICATIONS
FOR SEPTEMBER 2020
If your child was born between 1st
September 2016 and 31st August 2017 and
you wish to apply for a Nursery place for
September 2020 at St John Vianney
School, please come and collect an
application pack from the school office.
Address: St. John Vianney Catholic School,
Stanley Road, Tottenham N15 3HD
Telephone: 020 8889 8421
 MASS & SERVICE TIMES THIS WEEK WE PRAY FOR:

Monday 9:15am The repose of the soul

Tuesday 9:15am Anne O’Brien
Fidou Fountain
Ash Wednesday 9:15am & 7:30pm
Ian
Thursday 9:15am John Keenan
Friday 9:15am Margaret Hempenstall
Marlene Maenhout
Saturday 9:15am Norma Bradish
6pm (Vigil Mass) Pat Harris
Sunday 9:00am Patrick Cleary
11:00am Roger Glace
Susan Purdy
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION Teresa Fernandes

Saturday 9:45am – 10:15am RIP Aniversary

Antonio Gomez
ADORATION Bea O’Flaherty
OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT John Danaher
Tuesdays – after 9:15am Mass
st Special Intentions
1 Friday of the month – 7:30pm
Christina
1st Sunday of the month – after 11am Mass
Pearl
STATIONS OF THE CROSS The Fernandes Family
The Harris Family
Fridays [during Lent] 7:30pm The Hempenstall Family
The O’Brien Family
ROSARY The Purdy Family
Weekdays at 8:45am (before mass) And for all the sick and
First Saturday of the month at 3:00pm those in our parish

MORNING TEAS /COFFEE NAMES NOT LISTED ABOVE ARE LISTED IN

(in the Parish Hall)
Sundays, after 9am and 11am Masses
Thursdays, after the 9:15am Mass
PARISH TEAM
Fr. Joe Ryan, Parish Priest
Sr. Devy Pranadjaja, Parish Sister
Germaine Ng Ying, Parish Admin/Secretary
PARISH OFFICE HOURS
Tues- Fri: 10am-12noon & 1pm-4pm
OUR BOOK OF INTENTIONS
MATTHEW 5:38-48
Meditate
The normal reaction when receiving
injustice or being subjected to evil is to
repay in the same manner. St Francis of
Assisi blesses God for those who forgive for
love of him; for those who, knowing how
much they have been forgiven, can be
merciful to others and patient with
themselves.

To make an appointment, Act

phone: 0208 888 5518 or
email: westgreen@rcdow.org.uk
We cannot guarantee to have anyone
available outside of these hours.
Think of someone who has done a wrong to
you. Following Jesus’ invitation in the
gospel, pray for them, wishing them God’s
blessings. Perhaps try to be good to them,
if this is possible