Today we celebrate Christ’s baptism in the river Jordan by John the Baptist. By submitting to baptism, Jesus (the sinless one) wanted to identify himself completely with us (sinful ones). This shows us how close God wanted to be with us, how much he wants to support us in our human journey and how much he understands us from inside – because he has actually been/is one of us.
Our baptism is the start of our Christian lives – but only the start! Those promises made for us when we were small (and which we made at our own confirmation), have to be lived out day by day, year by year (just like marriage or ordination). Do we reject Satan, all his works and empty promises, do we really share faith of the church?
Today’s festival is a great opportunity to review our baptismal commitment to Christ, to his church, and to each other.
Let us vow to the Lord today that we shall never waver in our attendance at Mass, and that we shall play our full part in building up the Body of Christ in this place. God’s grace, given to us in baptism is never rescinded, but it often needs to be “fanned into a flame” (2 Timothy, 1:6).
May 2010 be a year of great spiritual blessing for us all
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Notices and Items of interest this week |
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Monday 11/1/10 |
Come along for an introduction to our new course Evangelium about the basics of the Catholic Faith in the Social Centre with coffee from 8.15pm for 8.30pm. This course is mainly for non-Catholics but Catholics would also be welcome! Cancelled because of bad weather. Course will start on 25th January.
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Tuesday 12/1/10 |
No 7.15pm Mass this evening. |
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Wednesday 13/1/10 |
8.00pm Specification Team in the meeting room
Catechists’ course – 7.45-9.30pm in the Social Centre. Cancelled because of bad weather.
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Thursday 14/1/10 |
7.45pm Pastoral and Advisory Team in the Presbytery |
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Saturday 9/1/10 |
Many congratulations to Caroline Begley and Roberto Navaretti who were married here yesterday (Sat 9th). We wish them many years of happily married life together.
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SPUC |
The Society for the Prevention on Unborn Children has its White Flower Appeal today and you are invited to support this as you leave Mass.
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Tuesday 2/2/10 |
7.30-8.00pm: Meeting for all parents who will be applying for Catholic Schools (primary or secondary) next December (i.e. for children stating in September 2011). This will be a short but important meeting and I do ask at least one (Catholic) parent to attend.
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Pastoral and Advisory Team (PAT) and the Mission and Planning Team (MaP) Both of these teams work for the good of the whole parish. Do feed ideas, comments or concerns about any aspect of parish life to any member of either team. Both teams meet bi-monthly and will present your views – so please participate! Members’ photos are displayed in the porch and minutes of MaP can be found on our website. |
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Sunday 24th January |
12.30pm end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. A short act of worship and bring and share lunch at Christ Church URC Willet Way. We are all warmly invited by Rev. Pauline Sparkes (who preached at Mass here last year). Do go if you can.
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Tuesday 26th January |
8.00pm at St Joseph’s Bromley: Bromley Deanery Pastoral Council. The deanery comprises the 13 Catholic parishes within the borough. Our two representatives are Zosia Bajorek and Nick Babb. We are being encouraged to work creatively with our neighbouring parishes. Our representatives will report back in due course.
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Bishop Thomas Grant School celebrates its 50th anniversary. See notice in porch. |
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Baptism
Birth by drowning,
Upheaval of a settled way of life.
All birth is dying,
A painful separation from the past.
Our first birth called us from
Security, to face the lifelong
Struggle to survive.
Our second, no less vigorously
Calls us to set out on our
Pilgrimage with Christ,
Finding in him, with all our
Fellow pilgrims, new insights
Into love, and truth and life.
A pilgrimage that daunts us
And excites us,
And will not let us rest till
We arrive. Our only certainty
God’s promise. “My love will hold you,
Do not be afraid.”
A poem by Ann Lewin
Every blessing, Fr Bryan
Mass attendances last week – 646
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Mass Intentions for the week of Sunday 10th January 2010 The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ |
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Sunday |
6.00pm |
Stephen Fitzgerald, RIP (Monica Kelly) |
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10.00am |
Petronila Naranjo (M Ingrams) |
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11.30am |
Ted Bryant, RIP (E Bryant) |
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Monday 11/1/10 Feria |
9.30am |
Michael Keaveny, RIP (A Wheeler) |
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Tuesday 12/1/10 Feria |
9.30am |
All who died in 2009 (A Wheeler) |
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7.15pm |
No Mass this evening |
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Wednesday 13/1/10 Feria |
9.30am |
Private Intention (A Wheeler) |
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Thursday 14/1/10 Feria |
9.30am |
Bishop John Hine (Administrator of our diocese at present) |
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Friday 15/1/10 Feria |
9.30am |
All Grandparents |
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Mass Intentions for Sunday 17th January 2010 Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (C) |
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Sunday |
6.00pm |
People of the Parish |
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10.00am |
Missing, sick and hurt children (P Lundy) |
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11.30am |
Emma Daly welfare (M Hutchinson) |
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Weekday Masses from Monday to Friday at 9.30am and Tuesday 7.15pm. |
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Confessions are heard on Saturday at 5.30-6.00pm and Monday at 10.00-10.30am. |
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Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament on Mondays at 10.00-10.30am |