Newsletter- 29th Week of Ordinary Time

Dear Parish Family,

Welcome Back, Father Jonathan!
We are delighted to welcome Father Jonathan back to the parish after his two-week holiday, where I hope he enjoyed some well-deserved sunshine in the beautiful region of Greece. We hope his time away was restful and refreshing, and we are grateful to have him back with us. We look forward to hearing about his travels and to celebrating Mass together once again.

Reflection on This Week’s Gospel (Mark 10:35-45)
In this week’s Gospel, James and John approach Jesus with a bold request, to be seated at His right and left in glory. It’s a request for recognition, a desire to be seen as important. But Jesus, in His gentle way, redirects their thinking. He reminds them, and us, that true greatness in God’s kingdom isn’t about power or status. Instead, it’s about service, sacrifice, and humility. Jesus tells them, “Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant,” and that “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.”

As I reflect on this passage, I realise how easy it is to seek recognition in our own lives—whether at work, in our families, or even in our spiritual communities. We may not ask for a seat of honour as James and John did, but we often long for appreciation and acknowledgment. I know I have felt that pull, wanting to be noticed for my efforts. Yet, this Gospel challenges us to let go of those desires and focus instead on the quiet, often unseen, ways we can serve others.

True discipleship, Jesus reminds us, is about stepping into the role of a servant, helping without expecting anything in return, loving without needing to be loved back. And when we live in this way, we not only grow closer to God but also reflect Christ’s love to the world.

In our daily lives, this might look like offering a helping hand to a neighbour who’s struggling, being patient with a family member during a difficult time, or simply listening to someone who needs to be heard. These small acts of kindness may not be recognised by many, but they are precious in the eyes of God.

Let us take this message to heart as we go about our week, looking for opportunities to serve with humility and grace, knowing that in these moments, we are following in the footsteps of Christ.

World Mission Day
This Sunday marks World Mission Day, a time of prayer and reflection on spreading the Gospel throughout the world. It’s also a reminder that mission starts in our everyday lives, through the ways we show love, kindness, and compassion to those around us. As part of this celebration, there will be a second collection after Mass at the church entrance to support the work of spreading the Good News globally.

A Reflection from Pope Francis for the Year of Prayer
Pope Francis reminds us of the powerful connection between personal prayer and the liturgy. Reflecting on the Twenty-ninth Sunday of the Year, he shares, “The Second Vatican Council stressed the importance of the liturgy, the Church’s public prayer, together with personal prayer, for the spiritual life of Christians. In the Incarnation, the Son of God took flesh and dwelt among us, and now He becomes present in all His saving power through the liturgical celebration of word and sacrament. Our personal prayer is meant to draw enrichment from the spiritual treasures of the Church’s liturgical prayer. Because the liturgy is the source and summit of our Christian prayer, all of us are called to take an active part in this great act of worship, by offering our lives in union with Christ as a holy and pleasing sacrifice to the Father.”

Welcome to the New Lectionary!
Exciting news: a new Lectionary is being introduced, which we will start using from the beginning of Advent as per the Bishop’s Conference of England and Wales. The Lectionary, the book containing the Scripture readings for Mass and the Sacraments, is undergoing updates as part of the Church’s ongoing efforts to revise liturgical translations. This process began with the Roman Missal in 2011 and continues with other texts. The new Lectionary will feature the English Standard Version – Catholic Edition of the Bible and the Abbey Psalter. These updates are designed to make the translations more faithful to the original languages and better suited for proclamation in the liturgy. You can find more information on these changes on the parish noticeboard as we prepare for Advent.

With my prayers and blessings

Andrew


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