Dear Friends,
“No one can get Joy by merely asking for it. It is one of the ripest fruits of the Christian life,
and, like all fruits, must be grown.”
The readings for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time for Year A focus on discipleship and our choice to follow Jesus or not and the necessity to bear fruits in our Christian life. In the first reading Israel is warned that they must be faithful. The psalm begs God to return to the vineyard and care for it once again. The second reading encourages Christians to continue along the path that Jesus has shown us.
Jesus, in today’s Gospel, reminds us Christians, that since we are the “new” Israel, enriched with additional blessings and provisions in the Church, we are expected to show our gratitude to God by bearing fruits of the kingdom, fruits of the Holy Spirit, in our lives, and to give God the Glory for these accomplishments.
Father Peter
Pope Francis’s intention for the Month of October: for the Synod. We pray for the Church, that she may adopt listening and dialogue as a lifestyle at every level and allow herself to be guided by the Holy Spirit towards the peripheries of the world.
This Sunday there is a 2nd Collection for CAFOD
Also this Sunday, it is the start of Prisons Week during which we are asked to pray for prisoners and their families.
Counters. Please take the 4th and final one of the Mass Counts this weekend. Thank you.
RCIA – Journey in Faith meetings are starting again this Autumn for those who are thinking about becoming a Catholic or who would just like to know more about the Catholic faith. Please speak to Fr Peter.
The October ‘House Mass’ will be on Tuesday 10th October, at 7pm in St Mary’s Church, High Street, Stalham. NR12 9GA.
The Cambodian Feast of the Ancestors, “Pchum Ben” (Holy Souls) is celebrated during October. To link with our twinned parish, St Francis Xavier in Sisophon, the Mass on October 13th at 9.30am at St John of Cross, will give an opportunity for us to remember and pray for deceased members of both communities. Everyone is welcome.
Important message: we need to have four certified first aid people from each of our churches to fulfil H & S requirements. If you feel this is a good way in which you can help our communities please contact Richard at St Helen’s on 07730 817580. Full training will be given at no personal cost.
Nominations are still required for a representative on the Parish Pastoral Council for St Helen’s, in order to replace Peter Rylance, whose term has now ended.
PPC Minutes of Meeting on 5th September are available to here, also in hard copy in our church porches.
Have you considered subscribing to ‘Bible Alive’? This monthly magazine contains readings, prayers and reflections for every day of the month and is highly recommended by Cardinal Nichols. The cost is only £29.99 for a year and you can currently get a month’s trial subscription absolutely free. Visit www.alivepublishing.co.uk for more details.
We pray for our sick parishioners: Matt Butler, Frances Palman, Mary Bell, Mary Carr, Paul Watson, Cyril Shenton, Patricia Newton, Celia Cooper, Michael Haughton, Marie Barton, Robert Buhagiar, Margaret Larkins, Daphne Necchi, Bert Pooler, Maria Halsey, Shirley Teague, Joan Macnamara and Richard Skelton.
We pray for those whose anniversaries occur this week: Dina Gawlina, Mary Merrill, Reinike (Ron) Papendick, Kathleen Kelly, Wladislaw (Val) Tanistra, Kenneth (Ken) Watson, Elsie Hughes, Catherine (Kay) Higgs, Arthur Pitman and Stanislaus Greiff.
May they rest in peace.
