NEWSLETTER

RETIRED PRIESTS’ FUND - SPECIAL COLLECTION

This Sunday the annual Collection for the Retired Priests’ Fund is being held.  With your help, we can build up the Fund to help meet the future needs of our sick and retired priests.  

If you wish to Gift Aid your donation, please make your donation Online.  To donate Online please go to www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/retired-priests-fund

An electronic version of a leaflet about the Fund is available at www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/retired-priests-fund and this also explains how you can donate to the Fund by Standing Order or Cheque and how to Gift Aid donations made using these methods.

Date	Time	Service	Intention
Sunday 17 January	MASS 9.15	2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Day of Special Prayer for World Peace	Parishioners
Monday 18 January	Mass 12.00		Tom Walters
Tuesday 19 January	Mass 10.00	St Wulstan, Bishop	Katherine Gibson
Wednesday 20 January		St Fabian, Pope St Sebastian, Martyr
Thursday 21 January		St Agnes, Virgin, Martyr
Friday 22 January	Mass 10.00	St Vincent Doctor, Martyr	Bernard Malone
Saturday 23 January
Sunday 24 January	Mass 9.15	3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Sunday of the Word of God	Parishioners

Readings for the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time year B Psalter week 2

Ent antiphon     May all the earth give you worship and praise, and break into song to your name, O God Most High.

1st reading        1 Samuel 3: 3-10, 19.

Response           Here I am, Lord!  I come to do your will.

2nd reading       1 Corinthians 6: 13-15, 17-20.

Acclamation     Alleluia, alleluia! Speak, Lord, your servant is listening: you have the message of eternal life. Alleluia!

Gospel                  John 1: 35-42.

Comm ant         The Lord has prepared a feast for me; given wine in plenty for me to drink.

Gospel As John stood with two of his disciples, Jesus passed, and John stared hard at him and said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God.’ Hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus. Jesus turned round, saw them following and said, ‘What do you want?’ They answered, ‘Rabbi,’ – which means Teacher – ‘where do you live?’ ‘Come and see’ he replied; so they went and saw where he lived, and stayed with him the rest of that day. It was about the tenth hour.

One of these two who became followers of Jesus after hearing what John had said was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. Early next morning, Andrew met his brother and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ – which means the Christ – and he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked hard at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John; you are to be called Cephas’ – meaning Rock.

Commentary Today we see how John the Baptist, who came as a witness, hands over to Jesus, the one greater than himself. Joh points out Jesus to two of his disciples, who immediately change allegiance and follow him. The Baptist uses the mysteriously evocative title ‘Lamb of God’ for Jesus, recalling the Suffering Servant of Isaiah and the Passover Lamb.  Some of the evangelist’s key ideas are used in this passage., like ‘staying’ with Jesus, and ‘looking hard’ at someone; Jesus also says ‘Come and see’ to the two disciples.  Note that Jesus does not seek out those who follow him, rather they come to him because of word of mouth, and one of them, Andrew, tells his brother who in turn comes to Jesus. This is missionary activity; we are called to spread the knowledge of Jesus the Messiah. In the First Reading, the story of Samuel, is another story of being called, but Samuel misinterprets the voice he hears and it is Eli, as with John the Baptist, who directs him to the Lord.  Decani Liturgy

The 2021 World Peace Day Message (extract)               A Culture of Care as a Path to Peace

Peace, justice and care of creation are three inherently connected questions, which cannot be separated in such a way as to be treated individually.

We need to stop and ask ourselves what has led our world to see conflict as something normal, and how our hearts can be converted and our ways of thinking changed, in order to work for true peace in solidarity and fraternity.

More resources here:  https://paxchristi.org.uk/peace-sunday-2021/

Full message here: http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/peace/documents/papa-francesco_20201208_messaggio-54giornatamondiale-pace2021.html

Saint of the week St Wulfstan c1009-1095. He was born and educated in Worcestershire, entered the monastery there, revived its fortunes, and was noted for his care of the poor and sick. He was appointed Bishop, one of the few Anglo-Saxons to survive in office after the Norman Conquest.  He also fought the slave trade in Bristol, and was an effective preacher.

Used Stamps THANK YOU to those who have kindly sent stamps over the past week. We are still collecting used stamps to send to the Jesuit Refugee Service, who manage to raise funds with them. ALL stamps welcome, UK, foreign, special or ordinary. Please cut from the envelope with scissors, leaving a good margin around the stamp.  You can either save them up for when we return to Church in the normal way, or you can send or deliver them to Pritchard 5 Hampton Drive TF9 3RP.