Double issue newsletter - Sundays 16 & 17(C) - July 20/21 & 27/28

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Newsletter for 13/14 July - Sunday 15(C)

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Magazine Article

The July edition of Coalville Community Eye, contains an article (on page eight) about the Coalville Male Voice Choir Concert  at St Wilfrid's back in April.

Leavers' Mass with St Clare's

Today we celebrated Mass during this last week of the school term. We said goodbye to our Year 6 children and prayed for them as they prepare to go on to their new schools.

We also said goodbye and thank you to Mrs Sheila Stacey who has been a governor since 1975, and who has worked with four headteachers and seven parish priests. Sheila was awarded the Benemerenti Medal when she retired as chair of governors a year ago, but has continued until a governor until the end of this school year. 

Here is Sheila with our headteacher, Mrs Louise Freeman at the celebration after Mass.

Latest Year of Faith Video from Bishop Malcolm

Ordination of Father Neil Peoples

Father Neil was ordained for our diocese last Saturday. You can watch the Ordination Mass below. The homily by Bishop Malcolm starts around twenty minutes in, and is a wonderful reflection on what priesthood is all about.
Pray for Father Neil  and please continue to pray for more vocations to priesthood and religious life.

Double clicking on the video should bring it up in full screen and enable you to close any annoying adverts!

Our parishioners...

...seem to have had quite a bit of coverage in the Catholic News, our diocesan newspaper, lately.

See here for a page in the June edition with a report on a music day.

See here for a page in the July edition with a report on the Retired Priests' Fund.

You can't keep a great parish down!

Brother Gabriel RIP

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Brother Gabriel, monk of Mount St Bernard, who died last night.
Many will remember Brother for his work promoting the Rosary. Perhaps we could pray that he will be granted a wonderful contemplation of the Glorious Mysteries of Jesus and Mary for all eternity.

Faith School Transport - Urgent

The proposals for school transport come before the Scrutiny Committee tomorrow, 5th July. It is proposed that the charge for transport to faith schools will rise to £450 from September 2014 and to the full cost of £640 from September 2015.

The kind person who has been keeping me in touch with the process suggests that we express our concerns to any member of the committee - names on the document - and/or attending the meeting as members of the public have a right to do. Again the time and place are on the document.

Newsletter for 6/7 July - Sunday 14(C)

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Newsletter for 29/30 June - Ss Peter & Paul

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Ordinations

Please pray for Neil Peoples and John Martin who will be ordained to the priesthood for our diocese next month, and continue to pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

There is an interesting page on St Peter's, Leicester parish website which reflects on the meaning of Ordination to the priesthood:

The Ordination of a Priest

The Rite of Ordination, which takes place after the homily in the Ordination Mass, contains several elements.

The first of these is the examination of the candidate.  This examination involves promises which the priest is asked to renew each year at the Chrism Mass with the Bishop in Holy Week.

The Examination of the Candidate

Bishop: My son, before you proceed to the order of the presbyterate,
declare before the people your intention to undertake this priestly office.
Are you resolved, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to discharge without fail
the office of priesthood in the presbyteral order as a conscientious fellow
worker with the bishops in caring for the Lord’s flock?
Ordinand: I am.

Bishop: Are you resolved to celebrate the mysteries of Christ faithfully
and religiously as the Church has handed them down to us for the
glory of God and the sanctification of Christ’s people?
Ordinand:  I am.

Bishop: Are you resolved to exercise the ministry of the word worthily
and wisely, preaching the Gospel and explaining the Catholic faith?
Ordinand: I am.

Bishop: Are you resolved to consecrate your life to God for the
salvation of his people, and to unite yourself more closely every day
to Christ the High Priest, who offered himself for us to the Father
as a perfect sacrifice?
Ordinand: I am, with the help of God.

The Promise of Obedience

When Neil was ordained a deacon, he promised to remain celibate and to recite the Divine Office (The Official Daily Prayer of the Church). To this he now adds a promise of obedience. In the Ordination Rite, he will kneel before the Bishop, place his joined hands between those of the Bishop, and promise obedience to him and his successors. The congregation will invoke the Holy Spirit to impart the Grace to fulfil these promises.

Bishop: Do you promise respect and obedience to me and my successors?
Neil: I do.
Bishop: May God who has begun the good work in you bring it to fulfilment.

Celibacy

Much is said about celibacy and how out of step it seems with the modern world. In truth celibacy has always been a way of life that runs contrary to the norm. The sad truth is the whole Christian vision of sexuality has now become counter cultural. For the Christian, sexual intimacy only harmonises with the deep and authentic desire of the human heart when it is placed in the context of covenantal love in the service of life. In other words, sexual intimacy is only fully meaningful within marriage. The priest is one wedded to the Church. He is called to give his life in service of the Bride of Christ (the Church) following Christ’s own example. Celibacy is a powerful expression of this gift of himself. Together with his commitment to the Prayer of the Church, celibacy manifests the priest’s fidelity to the Bride of Christ.

Obedience

Surprisingly little is said about obedience. This promise is at least as counter-cultural as that of celibacy. In an age that exalts personal freedom and the right to self determination, the Church asks her priests to promise obedience to another man, the bishop. The priest’s obedience gives witness to the truth that the bishop exercises the authority given by Christ to His Apostles when he acts and teaches in harmony with the Catholic Faith and in communion with the Pope.

Congratulations..

...to Lynda, Pansy, Christine, Sue and Jamie who have been awarded the Bishop's Certificate in Catechesis at a ceremony in the Cathedral this afternoon.

Saint Joseph

The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has issued a decree inserting the name of Saint Joseph into Eucharistic Prayers II, III & IV. The words ‘with blessed Joseph, her Spouse,’ are to be inserted between the mention of the Blessed Virgin Mary and that of the Apostles. The decree and the wording can be read on the Holy See website.

Year of Faith Websites

During this Year of Faith it's worth keeping an eye on some of the websites connected with the Year.

The Universal one from Rome is here.

Our Nottingham Diocesan one is here. The Nottingham one has some pictures of some of our recent celebrations at St Wilfrid's here.