16th August, 2014 – First Mass (Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time)

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WELCOME

Times of Mass and Devotions

HA = Holy Angels Church, Ash GU12 6LU   HF = Holy Family Church, Farnham GU9 0LH

Sat 16 Aug  5.30pm HA First Mass Fr. Tony Sultana on 40 years anniversary of his Ordination
Sun17 Aug  9.15am HF 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time Special Intentions of the people of the Parish
  11.00am HA   George Terziz (RIP)
Mon18 Aug     NO MASS  
Tue 19 Aug   7.30pm HA Week 20 in Ordinary Time Joseph Fitzpatrick (RIP)
Wed 20Aug  9.30am HA St., Bernard Joseph Fitzpatrick (RIP)
Thu 21 Aug     NO MASS  
Fri  22 Aug 12.00pm HA The Queenship of the BVM For those stranded on Mount Sinjar in Iraq
Sat 23 Aug   5.30pm HA First Mass Mary and Gerald Leahy (RIP)
Sun 24 Aug   9.15am HA 21st  Sunday in Ordinary Time Linda Weston (Sick)
   11.00am HA   Special Intentions for the people of the Parish

 

Liturgy

17th August 2014 (20th Sunday of Year A
Theme: God’s love is for all

Ent:                  HA: 910 HF: 106 Christ be beside me
Offertory:         HA: 967 HF: 570 O the love of my Lord
Final Hymn: HA: 721 HF: 398 Love divine

Responsorial Psalm:

During the month of August and the first week of September whilst some of our musicians are away on holiday the Responsorial Psalm will be said but the Gospel Acclamation (The Alleluia will be sung as usual)

Collections for 10th August, 2014
Holy Angels Offertory:       £155.67
Holy Family Offertory:       £197.00

Information

Confirmation 2015:  If you will be 13 or over NEXT YEAR and would like to join the Confirmation Discovery Programme, please fill in a leaflet TODAY or speak to Fr. David, Deacon, John, Gloria or Hilary or call Rita at the Parish Office. The Programme planners need to know as soon as possible to get a date for Confirmation. i.e. by the 1st October, 2014.

First Holy Communion Programme 2014-2015

Application forms are now available at the back of each church for the First Holy Communion Programme 2014 – 2015. Your child must be in YEAR 3 or above to be considered for the programme and as a family you are requested to be registered with the parish. Location of classes alternates between Holy Angels, Ash and Holy Family, Heath End and all the childrenmust attend all lessons (you will find the dates on the sheet attached to the application form). If you require further information please contact Amanda Watson (amandawatty@sky.com).

Prayer Requests

For the sick: Deacon David Morgan, Newton Abrew, Linda Weston and Michael Brandon.

Holy Angels

As announced last Sunday, your prayers are requested for Joseph Fitzpatrick who sadly died during last week. Both Joe and his wife before she died, had been longstanding members of Holy Angels Church. I know many of you will miss Joe (who a few years ago was famous not only for his smile and warm Irish brogue but also his three wheeled Reliant. He has been a much loved local character and will be sadly missed.

We have no details of his funeral yet and his son tells us that there may be a longer delay than usual before his funeral takes place. Please watch the Newsletter for further details.

There will be a Mass for Joseph Fitzpatrick on Tuesday, 19th August, Wednesday, 20th August at 9.30am and Sunday, 21st September at 11.00am.

Proposed Housing Development on land to the South of Guildford Road, Ash, Surrey

Local residents and interested parties are invited to view and comment on the proposal to redevelop the above site for housing.

A scheme comprising 56 houses
Highway Improvements
Drainage Improvements
Provision of affordable housing

(for more information go to www.guildfordroad.org.uk)

Prayer Group: takes place once a month on a Tuesday at Holy Angels Church in the Parish Office: 7.30pm for a 7.45pm start. Dates are: 9th Sept. 7th Oct. and 4th November.

Holy Family

A Quick Journey through the bible – Saturday 6th September 2014 at St. Joan’s Centre 9:00 am – 4:30pm Cost for material £15:00, which needs to be ordered. For more information please speak to Deacon John Edwards.
Songs of Praise will be broadcast live from Aldershot on Remembrance Sunday, 9th November.

Today’s Gospel

In today’s Gospel we meet a pagan woman who had the most extraordinary faith in Jesus, a faith that was rewarded with the cure of her sick daughter. During this mass let us with faith bring our needs and concerns to God, whose children we are.

The Gospel story is a strange one, and yet it is one that all of us are familiar with. It involves an encounter with a beggar. True, the Canaanite woman was not begging for money, but she was begging, begging for a favour. At one time or another all of us have been approached by a beggar, either at our doorstep or on a public street. One wonders how Jesus would deal with these kind of situations.

Jesus had withdrawn with his apostles to the region of Tyre and Sidon, which was Gentile country. It seems that he had gone there for a break. However, no sooner had he arrived there, than he was accosted by a pagan woman who pestered him to cure her sick daughter.

How do we react when we encounter someone begging? I think it would be fair to say that few of us come out of such an encounter with credit. Generally we refuse to help the person. We justify our refusal to help by telling ourselves that we haven’t the time, that we can’t help everyone, that it is better not to give them anything because in giving we are only encouraging a begging mentality. However, we can draw some comfort from the Gospel story. The apostles reaction was not unlike our own. For them the Canaanite woman was nuisance. They just wanted Jesus to get rid of them, and as quickly as possible.

Indeed, Jesus’ own reaction surprises us. At first he ignored her. Then he refused her and tried to put her off. However, she was a very determined lady and refused to take No for an answer. Finally, he granted her request.

What is comes down to is this: we are afraid of the cry of the poor. An encounter with a beggar can be a disturbing experience. It can stir up unpleasant things inside us. It tends to arouse within us conflicting feelings of pity, discomfort, anger and guilt. We hate what we discover about ourselves. And unless we are careful we may direct that hate at the poor unfortunate person who has dared to approach us.

Nevertheless, even though an encounter with a poor person may disturb us, it can also be fruitful. Through the poor we discover our own weakness and woundedness, which we are good at concealing. This means that we do not have to wear a mask and pretend to be what we are not. It thus results in a deep inner liberation. It puts us in touch with our true selves.

The encounter can also awaken and reveal the heart. It can awaken within us feelings of tenderness and compassion, kindness and communion. It shows us that it is possible to be moiré, to love more, and to give of ourselves more. It can change us. It calls us forth. It calls us to humanity. Thus it can lead to a new beginning. (written by Flor McCarthy, SDB)

Want to help the people of Gaza?
How about writing to our Foreign Secretary
(sample letter)

Rt. Hon Philip Hammond M.P.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
King Charles Street
London SW1A 2AH
email: hammondp@parliament.uk

Dear Minister

I am seriously concerned about the situation in Gaza. I would like you to know that you have my full support in any efforts to push for a lasting and comprehensive ceasefire by all parties and humanitarian access to the Gaza strip.

Also to work with the Israeli and Palestinian authorities to agree long term measures to end the suffering and deal with the root cause of the conflict, including an end to the occupation of Palestinian territory, to the building of settlements and to the closure of Gaza.

If you were able, with others, to bring about Peace in Gaza during your time as Foreign Secretary you could hope for no greater accolade as far as I am concerned.

Yours faithfully

Please pray for those stranded on Mount Sinjar in Iraq who have experienced persecution for their faith. Both our Church Halls are available free for anyone in the parish who would like to run a fundraising event for humanitarian aid for them.

Many parts of the world seem to be in a very sad and dangerous state at the moment – anything we can do to promote PEACE and show we care must be worthwhile.