9th August, 2014 – First Mass (Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time)

WELCOME

Times of Mass and Devotions

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

Sat   9 Aug  5.30pm HA First Mass Clement & Desmond Abrew (RIP)
Sun 10 Aug  9.15am HF 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time Special Intentions of the people of the parish
  11.00am HA   George Terzis (RIP)
Mon 11 Aug     NO MASS  
Tue 12 Aug   7.30pm HA Week 19 in Ordinary Time Members of the Watkins family (RIP) HS’s
Wed 13Aug  9.30am HA Week 19 in Ordinary Time Paula Vella (RIP)
Thu 14 Aug  7.30pm HF Vigil Mass for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Francis and Ethel Broan (RIP) HS’s
Fri  15 Aug  9.30am
12.00pm
 7.30pm
HA
HF
HA
The Assumption of the BVM (Holy day of obligation) Burns & Sudbury families (RIP) Holy Souls
Gloria Craven (RIP)
Mary Dzwig (RIP) Father Paul’s late mother.
Sat  16 Aug   5.30pm HA First Mass Fr., Tony Sultana on 40 years anniversary of his Ordination
Sun 17 Aug   9.15am HA 20th  Sunday in Ordinary Time Special Intentions of the people of the Parish
   11.00am HA   George Terziz (RIP)

 

Liturgy

10th August 2014 (19th Sunday of Year A
Theme: Faith overcomes fear

Like Peter we too have often set out confidently across the waters of life.
However, as soon as the winds of trouble rise against us, we lose our nerve and begin to sink.
Lord, when our faith falters as it often does, may we hear your gentle voice saying to us, ‘Courage! Do not be afraid’.
In that moment, Lord, may your divine power uphold us, calm our fears, steady our nerves, and enable us to steer our little boat to a place of safety and peace, beyond the wind and the waves.

Ent:                       HA: 862   HF: 248 He who would..
Offertory:         HA: 629   HF: 272 I am the bread
Final Hymn:   HA: 960  HF: 233 Guide me ..

Responsorial Psalm: 19th Sunday Year A

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 3rd August, 2014


Holy Angels Offertory:       £182.95
Holy Family Offertory:       £215.65

Information

Confirmation 2015:  If you will be 13 or over NEXT YEAR and would like to join the Confirmation Discovery Programme, please help yourself to a Confirmation Information leaflet at the back of the two Churches 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

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.

A Message from the Editor

As we did not have a Commemoration Service at my own Church due to our Parish Priest having been away, myself and my husband came to the Commemoration Service held here at Holy Angels on Monday, 4th August to not only remember those who gave their lives in the First World War, but also to pray for Peace in our world. I asked Father David if I could write an article for the Newsletter, not as Parish Secretary but as an ordinary participant in the Service and thankfully he kindly agreed.

I feel it appropriate to personally thank Fr. David for the very moving Commemoration Service on the Anniversary of 100 years since the start of the First World War. Thanks also go to Maggie Batchelor for decorating the Church with poppies for the Service and to our Readers.

I think I speak on behalf of myself and my husband and also on behalf of many who attended. We found it to be a most moving and thought provoking service and it was very apparent as to the extent of the preparation and planning that had gone into the Service. Parishioners from both Holy Family and Holy Angels brought up the items to be placed on the altar, the Rosary given to Fr. David by his grandfather which had belonged to a French Nun who sadly died whilst administering to the injured and dying on the battlefield, a Chaplain’s chalice and a Chaplain’s Prayer Book. Also the two Books of Remembrance from both Churches of those who had sadly died in the First World War.

Parishioners attended from both Holy Family and Holy Angels Church. There were those of us who thankfully had never experienced the terrible tragedy and horrors of war, and those who had stories to tell of their own family members who had been involved in the War.

The Rev. Monica Taylor from St. Marks Church in Wyke read the First Reading and there were other ecumenical participants in the Service.

The Trilogy of Accounts about the First World War which immediately stirred the emotions and led us into the Holy Mass with appropriate hymns to add to the solemnity of the occasion. (if you would like copies of the Trilogy Accounts please contact the Parish Office)

The first account was a short explanation of why the assignation of the Arch Duke Ferdinand was the spark that caused the First World War.

The second was an account of a teenage boy from East Anglia who volunteered to join the army as a way of escaping the dire poverty that he and his family had known and was common amongst the poorer classes in those days.

The third and saddest account was that of two young men who took a direct hit from a German shell and were flung out of the trench by the blast. Both men had their legs blown off. The brother of one of the injured men who was unconscious from the blast was in the same Regiment was called for and he stayed with his young brother until he sadly died. He also stayed to comfort the other man who remained conscious throughout and who asked for his wife’s photograph to be taken out of his breast pocket which he then held on his chest until he too sadly died.

Father David gave a moving account about his own grandfather who was taken short whilst in the trenches and despite being told not to leave the trench for fear of the consequences decided to go anyway only to find upon his return that the very spot where he would have been positioned had taken a direct hit and everyone of his comrades were killed. It was a fascinating story which went on to tell how his grandfather had finally managed to get back to England with his wife having been told that her husband had in fact been killed. The baby he had left behind was now 4 years old and had no idea who the man was that was walking down the path towards her. It was the sort of story that many of our old war films were made of, but this was real life and would have been the experience of many wives who received telegram’s that their husband’s were missing, presumed dead and some who later would have been happily re-united.

While it has been enlightening to reflect upon the involvement of British Soldiers, very little, if anything, has been mentioned of the French and Belgian people, many of them unknown villagers and farmers that provided food for soldiers isolated from their regiment and buried many of the dead left behind when the regiments moved forward. Many risked their lives and some died caring for our troops.

The Commemoration service concluded with the Poppy Poem included in last week’s Newsletter and was read by Gloria Benson and her daughter, Angela. It was extra poignant the fact that it was a daughter actually asking her mother questions about the poppy and many of us were deeply moved by the last two lines of the poem:

My tears are my fears for you my dear child
That we may forget and go to war again.’

Refreshments were provided in the hall afterwards. We had a lovely assortment of home cooked food. Thank you to everyone who kindly made the effort to provide food in keeping with food enjoyed during World War 1.