My Dearest Parishioners, Visitors, Friends – Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ

Today, the day of Pentecost, the fulfilment of the promise Christ made the Apostles is finally accomplished. The evening of that Easter day He breathed on them and said to them: “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22). The Holy Spirit’s arrival on the Day of Pentecost renews and brings this gift to plenitude in a solemn way and with external manifestations. Thus, culminates the paschal mystery.

Jesus conveys the Spirit into the disciples to create a new human condition while producing unity. When man’s arrogance made him think he could defy God by building the Babel tower, God mixed their languages, so they could not understand each other anymore. With the Pentecost it just happens the contrary: on the grace of the Holy Spirit, people from the most varied origins and languages can understand the Apostles.

The Holy Spirit is the intimate and personal Master who guides the disciple towards the truth, who motivates him to do good, who consoles him in the pain, who transforms him intimately, while giving him a new strength and capacity.

The first day of the Pentecost of the Christian era, the Apostles were gathered around the Virgin Mary, while praying. The recollection, and the praying attitude, are necessary to receive the Spirit. “And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them” (Acts 2:2-3).

They remained full of the Holy Spirit and, bravely, they started to preach. Those fearful men had been transformed into courageous preachers unafraid of gaol, torture or martyrdom. Which should not surprise us, for the Holy Spirit’s strength dwelt within them.

The Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, is my soul’s soul, the life of my life, the entity of my entity; it is my sanctifier, the guest in my deepest interior. To reach maturity in a life of faith our relationship with Him must be, time and again, more conscientious, more personal. In this celebration of the Pentecost we must have the doors, deep down us, wide open.

with Blessings Father Simon

REFLECTION:

Introductory Prayer: Today, Lord, we celebrate the gift of your Holy Spirit to the Church, which you won for us through your patient suffering on the cross. I believe and trust in his power to make me a better apostle of your Kingdom, to bring fervour where I have grown tepid, to instil detachment where I have become too indulgent, and to perfect the innocence of my baptism, which leaves my soul more pure and worthy to serve and honour you each day.

Petition: Come Holy Spirit, fill my heart with your grace and enkindle in me the fire of your love.

1. The Doors Were Locked: What is it that makes a disciple of Christ stop cold in the path of conversion and commitment? Cloaked underneath our spiritual inertia and lack of zeal are not so much our personal defects or our lack of human virtue as blindness to the dynamic power of the Crucified and Risen Lord. We can leave our self-made prisons only by opening our hearts to a faith in Christ that is total: total trust (in spite of the confusion of the present and uncertainty of the future), total hope (by breaking away from having to see the ideal in ourselves before we will act), and total divine confidence (in setting aside the sins of others and our personal failures that keep us stuck in myopic visions of life). Christ comes through bolted doors again today to ask us to unlock them with an authentic experience of the Risen Lord in the power of the Spirit.

2. Peace Be With You: It is vital to examine our “peace” and see if it truly speaks of the peace of the Upper Room. Substitute “satisfaction” for the word “peace,” and see where our hearts have tried to find consolation this past week. Then substitute the word “fulfillment.” This is the peace that Christ brings through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Some passing satisfactions are part of life, and we can be grateful for them. When we seek them for their own sake, however, we can easily drown out the life of the Spirit, who comes to bring us deep peace and fulfillment in life. Pentecost must convince us above all about prayer and the order of life that permit us to have constant contact with sources of grace and divine inspiration.

3. Receive the Holy Spirit: In the sacrament of penance, we are forgiven our sins through the action of the Holy Spirit, who makes the actions of Christ present through the priest. We believe that mercy founds hope and change in our soul. Why, then, do we not believe that this same grace from the Holy Spirit can make us heroic saints, victorious in trial, patient in difficult relationships and more effective as apostles? Christ assures us that his power will never leave us, so we have no reason to “slip into neutral” after a few bad incidents in our life. Rather, the Holy Spirit’s goal moves us from mercy to transformation into Christ, permitting us spiritually to carry and reveal his wounds to an unbelieving world.

Conversation with Christ: Oh, Jesus, I will trust more in the power of your Holy Spirit to change me than in my own efforts. I will depend on you in that face-to-face encounter I need to have with you every day. Let the sources of divine grace become my true food, and may I move away from feeding my soul on passing pleasures and vain ambitions.

Resolution: This week, I will write down daily all the lights and inspirations of the Holy Spirit I receive, and I will try to act on them with promptness, confidence and generosity.

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Download this week's Newsletter here:	Newsletter: Sunday 5th June 2022 Pentecost Sunday Year C

Service Updates from Fr Simon

If you would like to book a Mass dedication for someone, please contact Father Simon or the parish office with the name and date.

Please be aware of the change of Daily Mass Times due to parish commitments,. As soon as Covid allows, I am hoping to leave the church open after Mass until 4pm each day, in order that people can return to private prayer.

Saturdays Mass will be at 9am and confessions will start after Mass at St Swithun and on Saturday evening in Our Lady of Lourdes from 17.15 – 17.45 or at any other time by appointment

 Read today’s Readings here

Dr. Scott Hahn – Gospel Reflections 05-06-2022

A Mighty Wind: Scott Hahn Reflects on Pentecost Sunday The giving of the Spirit to the new people of God crowns the mighty acts of the Father in salvation history. The Jewish feast of Pentecost called all devout Jews to Jerusalem to celebrate their birth as God’s chosen people in the covenant Law given to Moses at Sinai (see Leviticus 23:15–21; Deuteronomy 16:9–11). In today’s First Reading the mysteries prefigured in that feast are fulfilled in the pouring out of the Spirit on Mary and the Apostles (see Acts 1:14). The Spirit seals the new law and new covenant brought by Jesus, written not on stone tablets but on the hearts of believers, as the prophets promised (see 2 Corinthians 3:2–8; Romans 8:2). The Spirit is revealed as the life-giving breath of the Father, the Wisdom by which He made all things, as we sing in today’s Psalm. In the beginning, the Spirit came as ...
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Commentary on Acts 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12:3-7,12-13; John 20:19-23

TODAY WE CELEBRATE what is often called the birthday of the Church. Happy birthday to all! We also bring to completion our celebration of the Paschal Mystery – the suffering, death, resurrection, ascension and coming of the Spirit on Jesus’ disciples. Although this ‘mystery’ is really one great reality, we have stretched its celebration over a period of more than seven weeks. That such a time frame is not to be too excessively emphasised as historical fact is indicated by the two very different accounts of the giving of the Spirit we have in the readings of today’s Mass. Full of symbols Most of us are more familiar with the account given in the Acts of the Apostles which is the First Reading of today’s Mass. In this account, the apostles are all gathered in one room at the time of the Jewish feast of Pentecost, which in the Jewish ...
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Children – Read today’s Holy Readings here again 05-06-2022

What is Pentecost? A fun Catholic reflection for kids based on the readings for Pentecost Sunday.. (Catholic Kids Media) A fun Catholic reflection for kids based on the readings for the 6th Sunday of Easter, cycle B. Support this channel on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/catholickidsm…​ Or on Venmo: @catholickidsmedia Catholic Kids Media Children , In Sunday’s Gospel, John 20:19-23  Jesus  tells us , God sends his Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost - Pentecost Sunday. On a hot summer day, an electric fan can really help to keep us cool. How does a fan help to keep us cool? That's right, it keeps us cool by blowing air. I think I will turn the fan on now. Do you see any air coming out of the fan? Well, if we can't see the air, how do you know the fan is working? There are several ways we can tell that this fan is working. One way that ...
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Thoughts on Today’s Gospel and Readings for the Week -05-06-2022

Background on the Gospel Reading - John 20:19-23 Jesus appears to his disciples and gives them the gift of the Holy Spirit. The season of Easter concludes with today's celebration, the feast of Pentecost. On Pentecost we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem; this event marks the beginning of the Church. The story of Pentecost is found in the Acts of the Apostles, today's first reading. The account in today's Gospel, taken from the Gospel of John, also recounts how Jesus gave the gift of the Holy Spirit to his disciples. There is no need to try to reconcile these two accounts to each other. It is enough to know that, after his death, Jesus fulfilled his promise to send to his disciples a helper, an advocate, who would enable them to be his witnesses throughout the world ...
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Fr Simon asks for Volunteers – IF NOT YOU, WHO? IF NOT NOW, WHEN?

It has been pointed out to me that I have never asked for members of our congregation to volunteer for key roles within the parish. This is not the case. To reiterate this point, I would ask you to consider one of the following posts: • Altar Servers • Cantors to sing and help lift the liturgy • Catechists for RCIA, Baptism, First Holy Communion, Confirmation • Cleaners • Extraordinary Ministers of Communion • Finance Committee members • Flower ...
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Sunday Mass Obligation Reinstated

At the Bishops’ Conference in Cardiff last week, the Bishops voted unanimously to reinstate the obligation on Catholics to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days. This will take effect on Pentecost Sunday. Here is the resolution: “This is the bread come down from heaven” (John 6:58). A beautiful hallmark of the Catholic faith is the profound desire to participate in the Holy Mass and share in the Eucharist. We do so with deep gratitude and joy. The Eucharist ...
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The Annual Global Rosary Relay for the Sanctification of Priests 24th June 2022

The Annual Global Rosary Relay for the Sanctification of Priests will again take place on 24 June 2022, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This will be its thirteenth year, involving more prayer locations than ever, having grown from 24 single prayer locations in June 2003 its first year to 2,600 in 2020. The goal is to have millions of Hail Marys prayed as a gift to Our Lady for her most beloved priests. Last year there ...
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Life in the Spirit begins next week 9th June for 7 Weeks

At Pentecost the Apostles, with Mary, received the Holy Spirit. Jesus had promised to send the Holy Spirit, to remind them of all he had said. (Jn 14: 26) Paul and Annette O’Beirne invite you to join the new Life in the Spirit series which begins next Thursday, 9th June. Read on for details of how to register to attend... Today, we all can receive the Holy Spirit by being open to his power. The Life in the Spirit ...
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CATHOLIC LEGACIES WEEK 5th – 11th JUNE 2022

As we contemplate on the mystery of Pentecost, we reflect also on the gift of faith in our own lives – and ask how we might share this gift with generations still to come. One beautiful and practical way to do this is by committing support to the work & witness of the Church beyond the span of our mortal lives, and leaving a legacy gift to the Church in our will. Catholic Legacies Week is an ideal chance ...
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Bishop Barron on the Holy Spirit

Understanding the Holy Spirit

Friends, what are the basics we should know about the Holy Spirit? Who is he? And why is the Holy Spirit even necessary? Why not just God the Father and God the Son? In today's episode of "The Word on Fire Show," we reflect on the Holy Spirit and explain how to grow closer to him and receive all his gifts. A listener asks: what type of items would belong in a home devotional corner? ...
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Veni, Creator Spiritus (Come Holy Spirit, Creator Blest)

One of the most widely used hymns in the Church, Veni, Creator Spiritus, is attributed to Rabanus Maurus; (776-856). It is used at Vespers, Pentecost, Dedication of a Church, Confirmation, and Holy Orders and whenever the Holy Spirit is solemnly invoked. A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who recite it. A plenary indulgence is granted if it is recited on January 1st or on the feast of Pentecost. Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest, and in our souls take up Thy rest; come with Thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the hearts which Thou hast made. O comforter, ...
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ORDINATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD – James Lewis – All Welcome

Deacon James Lewis is going to be ordained as a priest on Saturday 22 July 11.00am at St John’s Cathedral. Everyone is welcome. Do try and come to this occasion of grace and seek his 'first blessing’ afterwards. This is a special occasion for our Diocese ...
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Significant Wedding Anniversaries Mass

Are you celebrating this year, 2022, a 25th, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th anniversary, or an anniversary of over 60 years? If so, I would like to invite you to a Mass of celebration. This will take place at St Bede’s church in Basingstoke on Saturday 2nd July 2022 at 11am. It is a wonderful occasion to celebrate and witness to Marriage. If you would like to come, please send an email to Liz Murphy at anniversaries@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk. If you know a couple who qualifies and does not have access to the internet, please contact the Parish Office at St Bede’s ...
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Sunday Mass Obligation Reinstated

At the Bishops’ Conference in Cardiff last week, the Bishops voted unanimously to reinstate the obligation on Catholics to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days. This will take effect on Pentecost Sunday. Here is the resolution: “This is the bread come down from heaven” (John 6:58). A beautiful hallmark of the Catholic faith is the profound desire to participate in the Holy Mass and share in the Eucharist. We do so with deep gratitude and joy. The Eucharist gives the Church her identity – “The Eucharist makes the Church, and the Church makes the Eucharist.” It enables us to ...
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Portsmouth Diocese Don Bosco Camp 24th – 30th July 2022

Portsmouth Diocese Don Bosco Camp: This year's Portsmouth Diocesan “Don Bosco” Boys Camp will take place from 24th - 30th July 2022 We are delighted that camp will be going ahead again this summer for boys of secondary school age at St. Cassian’s, Kintbury. There will be plenty of sport, outings, competitions and fun and games to ensure that boys will have a fantastic few days. This will continue to take place within the context of the celebration of the Catholic Faith, including daily Mass and morning prayer. The cost of the camp is £220 (part bursaries may be available ...
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Safeguarding Representatives in our Parish

IMPORTANT NEWS : SAFEGUARDING IN OUR PARISH: The Catholic Church takes the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults very seriously and volunteers have had to undergo clearance via the UK's Disclosure and Barring Service for over 15 years, as well as completing training. OUR PARISH SAFEGUARDING MINISTERS Any safeguarding concerns or requests for advice can be discussed with Anne Worden 023 9281 7586 and Teresa Rowe 023 9281 8295 or routed through to the central Diocesan safeguarding team by emailing them at safeguarding@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk or telephoning02394 216486. If there is a concern that someone is at risk of immediate harm, people ...
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Philip Kosloski – Where did the apostles receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost?

The apostles could have received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost either in the "upper room" or at the temple in Jerusalem. In the Acts of the Apostles, it is narrated that the apostles received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. However, the exact location of this momentous event is not clearly marked, and many biblical scholars debate where it could have happened. Immediately after the ascension of Jesus, it is stated that, “When they entered [Jerusalem] they went to the upper room where they were staying” (Acts 1:13). It is clear that after the ascension the apostles went to the “upper ...
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Fr Mike Schmitz – Living in the Present Moment

The Holy Spirit is always in the present moment with us. The present moment is a unique gift from God, yet so often, rather than live in the present, we pine for another time in our lives, focusing on future goals or better times from the past. In this video, Fr. Mike Schmitz challenges us to notice the “sacrament of the present moment” and see what graces God wants us to enjoy right now. Fr. Mike is also a presenter in these faith formation programs from Ascension: ...
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Happy Birthday to Our Catholic Church – Pentecost

Happy birthday to the Catholic Church! Happy birthday to you, who are the body of the Church! We're all familiar with our own birthdays, and we celebrate them because they mark the day of the year in which we entered into this life. But did you know you have a second birthday?  Because you are part of the body of the Church, Pentecost is the Church's birthday, and yours as well. And like any birthday, it's a cause for celebration. The word Pentecost is Greek and it means "50th day." Fifty days after Easter Sunday, we celebrate the coming of the ...
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Pentecost – The Holy Spirit comes down on us All.

At Pentecost, we see the Holy Spirit coming down upon the disciples, who were scared and alone, giving them gifts that would help them meet and evangelize the very people who were out to persecute them. In today's world, where the Church is being persecuted in different ways, let us call upon the Holy Spirit to give us the gifts to do the same here and now! ...
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CONFESSION TIMES: Saturday morning after Mass at 9.45am at St Swithun’s, and 5.15pm at Our Lady of Lourdes. Confession is available after most Masses in the morning if I am not otherwise engaged, or can be by appointment if you wish. I do not want anyone to think that there is no opportunity for this most healing of the sacraments.

		PERMANENT DIACONATE INFORMATION EVENT Saturday 11 June, 9.00am – 2.00pm at St Bede’s Church, Basingstoke, RG249DX Please see the poster on the noticeboard for further details. COURSE The Jesuit Institute is running an online retreat ‘See All Things New’ for adults in their 20s and 30s. Tickets are available on Eventbrite, just search the title above to find it. The event commences at 7.00pm Wednesday 27 July and will conclude with an evening meeting on Monday 1 August.
		Missio Red Box Holders On the tables as you leave both churches are copies of the Mission Today – Impact Report which shows just how much has been achieved throughout 2021. Please take a copy. Your prayers and donations have enabled Catholic communities across the world to reach out to those in greatest need and to share with them the hope that comes from knowing that God loves them and that you care about them.
		MARRIAGE CARE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: volunteer@marriagecare.org.uk ARE YOU GETTING MARRIED? Congratulations! Please note that you need to give a minimum of 12 months notice to the parish that you’d like to get married in. Father Simon Could you support the team at Marriage Care? They are looking for volunteer Marriage Preparation Facilitators to help prepare couples for marriage and Trustees to join the national board. Find out more about how you could help support couples: www.marriagecare.org.uk
		UKRAINE: The Diocese, through Caritas, is working to keep parishioners informed as to the current situation while we wait for the UK Government to clarify the role that faith organisations and other charities will play in the formal response to refugees entering the UK. Please look at the Caritas website for the latest news and updates on the crisis. Thank you for your continued support and prayers. Please look at the Caritas website https://caritasportsmouth.org.uk
		CLEANING St Swithun’s Catholic Church: Please contact the Parish Office if you are able to support our wonderful team of cleaners. I am grateful for their support so thank you all.
		MASS INTENTIONS Please submit your Mass intentions well in advance of the date of celebration so that we can accommodate your requested date. Your support in this matter is much appreciated. Thank you.

 Keep up with what’s Happening in our Parish over this coming Year

05 June 2022

Saint Boniface

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06 June 2022

Saint Norbert

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06 June 2022

Daily Devotion Monday 6th June 2022 The Sacred Heart of Jesus

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07 June 2022

Blessed Franz Jaegerstaetter

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07 June 2022

Daily Devotion Tuesday 7th June 2022 The Sacred Heart of Jesus

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08 June 2022

Saint William of York

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08 June 2022

Daily Devotion Wednesday 8th June 2022 The Sacred Heart of Jesus

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09 June 2022

Saint Ephrem

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10 June 2022

Blessed Joachima

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11 June 2022

Saint Barnabas

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11 June 2022

First Holy Communion Programme 2021-2022

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12 June 2022

Blessed Jolenta (Yolanda) of Poland

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13 June 2022

Saint Anthony of Padua

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13 June 2022

Daily Devotion Monday 13th June 2022 The Sacred Heart of Jesus

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14 June 2022

Saint Albert Chmielowski

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14 June 2022

Daily Devotion Tuesday 14th June 2022 The Sacred Heart of Jesus

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15 June 2022

Saint Marguerite d’Youville

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15 June 2022

Daily Devotion Wednesday 15th June 2022 The Sacred Heart of Jesus

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16 June 2022

Saint John Francis Regis

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17 June 2022

Saint Joseph Cafasso

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17 June 2022

First Holy Communion Programme 2021-2022

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18 June 2022

Venerable Matt Talbot

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18 June 2022

First Holy Communion Programme 2021-2022

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19 June 2022

Saint Romuald

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19 June 2022

First Holy Communion Programme 2021-2022

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20 June 2022

Saint Paulinus of Nola

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20 June 2022

Daily Devotion Monday 20th June 2022 The Sacred Heart of Jesus

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21 June 2022

Saint Aloysius Gonzaga

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21 June 2022

Daily Devotion Tuesday 21st June 2022 The Sacred Heart of Jesus

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22 June 2022

Saint Thomas More

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22 June 2022

Daily Devotion Wednesday 22nd June 2022 The Sacred Heart of Jesus

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23 June 2022

Saint John Fisher

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24 June 2022

Saint John the Baptist

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25 June 2022

Blessed Jutta of Thuringia

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26 June 2022

Blessed Raymond Lull

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Scroll through to see all the events happening from the 5th June 2022 till the 31st July 2022

Flower Arranger’s Rota and volunteers Needed

Flowers for the Altar Updated 06-02-2022 If you like to see the flowers on the altar would you like to volunteer to join the flower team please. Please consider joining the creative group who dress the altar for our Lord Jesus Christ and his parish. Call Rosemary Devonald 02392 750867 or 07792857828. And welcome to a new member of our flower team Chloe and farewell to two valued and long term members, Orisa and Julia.  We wish them well and thank them profusely. Flower Arranger’s Rota and volunteers - Update 17-10-2021 Thank you so much to all who have shown ...
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CLICK HERE – NEW SECTION: LINK TO THE LATEST PORTSMOUTH DIOCESE E_NEWSLETTER

Click here: Please find the full schedule here for the 2021-2022 First Holy Communion Programme.  If you worship in this Parish please be sure to check this newsletter for further information. Attendance at Mass is an expectation and requirement.

Please ensure that all candidates have been to confession before their big day on 19 June. Mr McCreesh has posted on our website a wonderful summary about confession. Please do take a look at this helpful guide.

Many thanks Fr. Simon

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2022: The Applications to register for the preparation for The First Sacrament of Confession & Holy Communion are available in the sacristy after Sunday Masses

Note the form will appear online shortly (The 2021-22 programme is open only to children born on or before 31.8.2014)

UPDATE ON BAPTISM REQUESTS  & CLASSES

BAPTISM SESSION – TUESDAY 7 JUNE, 6.00pm, CANON KUNER ROOM If you have handed in a form, please be sure to attend or notify me if you are unable to make it

Baptism classes can be arranged with me via the parish office. Please call at front door at the front door of 105 Waverley Road. You can also email me at: streloar@portsmouthdicoese.org.uk

Please complete the baptism form and bring it to the parish office as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. Blessing Father Simon

• If you need a copy of Baptism certificate please contact the Parish Office.
• If you want to get someone baptised then feel free to make an appointment with father Marcin.

For those who would like to arrange a Baptism for their child:

– Please collect a Baptism Application Form from the porch of the church (or found on the Parish Website);
– Read carefully what is expected form the Parents and Godparents of a child for this Sacrament;
– Contact Parish Priest to arrange the very first meeting of getting now each other and to make the individual decision about the process of the preparation;

Fr. Simon – First Communion Programme 2021-2022 Schedule

First Communion Programme for 2021-2022 Schedule - (see below for links to resources) We are pleased to announce that the First Communion programme will start on November 27th 2021. We plan to meet at St Swithun's in the Church on Saturdays at 1:30p,m for those children who are being prepared for this wonderful sacrament. Brian & Linda McCreesh will be leading the programme for the Parish. You can find their contact details below. There will be a WhatsApp group started for parents once the programme gets underway. You can register your child for the programme by either contacting the parish ...
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Fr. Simon – House Bound and Communion of the Sick:

This is available if requested to those who are unable to attend church as they would have normally done. We would like to keep and improve this important link for those who are ill. Volunteer will need to have Safeguarding approval and training will be given. We are keen to have more volunteers for this worthwhile ministry. Please leave your details with the priest or office by email where possible. Thank you. God's Blessings from Father Simon Email: southseaparish@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk ...
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Fr. Simon – Baptism Preparation Programme 2021-22

Baptism Classes for St Swithun's  & Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Update: 22-10-2021 Baptism classes had a nil attendance last week, which was disappointing. I will be available from 1800 at the presbytery this coming Tuesday 26th October, so if you have given me a form for baptism, please ensure you attend or notify me with your apology. Update: 17-10-2021 There will be classes for those wishing to have their child baptised beginning at 6pm on 19th October at the presbytery, please ensure that you have completed and returned your form prior to the meeting. Further details can be found ...
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Universal intention – For families

We pray for Christian families around the world; may they embody and experience unconditional love and advance in holiness in their daily lives.

Prayer of the Month – June 2022

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, in you we contemplate the splendour of true love; to you we turn with trust.
Holy Family of Nazareth, grant that our families too may be places of communion and prayer, authentic schools of the Gospel and small domestic churches.
Holy Family of Nazareth, may families never again experience violence, rejection and division; may all who have been hurt or scandalized find ready comfort and healing.
Holy Family of Nazareth, make us once more mindful of the sacredness and inviolability of the family,
and its beauty in God’s plan.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Graciously hear our prayer.

Amen.

Pope Francis, Amoris Laetitia

Please pray for those who are ill especially: Caroline Bennett, Robert & Eileen Steward, Louie Muscat, Tony & Julie Duffy, Brian Girling, Shelia Langford; Catherine Morgan, Pam Brown Ward, for all the children suffering and their poor families with them Aidan Molloy, David Shields, Bob Guy, Ms Sini Chacko, Kathleen & Kevin Jones, Heidi Badnell, Rosemary Devonald, Dominic, Carol Langsford, Patricia Ward, Stan Whitnell, Patrick McCreesh, Eddie Coppani, Tony Denny, Betty Foster, Bobby, Eileen Stewart, Joan Smith, John Williams, Margaret Bager, Fred Vuksani, Tom & Lily, Greta Kemp, Magda K, Mary Wallis, Micheline Thompson, Pat Needham, Margaret Badger, Anne Sullivan, Josephine Butler.

And all whose anniversaries occur at this time: 5th June 2022:  Diana Clark, David Best,Eileen Inkpen, Mary Hehir, Jo Wheeler, Shirley Parker, Dennis William Johnson, Carmen Muscat, Simon Paul Urwin, Mary Denny, Sheila Merrett, George Cowley, Bernard Donaghy, Bridget Nolan, Terry Kendal, William Lynch, Isabella Graham, Michael Collins, Anne McGowan, Wanda Gant, Suzanne Severs, Rosanna Schofield, Winifred Tripp, Catherine Henney, Johanna Davis, Leonard Hayles, Davina Cameron, Charles Cummins, Frank Hilton, Charles William Rolph, Patrick John Tyrrell, William Deary, Frances Barrett, Albert Brain, Jane Lattan, Gladys Whittle, Mary Young, May Flood, Miriam Keane, Ellen Gray, Janice Margaret Johnson, Archbishop John Henry King, William Smith, Eileen Orme, Herbert Diemer, Ann Mary Froggatt, Mary Patricia Tovey, Christine Ann Hogan (Ann), Bridget Hanvery, Florence Ellen Healey, Annie Evison, Albert Mensell, Elizabeth Mary Hawkins, Nora Parker, Lugrezia (Grace) Veronica Tynan, James Madigan, William Morgan, David Calder, Ellen Green, Percy Spicer, Hilda Clifton, Anne Woolfe, James Patrick Madigan, John Stephen Feeley, John Young (Frank), Ethel Penwell, Florence Casey, Alice Whiles, Mary Diver, Eileen Field, Mary Shute, Antoni Brown, Beatrice McIver, Hilda Lowe and Christina Perseltic Carter., ,Lizzie and Patrick McSharry ,Gemma Litchfield , Ivy Rouse , Stan Pickering and Jozef Michalczuk

May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed through the Mercy of God rest in peace. Amen 

 Community Pray:

House of Prayer Portsmouth have been praying for the city and feel that God is asking for the churches in the city to prayer walk their boundaries. We would like to invite you as a congregation to walk the boundary of your parish to pray God’s blessing and bring hope, healing and awakening to the area. The Holy Rosary is absolutely perfect for this initiative. You can join the Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/937798273059418/

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Parish Devotions this month

 

History of Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Devotion to the Sacred Heart can be seen as early as the second century with St. Justin Martyr and in the 7th century with Pope Gregory the Great. Writers throughout these centuries emphasized the pierced side of Christ as the inexhaustible source from which all graces flow upon mankind and the blood and water as symbols of the sacraments of the Church. With the coming of St. Bernard of Clairvaux and St. Anselm in the 12th century, there was a sudden increase in direct reference to the love of the Sacred Heart for every person redeemed by His Passion and ...
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The Popes on Devotion to the Sacred Heart

The feast of the Sacred Heart was approved for specified dioceses by Clement XIII in 1765, and extended to the whole Church by Pius IX in 1856. In 1889 Pope Leo XIII elevated it to the rank of first class, and through an encyclical letter in 1899 dedicated the whole Catholic world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Devotion to the Sacred Heart was also an essential component of Pope John Paul II's hopes for the "new evangelization" called for by the Church. "For evangelization today," he said, "the Heart of Christ must be recognized as the heart of the Church: ...
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Scriptural Basis for the Devotion

Jesus, who is one with the Father (cf. John 10, 30), invites his disciples to live in close communion with him, to model their lives on him and on his teaching. He, in turn, reveals himself as "meek and humble of heart" (Matthew 11, 29). It can be said that, in a certain sense, devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a cultic form of the prophetic and evangelic gaze of all Christians on him who was pierced (cf. John 19, 37; Zac 12, 10), the gaze of all Christians on the side of Christ, transfixed by a lance, ...
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The Sacred Heart and Our Spiritual Life

Devotion to the Sacred Heart is a wonderful historical expression of the Church's piety for Christ, her Spouse and Lord: it calls for a fundamental attitude of conversion and reparation, of love and gratitude, apostolic commitment and dedication to Christ and his saving work. Devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus are numerous. Some have been explicitly approved and frequently recommended by the Apostolic See. Among these, mention should be made of the following: Personal Consecration Personal consecration, described by Pius XI as "undoubtedly the principal devotional practice used in relation to the Sacred Heart" (Miserentissimus redemptor). Family Consecration Family consecration ...
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Twelve Promises of Jesus to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque

In the apparitions to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Jesus gives these twelve promises for those who are devoted to His Sacred Heart ...
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June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a very, very old practice originally arising out of devotion to the Sacred wounds of Christ and all that His sacrifice for us embodied. It is a beautiful practice with which you can get closer to Jesus in contemplation of the Passion and His most perfect sacrifice. In 1899, the human race was dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Pope Leo XIII’s decree in his encyclical Annum Sacrum. Pope Pius X extended this by instituting this dedication be renewed yearly. The Feast Day for the Sacred Heart of Jesus falls ...
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Blog Topic: The Eucharist is ‘the School of True Love for Us’

My Dearest Brother and Sister in Christ, my Friend Last time, I tried to show You that the Holy Mass, The Eucharist is the revelation of the unfinished of God’s love towards us, and must be measured as a gift. Today, please let’s see that true love cannot be measured ...
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Blog Topic: “Mystery of the Holy Trinity”

04/06/2022

World Communications Day 2022 is on May 29th

27/05/2022

Bishop Philip – Come, Follow Me: A Ten-Year Strategy

20/05/2022

 

OFFERTORY: Thank you for last Sunday’s Collection.

 

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Electronic offertory: If you have not managed to set up your electronic giving yet, please can you do so as soon as possible.
The Parish Bank Account details are: Account Name (Lloyd’s Bank’): PRCDTR Our Lady of Lourdes’ & St Swithun Church Sort Code: 30-93-04; parish Account no: 01730453.

Financial assistance: If you are able to increase your usual weekly offering (during this time of uncertainty) it will be a huge help to the parish. Even the slightest increase will be a help – THANK YOU!

You can donate via the button on the Parish website – or here 

Standing Order and  other useful Information

 Download Standing Order Form (PDF)

Lloyds Bank : sort code 30-93-04 ; Account number 01730453 (Cheques mad payable to: PRCDTR Our Lady & St. Swithun)

with Blessings Canon Simon Treloar

Thank you as always for all the gifts, food and toilets for our HOMELESS people, who our Parish minister for. Thank You for all your care and generosity. Please, leave your gifts and donations in the sacristy of the church. Thank You.

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Download Newsletter PDF -05-06-2022

WE’RE SO EXCITED TO SHARE THIS NEWS WITH YOU AND DON’T FORGET USE THE CONTACT FORMS ON OUR WEBSITE !

Download this newsletter in printer-friendly PDF format to read later.

Download this week’s Newsletter here: Newsletter: Sunday 5th June 2022 Pentecost Sunday Year C

PARISH CONTACTS

• PARISH PRIEST: Canon Simon Treloar
• tel: 02392 828305 – please leave a message
• email: streloar@portsmouthdicoese.org.uk
• Address: 105 Waverley Road, Southsea, PO5 2PL;
• Safeguarding Minister: Teresa Rowe  tel: 023 92 818295;
• Safeguarding Minister: Anne Worden  tel: 023 92 817586;
• Parish Secretary: Mrs Kathleen Jones
• Parish Office Hours: Tues, Thurs and Friday, 8.00am –12.30pm. tel: 02392 828 305
  email: southseaparish@portsmouthdiocese.org.uk
• Parish website: http://www.stswithuns.org.uk  
• Facebook Profile: @Stswithuns.org.uk

 

NEW SECTION ON OUR WEBSITE IF YOU JUST WANT TO SPEND SOME SPECIAL TIME WITH GOD

  Read More on our Renewal Pages here

Updated Coronavirus Safety Guidelines

Track and trace: code. Please use the QR Code (on the back of the church). Simply hold your camera app over the code and follow the instructions. This would be helpful should a local outbreak of the virus be detected.
Ventilation:In order for us to comply with regulations and therefore be considered a ‘COVID secure environment’ the doors must be left open. As the temperature drops in the weeks ahead it will be important to wrap-up warm for Mass! Please do bear this in mind.

Please remember the advice is to wear a mask inside closed areas and churches.

Click this link for any questions you might have found on our website.

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