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St Swithuns RC Church Southsea

14 hours ago

SATURDAY – 23-01-2021 of the 1st Week in Ordinary TimeST SWITHUN’s CHURCH IS OPEN FOR PUBLIC CELEBRATIONS:– please keep a proper distance;– sanitize a place which was in contact of your body;– if you will come with children, please do not allow children to walk, run in the church, to avoid many any contact with other people and more places touched which will ne to be sanitize;– keep one direction way and exit the church by the deigned exits;– Please do bear this in mind: the doors must be left open for a good ventilation, so as the temperature drops in the weeks ahead it will be important to wrap-up warm;SACRAMNET OF CONFESSION FROM 9.00am to 9.25am:OUR PLAN IS: (also live-streamed):6.15am – The act of consecration oneself to Jesus Christ through Mary (16/33) – in Polish;6.30am – The Holy Mass (in Polish): Intention: 13th Gregorian Mass for + Trevor Anthony Evans RIP;9.00am – Exposition of The Blessed Sacrament;9.30am – Divine Mercy Chaplet followed by Benediction;10.00am – The Holy Mass. Intention: + Norah Hester Warren RIP; followed by The Holy Rosary Prayer & daily devotion;12.00noon – The act of consecration oneself to Jesus Christ through Mary (16/33) – in Polish;6.00pm – VIGIL MASS OF THE SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME. Intention: For All Parishioners – living and dead;9.00pm – The act of consecration oneself to Jesus Christ through Mary (16/33) – in Polish; … See MoreSee Less

St Swithuns RC Church Southsea

15 hours ago

CHRISTIAN MORNING MEDITATION:I Came to Call SinnersJanuary 16, 2021Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary TimeMark 2:13-17Once again he went out along the sea. All the crowd came to him and he taught them. As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs post. He said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him. Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus heard this and said to them, "Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."Opening Prayer: Call me, Lord. Heal me, for I need you. Do not simply walk along the shore of my life, but enter into my home and into my heart.Encountering Christ:1. The Shore: “Once again” Jesus walked along the sea. The crowds that came to him received teaching, healing, and often a call to mission. So often we can be stuck, sitting still, lost in the world of our own problems. But Christ is never still. He is always coming toward us, seeking us out. Yet, he doesn’t impose himself. He walks along the shore of our life awaiting an invitation from each of us. He wants to bring us wisdom, healing, and a sense of mission and purpose. 2. Follow Me: Levi, also known as Matthew, was considered a “public sinner” because he collected taxes for the Romans, who ruled over the Jewish people. A famous painting, The Call of St. Matthew by Caravaggio, has St. Matthew pointing at himself as if he is saying, “Who, me?” Sometimes we wonder when we see a problem, “Why does no one do anything about this?” or “Someone should say something.” Today’s Gospel is an invitation to ask ourselves, “Who, me?” Christ often calls us to say or do something, but we defer or reject the call because we feel unqualified. Levi was a public sinner, yet he became a great saint. When we feel compelled by the Spirit to act, we trust in the fact that God always equips the called.3. “I Came to Call Sinners”: St. Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians speaks of this mystery of Christian life: “God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27). When God called us to be his apostles, he didn’t just ask us to give him our strengths and talents, but also our weakness and brokenness. He is the Divine Physician. “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Jesus wants us to serve him with all that we are and have, both the good and the bad, through our weakness and our strength.Conversing with Christ: Dear Jesus, I ask that today you take all that I am and all that I have. Come more deeply into my life. I don’t want to leave you standing on the outskirts. I want you to enter into my heart. Come, use my weaknesses and brokenness to do great things in me. I believe that with you I can do all things. Be with me today Lord, and let me follow you.Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will strive to listen attentively and respond promptly to what you ask.stswithuns.org.uk/event/dr-16012021 … See MoreSee Less

St Swithuns RC Church Southsea

2 days ago

FRIDAY – 15-01-2021 of the 1st Week in Ordinary TimeST SWITHUN’s CHURCH IS OPEN FOR PUBLIC CELEBRATIONS:– please keep a proper distance;– sanitize a place which was in contact of your body;– if you will come with children, please do not allow children to walk, run in the church, to avoid many any contact with other people and more places touched which will ne to be sanitize;– keep one direction way and exit the church by the deigned exits;– Please do bear this in mind: the doors must be left open for a good ventilation, so as the temperature drops in the weeks ahead it will be important to wrap-up warm;SACRAMNET OF CONFESSION FROM 9.00am to 9.25amOUR PLAN IS: (also live-streamed):6.15am – The act of consecration oneself to Jesus Christ through Mary (15/33) – in Polish;6.30am – The Holy Mass (in Polish): Intention: 12th Gregorian Mass for + Trevor Anthony Evans RIP;9.00am – Exposition of The Blessed Sacrament;9.30am – Divine Mercy Chaplet followed by Benediction;10.00am – The Holy Mass: For The Poor Souls in Purgatory; followed by the Rosary prayer;12.00noon – The act of consecration oneself to Jesus Christ through Mary (15/33) – in Polish;7.00pm – The Holy Mass. Intention: +Diana Clark RIP (4/20)9.00pm – The act of consecration oneself to Jesus Christ through Mary (15/33) – in Polish;PLEASE, pray today especially for our Dear Fr Zbigniew Zybała, Waldomiro Oliveira, Anthony, Kathleen & Kevin, Jo, Maria, Mary, Joanna’s Parents, Anne, Joey, Charlie, Xander, our First Communion Children, especially this week – Cecily and Her Family, and for our Parish😇🙏 … See MoreSee Less

St Swithuns RC Church Southsea

2 days ago

CHRISTIAN MORNING MEDITATION:Christlike FriendJanuary 15, 2021Friday of the First Week in Ordinary TimeMark 2:1-12When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became known that he was at home. Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them, not even around the door, and he preached the word to them. They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves, “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins?” Jesus immediately knew in his mind what they were thinking to themselves, so he said, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth” –he said to the paralytic, “I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.” He rose, picked up his mat at once, and went away in the sight of everyone. They were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, please open my heart and my mind to the lessons you have for me as I reflect on this Scripture. I know you always want the very best for me and that you meet me in these moments of quiet so that I can get to know you better and trust you more.Encountering Christ:1. His Ways Aren’t Ours: Jesus was just beginning his public ministry and already crowds encircled his home until there was no room for them. This crowd–these individual souls–were of utmost importance to Jesus; they were the very reason he came to earth. With all eyes on him, Jesus did not choose at first to work an astounding miracle. He chose to preach the word. Even when the paralytic was brought before him, Jesus was intent on working an “invisible” miracle—the forgiveness of his sins. Only to convince the doubters did Jesus perform a physical healing. Jesus has one priority—that we listen and obey the Scriptures and the teachings of the Church, and seek forgiveness of our sins when we fail to do so. This is a matter of eternal life or death.2. Counting on Friends: The paralytic relied on four men to bring him close enough to Christ to obtain both physical and spiritual healing. These men were likely good friends of the paralytic. Friends draw us closer to Christ. According to St. Maximilian Kolbe, “God sends us friends to be our firm support in the whirlpool of struggle. In the company of friends, we will find strength to attain our sublime ideal.” Scripture talks of friendship as well: “Faithful friends are a sturdy shelter; whoever finds one finds a treasure. Faithful friends are beyond price, no amount can balance their worth” (Sirach 6:14-15). And how does one find friends like these? “Faithful friends are life-saving medicine; those who fear God will find them” (Sirach 6:16).3. Christ Knows: We hear in these verses that “Jesus immediately knew what they were thinking to themselves.” Jesus always knows what’s on our mind too—our loving, compassionate thoughts as well as our less kind thoughts. We can’t hide any of our thoughts from God. If he already knows what’s on our mind, why do we pray? We pray because prayer is an act of faith, hope, and love; because Jesus told us to pray and set a good example; because prayer is a simple way to share our very human wants and desires with God who loves us; because prayer avails us of grace which can help to align our will with God’s; and because through prayer we may be blessed beyond our wildest expectations.Conversing with Christ: Lord, teach me to pray. Send the Holy Spirit so that I may pray well. I want to be united to you as I read the Scriptures and reflect on your word. Thank you, Lord, for the beautiful friendships I have and help me to be a good friend to others.Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will reach out to a friend and express my gratitude and love for him/her.For Further Reflection: “Friendship, as has been said, consists in a full commitment of the will to another person with a view to that person’s good” (St. John Paul II).stswithuns.org.uk/event/dr-15012021 … See MoreSee Less