28th-29th March 2020
Fifth Sunday of Lent
Parish Priest – Father David B Barrett – email – olneyparishpriest@icloud.com
Parish Deacon – Rev Peter Griffin – Tel 07850499414 – email – pfgriffin@hotmail.co.uk
Parish Administrator – Denise Wallinger
Tel 01234 711212
email: ourladysolney@btconnect.com
SVP Contact – Tel 07925 125206
Parish Website: www.ourladysolney.co.uk
MASS EVERY DAY VIA YOUTUBE
You can watch Mass being offered every day from our church. You will find a link on our parish website (see the address above) which says TAKE ME THERE. Just press that and it will take you YouTube where you click on the picture of the Mass you wish to see. Live Masses have the word LIVE printed on the picture on the screen: you click on that and you should be there. Just make sure that it is the correct Mass. So, for Saturday evening it says clearly it is for Saturday 6.30pm; for Sunday it is clearly stated it is for Sunday 10.30am.
There is a 5 minute pause before the Mass begins: this gives us an opportunity to gather our thoughts and recall our personal offering that we make of our day, our week, our lives and our hearts – and for whom we wish to pray. It also gives me a window for sorting out any technical difficulties – this morning the picture froze although there was still sound: I was the invisible priest!
In order to help contain the spread of the virus, our churches remain sadly closed, even for private prayer.
If you have any Mass intentions to be offered, please contact Fr David, Deacon Peter or Denise.
This weeks Masses are as follows:
Fifth Sunday of Lent
Saturday 28th March 6.30pm For the people of the parish
Sunday 29th March 10.30am Ann O’Connor RIP
Monday 30th March 10.00am
Tuesday 31st March 10.00am
Wednesday 1st April 10.00am
Thursday 2nd April 10.00am
Friday 3rd April 10.00am Throckmorton family RIP
Saturday 4th April 10.00am
Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
Saturday 4th April 6.30pm For the people of the parish
Sunday 5th April 10.30am Sharonne van Reyk RIP
SPIRITUAL COMMUNION – Even if you are not attending Mass, you can make a Spiritual Communion every day. It is an expressed heartfelt desire to receive Our Lord even when we are unable. In making the prayer, we receive the Lord spiritually. Here is one prayer to make a Spiritual Communion:
My Jesus, I believe that You are truly present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as being already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
St Alphonsus Liguori
SUPPORTING EACH OTHER – There has been an amazing response to local and national requests for volunteers to support local communities. I have been moved to hear how people are looking after each other here in the parish also. Please continue to contact Denise, Deacon Peter, myself or a member of the SVP if you feel they could do with some practical support.
FOODBANK – Please continue to support the foodbank either by dropping off at church. Every day I will have a box outside my front door for donations. I check it frequently and am rarely out of the house for more than an hour (once a day, as the Government has ruled!).
As at March 2020, the following products are especially needed in the warehouse over the next few months:
- Long Life Juice
- Long Life Milk
- Tinned Rice Pudding / Custard
- Tinned Meat
- Tinned Vegetables
- Tinned Tomatoes
- Pasta Sauce
- Spreads
PARISH SUPPORT – If you are able to continue to support the church financially you might consider setting up a standing order. Please contact Denise via ourladysolney@btconnect.com for bank details. There is also an on-line giving facility on the Diocesan website for one-off donations: we will have more information on that soon.
PLEASE PRAY FOR the repose of the soul of Margaret Vinson, mother of Marianne Carew, who died in Kent on 17th March. May she rest in peace and we pray that the Lord will comfort her family.
PRAY – Let’s continue to pray for each other and look out for each other as much. Pray the Rosary especially, the Divine Mercy at 3.00pm every day and the Prayer to St Michael. Make frequent Spiritual Communions. You can find these prayers and on the parish website.
Please do not hesitate to contact me or the Parish Administrator if you need further help.
A FEW THOUGHTS FOR THIS SUNDAY
The other night people along West Street – and throughout the country – stood at their doors or windows to clap their hands for all those working in the NHS. It was a very moving sight and sound. It was made even more special for me by the sound of bells being rung: a group of the Sisters from St Joseph’s Convent came out on to the street ringing bells and clapping. They meant business!
It was a gesture of gratitude – but also one of praise. In these difficult circumstances we want to celebrate the dedication of so many people in the NHS and thank them for it.
Gratitude and praise are central to our Faith. The word Eucharist is Greek for giving thanks. The Mass is the greatest act of praise that we can give God – because, at its heart, it is Christ’s own prayer of love and praise and thanksgiving to His Father. He loved His Father and us so much that He willingly gave His life. In sacrificing His life so generously, He was revealing to us how much God loves us – God gives His all. But He was also showing us how we can praise and love God – by giving ourselves.
By praying our Morning Offering, by making our spiritual communions, we give to God in love everything we do and say and think and feel and endure and enjoy. We are learning to give ourselves entirely to God. In this way, our praise of God is more than words or hymns or actions, important as they are. All that we do becomes praise of God until that praise is nothing less than who we are.
During Lent, we are at school again learning to let go of things that hold us back – sin and selfishness, but also fear and hopelessness. The Lord is teaching us again how to draw close to Him and to our brothers and sisters in need. Offering ourselves to Him every morning will help us – because we will discover that it is the Lord who supplies us with the inspiration and the strength to do good in our lives. With the crisis developing around us, the season of Lent is teaching us this again. If we listen to the lesson, then our lives and the Eucharist will not be two separate realities – but one stream whose source is in God’s Heart itself.
God bless you all and your families. May Our Lady, Help of Christians, St Joseph and St Lawrence pray for us all, for our health workers, nurses and doctors, for our Governments, for our parish and Diocese and the whole Church – and for all of the world, so in need of God’s grace.
With my love and prayers,
Fr David B Barrett
Parish Priest