St Anthony of Padua Anerley

Fourth Sunday

Mass Readings: Pages 130-133

Order of Mass: Pages 6-60

All week long we are smoothly and slickly bombarded by values that are different from we hear at church on Sundays. For example, the world teaches us that power, prestige, possessions and popularity are the keys to happiness; or when faced with problems, we are told it’s all right to escape: escape in selfishness, escape in drugs, escape in violence, escape in difference and cynicism. Today Jesus presents us with some opposing values. He teaches us that we can create happiness and capacity for joy by ourselves and radiate them to others.

St. Matthew, our evangelist of the year, has Jesus put many Christian values together at the beginning of his Sermon on the Mount ( parts of which will be our Gospel for the next six Sundays).

The statements in today’s portion are called Beatitudes, from beati, or blessed, or happy, the opening words in each statement. All the beatitudes speak of this world,  they contain congratulations on what is, and promise a reward that always consists in at least an improved relationship with God. To view our  life as blessed does not require us to deny our pain or to put on a happy face no matter what. It simply demands a more all embracing vision. Though the list of beatitudes could be lengthened the existing ones constitute the very foundations of the law of kingdom and aspects of Christian reflection.

St. Paul today gives a further contrast between  Jesus’ values and the world’s. In the face of some haughty Christians who were putting on airs in the pagan city of Corinth, he tells his people that by the world’s standards, they may be unimportant nonentities –which they were—but by spiritual standards they have Christ and are therefore all important. Paul says that we are all called to new creation in Christ, who possesses everything that we yearn for.

Do we value that new creation? With all our possibilities of choice out there, do our beatitudes coincide with those of Jesus?

Sunday Teas:

This Sunday’s teas will be served by the volunteers.

Next Sunday’s teas will be served by the UCM (HCPT cake sale).

Thank you to all those who help out with the Sunday Teas.

Last Week’s Collections: The 1st collection was £585.00p + £300.77p in Gift Aid Envelopes giving us a parish total of £ 885.77p. The 2nd collection for Parish Funds was £83.41p. Thank you for your generosity.  Today’s 2nd collection will be for Parish Funds, and next week it will be for the Xaverian Missions following an appeal.

Recently Deceased:  Please pray for the repose of the soul of Margaret Slaney (Marie Harris’ sister). Her funeral will be on the 14th February at 11am followed by committal at Beckenham cemetery at 12.30pm

Young Children’s group will meet on Friday at 6.30pm in the Parish Centre.

Notification of Marriage: Please note that at least six months notice of a marriage is normally required.  If you are member of this parish the paper work must be completed  by this parish no matter where the marriage is solemnised.

Crying Babies and Young Children: If your baby or young child is crying during the Mass please do use the confessional box instead of leaving the Church. We have now installed a monitor inside the confessional box which means parents and carers are able to watch the Mass from inside the confessional box.

Hospital Admissions: If you are due to be admitted to hospital or if you know of a parishioner who has been admitted to hospital then please let one of the clergy know.  Thank you.

Please pray for the sick of the Parish: Bridget McLaughlin, Ellen Garvey, John Barry, Margaret Southwell,  Mercie Ihekweme-Hill, Kieran Quinn, Marie Harris and Michael Creech and Fr. David Hutton.

Minibus Service: Due to reduced numbers it has been decided to suspend the minibus service, which has been bringing parishioners with mobility needs to the 11:15 Sunday mass.  This service has existed for many years, but it is no longer viable with the current numbers.  The service will operate once a month until more participants request this service.

Knights of St Columba Food Bank Collection: The Knights are collecting for the Penge Food Bank this weekend (28th/29th January).  The Parish has received a letter from the Food Bank Organiser expressing their appreciation of our efforts (please see it on the noticeboard at the back of the Church).

Message from The Knights of St Columba: The Knights of St Columba  would like to thank the Parish for all the generous support of fund raising events for good causes in 2016. As one of these good causes the Knights have been able to assist a young member of this parish to become a volunteer at Lourdes this year. A contribution has been made towards  the cost of  the flights and accommodation which the volunteer has to bear. The Knights hope that other young members of our Parish will be encouraged to consider becoming volunteers in the future. They are also grateful that the Parish will continue to support their future events over the coming year.

HCPT Cake Sale: The UCM will be holding a cake sale after the 9.30am Mass next week (5th February).  The proceeds will be going to support one of the young people of the Parish, Grace O’Gorman, to travel to Lourdes as a volunteer with HCPT at Easter.  Please come along to support this worthy cause.

Mount Street Jesuit Centre: Please visit www.pathwaystogod.org which lists all the courses and events at the Mount Street Jesuit Centre.

Cold Weather: Please do remember to close both sets of doors behind you when you are entering or leaving the church so we can conserve the heat inside the Church. Thank you.

Job Vacancies: If you are interested in applying for the job of a temporary EYFS practitioner at Laleham Lea School then please contact the School Secretary on 020 8660 3351.

Please remember to switch off your mobile phone when you enter the Church. Please don’t distract others at Mass.

Notices for the newsletter need to be emailed/posted to the presbytery by 6pm on Thursdays.

MASS TIMES AND INTENTIONS (29th Jan 2017— 5th Feb 2017) (Year: A)