THE HOLY FAMILY

All parishes, where more than 2 Sunday holy Masses are celebrated each weekend, in the Archdiocese of Southwark, by decree of Archbishop John, are required to reduce the number of Sunday holy Masses by one holy Mass, beginning on the third weekend in July until the first weekend in September. I would very much like to hear your view on this and also how you think we can achieve this in our Holy Family parish here in Sanderstead. Which of our three Sunday holy Masses would be best to remove? Do we need to change the times of any of our Sunday holy Masses? How best can we work with neighbouring parishes, which are also required to drop one holy Mass, to ensure Sunday holy Masses are available in our area?  Please let me know your views and suggestions on all this. The Archbishop wants our response by next Wednesday, Ash Wednesday! Please talk to me directly or by telephone, text or email, as soon as you can. I would like very much to hear your views and suggestions before offering our parish decision to the Deanery and to Archbishop John.

An Intention for holy Mass is a specific prayer, often for a particular person or purpose, that a priest offers during the celebration of a holy Mass. It is the best way that we have to unite our lives, our hopes, our fears, our joys and our sorrows with the Lord Jesus. It is the best way possible, because every time holy Mass takes place, the Lord’s Death and Resurrection also takes place. A holy Mass Intention is a prayer asking that the Lord’s victory over sin and death be applied to the Intention. The Intention can be for those who are still living in this world or for those who have left this world. Anyone, of course, may request a holy Mass - In Thanksgiving, for a Birthday, for someone who has died, on the occasion of a special Anniversary, for someone who is unwell or for any other intention that we believe the good Lord wishes to hear and possibly to give us. Every holy Mass is the making present of the Lord offering his saving love to everyone, so every holy Mass is for everyone! However, sometimes we have specific Intentions that we may wish to mention to the Lord. A ‘Stipend’ or Offering for the holy Mass is not a fee! It is not ‘the cost of a holy Mass’! The holy Mass is so sacred, so full of the Lord’s presence and saving power that it is priceless! In fact, the Stipend is only a gesture of gratitude and care for the priest who celebrates the holy Mass for you. It is a way for supporting our priests who, although they do not receive salaries, still need personal funds to meet their own ‘costs of living.’ The Stipend suggested by the Archdiocese of Southwark Finance Committee is a minimum of £10 for each holy Mass. Of course, anyone who can’t afford a Stipend should still request a holy Mass Intention and I’m sure every priest would always be more than happy to celebrate holy Mass for someone in that situation.  Here in our parish, please use the holy Mass Intention envelopes which you will find in the porch of the church. Please write the details of the Intention, a preferred date if required, enclose the Stipend, and let me have it directly or post it through the presbytery letterbox.

We begin the holy Season of Lent, this week, on Wednesday, Ash Wednesday. We will have two holy Masses for Ash Wednesday, as shown above. At each holy Mass, ashes will be blessed and distributed. The ashes will be placed on our foreheads, with the words: “Remember you are dust and to dust you will return”, a stark and dramatic reminder that all of us, young or not so young, are to leave this world in the not too distant future and to stand before God to give an account of how we have lived. If we are ready for that moment, all is well. Let’s make sure that we are indeed ready to meet Our Lord and Saviour by entering wholeheartedly into these forthcoming forty days of Lent. The best way to begin to do that is to celebrate the holy Mass of Ash Wednesday on Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning and to receive the blessed ashes. Then, do something extra during Lent, to get to know the Lord Jesus better - weekday holy Mass, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Morning/Evening Prayer from the Divine Office, Prayer in church before the Blessed Sacrament, Stations of the Cross, active involvement in some way in the life of our parish. Please note that Ash Wednesday is a Fast Day, when we do without meat and reduce the amount of food we eat.  Please note also that each Friday evening during Lent, we will meditate together on Our Lord’s suffering and death, at 6.00pm, praying the ‘Stations of the Cross’. Each week we will use a different set of meditations.