The church is open all day from dawn till dusk. Have you seen it, apart from on Sunday? SUNDAY OCTOBER 12TH 2003 28TH WEEK OF THE YEAR HULL FAIR WEEK Today's Gospel: A Cluttered Heart – strange how it's always someone else who is rich, never ourselves. It's even stranger that those who have least often give the most – while the more people have, the less inclined they can be to give. Curious how our possessions can possess us. Enter this rich man – but why did he come? He seemed to have it all. Maybe he climbed the ladder of life, only to find it was perched against the wrong wall. Perhaps he realised that he couldn't take wealth with him – and this eternal life Jesus spoke of was the very thing he lacked. He was a young, keen, vigorous, probably well-connected candidate. Modern leaders would do everything possible to ensure they signed him up – but not Jesus. God's love never compromises with truth. He's told he lacks one thing and is given five commands: Go! Sell! Give! Come! Follow! What did he think as he trudged away? 'This is completely impractical! I have obligations. It's unfair. I bet he never asked others to do that.' Living the Christian life means following your Lord, no matter what. He asks us to stay in tough situations, to love the unlovable, to forgive the unforgivable. What would Jesus say is lacking in you, as he gazes upon you with steady love? And would we go away sad: owning much, but possessing nothing of real value? |
Friday October 17th The 25th Anniversary of the election of Karol Wojtyla as Pope John Paul II. Fr. Bill Charlton has recently returned from Rome and the word there is that the Pope is suffering from stomach cancer and may have only a short time to live. We pray for him that he won't suffer too much.
Counters this week: Joan and Peter Watts.
Next week: Gerry Doherty and Margaret Nicklas.
Sponsor Les Ulyatt: Would you like to sponsor Les to leave the country for the next seven months? It's nothing to do with Teresa's recent retirement! He noticed that during his recent holiday Hull City scored twelve goals! Could there be any connection? (Can I have your pass while you're away, Les?). And Matt Stephenson, who writes in the Hull Daily Mail, this week said, "Of course, there's still plenty of time for it all to go horribly wrong. But this time it feels like we've got someone on our side. Maybe it's God. Maybe Stuart Elliot brought him." (He is a born-again Christian Hull City football player from Northern Ireland, and proud of it!).
Journey in Faith Programme: We started last Monday with a good turn-out. But Thursday seems to be a better evening so from now on we'll be meeting in the house at 7.30 p.m. and finishing before 9.00 p.m. For those who wish, the course will end with reception into full Communion with the Catholic Church around Easter time.
Cottingham's Cardinal continued: Paul O'Brien's uncle Keith, Scotland's new Cardinal talked about his willingness to discuss celibacy amongst other things. The history of celibacy serves to indicate the historical attitude of the Church towards sexuality.
Autumn Fayre: This coming Saturday starting at 10.30 in the Civic Hall. You've only got the inside of a week to finish your 'spring-cleaning'. We'll take almost anything! The proceeds will be split between our twin parish in Sierra Leone and the St. Charles' Drop-in Centre.
Parish Alpha Programmes: There are two running at the moment. About ten people are meeting in the Priory Room every Wednesday evening beginning with a meal at 7.00 p.m. and starting this coming Thursday there will be a 'Morning Alpha' at the home of Shirley and Tony Woods-McConville, 1, Arlington Avenue. Tel: 842285 Everyone is welcome to come along to either at any time.
Holy Cross Luncheon Club: It's here again. Come early to get a seat! We are so indebted to all the volunteers who give freely of their time and energy to make this such a success. And the time – high noon in the Priory Room on the first and third Wednesday.
Mission Appeal: "Dear Pat, this is just to thank you and the parish for the welcome and hospitality when I came to Holy Cross last weekend for the APF-Mill Hill red mission box appeal. I enjoyed the weekend – not least the pub meals! (The Tiger and the Fair Maid). Thank you for them. Twenty five boxes went out so that was a very good response. The Parish is certainly a lively one and there's a very good spirit among the people – so keep up the good work all of you! Thanks again, Pat, for your co-operation over the appeal and may God bless you and the people. Yours sincerely, Frank Graham M.H.M."
From Linda Gillard: "Dear Fr. Pat, just an official 'thank you' for the newsletter please. I would like to thank all those who helped with my 50th Birthday Buffet on the 28th Sept. For all the cards and presents I received, they were much appreciated. Thank you all at Holy Cross for your love and support. It meant so much especially as my parents are no longer alive to share such celebrations. I feel so grateful to be part of the loving family which is Holy Cross. I would have spoken after Mass but knowing me, I'd have needed the tissues! Love, Linda."
Diocese of Middlesbrough Women's Commission: Our next event will be a talk on "Creation Spirituality" led by Mary Dunn at English Martyrs Church Hall, Dalton Tce. in York, on Saturday 18th October from 1.00 – 4.00 p.m. There will be tea/coffee from noon and please bring your own lunch. All women and men of the diocese are welcome to attend. Mary Dunn, who often worships here, is a retired clinical psychologist who is also a council member of Greenspirit, the organisation which used to be known as Creation Spirituality.
Parishioner Tony 'Ginger' Simmonds sent me the following from his friend Rod Charlton in Australia:
Three boys are bragging about their dads. The first says, "When my dad writes something called a poem he gets £100 for it." "That's nothing!" says the second boy. "When my dad writes something called a song he gets £200 for it." To which the third boy replies, "When my dad writes something called a sermon, after he's done reading it, it takes eight people to collect all the money for it!"
St. Mary's College: The East Riding of Yorkshire does not make provision on its application form for parents resident in the East Riding who may wish to apply for St. Mary's College. Parents have to make direct application for entry to St. Mary's on the appropriate forms. These can be obtained directly from the college. Entries for September 2004 have to be received by 12th December 2003 and applications always exceed places available.
"My Church My Family." 2004 – The 10th anniversary of the U.N.'s International Year of the Family and the church in this country is going to celebrate it by looking at and asking ourselves, as a church, as a family, what life is like, right now, for families. Each diocese will have a Gathering Day with a sharing of ideas and suggestions. Our's will be on September 11th 2004. There will be more about this in the new year. A website worth recommending, www.domestic-church.com is actually a family apostolate which aims to reach families how to live the Catholic faith in their family lives. Start by clicking on the index, where you will find an outline of the various sections of this website. These bring you to pages where there are links to articles, essays, stories, reviews, teachings as well as information on saints and sacraments. If you want some practical things-to-do, check out the section entitled 'Fridge Art'. And finally, a reporter watched a fire burn down a house. He noticed a little boy with his parents. The reporter, fishing for a human interest angle, said to the boy, "Son, it looks like you don't have a home anymore." The boy answered brightly, "We have a home, we just don't have a house to put it in."
The vicar's son at the Yorkshire village church asked his father, "Teacher says that 'congregate' and 'collect' mean the same. Is he right?" "Perhaps, son," said the vicar, "but round here there's a blooming big difference between a congregation and a collection!"
Ongoing Formation Talks for Priests and People: The last in the present series on "Prayer" will be given by Fr. Colman Ryan, formerly of Holy Name Parish and now parish priest in Thirsk. They begin at 7.30 and last about an hour, at the Endsleigh Centre, this Tuesday.
Fr. Tony will be speaking at the Endsleigh Centre tonight, Sunday at 7.30 p.m. and his topic will be, "Sixty Years of Priestly Ministry." Should be fascinating! Everyone is most welcome to attend.
Parish Walsingham Pilgrimage: Friday – Sunday, December 12 – 14. Cost under £50. So far we have 24 parishioners signed up. Don't leave it too late as the 'two for one' offer is very popular!
Holy Cross – Good Value? Visiting the 'Hidden Gem' church in the centre of Manchester on Thursday I discovered that their votive lights cost 25p! We charge only 10p!
Bones: The membership of any organisation is made up of four sets of bones. There are the Wishbones, who spend all their time wishing someone else would do the work; along with the Jawbones, who do all the talking but very little else. Another group is the Knucklebones – they knock everything that anybody else tries to do. But most valuable are the Backbones, who get under the load and actually do the work. To which set do you belong?
Dear Fr. Pat,
Just a quick note to thank you so much for helping to 'do us' as you put it back in July for our big day at Zion. We had a perfect day. I think for most people your blessing was one of the high points of the service – especially as most people, on seeing a joint-denomination service plan were probably expecting something more traditionally boring! You really helped make our day, and, I think, got a few people to think – certainly we got a few of them to comment! Suffice to say that if we were living in Cottingham we would definitely be choosing to bring our children up at Holy Cross.
During our honeymoon we climbed Kilimanjaro, the hardest thing we ever did! Seeing as you already have a Kili rock (courtesy of Steve Haswell), we decided to send something back rather than taking away – we have collected a big box of climbing equipment and worn gear from everyone we know and are posting it out to one of our guides to distribute amongst the porters, which means they can work more safely (the guides and porters all came from the same village at the base of the hill). Hope you approve?
One small request: a couple of prayers for Linda, Becky's mother, would be gratefully received as she is stuck at home with plaster casts on both feet. And Becky's dad!
Great to see you last weekend (as ever) and look forward to dropping in next time we are up North!
Good luck with bricks, walls, goats, church gardens and of course God, in the mean time!
Many thanks again,
Daniel and Becky Loftus
Anniversaries this coming week:
Saturday – Mary Cooke (Mary Lunn's mother)
Sunday – Ellen King – (Shirley's grandmother)
Monday – Stella Corcoran (Tony's mother) and Mary Wright
Tuesday – Michael McKeown (Moira Thomson's brother)
Thursday – Hilda Murphy (Leo's mother) and Margery Johnson
Friday – James Walsh (Marion Mooney's father) and Kitty Gilmore
Saturday – Mark Morkos (Angela's father)
Mass Intentions for the coming week:
Saturday – 6.30 – Norah and Bill Norris (A)
Sunday – 10.00 – Martin Murphy
Monday – 9.00 – Edna May Holwell (RIP)
Tuesday – 6.30 – Michael McKeown (A)
Wednesday – Keith Brown (A)
Thursday – 9.00 – Sr. Aloysius Ruane (RIP)
Friday – 9.00 – Communion Service
Saturday – 9.00 – The Parishioners
Saturday – 6.30 – Tony Coyle (RIP)
Sunday – 10.00 – Betty and Robert Carvlin (RIP)
Sick Parishioners and Friends: Please remember in your prayers, Phil and Susannah Norton and their children in France. Mary Davidson's brother Chris also ill in Paris. John and Marion Boland, John Andrews, Claire Britton, John Gavin, Doreen Fletcher, Mary Guazelli, Peter and Margaret Price, Roy Caley, Pat Falvey, Marian Hall's mother, Vin McKenna. If you'd like someone's name included on the list, please don't hesitate to tell me.
Parish Prayer Circle Intention for Friday: "As the Pope celebrates his Silver Jubilee, we give thanks for all the good he has done throughout the world during these past twenty-five years"
One World Week: The Churches in the village will be celebrating it with a Party and Quiz at the Methodist Church (quiz set by Peter O'Reilly) on Thursday October 23rtd. at 7.00 p.m. Tickets will be £2.
Deanery Meeting: The priests from our five local parishes meet here on Wednesday. We had a lively few hours to say the least. On the agenda was the possible closure of one of our five parishes in the near future! that certainly got things going! The Vicar General, Mgr. Ricardo Morgan will be coming to talk to us in the near future about this. I think we're safe as the diocese has basically given us permission to go ahead with the building project! But following on from this there will be a Pastoral Area Meeting with reps. from the five parishes present on Wednesday November 12th at St. Anthony's at 7.30 p.m. Any volunteers? The topic will be: "The Church in Hull in 2010? What will we do in our area when we will have just four priests instead of the five we have at present?" Should be a lively evening!
There will be an Area Service of Reconciliation for Advent at the Marist Church on Thursday December 11th at 7.30 p.m.
On the Thursdays of Lent 2004, Holy Name Parish will host our annual Lenten Devotions, with each parish taking a different evening.
Stamps, Bricks, Logs etc. Save your stamps and put them in the box in the porch for Michelle to make money with! The deadline for the Engraved Bricks is getting close. Don't miss out! If you have an open fire or would like some logs as garden decoration etc. there are plenty of them in the back garden.
Harvest Fast Day: Leo tells me that so far he has counted over £600 with more to come in. And when you think that many of you signed Gift Aid declarations, that makes every pound worth 128 pence to CAFOD. Many, many thanks for your usual generosity!