Gospel: “If you want to, you can cure me!” The leper is desperate - so much so that he breaks the Sacred Law, comes right up to Jesus and speaks to Him, when he is meant by the Law of Moses to stay at a distance and shout only “Unclean! Unclean!” But it doesn’t

stop Jesus from helping him. This ‘staying at a distance’ will have happened to many of us, perhaps less desperate than the leper, or simply less aware of how desperate we actually are - and the consequence is that we stay away from Jesus, feeling vaguely unclean, not ready to approach Him, not able to put our predicament into words. Lent begins this Wednesday: “Turn from sin and believe/trust the Lord Jesus Christ!”- said prior to our receiving the Ashes. A good start to Lent is to approach Him in our own type of prayer: “Jesus, I feel unworthy, I know I’m a sinner. Open my eyes over the coming 40 days as to what in me keeps me from You! If you want to, you can cure me - you can heal my heart and soul and give me your peace.”

Ash Wednesday, 17 February: Ashes and Masses 8.30am, 12.00 noon, 6.00m. See inside. On Ash Wednesday: we are asked by the Church to abstain this one day from meat (better perhaps,

from favourite, well-flavoured dishes) and to limit our-selves to one proper meal and a couple of snacks.

Catholic Marriage Preparation can be done now with Catholic Marriage Care (info@marriage care.org.uk or 0800 3893801) via Zoom, either joining a group course (Preparing Together) or

FOCCUS, a tailored questionnaire-based, more in-depth preparation, for just the couple.

St Mary’s RC Church

Parish News

AUGUSTINIAN FRIARS

St Mary’s Parish Vivian Road Harborne Birmingham B17 0DN 0121 427 2538

Church Opening and Mass Times: Saturday Confessions: 10.30-11.30am Private Prayer: 10.30-11.45am Masses: 12 noon & 6.00pm Sunday 9.30am, *11.00am & 5.00pm

(via telephone 0121 312 2100)

Monday-Friday Mass: *8.30am (Church open 8.15am, closes 9.15am after Private Prayer and lighting of candles at shrines) *live-streamed Mass

Sunday 14 February 2021 Sixth Sunday in

Ordinary Time (B) Divine Office Week 2

Birmingham RC Diocesan Trustees, Charity No: 234216

Parish Priest: Fr John Reid OSA - parishpriest@saintmarysharborne.org.uk

Parish Secretary: Nadine Douglas - prioryoffice@saintmarysharborne.org.uk

www.saintmarysharborne.org.uk www.augustinians.org.uk

Keeping Safe in Church: • Sanitize hands on entering and leaving • Face mask/covering at all times • Front and rear door open for through draught • Mass shortened to 45mins; no singing • Be directed by our Stewards - one way system • ‘One metre plus’ = 1m apart, masked, facing forward • But ‘Households’ can stand together • 1 metre in front/behind those in next bench • Standing and sitting only, no kneeling • Holy Communion in hand only, no use of cup • All touched surfaces washed with soap after Mass.

Holy Communion Reminder, please: • every person in bench to leave as directed by Steward • remove mask • stand right up to bottom

step • extend one completely flat hand • place Sacred Host in mouth with other hand • turn and replace mask as walk away • enter bench by opposite end.

Ash Wednesday: There will be distribution of Ashes at each Mass, 8.30am, 12.00 and 6.00pm (8.30am, live-streamed and recorded). With 112,000+ deceased, largely due to Covid-19 - and many others prematurely dead through the NHS being swamped and lacking capacity, the words “Remember

you are dust and to dust you will return” are particularly relevant. And this Lent, as never before, “Turn from sin and be faithful to Jesus Christ” is a call to each one of us to acknowledge our faithlessness, despite the surrounding dangers.

In view of the way we must socially distance, we will distribute the blessed Ash (placing it on your hand for you to bless yourself with it), we ask you all to bring at least one wet-wipe, for you hands! (Not to be put down the loo.!)

Lent Walk with Me: Please take it now, from Porch or Office, £1 (with free calendar) in large Wooded Box - as for Offertory and for Candles. Prayer on a Leaf, in the Porch, for every one of us: “Dear God, please make the world how it was. Amen.”

About Being Catholic (ABC) continues on Thursday 18 February with “Repenting, Praying, Fasting” with Fr Bernard at 7.30pm in the Parish Centre. Supporting this small well-defined group in their search for an

understanding of faith.

This Lent, why not join CAFOD's Walk for Water challenge and walk 10,000 steps every day in Lent? Sign up at walk.cafod.org.uk. If you don't

fancy walking, you can join our Parish team - or sponsor Abigail and Frances who will each be walking 10,000 steps on their daily exercise, plus lots of walks around their houses and gardens. https://www.justgiving.com/team/StMarysHarborne

CO

VID

-19

Requiem Masses are permitted in Catholic Church but with only 30 attending. Our Stewards would appreciate a list, in advance, of the 30 names ‘bubbled’ together.

Baptisms: Parents whose sole concern is “getting our baby/child baptised” - whose priority is the gift of the Spirit in their child now, please speak with Fr John.

Offertory Collection: 1) Please put your Gift Aid Envelopes, cash, cheques (made payable to St Mary’s Priory) in the Wooden Box at Mass, or through the Priory door any day. Or 2) Would you like to give by

Standing Order? - set one up by emailing Chris Hosty (chris.hosty@btinternet.com).

We Care Group: This group of parishioners is available for help with weekly shopping, a weekly walk, a phone-call or doorstep chat. They’ll also collect your prescription or whatever you need. The We Care Group are here to help. Call John Finnegan on 07879 486692.

Lent Prayer Tree in the Porch: Thank you for the contributions so far. PLEASE take one and bring it back next week if you have not yet done so. We suggest prayer on a leaf but we have had a contribution of an alien so please any drawings are welcome. We can thank God for all the

creatures in the world, or the prayer can be for someone or for help or any other prayer you want to write or draw. As you can see it doesn't have to be green! There are some more leaves this week or take a piece of blank paper to draw your own. Please bring it back next week. If you know anyone isolating please take a leaf and ask them to write on it, then bring it back so we can remember them. Thank you.

St Chad’s Sanctuary for asylum seekers and refugees are giving out food throughout lockdown. We will be collecting throughout Lent and taking the contributions in each week. (Please note they cannot take clothes at the moment.) They especially need tinned fish, tinned vegetables, long grain

rice, oil (please..no pasta, no tinned meat). Donations can be left in the box in the porch before or after Mass, or in the Priory during Office hours. There is a box inside the front door, just ring the bell. Thank you so much.

Instructions For My Funeral Mass: One of the real quiet reliefs, even joys, for a family whose elderly parent/aunt/uncle dies is to discover that they have left clear, full, instructions for their funeral: eg: cremation not burial, into Church just before Mass, which hymns, which Readings…who has Right of

Attorney…plus copies for Next of Kin, Priest and Funeral Director! Available in Porch.

TRACK & TRACE Name: ………………………………..………………………………..………………………

Tel No: ………………………………………………….……………………………………..

Date of Mass: …………………………………. Time: …………………………….

Bring with you to the next Mass..

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) ENTRANCE ANTIPHON: Be my protector, O God, a mighty stronghold to save me. For you are my rock, my stronghold! Lead me, guide me, for the sake of your name. First Reading: Leviticus 13: 1-2, 44-46 THE PSALM: Ps 31: 1-2, 5, 11 - You are my refuge, O Lord; you fill me with the joy of salvation. Second Reading: Corinthians 10: 31-11: 1 GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: Alleluia, alleluia! May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our mind, so that we can see what hope his call holds for us. Alleluia! Gospel: Mark 1: 40-45 COMMUNION ANTIPHON: They ate and had their fill, and what they craved the Lord gave them; they were not disappointed in what they craved.

Please pray for the sick: Maria Prieto Bongala, Brennan Family, Tom Brennan, Michelle Cahalane, Elaine Carter, Kathleen Cawley, Pat Costello, Christy Kathleen Cruz, Theresa Davies, Steven Davies, Benita Fernandes Janet Galloway, Doreen Graham, Evelyn Greaves, Mary Grix, Christina Gupwell, Patricia Heath, Eva Hornshaw, Janet Jones, Tom Mannion, Martina Maher, Ghislaine May, Gerry McCurry, James Middleton, Nicola, Anthony Pooler, PC, David Powell, Ottavia Riva, Michelle Richards, Peter Richards, Rita Rollason, Tom Sheppard, Jean Shiner, Robert Southgate, Rose Southgate, Mark Stevenson, Lottie Whittle, Jose Virgilio Ruiz Zerpa Please pray for those who died recently: Sister Isabel Herd nds, Kathleen Sugrue, Emilio Casas, Michael Castle Snr, Sister Dorothy Fell, Jorge Andaya Rivera Please pray for those with anniversaries: Jim Manley, Kevin Caulfield

St Mary’s Parish Centre

For all enquiries, contact

Brian Dempsey

on 0121 427 5386

or 07725 419497

St Mary’s is a Live Simply & Fairtrade Parish