Saint Columba’s Newsletter
Gospel Reflection �
15th December 2019, 3rd Sunday of Advent, Year A
STCOLUMBA’SCATHOLICCHURCH,CHESHAMwww.stcolumbas.church
ParishSecretary:[email protected].
Pleasetelephoneoremailtocheckavailabilityatallothertimes
0
FrAlessandroReno
Matthew11:2-11
Areyoutheonewhoistocome?Isn'tthisthequestionweallaskourselves?Ourfaithisoftenfilledwithuncertainty,fear...HowtorecognizethepresenceofChristinourlives?IsthereasigntodiscoverHeisreallymySaviour?Unansweredquestionsthatcreateexpectations...Andexpectingsomethingcanbeverytiring,evenmakingussadpeople...Withallthedifficultiesintheworld,wecaneasilywonderifthecomingofJesushashadmuchimpact.TheChurchunderstandsourweariness.TodayitoffersusencouragementbynamingtheThirdSundayofAdvent"Gaudete",thatmeans,"Rejoice".Thiscomesfromtoday'sentranceantiphonfromPhilippians4:4"RejoiceintheLordalways".JamesinhisLetteralsoseekstoencourageuswhoarewearywhileinexpectation,whenhetellsus:"Bepatient,brothersandsisters,untilthecomingoftheLord"and"Makeyourheartsfirm,becausethecomingoftheLordisathand".ThewaysthatourlivesreflecttheGospelmessagespeaksvolumestotheworldaboutthewaystheLordisherenowinourlives.Inthemostpersonalway,wecanbecontagiousinourrejoicingthisdayinourAdventexpectation,beencouragingeachotherwithourjoy,because"Godlovesacheerfulgiver".Mostofall,workonfindingencouragementthroughcheerfulpeople.Lettheircheerfulnessbecontagioustoyou.Indoingso,becontagiousbyhelpingGodtolovethatcheerfulgiverwhogivestoyou.
PrayertotheVirginMaryRemember,mostlovingVirginMary,thatitisathingunheardofthatanyonewhohadrecoursetoyourprotection,imploredyourhelp,orsoughtyourintercession,wasleftforsaken.Filledthereforewithconfidenceinyourgoodness,Iflytoyou,OMother,Virginofvirgins.ToyouIcome;beforeyouIstandasorrowfulsinner.Despisenotmywords,OMotheroftheWordofGodbutgraciouslyhearandgrantmyprayer.(ReadduringtheDIOCESANMASStocelebratethepatronalfeastoftheIMMACULATECONCEPTIONinCathedralChurchinNorthamptonthe7thofDecember2019)
Saint Columba’s Newsletter
Parish�3rdAdventCandle–JOYThethirdcandleispinkandsymbolizesjoy.Itiscalledthe“Shepard’sCandle,”andispinkbecauseroseisaliturgicalcolorforjoy.ThethirdSundayofAdventisGaudeteSundayandismeanttoremindusofthejoythattheworldexperiencedatthebirthofJesus.
AdventReconciliationServiceAReconciliationservicewillbeheldatStColumba’sonFriday20Decemberat7pm.ThreepriestsfromthePastoralAreainadditiontoFrAlessandrowillbeavailablefortheSacramentofReconciliation.
5pmChristmasEveMassIHM2019CallingallchildrentotakepartintheChristmasEveMass.Ifyouareabletojoinusandlikedressinguppleasecomedressedasashepherdoranangel,butthisisnotessential.Jesuswelcomeseveryone.Wewouldloveasmanyofyouaspossibletobethere.Thechurchwillbeveryfullsopleasetrytocomeby4.45pmatthelatest.Therewillbespaceonthecarpetatthefrontforyoutosit.MargaretandMichelle.
Today-StColumba'sChristmasDrawTheDrawwilltakeplacetodayintheHallafter9amMass.Pleasecomeupstairsforteaorcoffeeandtoseeifyouhavealuckyticketforoneofthewonderfulhampers!!!
ParishRetreatAjointParishRetreat(IHM&StColumba's)withBishopPeteronSat21&Sun22March2020willbeheldattheBridgettineConvent,Iver.Thethemeoftheretreatis"TheVocationandMissionoftheFamilyintheChurchandinthecontemporaryworldenlightenedbytheWordofGod"PleaseregisteryourinterestincomingtotheretreatbysigningthesheetonthenoticeboardintheNarthexorcontactingtheparishsecretaryviaparishsecstcolumba@gmail.com
Saint Columba’s Parish Newsletter
Saint Columba’s Newsletter
THEYEAROFTHEWORD2020:TheCatholicBishopsConferenceofEnglandandWaleshavedesignatednextyearastheYearoftheWord2020,withafocusontheBibleand‘TheGodWhoSpeaks’.Duringtheyear,wewillbeinvitedtocelebrate,liveandshareGod’swordinamorefocussedway.
Diocese�
OurLady'sCatholicPrimarySchool-ReceptionAdmissions2020AdmissionsforOurLady'sCatholicSchoolforSeptember2020arenowopen.PleasefillinasupplementaryformandaskFatherAlessandrotosignaCertificateofCatholicPracticeaswellasapplyingthroughtheBuckinghamshirewebsite.Bothcanbeobtainedfromtheschoolwebsiteoratthebackofchurch.Ifyouwouldliketovisittheschool,pleasecontacttheschooloffice(01494726390)tomakeaconvenientappointment.Pleasenoteapplicationshavetobeinby15Januarybutpleasedon'tleaveituntilthelastminute.
2020isthe1,600anniversaryofSaintJerome’sdeathandthe10thofVerbumDomini–BenedictXVI’sApostolicExhortationon‘TheWordoftheLord’.TheBishopsofEnglandandWalesaremarkingtheseeventsbydesignating2020ayearoffocusontheBible.Forinitialinformationsee:http://catholicnews.org.uk/thegodwhospeaks.
Parish�
ToreceivetheE-Newslettereachweek,justsend“IwanttoreceivetheNewsletter”to:[email protected] to include in the newsletter (short texts ready to publish /image)mustbesentbeforeThursdayNoontothesameaddress.
Agenda �
At Your Service�
Saint Columba’s Newsletter
Date StColumba’s IHM
Sun.15 9amMass–EddieHallRIP6pmMass–ThomasMurphyRIP 11amMass
Mon.16 NoMass NoMass
Tues.17 7pmMass
Weds.18 9:30amMass
Thurs.19 9amExpositionoftheBlessedSacrament9.30amMass–AnthonyWoodrowRIP(4yr),followedby10amTheRosary
Fri.20 7pm–ReconciliationService 9:30amMass
Sat.21 10amMass 6pmVigilMass
Sun.22 9amMass–MargaretHannanRIP6pmMass–CarolineKnowles
11amMass
Thisweek,pleaseprayfortheSoulsofthosewhoseanniversariesoccuraboutthistime:
EileenHaggerstone(2005),MonicaMurphy(2012)AnthonyWoodrow(2015),CatherineHemus(1965)StanislawPadourin(1973),PatriciaFowler(1996)
BookletswithChristmasMassTimesforallfiveparishesinourPastoralAreaareavailableinthenarthex–pleasetakeacopyafterMasstoday
