SAINT HELEN’S PARISH

25th SUNDAY OF THE YEAR 24th September 2017

“Why be envious, because I am generous?”

THE WORD THIS WEEK “God’s ways are not our ways” is used as a response to inexplicable tragedies or strange events. In

the first reading it is also God’s response. For the prophet’s call to “seek the Lord” is not about going

to the temple, but about seeing God’s abundant mercy in the events and world surrounding us, and

recognising that God, though utterly transcendent, wants always to be among us in the most intimate

ways. Actually all three of this Sunday’s readings concern God’s radically generous ways that seem

so inexplicable to us humans. Is God’s generosity unfair?

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: (Psalter: Week 1)

Isaiah 55: 6 – 9. My thoughts are not your thoughts.

Response: Psalm 144.

I will bless you day after day

and praise your name for ever.

The Lord is great, highly to be praised,

his greatness cannot be measured.

The Lord is kind and full of compassion,

slow to anger, abounding in love.

How good is the Lord to all,

compassionate to all his creatures.

The Lord is just in all his ways

and loving in all his deeds.

He is close to all who call him, who call on him from their hearts.

Philippians 1: 20 – 24, 27. Life to me is Christ.

Acclamation for the Gospel:

Alleluia, Alleluia. Alleluia! Blessings on the King who comes, in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heavens! Alleluia, Alleluia. Alleluia!

Matthew 20: 1 – 16. Why be envious because I am generous.

Prayer of the Faithful: R/. Lord, be close to us as we call.

“It’s not Fair!” Today’s Gospel story is a parable of the clash between the divine and human perspective on what we earn, and what God gives us freely. The workers who have sweated through the heat of the day cannot fathom God’s radical generosity. However hard we work or well we live, or badly or little, the eternal day is never earned or deserved, but always a free gift of God’s overgenerous, ‘unfair’, love. This is Luther’s ‘justification by faith alone’: God’s ways are not our ways.

SH

AR

ING

FA

ITH

C

AT

EC

HE

SIS

Archangels

MASS AND SERVICES DURING THE WEEK: Sat 23rd September

6.30pm 25th SUNDAY of the Year

Jacqueline and David Jones Golden Wedding

Sun 24th September

10.30am

11.45am

25th SUNDAY of the Year

For the People of the Parish

Baptism of Isla Sophia Morgan

Mon 25th September

(3.00pm

6.45pm

7.00pm

Requiem for Father Bogdan Wera, Saint Patrick, Cardiff)

Evening Prayer of the Church

Father Bogdan Wera

Tues 26th September 9.45am

10.00am Morning Prayer of the Church

McKay Family (AJ)

Wed 27th September

9.45am

10.00am

Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest

Morning Prayer of the Church Andrew Cavaciuti (LA)

Adoration 2 to 4 pm & 6 to 8 pm

Thurs 28th September

9.45am

10.00am Morning Prayer of the Church Lucy Dufeutrel (IS)

Fri 29th September

9.45am

10.00am

SAINT MICHAEL, SAINT GABRIEL, + SAINT RAPHAEL,

Morning Prayer of the Church

Fowler Family (AF)

Sat 30th September

am

5.45 – 6.15pm

6.30pm

Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church

The Sacrament of Reconciliation

26th SUNDAY of the Year

For the People of the Parish

Sun 1st October

10.30am 26th SUNDAY of the Year

Thanksgiving (TT) .

THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION:

Saturday 5.45pm to 6.15pm, or by arrangement with the priest.

CELEBRATING STEPS ALONG THE JOURNEY OF FAITH

A CHILD FOR BAPTISM? To have your child baptised, make sure you book

into the Parish PREPARATION for BAPTISM: Please take the form ‘Your Child and

Baptism’ available in the porch, fill it in and return it to book in to the next Preparation,

which starts on Wednesday 11th October.

JOINING THE CHURCH AS AN ADULT: To know more about the Catholic Faith,

please contact the parish priest, or talk to someone in church and ask them to help you come and see.

A chance to ask questions and consider answers will be offered later this autumn.

MARRIAGE At least 6 months notice (preferably 12 months) must be given, by Church law. Before

making any arrangements please see the priest to avoid any disappointments.

Bereaved? BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT provides a safe place to enable you to come to terms

with your grief. One-to-one and group support available. For details contact 07895 092009.

PARISH PRAYER LIST: In our prayers we are asked to pray for all who are sick or

housebound, and those who care for them, including: Pamela Griffiths Teresa Meade Sheila Harris Gerry Phenis Graham Jenkins Sandra Bray Jean Kerrigan Lloyd Jones John Maguire Cecelia Mawby Pat Emanuelli Dorothy Warmsley Isobel Cummins Pauline Richards David Mabey Valerie Donovan Paul Costigan Margaret Jones Carol Morrissey Claris Howell

Tess Thomas Grace Donovan Mary Camwell Wilson Brown Nick Davies

Alice Jones David Warmsley Mary + Bill Morrissey

? ?

The S.V.P. (Society of Saint Vincent de Paul) meets on Monday (as they do every second Monday) to pray, share updates, and

work for all in any sort of need in our town. You may have noticed the posters in the porch celebrating ‘their’ month – September starts with the feast of their founder, Blessed Frederick Ozonam, and closes with the feast of their patron, Saint Vincent de Paul. They will complete the month’s publicity with a short word at the end of Mass today. If you would like to find out more, or are interested in joining the work, please contact Caroline on 20 880703, Louisa on 20 883462, or Chris on 20 887499.

OFFEREN GYMRAEG: Mass will be celebrated in Welsh on September 24th at 4 30pm at Saint Teilo’s Church, Whithchurch, followed by refreshments. Contact Carys Whelan 01446 772888. Croeso cynnes i bawb.

Don’t Miss The ‘ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING’ of the Parish, this Tuesday, 7.00pm in the Hall – Your chance to have a say on what has happened over the past year, what you would like to happen in the coming year, and even get involved in planning and making it happen. Reports from the parish groups and ministries are available in the porch. Please pick up yours, enjoy it, and come on Tuesday.

This Month’s PARISH QUIZ

is on Friday, 7pm in the Hall, with

brain-teezers, and Fecci’s Finest

Fish to feed the brain cells. Oh dear, prayer or quiz? - that poses a Question!

COFFEE

MORNING this Friday, 10.30am, in the

hall. Tickets on sale today.

A PARISH CEILIGD on Friday 13th October: Tickets £2 per person, or £5 for a family, on sale after Mass today.

Would you like to become

a school governor? You will have the opportunity to:

# develop new skills and strengthen existing ones;

# be an active member of the community with the sense of achievement that brings;

# work as part of a team with people from a variety of backgrounds;

# undertake training provided for you.

# Above all, help our children to learn the knowledge, skills and

values they will need for their futures.

Cardinal Newman School is looking for new foundation and parent governors.

Interested? Then please contact the school by emailing Rebecca McMahon

- mcmahonr@cardinalnewman.co.uk or telephone the school - 01443 494110.

A SIGNIFICANT ANNIVERSARY? On Saint Dwynwen’s Day, January 25th next, the Archbishop is inviting all newly-weds (in 2017) and couples celebrating a significant anniversary this year to a Celebration of Marriage. If you (or someone in your family) fits this, please give Father your names, with details of the date and place of the marriage, for an invitation to be arranged.

A CHARITY BALL in aid of Noah's Ark Children's

Hospital of Wales in Caerphilly Castle on 6th October.

For tickets contact Beci Newton on 07969743799.

A deanery hour of Intercessory Prayer for EVANGELISATION before the Blessed Sacrament: Saint Dyfrig’s Church, Treforest, This Friday 29th September, 6.30 - 7.30pm, followed by light refreshments.

Big MORNING TEA to Welcome Everybody Back from the Summer holidays! The Parish Family Group are organising a special morning tea after Sunday Mass on October 1st. Feel free to contribute something sweet or savoury if you're in a baking mood but it's not a requirement: Donations to CAFOD on the day. Mae croeso i bawb!

Każdy jest mile widziany! Ang lahat ay malugod! सभी का स्वागत है, Jeder ist herzlich willkommen! Kulħadd huwa milqugħ!

欢迎大家 , Tout le monde est le bienvenu! Todo el mundo es bienvenido!

Everybody is welcome!

SAINT HELEN’S COMMUNITY CENTRE – THIS WEEK:

Date Time Event

Mon 25th September 9.30am

6.00pm

Parents & Toddlers

Bereavement Group

Tues 26th September 10.30am – 12.30pm

7.00pm

Music Appreciation

A.G.M. of the Parish

Wed 27th September 9.30am

7.00pm

Parents & Toddlers

W.I.

Thurs 28th September 9.30am

2.00pm – 4.00pm

6.30pm

Parents & Toddlers

Sunshine Club

Youth Club

Fri 29th September 10.30am

1.00pm – 3.00pm

7.00pm

MacMillan Coffee Morning

History Group

Monthly Quiz

Sat 30th September 9.30am – 12.30pm

12.30pm – 3.30pm

5.00pm

Dance

Party

Music and Movement

Sun 1st October 11.30am Tea, Coffee, & Biscuits

OFFERTORY COLLECTION 17th September 2017

Gift Aid Weekly £ 106.50

Non Gift Aid Weekly £ 177.52

Gift Aid Standing Orders £ 502.04

Non Gift Aid Standing Orders £ 65.00

Loose £ 297.97

TOTAL £1149.03 Many thanks

Comboni Missions Collection: £544.86

THANK YOU for the collection last weekend for the Comboni Missions

in response to Father Angelo’s appeal. As many of us were away, we will round up the Parish

donation to £600. For those who wish to give more, there are still envelopes available in the porch.

LOTTERY BONUS BALL CONGRATULATIONS to Mike Joslin and Sharon Jones, the

winners of the Bonus Ball no. 45. No winner on the third sheet. A total of £83.00 was made for parish

funds. TRY YOUR LUCK AGAIN THIS WEEK.

CHRISTIAN PRAYER. Section Two: The Lord’s Prayer: ‘Our Father’

Article 3: The Seven Petitions. III. ‘Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread’

(2828) ‘Give us’: the trust of children who look to their Father for everything is beautiful. ‘He

makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.’

(Matthew 5: 45.) Jesus teaches us this petition, because it glorifies our Father by acknowledging

how good he is, beyond all goodness’ Catechism of the Catholic Church 1992

Parish Directory Priest: Revd. John Kelly 20883192; Chair of Parish Council: Graham Taylor 20860919

Church Student: Elliot Hanson: 20883192; Safeguarding Officer: 20864112 SVP: 20866838

Bereavement support: 07895092009 Cafod: 20861930 Marriage Care: appointments@marriagecare.co.uk

Music: Brett Pugh 07971848734. Hall: 20883192 Piety shop: Norma Bromily 20862998

Saint Helen’s School: 20852532 Cardinal Newman School: 01443 494110

Newsletter items: 20883192 Calendar Additions: calendar@sthelenscaerphilly.com

Parish@sthelenscaerphilly.com www.sthelenscaerphilly.com Website Additions: Website@sthelenscaerphilly.com

Saint Helen is a Parish of the Archdiocese of Cardiff, a Registered Charity.