From Fr Sean
I celebrated the requiem mass of a close friend last week. Her sister remarked that she had been a troublesome child, always wanting to go her own way, and as I reflected on her life and death it was clear that she was one of life’s disrupters. Motivated by a deep compassion for those in need, whether on the other side of the world or on her doorstep, she would reach out to help. This was never mere charity.
Unlike many of us who might give and then turn away and get back to our usual lives, she would ask the hard questions, why this person was in need, even when it was polite not to. If a situation was wrong or unjust she wanted to know why it was that way but she never preached at you. She was more often than not asking herself the hard questions and allowing herself to be disrupted in the way she lived her life.
None of this surprizes any of us who knew her because she was a woman of faith. She followed faithfully the Master who was himself the great disrupter, shaking people out of their complacency, sometimes gently but more often than not less so. In doing so he was simply being faithful to his Father’s will, the one who sent him into the world to decisively and for all time disrupt human history, human progress, and our overinflated sense of ourselves.
In a few weeks we will once again celebrate that disruption, though too often we collude with wider society to domesticate Christmas in an orgy of sentimentality, something for the children that lets us grown-ups off the hook of not having to change or do anything different. This Season of Advent that we have embarked on is meant to deeply shake us out of our normality, break through the complacency to see, as if for the first time, the new thing that God is doing in our lives. It is the great season of hope, and in these most trying of times, we are called to look forward with hope and co-operate in God’s new deed among us.
Gidea Park Faith Talks - The Christmas Gospels
In the days before Christmas and for several days afterwards we read from the ‘infancy
narratives’ in Matthew chapters 1-2 and Luke chapters 1-2. At the ‘day Mass' on Christmas
Day John chapter 1 is read. This presentation, in three parts, takes us through these gospel
readings in ‘liturgical order' in such a way as to enhance our celebration of the Liturgy of
the Word at Christmas, and to derive from the Christmas gospels profound insights into the
person and mission of Christ the Saviour.
Fr Adrian Graffy
Fr Adrian is parish priest of Gidea Park in the diocese of Brentwood. He received
his doctorate from the Pontifical Biblical Institute, and taught Scripture for many years. He
is now a member of the Pontifical Biblical Commission, and delegate to the world wide
Catholic Biblical Federation. His ‘Sunday Gospels have recently been published by Darton,
Longman and Todd. Fr Adrian is director of www.whatgoodnews.org
Videos of the three parts of the talk (Mt 1 and Lk 1; Lk 2 and Mt 2; Jn 1) can be accessed by going
to the home page of www.whatgoodnews.org
Christ the Eternal High Priest Catholic Church
410 Brentwood Road, Gidea Park, RM2 6DH
St Bede’s Catholic Primary School & Nursery
Learning Support Assistants (3 posts)
Three permanent posts to support children with high needs
LBR scale 3 Salary £22,185 - £22,985 per annum pro rata according to hours/weeks worked
Hours of work: 8.45–5.15pm Monday & 8.45am–3.30pm, Tuesday to Friday (29.25 hours per week/43.26 weeks per year)
Job details and application packs are available on the school website
(https://st-bedes.redbridge.sch.uk/Vacancies.html).
Closing Date: 12 noon on Monday 13th December, 2021
Interviews to be held on Thursday 16th December, 2021
Completed forms should be emailed to - applications@st-bedes.redbridge.sch.uk
The Passage
The Passage, a Catholic charity working with homeless people is raising funds through the Big Give a matched giving scheme from 12.00 noon. Every £1 donated online between 12.00 noon on Tuesday 30th November and 12.00 noon on Tuesday 7th December makes £2 and £2.25 if you are a taxpayer through Gift Aid. At a time when The Passage’s finances are stretched and they are helping more homeless people please consider supporting this charity through the link https://bit.ly/PassageBG2021
A Vocational Retreat for Young Adults
When: Thursday 6th January 2022
Where: The Oblates of the Assumption Missionary Sisters
20 Higham Station Avenue, Chingford, E4 9AZ
(Buses 97, 215, 158 or 357 from Underground Walthamstow Central to door)
(We are near the Dog Stadium)
Time: 10 a.m. (finishing 4 p.m)
Theme: Following the star – where will it lead me?
The day will include the celebration of Mass for the Feast of the Epiphany
Brentwood Ursuline Convent High School
In accordance with the School Admissions Code (2021), and on behalf of the Governing Body of Brentwood Ursuline Convent High School, views are sought on proposed changes to the Brentwood Ursuline Convent High School admission arrangements for 2023 entry.
A copy of the proposed admission arrangements can be viewed on the School website www.brentwoodursuline.co.uk.
The 6 weeks statutory consultation will run from Friday 26th November 2021 until Friday 7th January 2022. Please send any comments to this consultation by post to:-
Mrs M Freeman, Headteacher's PA
Brentwood Ursuline Convent High School
Queen's Road, Brentwood, CM14 4EX
or via email to admin@buchs.co.uk
The Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage
The Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage, led by Bishop Alan, will take place from Sunday 24th – Friday 29th July 2022.
It will be the first time in three years that the diocese has returned to Lourdes.
Brochures for the pilgrimage, which will include costs, will be available soon.
If you would like further information now, please contact Cathy O’Connor, the Administrative Director: cathy@dioceseofbrentwood.org or phone 07813 710 070
The Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (CCRS)
The Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (CCRS) provides parish leaders with knowledge and understanding of theology and the Catholic faith.
You can learn the course in person, by distance learning or online - details below:
Centres (in person learning)
http://brs-ccrs.org.uk/index.php/course-centres
Life-Light Home Study Courses (distance learning)
info@studylifelight.com
01844 351 514
CCRS Online (online learning)
ccrsonline@hope.ac.uk
0151 291 3055
Yours sincerely, Board of Religious Studies