St Benedict’s Social Club Rowan Rd Batchley

Available for hire Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals and other occasions.

Telephone the Club on 01527 60345

BINGO Every Sunday 2.30pm & Monday 8pm

Hadzor Prayer Group Friday mornings 11am-12.30pm to reflect on the Gospel for the coming Sunday. Refreshments provided

St Mary’s Alvechurch Ecumenical Faith Group On the third Wednesday of every month at 10.30 am – all welcome

New LIFE Care Service in Redditch EVERY FRIDAY 10.30am-12pm

in the Parish Centre - telephone 07516 257409 Free National Helpline 0808 802 5433

In the porches there are some LIFE cards which we would ask you to take and place in your doctor’s surgery

“My house shall be called a house of prayer”

Please be sensitive to those who want to pray in silence before Mass. Before Mass Talk to God During Mass Listen to God After Mass Talk to each other

Please pray for the following priests of the diocese -

Sunday 17th January Mgr Paul Watson Monday 18th January Fr Peter Weatherby Tuesday 19th January Fr Joseph Welch Wednesday 20th January Fr Brian Whatmore Thursday 21st January Fr Edmund Whelan Friday 22nd January Fr Paul Wieldon Saturday 23rd January Fr Michael White

Statue Visitation for the Consecrated Life

Parishioners are invited to receive the statue of Our Lady for one week and place her with flowers and candles in a prominent position in the home. Each day you are committed to praying the rosary to which parishioners can be invited to join in if you so wish. If you would like to participate in this, please see one of the clergy or contact the parish office.

ROTA SO FAR ......... Sunday 10th January 2016 Bernard Cannon Sunday 17th January 2016 Ann Glennon Sunday 24th January 2016 Caroline Holland Sunday 31st January 2016 Vincent Sampays If your date is not convenient for you, please either swap with someone else or let the parish office know. Could you welcome the statue of Our Lady into your

home? - Yes? - please contact the parish office!

If you wish to contact the parish St Vincent de Paul group, please telephone 07531 818731

(the SVP phone) and leave a message with your contact details so we can return your call.

THE SHRINES OF OUR LADY & THE SACRED HEART To have the lamp burn for your intentions or loved ones, please contact the parish office, suggested donation £5.

(Syro Malabar Rite) Monthly Mass 6.15pm Rosary followed by Mass,

First Saturday of the month

Fellow Catholic Parishioners please come and join us

The Catenians - a Catholic men’s association

‘Strengthening family life through friendship and faith’ The Redditch Circle meets on the Third Thursday of every month at the Abbey Hotel and welcomes new members. For further information please contact Andrew Farrell on 07767831548 or Brian Green on 01527 543111 or visit our website on www.redditchcatenians.co.uk This month we will have a tradi-tional Scottish meal. The Haggis will be piped in & the Ode to Robbie Burns will be recited. A suggestion for your New Year’s resolution: ‘come to one of our meetings and find out more about the Association’

Mount Carmel Seniors Group

Thursdays at 2.30pm St Benedict’s

21st January Trip to the Pantomime ‘Aladdin’ in Birmingham. Coach leaving St Benedict’s at 12noon 21st January Cup of tea and a chat (for those who are not going on the trip to the pantomime.

500 CLUB SUBSCRIPTIONS

Subscriptions for the 500 club are now OVERDUE. £12 per number per annum. If paying by cheque, please make

payable to ‘Mount Carmel 500 Club’. If you are not a mem-ber and would like to be, please contact the parish office.

Church Unity Week

17th-25th January 2016

Sunday 17th January St John the Baptist Church, Feckenham Joint Unity Service at 6.30pm Wednesday 20th January Morning Prayer in Mount Carmel Church 9am Thursday 21st January Shoppers Service at Emmanuel Church 11am to include talk by Jane Lavery & Jim Quinn on the Paris CAFOD Experience. Saturday 23rd January Morning Prayer in Mount Carmel Church 9am

OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL, REDDITCH

Beoley Road West, Redditch, Worcestershire, B98 8LT (01527) 63096

Email: office@mtcarmel.co.uk Website: www.ourladyofmountcarmel.co.uk

The Parish is part of the Archdiocese of Birmingham: Registered Charity No. 234216

Parish Clergy: Fr Anthony Rohan, Fr David Doran & Fr Cornelius Safe

Permanent Deacons: Revs Des Chilton & Peter Griffiths

NEWSLETTER 1691 SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR C 17TH JANUARY 2016

Page 56 Isaiah 62:1-5 Psalm 95 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 Gospel John 2:1-11

www.ourladyofmountcarmel.co.uk PARISH WEBSITE UPDATE: Twitter—Please follow us! @frdaviddoran Altar Servers, Saint Stephen’s Day Pictures & CinemaTrip, Year of Mercy 2015-16 Journey in Faith, Baptism Enquiries, Wedding Enquiries can now be made via the Parish Website.

Mount Carmel Church Children’s

Choir Next meeting: SUNDAY 31st JANUARY

10:30am in the Parish Centre for the 11:15am Mass.

ALL CHILDREN WELCOME!

Thank you’s

The Redditch Catholic Fellowship wish to thank the 5 o’clock evening Mass parishioners who support the Teas & Coffee after Mass for their very kind donation of £170 towards their funds.

Fr Cornelius wishes to thank those parishioners who have offered to sit with him while he practices the routes for his next driving test. Many of you have responded, so he will contact you if needed.

Christian Unity Week

The annual week of prayer for Christian Unity begins this Sunday. Here at Mount Carmel, we will welcome members of Redditch Churches Together to our Morning Prayer (9.10am) on Wednesday 20th January and Saturday 23rd January.

Parish Confirmation Class

If you have a child attending a non-Catholic school aged 13 or over and would like them to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation in April this year, please contact the Parish Office. The Confirmation Commitment Mass took place this weekend at the 5 o’clock Mass, and at the 11.15am Mass today. Classes will begin NEXT TUESDAY 19th January at 5.30pm in the Presbytery.

THE LANGUAGE OF SIGNS

Saint John in his Gospel does

not say that Jesus worked

“miracles” or “marvels” but

“signs”. This is because they

are gestures that point to some-

thing deeper that our eyes do

not see. Jesus’ “signs” such as

the “miracle at the wedding

feast at Cana” (John 2:1-11) point to Jesus Himself

and His saving power. They manifest or show “God’s

glory”.At the wedding feast at Cana the host ran out of

wine—a great embarrassment, especially as Jewish

weddings in those days went on for days! Mary noticed

the disaster and told Jesus to intervene. Jesus said His

mission had not started but Mary was confident and

Jesus obeyed His mother nevertheless. Incidentally,

some fundamentalist Christians criticise Catholics for

asking Our Blessed Mother to pray for us. Obviously we

can pray directly to Jesus but today’s Gospel is a “Sign”

of God listening to His mother as “go-between” with her

Son. The Lord Jesus then changed the water into wine

and the joy of the wedding party continued. The change

of water into wine is the “sign” that when we encounter

God then we are to be changed too. Have you ever

invited Jesus to your home in a practical way? For

example through having a crucifix or picture of Jesus?

The “signs” of this invitation then help the home, they

are reminders or “signs” of Jesus with us. They can

help point to a way of living that is different to non-

Christians. Perhaps someone who is not Christian

would be able to say—”these people are different, they

do not put each other down—I would like to live like

this”. If we invite Jesus into our home then we can be

transformed from “water into wine”. Living like Christ

we become, as Christians, the “sign” of Christ!

CONGRATULATIONS!

To the Redditch Carmelite Spirituality Group on their Establishment in this Parish on Sat-urday 16th January. Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us., Prophet Elijah, pray for us, Saint Euphrasia, pray for us.

Mass Times & Intentions

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

Week beginning Sunday 17th January 2016

Saturday Mount Carmel 5.00 pm Wm & Ellen Murphy Hadzor 5.00 pm Marian Peter Dzlewiecki

Sunday Mount Carmel 8.15 am People of the Parish 9.45 am Mass in Polish 11.15 am Patrick Groves 6.00 pm David Carrington Alvechurch 9.45 am Michael Crawley Feckenham 10.15 am Eileen Rugen

Monday Mount Carmel 9.10 am Morning Prayer 9.30 am Ints of Wilma

Tuesday Mount Carmel 9.10 am Morning Prayer 9.30 am William Murphy 6.30 pm Thanksgiving (Laserna) St Thos More Sch 9.10 am

Wednesday Mount Carmel 9.10 am Morning Prayer (Churches Together to join us) 9.30 am Ints of M M Richardson 5.00 pm Mass in Polish 6.00 pm Reception of Body Laura Bott

Thursday Mount Carmel 9.10 am Morning Prayer 9.30 am Reka Cserey 11.45 am Funeral Mass Laura Bott 5.00 pm Reception of Body Chrissie Burke 7.00 pm Thomas Sanford St Aug Sch 9.20 am Mass

Friday Mount Carmel 9.10 am NO MORNING PRAYER 9.30 am Mariamma Chummar (a) St Bede’s Yr 6 in church 11.00 am Funeral Mass Chrissie Burke 5.00 pm Mass in Polish

Saturday Mount Carmel 9.10 am Morning Prayer 9.30am Mercy Abraham (a) The following fulfils Sunday Obligation Mount Carmel 5.00 pm Daniel & Monica Noonan Hadzor 5.00 pm Harold Payne

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Yr C

Week beginning Sunday 24th January 2016 Mount Carmel 8.15 am Kathleen McDermott 9.45 am Mass in Polish 11.15 am Patrick Kilker 6.00 pm Robina Guy (b’day a) Alvechurch 9.45 am People of the Parish Feckenham 10.15 am Holy Souls ________________________________________________

Parish Diary ….

Sunday

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C Psalter Week 2 6.30pm Feckenham Joint Unity Service at St John the Baptist Anglican Church

Monday 5pm Legion of Mary in Parish Centre 6pm STB Confirmation Meeting Session 1 Group 1 6pm Parish FHC Class in Mount Carmel Church 7pm Mount Carmel Choir Practice

Tuesday 5.30pm Parish Confirmation Meeting in Presbytery

Wednesday 7.30pm Parish Council Meeting in Parish Centre 8pm SVP Meeting in the Parish Centre

Thursday 7.30pm Journey in Faith in the Parish Centre

Saturday Tea & Coffee after 5pm Mass in the Parish Centre Tea & Coffee, Newman Room after 5pm Mass at Hadzor

Sunday Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C Psalter Week 3 6pm Churches Together in Alvechurch Ecumenical Mtg at St Laurence’s Parish Church ________________________________________________________________________________________________

What’s on ………..

Churches Together in Alvechurch & Rowney

Green At the Ark, St Laurence’s Parish Church, Alvechurch with

Handbell ringers 7pm Friday 22 January 2016 Adults £5, Children under 18 free. Please bring a plate of food for the shared supper.

KIDDERMINSTER DEANERY CAFOD Meeting

Saturday 6th February 10.30am-12 noon at Sacred Heart & St Catherine Parish in Droitwich, this meeting is for anyone who is interested in getting more involved with CAFOD.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Current Job Vacancies at our schools :-

St Augustine’s High School FINANCE OFFICER required asap, Term time including Inset Days plus 10 days. Permanent Contract. Closing date for Applications 4pm Thursday 28 January. Interviews to be held Thursday 4th February For further details and an application form, visit their website ww.st-augustines.worcs.sch.uk or contact Mrs Julie Hardy on 01527 555963 or email jab144@st-augustines.worcs.sch.uk

St Bede’s Middle School require a HEAD OF CATHOLIC ETHOS & RE TEACHER with effect from 11 April. To arrange a visit, or informal chat about the post, please contact the school 01527 525916. For application pack, email jhardcastle@st-bedes.worcs.sch.uk. Closing date 22 January, Interviews will take place week commencing 8 February 2016.

Confessions at Mount Carmel

During Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament followed by Benediction Saturdays 10-10.50am

Tuesday Saint Wulstan

(1008-1095) St Wulstan became a Benedictine monk at Worcester and, after serving, a Precentor and Prior, was appointed as Bishop in 1062. He was the only Englishman to retain his See after the Norman Conquest. His wise and benevolent rule lasted 32 years, during which he rebuilt his cathedral, reformed the diocese and tried to stop the slave-trade at Bristol. (English slaves wre sold to Norse traders in Ireland until the 12th century).

Wednesday Saint Fabian or of Saint Sebastian

(+240) St Fabian was Pope from 236-250 AD. He promoted the consolidation and development of the Church. He divided Rome into seven diaconates for the purposes of extending aid to the poor. The papacy acquired such prestige during this time that he incurred the ire of the Emporer Decius. (+300) St Sebastian, a native of Milan, was an officer in Diocletian’s imperial guard. He became a Christian and suffered martyrdom upon the orders of the emperor. His tomb on the Via Appia (Rome) was soon visited by pilgrims.

Thursday Saint Agnes

(+304) St Agnes came from a noble Roman family. She was about 13 years old when she suffered martyrdom. After refusing to be married to a pagan, she was tortured and beheaded. Her name is included in the Roman Canon. Pope Damasus wrote a celebrated epitaph about her.

Friday Saint Vincent

(+304) St Vincent of Saragossa was born in Huesca, Spain. He is one of the greatest deacons of the Church, suffered martyrdom in Valencia in the persecution under Diocletian. His cult quickly grew and both St Augustine and St Leo preached sermons in his honour. He is the proto-martyr of Spain.

Saturday Saint Nicholas Owen

St Nicholas Owen was born in 1550. He was a Jesuit lay brother. As a skilled carpenter, he built numerous priest holes during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England. After his final arrest, he was tortured to death by prison authorities in the Tower of London and died in 1606.

Lamp at the Shrine of Our Lady of Mt Carmel

This week the lamp burns for the intentions of VINCENT FAMILY .... next week the lamp burns for MOLLY & HARRY MARKS (BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY)

Lamp at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart

This week the lamp burns for the intentions of VINCENT FAMILY ... next week in loving memory of RITA McCORMACK

For the dead ...

Your prayers are asked for LAURA BOTT Reception of Body Wednesday 20 January at 6pm, Funeral Mass Thursday 21 January at 11.45am, CHRISSIE BURKE Reception of Body Thursday 21 January at 5pm, Funeral Mass Friday 22 January at 11am, JAMES ROCK Funeral Service 11am Friday 22nd January at the Abbey Chapel, JANE DOYLE Funeral Mass Tuesday 2nd February at 11am, BARBARA KRASNIEWICZ Reception of Body 5pm Monday 25th January, Funeral Mass 11am Tuesday 26th January, MALCOLM MORGAN & FR CONLETH DOYLE May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace

Please pray for the sick...

Deacon Des Chilton, Kathleen Kavanagh, Thomas Adams, Alison Cole, Johannah White, Selina Kilker, Carmel Fiolka, Anna Byrne, Fred & Pauline Clarke, Mark Collins, Mary Grady, Delia Bree, Matthew Smith, Paul Hart, Anne McVicker, Ruby Urka, Jane-Christina Thomson, Bob & Caroline Holland, Mick Halloran, Sr Catherine Devaney, Allan Barber, Chris Figgett, Peggy Woods, Joseph Curtagar, Cynthia Williams, Gina (SVP), Teresa Grantham, Edwin McGlynn, Dave Pugh, Francis Latchford, Simon Taylor, Lilian Lee, Lottie Hatcher, Fiona Short, John Gannon, John Gill, Phyllis O’Brien, Mary Hillier, Margaret Hughes, Lily Robinson, Kitty Fanning, Thomas Henry Burnside, Bridget Heatley, Winifreda Olga Hall, Kathleen Donovan, Brian & Devan Dixon, James Vaughan, Jill Bennett, Kerry Boyd, Zofia Srebniak, Andrew Berry, Pat Conner, Aidan & Ita Hayes, Margaret Beddows, Helen Hardwick, Kate Shenton, Dawn & Alex Robinson, Martin & Margaret Daly, Clifford & Christopher Browne, Michael Smith, Michael Burke, Andrea Ferguson, Loretta Burns, Charlie Walker, Maureen Reavey, Lynda Rose, Ann Lowe, baby Ellis Morbey, Emma Martin, Jim Gallagher, James Cull, Daisy Mae Williams (aged 3), Pat O’Boyle, Sas Burford, Jackie Gallagher, Jayden Reyes (aged 10), G Smith, Megan Collier, Cee Sheriden (Hadzor), Thelma Edwin, Martin Twomey, Gregory Daniel, Maura Lee, Sheila Nicholson, Gordon Taylor, John Laugharne, Dick Bell, Timothy Mills, Tony Gillespie, Chris Whyte, Margaret Clarke, Paul Kearns, Joyce Tremeer, Philip Broom, Alan Purvis, Brigit Broom, Oscar Rees, Monty Breslin, Judy Mitten, Nellie Gilbert, Sean Harkin, Anthony Obinna, Bridget Horton, Margaret Leonard, Ann Barratt, Kobie Boggis, Nora O’Connor, Lucia Galleo, Jacquie Barker-Dean, Norah Hughes, Mary Hickey, Duncan MacInniss, James Hopper, Simon Ward, Bill Cosgriff, Kath Harkin

WEEKLY STATISTICS

Weekend 9/10 January 2016 1st Collection £816.31 2nd Collection £385.08 Attendance 811 (No Polish count) These figures do not include Standing Orders

Baptism To arrange for the baptism of your child/children you will need to contact the parish office on 01527 63096 or visit the parish website to find out when the next available Baptism Meeting is for you to attend. At this meeting you will be given the Baptism Form to take away with you for completion. Once completed please bring it with you to the parish office on either a Monday or Friday morning between 10am—11am when one of the priests will be able to see you and book the date for baptism. Baptisms normally take place on a Sunday at 12.30pm in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church. There is an administrative fee of £30 for Baptism which should be paid at the time of arranging the date.

Visit the Archdiocesan Vocations Website

There is lots of information about the priesthood, the resources available, and how you can help promote Vocations to the Priesthood. www.vocations.org.uk

SAINTS & FEASTS FOR THE WEEK-

TREE OF HOPE

The tree of hope is near the shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel for

anyone who wishes to hang a leaf for their own particular petition or sorrow. Feel free to take a leaf

anytime and write a name or mes-sage on it to hang on the tree and

spend sometime in prayer

Diaries for 2016

Available from the back of church, Mass centres and Parish Office. Cost £1 each (at Mount Carmel please put money in wall slot la-belled newspapers) All proceeds to the parish.