Fr. Steve Wymer Parish Priest 020 8650 3390 Deacon Sean Murphy 020 3490 5693 frswymer@gmail.com skmurphy@hotmail.co.uk Fr. Ashley Beck Assistant Priest 020 8650 4117, 020 7998 5949 ashleybeck88@hotmail.com Fr. Simplicio D’Souza Assistant Priest 020 8650 7533 sipu29@gmail.com

CATHOLIC CHURCH OF ST. EDMUND OF CANTERBURY, BECKENHAM

PARISH NEWSLETTER 20 August 2017, Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) The Presbytery, 20 Village Way, Beckenham BR3 3NP

Parish Office 020 8650 0970 Open Monday to Friday 9 - 1pm

Email stedmundsparish@btconnect.com

Website: www.saintedmunds.net

Salesian Sisters 25 Village Way, BR3 3NA 020 8650 6313 patdevine13@gmail.com

Missionary Sisters of St. Peter Claver 89 Shortlands Road BR2 0JL

020 8313 3915 sspc.echo.uk@googlemail.com

WIT, LAUGHTER AND THE POPISH CREED

August 26-27 there will be a Diocesan Mission appeal at all masses

Not long after he became a Catholic his friend Chesterton,

alluding to Mary, Queen of Scots and the Presbyterian reformer

John Knox, wrote these lines:

‘Mary of Holyrood may smile indeed,

Knowing what grim historic shade it shocks

To see wit, laughter and the Popish creed

Cluster and sparkle in the name of Knox.’

Knox’s writings were written for their time; they give us a

fascinating picture of how Catholics saw themselves in British

society before and after the Second World War. Knox writes

with a pastor’s zeal to try and inculcate confidence in his readers

and a basic knowledge of the tenets of the Catholic faith, and he

had a great knack for fitting his writings into his readers’

situations: among his best known writings (and the ones I

encountered first many years ago when I was at school) are

sermons preached to schoolgirls evacuated to Shropshire during

the war - (for example, The Mass in Slow Motion). His writings

have an enduring appeal - in recent years in the United States a

number of his works have been republished and there is a Ronald

Knox Society.

I think that the work I mentioned in my homily, God and the

Atom, is really one of the most important things he ever wrote: it

didn’t seem so at the time and Knox was disappointed at the lack

of any reaction. He wrote it because the English bishops didn’t

produce any reaction to the dropping of the atomic bombs

(although the act had been condemned by Pope Pius XII) and

there was a gaping moral vacuum. While appreciating people’s

war-weariness, Knox in a very original way argues that the act of

dropping the bombs offended against St Paul’s teachings in the

New Testament about faith, hope and charity. It brought a new

sense of disorder into the created order; Knox predicted that it

would contribute to an abandonment of restraint in human

behaviour and to greater individualism and selfishness.

Some of his books are still to be found in second hand bookshops

and, as I indicated, some have been reprinted (not, sadly, God

and the Atom, which is quite hard to get hold of). As we mark the

sixtieth anniversary of his death this week pray for his soul, give

thanks for the gifts he brought to the Church in this country, and

pray that his example and writings will continue to give

inspiration.

At one of the Masses on the feast of the Transfiguration earlier this

month, also the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945, I

quoted from a little book called God and the Atom written quickly, a

few weeks after the bombing, by Monsignor Ronald Knox. ‘Ronnie’

Knox was one of the best known Catholic writers of the first part of

the last century: detective novelist, writer of popular theology,

newspaper columnist, satirist, translator of the Bible and Chaplain to

Catholic students in Oxford University, and friend of other major

figures such as Harold Macmillan, G.K. Chesterton and Evelyn

Waugh. Thursday this week is the sixtieth anniversary of his death

from cancer. Knox was the son of Edmund Knox, sometime

Anglican Bishop of Manchester, who is actually buried in Elmers

End cemetery as he retired to live in Shortlands. After Eton and

Oxford in the Edwardian era Ronnie Knox became an Anglican

priest and chaplain of Trinity College, Oxford, and as a young

academic became well known quickly as a writer and a pastor. But

during the Great War all of his students left Oxford for the trenches

and most of them were killed; Knox had been a leading light in the

‘Anglo Catholic’ movement in the Church of England, but realised

during the war that his beliefs were untenable. Consequently a

hundred years ago this year he became a Catholic. Ordained after a

few years he taught for some years at St Edmund’s College, Ware,

before returning to Oxford as Catholic chaplain. Shortly before the

Second World War he left this post to concentrate on a completely

fresh translation of the Bible, which remains one of his most

important achievements. He was a prolific writer right up to a year

or so before his death.

PARISH NOTICES

This week’s newsletter is a double issue. Normal service resumes in September

BECOMING A CATHOLIC - A JOURNEY IN FAITH

The RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) Group will begin the 2017/18 course for new

enquirers interested in learning about the Catholic Faith on Thursday 21 September from 7.45pm for an 8pm start at No. 11 Village Way, Beckenham.

If you are interested in attending this course and would like more information please contact

either Mary Deering (020 8650 9650) or Cathy Denne (020 8650 0051) or email

rcia.stedsbeck@hotmail.com

PARKING ON THE PRESBYTERY FORECOURT Parking space outside the church is a continuing problem. The priests are frequently unable to park their cars on the

church forecourt or if they have been able to, they then find themselves blocked in and unable to get out. They need to

be able to use their car any time, day and night to respond to calls from parishioners, hospitals or

care homes.

This week Fr Steve was unable to park on the drive as a vehicle completely unknown to him was on the forecourt.

Parking is reserved for the priests and the staff who are

employed by the parish.

REFRESHMENTS AFTER 11AM MASS There will be no refreshments in the Hall

after 11am Mass until Sunday 10 September.

ST EDMUND’S WALKING GROUP Saturday 9 September

If you would like to help in planning the walks for next year please come to a meeting after the10am Mass on the 9th in

the Mezzanine above the Hall. Everyone is most welcome

DAY OF PRAYER The last day of prayer for this year is on Saturday 2 September from 10-4pm at the Emmaus centre, West Wickham. Details at the back of the church.

AT ST MARY’S Saturday 23 September

12.30-4.30

Entrance £2 per adult and free for children.

There will be plenty of free bouncy castles for the children. The PTA will also be running food and drink

stalls as well as games for the children.

This year we are also looking for external stall holders to sell at the event so if you are interested or know someone who might be, please get in touch via the

St Mary's PTA Beckenham Facebook page.

Welcome back to our pilgrims from Fatima. They had a wonderful visit and returned full of God’s blessings. There will be a piece about their trip in next week’s newsletter.

DROP IN CAFE Please mention to friends with memory problems that they are welcome to attend the Drop In Cafe with their carer or a companion. The Cafe runs every Thursday afternoon from 2 to 4pm and is a friendly and welcoming place to come for

a couple of hours. The Drop In Cafe meets either in the Hall or No.11 but will

be signposted each week. If you want to speak to someone about the Cafe please call 0208 659 1990.

If anyone is interested in joining the team of volunteer

helpers we would be glad to hear from them.

ST EDMUND’S CATECHISM GROUP Our Group prepares children at non-Catholic schools for

the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion.

The course runs over two years, and children should be in

Year 2 or Year 3 at school when they start.

We meet monthly between 09.30 and 12.00 at St Mary's School, Westgate Rd, usually on the second Saturday of

the month.

Our start-of-year Mass will be on Saturday 7 October at 10.00 at St Edmunds. This will be followed by registration in the Hall over teas and coffees. Information about the

courses will be provided by the Catechists so it is important that you attend.

Registration for the year will close on 14 October and no further admissions will be allowed until September 2018.

The family should be resident in the parish.

If you have any queries, please email stedscatechismgroup@gmail.com

YOUNG CATHOLIC ADULTS’ WEEKEND 20-22 October

A weekend retreat at Douai Abbey for young Catholics.

Mass, Adoration, Procession and Socials and a Gregorian Chant Workshop.

Full details from www.youngcatholicadults.co.uk

EXTRA-ORDINARY MINISTERS AND DBS CHECKS All Eucharistic Ministers are required to have a valid DBS certificate issued via the Parish. Unfortunately, DBS certificates issued by other organisations do not

apply for this role. Approximately 50% of our Eucharistic Ministers have now completed the process to be DBS checked. Please could those who have not complied with this request kindly complete an application form

(available at the back of the church) and return it to the Parish Office so that we can commence the

process. Alternatively you can download the form from the Diocese website at : http://rcsouthwark.co.uk/

SouthwarkVolunteerApplicationJune13.pdf

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY AUGUST

Meditation in no 11 every Monday from 5.30 - 6.15pm 25 August - Bible Study in no 11 31 August - 3.15pm Requiem Mass for Suha Wight

Please pray for those who have recently died Arthur Donnelly, Peter Chalkley, Nora Ryan, Mark Deacon,

Suha Wright, O’Ryan Simpson and Patrick Gallagher.

ARTHUR DONNELLY RIP The funeral of Arthur Donnelly will take place on

Wednesday 23 August at 11am at St Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, Genoa Road, SE20 8ES

All friends are welcome to attend.

Please remember in your prayers the deceased whose anniversaries occur at this time.

Mary O’Brien, Winifred Dimsdale, Celine Skupien, Patrick Durham, Omolara Margaret Meranda,

Mary McCullagh, Constance Cook, Charles Sivyer, Phyllis Gill, Ann Towers, Richard Creak, Paul Van Dooren,

Patrick Johnston, Bob Hedderman, Ronnie Collier, Susheela Barla, Victoria Hodgson, Sheila Petersen,

Michael Cole

Please pray for the housebound, and the sick and others who have asked for our prayers.

Dorothy Appleyard, Peter Appleyard, Mary Atsu, James Bekoe, Kim Benardis, Christopher Browne, Edith Campos,

Baby Vienna-Marie Carpenter, John Colling, Tony Cox, Ruby Desmond, Giacomo Dillon, Kate Dillon, John Dillon, Rita Dixon, Hannah Draisey,

Jeanette Duffy, Elizabeth, Ann Elmer, Martin Farquhar, Margaret Fennessy, Luigi Ferrara, Suzette Fox,

Barry Gardiner, Baby Megan May Gavey, Isabelle Ghawi, Benny Green, Philomena Guard, Eileen Hayes, Pat Hibberd, Norman Holland,

Frank Holmes, Dave Hustwayte, Kathy Jobson, Alabooso Joe-Jim, Victoria Jovanov, Bente Kagenaar, Fr Peter Kelly, Grace Knight,

Peggy Lake, Anita Leslau, Sarah Lister, Mim Lodge, Kathy Maleczek, Neelam Malik, Dominic McGrath, Jim McGrath, Natalie McGrath, Mickey McGuigan, Paul McQuinny and family, Patrick Metters,

Eddie Mitchell 1 yr, Gaynor Mullane, Dominic Nash, Sean O’Connor, Jospehine O’Hagan, Valerie Parr, Dorothy Pask, Leonard Pope,

Jean Porter, John Quaife, Kieran Quinn (13 Months), Baby Isaac Ratinckx, Gabriella Rolls, Sandra Sekulic,

Claire Shelton-Jones, Brigitte Savreux-O’Driscoll, Marie-Therese Sinon, Mike & Eileen Slemen, Eleni Symeou, John Sylvester, Sarah Thornton,

Barry Thorp, Katie Toone, Jeanne Tadier, Barbara Tucker, Shirley Turner, Annette Virdee, Hilary Walker, Louise Walters, Thomas Watt,

Patricia Weal, Terry Weal, Emma Winch, Freda Wukolz, George Wukolz, Maureen Young and Fred Wye.

FOR ALL CATECHISTS

Annual Diocesan Day for Catechists Saturday 23 September

St George’s Cathedral at 11.00am

Please would all catechists put this date in their diary. Booking will open in September.

Congratulations to our winners in the August draw. No 305 Mrs Helena Krawczyk wins £100

No 37 Mrs Margaret Russel wins £75 No 141 Mrs Ann-Marie Riley wins £50

No 138 Miss Nicole Castro de Canha wins £25

There are still a number of subs outstanding from March. If you wish to give up your number please contact

Anthony Pontifex on 020 8650 5842 or apontifex@hotmail.com so he can stop

sending you reminders.

Congratulations to Ken and Afi Asare who were married in

St Edmund’s on August 12. We pray for their future happiness.

The collection for 6 August came to £2477.53 and for 13 August £2261.80.

MASSES AND INTENTIONS 20 August - 27 August

Sunday 20 August Twentieth Sunday 8.00 am Church Ints of John Harrow 9.30 am Church Patrick Gallagher RIP 11.00 am Church Fidelis Macwan RIP 5.30 pm Church Ann Goy (birthday) 7.00 pm Church Annie Ryan RIP and Martin McCarthy RIP

Monday 21 August Saint Pius X, Pope 8.15 am 27 V Way Kit Murphy RIP 10.00 am Church Rosemary Sharman RIP 7.30 pm 27 V Way Adoration Hour

Tuesday 22 August The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary 8.15 am Claver Dec’d benefactors and promoters of the Claver Sisters 10.00 am Church Anna Knell RIP Wednesday 23 August Feria (St Rose of Lima) 8.15 am Claver Nora Flynn RIP 10.00 am Church Patrick Duram RIP 7.30 pm Church Private Intention

Thursday 24 August St Bartholomew 8.15 am Claver May Ewing RIP 10.00 am Church John Ferreira RIP 8.00 pm Claver Adoration and Benediction Friday 25 August Feria (St Louis) 8.15 am Claver Maisie O’Keefe int 10.00 am Church Philomena Mukoro int Saturday 26August Feria (Our Lady) 8.15 am Claver Marie Hamilton-wellbeing

10.00 am Church Trevor Binley RIP

Confessions from 10.30 - 11 am & 5.00 - 6.00pm

6.00 pm Church Pat Groves RIP

Sunday 27 August Twenty-first Sunday 8.00 am Church For the people of the parish 9.30 am Church Jack Carr RIP 11.00 am Church Richard Graves RIP 5.30 pm Church Arthur Lomax RIP 7.00 pm Church Christy Jordan RIP

Readings for Twenty-first Sunday Isaiah 22:19-23 Psalm 137 Romans 11:33-36 Matthew 16:13-20

MASSES AND INTENTIONS 27 August - 3 September

Sunday 27 August Twenty-first Sunday 8.00 am Church For the people of the parish 9.30 am Church Jack Carr RIP 11.00 am Church Richard Graves RIP 5.30 pm Church Arthur Lomax RIP 7.00 pm Church Christy Jordan RIP

Monday 28 August St Augustine 8.15 am 27 V Way Dec’d members of the Salesian Sisters family 10.00 am Church Paul Van Dooren RIP 7.30 pm 27 V Way Adoration Hour Tuesday 29 August The Passion of St John the Baptist 8.15 am Claver Joan Salmon -100th birthday ints 10.00 am Church Marian Hughes RIP Wednesday 30 August SS Margaret Clitherow, Anne Line and Margaret Ward 8.15 am Claver James Gallagher RIP 10.00 am Church Enedina Floris RIP 7.30 pm Church Wellbeing of Frances Wilson

Thursday 31 August Feria (St Aidan and the Saints of Lindisfarne) 8.15 am Claver Wellbeing of Pete Smith 10.00 am Church Fr Paul O’Donnell RIP (anniv.) 8.00 pm Claver Adoration and Benediction Friday 1 September Feria 8.15 am Claver For the Promoters and Benefactors of the Claver Sisters 10.00 am Church Adorers Adoration followed by Benediction

Saturday 2 September Feria (Our Lady) 8.15 am Claver Trevor Binley RIP

10.00 am Church Michael Mukoro - ints.

Confessions from 10.30 - 11 am & 5.00 - 6.00pm

5-5.30 pm Church Fatima - First Saturday Devotions

6.00 pm Church Crescenzo and Delisa Panetta

RIP

Sunday 3 September Twenty-second Sunday 8.00 am Church For the people of the parish 9.30 am Church Charles Lester Hill RIP 11.00 am Church Kate Marshall RIP (Baptism) 5.30 pm Church Aileen Dunning RIP 7.00 pm Church Pat Goves

Readings for Twenty-second Sunday Jeremiah 20:7-9 Psalm 62 Romans 12:1-2 Matthew 16:21 - 27