St John the Baptist &St Theresa of the Infant Jesus

NOTICESCatholic Parishes of Westerham & Biggin Hill

V Sunday in Ordinary Time 9th February 2020

www.jandtcatholic.com

This Tuesday is the feast day of our Lady of Lourdes and the World This Tuesday is the feast day of our Lady of Lourdes and the World Day of the Sick. “Mary’s message in Lourdes is a message of hope for Day of the Sick. “Mary’s message in Lourdes is a message of hope for all men and women of our day. Mary is the star of hope for all. On the all men and women of our day. Mary is the star of hope for all. On the paths of our lives, so often shrouded in darkness, she is a beacon of paths of our lives, so often shrouded in darkness, she is a beacon of hope who enlightens us and gives direction to our journey. Through hope who enlightens us and gives direction to our journey. Through her “yes”, through the generous gift of herself, she has opened up her “yes”, through the generous gift of herself, she has opened up to God the gates of our world and our history. And she invites us to to God the gates of our world and our history. And she invites us to live like her in invincible hope, refusing to believe those who claim live like her in invincible hope, refusing to believe those who claim that we are trapped in the fatal power of destiny. She accompanies that we are trapped in the fatal power of destiny. She accompanies us with her maternal presence amid the events of our personal lives, us with her maternal presence amid the events of our personal lives, our family lives, and our national lives. Happy are those men and our family lives, and our national lives. Happy are those men and women who place their trust in him who, at the very moment when women who place their trust in him who, at the very moment when he was offering his life for our salvation, gave us his Mother to be he was offering his life for our salvation, gave us his Mother to be our own! May she always be honoured fervently in each of your fam-our own! May she always be honoured fervently in each of your fam-ilies, in your religious communities and in your parishes! Star of the ilies, in your religious communities and in your parishes! Star of the sea, shine upon us and lead us on our way!” sea, shine upon us and lead us on our way!” (From a homily of Benedict XVI, 14 September 2008)(From a homily of Benedict XVI, 14 September 2008)We are very blessed to have the grotto pictured above in the or-We are very blessed to have the grotto pictured above in the or-chard of our church in Westerham. Why not visit and lay a candle chard of our church in Westerham. Why not visit and lay a candle or some flowers between today and Tuesday?or some flowers between today and Tuesday?

HYMNS at BIGGIN HILL

HYMNS at WESTERHAM

Int:Off: Rec:

Holy, holy, holyBe stillLet all the

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COLLECTION2 February 2020 - Thank you!

BIGGIN HILLCASH: £72.00 GIFT AID: £129.00

STANDING ORDERS: £35.00Film Night: £77.21

WESTERHAMCASH: £180.33 GIFT AID: £100.00

STANDING ORDERS: £220.00

Int:Off: Comm: Rec:

Holy, holy, holyJesus, loverBe still Let all the

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Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly...

(Psalm 1:1, Douay-Rheims Version)

MASS TIMESV Sunday in Ordinary TimeSATURDAY CONFESSIONS: 5:00pm 8th February VESPERS: 5:30pm VIGIL MASS: 6:00pm WESTERHAM SUNDAY MASS: 9:00am BIGGIN HILL Int: Pro Populo 9th February MASS: 11:00am WESTERHAM Int: Private Intention

MONDAY St Scholastica, 10thFebruary MASS: 9:30am WESTERHAM Int: Private Intention

TUESDAY Our Lady of Lourdes 11th February Rosary: 8:10am MASS: 8:30am BIGGIN HILL Int: Holy Souls

WEDNESDAY Feria12th February MASS: 7:30pm WESTERHAM Int: Delia Devine RIP

THURSDAY Feria13th February MASS: 8:30am BIGGIN HILL Int: Holy Souls Bible Study: 7:00pm BIGGIN HILL

FRIDAY Ss Cyril & Methodius Bps, Patrons of Europe14th February MASS: 9:30am WESTERHAM Int: the good estate of Doreen Lilian Hicks ADORATION: 10:00AM - NOON

SATURDAY Our Lady on Saturday15th February Adoration & Confessions: 9:00am - 10:00am MASS: 10:00am BIGGIN HILL Int: Private Intention

VI Sunday in Ordinary TimeSATURDAY CONFESSIONS: 5:00pm 15th February VESPERS: 5:30pm VIGIL MASS: 6:00pm WESTERHAM SUNDAY MASS: 9:00am BIGGIN HILL Int: Pro Populo 16th February MASS: 11:00am WESTERHAM

PARISH CLERGYCanon Ivan Dominic Aquilina JCLCrowsnest, Hosey Hill, Westerham, TN16 1TBT: 01959563226 M: 0794 713 9263. E: ivanaquilina@rcaos.org.uk

Deacon Roland Gooding OBEM: 07955213133 E: rolandgooding@rcaos.org.uk

PARISH SECRETARY: Vigilija BielskyteE: westerham@rcaos.org.uk/bigginhill@rcaos.org.uk

SAFEGUARDINGWesterham: Joshua Copeland M: 0785 255 4822Biggin Hill: Jim Wakeley M: 07917 373 815

HALL BOOKINGS Biggin Hill: Vigilija Bielskyte St Joseph’s Room, Westerham: Jenniffer Tang E: jenniffertang@yahoo.com.sg

SICK CALLS, BAPTISMS, WEDDINGS & FUNERALS Contact Canon Ivan (12 months notice is required for weddings)

GIFT AID Biggin Hill: Edwin Rodrigues T:01959 573958Westerham: Claudia Aquilina M:0798 564 5405 E: westerhamgac@rcaos.org.uk

FINANCE COMMITTEE Chair: Deacon Roland Gooding OBE

www.jandtcatholic.com

Today: Second collection: Racial Justice.

Book Club: 3rd March - Flower For Algernon by Daniel Keyes.The date of the April meeting is to be confirmed and the book is My Sister The Seriel Killer by Oy-inkan Raithwaite. The meetings start at 7:30pm

Bible Study this Thursday at 7pm in Biggin Hill.

Sunday 16 February Mask Making & Hall Dec-orating at 4pm in Biggin Hill. Please sign up list. This is in preparation for the Carnival Sunday Party. Please tick sheet.

22 February Celebration at Westminster Cathe-dral to launch the Centenary of the Fatima First Saturday Devotions. 2.00pm - 4.00pm.

Sunday 23 February: Carnival Party at 4pm in Biggin Hill. If you are atteding, and we hope you are, please sign up the list and bring a plate of finger food, please let us know on tick sheet what you intend to bring. Fancy Dress welcome but not necessary. Please tick sheet.

Tuesday 25 February Kids Pancake Party at 6.30pm in Westerham.

ASH WEDNESDAY 26 February: 8.30am Mass in Biggin Hill; 10am and 7pm in Westerham. All Masses will have the imposition of Ashes.

YCC (Youth Club) meets next for Games Night on Friday 6 March at 7.45pm in Westerham.

Application forms for First Holy Communion are available. First Holy Communion is on the feast of Corpus Christi, 14 June. Archbishop John Wilson will be leading us.

“The God Who Speaks” – Year of the Word 2020Archbishop John Wilson is inviting all Parishes to join him for a gathering in Aylesford on Saturday 27th June. Please save the date in your diary.

A special edition of the Gospel of St Matthew is available at the back of church for the price of £1.50.

Every Monday and every Saturday in Lent we are raising money for charity.

On Mondays there will be Lent Light Lunches in Westerham at 12 Noon. Suggested donation: £5.

On Saturdays there will be Community Coffee in Biggin Hill from 10.30am.

Details to follow. The charity we are supporting is:

Catholic Children’s Society - www.cathchild.org.uk

redemp oristp u b l i c a t i o n s

Sunday Plus. Edited by Denis McBride C.Ss.R. and Sr Janet Fearns FMDM. Copyright © Redemptorist Publications, Chawton, Hampshire GU34 3HQ, A registered charity limited by guarantee. Registered in England 03261721. www.rpbooks.co.uk

SUNDAY PLUS9 February 2020

by Fr Denis McBride C.Ss.R.

When I was a novice in Perth, Scotland, the novice master was an accomplished musician by the name

of Fr Edward Lumley-Holmes. He was very keen that all twelve novices would form a choir. I went to see him privately to share the sad news that I could not sing a note. He said, “Nonsense, Brother, everyone can sing.” He picked up a hymn book, chose a popular hymn and told me to sing the �rst verse. I did. Then he said, “Gosh, you’re right!” I was excused choir practice for the year.

I was delighted with his a�rmation and I did not see it as negative. Sometimes people are haunted by the negative voices of teachers from their childhood who said things like: “You

just faith, but good works too, for the sake of others and for God’s glory.

Catherine Pepinster is a former editor of The Tablet and the author of The Keys and the Kingdom - the British and the papacy from John Paul II to Francis, published by T&T Clark.

Affirmation

Loving Lord, watch over, protect and bless those people whose lives are darkened by suffering. Be close to all who are hurting, discouraged and lonely. Light up their lives. Help me to be your small light in my own little world Amen.

“Those who have encountered Jesus have experienced the miracle of light that pierces the darkness and know this light that illuminates and brightens… Above all, I would like to say to those who have lost the strength to seek, who are tired, to those who, overwhelmed by the darkness of life, have extinguished this yearning: arise, take heart, the light of Jesus can overcome the deepest darkness. Arise, take heart!”

Pope Francis

will never amount to anything”; “You are truly a hopeless case”; “You will never be any good at sports”; “You are a mobile disaster”. And sometimes we replay these negative voices in our heads as if they were words to treasure.

In today’s Gospel Jesus goes the way of a�rmation, saying to his disciples: “You are the light of the world, so shine.” He helps his disciples to grow in con�dence by a�rming them. Think, dear friends, of the people and voices in our own lives who encouraged us, those who lived out a stubborn hope that we would be someone to make a di�erence in life; the people who said to us: “Go on, you can do it! Go ahead.” The people who help us to grow are the ones who voice their belief in us.

Fr Denis McBride’s many CDs, DVDs and books are available from redemptorist Publications, www.rpbooks.co.uk

Walk in the lightby Catherine Pepinster

Anyone who visits a desert at night will understand why the Bible, written by desert peoples, is so full of metaphors about darkness and light. In the developed world we rarely experience the pitch blackness of the night and the wonder people feel as the sun comes up again. When Isaiah says your light will shine like the dawn, he is emphasising the miraculous transformation that service – whether sharing your bread, or sheltering the homeless – will make to other people. It’s an exhortation that rings through Jesus’ teaching as well: that following Christ is to o�er hospitality to the people that surround us. Christ’s coming ensured that the people who walked in darkness would see light and, in turn, his followers become the shining light. Matthew con�rms that the Christian life is about not

Shine!

Isaiah 58:7-101 Corinthians 2:1-5Matthew 5:13-16

1 Kings 8:22-23. 27-30Mark 7:1-13

1 Kings 10:1-10Mark 7:14-23

1 Kings 11:29-32; 12:19Mark 7:31-37

1 Kings 12:26-32; 13:33-34Mark 8:1-10

Ecclesiasticus 15:15-201 Corinthians 2:6-10Matthew 5:17-37

1 Kings 11:4-11Mark 7:24-30

1 Kings 8:1-7. 9-13Mark 6:53-56

Everyone is a starby Mary Bell

It is so important to celebrate the gifts of every child. Academic success seems to be the touchstone of achievement in our society but every parent, every teacher, knows that this is only a fragment of the story. Look at the walls of any primary school and appreciate the glowing colours of the children’s art. Stand on the touchline of school pitches or courts (as many of us have done) and marvel at the skilful ball

control of youngsters irrespective of IQ. Listen to marvellous school choirs and orchestras: many a school drama production has outshone the professionals. We are able to witness and enjoy an astonishing variety of burgeoning talents.

It is vital not to be dismissive or negative in our attitude towards young people. They are the future. Every last one of them is valuable for themselves whatever their accomplishments. Let us therefore encourage and celebrate them all.

Mary Bell is a grandmother and a retired teacher who continues to use her skills in the University of the Third Age.

A Year of the Word