St Mary’s, Lanark 70 Bannatyne Street, Lanark, ML11 7JS Tel. 01555 662234 Email – stmarylanark@rcdom.org.uk Parish Priest – Fr Thomas Doyle

MassTimes

WhiletherearestillnomassesinStMary’sChurch,wenowpreparetoopentheChurchforshortperiodsofprivateprayeronly.ThefirstdatewhichStMary’sChurchwillbeopenforprivateprayerisnextweek:Sunday28thJune–10am

till12pm(PleasenoteStMary’sChurchwillnotbeopenbeforetheabovedate.PleasealsobeawarethatweareuncertainofhowmanypeoplewillcometotheChurchforprivateprayerandcanonlyopenforashorttimeduetothestricthealthandsafetymeasuresinplace,aswellasthelimitedcapacityduetosocialdistancing.ThereforeyoumayhavetowaittoentertheChurch.Formoredetailspleaseseethe‘WelcomeBack’messageintheboxopposite.)

Sundaythe21stJune2020–TwelfthSundayYearA

Anniversaries&RecentDeathsWeprayfortheAnniversariesof:Catherine(Rina)Small,RitaTeehanHearty,EdwardVincentHearty&MargaretReilly

FeastDays:Monday–St’s.JohnFischer&ThomasMoreWednesday–BirthofJohntheBaptistSaturday–StCyrilofAlexandria

WearesolookingforwardtowelcomingyoubacktotheChurchforprivateprayer.Weareaskingyoutoprepareyourselvesforthisspiritually,ofcourse,butinthesenewcircumstancesphysicallytoo.Wehavedoneeverythingwecantocreateasafeenvironmentforyou;-Whenyouarriveapass-keeperwillmeetyouandguideyoutoasafeplacetoprayandwillbeonhandtolookafteryouduringyourvisit-WeaskthateveryonewearafacecoveringintheChurch-Foryourwellbeingandthatofyourbrothersandsistersintheparishwemustobservesocialdistancing-WhenyouvisittheChurchyouwillbeinvitedtosanitizeyourhands-Wealsoaskthatyouobservetheone-waysystem,enteringandleavingtheChurchbydifferentdoors.ItiswonderfulforustobeabletoprayagainintheChurchandwelookforwardtothereturnofpublicMassinthenearfuture.StMary’swillopenforprivateprayeronSunday28thofJunefrom10am-12Noon,StIsidore’s,Biggarfrom11am-2pmandStMaryMagdalene's,Forthfrom9.30am-11am.Wehopetoofferotheropportunitiesforprivateprayerintheweekstocomeasthingscontinuetoeaseandwearebetterabletoassessthesuccessofourhealthandsafetyprocedures.Manythankstoallourvolunteersandtoourparishcoordinators.

SundayReflection: OurcommitmenttoChristwillbeputtothetest.Wewillhearwhisperedwarningsanddenunciations,asJeremiahdoesintoday’sFirstReading.Evenso-calledfriendswilltrytotrapusandtripusup.ForHissakewewillbearinsultsandbemadeoutcasts—eveninourownhomes,wehearintoday’sPsalm.AsJeremiahtellsus,wemustexpectthatGodwillchallengeourfaithinHim,andprobeourmindsandhearts,totestthedepthsofourlove.“Donotbeafraid,”Jesusassuresusthreetimesintoday’sGospel.ThoughHemaypermitustosufferforourfaith,ourFatherwillneverforgetorabandonus.AsJesusassuresustoday,everythingunfoldsinHisProvidence,underHiswatchfulgaze—eventhefallingofthetiniestsparrowtotheground.EachoneofusisprecioustoHim.Steadfastinthisfaith,wemustresistthetacticsofSatan.HeistheenemywhoseekstheruinofoursoulinGehenna,orhell.WearetoseekGod,asthePsalmistsays.ZealfortheLord’shouse,fortheheavenlykingdomoftheFather,shouldconsumeus,asitconsumedJesus(seeJohn2:17).AsJesusboretheinsultsofthosewhoblasphemedGod,soshouldwe(seeRomans15:3).Bythegraciousgiftofhimself,Jesusborethetransgressionsoftheworld,Paultellsusintoday’sEpistle.Inrisingfromthedead,HehasshownusthatGodrescuesthelifeofthepoor,thatHedoesnotspurnHisownwhentheyareindistress.InHisgreatmercy,Hewillturntowardus,aswell.Hewilldeliverusfromthepowerofthewicked.ThatiswhyweproclaimHisnamefromthehousetops,asJesustellsus.ThatiswhywesingpraiseandofferthanksgivingineveryEucharist.WeareconfidentinJesus’promise—thatwewhodeclareourfaithinHimbeforeotherswillberememberedbeforeourheavenlyFather.

BirthofJohntheBaptistJesuscalledJohnthegreatestofallthosewhohadprecededhim:“Itellyou,amongthosebornofwomen,nooneisgreaterthanJohn….”ButJohnwouldhaveagreedcompletelywithwhatJesusadded:“YettheleastinthekingdomofGodisgreaterthanhe”(Luke7:28).Johnspenthistimeinthedesert,anascetic.HebegantoannouncethecomingoftheKingdom,andtocalleveryonetoafundamentalreformationoflife.HispurposewastopreparethewayforJesus.Hisbaptism,hesaid,wasforrepentance.ButonewouldcomewhowouldbaptizewiththeHolySpiritandfire.Johnwasnotworthyeventountiehissandals.HisattitudetowardJesuswas:“Hemustincrease;Imustdecrease”(John3:30).JohnwashumbledtofindamongthecrowdofsinnerswhocametobebaptizedtheonewhomhealreadyknewtobetheMessiah.“Ineedtobebaptizedbyyou”(Matthew3:14b).ButJesusinsisted,“Allowitnow,forthusitisfittingforustofulfillallrighteousness”(Matthew3:15b).Jesus,trueandhumblehumanaswellaseternalGod,waseagertodowhatwasrequiredofanygoodJew.JesusthuspubliclyenteredthecommunityofthoseawaitingtheMessiah.Butmakinghimselfpartofthatcommunity,hemadeittrulymessianic.ThegreatnessofJohn,hispivotalplaceinthehistoryofsalvation,isseeninthegreatemphasisLukegivestotheannouncementofhisbirthandtheeventitself—bothmadeprominentlyparalleltothesameoccurrencesinthelifeofJesus.JohnattractedcountlesspeopletothebanksoftheJordan,anditoccurredtosomepeoplethathemightbetheMessiah.ButheconstantlydeferredtoJesus,eventosendingawaysomeofhisfollowerstobecomethefirstdisciplesofJesus.PerhapsJohn’sideaofthecomingoftheKingdomofGodwasnotbeingperfectlyfulfilledinthepublicministryofJesus.Forwhateverreason,whenhewasinprisonhesenthisdisciplestoaskJesusifhewastheMessiah.Jesus’answershowedthattheMessiahwastobeafigurelikethatoftheSufferingServantinIsaiah.Johnhimselfwouldshareinthepatternofmessianicsuffering,losinghislifetotherevengeofHerodias.

StThomasMore:UpheldtheCatholicfaithandbeliefthatChristchosePetertoleadthechurchandgavehimthekeysofthekingdomofGod.ThiswentagainstthetyrannyofHenryVIIIwhousurpedthepowerofpopemakinghimselfSupremeHeadoftheChurchofEngland.Thomas’sfidelitytoChristcosthimhislife..HewasbeheadedonTowerHill,London,onJuly6,1535,MoresteadfastlyrefusedtoapproveKingHenryVIII’sdivorceandremarriageandestablishmentoftheChurchofEngland.Describedas“amanforallseasons,”Morewasaliteraryscholar,eminentlawyer,gentleman,fatheroffourchildren,andchancellorofEngland.Anintenselyspiritualman,hewouldnotsupporttheking’sdivorcefromCatherineofAragoninordertomarryAnneBoleyn.NorwouldheacknowledgeHenryassupremeheadoftheChurchinEngland,breakingwithRome,anddenyingthepopeashead.MorewascommittedtotheTowerofLondontoawaittrialfortreason:notswearingtotheActofSuccessionandtheOathofSupremacy.Uponconviction,MoredeclaredhehadallthecouncilsofChristendomandnotjustthecouncilofonerealmtosupporthiminthedecisionofhisconscience.ThatdiedtheKing’sgoodservantbutGod’sfirsthediedcheerful,forgivinghisenemiesandprayingfortheking.

KeepingInTouchAsalways,ifyouoranyoneyouknow,requireshelporinformation,oryouwouldliketoofferhelpwithinourParish,pleasegetintouchon01555662234oremailusatstmarylanark@rcdom.or.ukTokeepuptodatewithanyParishnewsorupdatespleasevisit:Facebookpage-StMary’sRCChurch Website–www.stmaryslanark.org.uk

RegisteredCharityNumber–SCO11041

VolunteersAswepreparetoopenthechurchsafelyweurgentlyneedvolunteerstocleanthechurchandtoactaspasskeepers.Inordertoprotectthevolunteersthemselvesthefollowingadvice

mustbefollowed:

-volunteersshouldnotbeunder18yearsold(NBtheguidelinesexcludingvolunteersolderthan70

yearsoldhasbeenreevaluatedandremoved)

-theyshouldhavenounderlyinghealthproblemsthatmakesthemvulnerabletothe

Covid19virus.

Volunteerswillbetrainedandgivengloves,apronsandfacemasks.

Ifyoucanvolunteerpleasedoso:contactFr.DoyleortheparishteamatStMary’s01555

662234.ForSt.MaryMagdalene/StIsidore’spleasecall

01899220189.Thankyou.

OntheFifthanniversaryofPopeFrancis’sLetterontheenvironmentLaudatoSisomepowerfulquotestoponder:“Doomsdaypredictionscannolongerbemetwithironyordisdain.Wemaywellbeleavingtocominggenerationsdebris,desolationandfilth.Thepaceofconsumption,wasteandenvironmentalchangehassostretchedtheplanet’scapacitythatourcontemporarylifestyle,unsustainableasitis,canonlyprecipitatecatastrophes,suchasthosewhichevennowperiodicallyoccurindifferentareasoftheworld.”“Humanitystillhastheabilitytoworktogetherinbuildingourcommonhome.”“LivingourvocationtobeprotectorsofGod’shandiworkisessentialtoalifeofvirtue;itisnotanoptionalorasecondaryaspectofourChristianexperience.”“Eachcommunitycantakefromthebountyoftheearthwhateveritneedsforsubsistence,butitalsohasthedutytoprotecttheearthandtoensureitsfruitfulnessforcominggenerations.”

PLEASENOTE:CouldanyitemsfortheBulletinpleasebesenttousnolaterthanThursday5pm,anythingreceivedafterthiswillgointhefollowingweeksBulletin.Youcanemail,phoneorputanotethroughtheParishHousedoor.Manythanks