Eleventh Sunday of the Year
17TH June 2007

Wednesday - St ALOSIUS GONZAGA
Friday - Saints JOHN FISHER & THOMAS MORE

Gospel Reflection: Crippled Inside -

You may have heard people being described as 'holier than thou.' It's usually levelled as a criticism. How odd! Shouldn't it be a good thing to be holy? Shouldn't it be good to have morals and high standards? The trouble with morals and high standards is that we often use them to exclude people. When we set high standards for ourselves we can unwittingly set high standards for others too and this can make us unforgiving and uncompromising.

Simon the Pharisee was probably a very holy man with high standards. When he sees an uninvited dinner guest, the woman of ill repute, washing Jesus' feet with her tears and drying them with her hair, he is frankly appalled. He is shocked that Jesus appears to accept the woman. Doesn't Jesus know of her reputation? Ever artful, Jesus poses Simon the question; if two men owe a moneylender a debt, one a small debt the other large, which will be more grateful if the debt is cancelled? Simon wrong foots himself with his own answer ... of course the man who owes more will show more gratitude! In his answer Simon is allying himself with the woman. The woman who has lots of sin to forgive will show more gratitude and love, than Simon who has little sin to forgive and therefore fails to appreciate how liberating forgiveness and acceptance can be.

Unforgiven sin cripples us inside. Unforgiven sin locks us away in prisons of our own making. Unforgiven sin robs us of our worth and ultimately of our future. When Jesus looked at the woman of ill repute he didn't see the sinner that Simon saw, he saw someone with worth. Jesus teaches us that true love excludes no one.

Saints Thomas More and John Fisher
Friday - 22nd June

Thomas More and John Fisher angered King Henry VIII by steadfastly refusing to approve the king's divorce from Catherine of Aragon in order to marry Anne Boleyn. They further angered the king by refusing to acknowledge him as supreme head of the Church of England. For persisting in their opposition in the face of threat and intimidation and for refusing to compromise their beliefs, both were beheaded.

On this day, the Church invites us to pray for those who suffer persecution, oppression and denial of human rights.

AUTUMN PROGRAMME FOR GROUP DISCUSSION

We have received order-forms from the diocese for material required for the new programme, 'Sharing His Life' for the groups in the October/November Season. Fr. Bernard

ANNUAL CATECHETICAL CONFERENCE

A conference day has been organised to take place in Hammersmith at The Sacred Heart Church, Sat 14th July. Anybody who wishes to attend may receive all details from the Presbytery

CAFOD - Thank you

The Catholic Charity wrote during the week to thank us for the gift of £400+ we lately sent specifically for Darfur. They also sent a copy of their current bulletin giving details of their work and their involvement. Anyone can donate at anytime to www.cafod.org.uk/darfurappeal

Calling all would-be Thespians & Singers!!

After the recent Gilbert & Sullivan successes at St. Francis de Sales, a new show is being planned to be staged there in March 2008. Rehearsals start in September for Rogers & Hammerstein's "The King and I"

For this production there are 5 principal roles plus several smaller, non-singing characters as well as chorus and many walk on parts.

Auditions will take place on 1st July at 2pm in St. Francis de Sales Church Hall

If you would like to take part or would like more information please call Miriam on 020 8979 0718