Newsletter
FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT
2nd March 2008
CALENDAR
Friday - Saints Perpetua & Felicity
Gospel Reflection
Tunnel Vision
Today Jesus cures a man who has been blind from birth, but it is not the blindness of the man himself that is central to this story but the blindness of those around him. The Pharisees are pretty sure they know who Jesus is and they are fairly certain that he is not of God. Consequently they are completely non-plussed by Jesus' miracle. They question the cured man over and over as though seeking some other explanation. The Pharisees are unable to believe the evidence before their eyes. They are just as blind as the blind man once was. They are blind to the truth because they refuse to see it.
Jesus chose to cure the blind man, not simply because he felt a sympathy for him but because he wanted to display how God can work through any one of us. Jesus could see that the blind man would make a persuasive evangelist, and he was right. The cured blind man, unlike his frightened parents, spoke out boldly and persistently first proclaiming Jesus as a prophet, and then as he gained more insight, that this man was the Son of God. Even so, the short-sighted Pharisees were not convinced. Their belief that only Moses could act as spokesperson for God, rendered them totally myopic when it came to Jesus. Perhaps there is a lesson here for all of us. Are we so blinkered in
what we believe and how we worship, that we are unable to see the broader picture that would allow our faith to move forwards?
Jesus' miracle and choice of subject, teaches that God can work through any one of us. In the circumstances of our lives we can show others how God works. In our skills and talents we too can be evangelists, we just need the vision and a little bit of lateral thinking.
Pope Benedict's Prayer Intention for March - Forgiveness and Reconciliation.
Why is forgiveness so important? Is forgiveness always necessary? At the root of most of the world's confrontation lies an inability to forgive. The reason this is so damaging is that without forgiveness there can be no reconciliation, and without reconciliation we end up in isolation. Without reconciliation divisions become irreparable and friendships, families and ultimately whole communities break down. Living in isolation makes it difficult for love to flourish. So as a necessary precondition to love each other as Jesus commanded, first we must bring about forgiveness. We are asked to forgive others as Christ forgives us. This month we are asked to join Pope Benedict's prayer intention ".....That all may understand the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation between individuals and peoples and that the Church may spread Christ's love."
Echoes of the day
"...I went away and washed; and then I could see, and I believed in God" Jn 9:11
Women's World Day of Prayer
7th March 2008 - The Methodist Church. Percy Road, Hampton
Services at 2.30 & 7.30pm. The speaker at each service will be Isabelle Carboni from the Methodist Relief Fund.
Women's World Day of Prayer is a global, ecumenical movement of informed prayer and prayerful action, organised and led by Christian women who call the faithful together on the first Friday in March each year to observe a common day of prayer.
The service is written by a different country each year and that country then becomes the focus of the world's prayers on the day itself. This year the prayer theme is God's Wisdom and the service has been prepared by Guyana where the population is 52% Christian 34% Hindu, 9% Muslim and 5% other ethnic religions.
Mother's Day Raffle Prize Winners.
- 1st Prize - ticket no 540 Terry Thomlinson
- 2nd Prize ticket no 291 Margaret Leonard
- 3rd Prize ticket no 592 Theresa Temple.
Thank you to everyone who bought tickets for the raffle, we raised £172 for Church Funds and a very special word of thanks to Violet O'Brien for her beautiful artwork in the framed water colour and to Cristina Bishop for her exquisite needlework.
LENTEN STATIONS OF THE CROSS
The stations are followed every Friday evening in the Church during Lent at 7.30pm
World Youth Day
Cake sale on today - after 10.30 mass.
Please do come and support us. Many thanks for your continued support for our pilgrimage.
Sister Victoria wishes to thank everyone for their cards of greetings and well-wishes whilst she has been in hospital. She is confident of making a speedy recovery and looks forward to being back in Hampton.
GOOD FRIDAY ECUMENICAL SERVICE
This year's ecumenical service at 11am outside Sainsbury's will take the form of Children's Stations of the Cross led by Deacon Duncan with children and young people from the parish.
SAINT PATRICK'S DAY CEILI
You are invited to a Ceili to mark the Feast on Saturday 15th March, in St Francis de Sales Church Hall. 7.30pm. Tickets on the door.
Prices £6.00pm Adults. Children/Concessions £3.00. Ticket includes variety of snacks.
A Bar will be available.
All enquiries to Marie on 
020 8977 5049
Fr. Des MacMorrow wishes to be remembered to everyone. He is very sorry that he will be unable to come to Hampton for Easter this year - breaking a habit of twenty years or so - but does intend to visit during the summer.
POLISH MASS AT HEATHROW AIRPORT
Mass is offered in Polish at the St. George's Chapel, near to Terminal 2, at 10.30am every Sunday.
Fr. Jaroslav Jubiak is the regular celebrant
The Sons of Divine Providence - founded by St Luigi Orione - have vacancies in their residential care home for the elderly in Hampton Wick.
Further information from the Manager Lydia Davis 020 8977 0754.
Click here to download this weeks Newsletter in PDF format. Click here for last newsletter.
You may need to download and install a free application called Adobe Reader to open these files
Click here to view archive of previous Newsletters