Dear friends,
We offer our condolences, and the assurance of our prayers, to those in our local community affected by the Air India ‘plane crash in Ahmedabad earlier today: may God grant rest to the departed, healing to the injured, hope to those who are anxious, and peace to those who mourn.
We are delighted that our friend Fr Jason Rendell has now returned to work after his recent illness and time of convalescence: Fr Jason will join us on Saturday evening, to offer the 6pm Vigil Mass at St Mary’s – please join him at this Mass, to welcome him back to active ministry, and to give God thanks for his recuperation. (Please note also that on Saturday there will be no public Evening Prayer or Confessions before the Vigil Mass.) Fr Jason will likewise offer the 6.30pm Mass next Tuesday.
This weekend we celebrate Trinity Sunday, and our preacher at Mass on Sunday morning will be our very own Ryan Davey. Ryan has only six more weeks with us at St Mary’s, and we would like to bid him God speed with a collection, to be presented on his final Sunday, 22 July: please give your donations to Fr Richard.)
Ven. Fulton Sheen wrote of the Trinity, ‘It is the mystery of the Trinity which gives the answer to those who have pictured God as an egotist God, sitting in solitary splendour before the world began, reduced to loving Himself as a selfish deity; for the Trinity is a revelation that, before creation, God enjoyed the amiable society of His three Persons, the infinite communion with Truth and the embrace of infinite Love, and hence had no need ever to go outside Himself in search of happiness. The greatest wonder of all, then, is that, being perfect, and enjoying perfect happiness, He ever should have made a world. And if He did make a world, He could only have had one motive for making it. It could not add to His perfection; it could not add to His truth; it could not increase His happiness. He made a world only because He loved.’
We are entering ordination season, and Fr Richard will be away from the parish next week – first attending an ordination in Exeter on Monday evening, and then participating in Bishop Jonathan’s ordination retreat from Tuesday until Thursday, at Aylesford. Please pray for Deacon Alexander Honey, to be ordained to the sacred priesthood by the Bishop of Oswestry on Monday, and for the six deacons-to-be and three priests-to-be from our own Fulham family, who will be sharing in Bishop Jonathan’s ordination retreat next week – and for Fr John Gribben CR, the retreat conductor. In Fr Richard’s absence, from Sunday afternoon to Thursday evening, please refer any pastoral concerns to Fr Mike.
This weekend, tickets will go on sale (£12.50/£5) for our forthcoming summer barbecue (on Saturday, 16 August): either speak to Johnette or Nancee to pay in cash; or to Fr Richard to use the contactless machine, or else (new this year!) click here to purchase your tickets online: simply input the total payable, and then let Fr Richard know once payment has been made, so that hardcopy tickets can be allocated to you. There will be a short planning meeting to continue to make preparations for the barbecue after Mass next Sunday, 22 June – and we would also now be grateful for your donations of raffle prizes. Please likewise would those coming to the barbecue bring a side, salad or dessert to share (plus your own supplementary drinks).
The latest ALMA (Angola-London-Mozambique Association) newsletter can be read here; please also find herewith attached invitations – from Bishop Jonathan, to forthcoming Masses (at St Andrew, Holborn) in honour of the Sacred Body and Precious Blood of the Lord; – from All Saints, Margaret Street, for Corpus Christi, and – closer to home – from St Mary, Willesden, to their Patronal celebrations next month.
Blessing and honour and thanksgiving and praise, more than we can utter, more than we can conceive, be to you, most holy and glorious Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, by all angels, all people, all creatures, for ever and ever. Amen,
Fr Richard