saint columba’s 15 newsletter sunday of advent, year a · saint columba’s newsletter gospel...

Saint Columba’s Newsletter

Gospel Reflection �

15th December 2019, 3rd Sunday of Advent, Year A

STCOLUMBA’SCATHOLICCHURCH,CHESHAMwww.stcolumbas.church

ParishSecretary:01494785269-parishsecstcolumba@gmail.comWedsandThurs9-12.30pm.

Pleasetelephoneoremailtocheckavailabilityatallothertimes

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FrAlessandroReno

Matthew11:2-11

Areyoutheonewhoistocome?Isn'tthisthequestionweallaskourselves?Ourfaithisoftenfilledwithuncertainty,fear...HowtorecognizethepresenceofChristinourlives?IsthereasigntodiscoverHeisreallymySaviour?Unansweredquestionsthatcreateexpectations...Andexpectingsomethingcanbeverytiring,evenmakingussadpeople...Withallthedifficultiesintheworld,wecaneasilywonderifthecomingofJesushashadmuchimpact.TheChurchunderstandsourweariness.TodayitoffersusencouragementbynamingtheThirdSundayofAdvent"Gaudete",thatmeans,"Rejoice".Thiscomesfromtoday'sentranceantiphonfromPhilippians4:4"RejoiceintheLordalways".JamesinhisLetteralsoseekstoencourageuswhoarewearywhileinexpectation,whenhetellsus:"Bepatient,brothersandsisters,untilthecomingoftheLord"and"Makeyourheartsfirm,becausethecomingoftheLordisathand".ThewaysthatourlivesreflecttheGospelmessagespeaksvolumestotheworldaboutthewaystheLordisherenowinourlives.Inthemostpersonalway,wecanbecontagiousinourrejoicingthisdayinourAdventexpectation,beencouragingeachotherwithourjoy,because"Godlovesacheerfulgiver".Mostofall,workonfindingencouragementthroughcheerfulpeople.Lettheircheerfulnessbecontagioustoyou.Indoingso,becontagiousbyhelpingGodtolovethatcheerfulgiverwhogivestoyou.

PrayertotheVirginMaryRemember,mostlovingVirginMary,thatitisathingunheardofthatanyonewhohadrecoursetoyourprotection,imploredyourhelp,orsoughtyourintercession,wasleftforsaken.Filledthereforewithconfidenceinyourgoodness,Iflytoyou,OMother,Virginofvirgins.ToyouIcome;beforeyouIstandasorrowfulsinner.Despisenotmywords,OMotheroftheWordofGodbutgraciouslyhearandgrantmyprayer.(ReadduringtheDIOCESANMASStocelebratethepatronalfeastoftheIMMACULATECONCEPTIONinCathedralChurchinNorthamptonthe7thofDecember2019)

Saint Columba’s Newsletter

Parish�3rdAdventCandle–JOYThethirdcandleispinkandsymbolizesjoy.Itiscalledthe“Shepard’sCandle,”andispinkbecauseroseisaliturgicalcolorforjoy.ThethirdSundayofAdventisGaudeteSundayandismeanttoremindusofthejoythattheworldexperiencedatthebirthofJesus.

AdventReconciliationServiceAReconciliationservicewillbeheldatStColumba’sonFriday20Decemberat7pm.ThreepriestsfromthePastoralAreainadditiontoFrAlessandrowillbeavailablefortheSacramentofReconciliation.

5pmChristmasEveMassIHM2019CallingallchildrentotakepartintheChristmasEveMass.Ifyouareabletojoinusandlikedressinguppleasecomedressedasashepherdoranangel,butthisisnotessential.Jesuswelcomeseveryone.Wewouldloveasmanyofyouaspossibletobethere.Thechurchwillbeveryfullsopleasetrytocomeby4.45pmatthelatest.Therewillbespaceonthecarpetatthefrontforyoutosit.MargaretandMichelle.

Today-StColumba'sChristmasDrawTheDrawwilltakeplacetodayintheHallafter9amMass.Pleasecomeupstairsforteaorcoffeeandtoseeifyouhavealuckyticketforoneofthewonderfulhampers!!!

ParishRetreatAjointParishRetreat(IHM&StColumba's)withBishopPeteronSat21&Sun22March2020willbeheldattheBridgettineConvent,Iver.Thethemeoftheretreatis"TheVocationandMissionoftheFamilyintheChurchandinthecontemporaryworldenlightenedbytheWordofGod"PleaseregisteryourinterestincomingtotheretreatbysigningthesheetonthenoticeboardintheNarthexorcontactingtheparishsecretaryviaparishsecstcolumba@gmail.com

Saint Columba’s Parish Newsletter

Saint Columba’s Newsletter

THEYEAROFTHEWORD2020:TheCatholicBishopsConferenceofEnglandandWaleshavedesignatednextyearastheYearoftheWord2020,withafocusontheBibleand‘TheGodWhoSpeaks’.Duringtheyear,wewillbeinvitedtocelebrate,liveandshareGod’swordinamorefocussedway.

Diocese�

OurLady'sCatholicPrimarySchool-ReceptionAdmissions2020AdmissionsforOurLady'sCatholicSchoolforSeptember2020arenowopen.PleasefillinasupplementaryformandaskFatherAlessandrotosignaCertificateofCatholicPracticeaswellasapplyingthroughtheBuckinghamshirewebsite.Bothcanbeobtainedfromtheschoolwebsiteoratthebackofchurch.Ifyouwouldliketovisittheschool,pleasecontacttheschooloffice(01494726390)tomakeaconvenientappointment.Pleasenoteapplicationshavetobeinby15Januarybutpleasedon'tleaveituntilthelastminute.

2020isthe1,600anniversaryofSaintJerome’sdeathandthe10thofVerbumDomini–BenedictXVI’sApostolicExhortationon‘TheWordoftheLord’.TheBishopsofEnglandandWalesaremarkingtheseeventsbydesignating2020ayearoffocusontheBible.Forinitialinformationsee:http://catholicnews.org.uk/thegodwhospeaks.

Parish�

ToreceivetheE-Newslettereachweek,justsend“IwanttoreceivetheNewsletter”to:stcolumbachesham@gmail.com.Opt-outthesameway.Elements to include in the newsletter (short texts ready to publish /image)mustbesentbeforeThursdayNoontothesameaddress.

Agenda �

At Your Service�

Saint Columba’s Newsletter

Date StColumba’s IHM

Sun.15 9amMass–EddieHallRIP6pmMass–ThomasMurphyRIP 11amMass

Mon.16 NoMass NoMass

Tues.17 7pmMass

Weds.18 9:30amMass

Thurs.19 9amExpositionoftheBlessedSacrament9.30amMass–AnthonyWoodrowRIP(4yr),followedby10amTheRosary

Fri.20 7pm–ReconciliationService 9:30amMass

Sat.21 10amMass 6pmVigilMass

Sun.22 9amMass–MargaretHannanRIP6pmMass–CarolineKnowles

11amMass

Thisweek,pleaseprayfortheSoulsofthosewhoseanniversariesoccuraboutthistime:

EileenHaggerstone(2005),MonicaMurphy(2012)AnthonyWoodrow(2015),CatherineHemus(1965)StanislawPadourin(1973),PatriciaFowler(1996)

BookletswithChristmasMassTimesforallfiveparishesinourPastoralAreaareavailableinthenarthex–pleasetakeacopyafterMasstoday