R E F L E C T I O N
LENT IS A GREAT TIME TO LEARN TO DEVELOP PATIENT TRUST
Above all, trust in the slow work of God. We are quite naturally impatient in everything, to reach the end without delay. We should like to skip the intermediate stages; we are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new. And yet it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing through some stages of instability, and that it may take a very long time
And so it is with you, your ideas mature gradually; let them grow; let them shape themselves, without undue haste. Do not try to force them on as though you could do today what time (that is to say, grace and circumstances acting on your own good will) will make you tomorrow
Only God could say what this new spirit, gradually forming within you, will be.
Give Our Lord the benefit of believing that his hand is leading you and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself in suspense and incomplete.
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin SJ
JOY OF THE GOSPEL
God’s word is unpredictable in its power. The Gospel speaks of a seed which, once sown, grows by itself, even as the farmer sleeps. (Mk 4:26-29) The Church has to accept this unruly freedom of the word, which accomplishes what it wills in ways that surpass our calculations and ways of thinking.
Pope Francis
FEASTS/MEMORIALS THIS WEEK
Wed Ash Wednesday
PLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS
The Holy Father’s Intention for February that those who have material, political and spiritual power may resist any lure of corruption; victims of trafficking; the unemployed; George Warns & Jamie Ellis recently baptised; the sick and those who care for them especially - Audrey Burke, Betsy Bawdelly-Smith, Josephine Whittle, Cliff Hutchinson, Alan Berry, Pat O’Neill, Nicolle Ernould, Christine Ashworth, Gerry Newell, Pat Cooke, Jesu Lopez, Ruth de Stefani, Michael Polack, Damian Norris and Rudolf Dorrepaal; Fr Frank Harrington, Leon Krakowiak, Peter Ellis and Joan Stewart recently deceased and PasqualinoLandino, Vince Ellul, Vincent Fagan, Dorothy Hedley, June Hatcher and Joan Huber whose anniversaries occur around this time.
P A R I S H N E W S
T O D A YCollection for
Lourdes Pilgrimage Fund
Gift AidLourdes or Parish envelopes
WEDNESDAY OF THIS WEEK is Ash Wednesday, a Day of Fasting and Abstinence. Mass will be at 9 30 a m at St Joseph’s and 8 p m at St Edmund’s.
AT THE 6 P M MASS on 17th February, we are pleased to welcome Jordynn Waterman (aged 11) who will be Baptised and make her First Communion during the Mass.
A WORD OF THANKS to Secrett’s Farm Shop for facilitating the removal of several years’ leaf fall from St Joseph’s car park.
Project Peruinvites you to come and share a Lenten Lunch onSunday, 4th March at 12 30 p m in St. Joseph's Church Hall, Guildford. Tickets£10 adults, children 6 years and under by donation please.This is a very popular event so be sure to get your tickets early to avoid disappointment. Ring 576093 or 562134.
WOMEN’S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER This year we are host to this ecumenical event on Friday, 2nd March, at 2 p m, at St Joseph’sand need your support please. The service finishes by 3 p m to allow time to collect children from school. The women of Suriname have prepared the service - "All God's Creation is Very Good". At least four volunteers are needed to take part and any offers of cakes, biscuits, scones, sandwiches would be much appreciated as St Joseph's will be providing the tea following the service. Contact Catherine Maxwell-Miles on 01428 682045 for details and offers of help.
You are warmly invitedto the next Chilworth Day of Prayer and Praise, around the theme “The Kingdom of God is at Hand” given by Laurence O'Keefe OSB on Saturday, 17th February. The day begins with Mass at 10 20 a m. Two talks will divide the Day, with refreshments and lunch, the Divine Mercy Devotion, with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, concluding with the Sacrament of Healing. The day finishes at 4 20 p m. Come to part, or all of the day, as it suits you. Bring a packed lunch, and, if you can, a friend. Tea and coffee is provided. Online information:
CAN YOU PLAY A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT? We are looking for someone to either play the organ or guitars, violins or any other instruments for the Easter Triduum at Godalming and Easter Sunday morning at Milford. Any offers please to Fr David at .
CAFOD’S FAMILY FAST DAY is an opportunity to support our brothers and sisters who don’t have enough to eat. On Friday, 23rd February can you give up a meal or have less and donate to the CAFOD collection? This Lent your donation will make double the difference. For every pound you donate the UK government will also donate a pound up to a total of £5 million. So please give generously to help us reach the £5 million. The Fast Day envelopes will be given out on the weekend of 17th & 18th February and collected in the next weekend. At the end of Mass there will be a talk on the theme of the Fast Day. If you are a UK tax payer you can also Gift Aid your donation by filling the form on the envelope or you can give online at Many thanks for your support.
RELIGIOUS BOOKS FOR CHILDREN Have your children grown out of their religious story books? If so, we would like to replenish the book boxes at both St Joseph’s and St John’s. Just bring them along some Sunday.
COLLECTIONS FOR DECEMBER 2017
OffertoryDiocese/Charity
03/12/2017 £584.67 £0.00
10/12/2017 £911.70 £0.00
17/12/2017 £464.03 £0.00
24/12/2017 £468.38 £0.00
25/12/2017£3,353.25 £0.00
Standing Orders£2,373.50 £0.00
Monthly Totals£8,155.53 £0.00
CaFE (Catholic Faith Exploration) have just produced an excellent series of DVDs entitled “Let It Be” on how Mary helps us to be filled with God. These are ideal both for Lent groups and as preparation for the Parish Pilgrimage to Aylesford on Tuesday, 8th May (for which there are still a few places available!)The sessions will take place on Wednesday evenings at 8 p m at Chris & Helga Frost’s Barn by Wood Farm Cottage off the Portsmouth Road between Godalming and Milford (turn left from Godalming at the turning marked Allotmore). The subjects are :
21st February : Chosen by God
28th February : The First Disciple
14th March : Mother of All (NB no session on 7th March)
21st March : Queen of Heaven
28th March : Help of Christians
If you would like to reserve a place (no charge) or have any questions, please contact Ian Honeysett on 429615 or email him at: .
Ecumenical Lent Course and Shared Soup & Cheese LunchesAs you are aware from the recent Parish Discussions engaging with and learning from other Christian Churches in our area will be a key focus for our Parish going forward and with this in mind, you are to invited you to take up the invitation issued to us by the Rev Clive Potter, Vicar of St John’s, Milford to join with members of the Three Milford Churches and All Saints Witley in their four week Lent Course on a Tuesday night at 740 p m starting on 20th February. The focus of the Course is “What do our Hymns and Songs mean to us” Church Music is another key focus from our Parish Discussions and the theme of this course will help us to discuss the type of music that will enrich our celebration of the Mass and Sacraments. There will be tea and coffee upon arrival and the course will start promptly at 8.00. The Courses will be held in the Church Room adjacent to St John’s, Church Road, Milford.
We are also invited to join in their Lent Shared Soup and Cheese Lunches which will be held at 12 30 p m every Thursday from 22nd February until15th March at the same venue.
HOW TO CELEBRATE THE TRUE MEANING OF THE RESURRECTION is the theme of the York Course Lent programme to be held at the Old Farmhouse, Elstead starting on Monday, 19th February. Contributors include Bishop Tom Wright, Paul Vallely and others. All welcome. For more information ring Richard Grey on 01252 702230.
CAFOD Stations of the Cross will be held on Friday 23rd February, Family Fast Day, at 7 p m followed by a soup supper in St John's Church Room Farncombe. Please let Jo Lewry know if you are coming so that we have enough soup for everyone by calling 421520 or emailing .
AN EVENING OF REFLECTION for Extra Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, led by Rev John Lamb, will be held on Thursday, 15th February from 7 p m to 9 p m at St Joseph’s Church, Guildford . If you wish to attend please let the Guildford Parish Office know by email, ch, or phone 562704 giving your name, Parish (and email address if you don’t mind it being known; not critical) by 13th February.
P A R I S H D E V E L O P M E N T S
Thank you very much for your responses to the survey. We had a truly wonderful uptake. We received replies from between 200-250 people! Given a weekly mass attendance of around 320, this is a fantastic outcome. This is a great start in a long and difficult process. But it does show just how engaged and passionate we are as a parish. I thank God for that.
90% of the surveys were completed online. This has been really helpful. It has saved a lot of data input. As I write, the paper copies are being entered by willing workers. The next step in the process is to analyse the results. Most of this will be done using suitable software. However, there were around 150 comments to be read and carefully considered. A lot to take in – but very worthwhile and illuminating.
Next Tuesday (13th February) I will be going to a deanery meeting to discuss how and what we present to the Bishop. The actual presentation to the Bishop from the deanery will take place on the following Monday (19th February). As promised, I would hope to be able to provide some feedback from the survey before the end of the month. Once the meeting with the Bishop has happened, I am hoping to return to focusing on our vision and how we can work together to make it a reality.
The prayer request this week is for our deanery.Please pray that the deanery will find the best way to move forward in its presentation to the Bishop. Give us the wisdom and the words to reach out to help the Bishop and the diocese in our mission to help everyone experience the love of God.
Thank you once again.
God bless you, Fr David