Weekly reflections
Thoughts and prayers from the Wood Green team
Parish Letter - Sunday 2nd August
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Think for a moment of those huge events that attract thousands of people: Glastonbury, a premier league football match or the Notting Hill Carnival. Now think of the amount of food that is available. There is kiosk after kiosk of everything from curry and rice to giant American hotdogs. Vegetarian and vegan options available!
This Sunday we hear one of the most well known Gospel stories… and one of Jesus’ best known miracles, the Feeding of the Five Thousand. John the Baptist had just been killed and Jesus went away to be by himself to a desolate place, but the crowds followed. Jesus felt compassion for them and went and taught them. By nightfall, the people were hungry. It’s worth remembering here that many of these people will have travelled miles by foot, possibly walking for days. The disciples suggested telling the people to go and buy food in the surrounding villages. But how realistic was that? We know that in the ancient world there were businesses selling cooked food, but for 5,000 men, plus women and children?! Very unlikely I think.
Jesus asked the disciples what food they had and they told him there were five barley loaves and two fish. He looked up to heaven and said a blessing, and as we know, every single person was able to eat bread and fish. In fact there was such an abundance of food that the leftovers filled twelve baskets. This is a story full of the compassion of Jesus of Nazareth. Firstly, he is heartbroken by the death of John the Baptist. He had said, in another reading, that nobody was
greater than John the Baptist. He had gone away on his own to mourn John’s death but when he saw the people who had followed him, he went to them and taught them, forgetting his own sorrow. Then he saw that they were hungry. He knew that sending them to the surrounding villages would not provide sufficient food, so he asks the Father to provide the food for the people, and they ALL eat. They ALL eat. He does not say to give it only to the children. He does not say to ask people when they last had food. He does not say to feed only the Jews amongst them. He does not ask for donations of money. No. They all eat for free.
On Sunday, when we approach the altar for Holy Communion, many of us will receive the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We do not have to pay for it.
We are not questioned to see if we are worthy enough to receive it.
There is no free food at Glastonbury or at any other huge events. But on that day in the Holy Land, Jesus fed 5,000 men plus women and children, out of love for them. He loves us in exactly the same way. He feeds us with His love and compassion. We are all loved and are filled with his love. It is what He meant when He said to Peter, ‘Feed my sheep’.
With my love and prayers,
Prayer for the week
I am the bread of life,
You who come to me shall not hunger;
And who believe in me shall not thirst.
No one can come to me
Unless the Father beckons.
And I will raise you up,
And I will raise you up,
And I will raise you up on the last day.
Through the Same Jesus Christ, Amen.
The week ahead
Sunday 2nd August
08:30 Low Mass at St Michael Wood Green
10:30 Sung Mass at St Michael Wood Green
11:00 Sung Mass at St Michael-at-Bowes
Tuesday 4th August
NO MASS
Wednesday 5th August
NO MASS
Friday 7th August
NO MASS
Saturday 8th August
NO MASS
Sunday 9th August
10:30 Sung Mass at St Michael Wood Green
Notices
Eastbourne Coach Trip – This Sunday is your last opportunity to sign up for the coach trip to Eastbourne on 15th August. Please grab a spot before they all go, and pay for your seat ASAP. There are sign-up sheets at the back of both Bowes Church and St Michael’s. A coach will leave from Bowes and one from St Michael’s; we kindly request that you arrive at the respective churches at 7 am promptly.
Pilgrimage of Healing and Renewal – Thank you to all those who have paid for their seats.
Annual Leave – I shall be taking two weeks’ holiday from the 31st July. There will be NO MIDWEEK SERVICES during these two weeks, only the Masses offered on Sunday 2nd and 9th August. Posters are up advertising the Worship in our Parish over August. Do take note of these as they include changes to service times.
All Nations Evening – On Saturday 5th September we will be celebrating the diversity of our community. Come along for music and food as we mark the end of the summer. More details to follow.
New to the parish? It is pleasing to see a number of new members at St Michael’s. Please consider adding your names to the parish electoral roll. This simply means we can keep you in touch with all that is happening in the church and gives you the ability to vote at the Annual Church Meeting. Electoral roll forms are available near the church door.
Important Banking Information: If you pay your offering via a Standing Order or a direct debit, please note the following account details. All cheques to be made payable to:
The Parish of Wood Green
Account no. 00037635
Sort code 405240
If you have any questions, please speak to Festus, Fr Simon or Elizabeth, our Church warden.
Looking forward
- Saturday August 15th – Eastbourne Trip
- Sunday 16th August – Feast of the Assumption of the BVM.
- Monday August 31st – Healing Pilgrimage to Walsingham.
- Saturday 5th September – All Nations Evening.
Parish Letter - Sunday 26th July
Dearest Friends-in-Christ,
In the Psalm appointed for this Sunday, the writer declares that for them “The law from your (God’s) mouth means more to me than silver and gold.” It is a fitting psalm for this Sunday, given that the Gospel contains the parable of the treasure in the field. I wonder, however, how many people would consider a law, or a group of laws, to be of greater worth than silver and gold? Again, I wonder how many people, or how often one considers what the value of a law is?
Mirriam Webster’s dictionary defines law as “a binding custom or practice of a community: a rule of conduct or action prescribed or formally recognised as binding or enforced by a controlling authority”. This is likely the definition most of us will be familiar with, and for wider society the “law of the land” is the one with which they will be most occupied. Such is the case, as it is the laws of our realm that we are most readily governed by, most readily penalised against should we break the conduct they enforce. The baptised, mind you, are called to be chiefly occupied not with the law of the realm but with the law of God, indeed to treasure it as the Psalmist does.
One reason for this, to which the Psalmist alludes, is that within the law of God is the revelation of his love. We should therefore consider God’s law a means of communication, in which our abiding not only releases us to be in communion with God but also to look at the world around us as God indeed looks at it. With this in mind, it is not surprising that the Psalmist places such great value upon the law of God, a value greater than the material wealth of this age, as indeed we all should. May our love of God instil in us a zeal for his holy law which draws all things into a sublime nearness to Him. Amen
Prayer for the week
Lord, I abandon myself into Your hands. Do with me what You will.
Whatever You do, I thank You. I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only Your will be done in me and in all Your creatures.
I wish no more than this, O Lord.
Into Your hands I commend my soul;
I offer it to You with all the love of my heart, for I love You, Lord,
and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself into Your hands without reserve,
and with boundless confidence, for You are my Father. (St Claude de la Colombiere)
The week ahead
Sunday 26th July (18th in Ordinary Time)
08:30 Low Mass at St Michael Wood Green
10:30 Sung Mass at St Michael Wood Green
11:00 Sung Mass at St Michael-at-Bowes
Tuesday 28th July
11 am Mass at St Michael at Bowes
Wednesday 29th July
NO MIDDAY MASS
Friday 31st July
NO MIDDAY MASS – FR SIMON ON ANNUAL LEAVE
Saturday 1st August
NO MIDDAY MASS – FR SIMON ON ANNUAL LEAVE
Sunday 2nd August (18th Sunday in Ordinary Time)
10:30 Sung Mass at St Michael Wood Green
Notices
Eastbourne Coach Trip – This Sunday is your last opportunity to sign up for the coach trip to Eastbourne on 15th August. Please grab a spot before they all go, and pay for your seat ASAP. There are sign-up sheets at the back of both Bowes Church and St Michael’s. A coach will leave from Bowes and one from St Michael’s; we kindly request that you arrive at the respective churches at 7 am promptly.
Pilgrimage of Healing and Renewal – Thank you to all those who have paid for their seats.
Annual Leave – I shall be taking two weeks’ holiday from the 31st July. There will be NO MIDWEEK SERVICES during these two weeks, only the Masses offered on Sunday 2nd and 9th August. Posters are up advertising the Worship in our Parish over August. Do take note of these as they include changes to service times.
All Nations Evening – On Saturday 5th September we will be celebrating the diversity of our community. Come along for music and food as we mark the end of the summer. More details to follow.
New to the parish? It is pleasing to see a number of new members at St Michael’s. Please consider adding your names to the parish electoral roll. This simply means we can keep you in touch with all that is happening in the church and gives you the ability to vote at the Annual Church Meeting. Electoral roll forms are available near the church door.
Important Banking Information: If you pay your offering via a Standing Order or a direct debit, please note the following account details. All cheques to be made payable to:
The Parish of Wood Green
Account no. 00037635
Sort code 405240
If you have any questions, please speak to Festus, Fr Simon or Elizabeth, our Church warden.
Looking forward
- Saturday August 15th – Eastbourne Trip
- Sunday 16th August – Feast of the Assumption of the BVM.
- Monday August 31st – Healing Pilgrimage to Walsingham.
- Saturday 5th September – All Nations Evening.
Parish Letter - Sunday 19th July
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
I live in a block of flats for older people. It’s a lovely place and we have garden built on a hill with a patio on the highest level. This patio always used to have beautiful plants in pots bringing colour and attracting bees and butterflies. Sadly, the residents who cared for the plants have all died, and the plants died as well, leaving a few pots with dirt in them and one tired-looking rose bush.
This Sunday Jesus is talking to His disciples using another parable. You may remember that last week He was talking about seeds that fell on rocky ground, or amongst thistles, or on rich soil. This week, using a similar metaphor, He is talking about weeds which grow among the wheat. The enemy has got into the wheatfield and planted the weeds. The servants are shocked but their master says to them to leave the weeds alone. When the wheat is ready to be harvested, the reaper will be able to remove the weeds, gather them together and burn them. The wheat however, will go into the barn.
Jesus is of course talking about us, God’s people. Those who have not lived by the Word of God, who have broken the commandments and lived sinful lives without redemption, will be gathered together and destroyed, like the weeds. Those who have tried their best to live good lives and asked for forgiveness, are like the wheat: they will be taken by God into His Kingdom to be with Him for eternity. When I looked at the sad patio, I decided to do something about it. I bought more pots, bags of compost, seeds and small plants. The building manager saw what I was doing and she bought hanging baskets filled with colourful flowers. The patio is now ablaze with colour! The rosebush is thriving again. The bees and butterflies have returned.
There are always weeds of course. I remove the worst of them, the ones that can harm the plants, but I leave the small, innocent-looking ones; after all, they, too, are living plants and produce lovely, sometimes tiny, flowers. Let us always remember that with Jesus there is always the hope of redemption. The Good Thief on the Cross may have been considered a weed by the people he stole from, but right at the end of his life, he acknowledged Jesus as God and was promised a place in His Kingdom. As followers of Christ, we are promised the same.
With my love and prayers,
Prayer for the week
O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder
consider all the works thy hand hath made,
I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,
thy power throughout the universe displayed;
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee,
how great thou art, how great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee,
how great thou art, how great thou art!
The week ahead
Sunday 19th July (16th in Ordinary Time)
08:30 Low Mass at St Michael Wood Green
10:30 Sung Mass at St Michael Wood Green
11:00 Sung Mass at St Michael-at-Bowes
Tuesday 21st July
11 am Mass at St Michael at Bowes
Wednesday 22nd July (Feast of St Mary Magdalen)
12noon Mass at St Michael Wood Green
Friday 24th July
12noon Mass at St Michael Wood Green
Saturday 25th July
NO MIDDAY MASS
Sunday 26th July (17th Sunday in Ordinary Time)
08:30 Low Mass at St Michael Wood Green
10:30 Sung Mass at St Michael Wood Green
11:00 Sung Mass at St Michael-at-Bowes
Notices
Thank You – To the Social and Fundraising Committee and all who volunteered their time and support for Stalls in the Hall last weekend, a big thank you is owed. It was wonderful to see so many people working together to support the mission of the Church.
Eastbourne – The next parish outing is the coach trip to Eastbourne on 15th August. There are sign-up sheets at the back of both Bowes Church and St Michael’s. A coach will leave from Bowes and one from St Michael’s; we kindly request that you arrive at the respective churches at 7 am promptly.
Pilgrimage of Healing and Renewal – Payment for the coach is due in a few weeks time, so if you are one of the few yet to pay for your seat, please do so ASAP.
Pax Christi – The next Pax Christi meeting is taking place on Tuesday, 21st July. We will be meeting at 7.15pm outside St Michael’s Church and walking down as a group to St Paul’s RC Church on Station Road. This is a great opportunity to participate in Christ’s mission of peace and justice, an integral part of our own mission to the world.
Annual Leave – I shall be taking two weeks’ holiday from the 31st July. On those two Sundays (2nd and 9th August), there shall be a single sung Mass at St Michael’s, Wood Green at 10:30. Details of the further worshipping arrangements for the summer will be shared in due course.
New to the parish? It is pleasing to see a number of new members at St Michael’s. Please consider adding your names to the parish electoral roll. This simply means we can keep you in touch with all that is happening in the church and gives you the ability to vote at the Annual Church Meeting. Electoral roll forms are available near the church door.
Important Banking Information: If you pay your offering via a Standing Order or a direct debit, please note the following account details. All cheques to be made payable to:
The Parish of Wood Green
Account no. 00037635
Sort code 405240
If you have any questions, please speak to Festus, Fr Simon or Elizabeth, our Church warden.
Looking forward
- Wednesday 22nd July – St Mary Magdalen, Feast
- Saturday August 15th – Eastbourne Trip
- Monday August 31st – Healing Pilgrimage to Walsingham
Parish Letter - Sunday 12th July
Dearest Friends in Christ,
I must admit, when looking at the readings for this Sunday, my attention was quickly drawn to the first line from the appointed psalm – for reasons that should be (hopefully) quite clear, “You visit the earth, give it water”. I think many of us would be quite grateful for a heavy deluge right about now to cool off!
Some of you may be aware that I have a growing interest in cultivating herbs and vegetables. The amount of sunshine we are receiving is going a very long way toward the production of tomatoes and chilis, as well as some parsley, thyme and basil. What is a threat, however, is the lack of rain. Without a careful eye, all that is being grown would run the risk of wilting and eventually dying off. Except maybe my Sage, which appears pretty robust.
These themes of growth and cultivation are very pertinent to the focus of our Gospel this Sunday, as we shall discover. However, the point to consider today, particularly amidst the challenge for both my garden and all of us, is the trust that we have in the Lord for our provision. Whilst it may not always appear to be the case, in each season that we have in our lives, God manages to give to us what we need to weather the relevant storm or circumstance we find ourselves in. What complicates are attention to this is the broken reality of the world around us, and indeed of ourselves. Often it is just ourselves, our insecurities and vulnerabilities that obscure our observance of the ready provision of God. Agricultural images and metaphors in scripture are as powerful now as they were then; let us therefore don the apparel of the gardener and be an observant steward of our souls. Amen.
Prayer for the week
Almighty God,
In whom all creation finds its end and its provision,
give unto us an observant care of the soul,
and a zeal for the salvation of others.
Through Christ our Lord Amen.
Worship this Holy week
Sunday 12th July (15th in Ordinary Time)
08:30 Low Mass at St Michael Wood Green
10:30 High Mass at St Michael Wood Green
11:00 High Mass at St Michael-at-Bowes
Tuesday 14th July
11 am Mass at St Michael at Bowes
Wednesday 15th July
12noon Mass at St Michael Wood Green
Friday 17th July
12noon Mass at St Michael Wood Green
Saturday 18th July
12noon Mass at St Michael Wood Green
Sunday 19th July
08:30 Low Mass at St Michael Wood Green
10:30 High Mass at St Michael Wood Green
11:00 High Mass at St Michael-at-Bowes
Notices
Stalls in the Halls – IT’S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN – Only two more sleeps until the biggest Fete on the Bounds Green road. There is a whole host of stalls, crafts, cakes and food to enjoy. Bring a friend, bring a friend of a friend, and join us as we enjoy the summer and raise money for the mission and ministry of the parish. It’s never too late to get involved, so if you want to, please get in touch with Fr Simon.
Pilgrimage of Healing and Renewal – On Monday 31st August the Parish will be undertaking its annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham for their services of Healing and Renewal. A seat on the coach for the return Journey is £30 pp. If you have put your name down and not yet paid please do so promptly.
New to the parish? It is pleasing to see a number of new members at St Michael’s. Please consider adding your names to the parish electoral roll. This simply means we can keep you in touch with all that is happening in the church and gives you the ability to vote at the Annual Church Meeting. Electoral roll forms are available near the church door.
Important Banking Information: If you pay your offering via a Standing Order or a direct debit, please note the following account details. All cheques to be made payable to:
The Parish of Wood Green
Account no. 00037635
Sort code 405240
If you have any questions, please speak to Festus, Fr Simon or Elizabeth, our Church warden.
Looking Ahead
- Saturday 11th July – Stalls in the Halls/ Feast of St Benedict.
- Wednesday 22nd July – St Mary Magdalen, Feast.
- Saturday August 15th – Eastbourne Trip
- Monday August 31st – Healing Pilgrimage to Walsingham.
Parish Letter - Sunday 5th July
Dearest Friends-in-Christ,
Devastating stories continue to roll out of Venezuela, following the catastrophic earthquake that took place on the 24th June. With rescue efforts still underway, we have sadly already passed a realistic window for retrieving survivors, with the death toll already exceeding 2,250 and expected to reach over 10,000. As one who advocates strongly for the power of imagination, even mine fails to piece together an image of what the people of that nation are experiencing. Furthermore, in light of such events, one might be forgiven for pausing and perhaps wondering how far one agrees with the Psalmist this Sunday when they proclaim “The Lord is… holy in all his deeds”. How does one see the holiness of God in such an event?
For many faithful believers, this is a challenging question, especially if one recalls that even in travel insurance policies, such events are categorised as an “act of God”, something almost completely out of humanity’s ability to prevent or intervene against. The strength of an argument that uses such horrendous events to refute the holiness of God’s actions relies on isolating them from a much bigger picture, and subjecting them to a morality that is not divine in its origin. We can no more subject God to human rationale than we can expect my hat to predict the fluctuations of the stock market. Every Mass in the liturgy, the Priest declares that “Lord, you are indeed the source of all holiness”. God is by nature holy – we are only ever holy because we participate in the life of God. It is an important declaration for reminding us that by his nature God is holy, but that anything within us that appears or inspires holiness is a participation in God’s holiness.
So how are the earthquakes, hurricanes and tornadoes we witness holy actions? The short answer is that they are not, but neither do they refute the holy actions of God. Just as God grants humans free will, so too does God grant nature the ability to follow its own natural processes. As such, the phrase “Act of God” is somewhat unfair, as it is not the direct intervention of God into our lives. The intervention, the holy actions, arise amidst the suffering that we endure. It is in our pain that God is most ready to reveal Himself. Now that is not to say we should relish when we hear such devastating accounts as we have heard from Venezuela in the last week or so, but that we should trust that in such cases God will be found, God will comfort and guide the broken and the lost, and indeed of which our prayers should be directed, as well as for the relief of such staggering hurt and loss.
God is good, and God is holy. When we lose sight of this, we begin the journey of reforming God to the world’s image.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for the people of Venezuela.
Prayer for the week
Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy.
Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy.
Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love only what is holy.
Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy.
Guard me so, O Holy Spirit, that I may always be holy.
Amen
The week ahead
Sunday 5th July (14th in Ordinary Time)
08:30 Low Mass at St Michael Wood Green
10:30 High Mass at St Michael Wood Green
No 11 am Sung Mass at St Michael-at-Bowes. Do join us at Wood Green!
Tuesday 7th July
11 am Mass at St Michael at Bowes
Wednesday 8th July
12noon Mass at St Michael Wood Green
Friday 10th July
12noon Mass at St Michael Wood Green
Saturday 11th July (St Benedict, Abbot and Co-Patron of Europe)
12noon Mass at St Michael Wood Green
Sunday 12th July (15th Sunday in Ordinary Time)
08:30 Low Mass at St Michael’s Wood Green.
10.30 High Mass St Michael’s Wood Green.
11:00 Sung Mass St Michael-at-Bowes
Notices
Keeping Safe in warm weather – Please do take note of the information that is available for safety in this Heatwave. Remember, thirst is the earliest sign of already being dehydrated, so please stay observant. If there is anyone that you are particularly concerned about in this weather, please do notify Fr Simon.
Stalls in the Halls – On Saturday 11th July in our Large Hall on Bounds Green Road, Stalls in the Halls returns for its third year. There will be International Food stalls, a Cake stall, crafts and activities. If you would like to host a stall or know someone who might, please do let Veera, Elizabeth or Fr Simon know.
Drop-In Talks: We have another FREE discussion taking place during the Wednesday Drop-In this month. These are open to anyone, so please do bring someone along or let others know if you think they will benefit from them. Our thanks go to Vinette for organising these.
Staying Alert to Fraud: Wednesday 15th July 1 pm-2 pm. Presented by Nadine (NatWest)
ILM Candles: To help maintain our practice of the Sanctuary Candles being offered in memory of our dear departed, can you please email Fr Simon and let him know if you either want to have the candles offered in memory of your dear departed or if you have a candle offered regularly. These candles are offered with a donation.
Pilgrimage of Healing and Renewal – On Monday 31st August the Parish will be undertaking its annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham for their services of Healing and Renewal. A seat on the coach for the return Journey is £30 pp. If you have put your name down and not yet paid, please do so promptly.
Travelling Away for Summer? With the school term only a few weeks away from finishing, we find ourselves at the point in the year when many travel to visit friends, family and loved ones. If you are going away, do mention it to Fr Simon as he will happily keep you in prayer for safe and swift journeys.
New to the parish? It is pleasing to see a number of new members at St Michael’s. Please consider adding your names to the parish electoral roll. This simply means we can keep you in touch with all that is happening in the church and gives you the ability to vote at the Annual Church Meeting. Electoral roll forms are available near the church door.
Important Banking Information: If you pay your offering via a Standing Order or a direct debit, please note the following account details. All cheques to be made payable to:
The Parish of Wood Green
Account no. 00037635
Sort code 405240
If you have any questions, please speak to Festus, Fr Simon or Elizabeth, our Church warden.
Looking Ahead
- Friday 3rd July – Feast of St Thomas the Apostle.
- Saturday 11th July – Stalls in the Halls/ Feast of St Benedict
- Wednesday 29th July – SS Martha, Mary and Lazarus.
Parish Letter - SS Peter and Paul - Sunday 28th June
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
When my dear friend Sister Barbara died in 2022, our Mother Abbess gave the eulogy at her funeral, and began with the words, ‘Sister Barbara and I were like chalk and cheese’. We all laughed, for it was true; they were very different women, but had lived in community with each other for fifty years, the last few years being the only Sisters left in the convent. This Sunday, we celebrate the great Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, two of the most venerated saints in the Church. Peter became the first Pope, being given the keys to the Kingdom by Jesus, “On this rock I will build my church”. And Paul was famously converted on the road to Damascus, turning from persecutor of the Followers of Jesus, to becoming one of Jesus’ greatest advocates. When we read about these two men, we realise that they were like ‘chalk and cheese’.
Peter was a fisherman and shared a boat with his brother Andrew. He often misunderstood Jesus and had great difficulty believing that Jesus had to die. He also denied Jesus three times on the night of Jesus’ arrest. I think we can picture Peter as a rather rough-and-ready character; a strong, honest man who worked hard for a living. Paul, on the other hand, was from a family further up the social scale. His family were tentmakers, and Paul was highly educated and spoke Greek, Aramaic and Hebrew. Before his conversion, he worked for the Jewish religious authorities, persecuting followers of Jesus. He was the enemy of the new Church. He was also a ‘Roman Citizen’. This doesn’t mean that he lived in Rome, but that he enjoyed certain privileges, for example, when he was executed he was beheaded instead of crucified. That was a privilege!
How on earth did these two different characters get on? Well, they didn’t at first. Many of Christ’s Followers were frightened of ‘Saul’ and didn’t trust him. However, Paul proved to be an amazing administrator. Imagine if we did not have the letters of St Paul in the New Testament? Imagine not having Paul’s legacy in his letters to the Romans, Corinthians, and Colossians. And Peter… headstrong, outspoken Peter? He obeyed, cared for, and instructed the Jewish Followers, whilst Paul did the same work with the Gentiles.
These two men, chalk and cheese, worked together as brothers and overcame their differences. They built the foundations of the universal Church with their blood, sweat and tears. Mother Abbess was heartbroken when Sister Barbara died. She was with her at her deathbed and prepared her body for burial. Over five decades they had learnt to accept their differences and came to love each other as true sisters in Christ. And that, my friends, is what we are asked to do: “to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, and to love your neighbour as yourself”. Amen.
With my love and prayers,
Prayer for the week
Brother, sister let me serve you;
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace to
let you be my servant too.
We are pilgrims on a journey,
and companions on the road;
we are here to help each other
walk a mile and bear the load.
Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.
The week ahead
Sunday 28th June (SS Peter and Paul)
10:30 High Mass at St Michael Wood Green
Tuesday 30th June (First Martyrs of Rome)
11 am Mass at St Michael at Bowes
Wednesday 1st July (St Oliver Plunkett, Bishop and Martyr)
12noon Mass at St Michael Wood Green
Friday 3rd July (St Thomas, Apostle)
12noon Mass at St Michael Wood Green
Saturday 4th July (St Elizabeth of Portugal)
12noon Mass at St Michael Wood Green
Sunday 5th July (14th Sunday in Ordinary Time)
08:30 Low Mass at St Michael’s Wood Green.
10.30 High Mass St Michael’s Wood Green.
NO MASS AT ST MICHAEL-AT-BOWES PLEASE DO JOIN US AT WOOD GREEN
Notices
Keeping Safe in warm weather – Please do take note of the information that is available for safety in this Heatwave. Remember, thirst is the earliest sign of already being dehydrated, so please stay observant. If there is anyone that you are particularly concerned about in this weather, please do notify Fr Simon.
St Michael-at-Bowes Caribbean Evening. On Saturday 27th June from 7 pm -11 pm, there will be the annual Caribbean Evening at St Michael at Bowes. It promises to be an evening of fun, food and music, so come along and join us for it. Tickets on sale now from Veera or Yvonne.
Stalls in the Halls – On Saturday 11th July in our Large Hall on Bounds Green Road, Stalls in the Halls returns for its third year. There will be International Food stalls, a Cake stall, crafts and activities. If you would like to host a stall or know someone who might, please do let Veera, Elizabeth or Fr Simon know.
Drop-In Talks: In July, there are going to be 2 FREE discussions taking place during the Wednesday Drop-In. These are open to anyone, so please do bring someone along or let others know if you think they will benefit from them. Our thanks go to Vinette for organising these.
Fall Prevention: Wednesday 1st July. 1 pm – 2 pm. Presented by Hara (NHS)
Staying Alert to Fraud: Wednesday 15th July 1 pm-2 pm. Presented by Nadine (NatWest)
ILM Candles: To help maintain our practice of the Sanctuary Candles being offered in memory of our dear departed, can you please email Fr Simon and let him know if you either want to have the candles offered in memory of your dear departed or if you have a candle offered regularly. These candles are offered with a donation.
Pilgrimage of Healing and Renewal – On Monday 31st August the Parish will be undertaking its annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham for their services of Healing and Renewal. A seat on the coach for the return Journey is £30 pp. If you have put your name down and not yet paid please do so promptly.
New to the parish? It is pleasing to see a number of new members at St Michael’s. Please consider adding your names to the parish electoral roll. This simply means we can keep you in touch with all that is happening in the church and gives you the ability to vote at the Annual Church Meeting. Electoral roll forms are available near the church door.
Important Banking Information: If you pay your offering via a Standing Order or a direct debit, please note the following account details. All cheques to be made payable to:
The Parish of Wood Green
Account no. 00037635
Sort code 405240
If you have any questions, please speak to Festus, Fr Simon or Elizabeth, our Church warden.
Looking Ahead
- Saturday 27th June – Bowes Caribbean Evening
- Sunday 28th June – Fr Roger’s Final Sunday as Curate/ Feast of SS Peter and Paul.
- Friday 3rd July – Feast of St Thomas the Apostle.
- Saturday 11th July – Stalls in the Halls/ Feast of St Benedict