Sunday 16th February 2020. 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

Year of the Word 2020

Suggestions/activities:

Start reading the New Testament, beginning with St Matthew’s Gospel. Try and read a little each day.

Look at the Catechism of the Catholic Church on what it says about Sacred Scripture.

At the end of the Newsletter there will be a short passage each week from the Holy Father’s document that outlines his thoughts on Sacred Scripture and the Year of the Word.

We would like to use Friday mornings when the Library is open to have some short videos or talks that touch upon the Word of God.

The Eucharist in Scripture

“In The Eucharist in Scripture, discover God’s plan as it is expressed through the Bible and the Mass.

This six-lesson study, presented by Dr. Scott Hahn, will unlock the meaning of covenant, sacrifice, and sacrament as understood in the Bible, from Genesis through Revelation.

Built around three of Dr. Hahn’s foundational talks: “The Lamb’s Supper,” “The Fourth Cup,” and “Consuming the Word,” The Eucharist in Scripture examines the biblical foundations of the Eucharist and explores the Church’s liturgy as the original context for the books of the Bible.”

We will work through this series on the Fridays during Lent, to help prepare for the great mysteries that are lived again during Holy Week.

'GOD WHO SPEAKS' The Year Of The Word 2020

30th Sep 2019 - 31st Dec 2020 The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales have designated 2020 as 'The God Who Speaks': A Year of the Word to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Verbum Domini - Pope Benedict XVI’s Apostolic Exhortation on ‘The Word of the Lord’, and the 1600th anniversary of the death of St Jerome, who translated the Bible into Latin. Therefore, 2020 will be a year of celebrating, living and sharing God's word, through a range of events, activities and resources, available across the Diocese of Westminster. We are invited to listen afresh to the word of God as did Our Blessed Lady at the Annunciation, to encounter anew the presence of that word, and to proclaim it afresh in the Church and the World.

There are some excellent online resources to be found at:

http://www.cbcew.org.uk/home/events/the-god-who-speaks/

https://rcdow.org.uk/att/files/proclaim/yotw/the-god-who-speaks-brochure-final.pdf

Collections

Last Sunday’s collection: £798.40(Envelopes: £345 and Loose: £453.40)

Many thanks.

Maresfield Gardens London NW3 5SU Tel: 020 7435 1388

Parish e-mail: swisscottage@rcdow.org.uk

Web page: parish.rcdow.org.uk/swisscottage

Web camera: www.churchservices.tv/swisscottage

Parish Priest: Fr Stefan Hnylycia stefanhnylycia@rcdow.org.uk

Assistant Priest: Fr Paul Diaper pauldiaper@rcdow.org.uk

St Thomas More − Parish Newsletter

The Cardinal will be inviting to this Mass all couples in the Diocese who are celebrating their 5th 10th, 25th, 30th, 40th, 50th and 60th (and every year over 60) wedding anniversary of Catholic marriage in 2020. If you are celebrating an anniversary, please give your parish clergy the following details: husband and wife’s names, wedding date, full postal address and email (or telephone number, if no email).

Aid to the Church in Need Event

Drawing on images from the Holy Land, lecturer and photographer Serena Fass takes us back to the places touched by Christ’s presence as he completed his mission on earth. Refreshments will be provided. The event takes place at Farm Street Church, Mayfair, W1K 3AH on 30th March, from 7pm to 9pm. Book your place by emailing catharine.crowson@acnuk.org

Westminster Lourdes Choir

A concert of ‘St Peter’s Way of the Cross’ will be given at Westminster Cathedral on Thursday 12th March at 7.30pm. It will be performed by the Choir of the Lourdes Pilgrimage with actors from the Catholic Association for the Performing Arts. Admission is free to this performance, any donations may be made to Westminster Diocese Lourdes Pilgrimage.

Tables in the Narthex

These are primarily for parish use and to provide copies of newspapers and information about diocesan initiatives. There are also information sheets from other organisations.

I have noticed recently that some information sheets have appeared without my knowledge. It is good form to ask, but I am also aware of trying to keep the tables neat and free from excessive amounts of paper. People do remark on whether the tables are tidy, or not. I have also noticed old copies of Magnificat appearing on the tables. The new publishers of Magnificat do not now operate a sale or return policy. If you have old copies, please dispose of them yourselves. Thank you.

These DVD’s will be watched in Seminar 2 room upstairs in the Hall. The first session will be Friday 28th February at 11am.

Seniors’ Film Club

The next meeting will be on Thursday 27th February. We need to begin punctually at 11am.

Adoration

The revised date of the next young persons’ Adoration is Thursday 27 February from 7.30pm until 8.30pm. For further details see the parish website: https://parish.rcdow.org.uk/swisscottage/adoration/

Family Development Foundation

The Family Development Foundation (FDF) is the UK affiliate of the International Federation for Family Development (IFFD). They provide the resources to ensure that parents can raise their children in the best possible way, enriching their lives and proving a solid grounding to enable them to lead happy and meaningful lives.

Marital Love at Swiss Cottage, a course for all ages.

The dates of the course are Saturdays: January 25th, February 29th, March 21st, April 25th, May 16th and June 20th

Further information about this course can be found on sheets in the Narthex.

Also at: https://familydevelopment.org.uk/courses/cat/marital-love/

Pre-marriage course

Fr Paul is planning to hold the next Course in May. Please contact Fr Paul for more details. Or email: swisscottageclasses@rcdow.org.uk

Adult Confirmation course

The dates of the next course are on the following Sundays: 1st March, 15th March, 22nd March, 29th March and 5th April from 3.30pm-4.30pm in the Hall. Please contact Fr Paul for more details.

Annual Mass of Thanksgiving for the Sacrament of Matrimony

Westminster Cathedral, Saturday 30th May 2019 at 3pm.

Gift Aid — Urgent!

We are currently preparing the new boxes of envelopes for the next tax year starting on 6th April. If there has been any change in your situation (eg. new address, change in tax status, change of name), please kindly contact our Gift Aid Coordinator Susan Clarke on swisscottagega@rcdow.org.uk as soon as possible.

New parishioners who would like to sign up for Planned Giving are also invited to contact Susan urgently. If you are a UK Income or Capital Gains Taxpayer, please sign a Gift Aid Declaration and support our parish in this free, easy way, donating either via Standing Order or Weekly Envelopes. Gift Aid means our parish can claim an extra 25p for every £1 you donate, at no extra cost to you!

Thank you to all those who are already donating through Gift Aid, and to those who wish to join.

Mary’s Meals

I am delighted to say that the parish managed to give 280 kg of unwanted clothes; there were also cash donations of £501.65 making a total contribution of £658.45. Mary’s Meals is very grateful for the parish’s support. The amount raised will feed 41 children who will get fed one good, nutritious meal every school day for a whole year; they will get an education too. Could I ask for prayers for a meeting that takes place on Thursday this week? It will deal with the finances of the parish and the repayment of the debt for the parish Hall. Pray that the result is positive for us. Many thanks. On Tuesday 25th February, the external Diocesan Auditors will carry out an audit of the parish. Please pray that this also goes well. God bless you all. Fr Stefan

POPE FRANCIS SUNDAY OF THE WORD OF GOD

9. In the Second Letter to Timothy, which is in some ways his spiritual testament, Saint Paul urges his faithful co-worker to have constant recourse to sacred Scripture. The Apostle is convinced that “all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (3:16). Paul’s exhortation to Timothy is fundamental to the teaching of the conciliar Constitution Dei Verbum on the great theme of biblical inspiration, which emphasizes the Scriptures’ saving purpose, spiritual dimension and inherent incarnational principle. First, recalling Paul’s encouragement to Timothy, Dei Verbum stresses that “we must acknowledge that the books of Scripture firmly, faithfully and without error, teach that truth which God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to see confided to the sacred Scriptures”. Since the Scriptures teach with a view to salvation through faith in Christ (cf. 2 Tim 3:15), the truths contained therein are profitable for our salvation. The Bible is not a collection of history books or a chronicle, but is aimed entirely at the integral salvation of the person. The evident historical setting of the books of the Bible should not make us overlook their primary goal, which is our salvation. Everything is directed to this purpose and essential to the very nature of the Bible, which takes shape as a history of salvation in which God speaks and acts in order to encounter all men and women and to save them from evil and death. To achieve this saving purpose, sacred Scripture, by the working of the Holy Spirit, makes human words written in human fashion become the word of God. The role of the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures is primordial. Without the work of the Spirit, there would always be a risk of remaining limited to the written text alone. This would open the way to a fundamentalist reading, which needs to be avoided, lest we betray the inspired, dynamic and spiritual character of the sacred text. As the Apostle reminds us: “The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Cor 3:6). The Holy Spirit, then, makes sacred Scripture the living word of God, experienced and handed down in the faith of his holy people.

ST THOMAS MORE CATHOLIC CHURCH Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

16th February – 22nd February 2020

MASS OTHER ACTIVITIES

SUN 16 February

Sixth Sunday in

Ordinary Time

(Readings. Year A)

10am

Margaret Wilson (intentions)

12 noon

Rose Abboud and family (RIP)

6.30pm

People of the Parish

10am – 10.20am

Children’s catechesis

3.30pm – 4.30pm

Marriage preparation

class (3)

5.15pm - 6.15pm

Eucharistic Exposition

MON 17 February

feria

(Readings. Year 2)

7am

Helen Flynn (RIP)

10am

Pat Gibson (intentions)

TUE 18 February

feria

7am

Irene Cole (RIP anniversary)

10am

Joyce Cheal and Maura Cheal (RIP)

WED 19 February

feria

7am

Joan Moriarty (RIP)

10am

Letizia Augusta Goodfellow (RIP

anniversary)

THU 20 February

feria

7am

David and Mo Agbakoba

(intentions)

10am

Persecuted Christians

FRI 21 February

St Peter Damian,

Bishop & Doctor

7am

Piwe Nungweuy (intentions)

10am

Helen Jordan (intentions)

10.30am – 1 pm

Eucharistic Exposition

SAT 22 February

THE CHAIR OF ST

PETER THE APOSTLE

10am

Ita Looney (intentions)

No First Holy Communion

class

Prayer Intentions

Recently deceased: Ahong Chan; Monica Booth; Anne Bingham; George Grant;

Laura Moss; Ho Hung Sin; Rosa Zito; Maria Paula Da Silva-Leal; Eileen Roberts

Anniversary: Erik Karlsson; Mark Sharman; Helen Flynn; Simon Ulcickas; Angela

O’Farrell; Nick Aldridge; Mabel Bull; Kathleen Murphy; Letizia Augusta Goodfellow;

Irene Cole

Confessions Sundays: 9.45am – 11.00am; 11.45am – 1.00pm; 6.20pm – 7.30pm

Weekdays: Before and after each Mass

Forthcoming Events:

26th February: ASH WEDNESDAY [Masses: 7am, 10am and 7pm]

19th March: Feast of St Joseph