OURPARISH LIFEFEBRUARY

2021

The Catholic Church in Weston-super-Mare,

Corpus Christi, Our Lady of Lourdes, St Josephs.

PARISH MISSION STATEMENT

The Gospel calls the Catholic Churches in Weston to be a living sign of Christ

An open and vibrant community growing in Spirituality

An active community where all are encouraged to participate.

To work with other Churches, to spread the Good News to all and seek a greater understanding of other faiths.

To feed the hungry.

LENT

On Ash Wednesday (17th February this year) we begin the season of Lent. The Gospel for the Mass marking the solemn beginning of this season is Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18. This comes from the central part of the Sermon on the Mount and it is Jesus’ teaching on almsgiving, prayer and fasting. That’s the order in which Jesus lists these important practices. How is it that we always associate Lent with fasting? Have we missed the point? Lent should be a time when we re-double our efforts to give to those in need, to pray more often and to fast. Officially the Church only asks us to fast on two days in the year: Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Cafod, the overseas aid agency for the Catholic Church in England and Wales, asks us to fast on two additional days, one during Lent and one at Harvest Time. We do this as a reminder that for some people in our world every day is a fast day. We fast on these days and give the money that we save to those who have nothing. Cafod’s Lent Fast Day is on Friday 26th February this year. Let us give alms or donations to the poor on that day and on other days in Lent and restore the priority that Jesus gave to this act of love that he encourages us to practice.

Canon Tom

Welcome

Here are our news and views for this month. If you have any interesting items you think our parishioners would like to hear about, we would love to hear from you.

We love photos of your pets, your gardens, anything you see on your walks. Your memories are of particular interest.

If you know of a local charity, please let us know about them.

If you have been making things to keep busy or have taken on a new challenge through these very strange times, do please let us know. We would love to hear from you.

Angela.

I made a list of the things I love, and the things that give me pleasure,

It grew and grew and I realised that my life holds great pleasure.

So now if I am feeling low and the world seems so unkind,

I glance along my treasure list and leave my cares behind.

Anon

Marie’s Riddles1. If there are four sheep, two dogs and one shepherd, how many feet are there?

2. Forward I am heavy, backward I am not.

3. A butcher is six feet tall, and wears size ten shoes, he has a wife and two children, what does he weigh?

4. What day would yesterday be if Thursday was four days before the day after tomorrow?

For the children;

5. What is faster, hot or cold?

6. 1=5, 2=15, 3=3215, 4=3215, 5=?

Money Quiz.If you remember pounds shillings and pence, see if you can find the answers to these clues. Some are cockney rhyming slang, some are cryptic clues.

1. Leather worker 2. Ladies’ tiara

3. Title of a musical. 4. Male singer

5. Abergavenny 6. Baby kangaroo

7. Man’s name 8. A stone.

9. Ruler. 10. A pig.

11. Crown. 12. Old bike.

13. A pony. 14. A monkey

15. North and south poles. 16. Nicker.

17. Godiva. 18. Policeman

Sent in by Mike Usher-Clark

Never judge a book by its cover

As an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, it was my great privilege to take the Blessed Sacrament to housebound parishioners in their homes. This was not the only privilege. It was hearing about their histories and life events.

One parishioner lived a few doors away from me and we usually met once a week. In the course of our conversation I learned . . . but it is better if the words came directly from Georgette who wrote this almost 10 years ago.

My first communion & confirmation and reflections on life in Nazi occupied Belgium

My first communion was in 1936 when I was 12 years old. I refused to dress up in white and so I went on my own to receive my first communion. I have always had a stubborn streak!

My confirmation was a year later and on a grand scale. It was over whelming and was attended by so many people. It took place in the church of Saint Josse in Brussels on 12th May 1937.

Prayer cards of my first communion and confirmation

Growing up in Brussels I was not aware of Jewish girls in my class until they started to wear the yellow Star of David. Gradually they “disappeared” from the class. I still wonder what became of them.

In 1944 I went with friends to a pub in Brussels for a get-together. The pub was crowded and so we were not really aware of the presence of German soldiers until one Nazi shouted that we must all stand up and give the “Heil Hitler” salute. My stubborn nature kicked in and I was the only person who did not comply with the order! I left the pub and was followed by a German soldier. I really thought that I had had my chips! The soldier kept a few yards behind me as I boarded the tram. He got on to the tram and when I left the tram so did he. He followed me to my home. We then nodded to each other and then he went on his way. That young man had simply protected me and I realised that all Germans were not evil. I never went to a pub again!

On returning from a visit to the village of my grandparents I went to catch the last tram back to Brussels. Half the carriages were for Belgians and the other half were for Germans. The Belgian half was packed but the German part was virtually empty so I went and stood on the platform of a German carriage. In the middle of nowhere, the Belgian tram conductor, doing his job, ordered me off the tram but the sole German officer told the conductor that I was to be allowed to stay. Another example of the innate goodness of those who were apparently our enemies. For the rest of the war I never went back to the countryside either!

Georgette Amies de Vos

Georgette’s reflection was first published in the May 2011 edition of 3CPWSM

Richard Austin

Our gardens in February

Now is the time to fertilize and mulch the borders, rose beds and the kitchen garden. Shrubs and trees can be planted as long as there is no frost. Hydrangeas can be pruned back to the first bud, the weeds will be starting to appear, so it’s down on our knees (if you can) - how lovely to have our hands back in the soil. Check all your bulbs and mulch around them.

The pots of bulbs I planted last September have all started to push through, hope they all come in to flower. I was not sure if after all this rain the bulbs might have rotted as they are in pots, but all is looking promising.

Boss: Do you believe in the afterlife?

Employee: Absolutely not. There is no evidence

Boss: There is now. After you left yesterday to go to your uncle’s funeral he came looking for you.

Sent in by Marie

As seedlings of God, we barely blossom on earth; but we fully flower in heaven.

God writes the Gospel, not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars.

Bird SurveyLiz and John have taken part in the Yatton and Congresbury Wildlife Action Group bird survey.

“We have taken part for several years and always look forward to it. The observation takes place from the 24th. December until the 2nd January. The count is for birds landing in the garden and those flying overhead. These are random observations during each day of the survey. The final count shows the maximum number of birds seen at any one time.

During the survey we saw: collared dove, gold finch, sparrow, starling, robin, blue tit, magpie, great tit, pigeon, herring gull, blackbird, crow and grey wagtail.

Prior to the survey on the 11th October 2020, we saw a great spotted woodpecker”.

Since Liz sent in the above, the survey results have been published:

This year 130 surveys were carried out. This was a record number. The top 5 recorded in gardens were:

1. Blackbird2. Robin.3. Woodpigeon4. Blue Tit5. Magpie

There were a total of 42 species recorded. Blackbird numbers were up by 20% and wrens up by 30%.

If anyone wishes to take part next time please contact:

Mrs. Win Lowman

22 Chescombe Road,

Yatton

BS49 4EN 01934 833596

FEBRUARY THE MONTH OF THE HOLY FAMILY

11th FEBRUARY 2021FEAST OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES -WORLD DAY OF THE SICK – THE 29th YEAR.Instituted by Pope St John Paul II in 1992

A NOVENAFOR THE SICK THROUGH THE INTERCESSION OF OUR LADY OF LOURDESMay be said at any time of the year.The following prayers are to be said for each day of the Novena.

Mary, You who appeared to St. Bernadette in the hollow of the rock, in the cold & depths of winter, You brought the warmth of a presence, the

friendship of a smile, the light & beauty of grace.In the hollow of our often obscure lives, in the hollow of this world where evil

is powerful, bring hope, restore confidence.You who said to Bernadette” I am the Immaculate Conception”, come to the

help of sinners that we are.Give us the courage of conversion, the humility of penance and the

perseverance of prayer. We entrust to you all those we carry in our hearts and especially the sick &

those in despair.You who are “Our Lady of Good Help”

You guided Bernadette to the spring. Guide us to Jesus who is the source of Eternal life, the One who gave us the Holy Spirit so we dare to say: Our

Father who art in Heaven….

(Say a decade of the Rosary, followed by the following invocations)Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us! St Bernadette, pray for us! O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee! Amen.

Day 1. (2nd February)For those who are sick or suffering in any way, may discover the meaning of their suffering & unite their pain to the Cross of Christ. Amen. Prayer for each day of the Novena.Day 2. (3rd February)For the elderly who are dying that they may entrust their future into the Hands of the merciful God. Amen. Prayer for each day of the novena.Day 3. (4th February)For those who, in their suffering have lost hope that they may seek the help of Jesus who loves them. Amen. Prayer for each day of the NovenaDay 4. (5th February)For those who are sick but cannot accept their situation that the merciful God will bless their hearts with Peace & fill them with confidence in the Eternal life. Amen. Prayer for each day of the NovenaDay 5. (6th February)For those who are are chronically or terminally ill, for their miraculous healing if that is the will of God. Amen. Prayer for each day of the NovenaDay 6. (7th February)For those who are spiritually sick, that they may believe in the power of God's love which can heal them. Amen. Prayer for each day of the Novena.Day 7. (8th February)For the families of the sick that by ministering to their loved ones, they may discover the love of Christ & grow in faith. Amen. Prayer for each day of the NovenaDay 8. (9th February)For those who help the sick & suffering with an open heart. May there always be people willing to do this. Amen. Prayer for each day of the novena.Day 9. (10th February)For those who govern that they may discover the value of the sick & the dying. May the sick & the dying be helped by them. Amen. Prayer for --each day of the novena

Sent in by Sonia

GOOD FOR THE SHAPE I’M IN

There’s nothing the matter with me

I’m just as healthy as I can be

I’ve got arthritis in both my knees

And when I talk, I talk with a wheeze

My pulse is weak and my blood is thin

But I’m awfully well for the shape I’m in.

My teeth will eventually have to come out

And my diet I hope to think about

I’m overweight and I can’t get thin

My appetite is such that it is sure to win

But I’m awfully well for the shape I’m in.

Arch supports I have for my feet

Or I wouldn’t be able to go down the street

Sleep is denied me night after night

And every morning I look a sight

My memory is failing, my head’s in a spin

I’m practically living on aspirin

But I’m awfully well for the shape I’m in.

The moral is as this tale unfolds

That you and I who are growing old

Had much better say “I’m fine” with a grin

Than to let them know the shape we are in.

How do I know my youth is spent?

Well my ‘get up and go’ has got up and went

But in spite of it all I am able to grin

As I think of the places my get up has been

And not let them know the shape I am in.

Old age is golden so I’ve heard said

But sometimes I wonder when I get up out of bed

With my ears in a drawer and my teeth in a cup

My eyes on a table until I wake up

Ere sleep dims my eyes I say to myself

Is there anything else I should lay on the shelf?

And I’m happy to say as I close my door

My friends are the same or perhaps even more.

So I get up each morning and dust off my wits

Pick up the paper and read the ‘obits’

If my name is missing I know I’m not dead

So I get a good breakfast and go back to bed.

Dot Stone

When is the most dangerous time to be in church?

When the Canon is in the pulpit and the organ is drowning out the choir.

Cracker joke sent in by Maggie

Lunch with God

A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his case with a few bars of chocolate, some biscuits and 6 small cans of soft drink and he started his journey. When he had gone about 3 blocks of the city where he lived, he met an old man sitting in the park just staring at the pigeons. The boy sat down next to him to drink one of his cans of cola, when he noticed that the old man looked hungry; so he offered him some biscuits.

The man gratefully accepted them and smiled at him. His smile was so pleasant that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a drink, again he smiled. The boy was delighted! They sat there for quite a while smiling but never saying a word.

As it grew dark the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old man, and gave him a hug. His reward was the biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him “What did you do today that made you so happy?” He replied “I had lunch with God”. And before his mother could respond, he added “You know what? He’s got the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen!”

Meanwhile the old man, also radiant with joy returned home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and he asked, “Dad what did you do today that made you so happy?”

He replied “I ate biscuits in the park with God.” And before his son responded, he added, “You know he’s much younger than I expected.”

Sometimes a smile or a kind word is all that is needed.

Sent in by Aileen.

Money quiz answers.1. A tanner -6d. 2. Half a crown – 2/6d

3. Half a sixpence – 3d. 4. Tenner – 10s.

5. Penny – 1d. 6. Joey – 3d.

7. Bob – 1s. 8. £14. 0 0d

9. Sovereign - £1.0.0d 10. Guinea - £1. 1s. od.

11. Crown - 5s. 12. Penny farthing – 1 3/4d

13. £25. 0. 0d. 14. £500. 0. 0d.

15. 2 farthings – 1/2d. 16. £1. 0.0d.

17. Fiver – £5. 0. 0.d. 18. Copper – 1d.

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Riddle answers.

1. Two – sheep have hooves, dogs have paws only people have feet.2. The word ton.3. Meat.4. Friday5. Hot – you can easily catch a cold.6. 5=1, because 1=5

EDITORIAL TEAM Editor – in – chief Canon Tom

Editor and compiler – Angela Clarke- to contact me;

Phone 01934 647807 or email magazine101@btinternet.com

Or leave at the presbytery marked for my attention, or if OLOL given to Canon to bring back.

Publishing and distribution Tracey

Catcott Lows and

Glastonbury Tor from Peter Ottley

Any items for inclusion in the March issue please let me have by February 19th. Otherwise I can’t guarantee they will be included.

Thank you for your ongoing support.