World Day for the Poor - Caritas in Action!
Webmaster • November 16, 2020
The Directory for Catechesis states that ‘charitable action is an integral part of the catechetical proclamation’ and ‘[t]he need for an organic approach to pastoral care requires the coordination of catechesis with the other activities of evangelisation.’
In his Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti, On Fraternity And Social Friendship, Pope Francis writes:
“Social love” makes it possible to advance towards a civilization of love, to which all of us can feel called. Charity, with its impulse to universality, is capable of building a new world. No mere sentiment, it is the best means of discovering effective paths of development for everyone. Social love is a “force capable of inspiring new ways of approaching the problems of today’s world, of profoundly renewing structures, social organizations and legal systems from within”. (183)
Charity is at the heart of every healthy and open society, yet today “it is easily dismissed as irrelevant for interpreting and giving direction to moral responsibility”. Charity, when accompanied by a commitment to the truth, is much more than personal feeling, and consequently need not “fall prey to contingent subjective emotions and opinions”. Indeed its close relation to truth fosters its universality and preserves it from being “confined to a narrow field devoid of relationships”. Otherwise, it would be “excluded from the plans and processes of promoting human development of universal range, in dialogue between knowledge and praxis”. Without truth, emotion lacks relational and social content. Charity’s openness to truth thus protects it from “a fideism that deprives it of its human and universal breadth”. (184)
Caritas in Action! Briefings 11 - 12, with the Contents headings as follows (the full documents can be viewed below):
Caritas in Action! Briefing 11 – November 2020
11.1 Participation in charity is an integral part of ‘the process of evangelisation’
11.2 ‘…charitable action is an integral part of the catechetical proclamation’
11.3 ‘…coordination of catechesis with the other activities of evangelisation’
11.4 Instruction "The pastoral conversion of the Parish community in the service of the evangelising mission of the Church"
11.5 Weaving together the processes and relationships for building ‘a civilisation of love’
Caritas in Action! Briefing 12 – November 2020
12.1 Exploring the organisational and relational processes of the Catholic Church in its mission
- The warp and the weft of the Catholic Church community in England and Wales (NB. Purely illustrative.)
12.2 Participating in the organisational and relational processes at Diocesan and Parish levels
12.3 ‘“Social love” makes it possible to advance towards a civilization of love’
12.4 The main roles of the different levels of Caritas
12.5 Learning to become ‘witnesses to the faith’ in the twenty-first century
The third Sunday of Advent is also called ‘Gaudete Sunday’. ‘Gaudete’ means ‘Rejoice’ in Latin. We rejoice because during the Advent season, as our hearts are in the middle of this longing, waiting and penitential period; Our Saviour who we are expecting is fast approaching. As today’s Reading said: “The Lord is at hand”. Therefore, the third candle we light up this weekend, as well as the Priest’s and Deacon’s vestments change from purple to rose colour, to reflect the rejoicing spirit in our hearts. Today is Bambinelli Sunday too. It is a tradition initiated by Pope St John Paul II. On this day in Rome, many people bring in their Baby Jesus figures (Bambinelli) to St Peter’s Square to be blessed by the Pope. In our Parish, you are all invited to bring your Baby Jesus figures from home or from your Nativity Crib to the Church this weekend to be blessed by the Priest during Mass, and take this Christmas Blessing back to your home and family.
Child: But this totally shattered the image of a God in my mind! Shouldn't God be in Heaven, like a King, enjoying all He has, looking down from above as a ruler of us all, charging His Angels and receiving our offerings and worship? Why did He do this? Mother: Because He is our Saviour. It is Love which driven Him to do that. His Love made Him forget Himself and lost Himself...Because of Love, from having everything He became poor, from the Almighty He became powerless, from being the Ruler He became subject to human, from the majestic rank He became the lowliest form of human beings, became a helpless babe. Through His humble Birth, He gently showed us how much He can sacrifice for us, how deep His Love can do for us. Child: I see. So because of Love, there is nothing that He will not do for us. Even if it means ‘losing’ His power, dignity and life? Mother: Yes, darling. But do we realise this? Do we appreciate it? He is the Love who seeks love - the love from our hearts. This is His time, His Birthday...The day He came to look for His Love ones – every single one of us. So next time when you go to the Crib, instead of just looking at a baby being born, try to think about who He really is and why is He there. Because without Christ, there is no Christmas.
“‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’... ‘I baptise you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire…” (Matthew 3:2,11) Almighty and merciful God, may no earthly undertaking hinder those who set out in haste to meet your Son, but may our learning of heavenly wisdom gain us admittance to his company. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Rosminian Fathers would like to invite you to join their Chr istmas Masses:
Monday 8 December Mass at 10am All are welcome! “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”
In Pope Pius XI’s encyclical letter, he mentioned “[Christ’s] empire includes not only Catholic nations, not only baptized persons…but also all those who are outside the Christian faith; so that truly the whole of mankind is subject to the power of Jesus Christ.” “Nor is there any difference in this matter between the individual and the family or the State; for all men, whether collectively or individually, are under the dominion of Christ. In him is the salvation of the individual, in him is the salvation of society” (Quas Primas #18). “When once men recognize, both in private and in public life, that Christ is King, society will at last receive the great blessings of real liberty, well-ordered discipline, peace and harmony. Our Lord’s regal office invests the human authority of princes and rulers with a religious significance; it ennobles the citizen’s duty of obedience” (#19). As we celebrate this glorious solemnity, the last Sunday of the Church’s liturgical year, deepen your faith in the mystery it celebrates, and strengthen your resolve to embrace the Kingship of Christ in your life, so that through you, His Kingdom will become all the more present in the world all around you.
Family Mass at St Peter’s is this Sunday at 9.30am led by St Peter’s school children
“‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ And he said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” (Luke 23:42-43) Almighty ever-living God, whose will is to restore all things in your beloved Son, the King of the universe, grant, we pray, that the whole creation, set free from slavery, may render your majesty service and ceaselessly proclaim your praise. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Journey in Faith Also known as the RCIA, this is a course that started on Thursday 30th October, in the parish for any who wish to consider becoming a Catholic. Some brochures are available. As an approach to this faith journey, We really recommend watching the excellent free YouTube series on the life of Jesus called The Chosen. On prayer and devotion watch the free sessions of Sycamore.fm as an introduction to a life of faith. These are quality resources for any parishioner but especially those seeking to deepen their faith.
The SVP is asking for the following donations of food to help the poor; cooking oil, tuna, beans, rice, pasta, pasta sauce, long life milk, Weetabix, coffee, tea, drinking chocolate, biscuits, soup, tinned tomotoes, rice pudding & sugar. The 16th November is “The World Day of the Poor” and we are asked to love not only with words but with deeds.