Catholic Church of St Theodore of Canterbury 110 Station Road Hampton­upon­Thames Middlesex TW12 2AS Tel: 020 8979 3596 Fax: 020 8979 8854 Email: hamptononthames@rcdow.org.uk Website: www.sainttheodores.org Parish Priest: Fr. Bernard Boylan Parish Sister: Sr. Victoria Tel: 020 8255 4997 Parish Centre: Kathleen Wren Tel: 020 8941 0444 Safeguarding Representative: Dermot Lynch: 020 8979 1155 PALM SUNDAY 5 TH APRIL 2009 CALENDAR HOLY WEEK
Gospel Reflection – Walking the Walk
What are we thinking when we pick up a palm and process
into church on Passion Sunday? Perhaps we are
wondering how those very clever people weave their palm
into a cross. Or perhaps we imagine we are
commemorating an historic event. When Jesus rode his
donkey into Jerusalem all those centuries ago, he was the
centre of attention. Some thought he would be a powerful
leader who would lead the people in an uprising against
the occupying Romans. Others were just swept along in a
sense of pageant. Few had grasped the true significance
of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. Jesus had not come merely
to overturn the Romans. Jesus’ picture was a much more
universal one. Jesus’ mission was the salvation of the
whole world for future generations. How many of us would
remember Jesus today if his mission had been simply to
lead an uprising against a Roman occupation? Jesus was
riding into Jerusalem to meet his destiny. He could have
heeded the warnings of his disciples and bypassed
Jerusalem altogether. He could have continued his
ministry of teaching and healing into old age; but
whatever else Jesus was about, he certainly wasn’t about
compromise. In riding into Jerusalem, Jesus was telling us
that his mission to save each and every one of us was
more important than life itself.
We can all walk into church waving our palms. We can all
commemorate an historical event, but the more
discerning of us know that this day is about ‘walking the
walk’. We are the reason Jesus rode into Jerusalem. On
this day we honour him not with palms but with the quality
of our lives.
The Easter Triduum ­
Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil …
The Easter triduum, marking the days of Jesus’
passion and resurrection, is the most important
time of the Church year.
It begins with the evening Mass of Holy
Thursday, reaches its high point in the Easter
Vigil, and closes on Easter Sunday evening.
Holy Thursday:
“Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper.”
The Easter Triduum begins with Mass on Holy
Thursday evening, when Jesus sacramentally
anticipated the gift he would make of himself on
the cross. His command to serve others is
dramatically recalled this night in the ceremony of
the washing of the feet, which he performed in the
supper room for his disciples.
Good Friday:
“Remembering Christ’s Passion and Death”
The Good Friday rites centre around the reading of
the Passion of Jesus. With simple dignity that story
is retold, followed by prayers for the entire world,
for this powerful mystery brings blessings to the
world. On this day we are invited to venerate the
cross. It is a day of fasting and quiet mourning.
Holy Saturday:
“The Easter Vigil”
The Easter Vigil is the high point of the Easter
Triduum celebrating the passion and resurrection of
Jesus. The vigil opens with a service of light. The
lighting of the fire and the Easter candle is a sign
that Christ is “the light of the world,” and
celebrates the victory of light over darkness that
humanity has ever longed for.
M A S S T I M E S Sunday Masses Weekday Masses Holy Days of Obligation Eucharistic Devotions Confessions Baptisms Public Rosary 6.30pm (Sat.) 8.30am 10.30am 5.00pm Mon, Thurs & Fri. 9.30am Wed. 7.30pm 9.30am & 7.30pm Thurs. after 9.30am Mass (9.55 – 10.25am) Saturday 10.00 – 1030 am 5.45 – 6.15pm By appointment Wednesday Evening at 7.00pm NOTE: If you should go into hospital it is important that Note: you inform the chaplain If you should go into hospital yourself or ask a relative or it is important that you inform friend to do so if you wish to the hospital chaplain yourself receive a visit from a priest. or ask a relative or friend to do R.C. Chaplain at: so if you wish to receive a visit West Midd. 0797900 6432 whilst you are in hospital. Kingston Hosp. 8942 2178 Chaplain at Kingston Hospital Ashford G H 01784 255973 8942 2178 Catholic Church of St Theodore of Canterbury LEAFLET GIVING TIMES OF SERVICES Please take a leaflet available in the Church giving the times of the services of Holy Week in this parish HOLY WEEK PENITENTIAL SERVICES: Following the morning mass at St Francis de Sales, Hampton Hill on Monday of Holy Week (6 th April) there will be confessors available through the day until 8.00pm There will be a short Penitential Service here at St. Theodore’s at 7.30pm on Tuesday of Holy Week with confessors available afterwards to hear private confessions. Fasting and Abstinence The Church sets aside certain penitential days and invites us to observe Ash Wednesday and Good Friday as days of fast and abstinence. ”Fasting means that the amount of food we eat is considerably reduced. Abstinence means that we give up a particular kind of food or drink or form of amusement”. Fridays throughout Lent, and during the rest of the year are also days when we are encouraged to do some form of penance. EASTER ROTAS Would Readers and Eucharistic Ministers please indicate on the sheet in the porch which Services they will be attending over the Easter period or contact me on 020 8979 3913 (Bernadette Hannigan) Would Eucharistic Ministers please come to the Commissioning on Holy Thursday Evening FLOWER ARRANGING TEAM Just a reminder that we will begin the preparation of flowers on Wednesday 8th at 9.30 in the Parish Centre. The decoration of the Church will take place on Saturday 11th at 9.30am.
“Blessings on him who
comes in the name
of the Lord”
Mark 11:10
GIFT AID We will soon be putting in a Gift­Aid claim asking HM Revenue to return the tax that you have paid on your donations to charity. If you have stopped paying tax, please would you contact Ross Gibbs on 020 8979 4090 so that we don’t ask for tax if you have not paid it. Ross Gibbs Pope Benedict’s Prayer Intention for April ‘Farmers and World Hunger’ The following are statistics on world hunger from the World Food Program and the Office of the U.N. Secretary­ General: ∙ In 2008, the number of undernourished people in the world rose to 963 million (more than the combined populations of the United States, Canada and the European Union), up 40 million from 2007. ∙ The majority of undernourished people live in developing countries, with about 65 percent of the total living in India, China, Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan and Ethiopia. ∙ The total food surplus of the United States alone could satisfy every empty stomach in Africa; France's leftovers could feed the hungry in Democratic Republic of Congo and Italy's could feed Ethiopia's undernourished. ∙ A child dies every six seconds of malnutrition or starvation. Pope Benedict invites us to join in his monthly prayer intention, “That our Lord may bless farmers with abundant harvests and sensitise the richer nations to respond to the ravages of hunger throughout the world.”
11 th – 12 th April 2009 6.30pm 8.30am 10.30am 5.00pm The Word Easter Weekend Easter Weekend Easter Weekend Easter Weekend The Eucharist Easter Weekend Easter Weekend Easter Weekend Easter Weekend Sunday Catechists: SPRING HOLIDAY BREAK Church Cleaning: Mrs Buckley / Mrs Lowney Church Flowers: Flower Arranging Team Offertory Counters: Easter Weekend Newsletter Printer: Bill Bolsover Rotas for the week until In Church:­ please cancel your mobile telephone; please leave Mass­Books & Hymnbooks ‘spine­upwards’