St Simon Stock Catholic Church

Brookfield Road, South Ashford, Kent TN23 4EU

28th JUNE 2009
Tel: 01233 622399
Parish Priest: Fr John Boyle SS PETER AND PAUL
YEAR B
Saint Simon of England RC Primary School,
Noakes Meadow, Ashford, TN23 2RB. Tel: 01233 623199
Head teacher: Mrs Elizabeth Willis

MASS TIMES AND INTENTIONS TODAY’S MASS TEXTS

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Sunday 28 Entrance Antiphon:
SS Peter and Paul, apostles, solemnity (B) These men, conquering all human frailty, shed their blood
10.00am Mass (Irene Zolna RIP) and helped the church to grow. By sharing the cup of the
12.00noon Mass (Latin, 1962 Missal) Lord’s suffering, they became the friends of God.
3.00pm Baptism of Emanuelle Maria Veronica Baldwin First Reading: Acts 12:1-11
4.00pm Mass in Polish Now I know the Lord really did save me from Herod.
6.00pm Mass (People of the parish)
Monday 29
th Responsorial Psalm: Ps 33
R: From all my terrors the Lord set me free.
9.30am Mass (Holy Souls)
th I will bless the Lord at all times,
Tuesday 30
The First Martyrs of Church of Rome his praise always on my lips;
9.30am Mass (Peggie Fairess RIP) followed by Divine in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
Mercy Chaplet & Exposition of the Blessed The humble shall hear and be glad. (R)
Sacrament until 10.30am Glorify the Lord with me.
st
Wednesday 1 July Together let us praise his name.
St Oliver Plunkett, bishop and martyr I sought the Lord and he answered me;
9.30am Mass (Michael Ryan & family) from all my terrors he set me free. (R)
nd
Thursday 2
Look towards him and be radiant;
Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
let your faces not be abashed.
6.45pm Mass (Latin, 1962 Missal) (In thanksgiving for
This poor man called; the Lord heard him
priests)
Friday 3
rd and rescued him from all his distress. (R)
St Thomas, apostle, feast The angel of the Lord is encamped
First Friday around those who revere him, to rescue them.
9.30am Mass (Dennis Condon) Taste and see that the Lord is good.
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Saturday 4 He is happy who seeks refuge in him. (R)
Our Lady Second Reading: 2 Timothy 4:6-8.17-18
9.00am Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament All there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved
10.00am Mass (Edme Nerot RIP) for me.
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Sunday 5
Gospel Acclamation: Matthew 16:18
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)
Alleluia, alleluia! You are Peter and on this rock I will build
10.00am Mass (John Kelly RIP)
my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold
6.00pm Mass (People of the parish)
out against it. Alleluia!
CONFESSION TIMES Gospel: Matthew 16:13-19
Weekdays: before or after Mass upon request. You are Peter, and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of
Saturday: 10.30am; Sundays: ½ hour before Mass heaven.
CHURCH CLEANING Preface of SS Peter and Paul, Eucharistic Prayer I
rd th th th st
July 3 Sheila; 10 Sue; 17 Sue; 24 Tara; 31 Bridie Communion Antiphon: Matthew 16:16-18
COLLECTIONS LAST SUNDAY Peter said: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,
Offertory: £322.19, (Gift Aid: £167.50, loose plate: £154.69 ) + Jesus answered: You are Peter, the rock on which I will
£94 approx by standing order. Second collection: Parish build my Church.
Maintenance & Development Fund: £99.63. Thank you. PRAYERS FOR THE SICK
Second collection today: Peter’s Pence – the financial support Please pray for all our sick parishioners, particularly Rita
offered by the faithful to the Holy Father for the many different Redman and Ann Pullen. Names of parishioners who need our
needs of the Universal Church and for the relief of those most in prayers can be placed in the box in the church foyer. All our sick
need. Next week: Parish Maintenance & Development Fund. parishioners, named and un-named, are remembered in our
prayers.
PARISH BARBECUE NEXT SUNDAY
Come along to the parish barbecue REGULAR EVENTS – COME ALONG!
after the 10.00am Mass next Sunday. DIVINE MERCY PRAYER GROUP
Burgers, hot dogs and ploughman‟s after the 9.30am Mass on Tuesdays. Prayers of
will be available to purchase. Come for intercession for various needs and silent adoration
some fun and games, social time, and a bit of fundraising for the of the Blessed Sacrament till 10.30am.
parish. Everyone welcome. (Please pray for fine weather!)
CHOIR PRACTICE TUESDAYS 7.30PM
Newcomers always welcome.
HAVE WE FORGOTTEN WHAT IT IS TO BE CATHOLIC? (2)
(From Fit for Mission? Church by Bishop Patrick O‟Donoghue) BIBLE STUDY THURSDAYS 7.30PM
Those who deliberately miss Sunday Mass forget they are Studying the Acts of the Apostles. Newcomers
Catholic. always welcome.

Email: parish@stsimon.org.uk; Web: www.stsimon.org.uk;

Parish blog: http://st-simon-parish.blogspot.com/; diocesan website: www.rcsouthwark.co.uk
 FR. JOHN’S DESKTOP
On the feast of Ss Peter and Paul we think of the two great Apostles of the Church. Both were great saints, but
both were also conscious of their human frailty: Peter, the one who denied his Friend, Lord and Master; Paul, who once
persecuted the early Christians. Both were enlisted as Apostles through the sheer love of Jesus. By choosing unlikely
characters, it can be more clearly appreciated that the spread of the Gospel is truly a work of God, not of man.
On this feast day which is normally celebrated on 29th June, newly appointed Archbishops (including
Archbishop Vincent Nichols, the new Archbishop of Westminster) go to Rome to receive from the Pope the
„pallium‟, a small woollen garment that they wear on their shoulders as in the illustration to the left. It is an
image of the yoke of Christ, the will of God which they seek to accept and fulfil. This will of God does not
weigh down but rather leads us to be fully our true selves. Made of lambs‟ wool, the pallium is also a
symbol of the lost sheep which the bearer places upon his shoulder and carries to the waters of life. As
Pope Benedict said in his inaugural Mass at the start of his papacy: “The Church as a whole and all her
Pastors, like Christ, must set out to lead people out of the desert, towards the place of life, towards
friendship with the Son of God, towards the One who gives us life, and life in abundance.”
On this feast the Year of St Paul comes to an end. Last week the Year of the Priesthood commenced. Like Peter
and Paul, our pastors have their strengths and their weaknesses. Let us pray for them all – the Pope, Archbishops,
Bishops, Priests – that they may lead us generously towards true friendship with Christ, the Son of the living God. Fr John
EVANGELIUM CONFERENCE 2009 QUESTIONS I GET ASKED – DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE
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A weekend for young Catholics aged 18-35, 7 – 9 August, at Sometimes people raise matters that might be relevant to
the Oratory School, Reading. Details available from flyers in the others too. One matter that comes up from time to time is the
church foyer. Excellent speakers, well worth going to hear the question of divorce. Marriage is of its nature indissoluble, i.e. it
Catholic Faith explained for the modern world. only comes to an end with the death of one of the spouses. Yet
TELEVISION AND CATHOLICS the church recognises that sometimes a civil divorce is the only
Some literature from a group of Catholic lay people called CUT way for an individual or a family to put an end to an intolerable
(Catholics Unplug your Televisions) is available In the church situation. So, if someone gets divorced, can they marry again?
foyer for your information. There is no intention to endorse or The simple answer is „No.‟ As Jesus himself taught, what God
otherwise the position taken by this organisation but the literature has joined together let no man put asunder, and he who divorces
might be helpful in making parents aware of some of the his wife and marries another commits adultery. So, if one is
malevolent influences present in our mass media and the divorced in a civil court, one is still married in the eyes of God
negative results in children who watch excessive amounts of TV. and is, in principle, called to be faithful to that marriage bond. If
Further information from www.cutunplugtv.co.uk. one wants to marry „again‟, the person concerned can ask the
Church to look into the status of their previous union to see
CIGARETTE ENDS whether, in fact, a true marriage existed. If there is sufficient
Our grounds maintenance contractors have asked if anything evidence, the Church Tribunal might be able to declare the
can be done about the mess of cigarette ends around the previous union „null‟, in which case the parties concerned would
church, the hall and on the car park. They even end up inside the be free to enter into a new marriage.
church sometimes. Naturally, it is not possible to apportion There is a big difference between being simply divorced,
blame to any particular group of people or individuals. If you do and being divorced and remarried. Being divorced does not
smoke, please refrain from doing so around the church entrance, necessarily mean one is guilty of going against the law of God.
and please take your cigarette ends away with you, rather than Being divorced is not, in itself, a bar to receiving Holy
throw them on the ground. Your help in this would be greatly Communion (although there might be a need for confession
appreciated. concerning matters that led to the divorce). But if one who is
SOLEMN MASS FOR THE FEAST OF THE TRANSLATION OF divorced marries again without first obtaining a decree of nullity
THE RELICS OF ST. THOMAS OF CANTERBURY from the Church Tribunal, then one is barred from receiving Holy
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Tuesday 7 July at 8pm in Canterbury Cathedral Communion, just as is anyone who is living together with
The celebrant will be Canon Michael Bunce, parish priest of St. someone to whom they are not lawfully (i.e. in the eyes of the
Thomas‟ Church, Canterbury and our Dean. All are warmly Church) married.
invited to attend. Fr. John can offer lifts. And a final point: a Catholic must marry in the Catholic
Church. A Catholic who marries outside the Catholic Church
“A DIOCESAN DAY OF CELEBRATION”, SHARING IN THE
without a dispensation from the Bishop is not married in the eyes
GIFTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AT AYLESFORD
TH of the Church and, so, may not be admitted to Holy Communion.
PRIORY, SUNDAY 12 JULY
I am pleased to say that, recently, several parishioners
This yearly event enables many people of all abilities, to share in
have gone through the process of putting their „irregular‟ marital
a day of activity and prayer; activities include art, music and a
situation right. If anyone has any queries in this regard, please
disco. The day will begin with a gathering service at 12.00 noon
do not hesitate to see me and I will happily advise on possible
ending with a Mass of celebration at 4pm.
ways forward. Fr. John
SPUC PRO-LIFE PETITION DAY NEXT SUNDAY
After Mass next Sunday you will be invited to sign The Society YEAR OF PRIESTHOOD
for the Protection of Unborn Children‟s „Child Protection Petition‟ A Daily Prayer for Priests
to the Prime Minister seeking to stop secondary schools being Heavenly Father
used as abortion referral centres. Among SPUC‟s concerns are Grant that our priests be strengthened and healed
that the Government is; giving a clear remit to school nurses and by the power of the Eucharist they celebrate.
other advisers of schoolchildren to refer for abortions without May the Word they proclaim
informing parents; insisting that sex education lessons include give them courage and wisdom.
information on how to get abortions; and wants to establish We pray that all those whom they seek to serve
school-based sexual health clinics. The aim is to gather half a may see in them the love and care
million signatures and bring pressure on the Government to of Jesus our eternal High Priest.
reverse its policy. Please add your name to the petition and help Who is Lord for ever and ever.
stop this unjust attack on the rights of schoolchildren, families Amen
and the unborn. Mary, Mother of the Church,
look tenderly upon your sons, our priests.

To catch up on previous newsletters visit http://www.stsimon.org.uk/Newsletters/. Parish blog: http://st-simon-parish.blogspot.com/