Parishes of St John XXIII & St Joseph’s, Birtley Incorporating:

Our Blessed Lady Immaculate, Washington; Our Lady Queen of Peace, Penshaw; St Bede’s, Usworth; St John Boste, Oxclose; St Joseph’s, Birtley

Administrator: Audrey Huntley 0191 4163583 sj23office01@gmail.com

In the Partnership of Benedict

Birtley, Chester-le-Street, Houghton-le-Spring, Penshaw, Sacriston, Washington

The Holy Trinity - 06/07 June 2020, Yr. A

Fr Jim O’Keefe 0191 416 3805 Fr Mark Millward 0191 416 3583 Fr Martin Wheaton 0191 410 2923

Deacon Frank O’Neill 0779 115 5845 Deacon Peter Lavery 0730 505 9297 Deacon Chas Ferguson 0783 663 1963 Deacon Tony Joy 0779 989 3419

We are now live-streaming Masses Please follow this link to access live streaming of Mass from one of our Churches - https://www.facebook.com/ParishStJohn23/

(Note: You do not have to log in or join Facebook to view this page) or search for ParishStJohn23 on Facebook.

Mass is live-streamed at 10.00am, every Day.

Fr Mark writes….

Lock down has disrupted our relationships, even those of us who don’t live alone nevertheless have been

separated from family and dear friends who don’t live with us. The news has had stories of the frail and elderly

coping with communication with their loved ones through a window, longing for physical contact. I ’ve had the very

moving experience of ministering to the dying gathered with families outside a home praying through a window

slightly ajar. To see family members’ faces and bodies etched with a deep longing to be in physical contact, to

hold a hand, to be there, has been painful.

Even when the restrictions were recently eased slightly to allow people to meet in their gardens there have been

scenes of new grandparents seeing the family’s new baby for the first time, but still from a minimum distance of 2

meters, you can see the longing to hold and embrace baby and it’s new parents frustrated by the need to protect

each other from disease.

We have been powerfully reminded of what we may often

take for granted, our relationships; family, friends,

acquaintances, colleagues, neighbours. Our modern

technological world gives us opportunities to see each other

on computer screens, in some instances families and

friends who don’t normally see each other very much have

found enthusiasm for new encounters online, some

relationships have had a renaissance as a result. However,

modern technology has also emphasised the isolation of

those who don’t use it at all. People have telephoned quite

distressed at feeling left out from the community by being

unable to join us online for Mass.

All of this reminds us very powerfully that we are social beings for whom our relationship with each other is as

vital to our wellbeing as physical nourishment and safe shelter. Our physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing

are interconnected and have a profound influence on each other.

Charity Registration Number: 1143450

Charity Registration Number: 1143450

(Reflection Cont…)

A hug can hugely improve our sense of feeling well, in sickness we seek contact for reassurance and as part of

the healing process. The Sacrament of Anointing the Sick is profoundly physical with the laying on of hands and

anointing with oil. Our love for each other is demonstrated in word but also in touch, the lockdown has diminished

our intimacy with each other.

I write all of this because today’s feast of the Holy Trinity is fundamentally and essentially a celebration of

relationship; the dynamic intimate relationship of love and creativity that is revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy

Spirit, this divine relationship is the source of our being and in its image we

are made. That is why we are so powerfully made for each other, God invites

us into this wonderful relationship, Pope John Paul II said: “Man lives in God

and by God”. God calls each one of us by name into relationship, then God

calls us together in relationship with the divine and with each other. Our post

Easter readings have documented the building of this community, the

Church. We are a community made in the image of the Trinity, individuals

who only come to our fullest potential in relationship with God and with each

other. Let us be moved today to offer praise and thanks for our relationships,

our windows of love that reveal the divine image in each other. May we work

within the current limitations to still reach out, through a window, in a garden,

on a computer screen, write a letter or card or pick up the phone in the name

of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

The Wearside Camino After a planned pilgrimage to the Camino de Santiago in North West Spain was cancelled as a result of the

pandemic and after the government gave permission for unlimited outdoor exercise as they modified the

lockdown rules, a local Camino ‘Way’ to our own Holy Sites on Wearside was undertaken, the distance of 100km

was the target for the walk.

In thanksgiving for 30 years of ministry at St Benedict’s Hospice the chaplain

Caroline began a personal Camino pilgrimage with a walk from Our Lady's

Queen of Peace Church at Penshaw to St Peter's Church at Monkwearmouth.

It was there she prayed for all of our patients and staff past and present.

Followed by a shorter walk from

St Benedict's Hospice to St Mary's Church in

Seaham, she has said she'll be taking her

prayer flags with her and praying for all of the

amazing work the people who work to help

make sure the hospice can continue to be

funded. From the fundraising team, the

education team and all of the amazing folks

who take their time and energy to help fund

our services as well as those who have all

supported us in any way they possibly can.

The next day, the focus moved from St. Benedict Biscop and St Bede to St Cuthbert with a pilgrimage from Our

Lady Queen of Peace to St Mary and St Cuthbert Church, Chester le Street.

Charity Registration Number: 1143450

The church of St Mary and St Cuthbert has a history that may surprise you.

The site has been used for worship for over 1100 years. It was the cathedral

church and shrine of St Cuthbert from AD883 to 995, (our Bishop Robert when

an assistant Bishop in Birmingham was the titular Bishop of Chester-Le-Street,

we prayed for him on our journey today). The Church welcomed many

pilgrims; it was a monastery for 112 years, where one of the monks added an

English translation to the Lindisfarne Gospels- the oldest surviving English

translation today, now in the British Library.

It was established at a difficult time in English history. The monks on

Lindisfarne were driven out by Viking raiders in 875 so they took St Cuthbert's

coffin with them along with other valuable items. They wandered for seven

years before eventually settling at Chester-le-Street. In Durham opposite the

Gala Theatre you can see Fenwick Lawson’s statue of the monks carrying

Cuthbert’s body.

The Lindisfarne Gospels and St Cuthbert's coffin were here until 995, when renewed Viking raids drove the

monks out, to Ripon before returning to Durham. The oldest surviving parts of the church today are the pillars in

the nave and can be dated to 1056 when a stone church was built to replace the wooden church that was there

originally. Whilst here we prayed for all day care patients and staff, hospital and community teams at

St Benedict’s Hospice.

The Camino Ingles Route from Finchale Priory to Escomb Saxon Church via Durham.

An unusual event took place at the historic Finchale Priory in Co Durham on Saturday

March 23rd 2019 when councillors from Coruña and Co Durham nailed in the first

marker for the Camino Ingles to Santiago in Spain. The priory was chosen as the

starting point for this unique section of the Camino Ingles, a route which leads from

Coruña, where many English medieval pilgrims arrived, and travels 90 kilometres to

Santiago. Pilgrims must walk a minimum of 100 kilometres to receive their special

certificate (“Compostela”) in Santiago and the new stretch from Finchale via Durham

Cathedral to Bishop Auckland has been approved by the authorities in Santiago as

part of the Camino Inglés.

The reason that Finchale Priory was chosen is that the hermit St Godric, who lived at

Finchale is the first recorded English pilgrim who went on pilgrimage to Santiago in the middle of the 12th century.

St Godric was also the composer of the oldest song in English for which the original musical settings survive. It

was highly appropriate therefore that, after the first marker had been put in place, all the pilgrims gathered in the

priory ruins to hear Guy Hayward, co-founder of the British Pilgrimage Trust sing that first song Sainte Marie.

Pilgrims are able to get their Camino Inglès passports stamped with the special

Finchale Camino stamp.

Some signs along the Camino Way: signs made by children saying ‘life is beautiful’ and

‘be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud’.

Final Day Bede’s Way: St Paul’s Jarrow to St Peter’s Monkwearmouth, St

Benedict Biscop and St Bede pray for us. Our ‘Wearside’ Camino has been

travelled in thanksgiving for 30 years of ministry at St Benedict’s Hospice

praying for the patients, their families and the staff and for the communities of

St John 23rd Washington and Penshaw and St Joseph’s Birtley. 114 km

walked. Deo Gratias!

Charity Registration Number: 1143450

A Parishioner writes….

Lock down - People said it would give us more time to pray. I must be honest, I'm retired, I already had plenty of time to pray. But, because I couldn't do many other things, I did spend more time praying. Listening to the news, I became more and more concerned about people who were experiencing real hardship, particularly financial hardship. My income remained steady. My prayer crystallised and reinforced the gospel message, Jesus came to bring good news to the poor... I must share what I have with those who have not. As Pope Francis says " it is standing with the poor that we see

things as Jesus did."

What are parishioners in the parishes of St John XXIII and St Joseph’s Birtley doing? Are you doing all sorts of amazing and imaginative things to support each other, keep fit, keep safe and

maybe even raise money for charity.

Why not let us know what you’re up to? Your story might well encourage us to be creative, do something different, learn something new and keep safe. So, what are you doing to encourage us? Let us know and it may well be included in a slot

next week.

It’ll be great to hear from you. You can contact Audrey at sj23of-

fice01@gmail.com or any of our Priests.

Sing-a-long - All My Days You may remember a recent news item about the self-isolation choir and how over 3,000 people recorded Handel’s Messiah virtually. Well, here is your chance to have a sing-a-long of your own. Katherine has kindly sent in a backing track recording of All My Days, which was introduced at OLQP this year. The recording

was only intended for use as a practice and the people who put it together have given their permission to use it but to make it clear it isn’t a polished performance. If you or anyone in your household would like to sing along the words are below - We know a lot of people enjoyed singing it at OLQP, and given that both the words and music are uplifting we thought it might be nice to share it. There are some Alleluias in the backing track, which are supposed to be there but which we miss out to keep it simple - if people like the alleluias we can put them in when we get back into church. Let us know what you think! To start the sing-a-long (or indeed just to hear the track) just click the link below: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TCu3nyIHUZqmyXV8hPS5GzdeuIOsFk95/view?usp=sharing

You know my words before they’re said. You know my need and I am fed. You give me life. You know my ways, My strength, my path, for all my days, My strength, my path, for all my days. If I should fly beyond the dawn, The darkness will not overcome. If I lie down in deepest night, Still you are there, my Lord, my light, Still you are there, my Lord, my light. Our every thought, each word we say, The whole of time, the present day, Are held within your mighty hand, Too wonderful to comprehend, Too wonderful to comprehend! O mend my heart and free my voice. From sin released, I will rejoice. O search me, Lord, my spirit cries, And let my song of praise arise,

And let my song of praise arise!

Staying with the Musical Theme…… Follow the link below to go to Shelter Me by Michael Joncas. This is a prayer song recorded by Spiritu during the time of this recent crisis. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3KifN7Jfpc&authuser=0 We hope that these bring you joy and comfort during these difficult times.

Thoughts on Today’s Gospel

At first sight this part of the dialogue with Nicodemus seems to mention only the Father and the Son and not involve the Holy Spirit. A chief concern of the Gospel of John is to show the relationship of loving obedience between Father and Son. The love and equality in a perfect relationship between a human parent and a child is the nearest reflection of such divine love which we can envisage. In complete trust and confidence the parent gives to the child everything that is theirs. The parent’s only interest is the advancement of the child. The child’s only care is to please the parent and to be as close to the parent as they can be, in word, in action and in relationships. Each has a vibrant and continuous bond of love for the other. Such a relationship may be rare in human family life, but it can model for us a pale reflection of the loving relationship between the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit is the love between the Father and the Son, love in person, the living bond which unites them. We must, however, appreciate that any such language limps and belittles the divine relationship, which is of a different order of perfection and intensity. Human language can never fully explain the mystery of God which is beyond our total understanding. We are familiar with St Patrick’s clover-leaf image of the Trinity. Are there any other images of the Trinity which you find helpful? How are Father, Son and Spirit presented in this Gospel passage? How does the Holy Spirit bring us close to the Father? How can we respond to God’s love for us?

Dom Henry Wansbrough OSB

Primary Schools Return Our thoughts and prayers are with the Staff and pupils of our primary schools who are returning this week; limited to Year 6, Year 1, Reception and Nursery. Please pray for them.

Prayers for the Sick or Recently Deceased

During this time of crisis it is important that we all have the opportunity to pray for our loved

ones who are sick or indeed, those who have sadly died. More especially now that there are strict limits for those attending fu-

nerals. The parish community can help and would like to include those loved ones in their prayers.

If you would you like to request prayers from the parish community for someone who is sick, or recently deceased,

please follow the links below and complete the necessary forms. This will enable their names to be included in private prayer and during various Masses. (This is also to comply with Government

GDPR instructions.)

For Prayers for the Sick - https://forms.churchdesk.com/f/afyRYBHHR8

For Prayers for the Deceased - https://forms.churchdesk.com/f/QEabOaHslS

If you would like to include the sick, or recently deceased, in your daily prayers the names are published separately to this newsletter. They are also available on our website and will be

sent with this newsletter on a regular basis.

A Daily Prayer

Lord God, we entrust to you the families and communities

affected by Coronavirus, wherever they may be.

We pray especially for health care workers, that you may guide and protect them.

We pray that your Spirit might inspire those researching new medicines and treatments.

And in the midst of this, keep us strong in faith, hope and love. Grant us the courage and perseverance

to be good neighbours.

May the words of your Son Jesus Christ in the Our Father,

be our prayer as we entrust ourselves and all of us who are affected

to your infinite power and love.

Amen.

Adapted from an Ebola prayer by Caritas Guinea

Coronavirus: A message from CAFOD CAFOD has launched an emergency appeal for funds, because the impact of coronavirus in countries with poor health systems will be devastating. Families without enough to eat and without access to clean water, living with HIV or in cramped refugee camps, will be very vulnerable to coronavirus. Our local experts are already in these communities and ready to help those in need, prevent the spread of the virus and protect lives. Your donations to support this work are needed now more than ever. You can donate here https://cafod.org.uk/Give/Donate-to-Emergencies/Coronavirus-appeal Or send a cheque payable to CAFOD at CAFOD Head Office, Romero House, 55 Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7JB

CAFOD has also launched a petition asking the Prime Minister to ensure that the most vulnerable people are the priority in the UK’s international efforts as well as at home. Our sisters and brothers overseas do not have access to healthcare systems as brilliant as the NHS. I urge you to work together with other world leaders to:

• Make sure that any vaccine developed with UK public money is made available to everyone regardless of their income or where in the world they live.

• Provide urgent financial and technical support to help developing countries cope with this crisis.

• Cancel all debt payments by developing countries due in 2020 and 2021 so that countries can spend money on much needed healthcare rather than debt repayments.

Put plans in place to rebuild a fairer, more just society after the crisis so that the world’s most vulnerable people can live in dignity and to restore our common home for future generations.

You can sign the petition here: https://e-activist.com/page/59334/petition/1

For more information or to download prayers, visit: https://cafod.org.uk/News/Emergencies-news/Coronavirus-response A donation of £600 has been sent to CAFOD's Coronavirus Appeal from the OLQP Fairtrade account. This money comes from donations and coffee mornings. Thank you to all who have contributed.

The Domestic Abuse Group of the Catholic Bishops’ Con-ference of England and Wales has issued guidance on how Catholic parishes can support victims of domestic abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please follow the link below. https://www.cbcew.org.uk/home/our-work/health-social-care/coronavirus-guidelines/domestic-abuse/ Healthy Couple Relationships and support: All relationships have their ups and downs and sometimes a positive solution is hard to find. In these extraordinary days in which we experience lives of enforced isolation such difficulties may become enhanced and overriding. MarriageCare, a charity with which this Diocese collaborates on preparing en-gaged couples for marriage, provides a counselling service for couples or individuals experiencing difficulties in their relationship which one or both find challenging and problematic. You can access support through the MarriageCare website in the ‘How we help’ section, ‘Relationship counselling’. Full contact details are provided for further enquiries and venues, and include FAQ’s.

Confessions: The Sacrament of Reconciliation may be offered by request. Please contact either Fr Mark, Fr Jim or Fr Martin to arrange.

FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION PLEASE GO TO ANY OF THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES:

Parish of St John XXIII - www.washingtoncatholic.org.uk;

Parish of St Joseph’s - www.stjosephsbirtley.co.uk

Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle - www.rcdhn.org.uk

You can find regular prayers, reflections and images on our social media pages throughout the liturgical year. Use @ParishStJohn23 on Twitter and follow https://www.facebook.com/ParishStJohn23/

on Facebook.

Petition for a National Day of Prayer Change.org is seeking signatories to a petition to the Prime Minster for a National Day of Prayer in the face of the Covid–19 crisis. For further information and to sign the petition please click here.

Collections: As you will be aware there are costs associated with maintaining and running our Churches which continue during this time. Clearly it would be impracticable to provide facilities for collections and we would ask that you keep your contribution at home (possibly putting it into your envelope each week) until the end

of this crisis when normality returns. Gift Aid will continue as normal.

If you wish you can contribute to our parishes during the church closure period by paying by Bank Standing Order. Also, if you are a tax payer you can increase your donation, at no cost to yourself by

signing a gift aid form.

Standing Order forms and Gift Aid forms are available by following

these links:

For St John XXIII: https://drive.google.com/file/d/11bFdcrt1_ffeXRHfnTtUrsWGzbKtyX1C/view?

usp=sharing

For St Joseph’s: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ArtKfbU6HL-3M2vYRyXRKKgcnH0CiUEy/view?

usp=sharing

Completed and signed Bank Standing Order Forms MUST be Sent

directly to your bank.

St Joseph’s Gift Aid forms should be emailed to Tracey at

Tracey.wilson@live.com

St John XXIII Gift Aid Forms should be emailed to Audrey at

sj23office01@gmail.com.

Charity Registration Number: 1143450

Laudato Si - How can I join the celebration ?

Based on the Laudato Si Poster below, please join us with a Story, Prayer, Song, Poem, drawing, painting, or photograph.

Send your offering by 28 June to:- livesimplystjoes@gmail.com. This is for everyone but, young people under eleven please include your age, name and Par-ish. Laudato Si competition is being extended to last Sunday in June, to give more people a chance to enter our 5th Anni-versary competition and inform you that there will be a first prize worth £25.00 for the under twelves.

In Addition to Our Live Streaming, Daily Mass is also Available as Follows: The following parishes have set up a live stream of Mass. Please click on the links below:

St. Mary's Cathedral, Newcastle - . Each day at 12.00 noon (Sunday at 11.30am) Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and devotions

live streamed at 5.00pm each day at www.youtube.com/channel/UC12EvW0Eqg-cFTh5i2y_EQw

Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Sunderland- www.youtube.com/channel/UCXhc6tLNxh0Z0tkaJQ1sB6g. You can also find details and

information on their Facebook page.

Chester le Street, St. Cuthbert and Sacriston, St. Bede - A recording of daily Mass via

www.facebook.com/Parish-of-St-Bede-St-Cuthbert-375047405964616/

Have Faith in the Lord How quickly the mind can turn to God when a crisis situation arises! Many will have turned to God over the past few weeks for comfort and support during this trying time. The Lord is merciful, gracious, slow to anger, rich in kindness – as we all should be if we are responding to the Spirit. It is hardly surprising that when Israel rejected God and turned to idolatry, worshipping a golden calf, Moses should appeal to the Lord for forgiveness and beg for reassurance. Even in the most serious crisis, God will listen to our prayers. The doctrine of the Trinity helps us to be reassured that there is nowhere on earth where God is not present and no aspect of our lives that does not concern Him. The Trinity is perfect unity, harmony and peace. If only the world would allow God to be recognised and celebrated in every aspect of our lives so that we could experience that same unity, harmony and peace every day. Three years ago, we began our journey as a Partnership in the diocese. Named after St Benedict, who inspired many people to work in our area after the Reformation, we are a coming together of Washington, Penshaw, Birtley, Sacriston, Houghton-le-Spring and Chester-le-Street. There may be six very different places in one Partnership but if the Trinity can be one then perhaps so can we!

Mass by Telephone

During these times when our churches are closed and Masses are being streamed online, the Diocese of Middlesbrough have set up a system to allow people who don' t have internet access to listen to Mass over the telephone. If you would like to access this service, the telephone number to call is 01642 130120. Calls are charged at local rate and free if in your included minutes .

Readings for Holy Trinity Sunday The readings for this Sunday can be found by following the link below: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EEUXyBDdtkRpUrr2wllyP1_AsFTBW9Ls/view?usp=sharing