Saint Charles SwintonParish Newsletter27 April and 4 May 2014Second and third Sundays of EasterPage 255/258

Two RemarkablePopes – A Rabbi writes…..A remarkable transformation in Jewish-Christian relations has happened in our generation.. This remarkable transformation is due in large part to Popes John XXIII and John Paul II – which is why they are not only Catholic saints, but Jewish heroes, too.

To appreciate the change that has occurred, we have to remind ourselves of the time that preceded them, although with some reluctance, as it was a dark period in terms of Jewish-Catholic relations. Jews were seen as perfidious and rebellious in both the gospels and the liturgy. They were labelled as Christ-killers. Of all the sins in the world, there could be nothing worse than the accusation of murdering the son of God. Whereas all other non-Christians may have lacked redemption, Jews were singled out for a malevolent role at the heart of the Christian narrative.

How astonishing it was, therefore, when Pope John XXIII sought to turn away from such a past and establish a new relationship between the two faiths. It was he who instructed the adjective “perfidious” to be removed in the Good Friday prayer for Jews. He also led the way personally, meeting with Jewish leaders and greeting them with the words from Genesis that also echoed his own baptismal name: “I am Joseph your brother.” That simple sentence contained a world of change: no longer your rival or your enemy, but your brother.

Above all, he initiated the Second Vatican Council that led to the publication of Nostra Aetate and the ground-breaking declarations it made: that Jews as a whole were absolved of the guilt of deicide, that Judaism was not a relic of the past but had a continuing validity, that Jews today were equally beloved of God, that all forms of anti-Semitism are to be condemned. Co-existence replaced animosity. . continued….

TheComing

WeekSunday 27 AprilSecond Sunday of Easter. Octave of Easter. “Low Sunday”.Divine Mercy Sunday.Divine Mercy devotions locally in Saint Mary’s Eccles. (see poster in porch).

6.30pm monthly ecumenical worship here in Saint Charles. please try to attend and welcome our brothers and sisters from the other local churches.

Monday 28 AprilSaint George, patron of England (feast transferred from last week which was during the Octave of Easter)No Mass in church today.

Tuesday 29 AprilSaint Catherine of Siena, virgin and Doctor of the Church, Patron of Europe, No Mass in church today.

Wednesday 30 AprilSaint Pius V, Pope.No Mass in church today.

Thursday 1 MaySaint Joseph the Worker.No Mass in church today.

Friday 2 May Saint Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor of the Church.No Mass in church today.Saturday

3 May April9.00am Mass in Cemetery.11.30am - 12noonNo Sacrament Reconciliation today.

Diocesan pilgrimage to Walsingham.To book on coach, please ring 653 7284.More details on poster in porch.

Sunday 4 May Mass at 6.00pm (Saturday)8.45 am and 11.00am.******************************************Monday 5 MayEarly May Bank HolidayNo Mass in church today.

Tuesday6 MayNo Mass in church today.

Wednesday 7 MayNo Mass in church today.

Thursday 8 MayNo Mass in church today.

Friday 9 May.No Mass in church today.

Saturday 10 May9.00am Mass in Cemetery.11.30am - 12noonNo Sacrament Reconciliation today.

Sunday 11 May.The pupils from Saint Ambrose Barlow High School will be helping to lead the liturgy at the 1100am Mass.This weekend we pray with the whole church for vocations to priesthood and religious life.

It was epitomised by a moving prayer about the Jews that John XXIII composed shortly before his death: “We acknowledge that for many centuries, blindness has covered our eyes, so that we no longer saw the beauty of Thy chosen people. … Forgive us that we crucified Thee in the flesh for a second time. For we knew not what we did.”

It also needed another Pope to show that the new era would not die with John XXIII, but would be a permanent feature of the Church. This was personified by John Paul II who furthered Jewish-Christian relations in three distinctive ways. He became the first Pope to visit a synagogue, going to the one in Rome in 1986. The second notable event came in 1993 when the Vatican signed a formal agreement with the State of Israel.

The third, seven years later, was when he went to Jerusalem and prayed by the Western Wall. The image of the by then frail man, clothed in white standing before that massive wall signified the final part of the reconciliation between Judaism and Christianity. It was accompanied by a prayer that, as is traditional for those praying there, he inserted in the cracks between the great stones. It was as much a message to Jews as to the Deity: “God of our fathers, You chose Abraham and his descendants [today’s Jews] to bring Your name to the nations [thus recognising their ongoing role and divine task]. We are deeply saddened by those who, in the course of history, have caused those children of Yours to suffer [acknowledging past mistakes of the Church] and, asking Your forgiveness, we wish to commit ourselves to genuine brotherhood with the people of the covenant [asserting the religious integrity of Judaism].”The nature of Jewish-Christian dialogue has changed and deepened over these years. One dimension was recognising how the faiths have influenced each other in certain ways. This ranges from the Jewish Passover meal being the basis of the Last Supper, to the effect of Christmas on the way many Jews today celebrate the festival of Hanukkah with present-giving. We trust each other enough to share and learn together. continued…….It meant that when he died on 2 April 2005, there was as much sadness among

Jews do not have saints, but we can

fully understand why these two Popes should be given such status, having overturned almost two millennia of Jewish-Christian strife in few decades. Perhaps even more remarkable is the fact that this was just one of their many achievements in several other fields. But for us, it is sufficiently saintly in its own right.Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain writing in the Tablet this week.********************************

*Community

Garden.Although not schedule for official

opening until 18 May, we are organising and preparing to host

the first event. It will be a basic course in

gardening run by the “Green Shoots” organisation.

Details on poster on display board.There are also registration forms

where you can indicate your preferred day and the dates of the

course will bear that in mind.

*********************************

Jubilee Year –what’s next?

The Lenten series of “Praying with the Saints” was very successful and well attended by parishioners from

here and other local churches, Catholic and beyond. Next year’s is already well into its planning.

Our next event will mark the month of May as Mary’s month and will be a Pilgrimage to our local shrine

of Our Lady at Shoenstatt, Kearsley on Sunday 25 May,

1.00 – 4.00pm. Those who are fit enough are invited to walk

together via the route prepared by some of the young people of the

Ramblers’ Group.

Further ahead ….

Monday 12 May. SVP meet at 7.00p.m.

Thursday 15 May. “Women Speaking Wisdom” at Saint Joseph’s Convent, Greenleach Lane exploring this month the women of the Exodus whose actions brought about the birth of a nation.

Friday 16 May.Meeting of Jubilee planning group.

Saturday 17 May.Sacramental Programme. Parents and children meet at 10.00am.

Weekend 17/18 MayAnnual Foreign Mission Appeal.

Tuesday 20 May.UCM celebration MassFurther further ahead….Monday 30 June to Wednesday 2 July. UCM Pilgrimage to Walsingham,Cost £150.00*********************************

National Board of Catholic Women event.

Saturday 10 May.We are delighted to invite the

women of our diocese to a day of reflection on the letter of

Pope Francis : “The Joy of the Gospel”

An opportunity to come together, and explore how the Papal

Exhortationspeaks to us in our everyday lives,

and calls us to live the gospel of Jesus

Joyfully .We will be led by Linda Jones,

from the CAFOD theology team.

A member of Churches Together in Swinton and PendleburyParish Priest: Rev Mgr Paul F Smith STL 0161 794 1089 paulsmith@saintcharles.freeserve.co.uk website: www.stcharlesswinton.co.uk

Registered Charity No. 250037MASS TIMES

Saturday: 6.00 pm (First Mass of Sunday)

Sunday 8.45 am (Church Parade every second

Sunday of the month) 11.00 am (with children's Liturgy of the

Word)

Monday to Friday: usually 8.30 am

Holy Days7.30 pm (eve), 8.30 am

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION

Saturdays: 11.30 am to 12.00 noonand after evening Mass

BAPTISMSBy appointment. Parents are expected to

attend a course of preparation.

WEDDINGSSix months notice is normally required.

Saint Vincent de Paul SocietyMonthly as announced

Union of Catholic MothersFirst and third Tuesdays at 7.15pm

Beaver ScoutsMondays in school at 6.00pm

Cub ScoutsTuesdays in school at 6.00 pm

Brownies Wednesdays in school at 6.00 pm

Rainbows Thursdays in school at 6.00 pm

If you would like to receive this weekly newsletter by e-mail please give me your e-mail address.

In Saint Sebastian’s Centre.1.00-4.30pm.

 

 

 

A member of Churches Together in Swinton and PendleburyParish Priest: Rev Mgr Paul F Smith STL 0161 794 1089 paulsmith@saintcharles.freeserve.co.uk website: www.stcharlesswinton.co.uk

Registered Charity No. 250037MASS TIMES

Saturday: 6.00 pm (First Mass of Sunday)

Sunday 8.45 am (Church Parade every second

Sunday of the month) 11.00 am (with children's Liturgy of the

Word)

Monday to Friday: usually 8.30 am

Holy Days7.30 pm (eve), 8.30 am

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION

Saturdays: 11.30 am to 12.00 noonand after evening Mass

BAPTISMSBy appointment. Parents are expected to

attend a course of preparation.

WEDDINGSSix months notice is normally required.

Saint Vincent de Paul SocietyMonthly as announced

Union of Catholic MothersFirst and third Tuesdays at 7.15pm

Beaver ScoutsMondays in school at 6.00pm

Cub ScoutsTuesdays in school at 6.00 pm

Brownies Wednesdays in school at 6.00 pm

Rainbows Thursdays in school at 6.00 pm

If you would like to receive this weekly newsletter by e-mail please give me your e-mail address.