Dear Parishioners and Visitors,

Today’s gospel continued on from last Sunday. Jesus has come back to Nazareth where he was raised, would have been well known, village life and no TV etc. He impresses those at the synagogue and he won their approval, but it was short lived as his reflection on the Reading cut to the bone. “Who does he think he is?”  We know he is Joseph’s son, Jesus saw it coming, but it was no less hurtful. Rejection by your own people. It’s not just Jesus who is rejected, we have all experienced in some way the judgements of others. The greatest sadness and suffering is experienced within the family, very often because we know their faults and they know ours. We do not judge the stranger half as harshly.

Let us continue to pray for the people of Haiti. It is slowly disappearing from the news items, but their hardship goes on. Next weekend the Retiring Collection is for that cause sent through CAFOD.

-You will see an updated presentation of our planning application to Surrey Heath in this newsletter. It differs in important aspects from last week’s. I really apologise for this inconvenience, but it is vital that we have the support of the community on this matter. To help in this regard there is a standard letter for the attention of Mr Paul Sherman, plus an envelope on the table which requires your address, date signature and stamp and this is the last week for submitting it. Thank you.

-To all who are involved in ministry at Mass, I wish to draw your attention to the yellow sheets to update our database and keep Liz Ray informed of any wishes you may have re: times etc.

-There is a sign-up sheet for ministry at 5.30pm Sunday Mass.

You will I am sure be delighted to hear that Steve Darcy is so well now that he is off to Spain for a 3 week holiday.

I am sporting a head injury, looks worse than it is. I inadvertently tried to move an overhanging branch with my head. The branch was tougher.

God Bless Fr John