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Dear Friends,

I am at an age where I can look back and reminisce about the past. Today’s Gospel reading about one image of God’s Kingdom: the tiny seed, given time and the natural elements can grow to be something very special – a great tree. Well I reflected on my grandfather Jim Leary and his son Jack getting the wedges of potatoes that they had already prepared in neat rows across the shaped mounds of raised earth called ridges, You cut the potato in a certain way, you did not let it lie around but buried it in the ground and you waited until green leaves appeared, then you sprayed them with a mixture of limestone and washing soda to save them from blight (a fungus that rots the leaves and the potatoes can’t grow). This is repeated over and over again in an almost slow-motion fashion, but it does the trick. Months later when the new potatoes were ready to eat it was like Christmas, the taste with butter and salt you would not wish for anything else. And yet the one item I did not mention was time, it all needed time and great patience. Season after season the household looked forward to the new potatoes. Could they hurry them up? No; some seasons were better than others, but all the painstaking time and care could produce from one small wedge as many as 10 or 12 potatoes of varying sizes.

What is all that got to do with the Kingdom of God? 1) We need the raw material. 2) We need to know what we are doing. 3) We need time. Yes, there is a time for everybody, and we will not achieve our potential unless we follow the master’s steps.

Following the government’s Step 3 easements of coronavirus restrictions on 17th May, all parishes have been issued with Step 3 guidance from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.

We will now be implementing the following in accordance with the Step 3 guidelines:

• Maximum capacity in the church is now 140
• Social distancing will be 1 metre plus in our church and hall (if the hall is being used as an overflow for Mass).
• Masks must still be worn by people as they come forward for Communion.
• Priests and Special Ministers are now ‘permitted to announce, “The Body of Christ” for each communicant’ and the response “Amen” made by the person receiving Holy Communion.
• These may appear to be small steps and are without question. However, we hope that stage 4 in July will give people confidence when it arrives. I suppose you could call this stage an examining of how restrained we can be.
• I am personally delighted that they have moved on from naming variations of the virus after a country to going to the Greek alphabet in future. So, nationals of these countries will no longer have to wonder is my country going to be blamed again, when there never was evidence that their people contributed to it.
• First Holy Communions began today at 11am and 2pm. Please pray for the children, their parents and catechists.

  Finally: Ancient wisdom: “New situations usually call for re-organisation which creates the illusion of progress while it leads to confusing inefficiency, thus solving nothing.” Gaius Petronious. AD 66

  God Bless You All,

  Fr John

Readings for Next Sunday

First Reading Job 38: 1, 8-11

Psalm 107

Second Reading 2 Corinthians: 5: 14-17

Gospel Mark 4: 35-41

Reflection

Jesus sleeps through a storm. Did you ever think “where are you Lord in my need?”

Mass Intentions

Sat 12^th June    6.00pm            Ronan McGarvey RIP (1^st Anniv) (Maureen & Family)

Sun 13^th June   8.30am            Kim Selvon RIP (Ray Handysides)

                        10.30am          Jean Cadwell RIP (Maureen Bowers)

                        5.30pm            All Parishioners

Mon 14^th June  7.30pm            Peter Murphy RIP

Tue 15^th June   10.00am          Lukose Family Intention (Rene Lukose)

Wed 16^th June  10.00am          Victims of Domestic Abuse (Ella)

Thu 17^th June   10.00am          The Pandemic

Fri 18^th June     10.00am          Talion & Roberts Families (Antonia)

Sat 19^th June    6.00pm            Ella Hennessy RIP (Joan)

Sun 20^th June   8.30am            Michael & Jackie Mouat (25^th Wedding Anniversary)

10.30am          Thanksgiving: Emin Manuel (Maxi), Edward & Margaret Saint (50^th Wedding Anniversary)

                        5.30pm            Kerry Horne RIP (Gerard, Annette & Family)

Gift Aid Update

 We recovered about £17,000 through Gift Aid in the previous year with the prospect of doing even better this year. ‘THANK YOU’ to all of you who use Gift Aid and an invitation to those who have not yet joined, to do so soon; just send me an email or ring me and I will welcome you to the scheme. Finally, a reminder that Annual Statements are now available to those who need one. Contact Tony Duhig if you have any questions.* mailto:giftaid@olqh.com( 01276 29596

Mass for Engaged Couples – Arundel Cathedral

Friday 25^th June at 7.00pm with Bishop Richard. To book a place contact Marriage and Family Life Adviser: mailto:mkatherine.bergin@abdiocese.org.uk

Catholic Young Adults Group – If you’re aged 18-35 years old, get in touch with lizzie.wakeling@abdiocese.org.uk to find out more.

Day for Catechists – Gathering from around the Diocese on September 25^th, get in touch with mailto:mruth.gerun@abdiocese.org.uk

Finding Stillness: The Open Cloister at Worth Abbey – Retreat (online or in person) from August 24^th to 26^th, for more information go to www.worth.co.uk/retreats/online-retreats

Collections for Weekend 5^th/6^th June 2021

Offertory Collections                            £477.05

Gift Aid Collections                                 £109.00

Standing Orders (Weekly Average)       £1016.00

Total                                                   £1572.05

Please pray for all those who have died recently:

John Brownhill; Julia Newman

May they rest in peace.

Please pray for all those who are sick at this time:

Marie Bellizzi, Maureen Bowers, Pauline Brookman, Robert Burbridge, Joe Buttaci, Vivian Charlton, Lally Clarke, Joan Cottrell, Zita Falber, Pat Farrell, Hermanthe Fernando, Leo Gibson, Kath Grant, Mary Higton, Gill Kirwin, Georgia Mackinlay, Miriam McDonnell, Helen McLachlan, Eric Miller, Maura Morris, Paul Pullen, Wilson Rabanos, Claire Raynor, Donal Reidy, Milo Reiske, Gill Shaw, Sherry Small, Ralph & Pauline Smith, Godelieve Vandersloten, Patricia Van Kuyk, Alfonsa Varghese, Lorraine Vella, Mark Wardell and all those named on the noticeboard in Our Lady’s Shrine. May they find consolation in their suffering.

Alton Day of Renewal Prayer Requests

We will pray for anyone feeling isolated, anxious, depressed, or physically ill. We will help you draw close to the love of Jesus, who said “come to me all of you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest”. On weekdays 10.00am-4.00pm tel 07579 824523. Full details at www.altonrenewal.com/prayer_request

Contact Information

Call 01276 504876, or email frimley@abdiocese.org.uk

The Church is located at 111 Portsmouth Road, Frimley, GU16 7AA.  It is on the opposite side of the A325 Portsmouth Road to Frimley Park Hospital.  When looking at Frimley Park Hospital, the Church is behind you to the left.

Mass is available to watch online from 10:15am Sunday morning, except for Sunday 30th May when the Mass will not be live-streamed.

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The recording will be posted here on Sunday afternoon.

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