February 2012

General Intention: Access to Water.
That all peoples may have access to water and other resources needed for daily life.

Missionary Intention: Health Workers.
That the Lord may sustain the efforts of health workers assisting the sick and elderly in the world's poorest regions.

†

“Month of Poverty” January is dedicated by the Church to “Poverty”

Poverty at its worst is given many a dwelling place in our world. Poverty is a creation of humankind, it is given life and sustained in life by humankind. There are many rooms in the mansions of the world that house poverty. Economic poverty is ultimately caused by our inability to use the gifts of this world justly that is to the good and sustenance of all. Unjust stewardship? Poverty at its best is a poverty that is achieved by the correct use of the gifts and goods of this world for the good and benefit of all humankind.

Whether these gifts be temporal or spiritual from God or from the World It is people that allow economic poverty to achieve its full effect through our own and collective selfishness or through the placing of our trust in financial wealth and institutions and worldly position and possession. Church and State / Nations are capable of bringing about poverty in its best sense by forming structures and a means by which people can contribute to the “Common Good” In many rich countries the State and not the Church is the “Good Samaritan”. In many a poor country it is the Church and not the State that is the “Good Samaritan” In some Nations in Europe the State will pay for any person to study religious based subjects in universities and seminaries that will be used mainly for the service of the Church without any clerical or religious life attainment expected. Many churches would be unable to carry the cost of such education for individual believers. Many Catholic schools educate children so that they may work for the good of the State and the good of the secular society without being asked to make a financial or any other type of return to the Church.

Poverty is also maintained and rooted in how we value the persons and things of this world. The artistic ability of Michelangelo was never meant by him to be valued at a higher price than a human being. Neither was it the Church’s idea when Michelangelo was asked to paint his paintings. The world will value the painting in artistic and financial terms the Church will value it for its artistic worth and for its spiritual uplifting of those who look upon it. It will not be valued for bringing people to faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour as it is impossible for any work of art to do so. The passing of time and human history has placed a financial worth on the painting while its only true worth is what the viewer is brought into while looking upon the image. A painting can be bought for thirty million pounds while a human person can be valued as of no worth and both valued in worldly terms. God, Church and State must put the value of the human person above all other values. God values us as His ultimate creation and for our redemption in Christ who took on human flesh in the person of Jesus of Nazareth and for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within all His created humanity. It is this value that must be safeguarded by Church and State

Poverty in its worst sense is of no worth to God, to humanity or to the wellbeing of a state or a church. Poverty in its good sense is of worth to God (God in human form) is of worth to Jesus Christ and is of worth to His Body the Church and to every State and Nation.

Poverty being “ The correct use of all created goods, the correct use of intellectual and human abilities and the correct use of all spiritual gifts for the good and benefit for all of humankind is the only poverty that God desires and the only poverty that the world and its peoples need.
 

Baptisms

New Translation of the Roman Missal

Liturgical Calendar for 2011

Sunday Cycle: A
Weekday Cycle: 1

Patrons of our diocese:

Our Blessed Lady, conceived without sin	8th December
Saint Thomas of Canterbury	29th December
Saint Augustine, Apostle of England	27th May

Calendar of Feasts and Fasts:

The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God	1st January
The Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ*	8th January
The Baptism of Our Lord	9th January
The Presentation of Our Lord (Candlemas)	2nd February
Ash Wednesday **	22nd February
Saint Patrick	17th March
Saint Joseph	19th March
The Annunciation of the Lord	26th March
Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord	1st April
Maundy Thursday	5th April
Good Friday**	6th April
Holy Saturday	7th April
Easter Sunday	8th April
Saint George, Protector of England	23rd April
The English Martyrs	4th May
The Ascension of Our Lord *	20th May
The Feast of Pentecost, Whit Sunday	27th May
The Most Holy Trinity	3rd June
The Body and Blood of Christ *	10th June
The Sacred Heart of Jesus	15th June
Saints Peter and Paul, apostles	29th June

* In 2006, the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales transferred the celebration of three Holy Days of Obligation which are Solemnities of the Lord to Sundays: the Epiphany, the Ascension of the Lord and Corpus Christi.

** Days of Fasting and Abstinence.

Gift Aid Scheme

Our Parish costs a great deal of money to maintain and run. Wouldn't it be great if you could add to the amount you give each week in the offertory collection without cost to yourself? As you may know, under the Gift Aid scheme, the Government offers to refund the tax paid on all donations to registered charities, such as Our Parish.

If you give just £1 per week, and pay tax at the standard rate of 22%, the Parish receives each year your £52, plus £14.56 tax refund, an increase of 28%.

Tax is refundable on all your contributions, including Christmas and Easter collections, so the Parish gets the maximum benefit.

To start your Gift Aid scheme, you just need to fill out a simple form (name, address, date you wish to start the scheme) which will then be registered with the Diocese. There after, in May each year, you get a statement showing how much you have contributed, which may be helpful when you fill out your Tax Return.

 

Bishop John Hine

The Right Reverend John Hine Ph.L., V.G. was born at Tunbridge Wells on 26th July 1938. He was ordained priest 28th October 1962 and ordained Bishop of the Titular See of Beverley and Auxiliary in Southwark by Archbishop Bowen on 27th February 2001.

Bishop Hine has responsibility for the Kent Pastoral Area of the Diocese which comprises the Deaneries of CANTERBURY, CHATHAM, DOVER, GRAVESEND, MAIDSTONE, THANET and TUNBRIDGE WELLS.

The Hermitage
More Park
West Malling
Kent
ME19 6HN

Telephone: 01732 845486
Fax: 01732 847888
Email: jhine@absouthwark.org

 

CATHOLIC  CHILDREN’S  SOCIETY

As you will be aware, the Government’s new Equality legislation has  presented  significant  challenges  for  Catholic Adoption Agencies.  In  consultation  with  the Bishops of Arundel and Brighton, Southwark and Portsmouth, our own diocesan agency has taken  the  decision  to  comply  with the legislation in order to safeguard its wide range of services to children, young people and families.  In order to do this the Catholic Children’s Society will be working under the new name of Cabrini Children’s Society from 1st January 2009.

Archbishop Kevin’s recent ad clerum detailed the agreement reached to enable the Society to continue fundraising in parishes and schools. From 1st January, any monies collected will be placed in a ‘communities  fund’  which   will   go  towards supporting non-adoption related services.  The Diocesan Financial Secretary for  Southwark and Arundel and Brighton, or his delegate, will continue  to be  on  the  Finance  Committee of Carbini.  Some of the Society’s non-adoption work includes: Providing flexible, affordable and accessible support and services to a diverse range of communities through our long standing neighbourhood projects.

supporting Catholic schools by providing counselling for students as well as training for teachers

providing a home-for-life and day centre for adults with learning disabilities

offering personalised catechetical programs to children and young adults with learning and physical difficulties

supporting people who were in our care homes to access their records and, if required, facilitate reunions with their birth families.