Upcoming Activities & Offerings

“…Pope Francis issued a powerful call to political leaders, urging them to ‘set a good example by canceling or significantly reducing the debts of the poorest countries.’ “…Pope Francis once again emphasized his firm ‘no’ to war, declaring that it ‘always destroys.’ He also urged that no country or people should be ‘crushed by debt.’

"’God is the first to forgive debts, as we always ask in the “Our Father,”’ Pope Francis said. ‘The Jubilee calls us to translate this forgiveness into social terms so that no individual, family, or people is crushed by debt. I encourage leaders of nations with Christian traditions to set an example by canceling or significantly reducing the debts of the poorest countries.’…"

   Independent Catholic News, Source: Vatican Media, 2 Jan. 2025 For the full article, see https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/51436

“Pope Francis dedicated his General Audience reflection today to the ‘scourge’ of child labour, saying Christians ‘cannot remain indifferent,’ when children, ‘instead of being loved and protected, are robbed of their childhood, of their dreams, [and made] victims of exploitation and marginalization.’…

“’Children are a gift from God,’ he said, quoting the psalms, but "unfortunately, that gift is not always respected.’…

“Pope Francis ended his catechesis with the prayer that God might ‘open our minds and hearts to care and tenderness,’ and that ‘every boy and every girl might be able to grow in age, wisdom and grace, receiving and giving love.’"

    Independent Catholic News, Source: Vatican Media, 8 Jan. 2025 For the full article, see https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/51472

“…Recalling the Hebrew meaning of Jesus, ‘God saves’, the Pope explained how this is exactly what the Lord will do and came into the world to accomplish by offering us His very life. 

"’God chose to be born for us: Jesus is the revelation of His eternal love, which brings peace into the world.’

“The Pope then explained how the heart of Mary ‘corresponds to the newborn Messiah, who manifests the mercy of the Father.’ Her immaculate heart is the ear that listened to the proclamation of the Archangel Gabriel, and the hand of the bride given to Joseph, as well as the embrace experienced by Elizabeth in her old age’, the Pope added.

"’In Mary's heart beats the hope of redemption and salvation for every creature.’…"

   Independent Catholic News, Source: Vatican Media, 2 Jan. 2025 For the full article, see https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/514356

“Bishop Peter Collins has recorded a safeguarding message in which he declares: ‘A personal and collective commitment to ensuring that the highest standards are maintained regarding adherence to national safeguarding policies and procedures.’… “We are all children of God. In obedience to Christ, we are duty bound to protect and defend the value and dignity of every human person. Applying this duty to those who are most vulnerable must be forever our greatest concern, our greatest work.”

Diocese of East Anglia, Dec. 2024. For the full article, see https://www.rcdea.org.uk/safeguarding-is-a-priority-focus-says-bishop-peter/

“…Pope Francis… pleaded for governments ‘to listen to the cry for peace of the millions of people deprived of their most basic rights due to war,’ which, he said, ‘is the mother of all poverty.’…

“The Catholic Church has a rich treasure of teaching: Catholic Social Teaching (CST), which outlines the Church's doctrine that focuses on human dignity and the common good in society. How are we, as the people of God, putting our doctrines into practice and working for justice and peace … today?”

(Independent Catholic News, Russell Pollitt SJ, Source: Jesuit Institute South Africa, 12 Dec. 2024. For the full article, see https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/51294

During Ordinary Time – (Winter) i.e. up to Lent, we are asked to pray for these intentions:

Peace on Earth: especially on 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time and on Racial Justice Day which occurs three Sundays before the 1st Sunday of Lent. The World Day of Prayer for Peace is marked on 1 January.

Prayer: O God of peace, who are peace itself and whom a spirit of discord cannot grasp, nor a violent mind receive, grant that those who are one in heart may persevere in what is good and that those in conflict may forget evil and so be healed.  Roman Missal

Christian Unity: especially during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: 18–25 January.

Prayer: May the divisions among Christians be overcome so that we may hasten to your eternal Kingdom in the perfect communion of the Church cf. Roman Missal

Openness to the Word of God: especially on 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Prayer: All­wise God, as you have granted us to drink with delight from the Word that leads us to know you, in your goodness grant us also to come at length to you, source of all wisdom and stand for ever before your face.  Based on a prayer of St Bede the Venerable

Victims of Trafficking: especially on feast of St Josephine Bakhita — 8 February. St Josephine Bakhita is the Sudanese saint who at the age of nine was kidnapped and sold into slavery.

Prayer: O God, who led Saint Josephine Bakhita from abject slavery to the dignity of being your daughter and a bride of Christ, grant, we pray, that by her example we may show constant love for the Lord Jesus crucified, remaining steadfast in charity and prompt to show compassion.  Roman Missal

The Sick and Those Who Care for Them: especially on World Day of Prayer for the Sick — 11 February. 11 February is the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Prayer: Accept the prayers we offer for our brothers and sisters who are ill, that, having been anxious for them in their danger, we may rejoice at their recovery of health. cf. Roman Missal

The Unemployed: especially on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday.

Prayer: O God, the source of human dignity, in your image every person is fashioned and by your Son all people are redeemed. Make us honour the work of your hands, that we may reverence you in those whom the world considers least and serve you in all whom society neglects.

Source: Diocesan Calendar, East Anglia 2025 Yearbook, Dioceses of East Anglia

"…’We must create solidarity, not manufacture barriers. We need to promote unity, not division,’ he said. ‘War destroys lives and homes. It tramples dreams and steals hope. We stand united with you, Your Beatitude, and, through you, with the suffering Church and people of the Holy Land.’…

“In his homily, Archbishop Wilson quoted from the Prophet Isaiah ‘Enlarge the place of your tent,’ asking the congregation to consider its meaning:

“‘Enlarging the tent is a work of justice in the service of peace. Anything less makes the tent of humanity shudder and collapse in destruction.’…’We hold before Our Lord the people, places, and Church of the Holy Land….’…”

 (Independent Catholic News, Source: CBCEW, 30 Nov. 2024.  For the full article, see https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/51203

"…’War is a human defeat,’ he told pilgrims in St Peter's Square. ‘War does not solve problems.’…’War is evil; war destroys,’ warned Pope Francis….’Let us pray,’ the Pope said, ‘so that the Lord may bring us to peace.’…”

 (Independent Catholic News, Source: Vatican Media, 5 Dec. 2024.  For the full article, see https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/51245

“…Amidst the joyful celebrations of Christmas, the Pope said, ‘Let us remember to express the feelings of joy every time we meet a mother who is carrying a child in her arms or in her womb… so that every motherhood may be blessed, and the Name of God thanked and exalted in every mother of the world. ‘…”

(Independent Catholic News, Source: Vatican News, 23 Dec. 2024. For the full article, see https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/51367

“On Sunday December 29, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family; Jesus, Mary and Joseph living together an ordinary life, says Antonia Braithwaite in her latest Faith in the Home series.

“We are invited by this feast to contemplate the mystery of this family and remember that they, like us, also had their share of struggles, toils, hurt and challenges, as well as joys and love in being together.

“Whatever their circumstances they were always a living icon of faith, hope and love. Everything that happened they accepted as being from the hand of God, and they acted and reacted to their life events with love and with the eyes of faith and trust….”

 Diocese of East Anglia, Keith Morris, 24 Dec. 2024. For the full article, see https://www.rcdea.org.uk/ways-to-celebrate-the-holy-family-in-your-own-family/

“In his Christmas message, Bishop Peter Collins says that enduring hope is only discovered through an encounter with God….

“As Christmas approaches, I call on you to open your eyes and ears, to open your heart and mind, to open your soul and spirit to God’s glorious grace and abundant mercy, made visible in Jesus Christ our Lord and Redeemer, born of Mary on that first Christmas Day. “I wish you all a blessed Christmas and a happy New Year.”

Diocese of East Anglia, Dec. 2024. For the full article, see https://www.rcdea.org.uk/bishop-petersays-encounter-god-for-an-enduring-hope/

“…Recalling the Holy Door he opened in Saint Peter’s Basilica yesterday evening inaugurating the Jubilee of 2025, the Pope explained this Door ‘represents Jesus, the Door of salvation open for all,’ and the Good Shepherd, who awaits us with open arms.

“…’This Christmas, at the beginning of the Jubilee Year, I invite every individual, and all peoples and nations, to find the courage needed to walk through that Door, to become pilgrims of hope, to silence the sound of arms and overcome divisions!’

“…the Pope prayed that the sound of weapons may be silenced in war-torn Ukraine and urged for a strength and openness to negotiation and dialogue for a just and lasting peace.

“He prayed for an end to war in the Middle East,…He prayed especially for Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is dire, saying ‘may there be a ceasefire, may the hostages be released and aid be given to the people worn out by hunger and by war.’…”

 Catholic Church of England & Wales, 25 Dec. 2024.  For complete article, see https://www.cbcew.org.uk/pope-at-christmas-urbi-et-orbi-may-we-become-pilgrims-of-hope-peace-and-unity/

“…Pope Francis remarked that ‘… it is evident that in today’s world democracy, let’s face it, is not in good health.’

“Whatever your political perspective, there are few who would disagree looking at the political events of the past few weeks in particular. One could even argue that we have reached a point in the general social order where the fundamental good of man is now at stake, and society is moving close to a tipping point from which it may be extremely hard to reconstruct a state resembling order, solidarity and mutual co-operation….”

 (The Catholic Directory, Joseph Kelly, 9 July 2024)  See full article at https://www.thecatholicdirectory.co.uk/places/as-uk-enters-new-political-era-its-time-to-put-catholic-social-teaching-into-practice/

“Catholic social teaching (CST) is rooted in Scripture, formed by the wisdom of Church leaders, and influenced by grassroots movements. It is our moral compass, guiding us on how to live out our faith in the world.  

“…some of the CST principles which inspire our work:

• Dignity .    
• Solidarity .    
• The common good ,   
• The option for the poor ,    
• Peace ,   
• Care for creation  
• The dignity of work and participation   

“Our faith calls us to love God and to love our neighbours in every situation, especially our sisters and brothers living in poverty. Following in the footsteps of Christ, we hope to make present in our unjust and broken world, the justice, love and peace of God.     

“What are the principles of Catholic social teaching?  

“Modern Catholic social teaching is said to have originated in 1891 with the encyclical letter, Rerum Novarum. Since then, a wealth of teaching continues to give new life to the Scriptures and shape the Church’s response to our modern world. From these Catholic social teaching documents and encyclicals we derive core principles…. 

“Dignity  

“We believe very human person is made in the image and likeness of God. This is a gift that we all share as fellow human beings; we are all infinitely loved by our Creator.  

“God is present in every human person, regardless of religion, culture, nationality, orientation or economic standing. Each one of us is unique and beautiful. We are called to treat every person and every creature with loving respect….   

“Solidarity  

“Solidarity arises when we remember that we belong to each other. We reflect on this in a special way at Mass. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, ‘The Eucharist commits us to the poor. To receive in truth the Body and Blood of Christ given up for us, we must recognise Christ in the poorest.’…   

"Common good  

“The common good means that the fruits of the earth belong to everyone. No one should be excluded from the gifts of creation. Pope Paul VI spoke about this 50 years ago in his encyclical Populorum Progressio….  

“Option for the poor  

“The option for the poor reminds us of God’s preferential love for the poorest and most vulnerable people. God’s love is universal; he does not side with oppressors, but loves the humble….”  

“This principle is believed to have originated from the Liberation Theology movement in Latin America. For the first time, people living in poverty in the slums were holding the Bible in their own hands and imagining a world free from injustice. This radical thinking shaped CAFOD’s early work in the 1960s. 

“More recently, some Catholic theologians have spoken about an ‘option for the earth’. Pope Francis writes, “the earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor” Laudato Si’ #2….  

“Peace  

“Peace is a cornerstone of our faith. Christ, the Prince of Peace, sacrificed himself with love on the cross.  

“In 1963, Pope John XXIII published Pacem in Terris (Peace on earth). It was a dangerous time for humanity; with the rise of nuclear weapons, the frightening stand-off between the US and the Soviet Union over the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the building of the Berlin Wall. The Pope's letter urged the world to seek peace…. 

“Creation and environment  

“In the first pages of the Bible we read how God created the sun and the stars, the water and earth, and every creature. We believe Christ is the redeemer of all creation.  

“In 2015, Pope Francis brought together decades of Church teaching in the encyclical, Laudato Si’. In this deeply influential letter, Pope Francis invites everyone on the planet to consider how our actions are affecting the earth and the poorest people. Everything is interconnected, and all of creation praises God. It is our Christian vocation to care for creation….   

“The dignity of work and participation  

“The dignity of work has been a key principle of Catholic social teaching from the very beginning.  

“In 1891, Pope Leo XIII issued Rerum Novarum (On Capital and Labour). He shone a light on the injustice and exploitation of workers by the rich during the Industrial Revolution. He advocated for workers to join forces and fight against inhuman conditions.  

“Since then, Church teaching has upheld the dignity of work and participation. The human person should always come before the pursuit of profit. Workers have the right to join trade unions, to a just wage, to spend time with their families and to rest. Work is an essential part of our human dignity and everyone has the right to participate.   

“At CAFOD we know that earning a living is essential to living with dignity….”

                            With Permission, CAFOD,  https://cafod.org.uk/Pray/Catholic-social-teaching  

The Food Bank collection of non-perishable items will be held on the FIRST Sunday of each month. Days for upcoming collections will be January 5th and February 2nd.  In the meantime, donations can be delivered directly to King’s House, Market Street, Mildenhall, IP28 7EF, M-F, 10 am to noon ( office@kingsproject.org.uk ) or to the Brandon – Thetford Food Bank, Harvest Centre, Fengate Drove, Brandon, IP27 0PW, Tues., 11 am to 1 pm ( info@thetford.foodbank.org.uk ).

The following are items needed now by clients, but appear rarely in donations: Tinned fish, tinned meat, tinned spaghetti, tinned vegetables, cooking oil, peanut butter, marmite, cereal, tinned fruit, tinned custard, long life milk, tinned baked beans, tinned chopped tomatoes, instant hot chocolate, instant coffee hygiene products (shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and household cleaning products). Please make sure produce is within expiry date.

Can you help?  Will you help, please?  Many in our community rely upon Food Banks for help in time of urgent need.

Please bring along your donations of food, hygiene other items in a box or carrier bag. This makes it easier to carry and deliver everything from church to the Food Bank. 

Please no already opened packages or bottles: no alcohol.

See also the notices on our church website and those of the local Food Banks.

Needs our help!

Next time you shop – or have someone shopping for you – use two bags, one for you and one for non-perishable items for those who cannot afford to find good food for themselves. 

• Bring your donations to Mass at St John's on the first Sunday of each month, or
• Take your bag with you the next time you go shopping and drop it off at the Food Bank, or 
• Ask a neighbour who is going shopping to deliver your contribution, or
• Have your contribution put into the Coop’s or Sainsbury’s special basket for Food Bank donations.  

The Food Bank is open from 10am - 12 noon each Monday and Friday. It is located on the ground floor of the King’s Project on the corner of Market Street and King Street, Mildenhall.  

Useful items include:  Milk (UHT or powdered), Sugar, Long life Fruit Juice, Cereals, Tinned sponge pudding, Tinned Tomatoes, Tinned vegetables, Soup, Tinned rice pudding, Tea bags/instant coffee, Instant Mash, Rice, Tinned meat/fish, Tinned Fruit, Jam, Biscuits/snack bars 

... who contributes to the Food Bank.  We thank God for this opportunity to comfort our brothers and sisters.

If you are unable to come to Mass and would like Holy Communion or other sacraments Fr Anil is very willing to visit you at home. Please do get in contact and don’t just assume the parish has your details on file. The Parish database suffered immensely from the changes in GDPR guidelines a few years ago and many parishioners details are not held on file.

Mass is not something the “Priest does” alone, it is the action of the whole People of God. As such it is a prayer and act of supreme worship. Making the responses clearly and audibly is one simple but important way in which we pray the Mass.

“Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to that fully conscious, and activeparticipation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy. Such participation by the Christian people as "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a redeemed people, is their right and duty by reason of their baptism.”
                                                                                               Vatican II (SC 14)

The Irish station Radio RTE, which is based in Dublin, is broadcasting to the UK on long wave 252kHz. Every other Sunday they broadcast Mass at 11am.

Radio Maria England, which is based in Cambridge, broadcasts on DAB+ in Greater London and on DAB (Band 11C 220.352 MHz) in Cambridgeshire and the surrounding areas.  You can also listen to it from across East Anglia online at https://radiomariaengland.uk  Broadcasts include Masses, the Rosary, the Stations of the Cross, and morning and evening prayer.

EWTN, which has a base in Walsingham, Norfolk, produces a wide range of radio programmes and can be reached on https://www.ewtn.com/radio

Premier Christian Radio is on DAB, Internet and can be also accessed via TV Freeview 725.

Scared? Need to talk? Struggling to get shopping or basic groceries?

Pick up the phone!  Your parish is your family and we are here for you, in the first instance feel free to call Fr Anil on 01842 812200 and he will do his best to help you, support you and put you in contact with others who may be able to help. If you don’t get an answer.  Leave a message and your number (Clearly) and he will get back to you.

(especially if you are having trouble live-streaming Online)

Radio Stations: DAB (Digital) Radio: Radio Maria England, Premier Christian Radio (available on TV Radio as well and has Sunday Morning Worship) Radio 4 Has Sunday Worship on Sunday Morning at 8:10 am on FM and a Daily Service at 9:45 am on Long Wave (not FM).

TV: Sky TV 588 is ETWN (Catholic Channel) and has Daily Mass broadcast as well as other prayers and devotions.

Websites: https://pray-as-you-go.org/ https://shalem.org/programs/online/holy-interruptions/
https://stpaulcenter.com/hub/

Coloring prayer resources: If you would like adult-coloring sheets, to help with
prayer/mindfulness/meditation please contact Fr Luke and he will try and source them for you.

Has your house been blessed? Would you like a home visit and a blessing for you home and family? 

If you would like Fr Anil to visit you in your home and invoke God’s blessing upon your home and family, please speak to him after Mass or call the presbytery. 

Even if your home has been blessed in the past we can still pray together and ask for God’s blessing upon our lives. It’s also an excellent way for priest and parish to get to know each other! 

The Fund deals with emergency grant applications from families or individuals in need. It also considers support for young people wishing to explore a third world project in their gap years or long vacations. 

The fund is administered by Caritas East Anglia. All applications come from the parish or endorsements from professionals working with applicants. 

Over the past year, the Fund has supported families and individuals facing homelessness or job losses resulting in rent arrears. Others helped have been dealing with the sudden onset of terminal illness. 

For more details go to:  https://www.rcdea.org.uk/caritas-east-anglia/ 

Having a Mass offered for someone’s intention is a good and holy thing to do. It is important to remember, however, that Mass is always offered in the first instance for all people. (For For God’s Glory and our sanctification) No one buys or owns a Mass. A Mass is always ‘our Mass’ - even if offered for a particular individual. Please also remember that in our parish only one Sunday Mass can be offered for an intention that someone has asked for. 

There can be a bit of a back log with Mass intentions:

• If you would like Mass offered for a particular intention on or near a specific day, (and at a specific location) please give as much notice as possible – some people book days a year in advance. 
• If the date that you would like is unavailable. Mass will be offered at the requested location, on the next available free-day. However, this means that it could be as long as six weeks after the proposed date. 
• If you are not too-concerned about where Mass will be offered (Brandon or Mildenhall) then it is often possible to fit a Mass in sooner than this. 

Find out how you can get involved in our churchWant to know more about the Church?  Perhaps you are a Catholic but missed out on making your confirmation as a youngster.

If this is you, please consider joining our RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) programme. Please write to Fr Anil expressing your interest. community, from volunteering to joining a small group. We welcome everyone to come as they are and get connected.

“Discover Lectio Divina with Fr Bernard Murphy CFR and be enriched by this ancient Scriptural practice.

“Join Fr Bernard in this ancient Scriptural practice as he guides you through each stage of Lectio Divina: Reading (Lectio), Meditation (Meditatio), Prayer (Oratio), Contemplation (Contemplatio), Action (Actio), and Communal Sharing (Collatio).

“Engage in a transformative journey of Scripture and prayer with this world-renowned Franciscan friar, spiritual director and retreat giver. Drawing on Fr Bernard’s rich understanding and experience, he shows how each step of Lectio Divina plays a profound role in the way we connect with God’s Word….

“Embark on this sacred adventure of prayer and spiritual growth by practising Lectio Divina….”

See the video on The God Who Speakswebsite at the link provided below and find additional related resources. 

The Bible and Catholics, The God Who Speaks, 29 June 2023. See the full article at https://www.godwhospeaks.uk/lectio-divina-with-fr-bernard-murphy-cfr/  

Time set aside for Lectio Divina enables us to discover in our daily life an underlying spiritual rhythm. We discover an increasing ability to offer more of ourselves and our relationships to the Father, and to accept the embrace that God offers us in the person of his son, Jesus Christ. We can attend "with the ear of our hearts", listening for God's presence in our lives. 

• Choose a text of the Scriptures that you wish to pray. This could be a reading for that day’s mass, or a particular book from the New Testament. The amount of text covered is in God's hands, not yours. 

• Place yourself in a comfortable position and allow yourself to become silent. This could be a few moments focused on your breathing, or a favourite prayer. Use whatever method is best for you and allow yourself to enjoy silence for a few moments. 

• Turn to the text and read it slowly, gently. Savour each portion of the reading, constantly listening for the "still, small voice" of a word or phrase that somehow says, "I am for you today." In Lectio Divina, God is teaching us to listen to him, to seek him in silence. 

• Take the word or phrase into yourself. Slowly repeat it to yourself, allowing it to interact with your inner world of concerns, memories, and ideas. Memories or thoughts are simply parts of yourself that, when they rise up during Lectio Divina, are asking to be given to God along with the rest of your inner self. 

• Speak to God. Whether you use words, ideas, or images--or all three--is not important. Interact with God as you would with one you know loves and accepts you. Give to God what you have found within your heart. Experience God by using the word or phrase he has given you as a means of blessing and of transforming the ideas and memories that your reflection on his word has awakened. 

• Rest in God's embrace. And when he invites you to return to your contemplation of his word or to your inner dialogue with him, do so. Learn to use words when words are helpful, and to let go when they no longer are necessary. Rejoice in the knowledge that God is with you in both words and silence. 

 Many prayer groups find it a useful approach to collective study and prayer. 

This form of Lectio Divina works best in a group of between four and eight people. A group leader coordinates the process and facilitates sharing. The same text from the Scriptures is read out three times, followed each time by a period of silence and an opportunity for each member of the group to share the fruit of her or his Lectio. 

• The first reading is for the purpose of hearing a word or passage that touches the heart. When the word or phrase is found, the group's members take it in, gently recite it, and reflect on it during the silence that follows. After the silence, each person shares which word or phrase has touched his or her heart. 

• The second reading (by a member of the opposite sex from the first reader) is for the purpose of "hearing" or "seeing" Christ in the text. Each ponders the word that has touched the heart and asks where the word or phrase touches his or her life that day. Then, after the silence, each member of the group shares what he or she has "heard" or "seen." 

• The third and final reading is for the purpose of experiencing Christ "calling us forth" into doing or being. Members ask themselves what Christ in the text is calling them to do or to become today or this week. After the silence, each shares for the last time, and the exercise concludes with each person praying for the person on the right of him or her. 

Those who regularly practice this method of praying and sharing the Scriptures find it to be an excellent way of developing trust within a group. It also is an excellent way of consecrating projects and hopes to Christ before more-formal group meetings. 

 Based on “How to Practice Lectio Divina” Rev. Luke Dysinger OSB www.beliefnet.com