12th September 2021, 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?

When you ask people what they think of you, you are really asking them to tell you something about themselves – about how they experience and perceive you, and how they relate to you.  Jesus asks this question to his disciples to examine their relationship with him.

The Gospel reminds me of Dorothy Day who was co-founder of a community called the Catholic Worker which runs homes and hostels for homeless people in New York and has spread throughout the world.  Dorothy was a very special person who did extraordinary things in her life, but whenever she heard anyone saying so, she became indignant. ‘You only say that,’ she would say, ‘because you are not prepared to do what I do.  You could do these things too, if you really wanted, but by making me out to be ‘extraordinary’ you are simply wriggling out of your own responsibilities.  You like to tell yourself that you are not like me, but in fact we are just the same – we are both human beings.’

When Jesus changes Peter’s answer ‘The Christ’ to ‘The Son of Man’ he is underlining his humanity and so sets an example to us of what it’s like to be fully-human.

Jesus explains that when you engage yourself in the kingdom of God, which is the kingdom of peace and justice, it will cost you your life.  Peter disagrees, he is thinking along other lines: as far as he is concerned, the Messiah is a conqueror in the mode of other human rulers and power-brokers.  Jesus rebukes him by calling him Satan!  The old ways and models will never will never solve anything, and will simply result in the same old song – a song that has oppressed millions throughout history.

To be a human being is different: to be a human being is to be just like him; to be just like Jesus, whose Spirit is with us.

 01707 654359    Email pottersbar@rcdow.org.uk    Website www.olasv.org.uk

All services are live streamed – click on ‘live streaming’ link on website

Recording of Sunday Mass available on 01707 518202 after 10am Sunday

Parish Priest: Canon Shaun Lennard  shaunlennard@rcdow.org.uk

Presbytery: 243, Mutton Lane, Potters Bar, EN6 2AT

Deacon: Rev Donal Hopkins  donhopkins@rcdow.org.uk

Catechetical coordinator: Mrs. Francesca Khaliq  pottersbarcat@rcdow.org.uk

Secretary: Mrs. Bernadette Saunders, Pastoral Assistant (Seminarian): Dale Cutlan

Safeguarding Rep. Mike Sibley pottersbarsg@safeguardrcdow.org.uk

Parish Office open Mon, Tues & Fri 10am – 12noon but emails are checked daily

To speak to a priest in an emergency ring 07854 866860

COLLECTIONS

29th August Envelopes £330 Loose £278

CAFOD Haiti Appeal so far £1698.18

Thank you very much.

Collections are counted a week after they are taken.

CAFOD – DONATE TO THE HAITI EARTHQUAKE APPEAL

The collection remains open.  You can donate online: www.cafod.org.uk

Thank you for the sum of £126.54 donated for the books (included above)

Today is the last chance!

FR SHAUN

Fr Shaun is away for annual leave from Thursday for a week.  We welcome Canon Robert Plourde who will be celebrating Mass during this time.

MACMILLAN COFFEE MORNING 17th SEPTEMBER                                      

There will be a Coffee morning in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support at 10.30am (after 10am Mass) this Friday 17th September. We will need all your support and donations of cakes and raffle prizes will be greatly appreciated. Please bring along raffle prizes to the Parish Office and if you are able to help with baking cakes, or you can help on the morning, then please contact Francesca Khaliq. Year 6 pupils who are Fair Trade Leaders at Pope Paul School will join us.

BUILDING WORKS

You will notice that all the external woodwork in the church is being sanded and re-painted. The scaffolding is to allow repair of the leaking roof windows. It will be up longer than expected as the deterioration is worse than we thought.

Thank you again for the £5,200 donations earlier this year which has paid for the scaffolding. This was the cheapest quote – others were almost double!

Thanks to the Parish Estate Management Group for organising the ongoing maintenance work and keep the building well-maintained.  If you could join the group please contact the office.

AFGHAN REFUGEES

Deacon Don is going to be our link to the response to the refugees.  We are linking with CARITAS, the Jesuit Refugee Service and Herts.  There will be more details about the organized and co-ordinated response next week

TEA & COFFEE AFTER MASS

It is good to be able to gather again after Sunday Mass. Thank you to those who have volunteered to help with this. We need more volunteers. Please sign up.

GARDEN WASTE

Garden waste should be put in the green bins, not the black bins.  Only items that can be recycled should be put in the brown bin. Thank you.

BAPTISM PREPARATION

Babies are normally baptized in the first few months of life but COVID has delayed this for some. The Church requires parents to attend Baptism Preparation.  The next course:

  Tuesday 28th September

                   from 7.30 – 9pm on Zoom.      

  And Sunday 3rd October after 9am Mass in the hall.

If you have a baby for baptism, or if you are pregnant, please register with the Parish Office today for the course.

COME AND SEE

RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) is a journey in Faith for those who want to know more of the Catholic Church or wish to become a Catholic. For further information, please contact Francesca Khaliq, Fr Shaun or Deacon Don. Meetings will start in September at a time to suit you. Who can you ask?

SUNDAY SCHOOL

The children who are not at a Catholic school and who are preparing for First Reconciliation and Holy Communion start their ‘Sunday School’ classes today.  Please pray for them as they prepare for this important stage in their journey of faith.

PARISH PATRONAL FESTIVAL

We will celebrate the Feast of St Vincent de Paul over the weekend of 25/26 September. 6pm Mass on Saturday 25th will be led by Pope Paul School and Sr Ellen Flynn, Leader of the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul, will be blessing the Louise de Marillac Room (helped by the children). After that there will be a reception with drinks and finger food.

There will be celebrations after 9am and 11am Mass as well – breakfast after 9am and finger-food and drink after 11am.  Fr Axcel Soriano will be celebrating the 11am Mass so that we can congratulate him properly near his First Anniversary of ordination (19th September)

We need volunteers to organize the refreshments. Please sign-up on the list in the narthex if you can help.

ALTAR SERVERS

A second meeting for anyone interested in becoming an altar server has been arranged for Saturday 18 September, from 3.45 to 4.45pm. Please come along and see how you can help in the celebration of the Mass.

POPE PAUL CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL – RECEPTION 2022

We are delighted to now be able to welcome prospective parents to visit our school on Thursday 21st October 2021 at 9.30am, 2pm and 6.30pm and Thursday 18th November 2021 at 9.30am and 2pm.  Applications are invited for September 2022 from families whose child attains 4 years of age between 01/09/2021 and 31/08/2022.Please come and meet Mrs Heymoz, headteacher, and see our school in action. No booking is necessary! Further details and information are available via our website

www.popepaul.herts.sch.uk

Limited  school places are still available for the current Reception Class September 2021. Please contact Mrs Lennox  on  01707659755 or

admin@popepaul.herts.sch.uk 

LITTLE LAMBS – URGENT

This ‘stay and play’ group for parents and toddlers will recommence meeting on Thursday 16th September at 9.30 – 11.00am in the hall (Thursdays, term time only). We need volunteers for the support team to set out toys, make tea and sanitise toys at the end. Please contact the office to find out more if you think you can help.

OUR LADY’S BIRTHDAY

The pupils of Pope Paul School celebrated Our Lady’s Birthday on Wednesday.  They looked at Our Lady as a leader. Their cards are displayed in the church and they will be displayed until Wednesday, Our Lady of Sorrows.

ECO CHURCH

We all know how important it is to reduce the causes of climate change and protect our environment and God’s earth for future generations. Do we, however, really understand how we can contribute to this cause

But where to start? How do we know which actions will have the most effect? Eco Church can help our church celebrate what we already do well and make informed decisions about what to do next.  Eco Church adds an element of competition and we can be awarded a prestigious Eco Church Award at Bronze, Silver or Gold level.

A small parish group has formed as part of the Love in Action programme to start on this journey. If you wish to learn more about this work, or would like to join our group, please contact Marie Donatantonio (e-mail on mdonatantonio@gmail.com or give your details to the parish office and you will be contacted).

CHRISTIAN CND

St Albans CND are inviting Christians in the area to join them in opposing the government’s plans to increase the UK’s nuclear arsenal.  Contact Tom Cuthbert at tomcuthbert75@sky.com for more information.

PLEASE PRAY FOR

Please remember in your prayers

The sick, their, including: Damien Grafton, Marsaili MacAuley, Linda Brooks, Patricia Wallington, Grant Davis, Bridie Spelzini, Frank Casali, Susan Lundrigan, Jean Rudd, Theresa Round, Joan Bonner, Antonia Cox, Margaret O’Loughlin, Jean Lowery, Jamie Giles, Mary Lindsay, Paige White, Bernadette Whelan, Christakis Christofides, Philomena O’Sullivan, Bernard Keown, Ann O’Neill, Jason Mosely, Robert Chambers, Abbey Cummings, Kathleen Gershlick, Anne Conlon, Kathy Lavelle, Vincent, Lee & Abigail Clark.

Recently dead: Fr Steve Delaney, Anthony Nithesh and for all those whose anniversaries occur about this time: Leo Butler, Bert Casali

READINGS FOR NEXT SUNDAY

12th September, 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Isaiah 50: 5-9

James 2:14-18

Mark 8:27-35

Newsletter deadline – Tuesday 9.30am

TIMES OF MASS & OTHER LITURGIES

Sunday 12th September, 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

                                                  6pm (Vigil) Leo Butler RIP (Anniversary)

                                                     9am People of the Parish

                                                      11am Fr Aniceto Nazareth RIP

Monday 13th September              10am Catereine Orsi RIP (Anniversary)

Tuesday 14th September             10am Mass Pauline Power RIP

Wednesday 15th September        10am Mass Deceased members of the Sodder family

Thursday 16th September            No Mass

Friday 17th September                 10am Mass Alec Scott RIP

Saturday 18th September      

                                                      1pm Baptism, Daniel & Gabriella Brady

                                                     5.15 – 5.45pm Sacrament of Reconciliation

                                                     6pm (Vigil) Catherine Walsh-Kavanagh RIP

Sunday 19th September, 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

                                                      9am People of the Parish

                                                      11am Maria Federico RIP