Jesus says that he is the vine, we are the branches. It is a powerful metaphor, that is to say, it is an image that invites us to explore deeper realms of meaning. It speaks to me first of all of life. We think of the sap, the juice of life, coursing through a vast vine, from its gnarled trunk to its new, green tendrils. This is us. The life within us is Christ himself. There is no place where our life ends and his begins. The life-force of the Saviour flows gently throughout his people, like the sap of the vine. This includes the most important elements of our life: our work, our recreation, our loves, even our struggles and disappointments. Christ is with us in these things, inviti
Baptism ask God’s blessing on Chloë Abigail Warnakulasuriya who was baptised Saturday 28th April. Looking ahead: The solemnity of the Ascension this year is on Thursday 10th May, a holy day of obligation, with Masses at 10 am and 7.30 pm. Parish Meet & Greet This has been postponed until there is fair weather later in the year. Supporting Refugees: Eggs Please! Please help us support the local drop-in centre for destitute refugees and asylum seekers by bringing 6 or more hard-boiled eggs to church on Sunday, 6th May. Contact: finchleyeastcat@rcdow.org.uk Priest Training Fund – Special Collection Thank you for your generosity to the Priest Training Fund collection last weekend which came to
In today's gospel reading (John 10.11-18) Jesus speaks of himself as the Good Shepherd. How appropriate, then, that the Church invites us today to think about vocation. Everybody is called to Christian living. When we were baptised, the priest anointed our heads with holy oil and said, 'God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ … now anoints you with the chrism of salvation. As Christ was anointed Priest, Prophet and King, so may you live always as a member of his body, sharing everlasting life.' Each of us is commissioned to go into the world and make a difference. We do not do this alone. By our baptism we are able to draw upon the life of Christ, who promised that he would be within o
Pray for the sick esp. Eddie Caddle, Carmel Bates, Cathy Walker, Finola Hickey, Bridget O’Donnell, Kelly-Marie O’Donnell, Simon O’Donnell, Pat Gleeson and Mary Myles. Parish Collection: Last week’s collection came to £941.43. Many thanks. Parish Meet & Greet There will be a special chance to have a cup of tea and meet fellow parishioners and the parish team next Sunday 29th April, outside church after all Masses. We look forward to seeing you there! Priest Training Fund – Special Collection – This Weekend 21st/22nd April Today is Good Shepherd Sunday, the day we pray for priests and for vocations to the priesthood. Today’s second collection will support the Priest Training Fund. This fu
I sometimes wonder if there is an element of playfulness in the resurrection appearances of Jesus. Certainly there seems to be a touch of humour in the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Trudging along they are talking earnestly to the stranger about the events that brought Jesus to death on the cross. They then go on to tell him that some women of their company found the tomb of Jesus to be empty. But all the time, as we know, it is he to whom they are talking as they walk along the road. Then he vanishes, only to reappear as we hear in the gospel today (Luke 24.35-48) when the travellers to Emmaus meet with the others to tell them the astonishing truth that they have met the r
Pray for the sick esp. Eddie Caddle, Carmel Bates, Cathy Walker, Finola Hickey, Bridget O’Donnell, Kelly-Marie O’Donnell, Simon O’Donnell, Pat Gleeson and Mary Myles. Baptism Ask God’s blessing on William John Fernandes who was baptised here yesterday – Saturday 14th April 2018. Parish Collection: Last week’s collection came to £1161.70. Many thanks. Holy Week and Easter Many thanks to all who have helped us celebrate Holy Week and Easter so worthily in the parish – our sacristans, altar servers, choir and organists, readers, Eucharistic ministers, stewards, collectors and money counters, flower arrangers, cleaners, catechists and many others. Special thanks to Sandra Lipner for the Family
The other day I had a routine blood test. The phlebotomists who take the blood are very skilled. In truth, you hardly feel a thing. I am well used to it, and I don’t have a problem with needles. Even so, I found myself tensing and counting the phials of blood as they filled up. Two … three … four … did it really need that many, I wondered, wishing that the whole affair would be over as soon as possible. Pathetic, I know, but a perfectly human reaction. Generally we are queasy when it comes to blood and uneasy about piercing the body. Think of this when we read the gospel this Sunday. The risen Christ shows his hands to Thomas and invites Thomas to run a finger over the holes made by the nail
Pray for the sick esp. Eddie Caddle, Carmel Bates, Cathy Walker, Finola Hickey, Bridget O’Donnell, Kelly-Marie O’Donnell, Simon O’Donnell, Pat Gleeson and Mary Myles. Funerals John Bates The Funeral Mass for John Bates will be here on Tuesday 10th April at 10 am, followed by cremation at Islington Crematorium. John Harrington The Funeral Mass for John Harrington will be here on Tuesday 10th April at 7 pm, followed by repatriation of his body to Ireland. Easter Collection: The collection last Sunday came to £2680. The Easter and Christmas collections form a large part of the priest’s salary. Fr Terry is most grateful for your generosity. Holy Places Collection – The amount collected for Holy
30 children and their families came out on Easter Monday for our annual young people's Easter afternoon. They went on a picture hunt around the car park and parish gardens to find that Jesus promises EVERLASTING LIFE at Easter and honed their skateboarding skills with the team from Skates & Ladders. After a rainy start even the sun was smiling at the end!
