We celebrate the great gift of Jesus in the Eucharist. For many, it is the one occasion of the bond of Jesus with his people. So what do you believe? Is it simply attending Mass, or is it something more nurturing? Our Gospel reminds us of the gift of food from Jesus and his advice to the disciples—“Give them something to eat yourselves”—and the example of generosity and abundance signified by the twelve baskets.
A diamond is an apt image to help us realize the richness of the gift of the Eucharist, with its many facets. One summary is that of St Thomas Aquinas in “O Sacrum Convivium”—O Sacred Banquet in which Christ is received, the memory of his Passion is recalled.
Our hearts are filled with grace, and we have the promise of eternal life.
We are prepared well for meeting Christ by his words shared with us in the Liturgy of the Word, and then, remembering His self-giving, before in communion we meet and are united.
Bishop Richard’s Weekly Reflection
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
The celebration of Corpus Christi that takes place at our cathedral each year is a wonderful occasion. The celebration of the sacrifice of the Mass, the procession of the Blessed Sacrament and the Carpet of Flowers, laid in honour of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, is a high point in the life of the cathedral and diocese.
It is a clear reminder to us all of the central place of the Eucharist in our lives. The absolute love of the Lord – seen in the feeding of the five thousand that is the gospel reading this week – is there for us every time we celebrate Mass. As St Paul reminds us in the Second Reading this Sunday, the sacrifice of Calvary is made present and the Lord feeds us with His very Self, for He is the Bread of Life. We find life every time we join in this celebration, together with our brothers and sisters. It is this life that sustains our every action – indeed, every moment of our lives. The Mass, the Eucharist, is a proclamation of our faith in the One who died and rose from the dead for us; it is the food for our journey and the source of all our action. We leave the celebration, as the dismissal at the end of Mass reminds us, to “announce the Gospel of the Lord.” Without our closeness to Christ in the Eucharist, this proclamation would be less effective. The sustenance of the Bread of Life Himself makes life and mission possible for us.
In the Eucharist, we are in the Divine Presence, we are in the presence of Christ, who is a “priest for ever” as Psalm 109 reminds us. May this encounter with the person of Christ Himself – truly present in the Eucharist – be the wellspring of our every breath, our every moment, our every action, that all we do may proclaim to the world the wonder of all the Lord has done for us.
With every blessing,
+ Richard
Assisted Dying
Cardinal Vincent Nichols responds to the Third Reading Of Terminally Ill Adults (End Of Life) Bill
On Friday 20th June, Cardinal Vincent Nichols issued the following response after the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill passed its third reading in the House of Commons by just 23 votes:
‘The vote in the House of Commons in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is a watershed moment in the history of our country. It fundamentally changes society’s long held values and relationships on matters of life and death.
‘The task is now clear: every effort must be made to limit the damage that will be done by this decision. This duty lies both on the House of Lords and on His Majesty’s Government. The list of challenges is long. It has been well rehearsed in recent weeks by responsible bodies and distinguished individuals, including the Public Commission on Palliative and End-of-Life Care whose recommendations have yet to be discussed. The appeal to personal autonomy, so much at the centre of the Parliamentary debate, cuts both ways: the provision of a choice to die cannot exclude the provision of properly resourced care for those who choose to live until a natural death.
‘As Catholics we will continue to play our part in the building of the common good. The decision of Parliament does not change our firm belief in the sanctity of life, never simply a burden, but always a gift of God, given and received. Our duties are clear: to live by the teaching given to us by God; generously to accompany with care and compassion those facing disability, isolation and suffering; to continue to put forward, with respect and clarity, the objective norms that inform our firm beliefs on how to live, and to die, well.’
Cardinal Vincent Nichols
President
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales
Your Ideas For The New Parish Of Brighton And Hove
No date has yet been fixed by the Bishop. It is likely to be in September, Can you imagine how the existing Parishes will become pastoral Communities in the larger Parish ?
One or 2 questions to think about –
- What do you consider the mission of the one Parish will be ?
- What mission objectives do you consider important ?
- What are your expectations for the new Parish?
There will be a box in the entrance for your replies.
Thank you!
Our Patronal Feast
The Sunday nearest July 9th each year is observed as a Solemnity. It recalls the Opening of the Church in 1965,
Its Consecration by Bishop Cormac and the original date of St Thomas More’s Feast. Do come along to celebrate on Sunday July 6th for the 10am Mass and for a drink afterwards.
Mass Schedule
- Sunday 22nd June 10am The Solemnity Of The Most Holy Body And Blood Of Christ (Int People of the parish
- Monday 23rd June 8:15am St Mary’s House
- Monday 23rd June 10am Funeral Mass for Sheila Jenner RIP
- Wednesday 25th June The Birth Of John The Baptist (Int Therese Lelliott)
- Friday 27th June 9:30am The Sacred Heart Of Jesus
- Friday 27th June 2pm Funeral Mass for Margaret Perrin
- Sunday 29th June 10am Saint Peter and Saint Paul
Please Pray For
- Maura Mason RIP
- Gema Rosado RIP
Soup And Sandwich
Thursday 26th June at 12pm in the Church Hall – all welcome!
Lauda Sion Salvatorem
(Sung in Lourdes during the Blessed Sacrament procession. Join daily at 4pm -click here)
Praise O Sion, praise your Saviour
Praise your captain and your pastor
With hymns and solemn songs
St Thomas More Church, Patcham, Brighton 