JULY IS THE MONTH OF THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
THE FIFTEENTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME
Dear parishioners,
Devotion to the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ Part II
Viewed as part of the Sacred Humanity of Jesus Christ, one person and ‘hypostatically’ united to the Word, the Precious Blood deserves our honour and adoration. Like the Sacred Heart or the wounds of Our Lord from which his blood flowed, it can be singled out for special honour, following The Apostle Paul who praised:
1. The redeeming virtue of the Precious Blood:
He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace which he lavished upon us. (Ephesians 1: 5-8)
2. How the Precious Blood brings us close to God:
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing hostility to an end. ( Ephesians 2: 13 -17)
3. How the Precious Blood is the source of our justification:
Since therefore we are justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. (Romans 5:9)
4. How the Precious Blood is the source of our peace:
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of the cross. (Colossians 1:19-20)
5. How the Precious Blood is the propitiation to God the Father for the sins of humanity:
… since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith. (Romans 3:23 -24)
The Saints of the Church also saw in in the Precious Blood the Christian Spirit of self- sacrifice. St. John Chrysostom calls the Precious Blood “the saviour of souls”; St. Thomas Aquinas, “the key to heaven’s treasures”; St. Ambrose, “pure gold of ineffable worth”; St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, “a magnet of souls and pledge of eternal life”. Fr Faber, the great English priest and Oratorian of the 19th century wrote that the lives of the saints are full of devotion to the Precious Blood. In time, the Church gave her approval to societies like the Missionaries of the Precious Blood and attached indulgences and prayers and scapulars in its honour. I hope as a parish in July 2022, we might give special honour to the Precious Blood and if all travel restrictions are lifted, make a parish pilgrimage to the Basilica of the Holy Blood in the beautiful city of Bruges. Whilst in Belgium we can also honour Our Lady, Blessed Virgin of the Poor with a visit to her shrine at Banneux. Please let me know if you are interested. No commitment required at this stage.
On Friday we celebrated the Mass of the Precious Blood and at the end of the month we will have a special parish adoration.
JULY PARISH ADORATION OF THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. With the Litany of the Precious Blood, Consecration to the Precious Blood, Chaplet of the Precious Blood and Benediction. Sunday 25th July at 4.00 p.m.
Deaths
For all our brothers and sisters who ate the Body of Christ, the bread of Life, that they may be raised up on the Last Day. (Drawn from the intercession of the Funeral Mass)
Please pray for the souls of:
Albert D’Silva who died on Monday 31st May aged 77. His funeral is on Monday 28th June at 11.00 a.m. followed by committal at Hillview Cemetery.
Mark John Norris Paxton who died on Thursday 27th May aged 60. The Funeral Mass was on Thursday 17th June.
Arthur Whittle, aged 94, for many years a parishioner, who died in Liverpool where he moved with Norma a few weeks ago.
Mary Elizabeth Conlon, aged 94. Requiem at 8.00 a.m. on Friday 16th followed by Funeral Service and Committal at Eltham
(Numbers permitted at Funeral Requiems are still limited due to current regulations. This is estimated on the size of the church building. The same rules applying to all public services in our church apply also for funeral requiems)
May the divine assistance remain with them always, and may their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.
PARISH GOLF DAY. Message from Tony Brook.
The Parish Golf day on Saturday 18th September 2021 to be held at Pedham Place Golf Club, Swanley. Bacon Rolls from 11am with the first tee off 12noon 18 holes of golf followed by a two course meal with prizes for the winners. Cost with probably be about £47.00 per head. Any persons interested in taking part either as a team or individually will be welcome. Please contact Tony Brooke 07833707016. There will be the usual charity raffle attached to the day with raffle tickets being sold after Mass in the run up to the event.
MASSES AND INTENTIONS FOR THE COMING WEEK: THE FIFTEENTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME
Psalter week 3. Ferial cycle 1 at mass.
Please come to mass once a week only, on any day of your choosing, to help with numbers and social distancing.
Mass intentions booked for masses cancelled or replaced with a funeral will be moved to another day.
Saturday 10th July THE FIFTEENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (B)
+ 6.30 p.m. Edin Garvey R.I.P.
Sunday 11th July
+ 9.00 a.m. Liz Woodward W.B.
+ 10.30 a.m. Carole Frances Tracey R.I.P.
Monday 12th July feria
NO PUBLIC MASS TODAY
Tuesday 13th July. St. Mildred, abbess.
NO PUBLIC MASS TODAY
Wednesday 14th July St. Camillus de Lellis, priest.
NO PUBLIC MASS TODAY
Thursday 15th July St. Bonaventure, bishop & doctor of the church, memorial.
NO MASS IN CHURCH TODAY
(+ 10.00 a.m. School Leavers' mass at the school for children only) Eilish Lynch R.I.P.
Friday 16th July Our Lady of Mount Carmel, memorial.
+ 8.00 a.m. Requiem mass for Mary Elizabeth Conlon R.I.P.
10.00 a.m. Funeral Service and Committal at Eltham for Mary Elizabeth Conlon R.I.P.
Saturday 17th July Our Lady’s Saturday.
+ 10.00 a.m. Monica Affonso R.I.P.
[ + 6.30 p.m. FIFTEENTH SUNDAY Mary & Sean Kenny R.I.P.)
JULY PRAYER: ‘Viva, viva, Gestu’ trans. Edward Caswell.
Glory be to Jesus who in bitter pains, poured for me the lifeblood from his sacred veins.
Grace and life eternal in that blood I find: blest be his compassion, infinitely kind.
Blest, through endless ages, be the precious stream - which from endless torment did the world redeem.
There the fainting spirit drinks of life her fill; there, as in a fountain, laves herself at will.
Abel’s blood for vengeance pleaded to the skies, but the blood of Jesus for our pardon cries.
Oft as it is sprinkled on our guilty hearts, Satan in confusion terror-struck departs.
Oft as earth exulting wafts its praise on high, angel hosts rejoicing, make their glad reply.
Lift, then, all your voices, swell the mighty flood; louder still and louder, PRAISE THE PRECIOUS BLOOD!
In unity,
Fr Jonathon
Telephone: 0208 303 2189 Email: jonathonrouth@rcaos.org.uk