Llandudno -
Our Lady Star of
the Sea
Parish Priest: Fr Antony Jones STL - Telephone: 01492 860546
Sunday, September 2nd 2007 - Twentysecond of Ordinary Time (C)
Parish Priest: Fr Antony Jones STL - Telephone: 01492 860546
Sunday, September 2nd 2007 - Twentysecond of Ordinary Time (C)
Dear
Parishioner,
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I hope you read last week’s Newsletter. With the big doors open at the end of the 930am Mass, I think many people streamed out leaving the newsletter behind. There were certainly a lot left, which worried me, as its contents were most important.
It announced a meeting at Stella Maris, which was duly held last Thursday evening. The purpose of the meeting (just in case you didn’t read last week’s letter) was to respond to the invitation put out by SPUC (the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children) to hold a forty day fast in atonement for the six-and-three-quarter million abortions carried out in this country in the last forty years and to pray that the legislation which is currently being proposed in the Human Tissue and Embryos Bill will not reach the statute book. This Bill proposes to legalise grotesque medical experiments on the human embryo. These would include the creation of cloned human-animal embryos and the genetic modification of human embryos for research. Furthermore, many pro-abortion MPs have already stated their intention of using this bill to widen the law on abortion. This will add to the five to six hundred abortions carried out every day in these islands. The Fast is proposed for the forty days between 17 September and 27 October.
As we know only too well from the very many sermons we have all listened to on Ash Wednesdays, there are three main building blocks that make up a true fast: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. At our meeting last Thursday we produced a list of the kind of things we can do. As we wish to do this together, it was suggested that everyone should choose a couple of activities from each category. I reproduce the document now so that if you missed the meeting but would like to take part in the Fast you will be able to do so. Here it is:
SPUC FAST 17 SEPTEMBER TO 27 OCTOBER
The purpose of the Fast is
1) to make atonement to God for the death of the children of these islands killed through abortion, IVF or embryo experimentation.
2) to pray that our society may gain the strength and wisdom to escape from this current culture of death and rise to a more civilised manner of living, showing equal respect for human life in each and every one of its stages.
You are invited to choose two activities from each section below so as to make your fast a community effort and a genuine and heartfelt petition to God for this vitally important cause:
Section One: Prayer
We will mark the beginning of our Parish Fast with special prayers at the Masses, 15/16 September, the eve of the Fast. We will mark its end at all the Masses on Saturday/Sunday 27/28 October.
It is suggested that all those taking part in the Fast should wear a ragged piece of purple cloth pinned to their outer clothing. When people ask what it is all about, we can explain to them that we are trying to make some small token of atonement to God for the six-and-three-quarter million babies (as many as those who died in the Holocaust) whose lives have been destroyed by abortion, lives which were uniquely created by God and whose destruction is a unique insult to Him. The “badges” will be available on Sat/Sun 15/16 Sept.
At the same weekend, 15/16 September, you will also be given a postcard to send to our Member of Parliament. All you need do is put your signature and address on it and return it to church the following weekend. We will send them in bulk to Betty Williams, our MP, expressing our total disapproval of the proposed Bill.
May God bless and reward your efforts.
Fr Antony Jones
<>
I hope you read last week’s Newsletter. With the big doors open at the end of the 930am Mass, I think many people streamed out leaving the newsletter behind. There were certainly a lot left, which worried me, as its contents were most important.
It announced a meeting at Stella Maris, which was duly held last Thursday evening. The purpose of the meeting (just in case you didn’t read last week’s letter) was to respond to the invitation put out by SPUC (the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children) to hold a forty day fast in atonement for the six-and-three-quarter million abortions carried out in this country in the last forty years and to pray that the legislation which is currently being proposed in the Human Tissue and Embryos Bill will not reach the statute book. This Bill proposes to legalise grotesque medical experiments on the human embryo. These would include the creation of cloned human-animal embryos and the genetic modification of human embryos for research. Furthermore, many pro-abortion MPs have already stated their intention of using this bill to widen the law on abortion. This will add to the five to six hundred abortions carried out every day in these islands. The Fast is proposed for the forty days between 17 September and 27 October.
As we know only too well from the very many sermons we have all listened to on Ash Wednesdays, there are three main building blocks that make up a true fast: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. At our meeting last Thursday we produced a list of the kind of things we can do. As we wish to do this together, it was suggested that everyone should choose a couple of activities from each category. I reproduce the document now so that if you missed the meeting but would like to take part in the Fast you will be able to do so. Here it is:
SPUC FAST 17 SEPTEMBER TO 27 OCTOBER
The purpose of the Fast is
1) to make atonement to God for the death of the children of these islands killed through abortion, IVF or embryo experimentation.
2) to pray that our society may gain the strength and wisdom to escape from this current culture of death and rise to a more civilised manner of living, showing equal respect for human life in each and every one of its stages.
You are invited to choose two activities from each section below so as to make your fast a community effort and a genuine and heartfelt petition to God for this vitally important cause:
Section One: Prayer
- Go to Mass every day when it is possible to go.
- Attend the special Holy Hour from 8pm to 9pm in church every Wednesday evening.
- Attend the Holy Hour on Friday afternoons from 3pm to 4pm.
- Say the Rosary every day.
- Give up one meal every day.
- Give up eating and drinking between meals.
- Give up alcohol for the forty days.
- Give up television completely for one day a week.
- Give up some time to visiting the sick (consider joining the SVP
or GAS)
- Give to Feed my Lambs or Sr Jean.
- Give more than usual do to Feed my Lambs or Sr Jean
- Contribute to the Poor Box for the local homeless.
- Make a donation to SPUC (5-6 St Matthew St, London,SW1P 2JT).
We will mark the beginning of our Parish Fast with special prayers at the Masses, 15/16 September, the eve of the Fast. We will mark its end at all the Masses on Saturday/Sunday 27/28 October.
It is suggested that all those taking part in the Fast should wear a ragged piece of purple cloth pinned to their outer clothing. When people ask what it is all about, we can explain to them that we are trying to make some small token of atonement to God for the six-and-three-quarter million babies (as many as those who died in the Holocaust) whose lives have been destroyed by abortion, lives which were uniquely created by God and whose destruction is a unique insult to Him. The “badges” will be available on Sat/Sun 15/16 Sept.
At the same weekend, 15/16 September, you will also be given a postcard to send to our Member of Parliament. All you need do is put your signature and address on it and return it to church the following weekend. We will send them in bulk to Betty Williams, our MP, expressing our total disapproval of the proposed Bill.
May God bless and reward your efforts.
Fr Antony Jones