Twenty Ninth Sunday of the Year (B)

THIS SUNDAY: It’s often the case that the “values of the Gospel” contradict the “values of the World” – sometimes to the extent that the one is the exact opposite of the other. Today is a typical example: greatness and prominence, success and victory, these are goals that the world has very clear ideas about. The Gospel, however, redefines them: Gospel success is Worldly failure: the Gospel’s way of greatness is the World’s life of service; and what the World sees as death and failure is in fact life and victory. It’s this contrast that we see in the Gospel reading today, where out of a possibly innocent (but possibly sycophantic) question, a debate emerges about prominence and greatness. Jesus makes it clear that his greatness is different to that sought “among the pagans”   he will give his very life, and so become the first of all. We should take his words about the “worldly way of behaving” to heart: “This is not to happen among you.”                                   courtesy of www.salfordliturgy.org

MONTH OF THE HOLY ROSARY: As we journey through the month of October, so we journey through the month of the Holy Rosary.  Each weekday after the morning Mass we will recite on decade for a particular intention. Now is the time, maybe, to re-establish the rosary in our lives of prayer and journey through the mysteries of the Lord’s life knowing that we walk that journey accompanied by his mother. The Rosary offers us the confidence of her presence and her prayers; a confidence in knowing that she is praying with us and for us, making our intentions her own.

YEAR FOR PRIESTS: The next Day of Prayer takes place on Friday 6th November. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed after the 9.30am Mass until Evening Prayer at 6.00pm. Please do, once again, sing up for one of the half hour slots to ensure that there is someone in the Church throughout the day. This is a chance to pray for the priests of our Diocese. Do please be generous with the time and prayer you offer.

ST BERNADETTE PRIMARY SCHOOL – Applying for a Reception place – September 2010: if you have a child who was born between 1 September 2005 and 31 August 2006 they will be due to enter the Reception year group in September 2010. Application forms, together with information about primary admissions, are now available on line at http://bristol-cyps.org.uk  – The form needs to be completed and received online by 5:00pm on Friday 23 October 2009.  You must also complete an additional information form, available from and returned to, St Bernadette Primary School, if you wish your child to be considered for a place at the school.  Please contact the school on 0117 377 2373 for further information.

READERS GATHERING: A session for all our readers takes place on Saturday 21st November from 11.00am.  There’s plenty of warning, so please do make sure that date is in your diaries.

COMMUNITY CHOIR: If you enjoy singing come along to the local Community Choir and prepare some carols and songs for Christmas. The first get-together for a practice is on Thursday 15 October from 1.45-3pm at Beechcroft Lounge (entrance at Kyloss Ave ).  Details are on the notice board in the Narthex.

HARVEST GIFTS: If you could spare a box of tea bags, a jar of coffee, or some sugar for the Julian Trust Night Shelter, please do pop them into the basket on the table in the Narthex. This is chance for us to reach out to some of the homeless on our city streets. Whatever you can give, it will be gratefully received.

THIS SUNDAY is Legal Sunday when the judiciary and legal practitioners in our city gather with our High Sheriff for Prayer at the start of their new term at Bristol Cathedral at 11.00am. Do go along and join our High Sherrif if you can. Fr Christopher will be at the Cathedral this Sunday to accompany the High Sheriff as his chaplain. We keep ‘our’ High Sheriff our prayers this weekend.

APF: The annual Mission Mass will be celebrated this year on Friday 30th October at St. Augustine’s, Downend, at 7.30pm. Mass is followed by a short film showing some of the work supported by the APF in Africa. Everyone is welcome, especially those who signed up as members in last week’s appeal.

A WARM WELCOME to Fr George Henwood from St Gerard’s who comes to St Bernadette’s to celebrate Mass for us this Sunday whilst Fr Christopher is at Bristol Cathedral with the Judges!

CHRISTMAS LUNCH: It does seem ages away but already the shops are busily getting ready for Christmas. Fr Christopher is thinking of arranging a lunch on Christmas Day for those in the parish who might be on their own. At this stage, it is only a thought – but if there were some take up it could easily go ahead. There are people who do not have family or friends to spend some time with on Christmas Day. If you would be on your own and would fancy lunch on 25th December, please have a word with FrC. He would need some indication by mid November.

200 CLUB GRAND DRAW:  We are approaching the end of the 200 Club’s year (Dec – Nov). Collette will be contacting all current members inviting them to renew their membership for the next twelve months. The subscription costs £12 for the year and this could reap a harvest through one of the ten £25 monthly draws or a chance of snatching that big prize in one of the two Grand Draws that take place (May & Nov). Half of your subscription goes to support the parish whilst the other half is given out throughout the year in our prizes.  The November Grand Draw will take place during the Fish & Chip Supper and Quiz Night taking place on 5th December (albeit a little delayed) beginning at 7.30pm in the Hall. Do put the dates in your diaries and keep it free. This is an evening for all the family – so the more, the merrier. More details next week. Reminder and renewal notices will be out next weekend.

FIRST COMMUNION 2010: Those parents with children in present year 3 with children due to make their First Communion next June are invited along to a get together on Tuesday 24th November at 7.00pm in the Church. This will be an information and registration meeting, so please do come along if this involves one of your children.

NOVEMBER MASSES: The list of Masses for the month of the Holy Souls is on the board in the Narthex for you to allocate a particular mass during that month for those who have died in your families or among your loved ones. If you want to make an offering for the mass, please indicate on the envelope the intention and the date you have requested. You can let FrC have the intention by leaving it in the sacristy clearly marked.