MASS INTENTIONS

You can meet Children’s Catholic author, Madeleine Carroll, at Belmont Abbey on Saturday 26 October at 3pm when she will talk about how her Christian faith influences her writing. For a true Christmas present for your children and grandchildren purchase a signed copy by the author on the day of her books on the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem: The Bethlehem Shepherd’s, The Donkey’s Journey, Ephraim’s Gladness, Joyful Noise, One Silent Night, She pondered the starlight: Mary’s first Christmas, When the Stars Shone Bright, a Christmas tale. Madeleine will also sign copies of her other books: Beholding Beauty, The Carpenter and the Cross, The Creator’s Love Story, Encounter at Emmaus, The Joyful Mystery. If you are unable to attend the event you can pre-order a signed copy of any of these books by emailing Fr James at jamesnorris2019@gmail.com , stating which title you want by Thursday 24 October.

Our Lady’s Parish Quiz will take place on Saturday, 16th November 2024 in the Parish Meeting Room, 6.45pm for 7.00pm. Tickets are £10.00 per person and will be available three weeks before that weekend. This event is always well attended and promises to be a warm, delightful and sociable evening with good company.

The Sunday evening Mass has been re-introduced at Our Lady’s. This Mass resumed on Sunday, 6th October at 6.30pm. The morning Mass at 10.00am remains unchanged.

Would you like to have a birthday or special occasion celebrated for a friend or family member or Sympathy for the loss of a cherished person? You can have a Mass said for that person on these special occasions or for any other special intention. Grab a Mass Intention envelope and enter the name and date for the Mass you require. Envelopes are available at the rear of the church. You can call or email the parish office at the Presbytery. This is a beautiful and special way to pay tribute to our loved ones. There is no better gift that we can that offer, none more supreme than the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass.

The UK Liturgy Commission has arranged two days of information and preparation, and training for Clergy, Ministers of the Word, and other interested parishioners in preparation for the introduction of the English Standard Version of the new lectionary which is due to arrive at the beginning of Advent this year. The venue nearest to Our Lady’s may be of some interest: • Saturday, 5th October Father John Hemer MHM, Scripture Lecturer at Allen Hall, will lead a day in the Parish Centre at Our Lady and Saint Michael, Abergavenny. • Saturday, 19th October Father Javier Ruiz-Ortiz, Dean of Studies in Allen Hall, will lead a day in the Parish Centre at Saint Mary, Bridgend Each day will run from 10.30am to 3pm. Tea and coffee will be available as people gather 10am – 10.30am, and during the lunch break – please bring your own packed lunch. All those wishing to attend must register by contacting Kirsty Vater\; ( kirsty.vater@rcadc.org ), specifying which day and venue they wish to attend

Belmont’s annual Parish Quiz will take place on Saturday, 9th November 2024 in Hedley Lodge, 6.45pm for 7.00pm. Tickets are £14.00 per person, Application Forms can be found in the folder in the glass porch on entry to the Abbey church. This event is always well attended and promises to be a warm and delightful evening.

In this Sunday’s Gospel, we hear Jesus again predicting his passion, death, and Resurrection to his disciples. The setting here is important. Jesus and his disciples are preparing to journey through Galilee, a Jewish territory in which Jesus has already encountered problems with the Pharisees. Perhaps this is why Mark, the evangelist, indicates that Jesus was trying to journey in secret. In predicting his passion, Jesus is acknowledging the danger they will face and is trying to preparing his disciples for it. Yet the disciples did not understand what Jesus was saying and were afraid to ask what he meant. The disciples were aware that a new situation was emerging. An argument arose among them (possibly as to who would be the leader of the group after Jesus’ death).  To this select group of disciples, Jesus teaches that those who would be first in God’s kingdom must be servants of all. Jesus then calls forward a child. In firstcentury Palestine, children were without status or power. In this action, Jesus teaches us that when we serve the least ones among us, we serve Jesus himself. Our judgment before God will be based on this criterion alone.

“This people honours me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” Strong tensions may be perceived in the discussion between Jesus and the Pharisees. The debate is “pure religion” (James 1:27). Jesus places the heart of man and his liberation from evil at the centre of it, while the Pharisees defend the external ritual of the religion that came from God. “Their heart is far from me.” The truth is that we do not control our heart. How many people would like to stop drinking too much but struggle to do so? Let us take the example of the great saint of the early Church, whose heart was so divided, for many years, that it pushed him to pray: “Lord, make me chaste, but not just yet!” (St. Augustine). How many would like to get rid of envy and pride and they find themselves doing the opposite? “I do not what I want, but what I hate” (Rom 7:15). We often realise this when we begin to take our faith more seriously and follow a Christian way of life more closely. We are amazed at our tendency to repeat the same mistakes and fall into the same sin. We begin to understand the cry of St. Paul: “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Rom. 7:24).  “His heart is far from me.” The goal of the Christian life is union with God and unity with our neighbour. To achieve this, we must first be free from the bondage of evil intentions. We must earn our freedom! This is entirely the work of the grace of the Redeemer. Thus Jesus promises: “If the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed” (Jn. 8:36). The Church’s mission is a simple and divine duty

There is an opportunity to visit Rotherwas Chapel in September as part of the Heritage Open Days scheme. Booking is essential for the free tour, please see the website for details: Tuesday 10 September 11am and 2pm Wednesday 11 September 11am and 2pm Thursday 12 September 11am and 2pm Email is www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/explore-the-secrets-of-rotherwas-chapel-and-its-pugininterior-965780875597