​​Now that September has begun, it is the season for completing forms.  At the back of the church and on the parish website, forms are now available for those wishing to enrol their children in this year’s First Holy Communion preparation (aimed at year 3) in confirmation preparation (aimed at year 9), and also in the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults), aimed at adults interested in learning more about the Catholic faith, whatever their background.  These forms should be returned to the parish office, duly completed, by the first weekend in October.

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This is also a time when many parents seek certificates of Catholic practice in connexion with applications for school places.  Evidence of Mass attendance on three consecutive Sundays is needed along with certain data concerning the child.  There are forms available at the back of the church which may be used to provide this information.  They include spaces for the signature of the priest celebrant at the Sunday Mass you attend, confirming your presence at Mass that day.

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The children’s liturgy begins again this weekend.  The future of the children’s liturgy is in question, though, as more catechists are needed if it is to continue.

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Elaine Carville, our principal catechist, says this: 

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“Children’s Liturgy will start again at the 4pm Mass from this Sunday, 6th September, and will run during term time until Sunday, 18th October.

Children’s Liturgy is a valued part of our parish community and an important opportunity for our younger members to engage with the Gospel in an age-appropriate way. However, it is not sustainable with our current number of volunteers. If we do not have more catechist volunteers, we will unfortunately no longer be able to offer Children’s Liturgy after the October half-term.

If you would be able to support Children’s Liturgy for just one Sunday per half-term, please speak to the Parish Office. You do not need to prepare everything yourself – training, resources and lesson plans are available to support you in this important role within our parish. We would be very grateful for your help in keeping this much-loved ministry going for our children and families.”

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As mentioned in recent newsletters, there are plenty of ways in which parishioners could volunteer their services to help in the parish.  Some have asked what roles we have in mind.  This question is hard to answer until we have some idea of the particular talents and interests of the volunteers concerned.  So please don’t be shy about mentioning the kind of work you might be prepared to do, or even the kind you might not be prepared to do.  

 

Tuesday of the week ahead is the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  It is of course exactly nine months after the Immaculate Conception, celebrated on 8 December.  There are only three biblical figures whose birth is celebrated in the liturgy - Our Lord, Our Lady and Saint John the Baptist, each intimately involved in the events leading to our redemption.  We give thanks for the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for all that God prepared for us through her.

 

We regularly remember Our Lady at the Saturday morning Mass in Saint James’s, as indeed we are encouraged to do every Saturday, unless the Saturday in question happens to be an obligatory feast of some other kind.  This Saturday is the optional memorial of the Holy Name of Mary, and so it is particularly fitting that we opt for this celebration.  Saint Louis de Montfort and Saint Ambrose wrote extensively about the power and sweetness of invoking Mary’s Holy Name for spiritual protection and for her intercession in our need.

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Wednesday is the date of execution of one of the beatified martyrs, one shared by the Scots and the English.  Blessed George Douglas was born in Edinburgh, but martyred in 1587 in York.  With very few exceptions, most of the Reformation martyrs from these islands were of English origin, which makes the few exceptions all the more worthy of note.

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Currently, your parish priest is in North Wales, on retreat at St Beuno’s, the Jesuit retreat house.  It is located in a very beautiful part of North Wales, within sight of Mount Snowdon on a clear day.  It was here that Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote most of his nature poetry.  In his day, this Victorian building served as a place of formation in theology for young Jesuits.  It is now open to all who wish to make silent retreats, of an Ignatian kind, that is to say, informed by the Spiritual Exercises written by Saint Ignatius Loyola, the sixteenth-century founder of the Jesuits.  

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Another group that will resume its meetings after the August break is the Young Adults group.  This group meets normally on the first three Wednesdays of the month, as well as being present and helping to provide some of the much-needed ministries at the midday Mass on the last Sunday of the month.  The most up-to-date information can always be found through the WhatsApp group that interested members are encouraged to join.  Further details are provided elsewhere on the newsletter.

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One event that the Young Adults will be involved with is the mini-pilgrimage from Farm Street Church to Spanish Place Church, taking place on Saturday 17 October.  This will be an opportunity to sing some of the original medieval pilgrim songs in the context of a pilgrimage.  Because of the musical element, some prior rehearsal is needed and so registration is necessary, at http://bit.ly/caminosongs1.  The first of the rehearsals will take place at Farm Street, while the second will form the 14 October meeting of the Young Adults group here at St James’s.  Further details can be found elsewhere on the newsletter.

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Be assured of a remembrance in your parish priest’s prayers while he is on retreat.  I look forward to seeing you again next weekend.