St. Peter's Bereavement support group Candle Lit Service Saturday 21st November, 11am

A Day of Divine Mercy Saturday 21 November  St Joseph’s, New Zealand Road 9am – 12pm Holy Mass, Praise and Worship, Talks, followed by Adoration, teas and coffees. St Teilo’s, The Upper Room, Whitchurch 2pm – 4.30pm Praise and Worship, Talks, 3pm Divine Mercy prayers & prayer ministry in the Divine Mercy

Holy Family's Sufferings & Patience (3) Therefore, let us understand well that suffering was not only for Christ, our Lord, but also for us; that if He suffered labours and death as the Redeemer of the World, He suffered them also as our Teacher, thereby inviting us as his friends to enter upon the way of his Cross; so much so, that his nearest friends receive the greatest share of suffering, and no one can merit heaven without the price of personal struggles. Just like Joseph, even being the foster father of Jesus, also physically suffered greatly in the last years of his life: ‘...in the last years of his life with certain sicknesses, such as fever, violent headaches and very painful rheumatisms, which greatly afflicted and weakened him. In the midst of these illnesses, he was suffering from another source, more sweet, but extremely painful, which was from the fire of his intense love which was so fierce, that the flights and ecstasies of his most pure soul would often have burst the bounds of his body if the Lord, who granted them, had not strengthened and comforted him against these agonies of love. In these sweet excesses the Lord allowed him to suffer until his death and because of the natural weakness of his diminished body...’ Yet he bears with them patiently and Mary was the witness of his virtues: ‘...his dovelike patience and meekness in his grievous afflictions and admirable sufferings. She knew that he never complained either of these nor of any of the other trials, nor ever asked for any relief in his wants and necessities; for he bore all with incomparable calmness and greatness of soul.’ And you know Joseph had the happiest death out of all human beings, because he was rewarded to die in Jesus’ arms and with Mary by his side. After reading all these, now you know that even the most Holy people also need to suffer, to set an example, to show us what love really is, how love is like in action. Oh Christians, do not think you are here on this earth to enjoy life – a life that will pass in a brink of eyes! Our hope is in the Lord, not in man. Our hope is in Heaven, not on earth. Our sufferings are not fruitless, because when united with the Sacrifice of Christ, will surely be rewarded in Heaven, even not on earth. ●The Mystical City of God, Ven Mary of Agreda

Pope Leo X1V has declared Sunday 15th November to be the 10th World Day of the Poor

Bell Tower Fundraising £103.00 Parish Picnic Raffle £1419.00 Tabletop Sale £501.90 Guess the Amount £262.00 Organ Recital £9105.00 Private Donations £110.00 Collection Box (G-Aid) £790.37 Collection Box £694.37 DONA Station £1780.98 Autumn Fayre £120.00 Museum Tour St Peter's Parish value your every effort, whether it is big or small, in helping with the Bell Tower fundraising.

Holy Family's Sufferings & Patience (2) Sufferings had not left the life of the Holy Family. Since we should never forget how Our Lord was born in this world: not in a palace but in a cave, not in a comfy baby cot but in a manger with itchy straws, not surrounded by servants but by beasts and animals. Jesus who is our God, who own everything but willing to have nothing, who should receive all glory but willing to be born in such a lowly state on earth, who is almighty but willing to appear in front of us as a helpless babe. If one can image the sufferings that a royalty will have when living as a peasant, then how much more sufferings God had when He lived as one the poorest amongst human! The King of Universe enters the world in extreme poverty, as a model for all to live in complete detachment from things in the world. Our Saviour, from the very beginning, already accepted these hardships with patience for the glory of the eternal Father and for the good of men. Let’s also read about the trials of the Holy Family when they escape to Egypt from the vision of Blessed A Emmerich: ‘…I saw them in the wilderness. No words can depict the difficulties of this journey. They always travelled a mile eastward of the ordinary highway and, as they shunned the public inns, they suffered the want of all necessaries. I saw them quite exhausted with not a drop of water (the little jug was empty)… I saw the Holy Family arrive, worn-out and dejected. Mary was very sad; she wept, for they were in want of everything…’ That really was one of the greatest and dangerous sufferings that they experienced. Not only they left everything behind – family, friends, house, possessions, job, things and places they are familiar with...and setting out on this journey which could cost their lives! Those years of exile in Egypt, living as a foreigner, living as a poor immigrant, in a pagan land, where discrimination and bully is common in those days, it is natural to think how hard and difficult their lives had been. But they persevered, no one abandon anyone, supported and looked after each other in spite of the common tribulation, because of their love to God and to one other, and trusted in Divine Providence in their time of need.  ●www.prayinglatin.com/joyful-mystery-meditations/ ●The Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations, Bl Anne Catherine Emmerich

On this day are remembered all those who gave their lives for their country, all who suffered and died through acts of war and those who were left behind to grieve and mourn. O God, merciful and strong, who crush wars and cast down the proud, be pleased to banish violence swiftly from our midst and to wipe away all tears,  so that we may all truly deserve to be called your children..

Almighty and merciful God, graciously keep from us all adversity, so that, unhindered in mind and body alike, we may pursue in freedom of heart the things that are yours. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,  God, for ever and ever. Amen.

1st November Today the Church celebrates all the saints: canonized or beatified, and the multitude of those who are in heaven enjoying the beatific vision that are only known to God. The feast of All Saints should inspire us with tremendous hope. Among the saints in heaven are some whom we have known. All lived on earth lives like our own. They were baptized, marked with the sign of faith, they were faithful to Christ's teaching and they have gone before us to the heavenly home whence they call on us to follow them. The Gospel of the Beatitudes, read today, while it shows their happiness, shows, too, the road that they followed; there is no other that will lead us whither they have gone. So we all have this "universal call to holiness." What must we do in order to join the company of the saints in heaven? We "must follow in His footsteps and conform [our]selves to His image seeking the will of the Father in all things. [We] must devote [our]selves with all [our] being to the glory of God and the service of [our] neighbor. In this way, the holiness of the People of God will grow into an abundant harvest of good, as is admirably shown by the life of so many saints in Church history" (Lumen Gentium, 40). Wish you all a very happy Solemnity of All Saints!