Sunday 08 May 2022 : Fourth Sunday of Easter
HOLY CROSS CATHOLIC CHURCH
208 Sangley Road, Catford, London SE6 2JS
Fr Antony Megalan Sellam [Parish Priest] – 02086983672
Website: www.holycross-catford.org.uk
Parish Contacts
Parish Office is Open
(Tuesday and Thursday)
10am - 3pm
020 8698 3672
Josepha Flahive
Lisa O’Hara
Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate
Holy Cross Bookshop, 020 3441 8240
Holy Cross School
[020 8698 2675]
Miss Mary Collins
www.holycross.lewisham.sch.uk
Repository:
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Safeguarding Line 07598 524024
Pat Barber and Kate Cleevely - [email protected]
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Hartley Hall [Tony Early]
Culverley Road, SE6 2LD
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Sunday 08 May 2022 : Fourth Sunday of Easter
You can find the Readings from here
In today’s first reading, Paul and Barnabas were well received at Antioch and returned the following Sabbath to speak again in the synagogue. They reminded the Jewish congregation that no less a prophet than Isaiah spoke of the ‘ideal’ Israel as a light to all the nations; that is not just Jews but also non-Jews, the Gentiles. The leaders were fearful about the apostles’ reminder of Isaiah’s statement that they would like to forget. The two, in speaking of salvation for the Gentiles, became a perceived threat to the Jewish leaders’ conviction of having sole ownership of being God’s chosen people.
The basic ingredients for jealousy were there: they were fearful that they would have to accept this correction from Isaiah and correct their own teaching. Also, they might well lose their status/ authority as teachers. We heard: “When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said.” Jealousy won over rationality. This is jealousy at the institutional level of religion.
We follow this in the second reading, from the Book of Revelation, speaking of the multitude of heaven “which no one could count from every nation, race, people and tongue.” It indicates the direct opposite of an exclusive elite. It holds the door open for all, just as Jesus showed in his day.
Elitism, or exclusivism seems to be how we often want to perceive the world. However, God, the light of the world, shines as love, on everyone. Light has no borders that it cannot cross. As Jesus then says in the Gospel - “The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice”. Anyone who follows Christ Jesus and his teachings is loved by God.
Fr Antony
Please take a copy of the Newsletter home with you - please do not leave it in the church. Thank you.
- Money Matters (Loose Collections)
Thank you all for your kindness and generosity.
- First Holy Communion, Confirmation and RCIA for next year. Applications for are available from this week. Please collect them from Fr Antony
OUR PARISH RESPONSE TO COVID 19 PANDEMIC - Updates
COVID SECURITY GUIDELINES : Following the recent changes(Friday 10 dec) in the regulations from the Government, the parish has issued updated guidelines for continued safe and covid-secure worship in the church.The latest document is Guidances for Churches December 2021
- Please note that the Mass times have been reviewed : See below (Mass Times and Intentions)
All the Masses will be live-streamed: https://holy-cross-stream.click2stream.com
- With respect to the current situation with the omicron variant it is important to ensure the following points are followed in our churches:
That people displaying any symptoms of covid-19 should stay at home and not travel to church or participate in person.
- That hand sanitiser is used by everyone attending the Church.
- That there is good ventilation and air throughput in the building; in this case, because of climatic conditions, please do wrap up warmly when coming to the church as we may need to leave doors open.
- That people who are engaged in a form of pastoral ministry which involves ministry to the housebound, sick, and vulnerable, should take regular lateral flow tests to ensure they are safe to do so. These are free from the NHS.
- The Holy Mass is offered everyday via Livestream
- Diamond Club Magazine is available here