Saint Vincent de Paul Parish 36 Altenburg Gardens, Battersea, London SW11 1JJ

One of the South Battersea Churches

Newsletter

To Contact us: Parish Priest: Monsignor Timothy Galligan: 020 7228 2121; Email: batterseaag@rcaos.org.uk Parish Deacon: Reverend Jon Dal Din: 020 7228 2795; Email: jondaldin@rcaos.org.uk Parish Administrator (not currently available): 020 7228 2121; Email: batterseaag@rcaos.org.uk

Further information: Parish Website: www.saintvincentdepaul-church.org Diocesan Website: www.rcsouthwark.co.uk News from the Catholic Church in England and Wales: www.catholicnews.org.uk

Year B Third Week of Lent 7 – 14 March 2021

Sunday Masses recommence From this coming Sunday, we will again have two Sunday morning Masses.

o You MUST reserve on Eventbrite. For the moment, only Masses on 7 and 14 March are available. o To start, the number of places will be relatively low, to allow you to continue to be seated at a safe

distance. If you find Masses fully booked, try the following Sunday. (A few places are also kept for people unable to use the internet – so [since you are reading this] that does not mean you! Please do not turn up if the Mass is indicated as fully reserved).

o When the health situation improves sufficiently we may, over coming weeks, be able to return towards the previous higher level of seating.

If ideally you would come regularly to Sunday evening Mass, please let me know. Once there is sufficient ‘demand’, we will happily reintroduce that Mass as well.

Details of our Easter Services will soon be published. It will be especially important to reserve places for these – last year, of course, we had no public services at all; this year, our capacity will of course be quite restricted.

Confession (Sacrament of Reconciliation) has not been easy to offer during these times of social distancing. However, especially during Lent, I do want to make myself available for those who may have been waiting to celebrate the sacrament. And I could hardly encourage you to pray the Pope’s Intention for March and not also make the Sacrament available! To start with, I shall be in the Church at 11am on Saturdays (from 6 March). The doors will open at 11am and I will remain there for just a quarter of an hour, unless there is demand and longer is necessary. For the moment, Confessions can only be ‘face-to-face’ while keeping a significant distance.

I am sorry it is so difficult to meet you in the way I normally would at the end of Mass. People rightly obey the government guidance not to mix or linger after Mass. However, if somebody does particularly wish to catch me, tell one of the Sunday Stewards and I will eventually get outside to speak briefly. Of course, you can also contact the Parish Office by email (or phone) and I will get back to you.

Please Note: our Administrator has to shield for the moment, so normal service from our Parish Office is currently suspended. While I shall deal with the more urgent matters when I can, emails and calls may not be answered as quickly as they otherwise would be.

A Crucified Christ, for us the Power and the Wisdom of God

For the next three Sundays, the Gospel Readings come from Saint John, this week his version of Jesus ‘cleansing’ the Temple. This is preceded by Saint Paul telling the Corinthians that he preaches ‘a crucified Christ’ (Second Reading: 1 Cor. 1, 22-25); and, as the First Reading, God’s gift to Moses of the Ten Commandments of the ‘Law’ (from Exodus 20).

Psalm 18 acts guides our response to what we hear: ‘Lord, you have the message of eternal life’. Download these readings in full using this link: https://universalis.com/20210307/mass.htm

We journey through Lent together with all who are preparing to become Christians at Eastertide, and we pray that our faith may deepen alongside theirs. So what has God’s Word to say to us all on this Third Sunday? We might be puzzled! The Gospel story, found in each Gospel (though Saint John places it early on in his), has left many perplexed, even great scholars. It has often been painted, perhaps because it allows artists to demonstrate the skills required to depict a crowded and dramatic scene. However, I have chosen some less well-known depictions.

While we see this uncharacteristic side to Jesus, Saint John does not say that Jesus was angry. He portrays Jesus as forceful, though not violent. The Danish artist Carl Bloch (left) clearly wanted to show Jesus acting like that, with authority – which was the

Carl Bloch (1834-1890), Jesus Casting out the Money Changers in the Temple (part), in the upper gallery of the Frederiksborg Castle Chapel, Denmark

issue picked up by the people who questioned him. It was this that Pope Francis highlighted, at a Sunday Angelus address three years ago. ‘It certainly wasn’t a violent action’, he said. ‘So true is this that it didn’t provoke the intervention of the guardians of public order – of the police. No! But it was intended as a typical action of prophets who, in the name of God, often denounced abuses and excesses. The question posed is that of authority. In fact, the Jews asked Jesus “What sign have you to show us for doing this?” (v. 18), namely, what authority do you have to do these things? As if asking for a demonstration that He was truly acting in the name of God.’

Of his own authority, therefore, Jesus gave this sign – dramatically ridding the Temple precincts of the excesses and abuses. As he did so, significantly, he called the Temple his ‘Father’s house’. That was how, in Saint Luke’s Gospel, Jesus had also described it when Mary and Joseph came searching for him after he had stayed behind in Jerusalem as a boy. As at many other times during his ministry, the Jews asked him for a sign of what authority he had to act in such a way. His reply here points enigmatically to his future death and resurrection as the sign, but in veiled terms: ‘Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will raise it up’ (2, 19). Saint John comments, ‘he was speaking of the sanctuary that was his body’ and, after he was raised from the

dead, his disciples remembered he had said this. On ‘Palm Sunday’, we will listen to Saint Mark’s Passion, and hear these words being twisted by those accusing him before the High Priest: ‘Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, saying, “We heard him say, ‘I am going to destroy this temple made by human hands, and in three days build another, not made by human hands.’”’ (Mark 14, 57-58).

Why not reflect on three aspects of this story that touch our own faith this Lent? o Jesus once again acted with sovereign authority, because he is the Son of God. We have seen that is the heart of the message of Saint Mark’s Gospel, which we are following on the Ordinary Sundays. Unless we accept with faith who Jesus really is, we will not desire to pay attention to his teaching, nor seek to be his companions on the way of the cross. ‘Disciples’ are called to follow, to be guided by his words, and strengthened by his Holy Spirit. o Jesus describes himself as the ‘sanctuary’ of God (or temple), that would be destroyed. He was declaring ‘You can put me to death but my resurrection, and all that will follow from it, will be the ultimate demonstration of what I have come

Giotto di Bondone, (1305), Scrovegni Chapel, in Padua, Italy. Giotto entirely frescoed this wonderful small Church just before the end of his life.

to do.’ Since he is God’s ‘sanctuary’, we ought to reflect on what Saint Paul, in particular, says about those who follow Jesus, you and I: that we form ‘one Body’ with him (1 Cor. 12, 12), and therefore become ‘God’s house’ and ‘temples of the Holy Spirit’ (1 Cor. 6,19). That is not just a statement of fact; it is a way of living. o His death and resurrection are his supreme sign, calling us to deeper faith as we journey towards their solemn celebration at the end of Holy Week. When Jesus said this, the disciples did not understand his words, nor the Scripture they fulfilled. Isn’t it often so for us too? – could we ponder Jesus’ words and deeds this Lent, so as to allow his Holy Spirit to guide us to understand them more deeply, and so find ourselves drawn closer to him? If this happens even a little, our Easter Communion and every Sunday’s Mass will mean more than it already does.

The words of Saint Paul (First Reading), in the excerpt from his First Letter to the Corinthians, serve as an encouragement to take up these challenges. People try in many different ways to make sense of their lives, as you know from your own experience (‘the Jews demand miracles and the Greeks look for wisdom’. Not to mention philosophy, science, astrology, possessions …). But ‘here are we preaching a crucified Christ’ (1 Cor. 1, 22). Paul is willing to stake his whole life on Christ, ‘who is the power and the wisdom of God’, and this Lent we are asked to do the same.

What might we make of hearing the Ten Commandments as the First Reading? Called ‘words of God’, they were given to God’s People as a path of life: ‘If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the LORD your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess’ (Deuteronomy 30, 16). According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church they ‘state what is required in the love of God and love of neighbour. The first three concern love of God, and the other seven love of neighbour’ (CCCC 2067). Saint Augustine taught ‘As charity comprises the two commandments to which the Lord related the whole Law and the prophets… so the Ten Commandments

were themselves given on two tablets. Three were written on one tablet and seven on the other.’ We Christians, therefore, are to learn to live by the Commandments. However, Our Lord teaches us what must underlie our practice of them: ‘I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another’ (John 13, 34-35).

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn

(1606-1669), Moses with the Tablets of the Law (1659), Gemäldegalerie der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin.

As we continue our Lenten contemplation of Jesus Christ, can we discover in him ‘the power and wisdom of God’? We may make our own Saint Peter’s words spoken on behalf of the other disciples (John 6, 68-69): ‘“Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”’ At Christmas we heard wonderful words in the Prologue to Saint John’s Gospel, ‘The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known’ (John 1, 17-18).

Prayer and Worship during the Season of Lent

On Thursday evenings, I am leading the Stations of the Cross Online Images of the Stations found on the walls of our Church will be visible on your screen as we pray at each station. Join me at 6.30pm (see below for the login details). It will last about 25 minutes.

Pray for Pope Francis as he makes his Pastoral Visit to Iraq Iraq is still a greatly troubled land, and the ancient Christian communities there have suffered terribly. The Pope seeks to bring reconciliation among all the religious groups. Pray that his visit will pass off safely, and bear fruit.

Lenten Alms for DePaul UK During Lent each year, we usually provide an opportunity at Mass to offer Lenten Alms to DePaul UK, the leading charity working with youth homelessness, which takes the inspiration for its work from our patron saint. Why not support it

directly this year, now or at the end of Lent? Visit https://uk.depaulcharity.org/ where you can learn more about their work, and also about the effect on it of the Covid pandemic.

Our Diocese is offering you a simple Lenten Retreat online to follow in your own home Click on http://www.southwarkdsc.org.uk/followme, where you can sign up to receive the materials directly by email. Some parishioners are meeting Online on Monday evenings at 8pm to discuss the latest talk and message. You are warmly welcomed to join them; just contact Stuart (ste7474@icloud.com) for details of how to do so.

‘Into Great Silence’ - a silent Lenten meditation? A remarkable film was released in 2005. It filmed the life of the Carthusian hermit monks at the Grande Chartreuse monastery in the French Alps. As their life is entirely enclosed, this was a quite exceptional concession to the filmmaker, and an act of great trust. The film won many prizes and enthusiastic reviews. I have it on DVD, but discovered recently that you can watch it all on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=094I4UVjyFg The ‘blurb’ on the DVD says, and rightly, ‘The viewer is invited to watch the film as part of a meditative experience where the film becomes the monastery rather than depicting one’. All the sounds are natural, and (for obvious reasons) there is no conversation or commentary. It could provide a really fruitful Lenten experience of silence. You need plenty of time (2 hours 42 minutes, to be precise); I would recommend letting it be an immersive experience rather than breaking it up into small chunks. (NB. While the titles are in German, that need not be an issue since there is no dialogue. Since parts were filmed using Super 8 the film quality naturally varies).

Holy Masses and Intentions for the coming week

Third Sunday of Lent 9am For All Parishioners 7 March 11am Secular Clergy NCF Benefactors NO Evening Mass

Monday 8th Mary O’Halloran RIP Tuesday 9th 9.30am Thomas Hardy RIP (F) [Church opens at 9am] Wednesday 10th 9.30am Calista Peiris (Asoka) [Church opens at 9am] Thursday 11th 9.30am Helen Sillitoe & Catherine Refoy RIP (F) [Church opens at 9am] Friday 12th 9.30am Andrew Hudson & Family [Church opens at 9am] Saturday 13th Dominick Rebello RIP (Anniversary) 11am – 1115am: Available in Church for Confessions

Fourth Sunday of Lent 9am For All Parishioners 14 March 11am NO Evening Mass

Online Prayer Gatherings

Parish Online Evening Prayer: Evening Prayer of the Church on Tuesdays, beginning at 6.30pm. Stations of the Cross online on Thursdays at 6.30pm

Rosary for Peace on Zoom: Mondays 6pm

Some Parishioners pray online each Wednesday evening at 6pm, organised by Marina Newton. They share news about prayer requests, read the Gospel of the day and reflect on it, then pray for our intentions and close with the Our Father

Prayer Intentions

Pope Francis’ Prayer Intention for this month of March concerns the Sacrament of Reconciliation:

‘Let us pray that we may experience the Sacrament of Reconciliation with renewed depth, to taste the infinite mercy

of God.’ Visit the Pope Video https://thepopevideo.org/ to pray with the Pope and reflect further on his intention.

Continue to pray for Pope Francis as he makes his Pastoral Visit to Iraq across this weekend

Iraq is still a greatly troubled land, and the ancient Christian communities there have suffered terribly and are greatly diminished by war and persecution. The Pope seeks to bring reconciliation among all the religious groups. Pray that his visit will continue safely, and bear fruit.

Pray for the many millions of people across the world struggling to find food and work, and

susceptible to the Virus because of their circumstances and a lack of vaccinations; that we may press

our governments to act on our behalf with compassion and generosity towards these brothers and sisters of Christ. Just

this week, our government announced it would halve the aid to Yemen (where so many adults and children face

imminent starvation), while we continue to sell arms to the Saudis who are bombing them!

Monday is International Women’s Day. Pray especially for all pregnant women that they may be championed

and supported by all of us in society, not only tomorrow, but always.

We congratulate Ilaria and Nicola as they give thanks for the birth of their first child, Enrico Daniel, this week.

We pray for anyone expecting a baby, or who has recently had a birth in their family.

Pray for those who are unwell: Bernadette Austen; George Giannoukakis (whose progress is painfully slow);

Henry Holtz (and for his wife Antoinette and family). Pray for the faithful departed and all who are dying and

have died from the virus and its effects in such numbers, here and across the world.

Pray that our politicians may desire to build a better future for all, especially those most in need.

Our country needs them to work together to end the ever-more visible scandals of Child food poverty, inequality and

homelessness. This hard time has revealed so much that our society has turned a blind eye to.

Pray for Peace Despite the pandemic, serious warfare and conflict continue to afflict many people across the world –

notably, in Cameroun, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, Mali, Myanmar, Nigeria, Russia, Syria, Thailand, Yemen….

Our Parish Finances

During the last year, we have temporarily cut some costs, reduced staff hours, made use of the furlough

scheme, and postponed some planned works. Nevertheless, our ordinary (collection) income fell over the last

year by about £13,000 – if this may not seem that much to some, it is very significant to a parish with our

income, and will have increased further during the first quarter of this year. As is our custom, we will be

sharing more with you, in a financial statement before the end of the month.

So please support us whenever you can, especially as you begin to return to regular Sunday Mass.

Please continue your financial support for your parish. We do not take your generosity for granted

at this challenging time – a special thank you again to those who have taken out or increased your Standing

Orders, and to all who have continued to make generous offerings and sometimes special gifts, even while

we were closed on Sundays. Contact the Parish Office if you need to know more information on giving.

Here is how to give financial support to the parish:

You can leave your offering in the collection basket in the centre of the aisle as you exit, whenever there is Mass – please use notes where possible.

Gift Aiding by UK taxpayers makes a vital contribution (it automatically adds 25% to your donation at no additional cost to you). Email the Parish Office for the necessary, simple form for you to register. You can then give through a Bank Standing Order or by requesting sets of Giving Envelopes, or both.

Packs of Envelopes for those already registered for Gift Aid are available. If you did not get yours because of the lockdowns, it is still not too late. These do not need to be used only on the date printed on them. We will distribute new sets before Easter.

You can use the JustGiving page on our website – our thanks to those who have done this recently. You can and should Gift Aid when you do this.

You can also give directly from your bank account to the parish bank account: (Please use your surname as the reference, particularly for Gift Aid). The BACS details you need are below:

Sort Code: 50-21-01 Nat West, Clapham Junction Branch

Account: 82117209 A/C Name: RCAS St Vincent de Paul Church No.1 Account

With my prayers and affection as always,

And every blessing for you and your loved ones during this testing time,

Fr Tim