EVANGELIUM VITAE by Pope John Paul II (Pt. 13)
27. In view of laws which permit abortion and in view of efforts, which here and there have been successful, to legalize euthanasia, movements and initiatives to raise social awareness in defence of life have sprung up in many parts of the world. When, in accordance with their principles, such movements act resolutely, but without resorting to violence, they promote a wider and more profound consciousness of the value of life, and evoke and bring about a more determined commitment to its defence.
Furthermore, how can we fail to mention all those daily gestures of openness, sacrifice and unselfish care which countless people lovingly make in families, hospitals, orphanages, homes for the elderly and other centres or communities which defend life? Allowing herself to be guided by the example of Jesus the "Good Samaritan" (cf. Lk 10:29-37) and upheld by his strength, the Church has always been in the front line in providing charitable help: so many of her sons and daughters, especially men and women Religious, in traditional and ever new forms, have consecrated and continue to consecrate their lives to God, freely giving of themselves out of love for their neighbour, especially for the weak and needy. These deeds strengthen the bases of the "civilization of love and life", without which the life of individuals and of society itself loses its most genuinely human quality. Even if they go unnoticed and remain hidden to most people, faith assures us that the Father "who sees in secret" (Mt 6:6) not only will reward these actions but already here and now makes them produce lasting fruit for the good of all. Among the signs of hope we should also count the spread, at many levels of public opinion, of a new sensitivity ever more opposed to war as an instrument for the resolution of conflicts between peoples, and increasingly oriented to finding effective but "non-violent" means to counter the armed aggressor. In the same perspective there is evidence of a growing public opposition to the death penalty, even when such a penalty is seen as a kind of "legitimate defence" on the part of society. Modern society in fact has the means of effectively suppressing crime by rendering criminals harmless without definitively denying them the chance to reform. Another welcome sign is the growing attention being paid to the quality of life and to ecology, especially in more developed societies, where people's expectations are no longer concentrated so much on problems of survival as on the search for an overall improvement of living conditions. Especially significant is the reawakening of an ethical reflection on issues affecting life. The emergence and ever more widespread development of bioethics is promoting more reflection and dialogue-between believers and non-believers, as well as between followers of different religions- on ethical problems, including fundamental issues pertaining to human life. 28. This situation, with its lights and shadows, ought to make us all fully aware that we are facing an enormous and dramatic clash between good and evil, death and life, the "culture of death" and the "culture of life". We find ourselves not only "faced with" but necessarily "in the midst of" this conflict: we are all involved and we all share in it, with the inescapable responsibility of choosing to be unconditionally pro-life. For us too Moses' invitation rings out loud and clear: "See, I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil. ... I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live" (Dt 30:15, 19). This invitation is very appropriate for us who are called day by day to the duty of choosing between the "culture of life" and the "culture of death". But the call of Deuteronomy goes even deeper, for it urges us to make a choice which is
properly religious and moral. It is a question of giving our own existence a basic orientation and living the law of the Lord faithfully and consistently: "If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you this day, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his ordinances, then you shall live ... therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice, and cleaving to him; for that means life to you and length of days" (30:16,19-20). The unconditional choice for life reaches its full religious and moral meaning when it flows from, is formed by and nourished by faith in Christ. Nothing helps us so much to face positively the conflict between death and life in which we are engaged as faith in the Son of God who became man and dwelt among men so "that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (Jn 10:10). It is a matter of faith in the Risen Lord, who has conquered death; faith in the blood of Christ "that speaks more graciously than the blood of Abel" (Heb 12:24).
With the light and strength of this faith, therefore, in facing the challenges of the present situation, the Church is becoming more aware of the grace and responsibility which come to her from her Lord of proclaiming, celebrating and serving the Gospel of life.
To be continued.
PARISH NOTICES
LIVE STREAMING. This has now started and you will see notices in the church to guide you on filming areas. Please remember that all readers, altar servers, Eucharistic ministers, sacristan’s and anyone who needs to enter the sanctuary must complete a consent form, which are in the porch, and given to Fr. Innocent or placed in the box in the porch. We cannot be held responsible if you knowingly appear on camera and have chosen to not sign a consent form. Please speak to Fr. Innocent for more information.
INFORMATION FOR THE NEWSLETTER. Notices for the weekly parish newsletter need to be emailed by Tuesday evening to bostallpark@rcaos.org.uk.
LUNCH CLUB.
The next meeting will be on the 20th February 2025 at 12.30pm in the hall.
PARISH MASS BOOKS. The Lectionary has now changed. Due to this change, the Mass books that we have will need to be changed which comes at a large cost to the parish. We have purchased part 1 of cycle C but we still need donations for the remaining 5 books which will cover all 3 cycles. We have received £1,655.00 so far and donations can be made in the usual ways.
Archdiocesan Jubilee Celebration Day at The Friars, Aylesford on the 7th June 2025. Led by Archbishop John Wilson, Please see the poster in the porch for information. If you are interested in a parish coach, please contact the parish office.
GIFT AID BOXES
The new gift aid envelopes will be available soon and will need to be requested which is a new system.
If you require gift aid envelopes for you weekly donations, please email bostallpark@rcaos.org.uk or speak to Melissa who will arrange collection/delivery of your envelopes. If you are a standing order or contactless donor, you will not be issued any envelopes but can use the generic gift aid envelopes which are in the porch for any second collections, mass intentions or fundraising. Please ensure your name is clearly stated so the gift aid can be claimed.
Gift aided donations allow the parish to claim an additional 25p per £1 donated at no additional cost to the donor.
If you would like to join the scheme or if your details have changed, please email the parish office or speak to Melissa or pick up a leaflet from the porch.
JUBILEE TOUR to Westport, Knock & Co Mayo, 6th April 2025. £799.00 pps. Price includes flight, 4* accommodation with Dinner, Bed & Breakfast. Lunch on three days, entertainment, excursions and transport. Single supplement on enquiry. See the poster in the porch for more details.
ST THOMAS MORE SOCIAL CLUB.
St Thomas More Social Club nights on Sunday evenings. Open to all very friendly atmosphere and a great way to get to know the parish community. We are also looking for new committee members and always need new bar staff. Please see the poster in the porch for more information.
YOUTH FESTIVAL MEDJUGORJE PILGRIMAGE 2025. 4th-11th August 2025. The full cost of the pilgrimage is £770. A deposit of £150 needs to be paid immediately to secure your place. Please feel free to share this information with friends & family, who may benefit from this. Please contact Noeleen for payment. Please see the poster in the porch for more information.
https://marian-uk.com/onlineBooking1.asp?id =Medjugorje&tour=7028
Contact Noeleen on 0203 808 5156.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION & CONFIRMATION.
Please note that the next First Holy Communion class will be on the 2nd March and the next Confirmation class will be on the 26th February. Confirmation candidates are also reminded that they need to attend the youth Mass on the 23rd February at 11am.
DEATHS
Please pray for the souls of Kathleen Fitzpatrick who died recently & Tom McCormack who died on the 28th January. May they rest in peace.
MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK