St Teresa & St John Southworth Churches, Cleveleys
Fr Chris Cousens—Phone: 853340
Rev Bernard Ward (Deacon) (Tel: 858346)
Enquiries for St John Southworth: Phone: 853340
10 September 2023
http://www.st-teresas-church.co.uk
Email: st.teresas.cleveleys@gmail.com
Lancaster Roman Catholic Diocesan Trustees Registered Charity Number 23433
Sunday : The 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Contents: Gospel
Notices
Reflections for the coming week
Gospel:
Matthew: 18:15-20
Jesus said to his disciples: “If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother, if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you: the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain the charge. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community; and if he refuses to listen to the community, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.
“I tell you solemnly, whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.
“I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name I shall be there with them.”
Gospel Reflection : Minds Think Alike – Great.
Two brothers shared a family farm. one was married, the other wasn’t.
One day the single brother said to himself “It’s not fair that we should share the produce equally. I am alone but my brother has a family to support”. So at night he took a sack of grain from his store, crept over the field between their houses, and put it into his brother’s store.
Meanwhile his brother had a similar idea and said “It’s not right that we should share the produce equally. I have my family supporting me, but my brother is alone”. So at night he took a sack of grain from his store, and quietly put it into his brother’s.
This went on for several weeks. Neither could understand how his supply never dwindled, until one night they bumped into each other in the dark. Realising what had been happening, they dropped the grain, and embraced.
And a voice from heaven broke the silence and said “Here is where I can build my kingdom. For where people meet in love, there I am present among them”.
We Remember In Our Prayers Rod Yiannaki, whose Funeral is at St. Teresa’s on Wednesday, 20th September, at 10.30 am, and Freya Coppen, whose Funeral is at St. Teresa’s on Monday, 25th September at 11 am. We remember them, and their families, at this very sad time. May they all be in God’s love and peace.
This Weekend At Each Mass There Is A Special Collection For The Catholic Education Services. This annual, mandatory collection goes to support the Catholic Education Services which in turn support all our Catholic education establishments, and staff and students,in this country. They always work very hard for us, and certainly have had to do so in recent times, including in the current, difficult situation of buildings with crumbling concrete.
A Big Thank You to all those who last Tuesday volunteered their time and help to tidy up the grounds around St. Teresa’s Church. It was warm work in the sunshine for them, but they kindly freed the grounds from weeds and rubbish. Thank you so much.
The ‘Hub in the Hall’ Meetings take place in St. Teresa’s Church Hall each Wednesday, 2 pm – 4 pm. All are very welcome.
The Church Shop, in the porch at St. Teresa’s, is open before and after each Weekend Mass. You are very welcome to go in and browse.
The Food Pantry At St. Teresa’s Church is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 10.30 am – 12 noon, and on Wednesdays, 2.30 pm – 4 pm
100 Club Winners For August Anne- Marie Bostock £15, Carol Reid £10, Chris Cousens £5
There Is An Open Evening At Cardinal Allen Catholic High School on Thursday, 21st September. Doors will be open at 4.45 pm, with the Headteachers address at both 5 pm, and 6 pm, giving parents and pupils the option. When Ofsted visited the school last year, they confirmed that Cardinal Allen remains a good school, adding “Pupils are happy to attend this kind and welcoming school, where pupils achieve well.” The Section 48 Denominational Report was glowing in its praise for the pupils, and the School was adjudged an “Outstanding Catholic School”.
Now is the time of course to consider and apply for Secondary Education for September next year. Cardinal Allen have answers to the questions you might have, and help for your needs or concerns. Please consider attending the Open Evening on 21st, September.
Daily Reflections for this week
Monday (Thomas Merton)
The closer we are to God, the closer we are to those who are close to Him. We can come to understand others only by loving Him who understands them from within the depths of their own being. If we wait for some people to become agreeable or attractive before we begin to love them, we will never begin. Some people never reveal any of the good that is hidden in them until we give them some of the good that is in ourselves. We are so much the children of God that by loving others we can make them good and loveable, in spite of themselves.
Scripture (Galatians 6:1-2)
Brothers and sisters, even if one of you is caught doing something wrong, those of you who are spiritual should set that person right in a spirit of gentleness; and watch yourselves that you are not put to the test in the same way. Carry each other’s burdens; that is how to keep the Law of Christ.
Tuesday (Albert Camus)
What the world expects of Christians is that they should speak out, loud and clear; that they should voice their condemnation in such a way that never a doubt, never the slightest doubt, could arise in the heart of the simplest person; that they should get away from abstraction and confront the evil in the world today.
Scripture (Matthew 18:15-17)
Jesus said, ‘If someone does something wrong, go and have it out with them alone, between your two selves. If they listen to you, you have won them back. If they don’t listen, take one or two others along with you: whatever the misdemeanour, the evidence of two or three is required to sustain the charge. But if they refuse to listen to these, report it to the community; and if they refuse to listen to the community, treat them like a pagan or a tax-collector.
Wednesday (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)
When we judge other people, we confront them in a spirit of detachment, observing as it were from the outside. If we love, we can never observe the other with detachment, for they are always and at every moment a living claim to our love and service. I am not forbidden to have my own thoughts about the other person, to realise their shortcomings, but only to the extent that it offers me an occasion for forgiveness and unconditional love, as Jesus proves to me.
Scripture (Wisdom 11:23-24,12:1-2)
You are merciful to all because you are almighty, you overlook people’s sins so they can repent. Yes, you love everything that exists and nothing you have made disgusts you, since if you had hated something, you would not have made it. For your imperishable spirit is in everything! And thus, gradually, you correct those who offend; you admonish them and remind them of how they have sinned, so that they may abstain from evil and trust in you, Lord.
Thursday (Oscar Romero)
To be a Christian means to have the courage to preach the true teaching of Christ and not be afraid of it, not to be silent out of fear and preach something easy that won’t cause problems. To be a Christian means to have the courage that the Holy Spirit gives in the sacrament of Confirmation, to make his teaching prevail, to reach hearts and proclaim to them the courage that one must have to defend God’s law. May today be for us a renewal of the Holy Spirit, of the courage that we must have as Christians.
Scripture (Philippians 1:27-29)
You must always behave in a way worthy of the Gospel of Christ, so that I shall find you firm and united in Spirit, battling as a team with a single aim, for the faith of the Gospel, undismayed by any of your opponents. This will be a clear sign for them that they are to be lost and for you that you are to be saved. This comes from God, for you have been granted the privilege for Christ’s sake, not only of believing in him but of suffering for him as well.
Friday (Martin Luther King)
I should like to talk with you about a good man, whose exemplary life will always be like a flashing light to plague the dozing conscience of mankind. His goodness was not found in a passive commitment to a particular creed, but in his active participation in life; not in a moral pilgrimage that reached its destination point, but in the love ethic by which he journeyed life’s highway.
Scripture (Isaiah 42:6-7)
I, the Lord, have called you in saving justice, I have grasped you by the hand and shaped you; I have made you a covenant of the people and light to the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to free captives from prison, and those who live in darkness from the dungeon.
Martin Bennett