Pakistan Emergency Appeal
Floods are devastating Pakistan, leaving millions in need of urgent help to survive. This is a terrible tragedy.
Please pray for all those affected and if you are able to make a donation, however small, please do so direct to CAFOD so they can get help to those who need it now.
Use this link to go to their website and donate:
Prayer for Pakistan:
O Lord,in the goodness of your constant love,be with the people of Pakistanas they face devastating floods.
At this time of great loss –loss of lives, homes and crops –may we be filled with your compassionand moved to reach out in love.
As we stand alongside our sisters and brothers, we pray thatthey may find consolation in their sorrow,strength as they seek shelter and safetyand courage to carry on.
Forgive us, O Lord,for our part in the climate crisis,and inspire us all to play our partin protecting the earth, our common home.
So that together we may build a worldthat reflects your glory,where hope drives out despairand all things are made new.
Deacon John Scanlon - New Pastures
"More than two decades ago I walked into St Augustine’s for a friend’s funeral. I stayed, asked questions, attended RCIA, took first communion, got confirmed, married & ordained in the 20 years since.
It has been a real joy, honour & privilege to be part of this community & to serve it.
With sadness and excitement, I need to let you all know that Gail and I will be moving away from Clifton Diocese at the end of Sept. We hope to see as many of you as possible before we go.
God Bless, Deacon John & Gail"
We send our sincere thanks to Deacon John and to Gail for the support, love, care and help within our parishes in communion and wish them both well as they move away for the next chapter of their lives.
Join us for Deacon John's last Mass here at St Augustine's this Saturday evening at 6pm.
A MESSAGE FROM FR BARNABAS PAGE
“Dear all, I hear you gave Fr. Frank a very good send-off. May the Lord bless him in retirement & may you see him again soon.
I will be starting in the Parish the week before the 2nd weekend in October. *Before then I will come to say the Friday evening Mass at 7.30pm on the 16th Sept (join us for a cuppa after).*
My aim is to build on the good work of Fr. Frank & to encourage what is already happening in the Parish. Fr. Jim will be the Parish Priest but I will have Pastoral responsibility for Downend. We will reinstate the ' Parishes in Communion'.
I look forward to meeting you but am sorry to be leaving the Forest. Mind you one good lady said 'Having a new Priest is like having a new dog, they need to be broken in!'
Bless us all & Fr. Frank for the road ahead.
Fr. Barnabas”
Thanks, as ever, to Deacon Vincent for his reflections for 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C
1st Reading from the book of Exodus 32: 7-11, 13-14.
Exodus is the Greek word given to this book by the Greek speaking Jews of Alexandra, who translated it from the Hebrew. It means “Going Out”, or “Exit”. The book is the story of God and God’s people, whom God frees from Egyptian oppression. God is the main character in dialogue with the children of Israel with Moses caught between the two. This passage we have today is set after they have come to Mount Sinai and Moses was called up the mountain to receive from God the ten instructions for happiness. Moses is gone a long time and the people think he is dead or deserted them, so they persuade Aaron to make a calf out of all their golden earrings, then Aaron offers sacrifice and worship to the calf, their new god. God is so angry at their ingratitude, that he wants to wipe them off the face of the earth, but Moses pleads on their behalf and God relents. But Moses carrying the tablets of Stone with the ten instructions for living in harmony with God and our fellow people, written by God himself, will dash them to pieces on the ground, in rage. What is remarkable is the fact that we do not even know the name of Moses, for this is a corruption of the Egyptian “Meses” the word for a lord of the royal household. This great prophet who works for God is quite content to let God be the Centre of attention whilst he remains anonymous. A remarkable insight into his character and a glowing example for us of true humility in his work for the Lord of Lords.
Psalm 50: 3-4, 12-13, 17, 19.
This psalm was allegedly written by David after the prophet Nathan had warned him about his adultery with Bathsheba. It is a beautiful hymn of sorrow for sin. It is a meaningful psalm to have before us when preparing for confession, an illustration of true contrition.
2nd Reading from the first letter of St. Paul to Timothy 1: 12-17.
This is Paul’s own experience of God’s mercy. Following on our theme of God’s forgiveness in the first reading and the lovely psalm of David on forgiveness of sin, Paul relates how God forgave him for attacking the Church, and pleads that God recognised his ignorance of what he was doing and how he then inspires him to become the great Apostle of the Lord and his Church. We are confronted today with God’s infinite and Divine mercy.
The Holy Gospel according to Luke 15: 1-32.
This long reading is very important for us to appreciate how God forgives us, not through our own merits, but simply because he loves us. One of the shepherd’s sheep is foolish and gets lost, and the shepherd behaves in a most extraordinary way, by carrying the sheep back to the flock. Likewise, the woman loses a coin and then when she finds it there is this call for celebration with the neighbours. Then one of our favourite stories of the return of the ungrateful, dissolute and ungrateful son. Once again, we see the father behaving in an extraordinary way to welcome the boy back. First and foremost, note the father is looking down the way the boy will come back, he rushes to greet him. It reminds us of the way God was looking for Adam in the garden after their disobedience. God is always looking for our return. His love is undiminished by our foolishness of disobedience, He wants us back in the fold with Him. How lucky we are to have such a God who sends his only son to redeem us by his great sacrifice on the cross. God’s love and forgiveness is eternal, we should always be grateful for his patience with our poor vision and response to his great Love.
God Bless us all and show us His great Mercy.
Deacon Vincent.
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