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Message 8th June 2025 [Cycle C Year 1] Pentecost Sunday Acts 2: 1-11 | Psalm 104 (103): 1ab, 24ac Romans 8: 8-17 | John 14: 15-16 The giving of the Spirit to the new people of God crowns the mighty acts of the Father in salvation history. The Jewish feast of Pentecost called all devout Jews to Jerusalem to celebrate their birth as God’s chosen people in the covenant Law given to Moses at Sinai. In today’s First Reading the mysteries prefigured in that feast are fulfilled in the pouring out of the Spirit on Mary and the Apostles (see Acts 1:14). The Spirit seals the new law and new covenant brought by Jesus, written not on stone tablets but on the hearts of believers, as the prophets promised. The Spirit is revealed as the life-giving breath of the Father, the Wisdom by which He made all things, as we sing in today’s Psalm. In the beginning, the Spirit came as a “mighty wind” sweeping over the face of the earth (see Genesis 1:2). And in the new creation of Pentecost, the Spirit again comes as “a strong, driving wind” to renew the face of the earth. As God fashioned the first man out of dust and filled him with His Spirit (see Genesis 2:7), in today’s Gospel we see the New Adam become a life-giving Spirit, breathing new life into the Apostles. Like a river of living water, for all ages He will pour out His Spirit on His body, the Church, as we hear in today’s Epistle (see also John 7:37–39). We receive that Spirit in the sacraments, being made a “new creation” in Baptism (see 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15). Drinking of the one Spirit in the Eucharist (see 1 Corinthians 10:4), we are the first fruits of a new humanity—fashioned from out of every nation under heaven, with no distinctions of wealth or language or race, a people born of the Spirit. Taken from St Paul Center for Biblical Theology This Sunday (8th June) is Pentecost Sunday. Our Pentecost liturgy will be a multi-cultural celebration with prayers and hymns in different languages. After the 11am mass we will hold our annual multicultural Pentecost social event from 12-3pm. This will be a bring & share event with food from different countries. (Bring your own drinks.) Parishioners are encouraged to wear national dress and bring their national flags. There is a signup sheet in the meeting area or you can sign up via the QR code, please indicate if you are able to bring a main dish or a dessert or if you are able to help with the set up or clearing away afterwards. Mass Intentions and Diary for the week Friday 06 First Friday 9.30am 12.30pm 6pm 7pm Mass, Charles & Mary Ward RIP Mass for the Sick Legion of Mary Wholehearted Choral Adoration Saturday 07 9.30am 5.15pm 6pm Mass Devotion to Our Lady Vigil Mass, Joseph & Winnie McDonagh WB Sunday 08 Pentecost Sunday Psalter Week 1 9am 11am 12-3pm Mass, People of the Parish (FC) Mass, Paul & Elizabeth TG (CC) Pentecost Celebration Monday 09 Mary, Mother of the Church 9.30am 6pm Mass, Michael & Bernadette McDonaugh & Family WB Confirmation Class Tuesday 10 9.30am Mass, Seamus & Margaret Maughon & Family WB Wednesday 11 St Barnabas Apostle 9.30am 6pm 7.30pm 8pm Mass, Annette Thompson WB Youth Music Group practice Central Choir Practice Bible Study Thursday 12 9.30am Mass, Thomas & Bridget Mongan WB Friday 13 St Antony of Padua 9.30am Mass, Fr Chris Benyon TG Saturday 14 9.30am 10.15am 5.15pm 6pm Mass Legion of Mary Devotion to Our Lady Vigil Mass, John & Theresa Maughon & Family WB Sunday 15 The Most Holy Trinity 9am 11am Mass, People of the Parish (YMG) Mass, Francesca Mary MaCreave RIP (CC) FC= Folk Choir, YMG= Youth Music Group, CC= Central Choir, TG= Thanksgiving, WB= Wellbeing, BT= Birthday Thanksgiving, SI= Special Intention, RIP= Rest in Peace, GP= God’s Protection and PI= Private Intention NOTE: Prayer and Eucharistic Adoration follows weekday Masses, until 11am on Tuesday through Thursday, and until 8pm on Friday. Please pray for: Stephen Popeley, Tom & Sally O’Regan, Anne Towner, Ted Hewson, Neil & Keith Ockenden, Maria Furtado, Elizabeth Cuffy, Annabelle & Michael Colairo, Paul Ford, Paula Seradi, Maria Mappley, Sheila Sharp, Michael Rowback, Kristine Harvey and Margaret Fox. Archbishop John is inviting us all to join him at Aylesford Priory on Saturday 7 June, 10 am-5 pm, for our Archdiocese of Southwark Jubilee Celebration Day. It promises to be a great event! For more information, visit: aec.rcaos.org.uk/jubilee celebration.

Fr Anthony’s 51st Birthday Last Sunday Fr Anthony was treated to a special birthday cake, a Mexican meal and other treats. He went on to thank everyone who had contributed and especially to Hannah, who had organised the surprise celebration. Fair Tax Week commences on Sunday 8 June The Christian call to justice is a familiar one; it’s a calling rooted in scripture, revealed in the words of the Prophets, exampled through Christ himself and a constant throughout our faith’s rich history. Tax can be a tool to help address inequalities in our communities and wider society, and raise government revenue to pay for public services and invest in a flourishing economy. Too often, however, the tax system is unfair, opaque, and doesn’t work in the way it should. Churches and community groups across the country are meeting the growing needs of those who are struggling, including through foodbanks, night shelters, advice centres and warm spaces. Fair Tax Week is a chance to reflect on the bigger picture and call for solutions to some of the root causes of the poverty and material need we see around us. Crime and Policing Bill and the seal of Confession The Crime and Policing Bill sets out sanctions if professionals working with children fail to report claims of child sexual abuse, this could threaten the seal of confession. The Government's view is that there will be no religious exemptions to this proposed law. Crime and Policing Bill and the move to decriminalise abortion An amendment to the government’s crime and policing bill aims to remove women from “criminal law related to abortion”. If enacted, it would gut the few remaining protections for unborn children and open the door to abortion on demand up to birth. Sign the SPUC petition at: https://cgo.ac/scf0OA3t Jubilee for Schools - Making the Jubilee Pledge Catholic schools have been invited to make a Jubilee Pledge to live out Catholic Social Teaching; to commit to a 'sign of hope' and stand in solidarity with communities experiencing poverty and advancing justice and harmony locally, nationally, and globally. Our new pope, Leo XIV, carries on Pope Francis' work and invites us to build a Church that "seeks peace, seeks charity and wants to be as close as possible to people who suffer". A better world needs all of us, and the Jubilee Pledge will be a whole school, long-term commitment to take concrete actions to build a fairer world, putting Catholic Social Teaching into action, just as Pope Francis and Pope Leo have asked us to do. The Jubilee Pledge: We are pilgrims of hope. We walk in solidarity with our sisters and brothers worldwide, sharing challenges and celebrating joys. We promise to be agents of change, working together for justice, love and peace, locally and globally. We want to build a fairer world, where every person, and the earth, can flourish. Visit: www.jubilee-schools.org.uk for inspiration and resources. Do you feel called to grow as a disciple of Christ? Established and sponsored by the Dominican Friars, the Lay Mission pilot programme is being launched in the UK this September and will run for three years. It principally consists of flexible online study, designed for busy people, and meeting twice a month locally in a small fellowship group. It’s open to any lay Catholic adult able to meet in one of our locations (subject to sufficient local interest). You won’t get a degree or qualification, but you will be trained and empowered to know your faith, share it with others, and put it into practice in creative ways. Registration opens at the end of June. Contact Catherine for information.at: lay.mission@english.op.org Free toolkit for schools to teach ecology St Mary’s University provides a free teaching toolkit for lessons on the Catholic Church's approach to ecology. This is a ready-made, six-lesson toolkit which gives educators everything they need to explore the intersection of Catholicism and ecology with students of all ages. You can download the toolkit at: https://tinyurl.com/fcknszy4 Free Exercise Classes from Everyone Active What type of exercise would you be interested in? For example: chair exercise, yoga, simple dance, Tai chi. Please speak to Father Anthony or Hannah, or drop us a line at the parish office at: carshaltonbeeches@rcaos.org.uk Mission Masses in the Jubilee Year of Hope….. Shrewsbury Diocese: Saturday 7 June at 12.15pm Shrewsbury Cathedral, Town Walls, Shrewsbury, SY1 1UE. Celebrants: Bishop Mark Davies, Fr Anthony Chantry, Fr Tony Grace & Fr Dermot Byrne MHM. Archdiocese of Southwark: Saturday 14 June at 12 noon St Thomas of Canterbury Church, Burgate, Canterbury, CT1 2HJ. Celebrants: Fr Anthony Chantry & Fr Joseph Donkor (new Missio Diocesan Director for Southwark. Archdiocese of Cardiff-Menevia: Saturday 21 June 12.30pm St David’s Priory Church, St David’s Place, Swansea, SA1 3NG Celebrants: Fr Gerry Hastie MHM & Canon Paul Watson. St Philomena's Catholic High School for Girls Open Evening Tuesday 1st July 2025, 3.30pm to 7.30pm. Transfer to Secondary School for prospective Year 7 entrants starting in September 2026. Tours and Talks. No booking required. Parking available on site after 3.30pm. Shorts Road, Carshalton, Surrey SM5 3PS, enquiries@stphils.org.uk Richard Challoner School: Summer Fun Day on Sunday 6 July Expect fun stalls, tasty treats, a mini beer festival and a fantastic dog show. Entry is £1. Just come along between 12 and 4pm. (The school is just a short walk from Malden Manor Station.) Pilgrimage Mass at Canterbury Cathedral 7pm Mon 7th July This Mass will be celebrated by the Papal Nuncio and gives faithful Catholics an opportunity to gain a plenary indulgence. To attend register at: https://canterburyjubilee2025.com/ Job: Trust Relationship Officer for Southwark Diocese The Education Service are looking to recruit a person to support its schools and academies. Details for the Trust Relationship Officer position are available at: https://tinyurl.com/2fehtnex “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.” Abraham Lincoln