‘Thank you for raising money for The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD). Your fundraising has made a real difference. When people get together who want to change things for the better great things can happen. The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) couldn’t continue their work without you.‘
A very big thank you to everyone for your donations to CAFOD’s appeal to help poorer communities access clean water. In April St. Teresa’s were in the top 10 percent of fundraisers for CAFOD and in total we raised £1060.00. The following is a message from CAFOD.
‘Thank you for raising money for The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD). Your fundraising has made a real difference. When people get together who want to change things for the better great things can happen. The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) couldn’t continue their work without you.‘ A discussion of the document signed by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmad Al- Tayyeb will be held online on Sunday 9 May at 7pm.
The speakers will be: Julie Siddiqi MBE (Together we thrive), Archbishop Emeritus Kevin McDonald, Cardinal Michael Fitzgerald and Sheikh Dr Mohammad Ali Shomali. The event is hosted by South London Interfaith Group. The discussion will be followed by prayers, charity presentations and a virtual iftar (breaking the fast). Please book on Eventbrite: www.eventbrite.com/myevent?eid=150891431333 Questions may be submitted in advance to [email protected] The document can be found at: www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/travels/2019/outside/documents/papa- francesco_20190204_documento-fratellanza-umana.html ![]() The Catholic Bishops of England and Wales have issued a reflection on post-pandemic recovery and the challenges faced by the Church in encouraging people back to the Church and her Sacraments. The Bishops met for their Spring plenary meeting from 19 – 22 April 2021. In a reflection titled The Day of the Lord, the Bishops also praise families, parish communities and those who have worked tirelessly in hospitals, care homes, schools and prisons during these challenging times of ill-health, grief and isolation. The Bishops salute the leadership of our priests and also express gratitude for the ‘immense efforts’ of those who have provided food for those most in need: “The generosity shown in the distribution of so very many meals has given eloquent expression to the mercy, love and compassion which are at the very heart of God. Many have been touched by the joy of meeting Christ in the poor; and many of the poor by the joy of meeting Christ in selfless parishioners.” Whilst acknowledging the creative and diverse methods of outreach during the pandemic – not least the live streaming of Mass – attention then turns to the post-pandemic world. The Bishops recognise that it is impossible to predict the pace at which we will emerge from the pandemic but state “what is clear is the challenge we face of bringing our communities and the practice of the faith to a still greater expression and strength.” They identify the groups of people they are seeking to reach:
The Bishops highlight the strengths, the “veritable treasures” of the Catholic Church as being the tools at their disposal to rise to these challenges. The greatest treasure is, of course, the sacramental life of the Church and at its heart, the Eucharist.“ It is the Eucharist, the celebration of the Mass, that makes the Church; and it is the Church, in the gift of the Holy Spirit, which makes the Eucharist. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the lifeblood of the Church. It requires our active participation and, to be fully celebrated, our physical presence.“ At this moment, then, we need to have in our sights the need to restore to its rightful centrality in our lives the Sunday Mass, encouraging each to take his or her place once again in the assembly of our brothers and sisters.“ We face the task of seeking to nurture the sense of Sunday as ‘a weekly gift from God to his people’, and something we cannot do without; to see Sunday as the soul of the week, as giving light and meaning to all the responsibilities we live out each day; to see the Sunday Eucharist as food for the unique mission with which we have been endowed.” To read Reflection: Day of the Lord or download a copy click on the link below:- https://www.cbcew.org.uk/bishops-encourage-catholics-to-place-sunday-mass-at-the-heart-of-their-post-pandemic- lives/ Thanks to those who attended the Baptismal Meeting on Friday 30th April, it was wonderful to meet with parents of those about to be baptised. If you wish to have a child baptised, please speak to Canon Michael or call the parish office.
Canon Michael received a surprise visit from the Mayor of Merton, Sally Kenny, this week as she visited Saint Teresa's parish to present a certificate in recognition of Service to the community throughout Covid-19. Canon Michael wishes to thank the parish Re-opening Team and Catechists for the dedication and efforts they went to in order for funerals to take place, the church to be open for Masses, and the Sacraments to be received during the past year.
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