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Saint Pope John Paul II, in Domicae Cenae (1980), said, of Eucharistic Worship, that it is “….both in the celebration of Mass and in our devotion to the Blessed Sacrament….like a life-giving current that links our ministerial….Priesthood to the common Priesthood of the Faithful…”.
As we are now privileged, at St. Bartholomew’s, to be invited to adore Our Lord every day of the week, it is fervently hoped that, gradually, more and more of our Parish Community will answer Christ’s call. Even a brief visit, a reverent genuflection, maybe taking five minutes out of a busy day, can be a source of great Graces and Blessings; with very young children this can gradually be built up into longer visits as they come to appreciate and love God’s presence and never-ending Love for them and their Parents. There is a touching story of a man who, daily, would pop into church, genuflect, saying, “Jesus, this is Jim. I have to be going now. Will you come with me?” and then leave. There came the day when he was involved in a fatal accident. As he lay there, life ebbing away, he heard, “Jim, this is Jesus. I have to be going now. Will you come with me?”. This holds a clear lesson for all; if we are, to the best of our understanding and ability, faithful to Jesus, He will more than repay our love when we die. There is only one day of the year, Good Friday, when Our Blessed Lord is not present in the tabernacle. Even then we would wish to show great reverence in church; how much more, then, should we wish on every other occasion, to show those who see us, believers or not, that we are, truly, in the Presence of God. Bishop Emeritus Fabian Bruskewitz, has this to say: “..we should (even) try to be respectful and silent in church after Mass, in consideration of those who may be trying to make their thanksgiving Prayers”. We are very lucky in this Parish as groups of our fellow-Parishioners already pray the Morning Prayer of the Church before each weekday Mass and, afterwards, pray the Rosary. On some days they also pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Why not join them in swelling the river of Prayer, both for ourselves, our Families and for our suffering Brothers and Sisters who may, even today, be killed for publicly showing the Faith we can take for granted! Some Catholics, sadly, seem to believe that the Fathers at the Second Vatican Council changed swathes of Church Teaching, even concerning central Teachings of the Church. Myths have grown up surrounding Vatican II. You may even have seen unsettling changes/modifications brought in and, having questioned them, been told that you must accept them as being in 'the spirit of Vatican II', whatever that may mean. The Council was Pastoral and not called to change the unchangeable (i.e. the Teaching that Christ commanded the Apostles to pass on in its entirety) but to remind us of the universal Vocation to Holiness; we are all, without exception, Pope, Bishops, Priests, Religious and Laity, called to 'do our bit'. Saint Josemaria Escrivá, Founder of Opus Dei, had already anticipated this call, clearly teaching that every Catholic, however 'insignificant' the world might consider them or their occupation, is called to live a holy life, whether in a 'high-profile' job such as a Cardinal, for instance or a somewhat less-regarded occupation such as a road-sweeper; the Grace of God, first sanctifying us in Baptism and ever there for the asking, enables us to attain this holiness.
Parents are crucial to this way of living. Through their love for God and, so, for one another, sustained by the Graces of the Sacrament of Matrimony, they form, through example, their children; they prepare, in this way, future Parents, Priests, Religious and Singles (just as much a Vocation) to be open to God's Call, to 'carry the torch' of Faith. There is really no excuse for pleading ignorance of our role in the grand scheme of things. We are all, thank God, educated and literate. The Council Documents themselves are still readily available as are later documents, such as Veritatis Splendor' (the Splendour of Truth), from Saint Pope John Paul II; he wrote this to the world's Bishops in 1993, concerned that,"....certain fundamental truths of Catholic doctrine....risk(ed) being distorted or denied...". These and other documents make excellent discussion material. Generally these are freely available to read on-line. Try dipping into this huge library. Some real eye-openers here - a kind of Catholic 'Highway Code'! The time has come when we must reflect upon the Sign of Peace. Prudence, respect for our fellow Mass-goers and our reverent love for the Holy Sacrifice, demand that we look objectively at this gesture; it can become too unrestrained and long drawn-out, diverting attention from our preparation for that sacred moment when our Lord Himself is enthroned within us.
The Church, in her concern that we worship God fittingly, and gain all the Graces this worship brings, has formulated certain rules which govern liturgical celebrations, actions and words, both for Priest and People; not so long ago, for example, we were presented with a more faithful translation of the Mass. The Fathers of Vatican II called for a more active participation by the Faithful in Holy Mass; it must be understood that this participation is not in the form of increased physical activity which, obviously, distracts attention, but rather, internally, deepened through a greater knowledge and understanding of this Central Act of our Faith. We need to consider that the Mass is Christ's once-for-all Sacrifice which has given ultimate meaning and purpose to our lives and that we are there to unite ourselves with this Sacrifice and receive the Victim in Holy Communion. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (82) recently reiterated by Rome makes it abundantly clear that,"....It is, however, appropriate that each person offer the sign of peace only to those who are nearest and in a sober (i.e. dignified) manner...."; generally, that would be the person we are standing beside at Mass. The whole document is well worth reading and can be found HERE. It has clearly become necessary to restore to this highly significant act, the dignity it deserves, so that it does not, in fact, distract us and others from, or disrupt our preparation for the closest encounter with Christ until we join Him in Heaven forever. The very fact that we are together at Mass is, surely, also a sign of Peace existing among us. |
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Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark
A Registered Incorporated Charity - CIO No. 1173050
A Registered Incorporated Charity - CIO No. 1173050
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Accessibility - St. Bartholomew's does its utmost to accommodate those with additional needs. Whilst the main body of the church is wholly accessible to people with mobility disabilities, the choir gallery is both approached by stairs and the seating is then stepped by design. The church has a wheelchair-accessible toilet, and baby-changing facilities. There is a Loop System (AFIL) in place in the church.
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