Saint Anthony of Padua Catholic Church
Watchbell Street
Rye, East Essex, TN31 7HB
01797 222 173
Registered Charity: 252878
Diocese of Arundel & Brighton (a Fairtrade Diocese)
Email: [email protected]
Parish web site: stanthony.parishportal.net
Web site of the Greyfriars: www.thegreyfriars.org/#!rye-east-sussex/cylw
Fr. Matthew Chadwick, OFM Conv.
Parish Priest
12 February 2017 ~ Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
World Marriage Sunday
Times of Mass This Week
11 Feb. Vigil Mass
Teresa Harkins (FMA)
6:00 PM Sixth Sunday God’s Ordinary Time
12 Feb. Sunday
For the Parishioners
8:00 AM Sixth Sunday God’s Ordinary Time
12 Feb. Sunday
Mary Newcombe (FMA)
10:45 AM Sixth Sunday God’s Ordinary Time
13 Feb. Monday
+ Kathleen Reist, mother of Fr. Tom 9:00 AM St. Ermingild, queen & abbess
14 Feb. Tuesday
Gemma, Jack, Harry Kennedy(FMA) 9:00 AM Ss. Cyril & Methodius, patrons of Europe
15 Feb. Wednesday
Sr. Joanna O’Brien, RSM (FMA) 9:00 AM St. Dochow, Welsh abbot & bishop
16 Feb. Thursday
Sr. Winifred Graham, RSM (FMA) 9:00 AM St. Onesimus, slave, martyr, “son” of St. Paul
17 Feb. Friday
+ Noel Devine, req. Noreen Hatcher 9:00 AM Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order
18 Feb. Saturday
Julia Reidy (FMA)
9:00 AM St. Colman of Lindisfarne, bishop
18 Feb. Saturday
James, Ellen McCann, Family(FMA) 6:00 PM Seventh Sunday in God’s Ordinary Time
19 Feb. Sunday
For the Parishioners
8:00 AM Seventh Sunday in God’s Ordinary Time
19 Feb. Sunday
+Dorothy Roxburgh req. Jocelyn 10:45 AM Seventh Sunday in God’s Ordinary Time
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5 February Collection: £ 302.86
Thank you Greatly!
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PLEASE PRAY FOR THE FOLLOWING PERSONS: Michael Charters; Susan Clarke (Bernie’s wife); Joan &
Kathleen Sherwood (sister & niece of Sheila Miller)
PLEASE PRAY FOR THE FOLLOWING DECEASED PERSONS: Mrs. Kathleen Reist, 99 years old, mother of Fr.
Tom Reist, OFM Conv., presently at Canterbury. She was at the time of her death the oldest of all of the
mothers of the friars in our province and custodies.
THE FOODBANK IS IN NEED OF TINNED VEGETABLES AND FRUITS. T.Y.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FRIDAY EVENING MASS WILL NOT BEGIN UNTIL MARCH DUE TO THE REDECORATION IN THE CHURCH.
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LOOKING AHEAD:
1. Today, 12 Feb. Fr. James McCurry, Minister Provincial of the Our Lady of the Angels Province, USA, will be
here on his official visitation.
2. On 14 Feb., the priests and deacons from the St. Leonard’s-on-Sea Deanery will be meeting in the friary.
3. A Day with Mary: Saturday, 25 February, Arundel Cathedral. See bulletin board & last week’s newsletter.
4. One-Mass Weekend: 26 February, 10:45 AM. Bring and share at St. Mary’s Parish Centre after Mass. People
are needed for the set-up. Please make yourself known if you are willing and able to help. Along with this
there will be a Fair-Trade tea & coffee for those who cannot stay for the Bring-and-Share.
5. Thursday, 2 March: Newman Association, Trident Nuclear Weapons – Vanity & Stupidity, speaker, Bruce Kent,
campaigner for peace & disarmament, 7:00 PM for 7:30 PM ~ 9:00 PM, Christ the King Parish Room, 3 Princes
Rd., Eastbourne, BN23 6HT. All are Welcome.
6. On 22 March Fr. Peter Damian, OFM Conv., Custos of the Custody of Bl. Agnellus of Pisa, will be here only for a
few hours on his official visitation.
7. THERE WILL BE NO MASS ON SATURDAY, 25 MARCH 2016 EITHER IN THE MORNING OR EVENING. Fr. Matt
will be attending a priesthood ordination Mass for two Franciscans in Liverpool.
8. Lourdes Pilgrimage: 28 July ~ 3 August. Check out web site: http://www.ablourdes.org/
VERY INTERESTING - One Papacy by the Numbers: In the 2,872 days of his pontificate,
Benedict XVI wrote 17 moto proprio enactments, 116 Apostolic Constitutions, and 144 Apostolic
Exhortations. In addition, 278 public letters and 242 messages to church leaders and
governments. Among his works are the encyclicals Deus caritas est, Spes salvi and Caritas
in veritate. His fourth encyclical, Lumen fidei was published by his successor. The Pope’s
Jesus trilogy sold millions of copies in twenty languages and reached believers in seventy-two
different countries.
Benedict XVI conducted 353 liturgical celebrations, held 340 audiences, (not including
foreign travel and private audiences), and pronounced 62 people blessed and 28 saints. In
addition to 27 special public prayers and 3,520 sermons, the Holy Father prayed the
Angelus/Regina Coeli 452 times with his faithful. In his tenure, he made a total of 1,491
addresses. He made 24 trips outside Italy (to 22 countries) and 30 trips within Italy. His
appearances in Rome and Castel Gandolfo were attended by 18 million people.
[From BENEDICT XVI LAST TESTAMENT in his own words, with Peter Seewald, Bloomsbury
Continuum, 70 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP, United Kingdom, page 257, AD 20062013.]
Some Comments: WHEW! The papacy remains the most unique institution within the most unique
Roman Catholic Church. No other person, religious or otherwise can speak to so many people, in so many
different cultures and circumstances, at any point in history, about so many things with the absolute Divine
Truth. Thus, it remains the most powerful force for moral teaching in the entire history of the world and the
most trusted pathway to true peace. Anyone who offers something less than this should consider being
quiet. A man who takes this responsibility upon his shoulders must pray for humility, Faith and devotion
each day of his life. What he says is listened to by millions of people in the present and in the future, even if
they reject his teaching. Thus, he must also exercise infinite prudence with every word he utters or action he
performs.
It is amazing that the Church often elects men who are near or past the age of retirement for the great
majority of occupations. We can understand why a man who has become frail because of his age would
consider retirement. Let us continue to pray for Pope Benedict and his successor, Francis during Mass and
at other times, especially when invoking the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and of the Church during
the Rosary and the Angelus/Regina Coeli.
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World Marriage Day
Second Sunday in February Sponsored by Worldwide Marriage Encounter, Inc.
Statement of Purpose: World Marriage Day honors husband and wife as head of the family, the basic unit
of society. It salutes the beauty of their faithfulness, sacrifice and joy in daily married life.
History: The idea of celebrating marriage began in Baton Rouge, LA., in 1981, when couples
encouraged the mayor, the governor and the Bishop to proclaim St. Valentine’s Day as "We Believe in
Marriage Day". The event was so successful, the idea was presented to and adopted by Worldwide
Marriage Encounter's national leadership.
By 1982, 43 Governors officially proclaimed the day and celebrations spread to U.S. military bases in
several foreign countries. In 1983, the name was changed to "World Marriage Day", designated to be
celebrated each year on the second Sunday in February. In 1993, his Holiness, Pope John Paul II,
imparted his Apostolic Blessings on World Marriage Day (available at wmd.wwme.org). WMD
celebrations continue to grow and spread to more countries and faith expressions every year.
Symbol: Our World Marriage Day Symbol speaks readily of the role and values we proclaim. Husband and
wife are symbolically seen as two candle-like figures, reminding us that married love calls us to help
enlighten the world. The couple is joined by a heart, focusing on love as the power that fosters unity within
the couple and generates the capacity to be life-giving and inspire others to fruitfulness and unity.
Theme: Our Theme for WMD has been permanently adopted as "Love One Another". This phrase is the
commandment given us by Jesus in John 14. It speaks to us in a simple but challenging way of how our
Father wishes us to live. Loving one another is a daily decision - simple, but challenging.
Prayer: "Father, as we prepare for WMD, we thank you for your tremendous gift of the Sacrament of
Marriage. Help us to witness to its glory by a life of growing intimacy. Teach us the beauty of forgiveness
so we may become more and more One in Heart, Mind and Body. Strengthen our dialogue and help us
become living signs of your love. Make us grow more in love with the church so we may renew the Body of
Christ. Make us a sign of unity in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Brother. Amen" - Fr. Bill Dilgen,S.M.M.
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Saint Valentine: Real Person or Greeting Card Seller: Officially known as Saint Valentine of Rome, he is
a third-century Roman saint widely celebrated on February 14 and commonly associated with "courtly love."
Although not much of St. Valentine's life is reliably known, and whether or not the stories involve two
different saints by the same name is also not officially decided, it is highly agreed that St. Valentine was
martyred and then buried on the Via Flaminia to the north of Rome.
In 1969, the Roman Catholic Church removed St. Valentine from the General Roman Calendar,
because so little is known about him. However, the church still recognizes him as a saint, listing him in the
February 14 spot of Roman Martyrology.
One common story about St. Valentine is that in one point of his life, as the former Bishop of Terni,
Narnia and Amelia, he was on house arrest with Judge Asterius. While discussing religion and faith with the
Judge, Valentine pledged the validity of Jesus. The judge immediately put Valentine and his faith to the
test.
St. Valentine was presented with the judge's blind daughter and told to restore her sight. If he
succeeded, the judge vowed to do anything for Valentine. Placing his hands onto her eyes, Valentine
restored the child's vision.
Judge Asterius was humbled and obeyed Valentine's requests. Asterius broke all the idols around
his house, fasted for three days and became baptized, along with his family and entire 44-member
household. The now faithful judge then freed all of his Christian inmates.
St. Valentine was later arrested again for continuing to try to convert people to Christianity. He was
sent to Rome under the emperor Claudius Gothicus (Claudius II). According to the popular hagiographical
identity, and what is believed to be the first representation of St. Valentine, the Nuremberg Chronicle, St.
Valentine was a Roman priest martyred during Claudius' reign. The story tells that St. Valentine was
imprisoned for marrying Christian couples and aiding Christians being persecuted by Claudius in Rome.
Both acts were considered serious crimes. A relationship between the saint and emperor began to grow,
until Valentine attempted to convince Claudius of Christianity. Claudius became raged and sentenced
Valentine to death, commanding him to renounce his faith or be beaten with clubs and beheaded.
St. Valentine refused to renounce his faith and Christianity and was executed outside the Flaminian
Gate on February 14, 269. However, other tales of St. Valentine's life claim he was executed either in the
year 269, 270, 273 or 280. Other depictions of St. Valentine's arrests tell that he secretly married couples
so husbands wouldn't have to go to war. Another variation of the legend of St. Valentine says he refused to
sacrifice to pagan gods, was imprisoned and while imprisoned he healed the jailer's blind daughter. On the
day of his execution, he left the girl a note signed, "Your Valentine."
The romantic nature of Valentine's Day may have derived during the Middle Ages, when it was
believed that birds paired couples in mid-February. According to English 18th-century antiquarians Alban
Butler and Francis Douce, Valentine's Day was most likely created to overpower the pagan holiday,
Lupercalia.
Whoever he was, Valentine did really exist, because archaeologists have unearthed a Roman
catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to St. Valentine. In 496 AD Pope Gelasius marked February
14th as a celebration in honour of his martyrdom.
St. Valentine is the Patron Saint of affianced couples, bee keepers, engaged couples, epilepsy,
fainting, greetings, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague, travelers, and young people. He is represented in
pictures with birds and roses and his feast day is celebrated on February 14.