Dearest friends,
Peace, Peace, Peace. A simple but powerful prayer.
In 2022 my father and I drove across Europe to Ukraine to take aid to a refugee centre on the boarder and to bring a family home to live with us.
As we drove across Poland to reach the Ukraine boarder it became very clear that things had changed. We left Germany (and the very fast motorway) behind us, and slowed down to make sure we were within the new speed limit. As we slowed we started to notice more around us.
Instead of the blur of green we started to see small shrines dedicated to Our Lady. We saw bill boards at the side of the motorway dedicated to prayer and time and time again we saw this bill board (pictured).
It reads ‘Peace, Peace, Peace’ and had an image of Our Lady of Medjugorje on the left hand side.
This poster appeared time and time again. I stopped counting after 100 and started timing how soon it would be before I saw it again.
As I sat in my hotel room that night I turned on the TV and on their equivalent of BBC One was a live broadcast of the Angelus. This public proclamation of prayer, of dedication to Jesus and to His Mother served as a constant reminder to pray and to live life within the boundless love of the Holy Family.
I found it deeply comforting and profoundly inspiring. Just five miles from where this photograph was taken is a country still plunged into war in the face of a relentless aggressor.
But in the face of that relentless aggression and evil, the response – first and last – should always be prayer.
So pray this week, pray Peace, Peace, Peace and consider how you can show your faith to the world and inspire others to know Jesus.
Fr. Matthew
Notices
Summer Fete at St. Luke’s
I need a few volunteers to help organise our simplified summer get together on the 16th August. Please be in touch with Fr. Matthew.
Service Times
I am considering moving the service times to 9am and 11:15am to enable me to stay at St. John’s for a short time each week, but to also arrive at St. Luke’s with more than just five minutes to spare. I would like to hear your thoughts before we discuss it at our next PCC meetings. Please drop me an email or message or tell me during the week.
Pray for Peace
Please spend this week praying for Peace in our fallen and broken world. Pray that people will come to Jesus Christ and his Love will soften their hearts and save them from evil.
Sunday 13th July
15th Sunday in Ordinary Time 🟢
9:15am – Sung Parish Mass [SJ]
11am – Sung Parish Mass [SL]
12pm – Parish Lunch [SL]
Divine Office Psalter Week 3, C(I), Trinity 4, Proper 10
Upcoming Dates
July
- 13th – St. Luke’s Parish Lunch
- 19th – Table Top Sale, 10am – 12pm [SJ]
August
- 10th – St. Luke’s Parish Lunch
- 16th – Summer Fete [SL]
- 17th – Evensong, 6pm [SJ]
- 31st – Joint Mass, 10am [SJ]
- Summer BBQ, 1pm – 5pm [SJ]
- Evensong, West Ogwell Church (TQ12 6EW), 5:30pm
No Ladies Group in August
No midweek mass during August instead, Coffee & Natter, Tuesday’s [SJ] & Wednesday’s [SL] 10am
St. Luke’s Men’s Group meets every Friday for mass at 10am anddiscussion afterwards. [SL]
The T.H.A.T Foodbank are currently short of:
- Squash
- Rice Pudding
- Custard
- Sugar
- Coffee
- Microwavable Rice