Our ‘Diocesan Vocations Team’ has launched a special month of prayer for vocations beginning this Sunday. As Catholics, we know that God has a plan for each one of us and has called us by name, through our baptism, to holiness of life. He continues to call out to us each day to be his disciples; some to the married life, some to the single life, some to religious life, and some to the priesthood. In his Message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, Pope Leo highlights the importance of daily prayer and cultivating a personal relationship with God:  “We must urgently recommence our vocational ministry and renew our commitment to evangelisation” he said. “In light of this, I invite everyone – in families, parishes and religious communities, as well as bishops, priests, deacons, catechists, educators and all the faithful – to commit themselves more fully to creating conditions that allow this gift to be embraced, nourished, protected and accompanied, so that it may bear abundant fruit. “Only when our surroundings are illumined by living faith, sustained by constant prayer and enriched by fraternal accompaniment can God’s call blossom and mature, becoming a path of happiness and salvation for individuals and for the world. By embarking on the path that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, shows us, we come to know more deeply both ourselves and the God who calls us… “Dear brothers and sisters, dear young people, I encourage you to cultivate your personal relationship with God through daily prayer and meditation on the Word. Pause, listen and entrust yourselves. In this way, the gift of your vocation will mature, bringing you happiness and yielding abundant fruit for the Church and the world.”

As we prepare for coming of Pentecost this year the Epsom Deanery will be holding an extended time of prayer for 24 hours. The event will take place in St Joseph's Church, Epsom, KT18 7JQ commencing with 10.00 Mass on Friday 22nd May and concluding with Mass at 10.00 Saturday 23rd May . This is a graced moment for us all to gather in prayer around the Lord in the Eucharist - to pray, to adore, to be silent, and to hold the brokenness of our world before the healing presence of Christ. The event will be divided into 1 hour slots to which parishioners from all across the Deanery are invited to commit to coming to the church and spending 1 hour in prayer. We need at least two people to commit to each hour (so that is a minimum of 48 people across the Deanery). If you are unable to offer an hour you can come at any time for as long or short a time as you can manage during the 24 hour period - and of course more than two people can sign up for any particular hour. Those who are sick or housebound and unable to attend are invited to send their prayer intentions (in writing and in good time) via their local Parish Office and these will be placed before the Blessed Sacrament. There will also be opportunities to pray the Rosary, celebrate Reconciliation, and join in communal prayer at specific times (more information to follow). Sign-Up Sheets will be available in all the Epsom Deanery Churches from next weekend (25 th & 26 th April). For those who would like to attend but do not have transport, it is hoped to coordinate lift-sharing through the Parish Offices of the church where you are registered. Once we have a clearer picture of who may require assistance and who is able to offer a lift, we can try to make the necessary arrangements. As St Theresa of Avila said in the 16th Century, 'the world is on fire' - how much more so today. May the Lord bless all our efforts and desires to bring His Peace into the world. Fr Simon Hall, Epsom, on behalf of the Deanery

Born of a noble family near Glastonbury, Dunstan was educated there by Irish monks and while still a youth, was sent to the court of King Athelstan. He became a Benedictine monk about 934 and was ordained by his uncle, St Alphege, Bishop of Winchester, about 939. Called to the royal court by King Edmund, was appointed as abbot of Glastonbury in 943. He developed the abbey into a great centre of learning while revitalising other monasteries in the area. He became advisor to King Edred when Edmund was murdered, and began the reform of all the monasteries in Edred’s realm. Dunstan also became involved in politics and incurred the enmity of West Saxon nobles for denouncing their immorality and for urging peace with the Danes. Eventually he was appointed as Archbishop of Canterbury, planning a thorough reform of Church and state. When King Edgar died, Dunstan helped to elect Edward the martyr king and then his half brother Ethelred, when Edward died soon after his election.  He was a noted musician, played the harp, composed several hymns, notably Kyrie Rex splendens, was a skilled metal worker, and illuminated manuscripts. He is the patron of armorers, goldsmiths, locksmiths, and jewellers. His feast day is May 19th

The reading from Acts of the Apostles today is a story of waiting. Unlike the three days during which the apostles and some women waited in grief and fear after Jesus’ death, not knowing he would rise from the dead, joy and expectancy mark these days of waiting. The apostles have experienced Jesus alive with them again and watched his ascension into heaven. Now, upon his instructions, they return to Jerusalem and await the coming of the Holy Spirit, which he has promised. The second reading, written years after the Acts of the Apostles, is addressing a community which is experiencing great suffering because of their faith in Jesus. This Gospel reading is a section near the end of the prayer Jesus spoke for his disciples on the night before he died. (The prayer is more than three chapters long.) Jesus knows his death is near and declares that “the hour has come.” Unlike the other three Gospels, in John’s Gospel, Jesus’ death is not recounted as a horrific tragedy but is Jesus’ time of glorification. Jesus understands this as the time when he will be reinstated in God’s presence as he was before the world began. It is both poetic and a theological discourse on the nature of Jesus and his relationship with the Father.  The last thing Jesus does before his arrest is to pray for “the ones you have given me.” This includes both those who were with Jesus on that night, as well as all of us down through the ages who believe in Jesus. He reminds us that we belong to God and that our beliefs and our actions glorify him. While Jesus will no longer be in the world physically, he entrusts us with continuing his mission and embodying his love. Questions of the week  Have you ever had an experience of facing a very difficult experience with a sense of acceptance and strength?  This week, how can you glorify God by your actions?

The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . A slightly less ‘full-on’ week around The Presbytery this week, but still full of meetings . . . . On Saturday evening Fr D was delighted to celebrate our own Parish Candidate’s Confirmation for them. Although a priest celebrating the sacrament of Confirmation is possible it does not happen very often (this time, of course, because of the lack of our own bishop at present). A total of five candidates were involved in the celebration, four of whom had been prepared by Fr D over the past few months here in the Parish and one who lives in the Parish but attends a boarding school during the week and was prepared in another parish. It was very affirming to see the candidates, their sponsors, and their families alongside them entering into this new stage of their journey of faith - please remember to keep them in your prayers as they go forward. Straight after Morning Prayer, Mass, and Exposition on Tuesday Fr D picked up Canon Tony and went off to St Joseph’s, Epsom, for this months Deanery Clergy Meeting. The meeting was also attended by three of the Diocesan Schools Team who were talking about the new schools admissions procedures coming into effect in the next year or two. There was also an update on the 24 hours Prayer Vigil preceding Pentecost next Friday and Saturday. Wednesday after Morning Prayer and Mass, Fr D started work on a funeral service for a couple of week’s time before going to have his monthly lunch with Fr Ruslan (Walton-on-Thames). In the evening he was in Tadworth for a meeting of the (Shadow) Parish Leadership Team - again discussing the Prayer Vigil next weekend. Thursday, of course, was the Ascension Holy Day of Obligation, so Fr D celebrated Mass at 09.30 and at 19.30 in the church. Between the Masses he got most of his parts of the newsletter completed and emailed off details of the coming requiem to relatives of the deceased. After Morning Prayer and Mass on Friday Fr D was seeing relatives for the upcoming requiem and also blessing a new car for a parishioner. In the Afternoon he was celebrating Mass at St Andrew’s School, Leatherhead.  Canon Tony Churchill celebrated the Saturday vigil Mass because Fr D was at his Lourdes Group Reunion . . . . .

The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . Fr D has been away at the annual Canon Law Conference for the past week; this time held in Glasgow . . . . . Mon. - Flight to Glasgow from London Heathrow - Arrivals and Check-in - Registration and Afternoon Tea - Opening of Conference - Session 1 ‘Marriage Preparation and the Validity of Ecclesiastical Marriages Today.’ - Dinner Tue. - Breakfast - Mass - Group Photograph - Session 2 ‘The Canonical Implications of Assisted Suicide.’ - Session 3 ‘Conscience, Ecclesial Communion, and Canon Law.’ - Session 4 ‘Diocesan Marriage Tribunals or Inter-Diocesan Tribunals.’ - Dinner Wed. - Breakfast - Mass - Session 5 ‘Canonical Considerations for Parish Governance after an Unplanned Priestly Absence.’ Thu. - Breakfast - Mass - AGM Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland. - Session 7 ‘Comparative Analysis of the Penal Judicial Process and the Metropolitan Police Service Gross Misconduct Procedure.’ - Session 8 ‘Q & A Session Marriage Tribunal and General Canonical Matters.’ - Drinks Reception and Gala Dinner Fri. - Breakfast - Flight from Glasgow to London Heathrow After all of this he came back exhausted! . . . . . .

The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . A very busy week this time around as Fr D gets ready for the celebration of Confirmation next weekend . . . . Following Morning Prayer, Mass, and Exposition on Tuesday Fr D had to get up to the Dr’s Surgery for a six monthly diabetic check-up. When he got back (having had lots of blood taken for tests!) he was working hard on the Confirmation booklet for next weekend. He also started work on this week’s newsletter. In the evening he met with the parents of this year’s First Eucharist Candidates to look at the next section of the preparation programme. Fr D has the parents on the Tuesday evening to make sure that they are ‘up to speed’ before they talk about the material with their child on the Saturday morning. This time they were looking at the Eucharistic Prayer used at every celebration of Mass - remembering all that Jesus did to redeem us and thanking him for doing so. Wednesday, after Morning Prayer and Mass, Fr D had an appointment with a parishioner in the Parish Centre. The next edition of the Parish Mass Book (beginning with Trinity Sunday 31 st May) was delivered in the morning - it seems to have come around so quickly? In the evening for a short while Fr D joined the music group in the church who were practicing the music for the Confirmation Mass - we are so lucky to have such a group to support our various liturgies. On Thursday, after Morning Prayer and Mass, Fr D was off down to Crawley to try and clear his ‘in-tray’ before going off to the Annual Canon Law Conference next week. Whilst there he was able to ‘sign-off’ on a couple of Documentary Marriage cases as well. In the evening Fr D was meeting with a young couple who are preparing to have their infant baptised in the near future. Friday, after Morning Prayer and Mass, Fr D was straight off to Notre Dame School for their Patronal Feast Day Mass (St Jeanne), not quite on the day but public examinations take place from next Monday which necessitated a move of the date. Later in the afternoon Fr D was able to pack for the trip to the Canon Law Conference. On Saturday morning Fr D was meeting with parents and candidates on the First Eucharist programme. At the end of the meeting he went through the ‘Rite of Signation’ with the families which was scheduled to be celebrated at the Saturday evening Mass. During this the candidates are presented with a simple wooden cross (which Fr D brought back with him from his Easter Lourdes trip . . . . .)

Athanasius led a tumultuous but dedicated life of service to the Church. He was the great champion of the faith against the heresy of Arianism, the teaching by Arius that Jesus was not truly divine. The vigour of his writings earned him the title of doctor of the Church. Born of a Christian family in Alexandria, and given a classical education, he became secretary to Alexander, the bishop of Alexandria, entered the priesthood and was eventually named bishop himself. His predecessor, Alexander, had always been an outspoken critic of a new movement growing in the East - Arianism.  When he assumed the role of bishop he continued the fight against Arianism. At first, it seemed that the battle would be easily won and that the heresy would be condemned. However, this did not prove to be the case. After the Council of Tyre was called Emperor Constantine exiled Athanasius to northern Gaul. This was to be the first in a series of travels and exiles. Five times Athanasius was exiled for his defence of the doctrine of Christ’s divinity. During one period of his life, he enjoyed ten years of relative peace - reading, writing, and promoting the Christian life along the lines of the monastic ideal to which he was greatly devoted. His dogmatic and historical writings are almost all polemic, directed against every aspect of Arianism.

Today’s reading emphasizes that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and the gate for the sheep. For Jesus’ listeners - farmers, ranchers, and others steeped in an agricultural lifestyle - the metaphor was comforting. To us in the 21st century, many of whom have had little, if any, experience with sheep, the metaphor is probably less powerful. The last line becomes especially important, then. “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” Whether or not we can imagine our selves as sheep following Jesus, we can focus on his statement that he wants us to enjoy abundant life. What does it mean to have abundant life? It doesn’t mean that God wants us to have an abundance of “things,” which can’t bring fulfilment by themselves. Abundant life as Jesus preached about it means a life of joy, fulfilment, love, and freedom from want. Jesus wants us to have life in its fullness, here and now, not just after we die. Unfortunately, some of us were raised to believe that a life of discipleship dooms us to a life of deprivation, boredom, and no fun. We might think, consciously or not, that we deserve punishment or that we must work to earn God’s love. Or we might assume that we just have to accept this life of drudgery to get to heaven (abundance) in the next life. Yet so many of Jesus’ teachings and his behaviour pointed to the fact that he wants us to have the fullness of life now, not only in the future. He wanted to see people cured of their illnesses, freed from the injustices that kept the poor and the outcasts excluded from the community. He wanted people to celebrate rather than mourn. If we listen for Jesus’ voice, we can distinguish it from the voice of others in our world because Jesus’ voice will lead to a more abundant life for us. If some voice (of a family member, peer, advertising, etc.) leaves us feeling insecure, inadequate, fearful, or anxious, that is not the voice of our shepherd. Jesus’ voice always leads to a more profound peace, joy, comfort, and strength. Questions of the week  Share about a time when you have followed an invitation that you felt was from Jesus. How did you know the “voice” was from God?  Describe a time when you went astray by following another shepherd who didn’t care for you as a good shepherd cares for his sheep How did you realize you went astray? How did you find your way back to God’s path for you?