For over fifty years now, the annual Prisons Week has provided an important focus for Christian communities to pray for the needs of all those affected by prison: prisoners and their families, victims of crime, those working in the criminal justice system, and the many people who are involved in caring for those affected by crime on the inside and outside of our prisons. Prisons week raises awareness and generates prayer. It motivates volunteers to step forward and give their time and talents, in prisons and in their own communities. It also provides an annual focus and reason for Christians to work together, building capacity and motivation to make a difference for people who are out of sight and often out of mind. Our Retiring Collection next weekend is for the work of P.A.C.T. (Prisons Advice and Care Trust).

Our Music Group is presently practicing for our Parish Carol Service on Sunday 21st December ; if you are a musician or someone who likes to sing in a group with others you are warmly welcomed to join the group; Scheduled rehearsals are: Tue. 14th Oct. 19.30, Sat. 25th Oct. 10.30, Tue. 4th Nov. 19.30, Wed. 26th Nov. 19.30, Wed. 10 th Dec. 19.30, and Sat. 20th Dec. 10.30.

St John Henry Newman, the 19th century’s most important English-speaking Catholic theologian, spent the first half of his life as an Anglican and the second half as a Roman Catholic. He was a priest, popular preacher, writer, and eminent theologian in both churches. Born in London, England, he studied at Oxford’s Trinity College, was a tutor at Oriel College, and for 17 years was vicar of the university church, St Mary the Virgin. He eventually published eight volumes of Parochial and Plain Sermons as well as two novels. His poem, “Dream of Gerontius,” was set to music by Sir Edward Elgar. After 1833, Newman was a prominent member of the Oxford Movement, which emphasized the Church’s debt to the Church Fathers and challenged any tendency to consider truth as completely subjective. Historical research made Newman suspect that the Roman Catholic Church was in closest continuity with the Church that Jesus created. In 1845, he was received into full communion as a Catholic. Two years later he was ordained a Catholic priest in Rome and joined the Congregation of the Oratory, founded three centuries earlier by Saint Philip Neri.  Returning to England, Newman founded Oratory houses in Birmingham and London and for seven years served as rector of the Catholic University of Ireland.

Although all three readings today seem only superficially related, each implores the readers to persevere with confidence through times of trial. The prophet Habakkuk cries out to God for deliverance in a time of crisis. God responds, not with an immediate rescue, but with a promise that he will ultimately save “the just one.” Likewise, St. Paul encourages Timothy to live from the spirit of power, love, and self-control rather than falling back into cowardice. In the Gospel, Jesus reminds the apostles that even a little faith will suffice to do great things. Taken together, the scriptures for the day offer consolation and strength for everyone struggling with the challenges of daily discipleship in an imperfect world. Travelling with Jesus on the road to Jerusalem, the apostles acknowledge to Jesus that they don’t think they have enough faith. Instead of berating them for this, Jesus surprises them with the assurance that even a tiny amount of faith is enough to work miracles. If faith the size of a mustard seed is enough to uproot a mulberry tree, Jesus’ followers won’t have any excuses for why they can’t do great things in his name. In the meantime, while they are praying for greater faith, the disciples can do what they can with what they have. With faith the size of a mustard seed a person can plough, tend sheep, or serve at table and all of those actions can give glory to God. As St. Teresa of Calcutta wrote, we all have “the opportunity to be come holy through the works of love that we do because holiness is not the luxury of the few. It is a very simple duty for you, for me-you in your position, in your work, and I and others, each one of us in the work” (Where There Is Love, There Is God). How many times do Christians miss opportunities to serve God because the opportunities seem so trivial or commonplace? Or how many times do we not even attempt to do amazing things because we assume we don’t have what it takes to make a difference? Jesus doesn’t want excuses for not trying.  The second half of the reading changes the subject to the expectations of faithful disciples. We are called to be like servants, going diligently about our work without the expectation of reward (although Jesus promises a reward in other parts of the Gospels). He wants his disciples’ motives to be pure-do the work of God because it is right and good, not because it will profit us personally.

Saturday 11th October, 10.00 - 13.00 at St Dunstan’s Catholic Church, Shaftesbury Road, Woking GU22 7DT.  Curious about spiritual direction? It’s not about being told what to do, but about having someone walk alongside you as you listen for God’s voice in the middle of daily life. Spiritual direction is a gentle space to grow in your relationship with God, to notice where God is already at work, and to be encouraged in faith, hope and love. The diocese has a network of trained spiritual directors so please join us for tea/coffee from 10.00, a short talk at 10.30 with time for questions, then try a 10 - 15 minute taster session with trained A&B Diocese spiritual directors. Free; all welcome.

Traditionally the month of November is dedicated to the Holy Souls in purgatory. The Church commemorates all her faithful children who have departed this life, but have not yet attained the joys of heaven. St Paul warns us that we must not be ignorant concerning the dead, nor sorrowful, “even as others who have no hope . . . . for the Lord himself shall come down from heaven . . . . and the dead who are in Christ shall rise.” The Church has always taught us to pray for those who have gone into eternity. Even in the Old Testament prayers and alms were offered for the souls of the dead by those who thought “well and religiously concerning the resurrection.” It was believed that “they who had fallen asleep with godliness had great grace laid up for them” and that “it is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.” We know that a defiled soul cannot enter into heaven.  As usual Parishioners are invited to complete a ‘Dead List’ (available in the narthex) for any family or friends who have died since last November. These will then be added to our Parish Book of the Dead which will be placed on the sanctuary throughout November. It is customary for these lists to be accompanied by a Mass Intention for the ‘Holy Souls’ (the diocese has stipulated that the donation for a Holy Souls Mass is £10). Each weekend during November one of our Masses will be celebrated for the Holy Souls

The musings of one of God’s smallest creatures on events in and around the Parish over the past seven days . . . . Things beginning to move faster and faster as space in Fr D’s diary before he goes on holiday is becoming a rarity . . . . . . Those parishioners that attended the Diocesan ‘Festival of Hope’ last weekend came back very happy to have attended the event (Fr D had seen them off on the coach in the morning from the car park before he met with this year’s First Reconciliation families). On Monday the diocesan IT Manager was in the Parish helping to finalise the telecom and IT project that we have been working on for the past eighteen months. The object was to greatly reduce costs and to build in some measure of future-proofing in our use of telephones and computer technology. Previously the Parish was with BT Business for telephones and broadband which was quite expensive. This has now been switched to another business supplier for considerably less money and the whole set up has been streamlined (the bird’s nest of wires has also been reduced and will soon be housed in a data cabinet within the Presbytery - there is already a data cabinet in the Parish Office. Earlier in the year the Parish Centre was made wifi friendly in each of the main rooms so that any users would have access to a dedicated ‘Guest’ set up (this is now an expected part of modern facilities). In the evening Fr D and the Finance Committee chair attended a meeting of clergy and Parish Finance Chairs from the whole of the Deanery. The meeting enabled the Chief Operating Officer of the diocese to explain how finances might be expected to be organised once the Bishop’s Pastoral Plan brings the nine parishes in the Epsom Deanery into one Parish under the care of a team of clergy (Fr D was quite surprised by how sensible the meeting was with all participants offering insight into what might be!). Following on from Morning Prayer, Mass, and Exposition Fr D was off to the diocesan offices in Crawley. In the evening Fr D met with parents for the third of six sessions in the First Reconciliation programme.  After Morning Prayer and Mass on Wednesday Fr D was meeting with a representative of a television company who want to explore the possibility of some filming in the church in late January; nothing is yet finalised as there are other churches to be seen, but they were very pleased with the Sacred Heart as a possible venue . . . . . . .

OUR PARISH SUPPORTS THE COBHAM AREA FOODBANK Please can you help local people in crisis by purchasing items on the list below and placing them in the Foodbank’s collection point in the narthex when to come to Mass at the weekend? 

St Vincent de Paul was born to a peasant family in the French village of Pouy on April 24, 1581. His first formal education was provided by the Franciscans. He did so well, he was hired to tutor the children of a nearby wealthy family. He used the monies he earned teaching to continue his formal studies at the University of Toulouse where he studied theology. He was ordained in 1600 and remained in Toulouse for a time. In 1605, while on a ship traveling from Marseilles to Narbone, he was captured, brought to Tunis and sold as a slave. Two years later he and his master managed to escape and both returned to France. Vincent went to Avignon and later to Rome to continue his studies. While there he became chaplain to the Count of Goigny and was placed in charge of giving money to the deserving poor. He became pastor of a small parish in Clichy for a short period of time, while also serving as a tutor and spiritual director.  From that point forward he spent his life preaching missions to and providing relief to the poor. He even established hospitals for them. This work became his passion. He later extended his concern and ministry to convicts. The need to evangelize and assist these souls was soon so great the demands were beyond his own ability to meet so Vincent founded the Ladies of Charity, a lay institute of woman, to help, as well as a religious institute of priests – the Congregation of Priests of the Mission, now known as the Vincentians.