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? 

JUBILEE YEAR PILGRIMAGE TO ROME - 5 - 10 November (Cost £1,220 inc. travel, accommodation & half board; single supp. £188). Join two of our diocesan priests Fr Gus Campanello & Fr Nick Harden on pilgrimage to Rome. To find out more and book:-  sarah@tangney-tours.com or  01732 886666

Scripture gives us two different accounts of the coming of the Holy Spirit to read from today. One is from the author Luke in the Acts of the Apostles, which we hear in the first reading. The second is from John’s Gospel. How the apostles historically received the gift of the Spirit (tongues of fire or Jesus’ breath) is less important than what resulted when the Spirit filled them. The coming of the Holy Spirit sparked a tremendous change in the lives of the disciples. Whether they received the Spirit when Jesus breathed on them (just as the first human came to life when God breathed into him) or when a great wind brought tongues of fire to them, they became the best versions of themselves. Before the coming of the Spirit, they were a fearful, closed group, hiding out, paralyzed to continue Jesus’ ministry of healing and teaching. Once Jesus came to them and offered them his peace and the gift of the Holy Spirit, they immediately transformed. Rejoicing replaced fear, and the willingness to move outward to minister to others replaced their desire for safety.  The beauty of the Spirit’s working in the disciples’ lives is that God didn’t need them to become different people. They were still a motley crew of illiterate fisherman from an area of the country not known for any thing of significance. What they learned is that regardless of their lack of education, wealth, or social status, God could do incredible things with and through them. Jesus didn’t ask them to continue his work of building the Kingdom of God by themselves. From the day of Pentecost on, they had an Advocate to teach them, strengthen them, and embolden them. Questions of the week  Have you ever had the experience of moving from fear or timidity into a courageous actor in a particular situation in your life? To what do you attribute the change?  Have you ever known or heard about others whose lives dramatically changed because the Spirit moved them in some way? Please share.

21 June, 09.30-16.00 , St Dunstan’s, Woking, GU22 7DT. Musicians are invited to come to this day of reflection led by Mgr Kevin McGinnell of the Society of St Gregory, and Catherine Christmas our Diocesan Liturgy Adviser. Further details and bookings:  abdiocese.churchsuite.com/events/kzxkjy1e

“Every year, the Church in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, jointly mark the ‘Day for Life,’ as a reminder of the constant need to respect and protect the inherent value and dignity of each and every human life. This year, it will be celebrated next Sunday (Trinity Sunday), the 15th of June . All Catholics are invited to join in prayer and promotion of the Day. Useful resources, including a message from the bishops, and prayers, can be found on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales’ website ( CBCEW.org.uk ).  There will also be a Retiring Collection for the Day for Life Fund. Every year, the fund allocates over £200,000 in grants, to organisations which promote the Christian respect for life from conception to natural death, in various ways. This has made a significant impact in local communities within England and Wales, by for example, providing mothers and children with necessary means. This would not be possible if it was not for your generous support to the fund, we therefore invite you to give as much as you can and encourage others to do so.”

What we know of Barnabas can be found in the writings of the New Testament. A Jew, born in Cyprus and named Joseph, he sold his property, gave the proceeds to the Apostles, who renamed him Barnabas, and lived in common with the very early converts to Christianity in Jerusalem. He persuaded the community there to accept Paul as a disciple, was sent to Antioch, Syria, to look into the community there, and brought Paul there from Tarsus. With Paul he brought Antioch’s offerings to the community in Jerusalem during a famine, and went back to Antioch along with John Mark, his cousin. The three then embarked on a missionary journey to Cyprus, Perga, and Pisidia, where they were so violently opposed by the Jews that they decided to preach to the pagans. Then they went to Iconium and Lystra, where they were acclaimed as gods and before being stoned out of the city, returning to Antioch. When disputes arose regarding the observance of Jewish rites, Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem where the decision was made that pagans did not have to be circumcised to be baptised.  Tradition variously says that Barnabas preached in Alexandria and Rome, was the founder of the Cypriote Church, became the Bishop of Milan the (which he was not), and has him stoned to death in 61 AD at Salamis. His feast day is June 11.

Catholic Bishops Conference of England & Wales Statement on the upcoming Third Reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which seeks to legalise assisted suicide, is fast approaching its decisive vote in the House of Commons which will likely take place on either the 13th or 20th of June. The Catholic bishops of England and Wales oppose this flawed bill both in principle and in practice. Among the many concerns, we are particularly alarmed by the following:  This legislation would require many hospices and care homes to facilitate assisted suicide. This will put in jeopardy their ability to provide care. Parliament has rejected an amendment that would have allowed institutions to opt out of participating in the provision of assisted suicide.  The provisions for conscientious objection for health and social care workers are both unclear and inadequate. This problem will not be addressed by proposed amendments.  Safeguards against coercion for the most vulnerable are wholly inadequate, particularly in cases involving coercive control or social pressure. During Committee Stage, the bill’s main proponent was unable to confirm whether individuals seeking assisted suicide due to financial concerns or feelings of being a burden would be prevented from accessing it. Since then, no progress has been made, and many MPs consider the existing safeguards insufficient, with the potential to result in a “terrible tragedy.” We note the opposition for the bill from key professional bodies including the Royal College of Psychiatrists whose members will be expected to be involved in the process of assessing those who elect for assisted suicide. We have already seen the bill weakened during Committee Stage. In addition, MPs are expected to debate nearly 60 pages of amendments in under 15 hours. The whole process by which this bill has been brought forward and debated is insufficient for such a radical change. We urge Catholics, and all people of goodwill, to contact their MP and ask them to vote against this bill. We also ask you to pray that our representatives choose to protect the most vulnerable citizens of this country when they vote later this month. Archbishop John Sherrington  Lead Bishop for Life Issues and Archbishop of Liverpool

Join the priests of our Diocese who are celebrating their 25th, 40th, 50th and 60th years in priestly ministry, to give thanks for their years of service at this special Mass in Arundel Cathedral 12th June , midday, Arundel Cathedral.  PLEASE NOTE that due to this celebration there will not be Mass in the Parish on Thursday this week.

The priesthood is a special gift to the Church, through which Christ is always present to pour out His Spirit on His people through the holy sacraments. Today, on Pentecost Sunday, we pray for the Holy Spirit to be poured out on our Diocese, to produce many vocations. If you haven’t yet managed to pick up a leaflet the are in the narthex, please pick one up and make a point of using it.