Tag Archives: Christ the King

The King’s people

newsletter,

Happy feast day for today, Christ the King parish and school! Happy 50th anniversary for eight days’ time, St Brigid’s!

Celebration is an important part of our faith, as it is in life itself. I have always believed in marking the patron saint’s feast day in parishes, and Christ the King has a spectacular one this weekend. A few decades ago, the Church moved this feast from the last Sunday in October to the last Sunday in the liturgical year. It’s as if we wanted to go out with a bang. The universal kingdom of Jesus is such a powerful theme. Our Lord lived his kingship in an extraordinarily hidden and serving way. Yet when challenged in his last hours during his trial he affirmed that he is indeed a king – ‘So you are a king then?’ asked Pilate. ‘It is you who say it’ answered Jesus. ‘Yes, I am a king. I was born for this, I came into the world for this: to bear witness to the truth; and all who are on the side of truth listen to my voice.’ So feel free to celebrate this beautiful feast of Christ the King!

Our celebrations for the 50th anniversary of St Brigid’s Church reach their climax with the visit of the Archbishop on Monday 1st December to celebrate Mass with us. And here also we have every reason to celebrate, as the building both houses and in a certain way symbolizes the real Church – the people. We are marking not just bricks and mortar, but flesh and blood, those who have gone before us and those with whom we continue to journey onwards as the People of God. Please make every effort to join the parish family, with our bishop and some former priests, to celebrate this important birthday.

So there you have it – two very different causes for joy. On the horizon lies Christmas, with its season of preparation starting next Sunday. We will publish a full list of Advent and Christmas services and information in next week’s newsletter.

Fr Matthew

Christ the King bidding prayers, 18 May 2014

bidding prayers, Christ the King,

Prayer of the Faithful – 5th Sunday of Easter  May 17/18

Priest  We lay our prayers before the Lord as we ask for hope and strength  to follow in His Way.

The response is ……..fill the earth with your love

We pray for wisdom for those in the Church in positions of authority.  May they exercise their powers with justice and right.   (Pause)

Lord…………fill the earth with your love.

St Peter told us that we are a chosen people.  So we pray that men and women will be found to spread the word and to build up the church.

(Pause)

Lord ………..fill the earth with your love

We pray for the children making their first communion this weekend and for their parents who are their first teachers    (Pause)

Lord…………fill the earth with your love

Like Thomas we do not always know the way.  We ask to be guided along the path of truth and life.      (Pause)

Lord ……….fill the earth with your love.

In a quiet moment we ask the Lord to hear our unspoken needs

( Longer pause)

Let us remember in this month of May that all generations call Mary blessed as we say

Hail Mary ………….

Priest    Father God we make our prayers to you trusting in your Son and with the Holy Spirit for ever Amen

Christ the King bidding prayers, 1 June 2014

bidding prayers, Christ the King,

PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL – Solemnity of The Ascension of the Lord – Year A

CELEBRANT: O God,we come before you upon this anniversary of the Ascension of our Saviour to offer our petitions, confident that you will hear our prayers                   ……………………………..

READER: The response is:     Hear our prayer.

READER: Let us pray for the work Pope Francis is doing in the cause of world-wide peace so that all may share in your bounty………

(PAUSE)……………In your mercy Lord……..Hear our prayer.

READER: Let us pray for the church throughout the world as we pray and work in the cause of peace in our own parishes and families wherever we live.

(PAUSE)……………. In your mercy Lord……..Hear our prayer.

READER:  Let us ask our loving Father to watch over the young people of St. Brigid’s and Paul’s  and Christ the King as they celebrate their confirmation.   May they gather wisdom from above as they grow in faith, knowing that the Holy Spirit is always with them as they tread their paths of life.

(PAUSE)……………..In your mercy Lord,……..Hear our prayer.

READER:   Let us remember in our prayers Patrick Michael James Wood and Logan John Ollin and their parents and god-parents, as they are presented for baptism this week-end. (PAUSE)……In your mercy Lord, …….Hear our prayer.

READER: Let us pray for the sick and suffering, from whatever cause, so that they may find respite and peace.

(PAUSE)……….…In your mercy Lord…….Hear our prayer.

 

READER:  Let us pray for Roderick Forest, husband of Anna whose funeral takes place on Friday, 6th June.  And, also, let us pray for all our loved ones who have departed.   May they rest in Your peace which passeth all understanding.

(PAUSE)……….….In your mercy Lord…….Hear our prayer.

READER:  For a few moments, let us open our hearts to the Lord             ….(Long Pause)….

Let us join with the mother of our church as we say:      Hail Mary…………..

……………………….….

After a short pause the Celebrant will conclude the prayer.

CELEBRANT: Heavenly Father, we praise You and give You thanks for Your ever-present mercy and care.   In the name of your son, our Saviour,  Jesus Christ, Our Lord.                           Amen.

Christ the King bidding prayers, 3rd Sunday of Lent

bidding prayers, Christ the King, lent, ,

CELEBRANT: As a parish community we stand in the sight of God, who knows our every need. Let us ask Him then for those needs.

READER: The response is: Lord graciously hear us.

READER: Let us, with Pope Francis, ask for the grace that the Lord would give to each of us the wisdom to have confidence only in him — not in things, not in human powers; only in him.

…….. (PAUSE)……….. Lord hear us ..…. Lord graciously hear us.

READER: For those world leaders considering what to do about the situation in  Ukraine. May they be guided with wisdom to help achieve justice and peace in the region.

…… (PAUSE)…… Lord hear us ..…. Lord graciously hear us.

READER:  We pray for the church in Colombia where in the last five years 19 priests, a sister and two lay people have been murdered as they spread the message of God’s love. May they take heart in that love that died for us sinners.

 …. (PAUSE)…… Lord hear us..…. Lord graciously hear us.

READER:   For the children of the parish as they receive the sacrament of reconciliation for the first time.  May they experience the love of God in their hearts as they enter in a state of grace.

(PAUSE)…… Lord hear us..…. Lord graciously hear us

READER: We pray for Margaret Ames who died recently. May she rest in peace. Let us also remember her family and friends during this difficult time.

PAUSE)…… Lord  hear us.…. Lord graciously hear us.

READER:  Let us pray for our own needs and those of our family and friends.…. (Long Pause)…. Let us ask the intercession of the Our Lady: Hail Mary, full of grace, etc.

After a short pause the Celebrant will conclude the prayer.

CELEBRANT: Father, You gave water to the Israelites though they doubted You. Hear and grant our prayers therefore through Your Son, Jesus Christ in union with the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever Amen.

Christ the King bidding prayers, 2nd Sunday of Lent

bidding prayers, Christ the King, lent, ,

Priest – Heavenly Father, aware of your unconditional love for all of your creation, we place before you the needs of the world and of your people.

Reader – The response to our prayers is – “ Hear your children’s cries “

We  pray for all the members of your church that they may be inspired to share with others who do not know of the Good News of the love of God in the death and resurrection of His son Jesus………..pause        Heavenly Father….

We pray that our leaders, in their decision-making, both national and local, may be aware of the needs of all those they govern, particularly those in most need…………pause        Heavenly Father…… 

We pray that we in this church community, as part of our Parish Mission, may reach out in prayer and in physical help to the ill, infirm or housebound in our area……….pause         Heavenly Father……

We pray for the repose of the souls of those who have died, thinking particularly of Alice Nicholls, a long-standing member of this parish whose funeral took place last week………..pause    Heavenly Father……...

We pray for a peaceful resolution of conflict in so many areas of the world, particularly in the Ukraine and in Syria …………pause          Heavenly Father………..

We pray for all our young people who are preparing for the Sacraments of Holy Communion and Confirmation that they may grow and remain strong in knowledge of and faith in the love of God and of His son Jesus Christ……….pause            Heavenly Father…….

On Monday we celebrate the feast of St Patrick and on Wednesday the feast of St Joseph we pray that with their intercession that we will be guided on our life journey……… pause    Heavenly Father……….

We bring before our Heavenly Father our own needs in a few moments of silence……….longer pause

We ask our blessed Mother Mary to recommend our prayers to her Son as we say….. Hail Mary

Priest – Just as Abraham trusted the word of God, we too trust that He will listen to our cries which we make in the name of Jesus His son…..Amen