Training for the London Marathon had so much uncertainty that I also took on the @clicsargent “1500 BURPEES IN SEPTEMBER” challenge! – This was probably worse than the running to be honest! Burpees are foul and I cant do them without feeling motion sickness; for some reason I forget to breathe; and I always loose count so I throw in a few extra just to be sure – I’ve probably done about 20% more than I’ve actually counted! – If you hate Burpees, running or cancer please consider sponsoring me at justgiving.com/run262 or share the cause. – Love you all – #burpees4grace?
OUR LADY OF WALSINGHAM (24/9) . See the video at youtube.com/theChaplaincy . SEPTEMBER 24th is the memorial of OUR LADY OF WALSINGHAM. Many people know about The Blessed Virgin Mary’s appearances in Lourdes in France and Fatima in Portugal, but the Blessed Virgin Mary also appeared to Richeldis de Faverches an English noblewoman in Walsingham, Norfolk in 1061. . During her apparitions Lady Richeldis was given visions of the house where Mary received her visit from the Angel Gabriel and instructed her to rebuild the Holy House of the Annunciation. Many Christians, have had their faith strengthened by pilgrimage to Walsingham since the medieval age. Henry VIII’s Catholic wives had a strong devotion to Our Lady of Walsingham and it became one of Europe’s most popular pilgrimage sites when travel to Rome or the Holy Land was not possible because of expense or war. . Our Lady of Walsingham, and the Annunciation remind us of Mary’s openness to allow God to use her – her ‘yes’ to God. And there is a prayer called the ‘Angelus’ which many Catholics pray in the morning, the middle of the day, and in the evening, as a way of remembering the Annunciation and remaining open to God so that he might use us like he used Mary. . Let us ask Our Blessed Mother to lead us closer to her Son Jesus as we pray this Angelus: . THE ANGELUS The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary: And she conceived by the Holy Spirit. Hail Mary… . Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word. Hail Mary… . And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us. Hail Mary… . Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. . Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen. . #catholic #church #prayer #Jesus #god #pray #prayer #reflection #meditation #gospel #bible #saint #feast #catholiceducation @rcwestminster @dowym
PADRE PIO (23/9) . See the video at youtube.com/theChaplaincy . SEPTEMBER 23rd is the feast of SAINT PiUS of Pietrelcina, an Italian priest who lived between 1887 and 1968. He is more commonly known as PADRE PIO and is one of Italy’s favourite Saints. He became famous for his stigmata (mystically bearing the wounds of Christ’s Passion), as well as levitating (floating) whilst saying Mass, and bi-locating (being in two places at once)! Crazy stuff!!! But Padre Pio is only one of many holy men and women who experienced such supernatural activity. . St Pio was thought to have worked many miracles during his lifetime and on 16th June 2002, he was canonised a Saint by Pope John Paul II because of the miracles attributed to his prayers in his lifetime, but also since his death. You can read about the many miracles thought to be the result of Padre Pio’s prayers online. . Is there someone that you know that could do with a miracle? In a moment of silence, let’s pray for anyone we know who needs a miracle of any kind. Let us ask St Pio to pray for us and those who we are praying for – simply tell St Pio who you are praying for and ask him to pray [pause for prayer]… St Padre Pio: Pray for us. . #catholic #church #prayer #Jesus #god #pray #prayer #reflection #meditation #gospel #bible #saint #feast #catholiceducation @rcwestminster @dowym . Padre Pio was a type of Franciscan known as a Cappuccin. They wore brown habits and often had fuzzy white hair and beards. Can you think of a well know hot drink that looks like a mini-Cappuccin?
SAINT MATTHEW (21/9) . See the video at youtube.com/theChaplaincy . On the 21st SEPTEMBER the Church remembers one of the twelve Disciples, the Apostle and Gospel writer SAINT MATTHEW. Matthew was a tax-collector who were seen as traitors to the Jewish people. He worked for the Romans, collecting taxes for Caesar which paid for the very empire that was oppressing the his own people. Matthew would have been rejected by every self-respecting Jew – this would have meant he dare not show his face at the synagogue, and he wouldn’t even have been welcome in his family home for Shabbat. . Matthew was working when he was called to be a disciple of Jesus. This reveals how merciful God is – Jesus doesn’t require us to change to be called – he calls us then helps us to change. ‘The Calling of Matthew’ is one of Pope Francis’ favourite moments in the Gospels and he used this encounter between Jesus and Matthew as the inspiration behind his papal motto: miserando atque eligendo, which is Latin for “having mercy on him, he called him”. . Being merciful to others is a key part of a peaceful community, not only in forgiving those who have wronged us, but in reaching out to help others to change. At the beginning of the school year, we should make a special effort to allow others to leave the past behind and change – particularly those who have hurt or betrayed us. We ask Mary, the Mother of Mercy to pray for us as we say: Hail Mary… . #catholic #church #prayer #Jesus #god #pray #prayer #reflection #meditation #gospel #bible #saint #feast #catholiceducation @rcwestminster @dowym
I NEVER thought that running a half marathon on a Sunday morning would count as ‘winding down’ (or to be technical, ‘tapering’). So the VIRTUAL LONDON MARATHON is two weeks away and I’m running for CLIC SARGENT who help families fight childhood cancer. . justgiving.com/run262 . More specifically I’m running for Jess and Grace so that they and their families, and kids get the support they need during and after the battle. Kids and families just like mine and yours. . The charity itself, like many others, has just announced downsizing plans so they can prioritise front line services. This is due to the cancellation of most fundraising events this year. . If you can, please think about donating at justgiving.com/run262 to help these families get the support they need. . I’ve also taken on CLICS ‘1,500 Burpees in September’ challenge as there was such uncertainty around the marathon. It started out as 50 a day, but has increased to 70 then 100 to make up for skipped days – when I couldn’t face burping after a long run! . Please donate if you can. Like, share and tell your friends! . If you want to help ‘raise the stakes’ you could offer to donate £262 mins £1 for every minute it takes me to run 26.2 miles. A 4-hour marathon would be 240 minutes, so 262-240, would mean a £22 donation. I’ll donate £1 for every minute over 262 for everyone who takes this challenge! . I’ll also be sharing my route and anticipated times for 4th October should anyone wish to shout at me or throw Jelly Babies! It will start in North Watford, passing through the Mundens, Garston, Cassiobury Park, Croxley, Rickmansworth, the Aquadrome and finishing up at St Joan of Arc School where I work. . @clicsargent #virginlondonmarathon #race4grace #runforjess
24TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME . See the video at youtube.com/theChaplaincy . ‘Fairness’ has never been an attribute of God! Time and time and again, throughout scripture we see him being unfair. The Old Testament has a repeating theme of God making covenants with his people – which they break again, and again, and again, yet God is merciful and compassionate and always provides a way back to relationship with him. . In SUNDAY’S MASS READINGS we hear Jesus tell another story to his disciples to explain what the Kingdom of Heaven is like. The story is about a land owner who employs people to work in his vineyards. Some he recruits at dawn and agrees the wage of 1 Denarii. After 3 hours he goes and recruits more workers and the same again after six hours and nine hours. He even goes out to get more workers at the eleventh hour. After twelve hours the landowner calls all the workers together to pay them for their work – and he pays them all 1 Denarii whether they worked one hour or twelve. When those who worked the full day complained, the landowner reminds them that he is not being ‘unfair’ to them as he’s paying them what they agreed at the start of the day – “Why be envious because I am generous”. God. We need to remember that God is not like us. We are made in his image, yet we often think it’s the other way around. In the First Reading from the prophet Isaiah, God tells us that “my thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways not your ways”. . We will never be able to fully understand God’s ways and why certain things work out like they do – why ‘good’ things happen to ‘bad’ people. It makes no sense to our logic – it seems so ‘unfair’. We are called to trust that God has a plan, and not become bitter when he is kind, merciful, generous to those who we feel don’t deserve it. But this is what the Kingdom of God is like! . Let us pray that we would learn to be joyful for those for whom God is merciful and kind, that we would not be envious of his unconditional love – we ask him to soften our hearts as we pray: Our Father… . #catholic #church #prayer #Jesus #god #pray #prayer #reflection #meditation #gospel #bible #saint #feast #catholiceducation @rcwestminster @dowym
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