13th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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'Follow me!'   Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, The readings of this Sunday place in front of us our call to follow the Lord. The gospel may sound a bit shocking and disturbing. Indeed, we could think that Jesus is quite rude in the way he responds to what seems a legitimate request. After all, giving burial to one's parents was a way of showing reverence and respect not only to them but to the same God who is the Creator of our life. Then, why is Jesus speaking in such a way? What is he pointing out? In his remark, Jesus pinpoints how God's call implies a radical way of living which demands a change of lifestyle, and a constant re-evaluation of what are our priorities in life. God wants to be all for himself, he is a jealous God, therefore he continually renews his invitation to follow Him, placing Him at the centre of our life. Indeed, the anointing of the prophet Elisha is an image of our baptism through which we have been called by God to be part of his holy people, to be children of God. Our major concern should always be to seek to understand what is the will of God for us and to pursue it with all our hearts, our mind and our strengths.  Jesus will fulfil this word by mounting the wood of the cross and loving God with all his heart, all his mind and all his strengths. Submitting himself totally to the will of the Father, offering once for all the perfect sacrifice for the redemption of all mankind. The call to be a disciple of Christ is a call to follow Jesus to Jerusalem on the way on the cross. 'If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, he must deny himself. He must pick up his cross, (the yoke of the Lord) and follows me. Everyone who saves his life in this world will lose it. But everyone who loses his life in this world for my sake will find it.' ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ It is only on the wood of the cross that Our Lord and Saviour have laid his head. Amen. Fr Marco Eucharistic Adoration and Confession   Dear Friends, This coming week our usual Eucharistic Adoration and Confession window will be rescheduled from Wednesday 29th June (usual time) to Monday 27th June, immediately after the 10 am Mass. As usual, Confessions will be available during Adoration time which will be concluded at noon with the prayer of the Angelus. Please note that Wednesday 29th June is a holy day of Obligation. We are all encouraged to attend Mass for the Solemnity of SS Peter and Paul. Masses will be available at these venues: 10 am Mass (Wednesday) at Our Lady of Victories. Vigil Mass (Tuesday) at 6 pm at Our Lady of Mount Carmel. 8 am, 12.15 pm, and 6 pm (Wednesday) at Our Lady of Mount Carmel.   Peter's Pence   Dear Friends, The annual Peter’s Pence collection takes place on Sunday 26th June. The proceeds of the collection are used to assist the Holy Father in his work. OLV 2022 Inauguration Festival Final Concert by Johann VEXO   Dear Friends, On Friday 1 July at 19h30, Johann VEXO plays the final concert in the OLV 2022 Inauguration Festival of the new Grand Organ of Our Lady of Victories. Tickets for this concert are available now at johann-vexo.eventbrite.co.uk. Another big-screen projection will be set up to enable a close-up view of the organist.  If you are planning to attend, early ticket booking online is very much appreciated, as it helps us to build a clear idea of audience numbers in advance of the concert day. Tickets will be also sold at the back of the church after Saturdays Evening Masses and Sunday Morning Masses on the 26-27th of June.  Tickets Johann is Choir Organist of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris & Organiste Titulaire of the Grand Organ of Nancy Cathedral. This is a rare opportunity to hear Johann performing here in the UK. Here below is a video of Johann performing Widor's Toccata (5ème Symphonie) on the 1861 Cavaillé-Coll Grand Organ of Nancy Cathedral. Widor's Toccata Registration for the Sacraments of First Confession and First Holy Communion  Parents of children who will be in Year 3 in a Catholic School in September, and who REGULARLY attend Mass here in our parish, should contact Sister Maureen McNamara for registration. A copy of their child’s Baptism will be required. Children attending non-Catholic schools join a pre-Sacramental class for a year when they are in Year 2 prior to the year when they will be part of the First Communion programme (Year 3). These families must also be parishioners attending Mass here regularly. A copy of the Baptism Certificate is required. Registration contact is Sister Maureen McNamara, email: maureenmcnamara@talktalk.net The final date for registration is 6th July. New Catholic Students The University Chaplaincy is appealing to all parishes to point their way parishioners who will be students at any of the London universities and colleges, or University of Hertfordshire, this coming year. Based at Newman House, Gower Street, they also have campus-based chaplains at many of the universities and colleges. For any students other than freshers there is also an opportunity to live in at Newman House, a catered lodging with attractive rates and its own chapel. The application form is available on the Chaplaincy website, accessible by clicking on the button below.  Chaplaincy Healthcare Professionals Against Assisted Suicide Ahead of the BMA’s annual representative meeting at the end of June, the organization, Our Duty of Care, is encouraging all healthcare professionals to show their support for better palliative care and life until its natural end by signing the Our Duty of Care Declaration. For more information, click on the button below. Our Duty To Care Pilgrimage to Lourdes Spaces are still available on the Westminster diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes from 22nd to 29th July 2022. For the first time since July 2019 the diocese, led by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, will respond to Our Lady’s call to come in procession, to wash in the waters and to receive healing at this special and sacred site. For more information on booking a place on this year’s pilgrimage, please click on the button below. Pilgrimage to Lourdes OLOV LATEST NEWS GIFT AID DONATIONS:   Dear Parishioners:   We have worked with our colleagues in the Parish Support Team towards procedures for processing the Gift Aid from contactless donations trough the Dona provider. When signing a Gift Aid declaration on the device, you also will be asked if you would like your previous contactless donations to be Gift Aided as well.  Further, as entering a Gift Aid declaration on the device can take a couple of minutes, we want to help reduce the amount of time you may spend on the device, and reduce the queue for it. Leaflets have been created and placed at the back of the church and on the notice board. These contain a QR code that will enable you to use your smartphone to make your Gift Aid declaration. You can also access the Dona portal and leave your donation by simply scanning the underneath QR code: You can also donate securely by debit or credit card by clicking on the button created at the section end.   WEEKLY MASS SCHEDULE:   Monday to Friday - 10.00 am Saturday - 6.00 pm Sunday - 9.00 am, 10.30 am, 12.00 pm and 6.00 pm.  As we are about to enter in Summer Time Sunday evening mass WILL NOT BE CELEBRATED during the whole month of August.   ALL OUR MASSES WILL BE LIVE-STREAMED FROM OUR WEBSITE.    EUCHARISTIC ADORATION: Each Wednesday, soon after mass, there will be the possibility to spend some time in prayer in front of the most blessed sacrament, immediately after mass. During that time a priest will be available to hear your confession. Adoration will finish at noon with the prayer of the Angelus.  Confessions are also available every Saturday from 5 pm to 5.45 pm. BLESSING OF HOUSES:   For anyone who would like to have the house blessed, Fr Marco we will available to arrange it. Please send an email to marcosalvagnini@rcdow.org.uk CERTIFICATE OF CATHOLIC PRACTICE: For anyone who should require a certificate of Catholic practice, please send an email to jamescurry@rcdow.org.uk   Please do keep an eye on the website: www.ourladyofvictories.net which will be updated on a weekly basis. To all who are travelling at this time, stay safe and travel well.   Mgr Jim Curry & Fr Marco Salvagnini   Our Lady of Victories Daily Mass and Confession Times Donate Our Lady of Victories 16 Abingdon Road London W8 6AF 020 7937 4778  kensington1@rcdow.org.uk