Pentecost Sunday (Year C)

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Veni Sancte Spiritus! Pentecost: a Present Promise “When Pentecost day came round, they had all met in one room” (Acts 2:1). These simple words mark the beginning of something extraordinary: the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and the birth of the Church. The Acts of the Apostles tells us that people from every nation under heaven heard the disciples speaking, each in their own language. In a world so often divided by race, language, and culture, Pentecost proclaims something radical: the Church is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. It transcends borders. From the very start, the Church was universal — not confined to one people or one place. The Holy Spirit brings unity, not uniformity; harmony, not homogeneity. What the Tower of Babel scattered, the Spirit gathers. What sin divides, grace restores. Pentecost is not only a past event — it is a present promise. Each time we gather for Mass here in our Parish, we witness the same miracle: people of different cultural backgrounds, stories, and struggles, united in one faith, one baptism, one Lord. Today we pray: Veni Sancte Spiritus — Come, Holy Spirit! Come into our Parish, strengthen our families, our hearts. Heal division, stir up courage, and renew the face of the earth. May the fire of God’s love kindle in us a deeper desire to live as one body in Christ. Happy Feast of Pentecost! In Christ Deacon Paul Please pray for those who are sick: Lina Senior, Elizabeth Freeman, Peter Hawthorne, Vidal Geronimo, Estelita Risaldo, Claire Godinho, Eunice Van Vurren, Canice Carson, Pamela Faber and James Langan.   Please pray for those who are recently deceased: Fr John William Wiley, Theresa Chee and Vivienne Wilfred.   Please pray for those whose anniversaries occur at this time:  Fr Joseph O’Kelly,  Jenny Wisden, Cosmo Davenport-Hines, Nalini Edwards, Malcolm Dyson, Pilar Pintor de la Iglesia, Charlie Lennon and Mely Mendoza. Congratulations to Tom and Olivia, and Luisa and Paul, who were married on Saturday 31st May in Petworth, Surrey, and Como, Italy respectively. May the Holy Spirit bless your marriage with joy, hope, and peace all the days of your life. Fundraising Dinner for New Hospital in the Holy Land at OLV The Guild of St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital want to remind you that tickets are still available for our Fundraising Dinner for the New Nablus Hospital - which provides essential eye care to patients in the West Bank - on Saturday 14th June at 6.30pm.    Featuring Palestinian delicacies and Palestinian Dabke dancers, it promises to be a fantastic evening! Tickets £80pp. Buy tickets here. Jubilee of Youth: EMMAUS Festival   Join us at the SPEC Retreat Centre, Pinner this summer for the unmissable Emmaus Festival, on 2-3 August 2025!   The festival will feature exciting speakers, workshops, Eucharistic Adoration, campfires, praise and worship (led by One Hope Project), and camping.   Mass will be celebrated by Cardinal Vincent Nichols. This is going to be a vibrant celebration of what it means to be young and invited to a life of HOPE! More information here: https://youth.rcdow.org.uk/jubilee-year-2025/emmausfestival/ Stella Maris webinar Parishioners are invited to an online webinar on Thursday 19th June from 7:30pm to 9pm. You’ll hear about the work that Stella Maris has been doing with seafarers and fishers over the past year, including the use of the funds kindly donated on Sea Sunday last year. To attend, please sign up at: www.stellamaris.org.uk/thankyouwebinar Ordinations to the Priesthood We pray for Deacons James Boyle and Sean Power who will be ordained priests for Westminster diocese at the Cathedral on Saturday 28th June.   We also pray for parishioner Deacon John Church OP, who will be ordained a priest of the Dominican order at Our Lady of the Rosary and St Dominic’s, Haverstock Hill, on Saturday 5th July; we look forward to welcoming him for his First Mass at Our Lady of Victories later this summer.  Walk in Prayer and Fellowship – Our Lady of Christendom Pilgrimage Join us this June for the first Our Lady of Christendom Pilgrimage, a one-day traditional Catholic pilgrimage from Tewkesbury Abbey to the ruins of Evesham Abbey. This is a day of prayer, fellowship, and spiritual renewal — walking together in faith through the English countryside. Mass, chant, and moments of reflection will accompany us along the way as we honour Our Lady and walk for the restoration of England. Whether you're a seasoned pilgrim or taking your first steps, all are welcome! Register before 15 June More information at: www.olchristendom.co.uk Volunteers Needed for White City Foodbank Mondays 10am–2pm Our parish continues its commitment to social action by supporting the White City Foodbank at the RC Church of Our Lady of Fatima, Commonwealth Avenue. As part of this support, the foodbank is now seeking new volunteers to help on Mondays from 10am to 2pm. You can volunteer once a month or once a fortnight—there’s no need to commit every week. No special skills are required—just a willingness to serve, a spirit of compassion, and a splash of common sense. I volunteered there on Monday 12th May and was struck by how well-organised and welcoming it was. It brought to life the Gospel call to serve those in need: “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink” (Matthew 25:35). If you’d like to volunteer or find out more, please contact Laura Allison (Outreach Worker) at [email protected] or email the parish office at [email protected]. Your time, even once a month, can make a real difference. Yours in Christ, Deacon Paul Retrouvaille:- A Lifeline for Married Couples Alone or bored in your marriage? Considering separation or are already divorced? If you are open to try again – Retrouvaille could be the solution. We have helped thousands of couples get back on track. Call to find out more  www.retrouvaille.org.uk +44 797 338 0443 Pilgrimage to St Edmund’s College, Ware   Cardinal Nichols will lead a Pilgrimage to St Edmund’s College, Ware, on Saturday 12th July and all are encouraged and invited to attend. The day will commence with Mass in the grounds at 12 noon.                     For registration: https://rcdow.org.uk/jubilee-2025/pilgrimage-to-ware/ Pilgrimage to Paris - a Journey of Faith & History 12th-15th September 2025 - with The Tablet & McCabe Travel   Join us for a 4-day pilgrimage to the heart of Paris, where history, culture and spirituality converge. Explore sacred sites, including Notre-Dame Cathedral, with expert guides. Spiritual guide: Fr Nigel Woollen. Three nights in a four-star, art-deco hotel near Montmartre. Return Eurostar travel from London. All breakfasts, dinners & 2 lunches included. From £1,890 per person sharing, limited single rooms available. To book, call McCabe Travel: 01252 226133 quoting “The Tablet” or visit: https://www.mccabe-travel.co.uk/pilgrimages/notre-dame-de-paris/ Pauline Books and Media The bookshop will be open from 9.30am to 12.30pm on Friday and Sundays. The contact number is 07561 456074. Young Married Couples Group Are you a young married couple seeking to build friendships and desiring to connect with other young married couples? Well, a young married couples group is present in our parish. The purpose of the group is to offer support and foster friendship and connection among the many young married couples present in our parish. The ideal age range of the group is under 40. The group meets every month to socialize and foster communion and support. Among the different activities offered are meals together, trips out, games nights and social exercises. If you’re interested in attending, please email Steve and Annie Caprio at [email protected]. You can also join our Whatsapp group using the QR code below:  Welcome to all our Parishioners If you are new to the parish, please come and say hello and complete the parishioner registration form which can be found on our website:  https://www.ourladyofvictories.net/support.html Here you can also find further information on all our parish activities. Weekly Mass Schedule Saturday (vigil): 6 pm Sunday: 9 am, 10.30 am, 12 pm and 6 pm.  Monday to Friday: 10 am   All our Masses are live-streamed from our website.  Please note: the sanctuary and first five pews are livestreamed 24/7. All the celebrations of Mass are recorded. The recordings are kept securely for 28days, after which they are deleted.   Eucharistic Adoration and Confession On Wednesdays, after the 10am Mass, there is Eucharistic Adoration. This is an opportunity to spend some time in prayer before the exposed Blessed Sacrament. A priest will be available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation from 10.30 to 11.15 am. Adoration concludes with Benediction and the Angelus at Noon. Confession also available every Saturday from 5 to 5.45 pm. Parish Team: Fr Nigel Woollen (Parish Priest) Fr Francis Thomas (Assistant Priest) Rev. Paul Hewitt (Permanent Deacon)  Sr Maureen McNamara rsm (Sacramental Programmes) Mrs Rachel Mulira (Parish Secretary) Our Lady of Victories 16 Abingdon Road London W8 6AF 020 7937 4778  [email protected] Support our Parish Financially here