Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles (Year C)

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1700th Anniversary of the Council of Nicea This year marks the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea, which met from May to July of 325AD. It was called in response to the the Arian heresy, which appeared in the early 4th century. It is named after Arius, a priest of Alexandria who taught that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was not co-eternal with the Father and was instead a created being—divine but not equal to God. This was contrary to the developing doctrine of the Trinity, which states that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are of the same divine substance.   Unfortunately, Arius’s error gained a significant following, causing widespread division in the Church. In response, the Council of Nicaea was convened in 325AD by Emperor Constantine. The fathers of the Church condemned Arianism as heresy and affirmed the full divinity of Jesus, using the term homoousios (“of the same substance”) to describe the relationship between the Father and the Son. The problem with Arianism is that it questioned our very understanding of ‘salvation’: if Jesus is a mere creature, however exalted, He cannot give us eternal life. Only God can do that.   Council of Nicea produced a symbolon or creedal formula. The creed of Nicea, which refuted any who said that “there was a time when Christ was not”, would eventually be amended by the Council of Constantinople to give us something like we use at Mass today. The main resolution is that the Father and the Son are “consubstantial”.   Joining with Saints Peter and Paul, using the words we hear after professing our faith at a Baptism, let us celebrate saying: ‘This is our faith. This is the faith of the Church. We are proud to profess it, in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ Amen. Fr Francis   Please pray for those who are sick: Maurene Kily, Pietro Barbato, Lina Senior, Elizabeth Freeman, Peter Hawthorne, Estelita Risaldo, Claire Godinho, Eunice Van Vurren, Canice Carson, Pamela Faber and James Langan.   Please pray for those whose anniversaries occur at this time:  Ferdinando Carpanini, Ernesto Hernandez, Dorthea Bertelsen, Bernadette Clancy, Felimon Desacada and Pamela Weisweiller. Congratulations to Zoe and Vincenzo who were married on 16th June in Palermo, Sicily and to Laura and Carlos, who were married in Madrid, Spain on 21st June. May the Lord bless your marriages with the fullness of faith, hope, and charity.   to Fathers James Boyle and Sean Power to 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 Dominican priest at Haverstock Hill on Saturday 5th July; we look forward to welcoming him for his First Mass at Our Lady of Victories later this summer. Announcement It is with some sadness that we will be saying farewell to Fr Francis Thomas, Assistant Priest at Our Lady of Victories since his priestly ordination 2 years ago. He has been appointed Chaplain to the Youth Service of Westminster Diocese as well as Assistant Priest at St John Fisher, Harrow North. We'll be losing a joyful, enthusiastic and very hard-working member of the team, but we will have the opportunity to say goodbye properly to Fr Francis before he leaves. We will inform you of his successor when this is announced. Fr Nigel Peter’s Pence is an offering that may be small, but has a profound symbolic value: it expresses love and trust for the Holy Father, Peter’s successor. It is a tangible gesture of closeness to the Pope’s mission of bringing the Gospel and spreading charity and love all over the world. There will be a second collection this weekend. Thank you for your generosity. The Catenians will be speaking after all Masses this weekend. The Catenian Association is a network of Catholic men who meet regularly to enjoy each other’s company and to help and support each other in many parts of the world. Visit their website: https://thecatenians.uk/ Day for Catechists with Cardinal Vincent Nichols   Catechists from West London parishes are invited to a Jubilee Day for Catechists with Cardinal Vincent and the Agency for Evangelisation on Saturday 19th July (10am-4pm), theme: “Reawakening Blessed Hope”. Venue: St Gregory the Great, South Ruislip, HA4 0EG. Visit: https://rcdow.org.uk/evangelisation/jubilee-days-for-catechists-2025/. It is free to attend but please bring a packed lunch. To book a place, give your name and email address to your parish priest or parish administrator by Monday 30th June, for them to forward to the Agency for Evangelisation.  You will then receive an email from the Agency with more information.   Please note the pilgrimage to St Edmund’s College, Ware, on Saturday 12th July, has been cancelled. Apologies for any inconvenience. Married Love Project     The Married Love Project teaches the greatness of the Sacrament of Marriage and uses the catechesis of St John Paul II to implement these teachings in daily life. Three pillars: Formation, Prayer and Love. To start at Our Lady of Victories on Saturday 13th September 2025 at 3pm. More information to follow. Housebound or in Hospital ? If you are housebound, even for a short period, please let the Parish Office know so arrangements can be made for a visit. If you are going into hospital and wish to see a priest, you will need to inform the staff so a visit can be arranged by the Catholic Chaplain.   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 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