Saturday 7th - Sunday 15th June 2025
- bostallpark
- Jun 6
- 7 min read
PENTECOST SUNDAY
SUNDAY 8TH JUNE 2025
POPE FRANCIS HOMILY 19TH MAY 2024.
The account of Pentecost (cf. Acts 2:1-11) shows us two areas of the Holy Spirit’s working in the Church: in us and in mission, with two characteristics: power and gentleness.
The Spirit’s work in us is powerful, as symbolized by the signs of wind and fire, which are often associated with God’s power in the Bible (cf. Ex 19:16-19). Without such power we would never be able to defeat evil on our own, nor overcome the “desires of the flesh” that Saint Paul refers to, those drives of the soul: “impurity, idolatry, dissension, and envy” (cf. Gal 5:19-21). They can be overcome with the Spirit who gives us the power to do so, for he enters into our hearts that are “parched, stiff and cold” (cf. Sequence Veni Sancte Spiritus). These drives spoil our relationships with others and divide our communities, yet the Spirit enters into our hearts and heals everything.
Jesus too shows us this when, prompted by the Spirit, he withdraws for forty days and is tempted in the desert (cf. Mt. 4:1-11). During that time his humanity also grows, is strengthened and prepared for mission.
At the same time, the Paraclete’s working in us is also gentle: powerful and gentle. The wind and the fire do not destroy or reduce to ashes whatever they touch: the one fills the house where the disciples are, and the other rests gently, in the form of flames, on the head of each. This gentleness, too, is a feature of God’s way of acting, one that we frequently encounter in the Scriptures.
It is reassuring to see how the same sturdy, calloused hand that first breaks up the clods of our passions, then gently, after planting the seeds of virtue, “waters” them and “tends” them (cf. Sequence). He lovingly protects these virtues, so that they can grow stronger and so that, after the toil of combatting evil, we may taste the sweetness of mercy and communion with God. The Spirit is like this: powerful, giving us the power to overcome, and also gentle. We speak about the anointing of the Spirit, the Spirit anoints us for he is with us. As a beautiful prayer of the early Church says: “Let your gentleness, O Lord, and the fruits of your love, abide with me” (Odes of Solomon, 14:6).
The Holy Spirit, who descended upon the disciples and remained at their side, that is, as the “Paraclete”, transformed their hearts and instilled in them “a serene courage which impelled them to pass on to others their experience of Jesus and the hope which motivated them” (SAINT JOHN PAUL II, Redemptoris Missio, 24). Peter and John would later testify before the Sanhedrin, after being told “not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus” (Acts 4:18): “We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” (v. 20). And they possessed the power of the Holy Spirit to speak of these things.
This is also true of us, who received the Spirit in Baptism and Confirmation. From the “Upper Room” of this Basilica, like the Apostles, we too are being sent forth, particularly at the present time, to proclaim the Gospel to all. We are sent into the world “not only geographically but also beyond the frontiers of race and religion, for a truly universal mission” (Redemptoris Missio, 25). Thanks to the Spirit, we can and must do this with his own power and gentleness.
With the same power: that is, not with arrogance and impositions – a Christian is not arrogant, for his or her power is something else, it is the power of the Spirit – nor with calculation and cunning, but with the energy born of fidelity to the truth that the Spirit teaches us in our hearts and causes to grow within us. Consequently, we surrender to the Spirit, not to worldly power. We tirelessly proclaim peace to those who desire war, proclaim forgiveness to those who seek revenge, we proclaim welcome and solidarity to those who bar their doors and erect barriers, we proclaim life to those who choose death, we proclaim respect to those who love to humiliate, insult and reject, we proclaim fidelity to those who would sever every bond, thereby confusing freedom with a bleak and empty individualism. Nor are we intimidated by hardship, derision or opposition, which, today as always, are never lacking in the apostolate (cf. Acts 4:1-31).
At the same time that we act with this power, our proclamation seeks to be gentle, welcoming to everyone. Let us not forget this: everyone, everyone, everyone. Let us not forget the parable of those who were invited to the feast but did not want to go: “Go therefore to the streets and bring everyone, everyone, everyone, both the bad and the good, everyone” (cf. Mt 22:9-10). The Spirit grants us the power to go forth and call everyone with gentleness, he grants us the gentleness to welcome everyone.
All of us, brothers and sisters, are in great need of hope, which is not optimism; no, it is something else. We need hope. Hope is depicted as an anchor, there at the shore, and in clinging to its rope, we move toward hope. We need hope, we need to lift our gaze to horizons of peace, fraternity, justice and solidarity. This alone is the way of life, there is no other. Naturally, it is not always easy; indeed, there are times that the path is winding and uphill. Yet we know that we are not alone, we have the certainty that, by the help of the Holy Spirit and by his gifts, we can walk together and make that path more and more inviting for others as well.
Brothers and sisters, let us renew our faith in the presence of the Comforter, who is at our side, and continue to pray:
Come, Creator Spirit, enlighten our minds,
fill our hearts with your grace, guide our steps,
grant your peace to our world. Amen.
Sourced from https://www.vatican.va
PARISH NOTICES
SUMMERTIME 2025.
6th August – 9th August: Retreat to Westminster Pastoral Centre, £189. For aged 11-15. Open to those who regularly attend mass on the weekend.
This event has been going on for more than 20 years and is a few days for deepening one’s catholic faith, in a great social atmosphere, including football, sports & a visit to Thorpe Park.
For more details of how to get to the venue, with a coach laid on at St. Anselm’s Dartford, see the parish priest for a form, or contact Fr. Stephen Boyle, chaplain to the Guild of St, Stephen, Dartford@rcaos.org.uk, Tel:01322 220075.
Relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis visiting St George’s Cathedral - 26-29 June.
St George’s Cathedral will be visited by a relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis.
The youth of our parish are encouraged to visit on Saturday 28th June where there will be a “morning with Carlo Acutis”, including Mass, adoration, rosary and a talk on the relic. An exhibition will also be on display.
Please see the poster in the porch for more information.
FOUNDATION GOVERNERS WANTED for St Thomas More Catholic Primary School.
Do you have the skills needed to be a Foundation Governor of a Catholic school?
Could you spare a few hours a month?
Please speak to the parish priest and see the poster in the porch.
ST THOMAS MORE GOLF SOCIETY.
We enjoyed a day’s golf at Pedham Place Golf course. Our charity raffle this year raised £400 to be split between Fr Innocent’s youth pilgrimage to Medugorje & the Catholic Fellowship’s pilgrimage to Lourdes.
Raffle prize winners displayed in the porch. All prizes have been claimed. Thanks to all who donated prizes and to those who purchased tickets.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION.
Next weekend 14 children from our parish will be receiving their First Holy Communion.
There will be 11 children receiving this sacrament on Saturday 14th at 10am Mass and 3 children on Sunday 15th at 11am Mass.
Please keep them in your prayers.
DEATHS.
Please pray for the souls of:
Ignatius Pereira
Mario Casciato
Norma Marshall
May they rest in peace. Amen.
JUBILEE YEAR NOTICES
DEANERY JUBILEE YEAR PILGRIMAGE ON 5TH JULY.
A pilgrimage is a physical journey that we make to a holy or sacred place and which we use to reflect upon some aspect of our inner journeys. We might have a decision to make, an act of thanksgiving to make, an act of penance, a prayer for healing (or anything) or we might simply wish to honour the Lord.
For our Deanery Pilgrimage, we will have our Pilgrimage Opening Service here at 10am. We will then make our pilgrimage journey on foot (or by other means) to the designated sacred Jubilee Year Site, St. John Vianney in Bexleyheath, where we will join with the other parishes of Bexley deanery for our concluding service at 1pm. Maps and instructions will be available closer to the date. There will be time to stop for refreshments on the way, and you can bring a picnic for lunch or try one of the many restaurants on the Broadway or simply leave after the service. It will be a day to bring before the Lord any special or long-term issues in your life or the lives of your loved ones. We will be carrying a pebble on the journey to symbolize that concern or burden we carry in life.
PARISH GROUPS NOTICES
BIBLE STUDY GROUP.
Meeting every Thursday in the church at 7pm.
All are welcome.
UCM MEETINGS.
The next meeting dates arranged for the UCM are Saturday 21st June at 11.30am in the hall & Wednesday the 30th of July at 7pm in the Porch.
New members are always welcome to attend.
LUNCH CLUB.
Meeting 12th June at 12.30pm in the hall.
LEGION OF MARY.
Every Monday at 7pm in the porch.
New members are always welcome.
MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK
PENTECOST SUNDAY
Saturday 7th June
W Feria
8.45 a.m. A Day with Mary
9.30 a.m. Adoration
10.00 a.m. A Day with Mary Intentions
R PENTECOST SUNDAY
6.30 p.m. Lucy Murphy RIP
Sunday 8th June W
8.30 a.m. Daily Rosary
9.00 a.m. Natasha Pereira on her birthday
10.30 a.m. Daily Rosary
11.00 a.m. Violante Braganca RIP
12 noon. Pentecost Multicultural Lunch
Monday 9th June
W Mary, Mother of the Church
No Public Mass Today
Tuesday 10th June
G Feria
7 p.m. Daily Rosary
7.30 p.m. Paul & Val Yeates TG
Wednesday 11th June
R St. Barnabas
9.30 a.m. Adoration
10.00 a.m. Jacqueline Sullivan RIP
Thursday 12th June
W Our Lord Jesus Christ
9.30 a.m. Adoration
10.00 a.m. Priests & Vocations to the Priesthood
Friday 13th June
W St. Anthony of Padua
9.30 a.m. Adoration
10.00 a.m. John Sullivan PI
Saturday 14th June
G Feria
9.30 a.m. Adoration
10.00 a.m. Parish First Holy Communion Candidates
W THE MOST HOLY TRINITY
6.30 p.m. Holy Souls
Sunday 15th June W
8.30 a.m. Daily Rosary
9.00 a.m. Holy Souls
10.30 a.m. Daily Rosary
11.00 a.m. Parish First Holy Communion Candidates