Baptism is birth into the new life in Christ. In accordance with the Lord’s will, it is necessary for salvation, as is the Church herself, which we enter by Baptism
Times and intentions for Holy Mass
Public Masses are indicated in bold print. The 12.00 noon Mass on Tuesday in the Extraordinary Form will be live streamed only.
(E)= Evesham (B)= Broadway
Sat 9th 4.00pm(B) James Franklin Schmitz(Snr)
Sun 10th 8.45am(E) People of the Parish
10.00am(E) Robert & Christopher Ashton
Mon 11th 10.00am(E) David Dennis
Tues 12th 11.00am(B) Funeral Mass for Joan Kay
Wed 13th 10.00am(E) Maime & Fred Carey
Thur 14th 10.00am(B) Ints of Karen
Fri 15th 10.00am(E) David Fraser
Sat 16th 10.00am(E) Lily Edith Bourne
Second Sunday in Ordinary Tuime
Sat 16th 4.00pm(B) Celia & Danny McGinty
Sun 17th 8.45am(E) People of the Parish
10.00am(E) Neal Coleman
Confessions. Confessions after Mass (not Wednesday) or please contact the presbytery
Private Prayer in Broadway
Broadway): Sunday Wednesday and Friday 10;00-11.00am
Private prayer and Public Masses single household capacity (Evesham : 58 Broadway : 30)
Volunteers
In order to have our Churches open for public Masses, it is essential that we have sufficient volunteers to act as stewards, cleaners and helpers. Those wishing to volunteer should. Contact Dominique in Broadway or in Evesham email your contact details to : [email protected]We need as many volunteers as possible, as the current situation will continue for some time yet. Please help us keep our Churches open.
Evesham Food Bank
Please phone 07721559387 in order to discover how and when to take any contributions
Please pray
For the sick and housebound of our parishes
Of your charity
Pray for, the repose of the souls of Joan Kay James Franklin Schmitz(Snr) and all who have died in recent days and for Sylvia Graigs Lily Edith Bourne John Joseph Finigan Marion Elkington Hilda Peaple whose anniversary of death falls at about this time.
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From Fr Christopher
The Liturgical season of Christmas comes to an end with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord in the Jordan, an episode filled with mystery and a key event in Salvation History. The Liturgy for the Epiphany revealed the mystery of God’s plan—that in Jesus all peoples, symbolised by the Magi, have been made “co-heirs” to the blessings promised to Israel. Now we are shown how we claim our inheritance. As we celebrate this day, we remember that through Baptism we are united with Christ – “Baptism is birth into the new life in Christ. In accordance with the Lord’s will, it is necessary for salvation, as is the Church herself, which we enter by Baptism” CCC 1277. Every time we walk into a Catholic Church or chapel, we make the Sign of the Cross with Holy Water, and every time we do this, it should remind us of our Baptism. . In 1982, during his visit to our country Pope St John Paul II said: “Together we shall renew our baptismal promises as an offering of ourselves to our heavenly Father, joined to the sacrificial offering of Christ in the Eucharist… Together we shall renew our baptismal promises. We shall reject sin, and the glamour of evil, and Satan, the father of sin and prince of darkness. We shall profess our faith in the One God, in his Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, in the coming of the Holy Spirit, in the Church, in life everlasting.”
What do we find in the Catechism of the Catholic Church concerning the Baptism of our Lord –
Jesus’ public life begins with his baptism by John in the Jordan. John preaches “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins”. A crowd of sinners – tax collectors and soldiers, Pharisees and Sadducees, and prostitutes- come to be baptised by him. “Then Jesus appears.” The Baptist hesitates, but Jesus insists and receives baptism. Then the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, comes upon Jesus and a voice from heaven proclaims, “This is my beloved Son.” This is the manifestation (“Epiphany”) of Jesus as Messiah of Israel and Son of God. CCC 535
Jesus does not submit to John’s baptism as a sinner in need of purification. He humbles Himself to pass through Jordan’s waters in order to lead a new “exodus”—opening up the promised land of heaven so that all peoples can hear the words pronounced over Jesus today, words once reserved only for Israel and its king: that each of us is a beloved son or daughter of God. Jesus is the chosen servant of whom Isaiah speaks, anointed with the Spirit to make things right and just on earth. God puts His Spirit upon Jesus to make Him “a covenant of the people,” the liberator of the captives, the light to the nations. Jesus is the One long expected in Israel, “anointed…with the Holy Spirit and power.” The word Messiah means “one anointed” with God’s Spirit. King David was “the anointed of the God of Jacob” The prophets taught Israel to await a royal offshoot of David, upon whom the Spirit would rest.
God confirms with His own voice what the Angel earlier told Mary—Jesus is the Son of the Most High, come to claim the throne of David forever. In the Baptism that He brings, the voice of God will hover over the waters as fiery flame, He has sanctified the waters, made them a passageway to healing and freedom—a fountain of new birth and everlasting life.
He allows himself to be numbered among sinners; he is already “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”. Already he is anticipating the “baptism” of his death. Already he is coming to “fulfil all righteousness”, that is, he is submitting himself entirely to his Father’s will: out of love he consents to this baptism of death for the remission of our sins. The Father’s voice responds to the Son’s acceptance, proclaiming his entire delight in his Son. The Spirit whom Jesus possessed in fullness from his conception comes to “rest on him”. Jesus will be the source of the Spirit for all mankind. At his baptism “the heavens were opened” – the heavens that Adam’s sin had closed – and the waters were sanctified by the descent of Jesus and the Spirit, a prelude to the new creation. CCC 536
Through Baptism the Christian is sacramentally configured to Jesus, who in his own baptism anticipates his death and resurrection. The Christian must enter into this mystery of humble self-abasement and repentance, go down into the water with Jesus in order to rise with him, be reborn of water and the Spirit so as to become the Father’s beloved son in the Son and “walk in newness of life”: Let us be buried with Christ by Baptism to rise with him; let us go down with him to be raised with him; and let us rise with him to be glorified with him.
Everything that happened to Christ enables us to know that, after the washing of water, the Holy Spirit descends upon us from high heaven and that, adopted by the Father’s voice, we become sons of God.
CCC 537
Our Lord begins his public life after having being baptised by St. John the Baptist in the Jordan. After his resurrection Christ gives this mission to his apostles: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.CCC 1223
Our Lord voluntarily submitted himself to the baptism of St. John, intended for sinners, in order to “fulfil all righteousness.” Jesus’ gesture is a manifestation of his self-emptying. The Spirit who had hovered over the waters of the first creation descended then on the Christ as a prelude of the new creation, and the Father revealed Jesus as his “beloved Son.” CCC1224
In his Passover Christ opened to all the fountain of Baptism. He had already spoken of his Passion, which he was about to suffer in Jerusalem, as a “Baptism” with which he had to be baptised. The blood and water that flowed from the pierced side of the crucified Jesus are types of Baptism and the Eucharist, the sacraments of new life. Thus , it is possible “to be born of water and the Spirit” in order to enter the Kingdom of God. CCC1225
Facebook The fact that we have been fortunate to receive some part funding for the Celebration of Pugin and Pugin and thus refurbishment for the church building also involves the establishing of a Facebook page which will ensure greater publicity. The details are as follows. https://www.facebook.com/The-Church-of-the-Immaculate-Conception-and-St-Egwin-Evesham-113814183806139/
Coming to Church during Lockdown
People are legally permitted to leave their homes for communal worship. Mingling with anyone outside of one’s household or support bubble is prohibited by the legislation. Social distancing protocols, hand sanitising, wearing of face coverings (except for those medically exempt and children under 11 years of age) and track/trace must be adhered to. This applies to the instructions given by parish volunteers when entering and exiting the Church building. The health and safety of parishioners is paramount, and therefore everyone should go directly home when advised to leave by the stewards at the end of Mass. Please do not block the exits or associate with anyone else outside of households or support bubbles. Parishioners, who are vulnerable, advised to shield or showing symptoms of any kind should stay at home for their own health and well-being as well as for that of others. Those who have tested positive, are waiting to take a test, awaiting results or told to isolate by NHS Track & Trace are legally only allowed to leave their homes in limited exceptional circumstances and thus are not permitted entry to Church buildings. As Christians we must work for the greater common good and thus keep ourselves and others safe at this time. Furthermore if our Churches are to remain open, all of these protocols must be adhered to. Failure to do so could result in our Churches being forced to close by local or national government.
Broadway
Joan Kay RIP
Funeral Mass for Joan Kay will be live streamed and attended by family members only because of present restrictions.
Track and Trace Slip
(This may be used in Broadway and Evesham
Name:
Contact Number:
Size of Group
Date attended