As a shepherd seeks out his flock … so will I seek out my sheep; and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness
Times and intentions for Holy Mass
Public Masses are indicated in bold print. (Evesham Masses in the Parish centre)
(E)= Evesham (B)= Broadway
Sat 24th 4.00pm(B) Andy & Family
Sun 25th 8.45am(E) People of the Parish
10.00am(E) Concettina , Giuseppe &
Vittorio Giubba
Mon 26th 10.00am(E) Alan Cox
Tues 27th 10.00am(B) Patrick McGee
Wed 28th No Mass
Thur 29th 10.00am(B) Peter Duffill & Family
St Catherine of Siena
Fri 30th 10.00am(E) Teresa Talbot
Sat 1st 10.00am(E) Marie & Matthilde Bambach
St Joseph the worker
Fifth Sunday of Easter
Sat 1st 4.00pm(B) People of the Parish
Sun 2nd 8.45am(E) Kenneth Creswell
10.00am(E) Robert & Christopher Ashton
Confessions.
Confessions after Mass or please contact the presbytery
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.
Private Prayer in Broadway:
Sunday Wednesday Friday 10;00-11.00am
Evesham Food Bank
Please phone 07721559387 in order to discover how and when to take any contributions
Catechism points and themes
Easter 4 (numbers indicate paragraph number):
CCC 754, 764, 2665: Christ the Shepherd and Gate
CCC 553, 857, 861, 881, 896, 1558, 1561, 1568, 1574: Pope and bishops as shepherds
CCC 874, 1120, 1465, 1536, 1548-1551, 1564, 2179, 2686: priests as shepherds
CCC 756: Christ the cornerstone
CCC 1, 104, 239, 1692, 1709, 2009, 2736: we are God’s children now
Please pray
For the sick and housebound of our parishes
Of your charity
Pray for, the repose of the souls of Linda Barbara Shorey Alan Cox Andy Barker and all who have died in recent days and James Bell Carol Williams Phyllis M. Massey Raffaelina Lococo whose anniversary of death falls at about this time.
From Fr Christopher
The image of the Good shepherd was well known by those listening to Jesus. In the Old Testament, Moses and David, before God chose them to be shepherds of his people, had been shepherds of flocks. Later on, during the exile, Ezekiel had spoken of God himself as the shepherd of his people: “As a shepherd seeks out his flock … so will I seek out my sheep; and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness” (Ezek 34:12).
Jesus announces that this day has now arrived. He is God made man who watches over us, who gathers us into a family, the family of the children of God, and feeds us with his own Body so that we may have eternal life. And he wants to make us good shepherds for others in our daily life.
The Pope emeritus reminded us that Jesus gives three characteristics of a true shepherd. He gives his life for the sheep; he knows them and they know him; and he goes in search of them so that they all may live as one flock, as one family.
In the first place, the shepherd gives his life for the sheep. The mystery of the Cross is at the centre of Christ’s life. Christ lays aside his divine glory and puts on the clothing of our humanity, with its pain, suffering, loneliness, abandonment. He becomes like us in all things, except sin, and lets himself be humiliated on the Cross, giving himself for each of us.
In each celebration of the Eucharist we find Christ, the Good Shepherd. He becomes totally present. He takes us in his wounded hands, blesses us, raises us up, and gives himself to us as food.
In every Eucharistic celebration he gives us his Body which is given up for us, his Blood which is shed for us. He gives us the strength to share in his self-giving to the end. The Mass doesn’t end with Communion. He wants us to live with a Eucharistic soul every day, with our hearts enkindled, giving our life for others.
Secondly, the true shepherd knows the sheep, and they know him. Christ knows us through and through: he carries us in his heart. This is a wounded Heart, pierced by love. He cries out to us: “don’t hide yourself, come to me, don’t grow tired, touch me, I love you.” When we draw near Jesus, when we enter his Heart, he gives us his own heart so that we may share in his love. He asks us also to love as he does, to know the others as he does.
Finally, the true shepherd seeks unity. Christ did not die for a few; he died for all men and women of all times. And he continues seeking them every day and needs our help. “In our daily lives, in our work and rest, our families and friendships, our sorrows and joys, our successes and failure…. There, right where we spend our daily lives, we need to love with Christ’s heart.”
In every Mass, he places us in his priestly Heart, so that we make our own his praise, gratitude, reparation, and petition. He gives us a catholic, universal heart.
The good shepherd gives his life, knows with the heart, and seeks unity. That is what Jesus is like, and that is how he wants us to be. Only in this way do we experience true freedom. This is the freedom of the children of God, the freedom of Christ Jesus, the freedom of generous self-giving.
Jesus joyfully changes the world with his self-giving. We, by sharing in his self-giving, share in his joy which changes the world.
Saint John gives us these words of Jesus: “I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me.” God is seeking us out, just as a shepherd seeks out his sheep. God wants us to be with him, just as the shepherd wants his sheep with him.
This Sunday we are invited and challenged to give our lives completely to the Lord.
We need to realise that as we will see the Lord as he really is so also will Jesus see us as we are, with all of our brokenness, our sinfulness, our failures, our sins and all that we might want to hide from Him. He will still say to us: Come, you blessed of my Father. Enter the Kingdom.
Jesus lays down His life for us. Jesus gives His live over to death in order that we can have life forever. We are invited to accept that salvation. Even if we do not fully understand the Lord Jesus or His salvation, we are invited to accept Him and ask Him to save us.
Lord Jesus, risen from the dead, save us and draw us to yourself. Be our shepherd and guide us in this life so that we may all be with you forever in the life of the world to come.
Coming to Church and Parking cars.
A few changes have been introduced by the Government which impact on our coming to church. A new QR poster will be in place during this week which I would encourage everyone to use where possible. Also in order to prevent bottlenecks could parishioners bring completed slips with them to church? Use either the ones which are available or the one on the bulletin. Please do not park up against the “exit!” door in Evesham as this also creates difficulties for people exiting the building at the end of Mass
Gift Aid (Evesham)
If any parishioners would like envelopes for the coming year or would like a record of their donations for the last tax year, please contact the parish Gift Aid organiser, Sally Morgan
The funding we have received for the church in Evesham 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/
First Holy Communion
On Sunday 6th June a few children from last year’s First Holy Communion group will receive the Blessed Sacrament for the first time in Broadway at 12.00noon
St Catherine of Siena (Virgin and Doctor of the Church)
St Catherine was born in 1347 She had a very religious nature, but she did not choose to enter a convent and instead she joined the Third Order of St. Dominic, which allowed her to associate with a religious society while living at home.
Fellow Dominican sisters taught St. Catherine how to read. Meanwhile, she lived quietly, isolated within her family home.
St. Catherine developed a habit of giving things away and she continually gave away her family’s food and clothing to people in need. Something changed her when she was 21. She described an experience she referred to as her “mystical marriage to Christ.” Such mystical experiences change people, and St. Catherine was no exception. In her vision, she was told to re-enter public life and to help the poor and sick. She immediately re-joined her family and went into public to help people in need. She often visited hospitals and homes where the poor and sick were found. Her activities quickly attracted followers who helped her in her mission to serve the poor and sick.
St. Catherine was drawn further into the world as she worked, and eventually she began to travel, calling for reform of the Church and for people to confess and to love God totally.
From 1375 onwards, St. Catherine began dictating letters to scribes. She petitioned for peace and was instrumental in persuading the Pope in Avignon to return to Rome.
She became involved in the fractured politics of her time, but was instrumental in restoring the Papacy to Rome and in brokering peace deals during a time of factional conflict and war between the Italian city states.
Broadway Information
Flower Rota
This is available at the door
Track and Trace Slip
(This may be used in Broadway and Evesham
Name:
Contact Number:
Size of Group
Date attended