ST JOHN VIANNEY CHURCH

West Green
4 Vincent Road, London N15 3QH
Parish Office Tel No: 020-8888-5518 E-mail: westgreen@rcdow.org.uk
Facebook: West Green - St John Vianney Church
Our website: http://stjohnvianneywestgreen.co.uk/
(SJV Parish Centre 020-8888-5518)

25th /26th March 2017 4th Sunday of Lent Year A

Our thoughts and prayers for those who died, who were injured, and all those involved in the
tragedy on Wednesday in Westminster.

Dear Parishioners,
As a poor, but willing footballer and coach, I was always fascinated by athletes who did not have
the natural ability of others, but performed better than them. I read sport psychology at university
to deepen my understanding of this. I personally experienced people looking me up and down in
judgement when trying out for football teams. In my over-competitiveness, I was determined that
they would be looking up at me from the ground at the end of the game!
God chose David, the runt of the family of eight children, to be king of Israel. Jesus chose a blind
beggar from birth, someone considered to be a sinner because of his blindness, to be healed and
to teach the religious leaders true religion.
We may see ourselves to be the runt of our family, at school, at work, in our love lives, with our
friends. We may experience people looking down on us, for whatever reason. We may be like the
blind beggar, asking for love and compassion, but find none.
The prophet Samuel learns: God does not see as man sees;
man looks at appearances but the Lord looks at the heart.
Jesus teaches his disciples this truth by choosing the blind
man. The one who knows their own weaknesses and has the
desire to be saved from them, is the perfect person to display
the glory of God and proclaim who Jesus really is.
The Pharisees doubted that Jesus had the power to save. As
they grow more blind in their hardness of heart, the former blind man grows in insight and
identifies Jesus as a prophet. Against the learned voices of the Pharisees, the former blind man is
raised up by worshipping Jesus as God.
Society seeks to help those who are weak. But it doesnt acknowledge Jesus power to save from
their own, and others weaknesses. There is a difference between helping others with our own
power, and with Jesus power. One gives glory to the self, the other to God. One brings earthly
reward, the other heavenly.
Its ok to be weak. In our weakness, we have been chosen to show Gods glory. In baptism, we
have been chosen to experience Jesus salvation and to speak naturally and unashamedly about it
to others. We may seem an unlikely choice. But our greatness lies in the fact that we have been
chosen by God, not by others, or by ourselves.
Blessings, Fr Damian

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY
IN LAST SUNDAYS COLLECTIONS
CATECHETICAL PROGRAMMES
All the activities take place in the Parish Hall.
Any enquiries please contact
Sr. Devy on 07403 784463
RCIA - RITE OF CHRISTIAN
INITIATION OF ADULTS:
Let us continue to pray for our Candidates
during their journey of faith.
The Candidates will attend
Sacrament of Reconciliation at 7.30pm on
Friday 7th April in the Church
Next session: Sat. 8th April from 4.00-5.45pm
in the Parish Hall, followed by Mass at 6pm.
THE CELEBRATION OF BAPTISM
If you would like to have your child baptised
on the 8th April 17 or later, the next sessions
will be on Monday, 3rd & 24th April 17.
Please contact the Parish Office to book your
place on the course
SATURDAY MORNING RELIGIOUS
INSTRUCTION
Next Session: 22nd April, 10am-11.15am
Followed by Mass on Sunday 23rd April at
11am
(Entrance on Vincent Road N15
FIRST COMMUNION PROGRAMME
Theme 8 - Sat. 22nd April, 10am, in the Hume
Hall
Leaders Meeting: Sat. 22nd April (after
session) in the Hume Hall
Church 11am Mass - Sunday 23rd.
CONFIRMATION PROGRAMME
Theme 8 - Sat. 22nd April, from 3.30pm in
the Hume Hall, followed by 6pm Mass.
ALPHA YOUTH GROUP
All Catholics, Christians, and non-Christians,
aged 13-18, are invited for music, food, games,
& discussion on life/faith, on Monday 27th
March from 7pm - 9pm in the parish hall.
Cost: Free. Donations: welcome.
Dont forget
the clock goes
forward by 1 hour
EPIC: A JOURNEY THROUGH CHURCH
HISTORY
Join us either on Tuesdays (7.30-9.00pm) or
Wednesdays (10.00-11.30am) in the Jubilee
Hall. Next Sessions: (Crusaders and Scholars
part III) on 28th and 29th March 2017.
LENT: ACTIVITIES
EVENING MASS AT 7PM
FOLLOWED BY
STATIONS OF THE
CROSS: On the following
Friday 31st March
GUIDED PRAYER FOR LENT
Will continue in the parish centre (entrance on
Vincent Road) on Friday 24th March when you
will meet with your guide.
Final Meeting on Sunday 26 March at 12noon
in the Parish Hall.
PARISH RETREAT: will take place on
Sunday 2nd April from 12.30-2.30pm in the
Parish Hall. Please sign the list at the back of
the church to indicate whether you will be
attending. Thank you.
CHILDREN REHEARSAL FOR GOOD
FRIDAY STATION ON THE CROSS: 2nd
& 9th after 11am Mass, Contact Martha
PENITENTIAL SERVICE: Friday 7th April
7:30pm.
PASSOVER MEAL:
Will take place on
Wednesday 5th April at 7pm in the Parish
Hall.
Tickets are available from Mariantha and
Germaine.
 CAFOD LENT FAST:
PARISH OUTREACH SOUP RUN
THANK YOU so much for your continued
The next Soup Run on 1st April 2017 Group
support and generosity which to date raised the
D
sum of 1,644.39. CAFOD can claim an extra
25% at no extra cost to you for those who Gift
aided their donation. PARISH
PLANNING GIVING & GIFT AID
OFFERTORY ENVELOPES for 2017-2018
SURGERY HOURS DROP-IN TIMES
ARE AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION.
As a parish team, we want to be available to
meet the pastoral needs of all parishioners in St
We thank all those who support our parish
John Vianney Church as much as we can.
through the weekly offertory envelopes and
Complementing the existing office hours and
Standing Orders. Today and over the next 3
our general availability, we would like to offer
weekends a member of the Finance Committee
the following drop-in times
will be available to sign up any parishioners
Tue 3.30-4.30pm Fr Joe 4 Vincent who wish to make their contribution by
6.30-7.30pm Road standing order and new parishioners who wish
Wed 10.30am- 4 Vincent to sign up for envelopes.
11.30pm Fr Damian Road
3.30pm Sr Devy 4a Vincent If you are using envelopes and not on Gift Aid
4.30pm Road please consider putting your offertory in Gift
Thu 11.30am- Sr Devy Aid.
12.30pm 4a Vincent
Sr Road If you pay UK tax you can join the Gift Aid
6.30pm
Catherine Scheme and the Church as a registered charity,
7.30pm
will claim the tax back on your offertory
contributions increasing this gift by 25p for
FUN-D-RAISING EVENTS each 1 given, if your annual income tax is
TEAS /COFFEE more that the tax we will reclaim. Over the
In the Parish Hall after (Sun.) 9am and 11am past few years several parishioners did not
Masses collect their box of envelopes.
The next If you no longer pay tax please contact
ST. JOHN VIANNEY FILM NIGHT Germaine. Thank You!
Will place on Sunday 30th April at 5pm
in the Parish Hall.
Watch this space!

PILGRIMAGE TO FATIMA
Fr Damian will be leading St. Peters Catholic
Church, Hatfield, Herts on a pilgrimage to
Fatima from Saturday 21st October to
Thursday 26th October.
If you would like to come, please speak to Fr
Damian for an itinerary, and a booking form. To all Mother, including Mary!
Places are limited and on a first-come, first-
served basis.
 Entrance Antiphon
Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. THIS WEEK WE PRAY FOR
Be joyful, all who were in mourning;
exult and be satisfied at her consoling breast. The repose of the soul:
Seamus Brennan
First reading Margaret Molceu
1 Samuel 16:1, 6-7, 10-13 Cyril Augustine
Henrietta Osuji
Psalm 22:1-6
The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall Satesh Ragbir
want. PC Keith Palmer
Aysha Frade
Second reading Kurt Cochran
Ephesians 5:8-14 Leslie Rhodes
RIP
Gospel Acclamation
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
I am the light of the world, says the Lord; Special Intentions:
whoever follows me will have the light of life. Danuta McBride
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God! Stephanie, Bernard & Ava
Madeleine Holmes
Gospel Joseph Delaney (Discernment)
John 9:1-41 Winifred Binitie
Mary Burke (Get Well)
Communion Antiphon All those injured on Wednesday
The Lord anointed my eyes: I went, I washed,
I saw and I believed in God.
For the sick and those in our parish
Bharti Devi Oza, Sheila Courtney, Frank Fox,
Helen Shine, Joan OCallaghan,
MASS & SERVICE TIMES John & Kathy ORourke, Nellie OShea,
Mass 9:15am Sherry Arul, Pauline & John Mooney,
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Rita Mongelard,
Friday, Saturday Sarah Namagambe, Val Eaves,
Yvonne Joseph,
Friday at 7pm Communion Service followed Names not listed above, are listed
by Stations of the Cross in our Book of Intentions.

(Sat.) 6pm;
Sunday: 9:00am and 11:00am
Sacrament of Reconciliation:
Saturday: from 9:45 am 10:15am

PARISH OFFICE HOURS

PARISH TEAM Tues to Fri 10am-12noon, 1pm-4pm
Fr. Joe Ryan, Parish Priest
Fr Damian Ryan, Assistant Priest To make an appointment
Sr. Devy Pranadjaja, Parish Sister Phone: 0208 888 5518 or email
Germaine Ng Ying, Parish Adm/Secretary westgreen@rcdow.org.uk
We cannot guarantee to have anyone available outside
of these hours.