FR JEROME
Fr Jerome will be taking up his new appointment at St John Vianney, West Green Parish at the end of this month, and his last day with us will be Monday, 28th August.  We thank him for all that he has done for this parish over the last eighteen months and wish him well for the future.  We will miss you Fr Jerome!

FR JEROME WRITES
In the Last four weeks Jesus Christ, through many parables, has been telling us what the Kingdom of God is like.  In today’s liturgy Jesus allows some of his Apostles see the glimpse of His Glory, that heavenly Glory which awaits us all as we follow his way and worship our God in the Eucharist.  The Transfiguration offers us the foretaste of what awaits us at the end of time. It also reminds us that our life is more than the physical world we can see now but also includes the spiritual. So let us live and work not only for here and now but also for the life to come, by bringing and professing Christ Jesus through our actions, words and relationships with one another. May God transform us to our original image as we listen to His only begotten Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.   

FR JEROME WRITES
What was it like sitting with the crowds on those Galilean Hills listening to Our Lord speaking and teaching the people gathered around Him.  He teaches through Parables; using examples of everyday life to gain their understanding, speaking to the hearts of the people, giving them hope, raising them from their despondency, making a new creation.  By using parables, which can be told and retold among the people of the Holy Land, His voice reaches many who cannot be present but who are brought to understanding through His stories.

FR JEROME WRITES
We had a lovely school Mass on Tuesday for children, staff and parents of Year six.  We wish them all well in their new schools in September.  Whichever schools they are moving onto we are all part of the Parish family and we welcome them back with their families in September.
For all those going on holiday I wish them a very safe journey and peaceful rest.

FR DAVID WRITES
Thank you to everyone who helped organise or support our Parish Summer BBQ. It was a great evening! This Tuesday at 10am we will welcome children from our school to the end-of-term and school leavers’ Mass. Please join us if you can. Current Y2 parents (Y3 September): please take note of the First Holy Communion notice below. Thank you also for your recent generosity towards three projects: our building fund, Peter’s Pence, and the Apostleship of the Sea last weekend. We are most grateful for everything you bring and give for the life of the Church.  Finally, I am going on holiday this week and will be back in the middle of August. As some of you know, I have other responsibilities in addition to the parish, so I really value the break and the opportunity to spend time with family, but I still keep you in my prayers and Masses. I would like to thank you all for your kindness to me, and to wish you all a very happy summer: wherever and however you choose to spend it! God bless you all.

FR DAVID WRITES
Thank you for your generosity towards Peter’s Pence last weekend. Today there will be retiring collection after all Masses for the Apostleship of the Sea. Please note that the First Holy Communion registration is open. Parents of children should sign up if the child will be in Y3 in September and they are part of this parish. Please note that we will not be able to accept late applications. Please continue to pray for Fr Jerome and Fr Andrew O’Connell as they prepare to begin their new appointments later this summer. Have a great week!

CLERGY MOVES - FR DAVID WRITES
As you know, Fr Jerome has been appointed Parish Priest of St John Vianney, West Green. Fr Jerome will take up his new appointment at the beginning of September, after the summer holidays. Fr Andrew O’Connell has been appointed to take over as assistant priest here. He will begin early by celebrating some of the Sunday Masses during the summer, before officially moving in at the start of September. So there will be some overlap of the curates while I am away on my summer break. I know you will make him very welcome. Please keep them both in your prayers as they prepare for their new appointments. Please pray for those who were ordained recently as deacons and priests to serve in our diocese.

FR DAVID WRITES
On Friday we celebrated a lovely Mass with the whole primary school in thanksgiving to God for the recent First Confessions and First Holy Communions. Thank you to all those involved. Y2 parents: please keep an eye out for the newsletter in the coming weeks about registration for the next First Holy Communion programme.

FR DAVID WRITES:
Thank you to the Cardinal, priests and everyone who came to our special Mass here on Friday to celebrate the Feast of the Sacred Heart and our Parish Centenary. Many thanks to everyone who helped to prepare and/or celebrate this special event. Lots of work went into the wonderful evening. Please pray that the Lord will be with us in the years ahead. Please pray for Father Jerome who has been appointed as Parish Priest of St John Vianney Parish, West Green, in addition to his role as Justice and Peace Coordinator of the Holy Ghost Fathers in Britain. Please also pray for Fr Andrew Bowden who has been appointed as Parish Priest of Poplar and Limehouse. Congratulations to them both. The appointments will begin in September.

CARDINAL’S VISIT TO OUR PARISH - FR DAVID WRITES
This coming Friday is the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. At 7 pm we will celebrate our parish centenary Mass with Cardinal Nichols. Everyone is invited, and there will be a reception afterwards in the parish centre. A bit of advice: it might be better to walk, take public transport or park on the street as the car park will be very busy. We look forward to welcoming the Cardinal and seeing you all at this special event. The work in the church (so far) is almost concluded; the contractors will hand back the church officially on Monday. The stone work and gradine will be installed later in the year. Thank you all for your patience, generosity and support.

FR DAVID WRITES
In the past few days the builders have been installing the new device to support the statue of the Risen Christ. The scaffolding will soon be gone. The new spotlights are on the sanctuary walls. The stone for the new tabernacle pedestal and steps has proved difficult to source, ship and cut in the timeframe. This means there will be a temporary timber pedestal and steps installed in the meantime, including when the Cardinal will be here. Please rest assured that the final product will eventually be a handsome stone gradine at the back of the sanctuary, and not just wood! There are still some more final touches to go, plus the concrete floor at the back of church which still needs repainting. Thank you all.