+ICXC+
The Brighton Oratory is an Orthodox Catholic faith community of ordinary people diverse in age, background, experience and talents who are committed to deepening their spirituality in, through and with the love of God expressed in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ modelled on the experience of the Apostles and the Early Church described in Acts 2:42-47. As a community we seek to welcome everyone, especially the poor and disenfranchised, whether in spirit or in love. We are simply a faith community seeking to encourage, support and develop individually and together our spirituality and understanding of the Divine, that we may experience both in this life and the next, the Kingdom of God in us.
Today is the fourth Sunday during the holy season of Lent. Laetare Sunday so called from the incipit of the Introit at Mass, “Laetare Jerusalem” (“Rejoice, O Jerusalem”), from Isaiah 66:10, is a name often used to denote the fourth Sunday of Lent in the Western Christian liturgical calendar. This Sunday is currently also known as Mothering Sunday, Refreshment Sunday, mid-Lent Sunday (in French mi-carême) and Rose Sunday because the use of rose-colored (rather than violet) vestments was permitted on this day). Historically, the day was also known as “the Sunday of the Five Loaves,” from the story of the miracle of the loaves and fishes. The Sunday is considered a day of relaxation from normal Lenten rigours; a day of hope with Easter at last within sight. Traditionally, weddings (otherwise banned during Lent) could be performed on this day, and servants were released from service for the day to visit their mothers (hence ‘Mothering Sunday’) or to visit their “mother church” e.g. of baptism or of the diocese i.e. the cathedral. Laetare Sunday is exactly 21 days before Easter Sunday.
Laetare Sunday is also known as “Mothering Sunday” because of the Epistle reading that speaks of how not the Jews, but those who come to Christ, regardless of their ancestry, are the inheritors of Abraham’s promise, Galatians 4:22-31 . The Gospel reading will be John 6:1-15, on the multiplication of the loaves and the fishes – symbols of the Eucharist to come in 18 days (on Maundy Thursday of Holy Week). Note the language used in St. Matthew’s account – and in the consecration of the Mass: Matthew 15:36 And taking the seven loaves and the fishes, and giving thanks, he brake, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the people. And from the Mass: Who, the day before He suffered, took bread into His Holy and venerable hands, and having lifted up His eyes to heaven, to Thee, God, His Almighty Father, giving thanks to Thee, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to His disciples, saying: Take and eat ye all of this. And after the miracle of the loaves and fishes, this is what happens, according to John’s Gospel: John 6:12-13 And when they were filled, he said to his disciples: Gather up the fragments that remain, lest they be lost. They gathered up therefore, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above to them that had eaten. “Gather up the fragments lest they be lost,” He said to them and the Twelve did, symbolizing their future ordinations, their being given power to feed His sheep with His Body and Blood as foreshadowed in the miracle of the loaves and fishes.
MASS TIMES THIS WEEK
| DATE | DAY | TIME | OFFICE | MASS INTENTION | NOTES |
| 26 MAR | SUN | 0830 | DOMINICA IV in QUADRAGESIMA | Pro Populo +Carlos Duarte-Costa RIP |
Of obligation |
| 27 MAR | MON | 0900 | Feria II | Alfred Newman Gilbey+RIP Robertson Clement RIP |
|
| 28 MAR | TUES | 0900 | Feria III | Matthew Timms PC Keith Palmer RIP |
|
| 29 MAR | WED | 0830 | Feria IV | Patrick Hannibal Aysha Frade RIP |
|
| 30 MAR | THUR | 0900 | Feria V | Maureen Wheeler Kurt Cochran RIP |
HOLY HOUR 5-6pm |
| 31 MAR | FRI | 0900 | Feria VI | Kerry Potter George Thomas RIP |
|
| 01 APR | SAT | 0900 | Sabbato | Adrian Girvan Stanley Horsey+ RIP |
|
| 02 APR | SUN | 0830 | DOMINICA I PASSIONIS | Pro Populo Martin Culverhouse RIP |
Of obligation |
Missed or can’t make Mass? Watch the LIVE or RECORDED episodes on this page!
NOTICES
MASS please note daily Masses have resumed!
BULLETIN please check back on this online version for each day any additions/amendments will be made here. If you have any notices or would like the names of loved ones for prayer included, please email
FATHER GEORGE von Abel is still looking to move to Brighton & Hove to begin assisting in our Mission’s ministry. To do this, Father needs a new job and a new home! Please keep your eyes peeled for management or supervisor roles in hotels or restaurants locally. Please forward details of any potentially suitable positions via email here. Remember that our priests are bi-vocational and generally need financially to support themselves.
TENTMAKING SERIES in preparation for our missionary endeavour later this year, the Provost is publishing a series of articles about mission. Please do read them and continue to pray and think about how we can spread the Good News to our friends and family in Brighton & Hove! These reflections are also the basis for our Lenten discussions on Thursdays (see below).
LENTEN OBSERVANCE The focus of this Season is the Cross and penance, penance, penance as we imitate Christ’s forty days of fasting, like Moses and Elias before Him, and await the triumph of Easter. We fast (see below), abstain, mortify the flesh, give alms, and think more of charitable works. Awakening each morning with the thought, “How might I make amends for my sins? How can I serve God in a reparative way? How can I serve others today?” is the attitude to have. Because of the focus on penance and reparation, it is traditional to make sure we go to Confession at least once during this Season to fulfill the precept of the Church that we go to Confession at least once a year, and receive the Eucharist at least once a year during Eastertide. In addition to mortification and charity, seeing and living Lent as a forty day spiritual retreat is a good thing to do. Spiritual reading should be engaged in (over and above one’s regular Lectio Divina i.e. Bible study) e.g. reading the biography of one’s Confirmation namesake or the patron saint of one’s profession, or books on spirituality and the spiritual life.
FASTING & ABSTINENCE traditional Orthodox Catholics follow this pattern of fasting and abstinence during this time (faithful under the age of 14, or suffering ill-health, or over the age of 60 are not obligated to observe, but may do so from choice):
Ash Wednesday, all Fridays, and all Saturdays: fasting and total abstinence. This means 3 meatless meals – with the two smaller meals not equalling in size the main meal of the day – and no snacking.
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays (except Ash Wednesday), and Thursdays: fasting and partial abstinence from meat. This means three meals – with the two smaller meals not equalling in size the main meal of the day – and no snacking, but meat can be eaten at the principal meal.
On days of fasting and abstinence, meatless soup is traditional. As to special Lenten foods, vegetables, seafoods, salads, pastas, and beans mark the Season, in addition to the meatless soups. The fasting of this time once even precluded the eating of eggs and fats hence Shrove Tuesday when all such products were used up.
LITURGICAL NOTES
This Sunday, called, from the first word of the Introit, Laetare Sunday, is one of the most solemn of the year. The Church interrupts her Lenten mournfulness; the chants of the Mass speak of nothing but joy and consolation; the Organ, which has been silent during the preceding three Sundays, now gives forth its melodious voice; the Deacon resumes his Dalmatic, and the Subdeacon his Tunic; and instead of purple, Rose-coloured Vestments are allowed to be used. These same rites were practised in Advent, on the third Sunday, called Gaudete. The Church’s motive for introducing this expression of joy in to-day’s Liturgy, is to encourage her Children to persevere fervently to the end of this holy Season. The real Mid-Lent was last Thursday, as we have already observed; but the Church, fearing lest the joy might lead to some infringement on the spirit of penance, has deferred her own notice of it to this Sunday, when she not only permits, but even bids, her children to rejoice!
We find this Sunday called in several ancient documents, the Sunday of the Five Loaves. The miracle alluded to in this title not only forms an essential portion of the Church’s instructions during Lent, but it is also an additional element of to-day’s joy. We forget for an instant the coming Passion of the Son of God, to give our attention to the greatest of the benefits he has bestowed on us; for under the figure of these Loaves multiplied by the power of Jesus, our Faith sees that Bread which came down from heaven, and given life to the world’ [ St. John, vi. 33]. The Pasch, says our Evangelist, was near at hand; and, in a few days, our Lord will say to us: With desire I have desired to eat this Pasch with you [St. Luke, xxii. 15]. Before leaving this world to go to his Father, Jesus desires to feed the multitude that follows him; and in order to this, he displays his omnipotence. Well may we admire that creative power, which feeds five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes, and in such wise, that even after all have partaken of the feast as much as they would, there remain fragments enough to fill twelve baskets. Such a miracle is, indeed, an evident proof of Jesus’ mission; but he intends it as a preparation for something far more wonderful; he intends it as a figure and a pledge of what he is soon to do, not merely once or twice, but every day, even to the end of time; not only for five thousand men, but for the countless multitudes of believers. Think of the millions, who, this very year, are to partake of the banquet of the Pasch; and yet, He whom we have seen born in Bethlehem, (the House of Bread,) He is to be the nourishment of all these guests; neither will the Divine Bread fail. We are to feast as did our fathers before us; and the generations that are to follow us, shall be invited as we now are, to come and taste how sweet is the Lord [Ps. xxxiii. 9].
The primitive Church proposed this miracle of the multiplication of the loaves as a symbol of the Eucharist, the Bread that never fails. We find it frequently represented in the paintings of the Catacombs and on the bas-reliefs of the ancient Christian tombs. The Fishes, too, that were given together with the Loaves, are represented on these venerable monuments of our faith; for the early Christians considered the Fish to be the symbol of Christ, because the word Fish in Greek, is made up of five letters, each of which is the initial of these words: Jesus Christ, Son (of) God, Saviour.
EVENTS THIS WEEK…
NEW Cafe and Charity Shop Please consider supporting this new venture in the Annexe building once generously loaned to us for worship by our friends in the Salvation Army. Open for business 9-4pm Monday to Friday. Why not visit the Cafe for breakfast after daily Mass…?
THREE SCORE DANCE South East Dance is supporting weekly contemporary dance classes for older people (60+) across Brighton & Hove who are interested in having fun and improving their health along the way. It meets on a Monday afternoon, 2 pm to 3.30 pm at Dorset Gardens Methodist Church. Led by Three Score Dance Company’s Rehearsal Director, Jason Keenan Smith, the class will include contemporary dance technique and explore creativity. No prior dance experience is needed. Suitable for: all abilities (aged 60+). Places are strictly limited. For enquiries/bookings please contact Jacqueline Hadlow 01273 696844.
LUNCHTIME RECITALS Every Tuesday Lunchtime at the Chapel Royal, North Street 1.10 to 1.55 All seats £3.00 at the door. Click here to see this season’s Programme
LUNCHTIME RECITALS Every Wednesday at St Nicholas’ Church, Dyke Road 12:30pm lasting for half an hour. A minimum donation of £3.00 towards recital expenses is appreciated. The recitals provide a perfect break for you to have your lunch and relax before heading back to work. Please bring your own sandwiches. Tea and Coffee is available for a donation.
SING & SIGN encourages speech and language development in babies through the use of action songs and gestures. They meet at Dorset Gardens Methodist Church on Wednesday mornings. For information about the group please visit their website: www.singandsign.com
CAMEO LUNCH for senior citizens Thursday 30 March at The Mad Hatter Inn, Rock Street (Kemptown) our monthly lunch supporting the work of our apostolate “Cherubs Kitchen“. A very reasonable “prix fixe” set menu of homemade traditional dishes with the opportunity to meet other people of a similar age! Contact Shirley to reserve a place on 07773 991670.
HOLY HOUR on Thursday, open to our ecumenical friends in Churches Together, a meditative service from 5-6pm in the Chapel at Brighton Congress Hall. This will be a reflective service by candlelight affording the opportunity to “sit and be still” in the presence of The Lord.
LENT DISCUSSION “Caritas” the NEXT ecumenical discussion group will be held from 7.30pm, on Thursday March 30th in the Prayer Room. An opportunity once again to meet other Christians and share and discuss thoughts and life stories around the study of Biblical themes concerning discipleship. Please feel free to invite anyone you know may be interested in either or both of these events and don’t forget to put them in your diary!
UPCOMING EVENTS…
BIKE FOR LIFE – Bicycle Maintenance Course Saturday 5 April, 12 noon – 6 pm Bruce, Brighton’s star bike man, is back in St Mary’s church hall, Upper St James Street (Kemptown) to run the Bike for Life’s next, three-part bicycle maintenance course. Each session runs for six hours on a Saturday, from 12 noon, and provides intensive, hands-on tuition. With the odd tea break thrown in for good measure. If you can’t make this course, Bruce will be running another three-parter beginning in May, with courses also in July, September and November 2017. For details and to book, please see Bike for Life’s website or email Bruce or Ronnie via this link.
LENT DISCUSSION “Caritas” the NEXT ecumenical discussion group will be held from 7.30pm, on Thursday April 6th in the Prayer Room. An opportunity once again to meet other Christians and share and discuss thoughts and life stories around the study of Biblical themes concerning discipleship. Please feel free to invite anyone you know may be interested in either or both of these events and don’t forget to put them in your diary!
KEMPTOWN COMMUNITY MARKET Saturdays 8 and 22 April 10.30 am – 4 pm An exciting and tasty initiative in St Mary’s church hall, Upper St James Street, Kemptown welcoming local food producers and suppliers offering a fabulous range of breads, raw milk, cheese, pies, charcuterie, gluten-free cakes, chocolate, chutneys, jams and pickles, alongside an eclectic mix of art, jewellery, soaps, cards, and collectables and bric-a-brac from local creatives. Plus there are the lovely folk from the Sussex Beacon who take care of the teas and coffees. Do drop into the beautiful church while visiting the area, open till 4 pm on Saturday too, and always happy to welcome people (and friendly dogs).
HOLY WEEK 2017 please make a note in your diaries NOW ref the Divine Liturgies and sacred ceremonies of the Sacrum Triduum
09 Apr 0830 Palm Sunday: Blessing of Palms & Mass
12 Apr 0830 Spy Wednesday: Mass
1700 Tenebrae of Holy Thursday
13 Apr 0830 Maundy Thursday: Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Stripping of the Altar, Watch at the Altar of Repose
1700 Tenebrae of Good Friday
14 Apr 0830 Good Friday: Veneration of the Cross & Mass of the Presanctified
1500 Stations of the Cross
1700 Tenebrae of Holy Saturday
15 Apr 0830 Holy Saturday: New Fire, Praeconium Paschale, Vigil and First Mass of Pascha
1700 Paschal Mattins
16 Apr 0830 Easter Sunday: Solemn Mass of Pascha
VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES
THE HUB HOMELESS DROP-IN We’ve created a welcoming environment for our guests and serve them with dignity and respect and so we are seeking volunteers willing to serve at table and help us create a welcoming café like environment every Wednesday. We also need help in the kitchen too for, as the suburban proverb says, “many hands make light work” and we’d like to lighten the load of existing volunteers by having enough people to have a roster! That way everyone can enjoy giving of their time and not feel overly burdened or committed! We need volunteers anytime between 0830 and 1400 for all or a couple of hours, we’d be grateful for any time you can give! If you’d like to join our existing team of faithful volunteers and help us serve the most needy and often deserving of humanity struggling to get by without the security that most of us enjoy with a roof over our heads… please text/phone Fr Jerome on 07423 074517 or just turn up on a Wednesday!
TIME TO TALK BEFRIENDING Volunteering as a befriender provides much needed friendship for older people who might otherwise be alone and feel cut off from society. Befriending is a mutually rewarding experience which is life giving – so if you have a heart for older people, live in Brighton and Hove, Adur or Worthing, and would like to make a difference to help reduce feelings of loneliness among the older population then please don’t hesitate to contact us today! Tel: 01273 737710 or email info@timetotalkbefriending.org.uk
COFFEE SHOP & CHARITY SHOP in The Annexe, Salvation Army desperately needs reliable volunteers to help serve customers, sort and rotate stock, etc. Phone: 01273 607095
COMMUNITY LUNCH on the Fifth Sunday of the month at Dorset Gardens Methodist Church, a drop-in and hot meal from 2pm-4pm. The meal is aimed at those who are homeless, vulnerably housed or those who feel excluded or on the periphery of society. We currently have an average of about 60 people coming each quarter. As well as providing a good quality hot meal (cooked by a team of volunteer cooks on site) we give people a chance to relax – we provide hot drinks and people have a chance, to chat to read the papers or just to be quiet. We have a great team of volunteers – Some prefer to stay in the kitchen and others help set out the hall, serve our guests and wash up. This is a joint project in partnership with Sleepsafe. To volunteer telephone 01273 503348
INTERCESSIONS
Of your charity please pray for the following for whom prayers have been asked…
Publicly named victims of the London Terrorist attack: Colleen Anderson
General intentions: Janie Thomas, Karen Knight, Debbie Gaston, Nik Wooller, Connor, Remi, Sarah Daniel, Joshua Solis & Family (bereavement)
Thanksgiving: Neveah born 01:03 on 22/02/2017 (parents, Libby & Freedom) John & Jean Marchant (62nd Wedding Anniversary year) Joyce & Jim Babcock (65th Wedding Anniversary year), Fr Jerome (various), Petr Jašek (freed from imprisonment & persecution), Kerry Potter (improving in health), John Andrew Dorsey IV (new born)
Health & well-being: Stefan Bell, Patrick Hannibal, Jessie Wise, Jesse, Margaret, Frazer & Albert McCue, Sarah Hannington, Maureen, Marge, Kerry Potter, Joy Gale, John Marchant, Ida Liffey Gordon, Father Philip Johnson, Vkiki Kennedy, Rev Hassan Taour and Abdulmonem Abdumawla (unjustly imprisoned)
Discernment: Matt Timmis, Darren, Paul Schofield, Lou Regan, Kamal Abdallah, Simon Gangloff, Li
Vocational: Tom Gierke, Jamie Alaniz, Fr George, Fr Emilio, Li, Daniel Selzle
CHANTRY THIS WEEK…
Of your charity please pray for the souls of…
RECENTLY DEPARTED
Victims of the London Terrorist attack:
PC Keith Palmer
Aysha Frade
Kurt Cochran
Sam Wheeler d.02/02/2017 funeral 03/03/2017
Kerry
Betty Spicer d.13/02/2017
Marilyn Belvin Brown d.21/02/2017
Stanley Horsey d.27/02/2017
Hosea A. Solis d. 18/03/2017 aged 10
YEAR’S MIND THIS MONTH
05/03 JAMESON Rex
08/03 BOSTWICK James Edward (archbishop)
12/03 GALE Nicholas
18/03 CONRAN Michael DOB (d. Aug 30 2012)
19/03 RYLAND Edwin
25/03 WARDLEY Stanley
25/03 LEFEBVRE Marcel (archbishop)
26/03 DUARTE-COSTA Carlos (bishop)
26/03 GILBEY Alfred Newman (priest/monsignor)
27/03 CLEMENT Robertson
30/03 PRICE William John
The Brighton Oratory 
You must be logged in to post a comment.