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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.
Easter, also called Pascha (Greek, Latin) or Resurrection Sunday, is a festival and holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day of his burial after his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary c. 30 AD. It is the culmination of the Passion of Jesus, preceded by Lent (or Great Lent), a forty-day period of fasting, prayer, and penance.
Easter, in Latin Pascha, signifies passing over, and has the following historical origin: Under Pharaoh, King of Egypt, the Jews in that country groaned under intolerable bondage. God had mercy on His people, and the hour of deliverance came. By His command the first-born of all the Egyptians was killed by an angel. The Jews had been ordered by God to be ready for emigration, but first to kill a lamb, eat it in their houses in common, and sprinkle the doorposts with its blood. And the angel of death, by order of God, passed the doors sprinkled with the blood of the lamb, and did no harm to any child of the Israelites, whilst he slew all the first-born sons of the Egyptians. In grateful memory of this passing their doors, the Jews observed the festival of Easter, the Pasch, or Passover. After the death of Jesus, the apostles introduced the same festival into the Church in grateful remembrance of the day on which Jesus, the true Easter Lamb, took away our sins by His blood, freed us from the angel of eternal death, and passed us over to the freedom of the children of God.
It is certainly true that Christ, by His death on the cross and by His resurrection, has rendered perfect satisfaction; and effected man’s redemption; (Heb. IX. 12.) but we must not imagine that there is no further need of doing penance, or of working out our salvation. For, as the children of Israel, though freed from Pharaoh’s bondage, had to fight long and against many enemies in order to gain the Promised Land, so also must we, though freed by Christ from the servitude .of the devil, battle against our enemies to the end of our lives to obtain the promised, heavenly land, for no one is crowned unless he has properly fought. (II Tim. II. 5.) We must apply the merits of the redemption and satisfaction of Christ to our soul by the frequent reception of the holy sacraments; by imitating His virtues; by patiently bearing our trials and sufferings, and by a penitential life.
MASS TIMES THIS WEEK
| DATE | DAY | TIME | OFFICE | INTENTION | NOTES |
| 16 APR | SUN | 0830 | Mass: DOMINICA RESURRECTIONIS | Pro Populo | Of obligation |
| 17 APR | MON | 0930 | Mass & Homily: Die II infra octavam Paschae | Pro Populo Fr Andrew Scurr |
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| 18 APR | TUES | 0930 | Mass & Homily: Die III infra octavam Paschae | Pro Populo | |
| 19 APR | WED | 0830 | Mass & Homily: Die IIII infra octavam Paschae | Pro Populo | |
| 20 APR | THUR | 0930 | Mass & Homily: Die V infra octavam Paschae | Pro Populo | |
| 21 APR | FRI | 0930 | Mass & Homily: Die VI infra octavam Paschae | Pro Populo | |
| 22 APR | SAT | 0930 | Mass & Homily: Sabbato in Albis | Pro Populo | |
| 23 APR | SUN | 0830 | Mass: DOMINICA in Albis in Octava Paschae | Pro Populo | Of obligation |
Missed or can’t make Mass? Watch the LIVE or RECORDED episodes on this page!
NOTICES
MASS please note the times of Masses. During Passiontide, Holy Week and the Paschal Octave, it is not permitted to offer Requiem Masses. A collective Requiem Mass will be offered for the souls of April whose anniversaries occurred or who passed away this month. If you’d like someone particularly remembered, please notify the Provost.
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 ANDREW Scurr celebrates his birthday on Monday in Paschaltide! “Ad multos annos” Father!
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).
CARITAS STUDY GROUP after the recent series this past Lent, the group has decided to continue to meet once a month! The next meeting is likely to be at the beginning of May. Look out for details!
CATHOLIC CULTURE Easter, which begins this Season, is the greatest Feast of the year for Christ is risen! The alleluia, which was omitted from the Mass since Septuagesima, returned at Vespers on Holy Saturday, and is now heard after every Introit, Antiphon verse, and Response. The Vidi Aquam replaces the Aspèrges, and the Regina Coeli replaces the Angelus. The Paschal candle remains lit in the Sanctuary until Ascension Thursday, and like the Christ Candle during the Twelve Days of Christmas, we have a Paschal Candle in our homes, too, until the Ascension (see the page on Easter Sunday for more on the Paschal Candle).
On this most beautiful of Feasts, the Easter table should be adorned with the best of everything — the most beautiful china, a pure, white tablecloth, the best possible wine, flowers (especially pussy willow, lilies, and spring bulb flowers), etc., all with the colors white and gold — symbolizing purity and glory — and the traditional symbols of Easter predominating. And we should look our best, too; it is common for those who can afford it to buy a new outfit to wear on this day. This custom springs from the idea of “newness” inherent in the entire Season — the new members of the Church baptized at the Vigil in their new Baptismal albs, the New Law, a new life in Christ.
Another level of symbolism is that the egg represents birth, the Creation, the elements, and the world itself, with the shell representing the firmament, the vault of the sky where the fiery stars lie; the thin membrane symbolizing air; the white symbolizing the waters; and the yolk representing earth. Painted red, eggs are a demonstration that the salvation and re-birth of the world comes through Christ’s Blood and Resurrection. Old legend has it that St. Mary Magdalene went to Rome and met with the Emperor Tiberius to tell him about the Resurrection of Jesus. She held out an egg to him as a symbol of this, and he scoffed, saying that a man could no more rise from the dead than that egg that she held could turn scarlet. The egg turned deep red in her hands, and this is the origin of Easter eggs, and the reason why Mary Magdalene is often portrayed holding a scarlet egg.
By way of this legend and all of the egg’s symbolism, and because eggs are special because they were once forbidden during Lent, Christians make great use of them on this day, eating them, decorating them, and decorating with them. Red is the classic color to use when dying eggs to be eaten, but other colors are more often used these days. Eggs used only for decorative purposes may have their contents blown out and their shells turned into highly ornamental works of art (“Longshanks” — King Edward I of England, 1239-1307 – paid to have 450 eggs decorated with gold leaf to give out to the members of his household). Or the “eggs” may be wooden or ceramic and used to adorn the Easter table. The exquisite pysanky of Eastern Europe, made by subsequent applications of wax and dipping in dyes, are one of Easter’s treasures, and the forty-nine ceramic, bejewelled eggs created – only one or two each year at Eastertide — for the Russian royal family by master jeweller, Peter Carl Fabergé (1846-1920), are museum pieces.
LITURGICAL NOTES
On this, the holiest day of the entire year, and for the entire Octave of Easter, Latin Catholics greet each other with the words of Luke 24:34, “Surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia!” (“The Lord is risen indeed!”). The person so greeted responds, “Et apparuit Simoni, alleluia!” (“And hath appeared unto Simon!”). Catholics may even answer their telephones with this greeting. An old Ukrainian legend relates that, after His Resurrection, Christ threw Satan into a deep pit, chaining him with twelve iron chains. When Satan has chewed through each of the twelve chains, the end of the world will come. All year long, the Evil One gnaws at the iron, getting to the last link in the last chain — but too late, for it is Easter, and when the people cry “Christ is risen!” all of Satan’s efforts are reversed. When the faithful stop saying the Easter acclamation, the end of time has come…
Throughout the entire Easter Season, the Angelus prayer that is offered, when possible, at the ringing of the Angelus bells, is replaced by the joyous Regina Coeli, which begins, “Queen of Heaven rejoice, alleluia: For He whom you merited to bear, alleluia, Has risen as He said, alleluia.”
During this Season, we are obliged to receive the Eucharist to fulfill the Church precept that we receive the Eucharist at least once a year. During Lent, most of us have already fulfilled the precept to go to Confession at least once a year, but if we haven’t, we can do that now.
EVENTS THIS WEEK…
Community 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
UPCOMING EVENTS…
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).
CAMEO LUNCH for senior citizens 1230pm Thursday 27 April 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.
FILM CLUB Tuesday 25 April 7.30pm at Dorset Gardens Methodist Church: “Dolphin Tale” is inspired by the amazing true story of a brave dolphin and the compassionate strangers who banded together to save her life. Swimming free, a young dolphin is caught in a crab trap, severely damaging her tail. She is rescued and transported to the Clearwater Marine Hospital, where she is named Winter. But her fight for survival has just begun. Without a tail, Winter’s prognosis is dire. It will take the expertise of a dedicated marine biologist, the ingenuity of a brilliant prosthetics doctor, and the unwavering devotion of a young boy to bring about a groundbreaking miracle – a miracle that might not only save Winter but could also help scores of people around the world.” Donations for “Sussex Nightstop” which provides a safety net for young people age 16-25 who are at risk of homelessness, providing emergency accommodation in the homes of volunteers.
COFFEE MORNING Saturday 27 May at 17 Fernhurst Crescent 10am – 1pm in aid of “Sussex Nightstop” (see above) and “The Martlets” Hospice.
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…
General intentions: Janie Thomas, Karen Knight, Debbie Gaston, Nik Wooller, Connor, Remi, Sarah Daniel, Joshua Solis & Family (bereavement), Colleen Anderson
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), Kerry Potter
Health & well-being: Stefan Bell, Patrick Hannibal, Jessie Wise, Jesse, Margaret, Frazer & Albert McCue, Sarah Hannington, Maureen, Marge, 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
02.04.09 Eive TÜNGSTED
02.04.11 Bill CORNABY
08.04.07 Cindy CURRAN
15.04.03 Reginald BUNDY
15.04.09 Peter ROBBINS
17.04.08 Stephen John GILLHAM, Deacon
19.04.05 Michael “Sergeant” STONE
20.04.08 Frances KELLY
2011 Derek CARTER
22.04.10 Doris SMALL
25.04.08 Nikki ANDREWS
27.04.08 David ELLIOTT
2011 James “Jim” Robby MILNE
The Brighton Oratory 
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