Yes, everyone, after the long Christmas break the next UEL masses are nearly back. Here are the dates, times and venues:
Wednesday 16th January, 1.00pm, Room NB1.01, Docklands
Thursday 24th January, 1.00pm, Room RB2.29, Stratford
and
Sunday 27th January, 12pm, Room NB1.01, Docklands
See you there!
As ever, its a packed week for the Catholic Society at UEL. If you study at Stratford or fancy a trip down there on Thursday, there will be a mass in room RB2.29 at 1pm. Father Thomas will also be in the same room on the Friday between 12noon and 2pm if anyone wants to pop in to see him.
Friday 11th sees the return of Movie Night! This week is The 13th Day, the story of what happened at Fatima in 1917. It was a prophesied event which became known as the Miracle of the Sun. For more information, watch the trailer here. The movie will start at 6pm on Friday in the chaplaincy room in North Building at the Docklands campus. And, those who were present on Sunday, don’t forget that the promised pizza will be there on Friday night rather than last Sunday! An added draw, if it was needed!
This Sunday we have another ‘short talk’, this time from Chris Leonard, of Sheffield Hallam University and Catholic Underground fame. He will be talking about ‘creating a culture of faith’ at university. Anything that can help us learn and spread the word here on campus at UEL is good, and I’m certainly looking forward to hearing what he has to say.
One final point – don’t forget too what Father Thomas said about the trip to Walsingham on 18/19 November. Due to the lack of minibus, he will be travelling to the holy shrine by car and can fit four passengers. Those who would like to attend should email Father Thomas with a short summary of why they should go. Those who have not previously been will be more likely to be chosen. Of course, if you want to make your own way there, by car or public transport, you will be more than welcome. Speak to Father Thomas before you go, though.
Antonisia and John Schroder.
PS. For those that want to catch up on previous movies that have been the subject of Movie Night, they were: Witness to Hope – The Life of Karol Wojtyla and Bakhita: From Slave to Saint.
Father Thomas spoke today of the Seven Deadly Sins and also talked of the Seven Virtues, or their opposites.
For those that are interested, here they are:
| Vice | Latin | Virtue | Latin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lust | Luxuria | Chastity | Castitas |
| Gluttony | Gula | Temperance | Temperantia |
| Greed | Avaritia | Charity | Caritas |
| Sloth | Acedia | Diligence | Industria |
| Wrath | Ira | Patience | Patientia |
| Envy | Invidia | Kindness | Humanitas |
| Pride | Superbia | Humility | Humilitas |
The Catholic Church has identified a virtue that is the opposite of each of the seven ‘deadly’ sins. Let us try to live our lives by the principles of these virtues.
I found looking at these again particularly interesting as when I was younger I used to hear them from my dad again and again. He would remind me of the sins if I didn’t share, was lazy etc. But at the same time he also praised me for keeping to the virtues. The importance of communication, especially with our children and with the younger generation, of the importance of these should not be underestimated.
These virtues need to be fundamental to our faith and to our daily lives and we need to do all we can to avoid committing these seven deadly sins. These seven sins lie at the heart of all that drives us away from the love of God.
Today we learnt about the parable of the ten bridesmaids who went out to wait for the bridegroom. I believe this parable portrays God as the bridegroom and us, humanity, as the bridesmaids. The ‘wise’ among us are the ones who prepare our lives here on earth for the second coming and our eternal lives in heaven, while the ‘foolish’ ones are those who hide their light and wisdom, or who fail to prepare for the return of Christ.
The final line in the reading is particularly important: ‘..because you do not know the day or hour’. This is very true and is a reminder of why we should live our lives every day as if it will be the day of Christ’s return. Thank God for the good things he gives you, show to others you live with the love of Christ in your eyes and actions, and don’t be ashamed of talking of Christ’s kingdom and demonstrate your love for him. As Father Thomas said today, he does this in one way by making the sign of the cross over the food he eats at the ‘Edge’ cafe at UEL. Why should we be ashamed to show our love of God in our own way?
I also find it quite significant that God/the bridegroom says to the foolish bridesmaids ‘I do not know you’. This line shows how important it is, in terms of our eternal lives, to prepare in the right way for his second coming. We want to enjoy a relationship with God for the rest of eternity; not for him to reject us and say he does not know us as a result of our actions here on earth.
So, the message for today is don’t compromise on your faith. He who has real faith should never be ashamed of it.
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Matthew 25: 1-13; The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids
1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’
12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
5 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries[a] wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.
8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted
This was today’s reading at mass. I found this a very interesting and in some ways conflicting passage. If we are not to call anyone on earth ‘father’ or ‘teacher’ then how indeed do we refer to our lecturers or to our earthly biological fathers? However, I think what this reading is talking about is actually focusing on the actions of these ‘pharisees’ and saying that those who build themselves up on earth are not worthy of our adulation. What god says elsewhere is that the first shall be last and the last shall be first. Those that recognise the kingdom of God and work quietly towards its greater glory here on earth will be recognised for their contribution in heaven.
As Father Thomas said today, God is a very simple God. He came to love and to serve. Simply that. I think if there was one message that came out of today, it was to live a simple life with all the glory focused on he who is worthy of it – our Lord Jesus Christ.
I want to know what others think about this. It is a very difficult to understand passage which could have any number of interpretations. God is all about love so what does what he says here actually mean? Why did he think the Pharisees are hypocrites? And what does he mean where he calls us all brothers? Is this talking about us all being equal and that we, none of us, should take it into our minds that we can judge others?
Let’s reflect and analyse our thoughts and behaviours.
Yesterday we visited the holy shrine to Mary at Aylesford. Aylesford Priory was founded all the way back in 1242 when Carmelites arrived in England having fled from the many problems in the Holy Land. St Simon Stock had a vision of Our Lady who promised him that any one who wore the brown scapular would have her protection.
Although lost following the dissolution of the monasteries, it was again bought by the Carmelites in 1949 and turned into a place of pilgrimage, devotion and prayer. I must say I felt that this really was, at the same time, a place of power and a place of peace. The afternoon session on vocation was really moving, and it was clear that the time spent in silence in the gardens and grounds was important for many of the student pilgrims at the priory yesterday. I certainly know it was for me.
Earlier we had met the Archbishop Vincent Nichols (see the picture of us with him above and click here for more pictures!), who is the Head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales and the Archbishop of Westminster. He gave the address at the 12noon mass which was a lovely service. I would be interested to hear what others thought of the service and of the day – please feel free to leave your comments below.
Between the mass and the talk on vocation we shared a picnic lunch with other student pilgrims in the gorgeous grounds of the priory. By the time we left the site after Adoration and Benediction around 4.30pm I think we all felt significantly moved by the presence of God in that place and the overwhelming feelings of peace, love and understanding that filled the atmosphere.
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Here is the exercise we did during the talk on vocation. Try it yourself and see what God speaks to you.
Read 1 Kings 19:9, 11-13a
SILENCE – In order to be silent, what worries/anxieties/resentments/distractions do you need to acknowledge and put aside?
Read Luke 1:26-38
WORD AND RESPONSE – As you read slowly through the text(s) what Word speaks to you?
What is God saying to you today through his Word?
How do you desire to respond to God?
Is there anything you need to ask God for, to help you to respond as you desire?
THANKSGIVING – Give thanks to God.
Firstly, welcome to my first blog from our weekly UEL Catholic Society services. This is a small group of dedicated Catholics who attend the University of East London and meet together at 10am every Sunday for a mass, sermon and time together. It is a great place to socialise and meet new friends as well as sharing our faith together. And we always have a time for socialising and enjoying refreshments after mass. Everyone is friendly and we have a very good priest in Father Thomas. He offers confession every week for those that need it as well.
I will try to update this every week with details of what happened each Sunday.
At the bottom of this blog is the reading that we listened to today. We had the visiting Father Stephen come along to talk about it. We had earlier, from 9.15, also spoken together about the reading and what it meant. I feel that Jesus was saying that all the commandments from the old law could be channelled into the one emotion of love, through the love of Jesus and what he did for us on the cross, and that if we have love, we will live good lives and will keep to the other commandments. Any readers who want to give their view on the below reading, please feel free to leave comments.
The mass was followed by a very interesting talk from Father Stephen about culture, or the lack of it in Western Europe. Father Stephen spent many of his formative years in Africa and spoke of the importance of family and of elders in those countries; I similarly said that my country of origin, Brazil, had similar moral values. We also spoke of how faith and belief can help to shape culture and transform cultures for good, and for God.
I hope this first blog has been interesting for you. Let me know if you want to know anything else about the UEL Catholic Society. Next week – a trip to the Holy Shrine at Aylesford.
God bless, Antonisia.
PS. For more pictures of the UEL Catholic Society, visit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/antonisiaschroder/
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Matthew 22: 34-40:
34But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
35Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38This is the first and great commandment.
39And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
uelcatholicsociety 