Parish of the Assumption of Our Lady, Old Harlow, Essex CM17 0HA
THE ASSUMPTION OF OUR LADY
Old Harlow, Essex CM17 0HA
01279 434203
www.catholicchurchoftheassumption.co.uk
email: [email protected]
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A
19th July 2026
Old Harlow, Essex CM17 0HA
01279 434203
www.catholicchurchoftheassumption.co.uk
email: [email protected]
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A
19th July 2026
MASS TIMES THIS WEEK
Sunday 19th 10:00 Solemn Mass – 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A
18:00 Solemn Mass People of the Parish
Tuesday 21st 10:00 Mass – Feria
Wednesday 22nd 10:00 Mass – St Mary Magdalene
Saturday 25th 12:00 Mass – St James, Ap.
Sunday 26th 10:00 Solemn Mass – 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A
18:00 Solemn Mass People of the Parish
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SOCIAL – FUNDRAISER
Our Lunch/Strawberry Tea this year will be on Saturday 25th July, beginning with Mass at 12.00pm, followed by lunch afterwards in the Hall. This will be a ploughman's lunch and as has been done in past years, we would greatly appreciate contributions to the lunch and the Strawberry tea, especially the lovely bread and cakes, our 'parish bakers' create.
Tickets for this event, in aid of our 'much needed' church funds, are available from Cheryl Pittuck.
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SIGNIFICANT DATE FOR YOUR DIARIES
The 16th of August is the Feast of The Assumption of the Blesséd Virgin Mary, our Patronal Feast.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the blessing of our beautiful church by Bishop George Beck in 1951. The church was Solemnly dedicated by Bishop Thomas McMahon in 1991; a 35th anniversary.
It also marks 25 years since the Canons Regular left the parish, having faithfully served it from its very first day. – Since 1951 there have been 12 Parish Priests.
In recognition of these significant milestones, your Parish Priest number 12 (me) has decided that we should celebrate the occasion with a barbecue, immediately after the one-off rescheduled 11am Mass.
Further details to follow.
CHURCH HALL
The sharp-eyed among you will have noticed the recent repairs to our Church Hall roof. It was work that became a top priority when a considerable number of squirrels moved in and established their dreys (nests) within the roof cavity. As time passed and the squirrels settled in, they began to ‘develop’ their new home, eating away at the fascia and wooden boarding that held the guttering, thus enlarging their ‘entrances’. They had even set up rudimentary air-conditioning by chewing through a small section of the ceiling (near the hall entrance/exit).
The repair works (which I am very happy with) was achieved at the cost of £5,400. – Now, we just need to pay for it.
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CHURCH GUTTERTING
Those same sharp-eyed among you will also have noticed that the church guttering is in a sorry state, with all of the joints leaking. As a consequence, a small section of masonry, near the church entrance, has fallen away. – For safety reasons, this is now our next ‘necessary repair’.
And so, the work goes on. – And so, the demands on our inadequate church funds continues!
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GOSPEL REFLECTION
« “An enemy has done this” »
Today, Christ. Always, Christ. From Him we come; from Him come all the good seeds sown in our life. The “Kempis” says that God visits us with consolation and desolation, with sweet and bitter taste, with flower and thorn, with cold and heat, with beauty and suffering, with joy and sadness, with courage and fear... because everything has been redeemed in Christ (He too was afraid and overcame it). Saint Paul also tells us, "We know that all things work for good for those who love God " (Rom 8:28).
All of this is fine, but... there is a mystery of iniquity that does not come from God and that surpasses us and devastates the Church, God’s Garden. And we would like God to be “somewhat” more powerful, to be more present, that He would be more demanding and would not let these distressing forces in: “Do you want us to go and pull them up [the weeds]?” (Mt 13:28).
Pope Saint John Paul II said this in his book Memory and Identity: "We patiently suffer the mercy of God", who waits until the last moment to offer salvation to all souls, especially the most in need of His mercy: “Let them grow together until harvest” Mt 13:30. And as He is the Lord of our lives and of all mankind, He moves the threads of our existences while respecting our freedom. And along with our afflictions, we are supplied with overabundant grace to overcome them, to sanctify ourselves, to go towards Him, to be a permanent offering, to grow the Kingdom.
Christ, the divine pedagogue, introduces us to His school of life through each encounter, each event. He comes our way; He tells us — Take courage, I have conquered the world. I am with you always, until the end of the age (cf. Jn 16:33; Mt 28:20). He also tells us: —Do not judge; rather —like me— wait, trust, pray for those who err, sanctify them as members who interest you greatly because they are of your own body.
P. Ramón LOYOLA Paternina LC(Barcelona, Spain)
Courtesy of Evangeli
This Parish operates in accordance with Statutory Safeguarding Guidance and the National and Dioceses policies & procedures at all times. Our Parish Safeguarding Representative is Anne Marie Taylor, and may be contacted at: [email protected] Alternatively, the Diocesan Safeguarding team may be contacted on Tel: 01277 265234 or by Email: [email protected] should you have any concern.
www.catholicchurchoftheassumption.co.uk
01279 434203
