St Helen's Roman Catholic Church, Caerphilly
I Have Come To Light A Fire On The Earth | Luke 12:49
Pope Francis is requesting that during this month of May the entire Church invoke the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the end of the pandemic and, in a special way, he is inviting all of us to pray fervently for those most closely affected by it.
Download/view the May Rosary Campaign.
On Holy Saturday, after a day in the tomb with Christ, the Church gathers for the great Easter Vigil and Mass. If you cannot join in, in person or live-stream, try to gather as a family with a large candle, the children’s Baptismal candles, and a candle each for the adults. By their light, read some of the old
testament readings, at least the 3rd one, Exodus 14:15 – 15:1; then the Mass reading, Romans 6:3-11. Then sing a good Alleluia and read the Gospel, Mark 16:1-7. And have a late night party!
And on Easter Sunday, if you don’t get to the Morning Mass, then after
the Easter Egg hunt, or just before your Easter meal, read together the
disciples’ race, discovery, and joy: John 20: 1-9.
Here are the service sheets for each of the three-days of the Triduum. You can download and print off or simply click and view them on your iPad or Smartphone.
The first document below contains the Maundy Thursday liturgy for the Mass of Our Lord’s Supper (7.30pm). At the end of that liturgy it says that compline will be celebrated at 9.45pm, so you will need the last, large document, for compline tonight, and for the office of Readings and Morning Prayer tomorrow and on holy Saturday. The second document is the service sheet for the good Friday celebration of the Lord’s Passion (3.00pm). The third document is for the great Vigil and Mass of Easter, Holy Saturday, 8.30pm. And the fourth document for the Mass of Easter in the day (10.30am).
Maundy Thursday (PDF)
Easter Vigil and Mass (Word, PDF)
The Prayer of the Church for the Easter Triduum (PDF)
Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, a day on which Catholics traditionally observe fasting and abstinence. This means resisting eating between meals (fasting) and avoiding eating meat (abstaining). Many Catholics also attend Mass or have special prayer liturgies when they receive ashes on their foreheads. This year you may be celebrating a liturgy with your family at home.
Please follow the service by opening (downloading) the Ash Wednesday Service or even printing it off.
St. Helen’s streams Mass on Saturday at 6.30 pm and Sundays at 10:30am and on other days, please refer to the Newsletter for details, dates and times.
First, please be minded that there is no obligation to watch a streamed Mass given the restrictions associated with COVID-19; however, watching and praying with us is a wonderful way to stay connected to your Catholic community here in Caerphilly and the surrounding area.
A word of caution: Attending Mass online is really hard since we are not in our usual sacred space and without all of its beautiful elements. So be patient with yourself; it is worth the effort!
Dress as you normally would for Mass. Try to distinguish between your normal about the house/odd job clothes as this will help identify this time as a special time.
Switch off all radios, TVs and block incoming calls to mobile phones, maybe consider taking the landline phone “off the hook.”
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
Sunday 21st November
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Christ, our Saviour and our King, renew in us allegiance to Your Kingship.
We pray for the grace to place You above the powers of this world in all things. We pray for the grace to obey You before any civic authority. We pray for the grace to fervently bring about Your kingdom in my family and Community. We pray that You will reign in our minds. We pray that you will reign in our hearts. We pray that you will reign in our will. We pray that you will reign in our bodies. We pray You will reign throughout all the world. We pray that You will reign in every area of our lives.
O Prince of Peace, may Your reign be complete in our lives and in the life of the world. As we reflect on your second, glorious coming and the judgement of all mankind, we beg You to show us mercy and give us the grace to become great saints. We pray that not only will we spend eternity with You but that You may use us sinners to bring others into Your Kingdom for Your glory.
Christ the King, Your Kingdom come! Amen.
Thursday 19th November
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Christ, our Saviour and our King, renew in us allegiance to Your Kingship.
We pray for the grace to place You above the powers of this world in all things. We pray for the grace to obey You before any civic authority. We pray for the grace to fervently bring about Your kingdom in our families and Communities. We pray that You will reign in our minds. We pray that You will reign in our hearts. We pray that You will reign in our will. O Prince of Peace, may Your reign be complete in our lives and in the life of the world.
As we reflect on your second, glorious coming and the judgement of all mankind, I beg You to show us mercy and give us the grace to become great saints. We pray that not only will we spend eternity with You but that You may use us sinners to bring others into Your Kingdom for Your glory.
Christ the King, Your Kingdom come!
Amen.
Daily Theme
The NHS and Other Key Workers
Our God is the great healer. Today we voice our gratitude for those who serve this country in the National Health Service and pray for that God would prosper the work of their hands-that they would all be encouraged in their continued work of sacrifice and care amongst us.
Wednesday 18th November
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Christ, our Saviour and our King, renew in us allegiance to Your Kingship. We pray for the grace to place You above the powers of this world in all things. We pray for the grace to obey You before any civic authority. We pray for the grace to fervently bring about Your kingdom in our families and Community. We pray that You will reign in our minds. We pray that you will reign in our hearts. O Prince of Peace, may Your reign be complete in our lives and in the life of the world.
As we reflect on your second, glorious coming and the judgement of all mankind, We beg You to show us mercy and give us the grace to become great saints. We pray that not only will we spend eternity with You but that You may use us sinners to bring others into Your Kingdom for Your glory.
Christ the King, Your Kingdom come!
Amen.
Daily Theme
Businesses, The Workplace and Economic Wellbeing
In this time of great challenge, we pray for the economic wellbeing of the country. We remember before God those who face great uncertainty in their work. We lift before God those who have lost their jobs and face an uncertain and difficult future. We pray for a renewed commitment to our common life together.
Tuesday 17th November
Christ, our Saviour and our King, renew in us allegiance to Your Kingship.
We pray for the grace to place You above the powers of this world in all things. We pray for the grace to obey You before any civic authority. We pray for the grace to fervently bring about Your kingdom in my family and Community. We pray that you will reign in my mind. O Prince of Peace, may Your reign be complete in our lives and in the life of the world.
As we reflect on your second, glorious coming and the judgement of all mankind, we beg You to show us mercy and give us the grace to become great saints. We pray that not only will we spend eternity with You but that You may use us as sinners to bring others into Your Kingdom for Your glory.
Christ the King, Your Kingdom come! Amen.
Daily Theme
Elderly, Isolate and Vulnerable
We echo God’s commitment to those most at risk of this virus by praying today for those who are particularly vulnerable and isolated: praying for their deliverance, protection and comfort. We hold before God those who care for them that they would be strengthened and encouraged in this work.
On Monday, at 7pm, we will celebrate a REQUIEM MASS for All Who Have Died In The Past Year, both those buried from the Parish, and any others related to us in the family of the Parish. The celebration will be Live-Streamed – to join in please go to https://sthelenscaerphilly.com/st-helens-live-stream/
If you have a family member whom you wish to have named and prayed for at this Mass, please send the details – name, date of death, and relationship to yourself, to the Parish office, caerphilly@rcadc.org.
Please print off or view the Order of Service from here.
Dear Father
Writing of the issues surrounding the pandemic and, in particular, the regulations concerning the prohibition relating to the gathering of people for communal worship in churches, Cardinal Vincent Nichols as President of the Bishops’ Conference has said:
“At this difficult moment, we ask that, as a Catholic community, we make full use of our churches as places of individual prayer and sources of solace and help. We must sustain each other in our patterns of prayer, joining a national shared moment of prayer each day at 6pm and observing the Vigil of Christ the King (21 November) as a day of prayer for the ending of this pandemic. And we encourage you all in your practical service and support of each other and those in need around you”.
To assist in this endeavour, I attach prayers devotions and intercessions which may be used in the days leading up to the Feast of Christ the King. Some of them might be suitable for a Holy Hour on the vigil of the feast and for publication in parish newsletters and websites.
Archbishop of Cardiff
& Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Menevia
This feast day was instituted by Pope Pius XI on December 11th in 1925 within the encyclical letter Quas Primas. The Holy Father was responding to the fact that the world was becoming increasingly nationalistic and secular. Governments were claiming more and more allegiance from their citizens and attempting to replace God.
“While nations insult the beloved name of our Redeemer by suppressing all mention of it in their conferences and parliaments, we must all the more loudly proclaim his kingly dignity and power, all the more universally affirm his rights.” Quas Primas, 25
Pope Pius XI, therefore, created this feast to help the faithful to remember that allegiance to Christ is above any allegiance to government of a nation.
“The faithful, moreover, by meditating upon these truths, will gain much strength and courage, enabling them to form their lives after the true Christian ideal. If to Christ our Lord is given all power in heaven and on earth; if all men, purchased by his precious blood, are by a new right subjected to his dominion; if this power embraces all men, it must be clear that not one of our faculties is exempt from his empire. He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the law and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to him alone. He must reign in our bodies and in our members, which should serve as instruments of justice unto God.” Quas Primas, 33
“When we pay honour to the princely dignity of Christ, men will doubtless be reminded that the Church, founded by Christ as a perfect society, has a natural and inalienable right to perfect freedom and immunity from the power of the state; and that in fulfilling the task committed to her by God of teaching, ruling, and guiding to eternal bliss those who belong to the kingdom of Christ, she cannot be subject to any external power.” Quas Primas, 31
Let us pray to Jesus the King of all nations, he is Christ the King!
SATURDAY 14 NOVEMBER
Loving God,
at this time of crisis
when so many are suffering,
we pray for our nation and our world.
Give our leaders wisdom, our Health Service strength, our people hope.
Lead us through these parched
and difficult days
to the fresh springs of joy and comfort that we find in Jesus Christ our Lord.
AMEN
Loving Father God
Be with us in our distress:
with our families, friends and neighbours,
our country and our world.
Give health to the sick, hope to the fearful,
and comfort to the mourners.
Give wisdom to our frontline and key workers, insight to our government and patience to us all;
Overcome disease with the power of your new life, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
AMEN
Saturday 14th November
Christ, our Saviour and our King, renew in us allegiance to Your Kingship. We pray for the grace to place You above the powers of this world in all things.
O Prince of Peace, may Your reign be complete in our lives and in the life of the world.
As we reflect on Your second, glorious coming and the judgment of all humanity, show us mercy and give us the grace to become great saints. We pray that not only will we spend eternity with You but that You may use us to bring others into Your Kingdom for Your glory.
Christ the King, Your Kingdom come! AmenEdit
