Children's Liturgy Sunday May 10th 2009
The
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Today we had a wonderful Mass.
Last Sunday, all the children and leaders signed a card to tell Father
David Everitt that Mass today would be for him and the people of Zimbabwe.
Father David worked in Africa in the Gambia for many years. When he came
back to England, he longed to return to Africa and you may remember, he
at last had the chance a couple of years ago, when he went to Mother of
Peace Community in Zimbabwe.
Father David told our children about the children in Zimbabwe and the
people there who have leprosy. Mother of Peace care for AIDS orphans .(For
more information, look at the new section on the left-hand side of the
web page- coming soon if you can't see it today!) At Christmas, we built
a crib to raise money for the Community there, since when we have received
letters and feel they are our friends.
After a short period back here again, Father David was unable to go back
to Zimbabwe, because of the dangerous political situation, but hoped that
this soon would improve. Now Father David is ill with cancer and we all
wanted to do something to help. We were delighted he wanted to come to
the Mass and that all his family were coming to join us, too. Afterwards,
they were going out for a lovely meal together.
When he received our Mass card, he told Father John he would like to come
to Mass today. He wanted to be anointed with the Holy Oils and to ask
our children to pray to the Holy Spirit to bless him. So Father John and
Father David celebrated Mass together.
All our children were invited to come to the altar. Father David knelt
on a big green cushion in front of them, whilst Father John explained
that with the anointing during the Sacrament of the Sick, the priest is
asking God to send healing so the person will be well again, or if God
is calling that person to Heaven, that God will make them strong for the
journey.
Father John told us that before Father David returned to England, the
people in Zimbabwe had blessed him , sending him back to us. Now we were
going to bless him, hoping that he will be well enough again for us to
send him back to Zimbabwe.
Father John anointed Father David with the oil. Then he showed the children
how to hold out their hands, palms facing downwards, as the priest does
during Mass, when he sends down the Holy Spirit over the bread and wine.
All the children held out their hands over Father David, to ask the Holy
Spirit to come down and bless him.
Here is a picture of Father David - on the left- with Father John after
Mass.
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We will continue to pray for Father David and
the people of Zimbabwe.
We pray for all who have cancer.
If there is anyone for whom you would like to ask for prayers, for any
reason, let us know and we will put them in the prayer box on our web
page. |
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