St. Gregory's RC Church
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • FR JOHN ST JOHN
    • FR. CLEMENT ORANGO >
      • SPONSORED WALK
      • PARISH EVENTS
      • JAMBO
      • BARROW VOICE
      • FROM FATHER'S DESK
    • FATHER ANTHONY PATEMAN >
      • BIOGRAPHY
      • FATHER PATEMAN'S LAST MASS IN BARROW
    • BISHOP PATRICK
    • FR. VINCENT'S UGANDAN MISSION >
      • CATHOLIC NEWS Nov 2018
      • NEWSLETTER 2019
      • NEWSLETTER 2018
      • NEWSLETTER 2016
      • NEWSLETTER 2015
    • HISTORY >
      • ST. ALBAN'S BARROW UPON SOAR
      • ST. GREGORY'S SILEBY
      • ST. GREGORY'S STATIONS OF THE CROSS
      • PRIESTS OF THE MISSION
      • DIOCESE OF NOTTINGHAM ARCHIVES
      • LOUGHBOROUGH LIBRARY
      • THE BELL
      • REV. ALOYSIUS EMERY
      • PHOTO GALLERY
    • NEWS >
      • CATHOLIC NEWS - Ecumenism in Barrow upon Soar
      • TERRY & SHEILA BREED
      • FR DAVID JONES
      • DAISY'S NAMIBIA TRIP
      • CATHOLIC NEWS - ADVENT
      • CATHOLIC NEWS - Bishop's visit
      • CATHOLIC NEWS - Sacred Heart Statue
      • CATHOLIC NEWS - Sponsored Walk
      • SHEILA BREED AWARD
      • AMERICAN VISITORS
      • CHURCH REFURBISHMENT
      • LOCAL PRESS CUTTINGS
    • POPE FRANCIS
    • SERVICES
    • SMARTIES
    • WEEKLY NEWSLETTER >
      • NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE (from 12th July 2020)
      • NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE (from 5th January 2020)
      • NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE (from July 2019)
      • NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE (from 5th January 2019)
      • NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE (from 5th August 2018)
      • NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE (from 16th July 2017 )
  • GROUPS
    • A.P.F.
    • ALTAR SERVERS >
      • WILF DOYLE
      • WILF DOYLE THE EVACUEE
      • WILF DOYLE GALLERY
    • CAFOD
    • CHILDREN'S LITURGY
    • CHURCHES TOGETHER IN BARROW
    • FINANCE COMMITTEE
    • FRIENDS OF ST. GREGORY'S
    • JUSTICE AND PEACE
    • LITURGY GROUP
    • PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL >
      • ROLE OF THE PPC
      • PPC MINUTES 2019
      • PPC MINUTES 2018
      • PPC MINUTES 2017
      • PPC MINUTES 2016
    • R.C.I.A.
    • SPECIAL MINISTERS
    • YOUTH GROUP
  • ROTAS
    • CHURCH CLEANERS
    • MINISTERS OF THE WORD
    • OFFERTORY
    • TEA & COFFEE
  • SACRAMENTS
    • ANOINTING OF THE SICK
    • BAPTISM
    • CONFIRMATION
    • RECONCILIATION & FIRST COMMUNION
    • MARRIAGE
    • PRIESTHOOD
  • GALLERY
    • PARISHIONERS ON THEIR TRAVELS >
      • ISAAC BANKS IN ROME
    • 2020 >
      • BONDHON BANGLADESH PROJECT
      • YOUTH GROUP QUIZ
      • NEW PARISHIONERS
    • 2019 >
      • CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL
      • "MATURE" PARISHIONERS' CHRISTMAS LUNCH
      • COINCIDENCE!
      • CHRISTMAS FAYRE 2019
      • YOUTH SUNDAY - CHRIST THE KING
      • CHRISTMAS SHOEBOX APPEAL
      • NEW ALTAR SERVER
      • A NEW PARISHIONER
      • DAISY'S NAMIBIA TRIP
      • MARY'S MEALS
      • MACMILLAN COFFEE MORNING
      • CONFIRMATION 2019
      • SHEILA & WILF - WWII EVACUEES
      • PARISH GARDEN PARTY 2019
      • EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS
      • FIRST HOLY COMMUNION
      • A NEW PARISHIONER
      • OUR NEWEST ALTAR SERVER
      • SHEILA & TERRY'S 65th ANNIVERSARY
      • VISITORS FROM SOUTH AFRICA
      • FR JOHN'S BIRTHDAY
    • 2018 >
      • NATIVITY MASS
      • SENIORS' CHRISTMAS PARTY
      • BARROW CHRISTMAS TREE 2018
      • YOUTH SUNDAY 2018
      • CHRISTMAS FAYRE 2018
      • HARVEST FESTIVAL
      • PARISH SUMMER PICNIC
      • RETREAT 2018
      • WALSINGHAM 2018
      • PENTECOST SUNDAY
      • FOUR GENERATIONS
      • BRAIN TUMOUR CAKE SALE
      • A FAMILIAR FACE
      • DENNIS HARGREAVES
    • 2017 >
      • MARY'S MEALS
      • NEWEST ALTAR SERVER
      • BARROW CHRISTMAS TREE 2017
      • 2017 CHRISTMAS FAYRE
      • MACMILLAN COFFEE MORNING
      • CONFIRMATION
      • A NEW PARISHIONER
      • WALSINGHAM 2017
      • SACRED HEART STATUE
      • SPONSORED WALK
      • CONFIRMATION GROUP
      • FR PATEMAN'S HOUSEWARMING
      • PEACE SUNDAY
    • 2016 >
      • OVER 60s CHRISTMAS PARTY
      • BARROW CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL
      • CHRISTMAS FAYRE 2016
      • YOUTH GROUP ON THE WATER
      • TERRY CANTLE'S 90th BIRTHDAY
      • YOUTH GROUP VISITS FATHER ANTHONY
      • WALSINGHAM 2016
      • PENTECOST SUNDAY 15th MAY
      • FIRST COMMUNION 27th MARCH
      • DOOR OF MERCY
      • WOMEN'S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER
    • 2015 >
      • CHRISTMAS EVE MASS 2015
      • YOUTH GROUP CLIMBING 2015
      • FRIENDS' CHRISTMAS LUNCH 2015
      • OVER 60s CHRISTMAS PARTY 2015
      • BARROW CHRISTMAS TREE 2015
      • FR CLEMENT'S INDUCTION 2015
      • CHRISTMAS FAYRE 2015
      • FR CLEMENT AT DE LISLE COLLEGE 2015
      • FR ANTHONY'S LAST BARROW MASS
      • NEW ALTAR SERVERS 2015
      • YOUNG PARISHIONERS' FAREWELL PARTY 2015
      • FIRST COMMUNION 2015
      • YOUTH GROUP ON THE WATER 2015
      • WALSINGHAM 2015
      • FATHER PATEMAN'S GOLDEN CELEBRATION 2015
      • FATHER ANTHONY'S 75th BIRTHDAY 2015
    • 2014 >
      • "MATURE" PARISHIONERS' CHRISTMAS LUNCH
      • ROME TRIP 2014
      • CHRISTMAS FAYRE 2014
  • DEVOTION
    • PRAYER & DEVOTION TOGETHER
    • SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
    • AFRICAN SAINTS
    • BEATITUDES FOR A MARRIED COUPLE
    • JUBILEE OF MERCY
    • LENTEN JOURNEY 2017
    • ROSARY
    • MEDITATION
    • PADRE PIO
    • PARISHIONER'S FAITH STORY
    • PRAYERS
    • ROSMINI CENTRE
    • STATIONS OF THE CROSS
    • MARY'S WAY OF THE CROSS
    • SAINT ALBAN
    • SAINT ANTHONY
    • SAINT GREGORY
    • ST. JOSEPH
    • ST. PATRICK
    • SAINT JOHN XXIII
    • ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
  • CONTACT
    • HOW TO FIND US
    • LINKS
    • SOCIAL CENTRE
ADVENT REFLECTIONS 2016
Second Sunday of Advent
One of the things that the Catholic Church can justifiably be proud of is its commitment to social justice. In an earlier letter this year Bishop Patrick asked us to think particularly about the plight of the victims of modern slavery. He has asked the Justice and Peace commission to organise a series of days across the diocese to raise awareness about this. The first one in Lincoln has already taken place and was attended by about 100 people. The next one is in Leicester in January and he would like us to encourage as many people as possible to attend.  Because of the nature of slavery it is difficult to get accurate figures about the extent of the problem in Britain but a government estimate is that there are about 13,000 people working in unacceptable conditions,  of these about 53% are male working for example in car washes. They often have their passports taken from them, they do not have a contract specifying the number of hours they should work, they live in very poor accommodation and are the victims of abuse. You may have seen news items recently about the involvement of the Border Agency in trying to track down these victims of exploitation .The Border agency has been given new powers to search premises where abuse is suspected.
This Sunday has been designated as Bible Sunday which is very appropriate to a consideration of slavery. The readings which we have heard today all have something relevant to say about those people who are victims of injustice, for example Isaiah   tells us the lord judges the wretched with integrity and with equity gives a verdict for the poor of the land. This is a constant theme in the Scriptures.
(Kathryn Timmons)

Third Sunday of Advent
This Third Sunday of Advent is a day to rejoice in excited expectation as we look forward to the wonderful event we shall soon be celebrating. It's a time to give thanks for the many  good things in our lives  - but at the same time to remember our responsibility to care for others.
Our Bishop Patrick has asked us particularly this Advent to hold in our loving thoughts all victims  of slavery - those helpless men, woman and children held in captivity at constant risk of physical, psychological and/or sexual abuse. Some of the victims live abroad working on farms and in factories to produce by their forced labour the goods we want to buy as cheaply as possible; some victims have fled war and violence or abject poverty and injustice in their search for safety, only to be tricked by traffickers, while others have fallen into evil hands in their homeland through misfortune or vulnerability. Each of those individuals deserves to be as free as we are here today. So what can we do?
We need to  remember  - cheap goods from abroad, cheap services here in our own country  may have been produced at very high cost to someone else. Hand car washes and nail bars are just two examples of where young people are often held in bondage and we  might find such situations locally.  If we have the slightest suspicion that someone is being exploited we must be willing to report it to the Police, instead of walking by on the other side. And we need to pray. This Prayer is from the Diocesan Reflections for today:
Lord, there is so much bad news in our world: war; famine; natural disasters, cruelty; prejudice; self-interest.
And yet there is also much good: love; concern; solidarity; small, unseen unselfish acts of kindness.
For the times I have focused only on the bad and failed to see the good, I ask your forgiveness.
For the times I have looked the other way because I was embarrassed and didn't know what to do, I ask your forgiveness.
For the times I have meant to do something got distracted and then forgot my good intentions, I ask your forgiveness.
Open my mouth Lord, to speak out boldly against injustice. May I be  a willing advocate for those who live in despair and bring them words of comfort and hope. Amen

(Shirley Ratcliffe)

Fourth Sunday of Advent
The key message in today’s readings is surely “….they will call him Emmanuel, a name which means God-is-with-us. Indeed it is mentioned in the first reading from Isaiah and again in Matthew’s gospel. God truly is with us but he also asks us to care for each other, particularly the poor and the needy.
Each year the Justice and Peace Group take the opportunity of the holy seasons of Lent and Advent to remind the parish that part of our Christian Ministry is to help and support people who are in need. The Catholic Church in England and Wales does this through its emphasis on Catholic Social Teaching and the promotion of Social Justice.
In this Year of Mercy just finished, our Lenten Reflection considered the Corporal Works of Mercy: Feed the Hungry; Give drink to the Thirsty; Clothe the Naked; Visit the Sick: Shelter the Homeless; Ransom the Captives/Visit the Imprisoned and Bury the Dead. We do hope you have managed to undertake at least one of these works of mercy in our parish.
Our Advent reflections have focused on Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery. Kathryn and Shirley have explained how Bishop Patrick himself is leading a Diocesan-wide project to raise awareness of the plight of victims of modern slavery. They also highlighted the many forms of modern slavery, particularly that a high proportion of the estimated 13,000 victims in the UK are victims of sexual exploitation, including the abuse of children.
Bishop Patrick is coming to Leicester in the New Year to launch the programme in Leicestershire. He will lead a conference on Saturday 14 January at Most Blessed Sacrament Church in Braunstone at 11.00am. The aim is not only to raise awareness but to give us the signs to look out for to identify slavery. We will also be trained on what action to take if we discover or suspect people are in slavery or being exploited.
This is a great opportunity for all of us to really live out our faith by helping the poor and needy and I would ask that as many parishioners as possible make the effort to attend this conference. I will put up a poster after Christmas inviting you to sign up to go so that I can organise transport.
Finally, can I ask that, at this Christmas time, you pray for the victims of human trafficking and all those in any kind of slavery.
Thank you.  
(Paul Carroll)
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture