Feast of the Ascension-Last Sunday’s Gospel to celebrate Christ’s Ascension into heaven is from Mark 16:14a, 15-20. In this, Mark’s last Gospel we hear the Risen Lord issuing to us a solemn challenge "Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to all creation." This is not so much a call for preaching as it is a reminder that we should want to share the wonderful gift of faith with which we have been endowed. If we realize how important this wisdom of Jesus is for ourselves, we will never tire of offering it to others. Jesus founded only one Church to whom he gave the gospel, one truth, under the one authority of the Apostles and their successors. At the beginning of this scripture we are reminded that these words were once spoken by Jesus himself to some disciples who were facing a difficult time. They felt very disorganized and lost; here now was Jesus standing before them and showing them the way to go forward.

Please pray for the children taking their First Holy Communion on Saturday 9th June, who are working hard at their catechism.

CAFOD,(Catholic Agency for Overseas Development-40 Countries Worldwide) Lent Appeal 2012 St.Peter's raised the colossal amount of £1,343.61, which will be matched £ to £ by the UK Government, equating to £2,687.22 a huge Thank you to the fundraisers and those who donated.

Diamond Jubilee Fun Day on Tuesday 5th June 2-6pm, organised by Churches Together Biggleswade & Biggleswade Town Council to be held at Eagle Farm Road Field. Many free activities including Fairground rides-Games & Competitions - Arena Events - Live Music. St.Peter’s is organizing and cooking the BBQ, your help is needed to set up, cook, serve and clean up.

Homemade Cakes needed for Market Stall on Saturday 9th June. For information on all events please see Church Porch for further details.

Let’s give the tools to help people in poverty out of poverty  during Christian Aid Week (CAW): 13–19 May 2012 

Thousands of churches will stand together this Christian Aid Week to speak out for change.
It is estimated that over 100,000 committed volunteers will go out and put their faith into action, raising funds to help some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people.

This includes Britain’s largest house-to-house collection – an extraordinary act of witness, demonstrating to our communities that we care about poverty and justice. Last year we raised over £3000, and this year The UK government are allowing UKAid to match £1 for £1 the amounts raised up-to a maximum of an additional £5 million...

 If you'd like to be involved in this in Sandy or Biggleswade please drop Alban email by clicking on his name or copying an pasting "finance@st-peters.eu".   If not then consider keeping us and those in poverty in your prayers during CAW.  A service to kick start the week is taking place at St Swithun's Sandy on Sunday 13th 6:00pm;  5:30pm for hymn practice. All are welcome.

This year, Christian Aid Week tells the story of remarkable change taking place in a community in rural Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone is one of the hungriest countries in the world. But helped by Christian Aid partner the Methodist Church of Sierra Leone (MCSL), some people there have found the tools to move beyond hunger and speak out for the changes they want to see.   See more and possibly be inspired to act by watching this short 4 minute video.



Christian Aid currently works with 507 partner organisations in 47 of the poorest countries around the world. From Sierra Leone to Tajikistan, from Kenya to Bolivia, we are helping communities to make their voices heard and look towards a brighter future. Poverty is a scandal and that can be ended. Look out for local events and discover how you can get involved by contacting your Christian Aid Week representative, or by visiting www.caweek.org ‘

Christian Aid organise a one-off event each year, which involves the whole community; seeing everyone of all faiths and no faiths working together for one cause is very uplifting and raises a large amount of money at the end.’ Christian Aid Week volunteer.

We are all urged to support the multi-agency campaign to lobby for the principles of the Rio Conference to be sustained and built.
Progressio are asking everyone to think about the future they want. They've mailed a Rio+20 action pack to every Catholic parish in England and Wales. And they have produced a number of resources available exclusively online to go with it: (Click the Progressio link above for more details).

Be inspired - watch this video:
 

The 2012 Games are nearly here. It is great that London Citizens have chosen to mark the start of the 100 Days of Peace on 9th June 2012 with events highlighting their CitySafe Havens achievements around London, all being filmed from a helicopter! They will celebrate the initiatives of young people across the capital who have been working in their local communities to ensure that there are always safe places to go for anyone who feels threatened by violence.

An open Prayer Vigil from 11.00pm on Friday 8th June at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square, will see the 100 Days of Peace begin with hourly prayers from different traditions,culminating in songs of praise and a service at 11.00am, Saturday 9th June, attended by the Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, and the Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols, and other London Church Leaders. There are so many ways we can celebrate this Olympic peace season;  perhaps we could think of ways too?

I took this on Good Shepherd Sunday of the children's efforts during Mass to depict the Good Shepherd. I do admire the work they and their leader put into these productions.

Chris

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Helping Others Jesus, strengthen me in supporting those in our society who are vulnerable; help me live patiently with my own weaknesses. As I walk in your way, I extend my hands to others so that together we can form a safety net. Amen. If you know of meditation that others may enjoy  please let us know at Brenda brenda.green@st-peters.eu               Chris webmaster@st-peters.eu

St.Peter’s Catholic Church. Station Road.Biggleswade.
Last Sunday was 4th Sunday of Easter also known as ‘Good Shepherd Sunday’. The gospel - John 10: 11-18 tells us that how Jesus is a good shepherd who would lay down his life for his sheep & the ‘hired’ shepherd who ran away when a wolf attacks the sheep he was watching. To understand this context in the ancient Eastern world - everyone would understand the trials & tribulations of a shepherd as most people had at least a few sheep. So they would understand that the shepherd would lead the sheep to good pastures and water often for days at a time. Wild predators roamed free and it was a hazardous task to round up wandering sheep and keep them together safely through the night. The concept of the good shepherd developed in the Old Testament where Israel's corrupt and self-serving leaders are described as bad shepherds, and the Lord promises to come and care for his sheep himself: 'I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep...! will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the crippled, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will watch over'.