If you have anything you would like to share, not just with the parish but with the wide world, here is your chance! Just as with Living Water (the former parish magazine), please send contributions to Gwen at gwen@chiosso.com and they can be posted up here.
Reflections for the Month of September
We are starting to see a change of emphasis in the Gospels. The disciples now begin to recognise who He truly is. Jesus hopes to keep His identity secret to prevent interrupting His Mission but is constantly revealed and pursued. Our own mission is to make Him known – not to hide His presence but share the Faith we have been given, far and wide.
St Joseph, we love you!
St Stephen’s has a new icon of St Joseph and the Child Jesus, donated by a parishioner. It is a limited edition, digitally reproduced, from Redemptorist Publications. To coincide with this, the following article comes as a reminder that we are in the Year of St Joseph. It was written by Sister Emmanuel of Medjugorje in March 2021, who wrote it from her hospital bed in Rome while recovering from a hip replacement.
My dear friends, praise be to Jesus and Mary!
Do not ever lose courage! Have we become fatherless? Has this year not been dedicated to St Joseph?
Reflections for the Month of August
They called it ‘Freedom Day’, and it’s been a long time getting here. Covid is still about but we hope not too close to us.
The mantra “With Freedom comes Responsibility” is and must be foremost in our lives. What does this mean for us? As Christians we seek to follow Christ by caring for those around us. This should involve continuing to be cautious and curtailing some things that could make us vulnerable and propagate the spread of the infection and possible variants. We know now that Covid, like Flu, is not stopping. Our situation now will be a matter of controlling rather than eradicating the infection.
Deacon Joseph
Congratulations to parishioner Joseph Gulliford who, on Saturday 3rd July, was ordained a deacon at St John’s Seminary in Wonersh as part of his journey to becoming a priest. Joseph has been studying at the seminary for the past five years, and next year will be ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Southwark.
Reflections for the Month of July
It’s Summertime. Normally, we should have a full diary of events and plans for holidays and days out with family and friends. Most of us are eager to be getting out in the fresh air and to use open spaces. Even going shopping now has some attraction for the non-shopper, who hasn’t been out for such a long time.