Bedford
June 7, 2018
If you come to Mass at Christ the King, or use the parish website: http://www.christthekingchurchbedford.com/, we’d very much like you to complete the below survey. One of the parishioners is redesigning it and would like your views. Thank you!
https://www.sondageonline.com/s/christ-the-king-website
by fsspuk
On Thursday, May 31st and Sunday, June 3rd (external feast), FSSP parishes across the District celebrated the feast of Corpus Christi, the ceremonies of which include a majestic outdoor procession with the Blessed Sacrament enthroned in the monstrance. This procession often involves halting for Benediction at several prepared altars, or “stations”, placed at intervals on the procession route. Sometimes the path is strewn with petals, and sometimes it is decorated with astounding artwork created with flowers or, as in the case of FSSP Dayton (see below), colorfully dyed wood chips. We took a virtual tour of the ceremonies, and we share with you below the beautiful things we found. Click on a picture in the gallery to see where it is from.
by Fr AM
June 6, 2018
All are welcome to attend the ordination to the
sacred priesthood of Rev Mr Seth Phipps, FSSP
by the Archbishop of Liverpool Malcolm McMahon, OP
11am on Saturday 9 June, Feast of the Most Pure Heart of Mary
at St Mary’s Shrine, Smith St, Warrington, WA1 2NS
(click here for more details)

Fr Phipps will be celebrating his first Mass at
11am on Sunday 10 June at St Mary’s Shrine, Warrington
and the following week will celebrate Mass at
11am on Sunday 17 June at St William of York Church, Reading
bestowing first blessings after each Mass.
by Fr JM
June 5, 2018
This Sunday 10th June at the end of the 8am Mass in Chesham Bois, the 8:30am Mass in Bedford and the 11am Mass in Reading, all are invited to pray together an Act of Reparation to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Sheets will be provided with the text below, which is most fitting to pray also this Friday on the Feast of the Sacred Heart.


by Fr JM
Next Thursday, 7thJune at 7:15pm
in St John Fisher House, 17 Eastern Avenue, Reading, RG1 5RU

- (preceded by optional Mass at 6:30pm)
- time of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament
- spiritual talk
- refreshments
- concludes at 8:45pm
by Fr PD
June 4, 2018

We have spaces left for girls aged 10 – 17 years-old on Summer Camp St Petronilla this August 13-18. Among much else, we invoke Our Lady, St Louis Marie de Montfort and St John Bosco to improve the spiritual eyesight of all participants. If you would like to know more about the camp or to request a booking form, please email us here. FLICKR albums from previous years’ camps can be viewed here: Girls 2017; Boys 2017; Girls 2016; Boys 2016.

Opening the Eyes of the Soul to See God
Believing that while Jesus walked in Israel He caused the blind to see by touching them, it is coherent to believe that He does the same now from Heaven through His new Body, that is the Church, specifically through His Saints in Heaven and on Earth. And if the scores of people who are physically healed at Lourdes is a sign of the countless thousands who are spiritually healed, so Don Bosco’s work with our Lady to restore the physical sight of a blind girl is surely a sign of their ongoing work to enable the spiritual sight (that is the Faith) of countless girls and boys today. If this were not possible, why would the Gospels recount to us Jesus having opened the eyes of the blind 2,000 years ago?
The passage below is taken from Saint John Bosco, Seeker of Souls by F.A.Forbes (1935), pages 93-93:
“The miracles of Don Bosco have remained famous. He was indignant when they were attributed to him. ‘I only tell people to invoke our Lady,’ he would say, ‘it is all her doing.’ When very hard pressed, and by obvious facts, he would sometimes admit: ‘Well, you see, we work together, she and I’…
Another day it was a blind girl who, led by two others, went to the church to pray, and afterwards asked to see Don Bosco. ‘How long have you been blind?’ he asked.
‘My eyes have been bad for some time, but a year ago I went completely blind,’ she answered, ‘the doctors say it is hopeless,’ and she begs to cry. Don Bosco led her to a window.
‘Do you not see the light?’ he asked.
‘Nothing at all.’
‘Do you wish to see?’
‘How can you ask such a question? I am a poor girl and my life depends on it.’
‘If you had your sight, would you use it for the good of your soul and for God’s service?’
‘Indeed I would!’
‘Trust in our Lady and she will help you.’
‘I know she will, but in the meantime I am blind.’
Don Bosco held a medal of our Lady before the sightless eyes. ‘What is this?’ he said.
‘I can see,’ cried the girl, ‘it is a medal.’
‘Whose medal?’
‘Our Lady’s.’
‘And on the other side, what do you see?’
‘An old man with a staff — oh, St Joseph!’
‘Holy Mother of God!’ cried the two women, ‘she can actually see!’
The girl dropped the medal which rolled into a dark corner of the room. One of them made a dash to recover it.
‘Let it alone,’ said Don Bosco, ‘let us see if our Lady has really given her back her sight.
The girl went straight to the corner and picked it up. She was beside herself with joy. Later on she became a nun in the religious Order founded by Don Bosco to do for girls what he himself was doing for boys…”

by Fr JM
June 1, 2018
Tomorrow is a First Saturday, and so there will be Confession from 930am, Mass at 1030am, and Catechism for children, young adults and older adults afterwards! NB timings are half an hour earlier than usual.

Pope Francis uses incense as he venerates a statue of Our Lady of Fatima during the canonization Mass of Sts. Francisco and Jacinta Marto, two of the three Fatima seers, at the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal, May 13. The Mass marked the 100th anniversary of the Fatima Marian apparitions, which began on May 13, 1917. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)
by fsspuk
May 31, 2018
A very happy Feast of Corpus Christi! A reminder that Mass is tonight at 7:30.

by fsspuk
May 28, 2018
Holy Mass on Corpus Christi at 7:30pm, Thursday 31 May at the Church of Christ the King, Bedford, MK42 0SP.

Reminder: First Saturday Fatima devotions & Family Catechism Day from 9:30am this Saturday. NB The schedule is moved 30 mins earlier than usual.
Venue
Christ the King Roman Catholic Church
Harrowden Road, Bedford MK42 OSP
First Saturdays–All welcome
3 February, 3 March, 7 April, 5 May, 2 June 2018
Programme
9:30am Fatima Devotions (Rosary & meditation, Confessions)
10:30am Holy Mass
11:30noon Lunch (bring packed lunch)
12noon Catechism (for under-8s)
12:30pm Catechism (for under-16s)
1:15pm Catholicism in 2018 (presentation for adults)
2pm Altar server training / Gregorian Chant practice
by Fr JM
May 24, 2018

Click on the poster for a link to LiveMass.net
by Fr JM