Theotokos Prayer Group - Easter Sunday 20 April 2025

 

He is Risen! Alleluia

Alleluia, alleluia.
Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed;
let us therefore celebrate the festival in the Lord.
Alleluia.

Gospel:    John 20:1-9

‘He must rise from the dead.’

On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.’ So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going towards the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on the head of Jesus, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice in it and be glad.

Picture from meeting on 15 April 2025:

A picture of Jesus prone on the ground, He is being nailed to the Cross, The soldiers are about to raise Him up but are arguing among themselves about Jesus’ clothes.  
A young Woman from the crowd slips past them and weeping gets on her knees and kisses His nailed Hand.
Jesus can read her heart and can see her life and all her falls, Jesus says “Remember Me!  Your sins are forgiven, sin no more”. Then the soldiers seeing the woman push her away, and Jesus is lifted up for all to see.
Blessed Mother even in Her own grief beckons the young woman to come and keep watch with her at the foot of the Cross.

“My dear little children, Come let us keep my Son company, for here is the King of Kings brought to you and slain like a lamb to be sacrificed that you may be made fit for Heaven. Let us stay with Him and make our hearts open to Him and walk the Way of the Cross with Him, let us stay with Him and keep watch with Him, giving Him all our love and thanks, let us envelop Him with love and In our hearts kiss His Wounds.
May you be set free by His Death and never be parted from the One who loves you so much.
Mary”

Intercessions

You are Risen! Praise to You Our Risen and Crucified Lord. Alleluia

Lord give us a spirit of Hope in this Holy Year of Hope.

Sacred Heart of Jesus have Mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary pray for us.

Pray for the sanctity of life from conception to natural death.

Pray for upbuilding of Marriage and Family.

Pray for peace in our Country and our communities.

Pray for our young people that they may be protected from the evil one, that they may find a home in the loving Heart of Jesus.

Pray for healing for 

Pope Francis, John Morgan, a young man in hospital, Rosie, Adam Grey with cancer, Charlotte, Susan, Kyle, Catherine and Peter, Anne Shepherd, Felicity, Jessica, Marie Bedingfield, Milo,  John Joynes, Vanessa, Cathy, Matthew, Gina Hardy, Jeff Shore, Owen McEneaney, Reese, Tony, Joan, Jackie, Nathan, David, Derek, Malcolm, Hollie, and Harlan Moon.

Pray for healing for Lynn and Anne both with chronic illness.
Pray for Gina (aged 31) who has had a pancreas and kidney transplant recently but has had to go back to surgery because the pancreas is not working properly.
Pray for Alan Guile may the Lord strengthen him and his ministry.

Pray for Grace who is dying - Lord be with her

Pray for all in our Parishes who are ill in body, mind or spirit.

Pray for Disha that he may find employment.

Pray for all those we have been asked and have promised to pray for.

Pray for all who are grieving give them strength, consolation and healing.

Pray for our Priests and for vocations to the Priesthood.

Pray for lost souls.

Pray for the conversion of the World.

Lord we continue to pray for Peace in Ukraine and in Israel and Gaza and throughout the World.

Lord we pray for persecuted Christians throughout the World.

Lord we pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all peoples and nations.

Pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory may they be granted eternal rest.

Mary, Mother of God, Theotokos, pray for us.
Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Mary, Bride of the Spirit, pray for us.

If anyone has any prophecy, prayers, readings or intercessions I encourage you to please send them to m

e. Let us share with one another the gifts and inspirations of the Spirit!
Also if there any changes necessary to the intercessions - please let me know

Resources
1.Theotokos Prayer Group:
https://www.facebook.com/Theotokos-Prayer-Group-142398089120415
/http://theotokosprayergroup.blogspot.co.uk/
2. Daily Mass readings can be found at:
https://universalis.com/mass.htm
3. Bishops Conference of England and Wales Website -
https://www.cbcew.org.uk
4. Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle Website:
Home - Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle (diocesehn.org.uk)
5. Catholic Charismatic Renewal in England:
http://www.ccr.org.uk/
6. Catholic Charismatic Renewal International
https://www.charis.international/en/home/
7. Celebrate Conference website
https://www.celebratetrust.org/
8. CHARIS in England and Wales
www.charisuk.com
9.CaFE - Catholic Faith Exploration (faithcafe.org)

Events

Next meeting will be on 29 April 2025 at 7.30pm in The Creche in St Patricks Church, Glenfield Road, Fairfield, Stockton TS19 7PL. All welcome.

There will be no Meeting on 22 April.

Jubilee 2025 - Pilgrims of Hope
The 2025 Jubilee officially opened on December 24, 2024 with the rite of Opening of the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of St. Peter by the Holy Father.
Link to Jubilee website: Jubilee 2025 https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en.html

I will be adding further information and reflections on the Holy Year as we get into 2025.

Hope - from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

Hope

1817 Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ's promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit. "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful."⁸⁴"

The Holy Spirit . . . he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life."⁸⁵

1818 The virtue of hope responds to the aspiration to happiness which God has placed in the heart of every man; it takes up the hopes that inspire men's activities and purifies them so as to order them to the Kingdom of heaven; it keeps man from discouragement; it sustains him during times of abandonment; it opens up his heart in expectation of eternal beatitude. Buoyed up by hope, he is preserved from selfishness and led to the happiness that flows from charity.

1819 Christian hope takes up and fulfils the hope of the chosen people which has its origin and model in the hope of Abraham, who was blessed abundantly by the promises of God fulfilled in Isaac, and who was purified by the test of the sacrifice.⁸⁶"Hoping against hope, he believed, and thus became the father of many nations."⁸⁷

1820 Christian hope unfolds from the beginning of Jesus' preaching in the proclamation of the beatitudes. the beatitudes raise our hope toward heaven as the new Promised Land; they trace the path that leads through the trials that await the disciples of Jesus. But through the merits of Jesus Christ and of his Passion, God keeps us in the "hope that does not disappoint."⁸⁸

Hope is the "sure and steadfast anchor of the soul . . . that enters . . . where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf."⁸⁹

Hope is also a weapon that protects us in the struggle of salvation: "Let us . . . put on the breastplate of faith and charity, and for a helmet the hope of salvation."⁹⁰

It affords us joy even under trial: "Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation."

⁹¹Hope is expressed and nourished in prayer, especially in the Our Father, the summary of everything that hope leads us to desire.

1821 We can therefore hope in the glory of heaven promised by God to those who love him and do his will.⁹²

In every circumstance, each one of us should hope, with the grace of God, to persevere "to the end"⁹³ and to obtain the joy of heaven, as God's eternal reward for the good works accomplished with the grace of Christ. In hope, the Church prays for "all men to be saved."⁹⁴

She longs to be united with Christ, her Bridegroom, in the glory of heaven:

Hope, O my soul, hope. You know neither the day nor the hour. Watch carefully, for everything passes quickly, even though your impatience makes doubtful what is certain, and turns a very short time into a long one. Dream that the more you struggle, the more you prove the love that you bear your God, and the more you will rejoice one day with your Beloved, in a happiness and rapture that can never end.⁹⁵

The Jubilee Prayer

Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled
in or hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope
for the coming of your Kingdom.

May your grace transform us
into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos
in the sure expectation
of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,
your glory will shine eternally.

May the grace of the Jubilee
reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread
the joy and peace of our Redeemer
throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed,
be glory and praise for ever.

Amen

CAFOD - Big Lent Walk

Final call for any donations:

https://walk.cafod.org.uk/fundraising/stephens-big-lent-walk2025/posts/3d89e4c1-d226-4aae-94d5-8d374aa3e81d?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_source=whatsapp&utm_campaign=dssb-whatsapp

Thanks, Stephen

Theotokos Prayer Group - Palm Sunday / Passion Sunday, 13 April 2025

 ril 2025

14% reached

29 sent

Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Christ became for us obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Therefore God has highly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name that is above every name.
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.

Luke 22:14-23:56
The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
....N. It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said,
  ✠ Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!

N. And having said this he breathed his last....

We adore You O Christ and we Praise You because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the World

Intercessions

Lord help us accompany You along the journey of Holy Week and enter into the sacrifice of Your Passion and Death so as to rejoice in Your Resurrection on Easter Sunday!

Lord give us a spirit of Hope in this Holy Year of Hope.

Sacred Heart of Jesus have Mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary pray for us.

Pray for the sanctity of life from conception to natural death.

Pray for upbuilding of Marriage and Family.

Pray for peace in our Country and our communities.

Pray for our young people that they may be protected from the evil one, that they may find a home in the loving Heart of Jesus.

Pray for healing for 

Pope Francis, John Morgan, a young man in hospital, Rosie, Adam Grey with cancer, Charlotte, Susan, Kyle, Catherine and Peter, Anne Shepherd, Felicity, Jessica, Marie Bedingfield, Milo,  John Joynes, Vanessa, Cathy, Matthew, Gina Hardy, Jeff Shore, Owen McEneaney, Reese, Tony, Joan, Jackie, Nathan, David, Derek, Malcolm, Hollie, and Harlan Moon.

Pray for healing for Lynn and Anne both with chronic illness.
Pray for Gina (aged 31) who has had a pancreas and kidney transplant recently but has had to go back to surgery because the pancreas is not working properly.
Pray for Alan Guile may the Lord strengthen him and his ministry.

Pray for Grace who is dying - Lord be with her

Pray for all in our Parishes who are ill in body, mind or spirit.

Pray for Disha that he may find employment.

Pray for all those we have been asked and have promised to pray for.

Pray for all who are grieving give them strength, consolation and healing.

Pray for our Priests and for vocations to the Priesthood.

Pray for lost souls.

Pray for the conversion of the World.

Lord we continue to pray for Peace in Ukraine and in Israel and Gaza and throughout the World.

Lord we pray for persecuted Christians throughout the World.

Lord we pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all peoples and nations.

Pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory may they be granted eternal rest.

Mary, Mother of God, Theotokos, pray for us.
Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Mary, Bride of the Spirit, pray for us.

If anyone has any prophecy, prayers, readings or intercessions I encourage you to please send them to m

e. Let us share with one another the gifts and inspirations of the Spirit!
Also if there any changes necessary to the intercessions - please let me know

Resources
1.Theotokos Prayer Group:
https://www.facebook.com/Theotokos-Prayer-Group-142398089120415
/http://theotokosprayergroup.blogspot.co.uk/
2. Daily Mass readings can be found at:
https://universalis.com/mass.htm
3. Bishops Conference of England and Wales Website -
https://www.cbcew.org.uk
4. Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle Website:
Home - Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle (diocesehn.org.uk)
5. Catholic Charismatic Renewal in England:
http://www.ccr.org.uk/
6. Catholic Charismatic Renewal International
https://www.charis.international/en/home/
7. Celebrate Conference website
https://www.celebratetrust.org/
8. CHARIS in England and Wales
www.charisuk.com
9.CaFE - Catholic Faith Exploration (faithcafe.org)

Events

Next meeting will be on 15 April 2025 at 7.30pm in The Creche in St Patricks Church, Glenfield Road, Fairfield, Stockton TS19 7PL. All welcome.

There will be no Meeting on 22 April.

Jubilee 2025 - Pilgrims of Hope
The 2025 Jubilee officially opened on December 24, 2024 with the rite of Opening of the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of St. Peter by the Holy Father.
Link to Jubilee website: Jubilee 2025 https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en.html

I will be adding further information and reflections on the Holy Year as we get into 2025.

The Year of the Jubilee- 

Unpacking the Jubilee -  Justice, trust and memory
The theology of Jubilee is clearly focused on justice, trust and memory.
God is the creator of the universe and he freed Israel from slavery in Egypt and gave them the land freely. The Israelites should keep remembering this and continue to liberate their own enslaved people. As God is also the owner of the land rather than the people, it was not their right to privatise and commodify it at the expense of the poor. They were to trust God to provide for their immediate needs and for the future of their families. And the rich were to treat creditors fairly and to expect that they would still yield an adequate return. 

Psalm 112:5 is clear about how we should conduct our relationships here: “It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice.” 

So poverty and debt-slavery, which might keep a Jew under bondage for ever, had to be avoided at all costs. However, we know that this was often ignored which is why the message of Jesus throughout the gospels and of Paul, consistently demands equality and freedom among all peoples before God in both the private home and the public square.

From: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/

The Jubilee Prayer

Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled
in or hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope
for the coming of your Kingdom.

May your grace transform us
into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos
in the sure expectation
of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,
your glory will shine eternally.

May the grace of the Jubilee
reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread
the joy and peace of our Redeemer
throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed,
be glory and praise for ever.

Amen

CAFOD - Big Lent Walk

Please sponsor me if you can

https://walk.cafod.org.uk/fundraising/stephens-big-lent-walk2025/posts/3d89e4c1-d226-4aae-94d5-8d374aa3e81d?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_source=whatsapp&utm_campaign=dssb-whatsapp

Thanks, Stephen

Theotokos Prayer Group - Fourth Sunday of Lent - Laetare Sunday, 30 March 2025

 

Fourth Sunday of Lent - Laetare (Rejoice) Sunday

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus.
I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you’.
Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus.

Gospel: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

‘Your brother was dead, and is alive.’

At that time: The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’
  So he told them this parable: ‘There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.” And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
  ‘But when he came to himself, he said, “How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.’ ”
  ‘And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his servants, “Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” And they began to celebrate.
  ‘Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.” But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, “Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!” And he said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.” ’

Notes from meeting on 25 March 2025:

Picture

A Picture of Jesus on the Cross, either side are the two thieves! His Heart is wrenched when one of them says “ If You are the Messiah save yourself and us”.
Jesus asks His Father to forgive us as we don’t know what we are doing.
The other thief reprimands him saying "We deserve our punishment but this man is innocent". The Heart of Jesus bursts with love and he says to Him, “Today I tell you, you will be with Me in Paradise".

"My dear little children,
My Son loves each person so much, but the example of the bad thief causes Him such pain.
The other thief shows such remorse and faith by his words, My Son’s Heart overflows with love.
My Son loves all peoples especially those who respond with love of Him and your reward will be great, but once again He asks you to pray earnestly for those like the bad thief, these are the ones that break His Heart, He wants them to turn to Him and be resurrected from death to new life in Him.
Pray to the Holy Spirit for graces to fall on all of Mankind, pray that people who are hard of heart will recognise Jesus in you and want to follow Jesus as you do, pray for hearts that think only of the things of this World and that they will be converted by love. Lastly pray for the gift of love for yourself, your families and all you come into contact with, for love restores all and Jesus is Love.
I bless you in the Name of my Crucified Son who suffers for such love of you and all of Mankind."

Mary

Lord, Have Mercy, Lord, Have Mercy,
Lord, Have Mercy On Your People.
Lord, Have Mercy, Lord, Have Mercy,
Lord, Have Mercy On Your People.

Intercessions

Pray for all Mothers.

Lord give us a spirit of Hope in this Holy Year of Hope.

Sacred Heart of Jesus have Mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary pray for us.

Pray for the sanctity of life from conception to natural death.

Pray for upbuilding of Marriage and Family.

Pray for peace in our Country and our communities.

Pray for our young people that they may be protected from the evil one, that they may find a home in the loving Heart of Jesus.

Pray for healing for 

Pope Francis, John Morgan, a young man in hospital, Rosie, Adam Grey with cancer, Charlotte, Susan, Kyle, Catherine and Peter, Anne Shepherd, Felicity, Jessica, Marie Bedingfield, Milo,  John Joynes, Vanessa, Cathy, Matthew, Gina Hardy, Jeff Shore, Owen McEneaney, Reese, Tony, Joan, Jackie, Nathan, David, Derek, Malcolm, Hollie, and Harlan Moon.

Pray for healing for Lynn and Anne both with chronic illness.
Pray for Gina (aged 31) who has had a pancreas and kidney transplant recently but has had to go back to surgery because the pancreas is not working properly.
Pray for Alan Guile may the Lord strengthen him and his ministry.

Pray for Grace who is dying - Lord be with her

Pray for all in our Parishes who are ill in body, mind or spirit.

Pray for Disha that he may find employment.

Pray for all those we have been asked and have promised to pray for.

Pray for all who are grieving give them strength, consolation and healing.

Pray for our Priests and for vocations to the Priesthood.

Pray for lost souls.

Pray for the conversion of the World.

Lord we continue to pray for Peace in Ukraine and in Israel and Gaza and throughout the World.

Lord we pray for persecuted Christians throughout the World.

Lord we pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all peoples and nations.

Pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory may they be granted eternal rest.

Mary, Mother of God, Theotokos, pray for us.
Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Mary, Bride of the Spirit, pray for us.

If anyone has any prophecy, prayers, readings or intercessions I encourage you to please send them to m

e. Let us share with one another the gifts and inspirations of the Spirit!
Also if there any changes necessary to the intercessions - please let me know

Resources
1.Theotokos Prayer Group:
https://www.facebook.com/Theotokos-Prayer-Group-142398089120415
/http://theotokosprayergroup.blogspot.co.uk/
2. Daily Mass readings can be found at:
https://universalis.com/mass.htm
3. Bishops Conference of England and Wales Website -
https://www.cbcew.org.uk
4. Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle Website:
Home - Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle (diocesehn.org.uk)
5. Catholic Charismatic Renewal in England:
http://www.ccr.org.uk/
6. Catholic Charismatic Renewal International
https://www.charis.international/en/home/
7. Celebrate Conference website
https://www.celebratetrust.org/
8. CHARIS in England and Wales
www.charisuk.com
9.CaFE - Catholic Faith Exploration (faithcafe.org)

Events

Next meeting will be on 1 April 2025 at 7.30pm in The Creche in St Patricks Church, Glenfield Road, Fairfield, Stockton TS19 7PL. All welcome

Jubilee 2025 - Pilgrims of Hope
The 2025 Jubilee officially opened on December 24, 2024 with the rite of Opening of the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of St. Peter by the Holy Father.
Link to Jubilee website: Jubilee 2025 https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en.html

I will be adding further information and reflections on the Holy Year as we get into 2025.

The Year of the Jubilee- a year of restoration, freedom and celebration.
The Jubilee is first described in Leviticus 25. Every 7th year was a sabbath for the land when it was to lay fallow, and rest from agriculture. The 7th in a cycle of 7 sabbatical years was 49 years, and the year following was the 50th year.  Land and property, which had been sold, was returned to its original owner or their descendants, debts were cancelled, and slaves and prisoners were freed.  A ram’s horn was blown on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) to announce the start of the year of the Jubilee. It was a year of restoration and freedom, and a year of celebration.

The Jubilee represents the most radical system of continuing social reform in the Old Testament because it blocked land and wealth from becoming the focus of a wealthy elite at the expense of the ordinary people. 

The word Jubilee

The Hebrew word for Jubilee is “yobel” which roughly means ‘ram’. This is because a trumpet made from a ram’s horn was used to announce the beginning of the Jubilee year in Joshua 6:1-14. The announcement of the Jubilee year with a trumpet blast became strongly connected with the eventual eschatological ushering in of the messianic era (see Isaiah 27:13 and Zechariah 9:9-17).  It is not originally connected to the Latin word for Jubilee (jubilare) meaning jubilation, but in the English language, the word Jubilee came to have the dual meaning of a 50th anniversary, and a special time of celebration. The history of the Jubilee in the Bible is also related to the idea of the Sabbath and the Sabbatical year. Leviticus 25: 8-17 “You shall count seven weeks of years, seven times seven years, so that the time of the seven weeks of years shall give you forty-nine years.  Then you shall sound the loud trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month. On the Day of Atonement, you shall sound the trumpet throughout all your land.  And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his clan.  That fiftieth year shall be a Jubilee for you; in it  you shall neither sow nor reap what grows of itself nor gather the grapes from the undressed vines. For it is a Jubilee. It shall be holy to you. You may eat the produce of the field.  “In this year of Jubilee each of you shall return to his property.  And if you make a sale to your neighbour or buy from your neighbour, you shall not wrong one another.  You shall pay your neighbour according to the number of years after the Jubilee, and he shall sell to you according to the number of years for crops.  If the years are many, you shall increase the price, and if the years are few, you shall reduce the price, for it is the number of the crops that he is selling to you.  You shall not wrong one another, but you shall fear your God, for I am the Lord your God.

From: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/

The Jubilee Prayer

Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled
in or hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope
for the coming of your Kingdom.

May your grace transform us
into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos
in the sure expectation
of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,
your glory will shine eternally.

May the grace of the Jubilee
reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread
the joy and peace of our Redeemer
throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed,
be glory and praise for ever.

Amen

Please sponsor me if you can

https://walk.cafod.org.uk/fundraising/stephens-big-lent-walk2025/posts/3d89e4c1-d226-4aae-94d5-8d374aa3e81d?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_source=whatsapp&utm_campaign=dssb-whatsapp

Thanks, Stephen

Theotokos Prayer Group - Third Sunday of Lent, 23 March 2025

Third Sunday of Lent - 23 March 2025

Repent, says the Lord,
for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God.

Gospel:   Luke 13:1-9

‘Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.’

There were some present at that very time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, ‘Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.’
  And he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vine dresser, “Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?” And he answered him, “Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig round it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.” ’

God our Father, in your infinite love and goodness
you have shown us that prayer, fasting, and almsgiving
are remedies for sin.
Accept the humble admission of our guilt, and when our conscience weighs us down let your unfailing mercy raise us up.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

Lenten Reflection - part 3

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
FOR LENT 2025

Third, let us journey together in hope, for we have been given a promise. May the hope that does not disappoint (cf. Rom 5:5), the central message of the Jubilee, be the focus of our Lenten journey towards the victory of Easter. As Pope Benedict XVI taught us in the Encyclical Spe Salvi, “the human being needs unconditional love.  He needs the certainty which makes him say: ‘neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord’ ( Rom 8:38-39)”. 

Christ, my hope, has risen! He lives and reigns in glory. Death has been transformed into triumph, and the faith and great hope of Christians rests in this: the resurrection of Christ!

This, then, is the third call to conversion: a call to hope, to trust in God and his great promise of eternal life. Let us ask ourselves: Am I convinced that the Lord forgives my sins? Or do I act as if I can save myself? Do I long for salvation and call upon God’s help to attain it? Do I concretely experience the hope that enables me to interpret the events of history and inspires in me a commitment to justice and fraternity, to care for our common home and in such a way that no one feels excluded?

Sisters and brothers, thanks to God’s love in Jesus Christ, we are sustained in the hope that does not disappoint (cf. Rom 5:5). Hope is the “sure and steadfast anchor of the soul”. It moves the Church to pray for “everyone to be saved” ( 1 Tim 2:4) and to look forward to her being united with Christ, her bridegroom, in the glory of heaven. This was the prayer of Saint Teresa of Avila: “Hope, O my soul, hope. You know neither the day nor the hour. Watch carefully, for everything passes quickly, even though your impatience makes doubtful what is certain, and turns a very short time into a long one” ( The Exclamations of the Soul to God, 15:3).

May the Virgin Mary, Mother of Hope, intercede for us and accompany us on our Lenten journey.

Notes for meeting on 18 March

Picture

Picture of Our Lord Jesus on His Cross, Blessed Mother is looking up at Him.
It is as though we were above the  top of the Cross looking at Our Mother and Jesus while they are conversing.
Jesus in agony says “Dear Mother will you be a Mother to mine?”
Blessed Mother with tears on her cheeks replies “My Son as I said "Yes" to Gabriel and You were placed in my womb, so shall I place all of Your children into the Ark of my Immaculate Heart, I shall lead them home to You."

"My dear little ones I am with you and hold you in the Ark of my Immaculate Heart, turn to Jesus in trouble and strife and I will always do as He bids and protect you.
My Heart together with my Son’s Heart will always be your refuge, for you are my Son’s People and so you are my children and this Mother will always watch over her little ones.
Be at peace my dear one’s, come stay with me a while before the Holy Cross of my Son, and keep us company.
Mary"

Interpretation of tongues:

My Heart burns with love of you.

I love you.

My Heart is full of love for you.

My Heart is broken.

My Heart is broken for love of you, My Heart is broken for love of you, My Heart is broken for love of you,

Intercessions

Lord give us a spirit of Hope in this Holy Year of Hope.

Sacred Heart of Jesus have Mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary pray for us.

Pray for the sanctity of life from conception to natural death.

Pray for upbuilding of Marriage and Family.

Pray for peace in our Country and our communities.

Pray for our young people that they may be protected from the evil one, that they may find a home in the loving Heart of Jesus.

Pray for healing for 

Pope Francis, John Morgan, Rosie, Adam Grey with cancer, Charlotte, Susan, Kyle, Catherine and Peter, Anne Shepherd, Felicity, Jessica, Marie Bedingfield, Milo,  John Joynes, Vanessa, Cathy, Matthew, Gina Hardy, Jeff Shore, Owen McEneaney, Reese, Tony, Joan, Jackie, Nathan, David, Derek, Malcolm, Hollie, and Harlan Moon.

Pray for healing for Lynn and Anne both with chronic illness.
Pray for Gina (aged 31) who has had a pancreas and kidney transplant recently but has had to go back to surgery because the pancreas is not working properly.
Pray for Alan Guile may the Lord strengthen him and his ministry.

Pray for Grace who is dying - Lord be with her

Pray for all in our Parishes who are ill in body, mind or spirit.

Pray for Disha that he may find employment.

Pray for all those we have been asked and have promised to pray for.

Pray for all who are grieving give them strength, consolation and healing.

Pray for our Priests and for vocations to the Priesthood.

Pray for lost souls.

Pray for the conversion of the World.

Lord we continue to pray for Peace in Ukraine and in Israel and Gaza and throughout the World.

Lord we pray for persecuted Christians throughout the World.

Lord we pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all peoples and nations.

Pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory may they be granted eternal rest.

Mary, Mother of God, Theotokos, pray for us.
Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Mary, Bride of the Spirit, pray for us.

If anyone has any prophecy, prayers, readings or intercessions I encourage you to please send them to m

e. Let us share with one another the gifts and inspirations of the Spirit!
Also if there any changes necessary to the intercessions - please let me know

Resources
1.Theotokos Prayer Group:
https://www.facebook.com/Theotokos-Prayer-Group-142398089120415
/http://theotokosprayergroup.blogspot.co.uk/
2. Daily Mass readings can be found at:
https://universalis.com/mass.htm
3. Bishops Conference of England and Wales Website -
https://www.cbcew.org.uk
4. Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle Website:
Home - Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle (diocesehn.org.uk)
5. Catholic Charismatic Renewal in England:
http://www.ccr.org.uk/
6. Catholic Charismatic Renewal International
https://www.charis.international/en/home/
7. Celebrate Conference website
https://www.celebratetrust.org/
8. CHARIS in England and Wales
www.charisuk.com
9.CaFE - Catholic Faith Exploration (faithcafe.org)

Events

Next meeting will be on 25 March 2025 at 7.30pm in The Creche in St Patricks Church, Glenfield Road, Fairfield, Stockton TS19 7PL. All welcome

Jubilee 2025 - Pilgrims of Hope
The 2025 Jubilee officially opened on December 24, 2024 with the rite of Opening of the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of St. Peter by the Holy Father.
Link to Jubilee website: Jubilee 2025 https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en.html

I will be adding further information and reflections on the Holy Year as we get into 2025.

The development of the Jubilee theme in Scripture

Although there are only a few references to the Jubilee year in the Pentateuch it continued to play a major role both among the Israelites and in the emerging Christian church in the New Testament.  
The Jubilee year assumed greater theological importance in Israel. Although there are only a few references to the Jubilee year in the Pentateuch (Leviticus 25 and Numbers 36:4) it continued to play a major role both among the Israelites and in the emerging Christian church in the New Testament. Ezekiel 46:17 calls it the ‘year of liberty’. 

While Isaiah 61:1-2 speaks of it as ‘the year of the Lord’s favour’. 

‘The spirit of the Lord God is upon me
because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives
and release to the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn…’ 

In Daniel’s vision (9:24-27), he sees the eschatological messianic age of Yahweh to be inaugurated after “seventy weeks of years”. 

This can be equated with 10 jubilee years:  ‘for putting an end to transgression, for placing the seal on sin, for expiating crime, for introducing everlasting righteousness, for setting the seal on vision and on prophecy, for anointing the holy of holies.’ 

In Jeremiah 34:8-22 the liberation of slaves which King Zedekiah had ordered was not properly carried out. The Israelites reversed the agreement, reclaimed their slaves and re-enslaved them. Yahweh reprimanded the people and reminded them of their ancestral covenant with him and Jubilee protocol. Then Yahweh set war, famine and plague upon them in punishment. 

2 Chronicles 36:21 also shows that Israel had failed to observe the sabbatical years in accordance with Jeremiah’s prophecy and was similarly punished.  

From: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/

The Jubilee Prayer

Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled
in or hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope
for the coming of your Kingdom.

May your grace transform us
into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos
in the sure expectation
of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,
your glory will shine eternally.

May the grace of the Jubilee
reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread
the joy and peace of our Redeemer
throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed,
be glory and praise for ever.

Amen

Theotokos Prayer Group - Second Sunday of Lent - 16 March 2025

Second Sunday of Lent - 16 March 2025

Glory to you, O Christ, Wisdom of God the Father.
From a bright cloud, the Father’s voice was heard:
‘This is my beloved Son, listen to him’.
Glory to you, O Christ, Wisdom of God the Father.

Gospel:    Luke 9:28b-36

‘As Jesus was praying, the appearance of his face was altered.’

At that time: Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah’ — not knowing what he said. As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!’ And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.

Notes from meeting on 11 March

Picture

Picture of Jesus handing Blessed Mother His Crown of Thorns, Blessed Mother then turns to us and our hearts open wide, She snaps off a blooded thorn and places it into each persons heart, each heart closes over the thorn and it blooms into a beautiful white flower, in the centre is the word "Prayer".

"My dear little children,
As you each open your hearts, you receive the thorn dipped in the Blood of my Son Jesus, the Blood acts like rooting powder and the thorn grows deep roots. Each time you pray the plant gets bigger and stronger till it blooms and praying becomes much more easy and effective!
Open your hearts my little ones and receive this much needed gift of prayer!
This gift of Prayer will be enhanced by the water of the Holy Spirit, this gift of Prayer will action the Holy Trinity's wishes for the Inhabitants of the Earth, that Is to know the Love of Jesus and to turn to Him.
My Jesus weeps for love of Mankind.
Mary"

Thank you Jesus for Your Precious Blood poured out over us, thank You for Your Passion and Your death on the Cross. Thank you that You gave up Your Life for us completely, fully, freely that we may be reconciled, saved, healed, united with the Father through Your sacrifice. Praise You Lord, Our King, Our Saviour, Our Redeemer and Our Brother.

Lenten Reflection - part2

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
FOR LENT 2025

Let us journey together in hope

Second, to journey together. The Church is called to walk together, to be synodal.  Christians are called to walk at the side of others, and never as lone travellers. The Holy Spirit impels us not to remain self-absorbed, but to leave ourselves behind and keep walking towards God and our brothers and sisters. Journeying together means consolidating the unity grounded in our common dignity as children of God (cf. Gal 3:26-28). It means walking side-by-side, without shoving or stepping on others, without envy or hypocrisy, without letting anyone be left behind or excluded. Let us all walk in the same direction, tending towards the same goal, attentive to one another in love and patience.

This Lent, God is asking us to examine whether in our lives, in our families, in the places where we work and spend our time, we are capable of walking together with others, listening to them, resisting the temptation to become self-absorbed and to think only of our own needs. Let us ask ourselves in the presence of the Lord whether, as bishops, priests, consecrated persons and laity in the service of the Kingdom of God, we cooperate with others. Whether we show ourselves welcoming, with concrete gestures, to those both near and far. Whether we make others feel a part of the community or keep them at a distance. This, then, is a second call to conversion: a summons to synodality.

Intercessions

Lord give us a spirit of Hope in this Holy Year of Hope.

Sacred Heart of Jesus have Mercy on us.
Immaculate Heart of Mary pray for us.

Pray for the sanctity of life from conception to natural death.

Pray for upbuilding of Marriage and Family.

Pray for peace in our Country and our communities.

Pray for our young people that they may be protected from the evil one, that they may find a home in the loving Heart of Jesus.

Pray for healing for 

Pope Francis, John Morgan, Rosie, Adam Grey with cancer, Charlotte, Susan, Kyle, Catherine and Peter, Anne Shepherd, Felicity, Jessica, Marie Bedingfield, Milo,  John Joynes, Vanessa, Cathy, Matthew, Gina Hardy, Jeff Shore, Owen McEneaney, Reese, Tony, Joan, Jackie, Nathan, David, Derek, Malcolm, Hollie, and Harlan Moon.

Pray for healing for Lynn and Anne both with chronic illness.
Pray for Gina (aged 31) who has had a pancreas and kidney transplant recently but has had to go back to surgery because the pancreas is not working properly.
Pray for Alan Guile may the Lord strengthen him and his ministry.

Pray for Grace who is dying - Lord be with her

Thank the Lord that Maisie is now out of hospital.

Pray for Joseph in hospital with burns.

Pray for all in our Parishes who are ill in body, mind or spirit.

Pray for Disha that he may find employment.

Pray for all those we have been asked and have promised to pray for.

Pray for all who are grieving give them strength, consolation and healing.

Pray for our Priests and for vocations to the Priesthood.

Pray for lost souls.

Pray for the conversion of the World.

Lord we continue to pray for Peace in Ukraine and in Israel and Gaza and throughout the World.

Lord we pray for persecuted Christians throughout the World.

Lord we pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all peoples and nations.

Pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory may they be granted eternal rest.

Mary, Mother of God, Theotokos, pray for us.
Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us.
Mary, Bride of the Spirit, pray for us.

If anyone has any prophecy, prayers, readings or intercessions I encourage you to please send them to m

e. Let us share with one another the gifts and inspirations of the Spirit!
Also if there any changes necessary to the intercessions - please let me know

Resources
1.Theotokos Prayer Group:
https://www.facebook.com/Theotokos-Prayer-Group-142398089120415
/http://theotokosprayergroup.blogspot.co.uk/
2. Daily Mass readings can be found at:
https://universalis.com/mass.htm
3. Bishops Conference of England and Wales Website -
https://www.cbcew.org.uk
4. Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle Website:
Home - Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle (diocesehn.org.uk)
5. Catholic Charismatic Renewal in England:
http://www.ccr.org.uk/
6. Catholic Charismatic Renewal International
https://www.charis.international/en/home/
7. Celebrate Conference website
https://www.celebratetrust.org/
8. CHARIS in England and Wales
www.charisuk.com
9.CaFE - Catholic Faith Exploration (faithcafe.org)

Events

Next meeting will be on 18 March 2025 at 7.30pm in The Creche in St Patricks Church, Glenfield Road, Fairfield, Stockton TS19 7PL. All welcome

Jubilee 2025 - Pilgrims of Hope
The 2025 Jubilee officially opened on December 24, 2024 with the rite of Opening of the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of St. Peter by the Holy Father.
Link to Jubilee website: Jubilee 2025 https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en.html

I will be adding further information and reflections on the Holy Year as we get into 2025.

Charity
Charity is a principal characteristic of the Christian life. No one can think that pilgrimage and the celebration of the indulgence of the Jubilee can be reduced to a form of magical ritual, without knowing that it is a life of charity that gives them ultimate meaning. Furthermore, charity is the preeminent sign of the Christian faith and its specific form of credibility. In the context of the Jubilee, the apostle Peter's invitation cannot be forgotten: "Above all, let your love for one another be intense, because love covers a multitude of sins" (1 Pet. 4:8).

According to John the evangelist, love toward one's neighbour, which comes not from man but from God, will ensure that true disciples of Christ will be recognized in the future. It is apparent, therefore, that no believer can claim to believe if they do not then love, and conversely, they cannot say they love if they do not believe. Paul the apostle also reiterates that faith and love make up the identity of the Christian; love is what begets perfection (see Col. 3:14), faith what enables love to be such. Charity, therefore, has its special place in the life of faith; moreover, in light of the Holy Year, Christian witness must be reaffirmed as a more expressive form of conversion.

The Jubilee Prayer

Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled
in or hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope
for the coming of your Kingdom.

May your grace transform us
into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos
in the sure expectation
of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,
your glory will shine eternally.

May the grace of the Jubilee
reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread
the joy and peace of our Redeemer
throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed,
be glory and praise for ever.

Amen