Dear family members and friends, The very famous image of Jesus as Good Shepherd is of great hope and confidence for us. Jesus speaks about the difference between a shepherd and a thief. The shepherd enters through the door and the sheep hear his voice and follow him. The thief is the one who enters the sheepfold through some other way. The thief enters to steal, kill and destroy. But Jesus as the good shepherd has come to give life and that in abundance. There are some people who come to us pretending to help us and guide us. But they are like wolves in sheep’s skin. Let us try to identify the true shepherds and false ones and follow only the true one who lays his life for the sheep as Jesus did. Amen
The priesthood has always been at the heart of the Church. This Good Shepherd Sunday, we pray for vocations and support the Priest Training Fund, which forms men for service across our parishes, schools, hospitals, and communities. We currently have 9 seminarians, each costing around £30,000 per year over six years of formation. Your generosity helps make their calling possible.
Donate online: www.rcaos.org.uk/donate/PTF Call: 020 7960 2504 (weekdays, 9am–5pm) Or use the envelopes at the back of church if you are not in the Gift Aid scheme and wish to Gift Aid your offering.
Following the 10.30am Mass next Sunday we will have our annual ceremony of the crowning of the statue of Our Lady with procession round the grounds of the church.
Archbishop John Wilson is calling on all of us to join him in praying the Rosary for Life this May (Month of Mary). Together, we will pray through the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous Mysteries, each one offered for the most vulnerable facing growing threats to life: unborn children at risk of abortion, victims of war and persecution, people with disabilities, and the elderly and vulnerable. For video, audio and written versions of the Rosary for Life, visit rcaos.org.uk/rosaryforlife. Pray the Rosary. Encounter Christ. Defend life.
Dear family members and friends, in today’s Gospel we see a beautiful encounter of two disciples with the risen Jesus. They were on their way to Emmaus when Jesus joined them. They were very sad because of the crucifixion of Jesus. They had not realised Jesus as the Saviour since what had happened to Jesus was quite unbelievable for them. But Jesus walked with them, explained the scriptures to them, opened their hearts to understand the scriptures and finally broke the bread where their eyes were opened and they recognised Jesus. We are called to such an encounter with Jesus in every Holy Eucharistic celebration. It is the time when our hearts are opened to receive the Word of God and see Jesus in the Holy Eucharist where the bread is broken. Let us open our hearts and eyes to have a personal encounter with Jesus in our every day life. Amen
St. Simon Stock Catholic Church 
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