Newsletter Sunday August 2nd,2020

18th Sunday of the Year

Readings: Isaiah 55:1-3, Psalm 144, Rom 8:35, 37-39, Matthew 13:13-21
“… and there were twelve baskets full, left over.”

SERVICES FOR WEEK 1st – 9th August 2020

Sat 1 Aug    18.00 Jeff Plant (Harper)

Sun 2 Aug    18th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (A)
                        08.30 Elaine Pegg RIP (Traynor)
                        10.30 John & Bridget Harrington RIP (Frake)
Parish Mass –  

 available to engage with via website at any time
The Choir (Anderson)

Mon 3 Aug    09.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
                        10.00 Giulio Venturi (Mantle)

Tues 4 Aug    St John Vianney Sonny Sheehan RIP (Sheehan)

Weds 5 Aug    09.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
                        10.00 Daniel Hickey RIP (Kennedy)

Thurs 6 Aug    The Transfiguration Newton & Comiskey Families (Frake)

Fri 7 Aug    09.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
                        10.00 Charlotte Carney (Anderson

Sat 8 Aug    18.00 Joe Sheehan RIP (Sheehan)

Sun 9 Aug    19th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (A)
                        08.30 Kathy Lenihan RIP (Beattie)
                        10.30 Fr Francis Hartley RIP (Stanton)
Parish Mass – available to engage with via website at any time
Carol Anderson (Frake)

Prayer of St. Alphonsus – My Jesus, I believe that You are present in this Most Holy Sacrament of the altar.I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come spiritually into my soul so that. I may unite myself wholly to You now and forever. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.

FINANCES – from the Diocesan and Parish finance teams.
Many thanks to all who are delivering weekly offerings .
Direct Bank Payments to RCAS St John Fisher Church, Sort code 51 70 14, Account 01831763
Please ensure you put your name on the transaction code so that we can thank you later.

LINKS AND CONTACTS.
Our Diocese of Southwark: http://www.rcsouthwark.co.uk Lots of information and further links.
Bexley Council Helpline: 020 3045 5398. The helpline is open from 8am to 6pm.

Please print off this newsletter (use the screenshots at the end of this page) and post it through the door of any parishioner you know without electronic access and make sure everyone feels okay and feels connected.

You can receive this newsletter by email by contacting me at douglasbull@rcaos.org.uk

Dear Parishioners,
We celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration during this coming week. There are many facets to this historical event – not least of which is that it is an actual historical event. I often think of it as being a glimpse into the future both for Jesus and for the three close friends privileged to be there on Mount Tabor with him and I think it must have been so reassuring for them.

Wouldn’t we like to get a glimpse of how things will be in 6 months’ time? How for instance will it be in church with all doors and windows open (for ventilation) in winter? Masks or not? I frequently ask about a ‘road map’ for parishes, but there doesn’t seem to be one. It goes against my nature to not know where we are headed but there is a lesson for me about living only in the present moment, being grateful and trusting the future to God. “God only knows!” used to be an exclamation of despair for me. Now it is an expression of Faith. How to cope with uncertainty – perhaps a major challenge of this current crisis?
God Bless,

SUNDAY MASS IN ST. JOHN FISHER
• Those who attend MUST BRING A FACIAL COVERING. Depending on numbers attending, you may be invited to remove it before mass begins.
• Facial coverings are not needed for weekday masses at the moment.
• Everyone will be carefully guided to their seats by our stewards so please arrive early.
• Hands can be cleansed on entry.
• There will be no toilet facilities available.
• The reception of Holy Communion is carefully regulated at a distance and only in the hand.
• Anyone who is unwell or who is isolating should not attend.
• If you attend you will be asked to give your name with a contact detail so that we can participate in the track-and-trace scheme that the government is running

The Sunday Obligation is suspended so you are still free to stay at home and participate spiritually in the mass via the website or attend mass during the week if you want to.
SUNDAY MASS ON THE WEBSITE http://www.stjohnfisherbexley.org then click on ‘Sunday Mass’

STEWARDING
We are very grateful indeed to the stewards who have volunteered to staff the church during these times. One will be in the porch to give instructions and others will be in the church to supervise and to usher. They will also help cleanse the church after Sunday masses.
Please ring John Rayer (01322 523499) if you are available for any of the Sunday masses.

PRAYER REQUESTS
As we are not allowed to place our book of prayer requests on the altar during the Mass we will have a monthly prayer list for anyone who is unwell or undergoing treatment and we will pray at Sunday Mass for those on the list. To get your request for prayer for someone please send an email or post a note to the Parish Office marked ‘Prayer List’. The list will be renewed each month. The August list is still open.

NEWSLETTER NOTICES.
There isn’t much activity around and about yet but if there is then let us know and we can include a notice here in the newsletter.

PARISH MASS BOOKS
As we are not allowed to use our mass books, those of you with smart phones may wish to follow the mass using the internet. See: https://www.universalis.com/mass.htm.
If you don’t have data, you could download before you leave home.
In the long term you might like to download the app to your phone anyway. A free trial version is available called Catholic Calendar by Universalis Publishing, from your app store.