Newsletter Sunday August 23rd, 2020

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

Readings: Isaiah 22: 19-23, Psalm 137, Romans 11:33-36, Matthew 16:13-20

SERVICES FOR WEEK 22nd – 30th August 2020

Sat 22 Aug    18.00 Sylvia Hams (Frake)

Sun 23 Aug    21st Sunday
                        08.30 John Keady RIP (Haylett)
                        10.30 Margaret Staveley RIP (Botterill)
                        Parish Mass – available to engage with via website at any time. https://youtu.be/gNeY5NJ2OmU
                        Matthew & Kristina Stephens’ Wedding (Stephens)

Mon 24 Aug    09.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
                        10.00 St Bartholomew Foundation Mass Fr George Torre

Tues 25 Aug    Audrey O’Hara RIP (Frake)

Weds 26 Aug    09.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
                        10.00 Terry Frogley RIP (Frogley)

Thurs 27 Aug    St Monica The Harringtons RIP(Sheehan)

Fri 28 Aug    18.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
                        19.00 St Augustine Olga Bowman RIP (Bowman)

Sat 29 Aug    11.00 Confessions
                        18.00 Foundation Mass Frances Walliser

Sun 30 Aug    22nd Sunday (A)
                        08.30 Ellen Gilligan RIP (C.Fitzpatrick)
                        10.30 Margaret Morris (Anderson)
                        Parish Mass – available to engage with via website at any time
                        Alice Howie RIP (Howie)
*** PLEASE note Friday’s change of schedule

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 using the screenshots below and post it through the door of any parishioner you know without electronic access and make sure everyone feels okay and feels connected.

 

There have been readings during this past week from the prophet Ezekiel speaking about the sheep of Israel having been scattered. It has felt like that here since Lockdown with the sheep of Bexley! Gradually though we are gathering again and last week’s Sunday attendance was approaching a half of our previous regular attendance. We’d love to see everyone back but with many still shielding the day is far away. However, do think about returning soon if you are still participating from a distance. We keep everyone very safe at church and especially now in the warm weather when we can linger and chat outside church after mass, it is a joy to be together again. I keep saying: ‘Virtuality will never replace reality!’

God Bless

 

SUNDAY MASS IN ST. JOHN FISHER
• Those who attend must bring a facial covering even on a weekday.
• Everyone will be 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 shielding 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

You are still able, of course to stay at home and participate spiritually in the mass via the website.

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.

HALL
Our hall is not yet open though we hope to complete the necessary paperwork and apply the necessary procedures soon. Any user group though, even for a private function will have to complete their own risk assessments and satisfy diocesan insurer’s conditions independently.

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.

CATHEDRAL VACANCIES
We currently have available 2 part-time admin vacancies at the Cathedral. For more information please contact triciagilbride@stgeorges.org.uk. Closing date for applications is 1st September 2020.