Newsletter Sunday November 8th, 2020

32nd Sunday (A)

Readings: Wisdom 6:12-16, Psalm 62, 1Thess 4:13-18, Matthew 25:1-13

SERVICES FOR WEEK 7th –15th November 2020

Fr Doug will continue to say Mass for your intentions privately at 8.30 in the morning
Our Church will be open for Private Prayer only on Mon, Wed & Fri 10am – 11am

Sun 8 Nov    32ND SUNDAY REMEMBRANCE DAY
                     (8.30) Jack Bowen RIP (Wood)
                     Parish Mass – available to engage with via website at any time
                     https://youtu.be/rzRNYruRORo
                     Fr Francis Hartley RIP (Speed)

Mon 9 Nov    (8.30) Lateran Basilica Andy Watson: 80th Birthday (Wilkes)
                     10.00 – 11.00 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Private Prayer

Tues 10 Nov    (8.30) Hazel Birch in memoriam (Birch)

Weds 11 Nov    (8.30) Geoff Birch RIP (OLPG)
                     10.00 – 11.00 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Private Prayer

Thurs 12 Nov    (8.30) Harrington & Sheehan families (Sheehan)

Fri 13 Nov    (8.30) Martin Dowling RIP (Stanton)
                     10.00 – 11.00 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Private Prayer

Sun 15 Nov    33rd SUNDAY
                     (08.30) Michael, Anne & Wheatley Families (Wheatley)
                     Parish Mass – available to engage with via website at any time
                     Jim Henry RIP 1st Anniversary (Henry Family)

FINANCES – from the Diocesan and Parish finance teams.
Last week’s collection £909 (including Standing Orders) Many thanks. .
Direct Bank Payments to RCAS St John Fisher Church, Sort code 51 70 14, Account 01831763
Please put your name and if you use envelopes, your envelope number, as the code

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.

ANNIVERSARIES
Mona Shaw, Harry Dunmall, Ralph Rahim, Joseph Henry Desmond, Simon Connolly, Bill Keefe

   
Here we go again! We remain open for private prayer before the Blessed Sacrament on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings between 10 and 11 but it is a great disappointment to be unable to open for masses once more. Here is what our Archbishop has to say:

As you will be aware, the Catholic Church in England and Wales petitioned the Government to demonstrate the evidence that warranted the suppression of the celebration of Mass in our parishes. No formal response to this request has been forthcoming, despite Catholics across our Archdiocese, and other Dioceses nationally, contacting their MPs to make known their concerns. Thank you for all that you did to register objections. In the past days there has been a strong sense of unity within the Church in speaking up in defence of the Mass. This is a powerful witness to the importance and beauty of the Mass as the source and summit of our faith and life.
It is important that we continue to pursue this matter with our elected representatives so that the freedom of religion and the freedom of worship are not seen as something that can be dispensed with by Government. We should also, if possible, thank those members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords who spoke on our behalf. (Archbishop John Wilson)

We are not closing the parish of course, so please feel free to contact me and if there is any urgent need, please do not hesitate at all! Hopefully we can keep in touch via the newsletter, by our weekly mass on the website and also at church during the week for those who wish to venture out for prayers in church. But we look forward with some longing to “Return to Mass Sunday on 5/6 December, the 2nd Sunday of Advent, when we will hear St John the Baptist call to us: ‘Prepare a way for the Lord.’ By then we will have made plans for the Celebration of Christmas in our church.
God Bless
THE BLESSING OF GRAVES
The rules are a bit confusing about what can occur but we understand that there are to be blessings of graves at St. Paulinus Cemetery (Crayford) at 12 noon today (8th November), at Hillview Cemetery (Welling) at 1.30pm and Bexleyheath Cemetery at 2.30pm.
We will let you know about Kemnal Park (planned for next week) when we have more information.

STEWARDING
We are very grateful to the stewards who have volunteered to staff the church during these times.
We still need to steward the church during weekday opening times.
Please ring John Rayer (01322 523499) if you can help.

PARISH MASS BOOKS
It is good to follow the mass (especially the readings) in a missal if you have one. We all got used to using the Parish Mass Book so…
We have planned from the beginning of Advent (now deferred) to offer everyone the chance borrow their own copy of the parish mass book. None can be available for casual or occasional use but there is nothing stopping everyone keeping and caring for their own. Bring it to mass and take it home each Sunday. The idea is that for a nominal deposit you can take your copy and because there is a series of them running through the year, when the next is due, you return and swap your copy for the next in series or at any time simply return yours and get your deposit back. We will introduce this soon after Return to Mass Sunday.
Or you can follow the mass using the internet. See: https://www.universalis.com/mass.htm. or download: Catholic Calendar by Universalis Publishing, from your app store.

CATHOLIC NEWSPAPERS
The weekly Catholic newspapers can be obtained directly (postage free) by subscription:
Universe: 0161 820 5722 http://www.thecatholic universe.com/subscribe
Herald: 0207 448 3607 www catholicherald.co.uk/subscribe

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.