Newsletter Sunday November 15th, 2020

33rd Sunday (A)

Readings: Proverbs 31;10-13, 19-20, 30-31 Psalm 127, Thessalonians 5:1-6, Matthew 25:14-30

SERVICES FOR WEEK 14th – 22nd November 2020

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

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)

Mon 16 Nov    (8.30) ssEdmund,Margaret+Gertrude Deceased Relatives & Friends (Mantle)
                        10.00 – 11.00 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Private Prayer

Tues 17 Nov    (8.30) Doris Stubbs RIP (Keefe)

Weds 18 Nov    (8.30) Elizabeth Dearden RIP (Morris)
                        10.00 – 11.00 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Private Prayer

Thurs 19 Nov    (8.30) Cilan Geoghegan RIP (Sheehan)

Fri 20 Nov    (8.30) Dorothy & Tony Speed (Frake)
                        10.00 – 11.00 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Private Prayer

Sun 22 Nov    CHRIST THE KING
                        (08.30) Sonny Sheehan RIP (Fogarty)
                        Parish Mass – available to engage with via website at any time
                        Fr Padraig Regan (AIC Saturday Friends)

SUNDAY MASS ON THE WEBSITE http://www.stjohnfisherbexley.org then click on ‘Sunday Mass’

VINCENT JEYASEELAN R.I.P. Please pray for the repose of the soul of Vincent, who died yesterday (Saturday) morning. Please also remember in your prayers Mary and their family.

FINANCES – from the Diocesan and Parish finance teams. .
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
John Lenihan, Sheila Moss, Stephen Ward, Tony Sullivan, Cath Moriarty, Bridget Harrington, Jim Henry

What great news there was at the beginning of the week with the announcement that an effective vaccine may have been developed to help fight the virus! We must really express our thanks to God, having prayed so hard for such an outcome. God did not send the vaccine down under a parachute, of course. He uses the gifts of the dedicated research scientists and blesses their work abundantly. We might remember the miracle of the Feeding of the Multitude on the mountainside. It all starts off with the gift of bread and fish that a small boy shares. God’s way of working was to bless and multiply the gift. So, yes we can thank God for the vaccine and also the scientists involved in sharing their talents. There is a resonance with today’s gospel. Perhaps we should most accurately respond by thanking God and congratulating the scientists.

But as many have been saying, the discovery of the vaccine is not the solution, the vaccination of the entire world will be, and that is a long way off. We must continue to pray for those suffering with the virus and those fighting to cure them and care for them.

Here in the parish of St. John Fisher in Bexley we anticipate a return to Sunday Mass on 5/6 December, the 2nd Sunday of Advent, but we must also prepare for a potential extension of Lockdown. Let us hope that doesn’t happen.

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.
God Bless

THE BLESSING OF GRAVES
This Sunday: Kemnal Park at 2.00 p.m.

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.