Newsletter

SUNDAY 25th December 2022,

 NATIVITY of the LORD, YEAR A

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Sat    24th Dec       18.00  Christmas Eve        Kay Gillespie RIP (Gillespie)

                               22.00  Night Mass   For the Parish

 

Sun   25th Dec       NATIVITY of the LORD     

                              08.30 Christmas Day      Gerry Lambe RIP (Friends)

  10.30                                Tony Sullivan RIP (Sullivan)

 

Mon   26th Dec     09.15  St Stephen   Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

                            10.00                             Jacqueline Downey (Downey)  

 

Tues   27th Dec    09.15  St John,Evangelist    Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00        Sonny Sheehan RIP (Sheehan)

 

Wed    28th Dec    09.15  Holy Innocents     Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

                             10.00                               Tony Speed RIP (Speed)   

 

Fri       30th Dec    10.00  Holy Family   Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

                                                                     Jamie Cowdell RIP  (Foundation) 

 

Sat      31st Dec    17.30           Confessions

                             18.00                               Sabrina (TG) (Bosser)

 

Sun     1st Jan       MARY, HOLY MOTHER OF GOD                        

                              08.30 New Year’s Day       Private Intention (Jones)

                            10.30               John Rayer RIP (Blackheath & Chislehurst Catenians)

                             

LIVE STREAMING OF MASSES ON THE WEBSITE

All masses are streamed live and can be viewed via the link. 

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Recordings are available. The Sunday sermon is also on the website in printed form.

 

FINANCES   Many thanks for your offertory collection last week:                £912.02  Incl. S.O.s 

 

Direct Bank Payments to RCAS Bexley, Sort code 51 70 14, Account 01831763

Please put your name and if you use envelopes, your envelope number, as the code.

Card Payment Machine – located in the porch, is easy to use. Select a donation amount by pressing one of the amounts.  The card reader screen will read “Please Tap”, select the amount you wish to donate, and tap your card or phone on the card reader.  

Gift Aid Please join the GIFT AID scheme – Forms are at the back of the Church. For every £1.00 donated the Parish will receive 25p from the Tax Office. Standing Orders are advisable. Thank you

 

OUR PARISH HALL:    Our hall is available for hire. Please email bexley@rcaos.org.uk at ANY time for enquiries and our hall secretary will get back to you. 

  

Newsletter: Please copy notices to Fr Doug by previous Wednesday

Dear Parishioners,

I wish you all a very happy Christmas.

In the joy with which we celebrate these wonderful days there is often a shadow of sadness. In any gathering there is always an awareness and a memory of those who we’ll not be with this year because they have died or are too unwell to be present. In our joys it is right and fitting to be aware of our sorrows and losses. We can also be aware too, of those unable to celebrate well for particular reasons, like those in Ukraine suffering such awful persecution or those celebrating secretly in China and elsewhere for fear of persecution. We don’t have to feel guilty about celebrating but it is right that we remember such souls and ask God to share our blessings with them in a spiritual communion. Perhaps a “Grace” before our meal would be a good time.

 

On a personal note, let me thank you in advance: The offertory collection at masses this weekend is your gift to me.

 

                                                                          God Bless,                  Fr Doug

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CHURCH FLOWERS  To see more of our floral decorations in the church this year click on the Christmas Tree above.

PARISH FESTIVE OPEN HOUSE

Join us between 11am-3pm on Wednesday 28th December for a cuppa and chat in the church hall. Enjoy good company, tea, coffee and biscuits and a touch of soft jazz.  Feel free to bring along any Christmas nibbles/tipples for our ‘sharing’ table.  Look forward to seeing you there. Elaine 07941 264011

 

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2023

Application forms are now available for the First Holy Communion Programme 2023.  Children eligible for First Communion must be in Year 3 or above.  Application forms can be collected from the church foyer. The programme will commence late January/early February 2023.  Completed forms are to be returned by 9th January, 2023.                                                            Angela Underwood

 

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY

Members of the St. John Fisher Conference would like to make parishioners aware that anyone who is feeling lonely and would like a visit or a phone call can contact the Parish Office. One of us will then contact you.  We’d also like to recruit new members. If you can help with visiting and fund raising to support the more vulnerable in our area, please contact the Parish Office.

 

CHURCH CLEANING         

A big THANK YOU to the small group of parishioners who give up their free time to help keep our church clean.  The Rota for 2023 is now available for collection from the cupboard.  We would be grateful if more volunteers came forward to either join an existing group or make up a new one.  Currently, each group cleans once every 10 weeks for about one hour.  If you think you might be able to help, please ring Carole Hughes on 07762731303.

 

 

FUNERAL OF VERNON ROGERS (Mary Rogers’ husband).  

Vernon Rogers died on 7 December after a long illness.  For those wishing to attend, the funeral will take place at Eltham Crematorium at 11.45 am on Monday, 9th January.

Please pray for the repose of his soul.