Newsletter

SUNDAY 1^st January 2023

MARY, HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, YEAR A 

Readings: Numbers 6:22-27, Psalm 66 Galatians 4:4-7 Gospel: Luke 2:16-21

 

Sat     31^st Dec   17.30          Confessions

18.00          Sabrina (TG) (Bosser)

 

Sun    1^st Jan      MARY, HOLY MOTHER OF GOD 

New Year’s Day  08.30          Private Intention (Jones)

10.30          John Rayer RIP (Blackheath & Chislehurst Catenians)

 

Mon  2^nd Jan      09.15 ss Basil+Gregory    Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

                           10.00         Nicola (Harris)  

 

Tues  3^rd Jan       09.15 Holy Name of Jesus Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00         Josie & David Collison (Harris)

 

Wed  4^th Jan       09.15 Diocesan Martyrs    Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

                           10.00         Tony Sullivan RIP (Sullivan)  

 

Fri      6^th Jan      09.15 Epiphany, HDO  Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

                           10.00          Maria Nucera RIP (Highland)

                           19.30         Ann Kigami (TG) 

 

Sat     7^th Jan     17.30         Confessions

                           18.00          DRF Harrington+Sheehan Families (Sheehan)

 

Sun    8^th Jan      BAPTISM OF THE LORD              

                            08.30         For the Parish

                           10.30         David Brailsford RIP (Brailsford)

                           

LIVE STREAMING OF MASSES ON THE WEBSITE

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

 

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

 

FINANCES         

Many thanks for your Christmas offertory collection last week

 

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. 

 

Please join us in the Hall for refreshments after the 10.30 mass

 

Newsletter: Please copy notices to Fr Doug by previous Wednesday

 

Happy New Year

 

Dear Parishioners,

As we begin this New Year let me look forward and wish you and your families every blessing and also look back to the year that has passed and thank everyone who has given so much to the parish, and also on the 40^th anniversary of my ordination, to me, personally: 

To the parish council, and to all the groups and activity that they lead or coordinate – including our AIC, our M.C. and altar servers, the catechists for baptism, first holy communion, confirmation, and children’s liturgies, our hard working finance team, our premises committee; our offertory collection counters and bankers, our welcome teams at masses, our coffee morning organisers, our events committee, the SVP team, the liturgy committee, our newsletter team, the representatives for diocesan and national charities, our hall staff, our meeting point helpers, the church care team, the flower arrangers, the crib and Easter garden builder, the Christmas tree team, the organists, the choir and their leader, our Eucharistic ministers, shop staff and sacristans, the parish secretary, our readers, the parish registers keeper, the safeguarding team and the person who runs our website and offers other technical support, and indeed everyone who has taken part in our parish activity and helped to carry our mission forward. On behalf of the whole parish I say a big thank you to you all.

And finally, once again, on a personal note, let me thank you for the Christmas offertory collection which by custom is your gift to me.

 

                                                              God Bless,             Fr Doug

 

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 9^th 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, 9^th January.   Please pray for the repose of his soul.