Newsletter

SUNDAY 4^th January 2^nd

Sunday after the Nativity Year A

Readings: Ecclesiasticus 24:1-12, Psalm 147, Ephesians 1:1-18, John 1:1-18

                

Sat      3^rd Jan       17.30  Confessions

                              18.00                   Holy Souls (Jeyaseelan)     

 

Sun     4^th Jan       2^nd Sunday after the Nativity  

          08.30                 Alan Harrison RIP (Bowman)

                             10.30                   Jacqueline Downey (Downey)

 

Mon    5^th Jan        09.15       Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00              Selia Willis RIP (Wilkes)

 

Tues   6^th Jan       09.15   Epiphany    Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

                             10.00                    Maureen Fitzpatrick RIP (Sarton)

                             19.30                   Maria Nucera (Highland)

 

Wed    7th Jan      09.15                      Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

                             10.00     Patrick & Mary Sheehan, Dan & Julia Harrington (Sheehan)

Please join us in the Hall for refreshments after the 10.00 mass in the Meeting Place

 

Fri       9^th Jan        09.15       Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament                                 

                             10.00                     Catriona Keenan RIP (Laley)

 

Sat    10^th Jan      17.30          Confessions

                            18.00                     Tracy Andrews (D Andrews)          

 

Sun   11^th Jan       Baptism of the Lord

08.30                    John Hollis RIP (Jeyaseelan)

                             10.30                    David Brailsford RIP (Brailsford)

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

 

LIVE STREAMING OF MASSES ON THE WEBSITE

All masses are streamed via the link:

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

 

MASS INTENTIONS

Do have masses said for your intentions. Use the envelopes in the foyer to name the intention and to enclose an offering. Give them to Fr Doug or post them through the presbytery door.

 

FINANCES   

Many thanks for your offertory collection                                                                       £ 806.84

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

Card Payment: Machine located in the foyer.

Gift Aid Please join the GIFT AID scheme – Forms available in the foyer. 

            

OUR PARISH HALL:  Our hall is available for hire. Please email bexley@rcaos.org.uk at ANY time and our secretary will get back to you. Prices: £35 per hour on weekdays, £40 per hour at weekends

 

Newsletter: Please copy notices to Fr Doug by the previous Wednesday

 

Dear Parishioners,

Happy New Year to you all. I wish you good health every joy.

With regard to New Year Resolutions, I think there was much in the Archbishop’s letter last week to offer a challenge. Let us resolve to welcome any new members in our parish and to reach out to those we don’t know. We were urged to ensure that everyone who comes to mass feels that this is where they belong. 

 EPIPHANY – A Holyday Of Obligation

God Bless,                                                Fr Doug 

 

JUBILEE YEAR OF HOPE:  We will be closing the Jubilee Year formally on the Feast of the Epiphany. The closing prayers are to be said in all the churches of our deanery on that day. We have much to celebrate as we look back through the year, especially to our deanery pilgrimage back in the summer.

 

FLOWERS:  As always, the flowers in the Church are beautiful and give great honour to the Festival of Christmas. Is this something you’d like to be involved in?

If not would you like to support the work financially. A collection is taken through the box in the wall at the back of Church, on your right as you leave.

 

CRIB COLLECTION:  This year we are collecting for Friends of the Holy Land. This charity, endorsed by Cardinal Vincent Nicholls, actually has workers based in Bethlehem and is therefore able to help the Christians there survive even under the current siege conditions imposed by Israel. They assist with emergency aid, with counselling and with a limited amount of development.

 

NEW AUXILIARY BISHOP FOR OUR ARCHDIOCESE OF SOUTHWARK. 

Our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV has appointed Canon Gerard Bradley as Auxiliary Bishop for our Archdiocese of Southwark. Bishop-Elect Gerard’s Episcopal Ordination will be on Monday 2 February in our Cathedral. The Holy Father has assigned him the Titular See of Beverley, the birthplace in Yorkshire of St John Fisher, loved by us all as a former Catholic Bishop of Rochester. 

 

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 2026 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 12 weeks for about one hour.  If you think you might be able to help, please ring Carole Hughes on 07762 731303.

 

WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY – 18-25 January

Churches Together in Old Bexley invite you to a service on Sunday 18 January at 3pm at URC, Hurst Road.  We are all invited to celebrate, draw strength and encouragement from the gift of our shared faith. In these turbulent times, we can take heart from the endurance of that faith.

 

PAX CHRISTI:   The work of Pax Christi is based on the gospel and inspired by faith. Our vision is of a world where people can live in peace, without fear of violence in all its forms. Rooted in Catholic Christianity, we work with all who share our values to abolish war and create communities of peace and justice.

Peace Sunday Collection Jan 18