Newsletter

SUNDAY 22nd March

Fifth Sunday of Lent, Year A

Readings: Ezekiel 37:12-14 Psalm 129, Romans 8:8-11, John 11:1-45

Sat   21^st Mar  17.30  Confessions

                        18.00                    Peter Beaver RIP (Staden)        

 

Sun  22^nd Mar            FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT 

                        08.30                    Jay Maskell (Cannon)

                        10.30                     John Hughes RIP (Hughes)

 

Mon  23^rd Mar   09.15       Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 

                         10:00                Kathleen Horan (O’Donnell)                         

 

Tues  24^th Mar    09.15   Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00                     Thanksgiving (Bosser)       

 

Wed  25^th Mar     09:15  The Annunciation   Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

                           10.00      of The Lord    Dunning & Wheatley Families RIP (Wheatley)

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

 

Fri     27^th Mar     09.15        Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

                           10.00                            Benito D’Souza (Coutinho)

                            Stations of the Cross

 

Sat    28^th Mar    17.30         Confessions

                           18.00                           Eileen Barry RIP (Hagon) 

 

Sun 29^th Mar             PALM SUNDAY  

                           08.30                           Rosaleen Cruist RlP (Woodcock)

                           10.30                           Alice Howie RIP (Howie family)

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                                                 £1031.03

Retiring collection this Sunday for Poor Parishes

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,

On Wednesday we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation. The Archangel Gabriel spoke to Mary:

“You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus… The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow.” 

Mary said: “Let what you have said, be done to me”.

Nine months later the Son of God would be born in Bethlehem, a wonderful event, but in a way not as awe-filled as the conception that the angel was announcing. This truly was a magic moment, a moment when the Son of God entered humanity. And Mary agreed to it, submitting to God’s will.

During Lent we are training ourselves to be submissive to God’s will. Maybe Mary can help.

God Bless,                      Fr Doug 

 

HOLY WEEK 2026:

 In addition to the usual morning masses on Mon, Tues, & Wed,

Tuesday 31^st March           7.30  Service of Reconciliation

Thursday 2^nd April               8.00  Mass of The Lord’s Summer

Friday 3^rd April           3.00 Solemn Commemoration of the Passion of the Lord

Saturday 4^th April                8.00 Easter Vigil – The Proclamation of Christ’s Resurrection

Sunday 5^th April                  8.30  Easter Sunday Mass

Sunday 5^th April                  10.30         Easter Sunday Mass

 

What happened in that first Easter is fundamental to our Faith – to how we understand ourselves and how we understand God, how we see our lives and how we see our lives to come. If you can, try to participate in the liturgies with a view to internalizing and deepening your grasp on these vital truths.

 

SANCTUARY QUIET DAY:  A Day of Reflection for Lent on NEXT SATURDAY, 28^th March 11-3 at “Sanctuary”, 8 Hotham Close, Swanley Village. All are welcome. Bring a packed lunch. Bookings at tkilcullen@live.co.uk

 

PLANNED GIVING ENVELOPES:  Please collect your envelopes from the foyer. 

ALSO, if you contribute by S.O., there are envelopes for special collections for you. 

 

RETIRING COLLECTION THIS SUNDAY FOR POOR PARISHES

There are some parishes in the diocese that are thriving in many ways but just can’t make ends meet. Not us, thankfully, but we can help the Archbishop support such parish communities until they can get themselves afloat. 

 

SOUTHWARK DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES: 21 to 28 August 2026
An opportunity to refresh our relationship with the Lord Jesus, with the help of Our Lady’s prayers.  Details for booking travel and accommodation can be found at 

https://www.catholicassociation.co.uk/join2026 or edwardperera@rcaos.org.uk

 

ARCHBISHOP’S CERTIFICATE 

The Archbishop’s Certificate (ArchCert) is a two-year online course for all who wish to understand their faith in a more profound way and be able to share it with both confidence and joy.

The 2-year course will commence on 10 October 2026 and the cost will be £400 per year. In addition, registration must be completed in advance and there is a non-refundable registration fee of £50.  Further details can be found here: https://aec.rcaos.org.uk/archcert