TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

CHRIST WHO WELCOMES SINNERS

The Christ we celebrate in this Mass is the second Moses who interceded for sinners, who came into the world to save them, who loves them and welcomes them.

MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK:
Saturday 16 September     9.00am Edna & Brian Fernandes: Wedding Anniversary
                                             6.00pm Dannie Harrington RIP (Eileen Sheehan & Family)

Sunday 17 September     8.30am Parishioners
                                             10.30am Robert Joseph Gilby (Teresa)

Monday 18 September     9.00am Tony Allan RIP (Tim Bowman)

Tuesday 19 September     7.00pm Derek Maynard RIP: 40th Anniversary
                                             (Marie Sullivan & Family)
   Followed by Adoration & Our Lady & St Pio’s Prayer Group

Wednesday 20 September     10.00am Ruth Smith RIP (Ray & Family)

Thursday 21 September     9.00am Eucharistic Service

Friday 22 September     9.00am Olga Bowman RIP: Anniversary – (Tim)

Saturday 23 September     9.00am Simon & Helen and baby Poppy
                                             (Anderson/Connelly Family)
                                             6.00pm Sonny Sheehan RIP (Eileen Sheehan & Family)

Sunday 24 September     8.30am Parishioners
                                             10.30am Ruth Smith RIP (Ray & Family)

Feast Days:  Saturday: Saints Cornelius, Pope and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs. Sunday: Saint Robert Bellarmine, Bishop. Monday: Saint Edith of Kemsing. Tuesday: Saint Theodore of Canterbury. Wednesday: Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Priest. Thursday: Saint Matthew, Apostle, Feast. Saturday: Saint Pius of Pietrelcna (Padre Pio), Priest.

Sick:  Christine White, Kevin Harper, Ed Jones, John Bird, Gail Noel, Chris Neal, John Edwards, Tony Speed, Elvira Vaz, Geoffrey Hildebrand, John Underwood, Mary Stubbs, John Harrington, Norma Brooker, Nina Szredski, Angela Gillespie, Ann McDonald, Eileen Weald, Maureen Fitzpatrick, Eric May, Wendy Bowman, Gracie Maddox, Anne Hastings, Tom Barrett, Joann Mackintosh.

Anniversaries:  John Fitzpatrick, Margaret Roberts, Margaret Bacon, Donal Carpenter.

ROTAS:  Readers: Saturday 6pm Peter Harris.   Sunday 8.30am Ann Wilkes,  10.30am Lota Emeka-Onah.   Photocopying of Newsletter: Emma Fox.   Newsletter Typist: Venus Bernarte.   Collection for 8.30  Mass Mr V Jeyaseelan.   Parishioner Attending To Front of Church on Saturdays: Giovanni Aletta.   Flower Arranging: Graziella & Teresa.   Eucharistic Ministers:  Saturday 6 pm Kathy;  Sun 8.30am Peter Hammond;   Sun 10.30am John (5) Mary (6) Carole (7) Molly (8) Margaret (9).   Washing of Purificators: Norma Brooker.

OFFERTORY COLLECTION: 10/09/17:
1st Collection: Gift Aid: £ 332.20 Loose: £ 186.52 TOTAL: £ 518.82
2nd Collection: Gift Aid: £ 25.50 Loose: £ 140.04 Total: £ 165.54

BEXLEY DEANERY DEVELOPING WORLD GROUP:  Thank you for your kind donation of £102.74 on Sunday 3rd September. Please contact our Parish Representative, Maria Ward, on 01322 555 553 if you have any queries.

SVP AWARENESS MONTH:  Social isolation is the main poverty of our time. When combined with any other kind of poverty, social isolation makes any kind of difficulty much bigger. “Let us allow ourselves to be evangelised by the poor.” This is the very strong message of the Pope, which we consider is the core of our Vincentian commitment, (Bertrand Ousset, former National President of SVO France).

A DAY WITH MARY:  Saturday 7th October 2017, Westminster Cathedral. Please see poster in porch for more details.

33rd ANNUAL NATIONAL ROSARY CRUSADE OF REPARATION:  Sunday 14th October 2017. 1.45pm outside Westminster Cathedral (Ambrosden Avenue). See details on noticeboard in porch.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2018:  Application forms are now available for the First Holy Communion Programme 2018. Children eligible for First Communion must be in Year 3 or above and should attend mass regularly at St John Fisher Bexley. Application forms can be collected from the back of the Church or please see Angela Underwood. If you are a new parishioner and/or do not attend mass at this parish but wish your child to join the programme please speak to Father Christian. Completed application forms must be returned no later than the 31st December 2017. The programme will commence in January 2018. Full details of the programme and a list of all the relevant dates including parents meetings will follow soon. Please look out for future notices in the parish newsletter.

OUR LADY’S FILM EVENING: Wednesday September 27th. Part 1 of a 2 part movie on the incredible life of St Padre Pio, the Capuchin friar who had such great spiritual gifts as mystical prayer, bilocation, reading souls and the stigmata. Film reveals the amazing details and events in his life as a boy and throughout his 50 years as a monk. Second part including a recap) on Wednesday 11th October – watch either or both parts. Bar open, charity stall, all welcome. 7pm for 7.30pm start.

FRIDAY NIGHT FUN:  We re-open on Friday 22nd September. Welcome back Tony!

THE MEETING PLACE:  Open Wednesdays 9.30 am – 1.30pm in the church hall.

TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (A)

Today’s Theme: Christ Who Paid the Debt of Love

Christ became our brother and made himself responsible for us, his brothers and sisters.

MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK
Saturday 9th September     9.00 am Fr Geoffrey Winchester (OLPG)
                                                6.00 pm Holy Souls in Purgatory especially Deceased
                                                Members of FOSS (Gloria and Tony Laws)

Sunday 10th September     8.30 am Parishioners
                                          10.30 am Kathleen and James Murphy RIP
                                            (The Murphy Family)

Monday 11th September     9.00 am Amie Benge and Baby (Joan Aspeek)

Tuesday 12th September     7.00 pm Guiseppe Nucera RIP (Graziella Highland)
       Followed by Adoration and Our Lady and St Pio’s Prayer Group

Wednesday 13th September     10.00 am Margaret Bacon RIP (Tony Frake)

Thursday 14th September     9.00 am Eucharistic Service

Friday 15th September     9.00 am Mary Connolly RIP (Eida/Connolly Family)

Saturday 16th September     9.00 am Edna and Brian Fernandes, Wedding Anniversary
                                        6.00 pm Dannie Harrington RIP (Eileen Sheehan and Family)

Sunday 17th September     8.30 am Parishioners
                                              10.30 am Robert Joseph Gilby (Teresa)

FEAST DAYS: Sunday, St Ambrose Barlow, Martyr. Tuesday, The Most Holy Name of Mary; St Eanswythe of Folkestone, Religious. Wednesday, St John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church. Thursday The Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Friday, Our Lady of Sorrows. Saturday, SS Cornelius, Pope and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs.

ANNIVERSARIES: Leslie Holland, Reg Billington, Geoff Hinton, Kay Gillespie, Amber Foley.

PRAY FOR THE SICK: Christine White, Kevin Harper, Ed Jones, John Bird, Gail Noel, Chris Neal, John Edwards, Tony Speed, Elvira Vaz, Geoffrey Hildebrand, John Underwood, Mary Stubbs, John Harrington, Norma Brooker, Nina Szredski, Angela Gillespie, Ann McDonald, Eileen Weald, Maureen Fitzpatrick, Eric May, Wendy Bowman, Gracie Maddox, Anne Hastings and Tom Barrett.

ROTAS:   Readers: Saturday 6pm Carol Anderson;  Sunday 8.30am Peter Wilkes;  10.30am Marlene Burt.   Eucharistic Ministers: Saturday 6pm Peter Whiffen; Sunday 8.30am Marlene; 10.30am Paul (5) Margaret (6) Peter Hammond (7) Carole (8) Eileen (9).   Collector 8.30am Mass: Mrs T Li/Ray.   Front of Church: Mark Vaz.   Typing Newsletter: Graziella Highland.   Photocopying Newsletter: Calen Delpaul.   Washing of Purificators: Patricia McQuaid.   Flower Arranging: Graziella and Teresa

OFFERTORY:   Gift Aid £471.60, Loose £187.62, Total £659.22.

SVP AWARENESS MONTH:   To befriend people is vital. ‘We can’t solve everyone’s problems, but we can befriend them’. Fr Paul Roche

READERS:   New Readers’ Rota available in the Sacristy. Please collect your copy – and some good news – we are welcoming Peter Harris as a new reader for Saturday Mass.
Kathy Fogarty

CORRECTION:   The amount received for Bexley Deanery Developing World Group on weekend 13th August should have read £98.62.

FRIDAY NIGHT FUN:   We remain closed this Friday 15th; back in action Friday 22nd.

MEETING PLACE: Open Wednesdays 9.30 – 1.30.  

OUR LADY’S FILM EVENING – Wednesday 27th September: Part 1 of a 2 part movie on St Padre Pio, the Capuchin friar who had such great spiritual gifts as mystical prayer, bilocation, reading souls and the stigmata. Second part (including a recap) on Wednesday 11th October. Watch either or both parts. Bar open and charity stall, all welcome, 7pm for 7.30pm starts.

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Christ Who Overcame the Reluctance of the Flesh

It comes to us as no surprise that the Prophet Jeremiah should have felt reluctance to offer himself as a living sacrifice to God’s will, because we all experience the same reluctance to accept the cross. But what consolation it is to know that Christ experienced the same reluctance of the flesh and had to struggle to overcome it.

MASS INTENTIONS FOR WEEK 2-10 SEPTEMBER 2017
Sat 2 Sept     9am The Moran Family (Dolly Madden)
                         6pm Parishioners

Sun 3 Sept     8.30am Dr Richard McCarthy RIP (Teresa Fan & Family)
                        10.30am Dr Richard McCarthy RIP (Kay & Danny Lyons)

Mon 4 Sept     9am Repose of the soul of Kay Gillespie (Gillespie Family)

Tues 5 Sept     7pm Foundation Mass for Beatrice Walliser RIP
   Followed by Adoration and Our Lady & St Pio’s Prayer Group

Wed 6 Sept     10am Fiona, Frances, Dan, Margaret & Daniel Harrington RIP
                        (Eileen Sheehan & Family)

Thur 7 Sept     9am Eucharistic Service

Fri 8 Sept     9am Wellbeing of Jimmy Lenihan (Nora & Michael Moran)

Sat 9 Sept     9am Fr Geoffrey Winchester RIP (OLPG)
                        6pm Holy Souls in Purgatory especially Deceased Members of FOSS
                        (Gloria & Tony Laws)

Sun 10 Sept     8.30am Parishioners
                        10.30am Kathleen & James Murphy RIP (The Murphy Family)

Prayers for the Sick:   Christine White, Kevin Harper, Ed Jones, John Bird, Gail Noel, Chris Neal, John Edwards, Tony Speed, Elvira Vaz, Geoffrey Hildebrand, John Underwood, Mary Stubbs, John Harrington, Norma Brooker, Nina Szredski, Angela Gillespie, Ann McDonald, Eileen Weald, Maureen Fitzpatrick, Eric May, Wendy Bowman, Gracie Maddox, Anne Hastings, Tom Barrett.

Anniversaries:   Raymond Broadbent, Mary Mulraney, Myfanwy Phyllis Matthews, Richard Gamble, Michael Naughton, John Jameson, Lucy Lawson

Feast Days:   Friday The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

ROTAS For w/c 4/9   Readers: Sat 6pm Kathy Fogarty Sun 8.30am Doune Robinson Sun 10.30am Tony Frake.    Copying of Newsletter: Mollie Hobson.    Newsletter Typist: Molly Robins .   Collection for 8.30am Mass: Mrs M Weeks.    Parishioner Attending To Front of Church on Saturdays: John Stanton.    Eucharistic Ministers: Saturday 6 pm Carole;  Sun 8.30am Bridie;  10.30am Kathy (5) Marlene (6) Patricia (7) Mary (8) John (9).   Washing of Purificators: Molly Robins.    Flower Arranging Theresa and Doune

OFFERTORY COLLECTION w/e 3 Sept
Gift Aid – £381.20, Loose £188.96, Total 570.16.

THE WHITESIDE FAMILY   Peggy and family would like to say thank you to all those parishioners and friends for their help and support at this time and particularly for all your prayers and masses offered for John.

TERRY FROGLEY We are sorry to announce to the sad news of the death of Terry, a parishioner for 25 years, who died on Sunday 27th August 2017.

BEXLEY DEANERY DEVELOPING WORLD GROUP Thank you for the collection of £28.62 on Sunday 13th August. If you know of any small, independent projects in any country in the developing world which could benefit from a donation of £1,000, please contact our Parish Representative, Maria Ward, on 01322 555553 / 07802 623571, to get more information and an application form. Forms must be returned by the end of September. We have now successfully completed 7 projects this year.

NEW READERS NEEDED Would you be interested in becoming a Reader? We particularly need readers for Saturdays 6pm Mass. Whether new or experienced, the proclamation of scripture in the Mass is a vital ministry in the life of the church and gives an opportunity to deepen your experience of the Liturgy. Perhaps Sunday Mass readers may like to volunteer for a Saturday evening Mass two or three times a year? Please contact either Father Christian or Kathy Fogarty 07963 454480 k.fogarty@ntlworld.com.
NEW READERS ROTA AVAILABLE NOW IN SACRISTY

SVP AWARENESS MONTH:   St Vincent de Paul said ‘We should strive to keep our hearts open to the sufferings and wretchedness of other people and pray continually that God may grant us that spirit of compassion which is truly the spirit of God’ (Msgr Malachy Keegan)”.
SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL DINNER AND DANCE:   Saturday 9th September 2017 dancing to “Harmonics” live band at St Stephen’s Parish Hall, Deepdene Road, Welling DA16 3QL from 7.00 – 11.00pm. Raffles, licensed bar, food by Maggies Kitchen. Tickets £15, contact 020 8303 4723 or 0208 304 8920. All donations welcomed.

OUR LADY’S FILM EVENING –Wednesday 27th September: Part 1 of a 2 part movie on the incredible life of St Padre Pio. Second part on Wednesday 11th October. Watch either or both parts.
Bar open and all welcome, 7pm for 7.30pm starts.

PARISH EVENTS TEAM INFORMATION Upcoming events for your diary:-.
1. Pilgrimage to the Holy Land (Summer 2018) – cancelled. Any new development will be communicated. Contact Paul Rowland or Fr Christian on 01322 524813.
2. Every week, simple ACOL bridge lessons in the church hall on a Friday evening at 7.30pm, followed by some play, convivial conversation and lively bar. Non bridge players welcome for the latter.  Please see note below as we are closed for the next two Fridays.
3. The meeting place meets every Wednesday in the Church Hall 9.30 – 1..30pm. A place of great conviviality, wine, hot drinks and simple lunches. Let us know if you need (or can give) a lift.
Further details from Noel or Tony on 01322 315755 on all of the above.

FRIDAY NIGHT FUN We are closed 8th and 15th September, back in action Friday 22nd September.