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FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT (A)

Christ, The second Adam

Today we celebrate Christ, the second Adam, who overcame temptation and sin, and by his obedience won back the world to God.

MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK 4 – 12 March 2017
Saturday 4 March     9.00am Ida Leitao RIP (Eileen & John Stanton)
                                   6.00pm Parishioners

Sunday 5 March     8.30am Ida Leitao RIP (Julius Monteiro & Family)
                                  10.30am John Hughes RIP (Carole & Family)

Monday 6 March     9.00am Eileen Hogan RIP (Tim Bowman)

Tuesday 7 March     7.00pm Holy Souls in Purgatory, especially deceased members of FOSS
                                  Followed by Adoration & Our Lady & St Pio’s Prayer Group

Wednesday 8 March     10.00am Geoff & Kate Hinton RIP (Eileen Wheatley)

Thursday 9 March     9.00am Eucharistic Service

Friday 10 March     9.00am Simon Hartley RIP (OLPG)
                                  7.00pm Stations of the Cross

Saturday 11 March     9.00am Annie O’Brien (John & Eileen Stanton)
                                  6.00pm Matt Rudden (Noel Stanley)

Sunday 12 March     8.30am Parishioners
                                  10.30am Ken Stroughair RIP (Kay & Danny Lyons)

Sick: Audrey O’Hara, Christine White, Kevin Harper, Ed Jones, John Bird, Gail Noel, Chris Neal, John Edwards, Tony Speed, Elvira Vaz, Geoffrey Hildebrand, John Underwood, Mary Stubbs, Una Carpenter, John Harrington, John Larkin, Norma Brooker, Nina Szredski, Nora Lenihan, Angela Gillespie, Ann McDonald, Eileen Weald, Geoff Birch, Maureen Fitzpatrick, David Shaw, Clare Kent.

Anniversaries: Jessie Sawyer, Richard Fitzgerald, Catherine Hinton, Laura Vaz, William Poole, John Ryder, David Pelling, Mae Donnelly.

Feast Days: Sunday 5th, First Sunday of Lent, Tuesday 7th St Perpetua and Felicity, Martyrs, Wednesday 8th St John of God, Religious, Thursday 9th St Frances of Rome.

ROTAS: Readers: Saturday 6pm Kathy Fogarty, Sunday 8.30am Peter Wilkes 10.30am Marlene Burt.   Photocopying of Newsletter: Emma Fox.   Newsletter Typist: Venus Bernarte. Collection for 8.30 Mass:  Mrs M Lee.  Parishioner Attending To Front of Church on Saturdays: Paul Rowlands.   Eucharistic Ministers: Saturday 6 pm Rob O’Halloran (1) Peter Whiffen (2) Sun 8.30am Peter Hammond (3) Ann Hyde (4) Sun 10.30am Paul Rowland (5) Mary Henden (6) Kathy Connolly (7) Molly Robins (8) Eileen Wheatley (9).  Washing of Purificators: Norma Brooker.

OFFERTORY COLLECTION: Sunday 26/2/17:
                                                                    Gift Aid            Loose                   Total
Offertory:                                                    £445.20         £189.60           £634.80
2nd Collection for Poor Parishes:             £135.30            £153.47            £288.77
Next week’s second collection is for CAFOD FAST DAY
This week’s retiring collection is for BEXLEY DEANERY DEVELOPING WORLD GROUP

CAFOD LENT FAST DAY APPEAL: CAFOD has been standing alongside poor communities working with them to end poverty and injustice across the world. CAFOD traditionally holds an appeal early in Lent. Lent Fast Day is on Friday 10th March when you could consider giving up a meal. Please take a Fast Day envelope on 4/5th March, and return it with your donation on 11th/12th March, or make a pledge to give regularly. Please be as generous as you can. If you are a UK taxpayer, please Gift Aid our donation so that CAFOD can claim an extra 25% at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much for your continued support and generosity. Regards, Noel

CAR PARK BARRIER: As you may have noticed, the church car park barrier has now been replaced and will be back in use during the coming week. Could we remind all key holders and anyone else who opens the barrier that there is a bolt to secure the pole when it is in the upright position. It is important to ensure the bolt is used to prevent the barrier closing accidentally. Thank you. The Premises Committee

CHURCH FLOWERS: Now we are in the season of Lent, it is traditional for the flowers in the church to be cleared away. Can I take the opportunity to thank all those who have contributed towards the cost of flowers, using the box at the back of the church. With your continued help, we can ensure that in six weeks’ time, the floral decorations will be back as we celebrate the great feast of Easter. In the meantime, our small band of flower arrangers are taking a short break. If there is anyone would like to join us – no experience is necessary – please contact me on 01322 528 224. Sue Murphy

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS PLEASE: To be a Reader at Stations of the Cross on Fridays at 7pm. Also Apostles for Washing of Feet at Maundy Mass and also Eucharistic Ministers over Holy Week. Please see Volunteers List in Sacristy.

OUR LADY’S FILM EVENING: Wednesday 15th March: Outstanding movie on the amazing life of St Anthony of Padua, one of the most popular saints in Christian history. Anthony became renowned for his powerful preaching and miracles that won countless souls to Christ. Bar open and charity stall. All welcome, 7pm for 7.30pm start.

REMINDER: Safeguarding Team Meeting: Monday 13th March 2017 at 7.30pm in the Presbytery.

JAZZ NIGHT: Friday 7th April at 7.30pm in the hall. Come and listen to young band, Sixth Sense. Bar will be open, bring your own nibbles/snacks. Charity auction (donations welcome). Suitable for teenagers and adults. Tickets £5 available from the Truman girls in the hall after 10.30 am Mass each week or ring 07941 167 771.

EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (A)

Today’s Theme: The Tremendous Love of God

We are cherished by the tremendous love of God, tender and forgiving above every human love. We pray that we may be able to surrender to this love in perfect trust

MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK
Saturday 25th February:   9.00 am Evelyn and Yvonne RIP (Eileen Stanton)
                                            6.00 pm Russell Gray RIP (Tim Bowman)
Sunday 26th February       8.30 am Parishioners
                                           10.30 am Marjorie Watts RIP (Tony Frake)
Monday 27th February       9.00 am Josie Keeley RIP (Mary and Vincent Jeyaseelan)
Tuesday 28th February      7.00 pm Dorothy O’Mahoney RIP (Tim Bowman)                                                  Followed by Adoration and Our Lady and St Pio’s Prayer Group
Wednesday 1st March      9.00 am Wellbeing of Ron Aspeek (Alex and Dahlia)
Ash Wednesday               8.00 pm Arthur Moss RIP (Carole Hughes)
Thursday 2nd March       9.00 am Eucharistic Service
Friday 3rd March            9.00 am Hazel Mary Birch RIP (Geoff)
                                           First Friday Adoration at 9.30am for one hour.
                                           7.00 pm Stations of the Cross
Saturday 4th March       9.00 am Ida Leitao RIP (John and Eileen Stanton)
                                           6.00 pm Parishioners
Sunday 5th March       8.30 am Ida Leitao RIP (Julius Monteiro and Family)
                                             10.30 am John Hughes RIP (Carole and Family)

ANNIVERSARIES: Ginger Smerdon, Teresa Mary Watts, Alice Stanton, Terry Pooley, Joan Gilby, Mgr Patrick Keaveny, Olive Burns, Margie Watt, Geoff Bignall.

FEAST DAYS: Monday, St Anne Line, Blessed Mark Barkworth, Blessed Roger Filcock, Martyrs. Wednesday, Ash Wednesday. Thursday, St Chad, Bishop of Lichfield, St Nicholas Owen Martyr.

PRAY FOR THE SICK: Audrey O’Hara, Christine White, Kevin Harper, Ed Jones, John Bird, Gail Noel, Chris Neal, John Edwards, Tony Speed, Elvira Vaz, Geoffrey Hildebrand, John Underwood, Mary Stubbs, Una Carpenter, John Harrington, John Larkin, Norma Brooker, Nina Szredski, Nora Lenihan, Angela Gillespie, Ann McDonald, Eileen Weald, Geoff Birch, Maureen Fitzpatrick, David Shaw and Clare Kent.

OFFERTORY: Gift Aid £331.20, Loose £170.85 Total £502.05
This week’s Second Collection is for Poor Parishes.
Next week’s Retiring Collection is for Bexley Deanery Developing World Group.

ROTAS: Readers: Saturday 6pm Christine Hand. Sunday 8.30am Doune Robinson; 10.30am Nkem Emeka-Onah. Eucharistic Ministers: Saturday 6pm Ann Harris (1) Ivan Pereira (2). Sunday 8.30am Bridie Haylett (3) Ann Hyde (4) 10.30am Kathy Connolly (5) Margaret Gillis (6) Peter Hammond (7) Rob O’Halloran (8) John Stanton (9). Collector 8.30am Mass: Mr T Lee. Front of Church: Ken Crump. Typing Newsletter: Graziella Highland Photocopying Newsletter: Calen Delpaul. Washing of Purificators: Patricia McQuaid.

BEXLEY DEANERY DEVELOPING WORLD GROUP: Thank you for your kind donation of £113.07 Please contact Maria Ward on 07802 623571 if you have any queries.

CHURCHES TOGETHER IN OLD BEXLEY – LENT COURSE: All are warmly welcomed to join us for the Place in the Crowd Lent Course. Using the gospel of Matthew, the five sessions follow the journey of Jesus from his public ministry to the cross, using as a lens the crowds who accompany different stages of that journey. Starting 7th March, Tuesday mornings, Baldwyn’s Park Baptist Church, Dartford Road, 10am for 10.30am, and 9th March, Thursday evenings, URC, Hurst Road, 7pm for 7.30pm. Come for one session or all, course booklets available on arrival.
Kathy Fogarty, Parish Unity Contact, 01322 553993.

PARISH EVENTS/FUND RAISING: It has always been the practice that any money raised through events carried out for the parish, or in the name of the parish, should go through the accounts of the parish. Previously, organisers of social events of the parish always did this and any profit of the event that were to be paid to a nominated charity was subsequently given to the organiser(s) via a parish cheque, to fulfil the ‘intentions of the donor’. This good practice is in line with diocesan regulations and has to remain in place. However, it does not include monies raised by anyone through friends and families for any good cause, in which case the parish was not involved nor their resources used. Therefore, if you are raising funds, and do not want the parish/diocesan regulations to apply, please do it privately without involving the parish/resources.
Thank you. Finance Committee

WOMEN’S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER: Friday 3rd March, 10.30am, St John’s Church, Parkhill Road. This service which has been prepared by the women of the Philippines will take place throughout the world. Bexley churches are taking part and we are all invited. The service is not just for women – men are very welcome too.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS FOR LENT – Every Friday evening at 7pm during Lent, beginning this Friday, 3rd March at 7pm. Please note morning Mass for Ash Wednesday will be at 9am and not the usual 10am.

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY: The next Jazz Night is planned for Friday 7th April. Great music suitable for adults and teenagers. Tickets £5 – available in a few weeks from the Truman girls.

OUR LADY’S FILM EVENING –Wednesday 15thMarch: Outstanding movie on St Anthony of Padua, one of the most popular saints in Christian history. All welcome, 7pm for 7.30pm start.

Sunday 19 February 2017

The Love of Our Father

God’s love is so overwhelming, he loves us totally, however hateful, sinful and unworthy we are. There is no way to express this love in our own lives except by modelling ourselves on Christ, the heavenly man, and loving our enemies as he loves them. It is then that we are most like our Father in heaven.

MASS INTENTIONS FOR WEEK 18-26 FEBRUARY 2017

Sat 18 Feb        9am John & Alice Stanton RIP (Eileen Stanton)
                       6pm Sonny Sheehan RIP: 5th Anniversary (Kathy & Dennis Fogarty)
Sun 19 Feb        8.30am Parishioners
                       10.30am Sophie van Leeuwen: Birthday (Tim Bowman)
Mon 20 Feb        9am Josie Keeley RIP (Mary & Vincent Jeyaseelan)
Tues 21 Feb        10am Funeral Mass for Arthur Moss
                       7pm Wellbeing of Wendy Bowman (Tim Bowman)
                       Followed by Adoration and Our Lady & St Pio’s Prayer Group
Wed 22 Feb        10am Sonny Sheehan RIP (Eileen & Family)
Thu 23 Feb        9am Eucharistic Service
Fri 24 Feb        No 9am Mass
                       11.45am Funeral Mass for May Jones
Sat 25 Feb        9am Evelyn & Yvonne RIP (Eileen Stanton)
                       6pm Russell Gray RIP (Tim Bowman)
Sun 26 Feb        8.30am Parishioners
                       10.30am Marjorie Watt RIP (Tony Frake)

Sick:    Audrey O’Hara, Christine White, Kevin Harper, Ed Jones, John Bird, Gail Noel, Chris Neal, John Edwards, Tony Speed, Elvira Vaz, Geoffrey Hildebrand, John Underwood, Mary Stubbs, Una Carpenter, John Harrington, John Larkin, Norma Brooker, Nina Szredski, Nora Lenihan, Angela Gillespie, Ann McDonald, Eileen Weald, Geoff Birch, Maureen Fitzpatrick, David Shaw, Clare Kent.

Anniversaries:
Regina Rajanayagam, Stephen Farquhar, Colin Littlejohn, James Bassett, Veronica Anne Moffat, Patrick Feeney, Margaret Bird

Feast Days:   Wed 22 Feb The Chair of St Peter the Apostle

ROTAS For w/c Mon 20/2:   Readers: Sat 6pm Carol Anderson, Sun 8.30am Angela Gillespie,  Sun 10.30am John Rayer.    Copying of Newsletter: Mollie Hobson.    Newsletter Typist:  Molly Robins.    Collection for 8.30am Mass: Mr V Jeyaseelan.   Parishioner Attending To Front of Church on Saturdays:  Giovanni Aletta.    Eucharistic Ministers:  Saturday 6 pm Peter Hammond (1) Rob O’Halloran (2) Sun 8.30am Ann Hyde (3) Peter Whiffen (4) Sun 10.30am John Stanton (5) Kathy Connolly (6) Patricia McQuaid (7) Carole Hughes (8) Dorothy Speed (9).   Washing of Purificators:  Molly Robins.   Flower Arranging:  Sue.

OFFERTORY COLLECTION: Sunday 12 February 2017:
Offertory:                                    Gift Aid- £336.10;   Loose – £179.26. Total –  £515.36
Second collection (Racial Justice):             £51.70                    £149.14                 £200.84
Next week’s second collection is for Poor Parishes

PARISH EVENTS/FUND RAISING It has always been the practice that any money raised through events carried out for the parish, or in the name of the parish, should go through accounts of the Parish. Previously, organisers of social events of the parish always did this and any profit of the event that were to be paid to a nominated charity was subsequently given to the organisers via a parish cheque, to fulfil the ‘intentions of the donor’. This good practice is in line with diocesan regulations and has to remain in place. However, it does not include monies raised by anyone through friends and families for any good cause, in which case the parish was not involved nor their resources used. Therefore, if you are raising funds, and do not want the parish/diocesan regulations to apply, please do it privately without involving the parish/resources. Thank you. Finance Committee

PARISH COUNCIL MEETING: Wednesday February 22nd at 8.30pm. Please send your suggestions through the box in the porch, to any members of the Council or to Father Christian.

400 YEAR ANNIVERSARY INVITATION:  The Vincentian family of St Vincent de Paul are celebrating their 400th anniversary this year. 1617 was the year Vincent began involving others in his work with the needy of his time that evolved into organisation of lay people (International Association of Charities or AIC) priests (Congregation of the Mission) and sisters (Daughters of Charity). Later, many other groups took Vincent as their patron including the SVP (St Vincent de Paul Society). In our area, we will all be celebrating on Saturday 25th February in St George’s Cathedral, Southwark at 10.30am Mass with Archbishop Peter Smith, followed by refreshments in Amigo Hall. Many people in our parish have been very generous in supporting AIC and SVP work over many years. We would like to invite you too as our thank you. Just come along if you can. Thank you. Christine Crump, AIC.

A BED FOR THE NIGHT :  The churches in the London Borough of Bexley are providing free night shelter accommodation for homeless men from 22nd January to March 2017. Entrance to the shelters will be by invitation only. If you would like to be considered for a place or would like further information you will need to attend an interview/assessment at Trinity Baptist Church in the Broadway Bexleyheath (opposite the roundabout to Albion Road). These interviews are being held only on: Mondays from 9th January, between 1.00pm to 3.00pm, Friday 13th January between 10.30am to 12.30pm. Telephone 07434 733507. Please do take up this opportunity for an invitation for a hot meal and somewhere to sleep safely during the winter months, we’d love to see you.

WOMEN’S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER:  Friday March 3rd at St John’s, Parkhill Road at 10.30am. 5000 services will be held in the British Isles on the theme “Am I Being Unfair to You”. The Christian women of the Philippines wrote this service and it has been translated into 1,000 different languages and dialects to be used throughout the whole world, starting at sunrise over the island of Samoa and continuing until sunset off the coast of American Samoa on March 3rd. Everyone is welcome to attend the service at St Johns. Many thanks. Margaret Spicer. 

OUR LADY’S FILM EVENING – Wed 15^th Mar: outstanding movie on the amazing life of St Anthony of Padua, one of the most popular saints in Christian history. Anthony became renowned for his powerful preaching and miracles that won countless souls to Christ. Bar open and charity stall. All welcome, 7 pm for 7.30 pm start.