Weekly Newsletter

23 May 2025 Nuntius

SUNDAY 25th May 2025

SIXTH SUNDAY of EASTER Year C

Readings: Acts 15:1-29, Psalm 66, Apocalypse 21:10-14, John 14:23-29

Sat 24th May 17.30 Confessions

18.00 Tony Frake RIP (Newton)

Sun 25th May SIXTH SUNDAY of EASTER Year C

08.30 Mary Conlan RIP (Kilcullen)

10.30 Fiona Boome RIP (Howie)

Mon 26th May 09.15 Philip Neri Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 Maureen Fitzpatrick RIP (King)

Tues 27th May 09.15 Augustine of Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 Canterbury John & Eileen Hollis (Wheatley)

Wed 28th May 09.15 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 Dorothy Cima RIP (Bowman)

Thurs 29^th May 09.15 ASCENSION Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 Hilda Tuohy RIP (McCarthy)

19.30 Holy Souls

Fri 30th May 09.15 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 Kathleen Bowman RIP (Bowman)

Sat 31st May 17.30 Confessions

18.00 Angela Gillespie (Wheatley)

Sun 1st June SEVENTH SUNDAY of EASTER Year C

08.30 Matthew Bhalla (Bhalla)

10.30 John Ellis RIP (Ellis)

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

12.00 NOON Parish AGM

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.

FINANCES

Many thanks for your offertory collection: £946.10

Retiring Collections: Last week: £337.50

This Week: Communications Network

Next Week: Padre Pio Rehabilitation Centre

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

Card Payment: Machine located in the foyer. Very easy to use!

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,

We continue to pray for peace all over the world but especially in Gaza. The military action there is truly atrocious. We rejoice that our government has finally come out against the dreadful action taking place there. It can never be right to starve innocent people as a tactic of war. The stand our government has taken may seem relatively insignificant, but the sharp response that it has brought from the Israeli government at least shows that the message was received loud and clear. We must continue our prayer and thank God for any small step taken in the right direction.

In this Jubilee year let me encourage you once again to consider the notion of pilgrimage. A pilgrimage is a physical journey that helps us reflect on an inner journey, a journey of the soul. Our Deanery Pilgrimage on July 5^th will offer an opportunity to carry a spiritual intention to the Lord – maybe to do with mourning the loss of a loved one, praying for a personal concern, seeking the courage to make some decision, or simply travelling with the Lord. We will carry these intentions (symbolized in a stone or pebble) from our church and we will join pilgrims from all the other Catholic churches in our deanery of Bexley in a final service at St. John Vianney in Bexleyheath. The Archbishop has made the church a sacred site for the Jubilee Year. There’ll be route maps for walkers and walkers from our parish will travel mainly through green space, avoiding roads.

God Bless, Fr Doug

COMMUNICATIONS SUNDAY: The retiring collection this weekend is for the Catholic Communications Network, the media office of our national conference of bishops, which provides news releases, features and podcasts.

PARISH AGM: Our annual parish meeting will be on Sunday June 1^st at 12 noon in the hall. Please come along if you can. Those in leadership roles will appreciate your interest and your scrutiny!

PARISH BBQ: Sunday 29th June. Please join us for food and entertainment for young and old. £8 adults / £5 Children with the BBQ included in your entry price. Bouncy castle / Face painting / Live singer. Team of Volunteers needed – Please add your name to the sign-up sheet as you leave.’  

JUBILEE YEAR PILGRIMAGES

Deanery Pilgrimage to St. John Vianney Saturday 5^th July

Diocesan Pilgrimage to Aylesford on Sat 7^th June – There is coach arranged from St Mary of the Crays. £15 each £30 family Contact Vanessa Barker 01322 551257

Diocesan Pilgrimage to Walsingham on Sat 28^th June

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT

CRY: Liam Morgan would just like to thank the parish for your amazing support and sponsorship for his marathon run. With your help he managed to raise around £3000 for his charity, “Cry”. He managed to complete the marathon in just over 4hrs.

THE PASSAGE: AIC Passage Friends wish to thank all who sponsored our 10km walk in Battersea Park on Sunday. With your help we raised £1282 for The Passage.

SANCTUARY REFLECTION DAYS: Filled with the Spirit – 14th June 11am to 3pm – offers an invitation this Pentecost, to cooperate with the Spirit in reflecting on the need for HOPE in our time.

For more information or booking: email sanctuaryakwaaba@gmail.com or call/ text 07977 978536

SOUTHWARK CATHOLIC YOUTH SERVICE: Our Youth Days offer a blend of faith formation, prayer, sports, crafts, and, of course, pizza! They present a wonderful opportunity for young people aged 10 to 14 to deepen their faith, make new friends, and have a lot of fun. You can reserve places by emailing youth@rcaos.org.uk.

16 May 2025 Nuntius

SUNDAY 18th May 2025

FIFTH SUNDAY of EASTER Year C

Readings: Acts 14:21-27, Psalm 144, Apocalypse 21:1-5, John 13:31-35

Sat 17th May 17.30 Confessions

18.00 Molly Aldridge (Wood)

Sun 18th May FIFTH SUNDAY of EASTER Year C

08.30 Maureen Fitzpatrick RIP (Connolly)

10.30 Anthony Moffat RIP (Moffat)

Mon 19th May 09.15 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 Maureen Fitzpatrick RIP (King)

Tues 20th May 09.15 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 John & Eileen Stanton (Wheatley)

Wed 21st May 09.15 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 Special Intention (Bosser)

Fri 23rd May 09.15 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 Serse Cima RIP (Foundation)

11.00 Funeral Service Patrick O’Brien RIP

Sat 24th May 17.30 Confessions

18.00 Tony Frake RIP (Newton)

Sun 25th May SIXTH SUNDAY of EASTER Year C

08.30 Mary Conlan RIP (Kilcullen)

10.30 Fiona Boome RIP (Howie)

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.

FINANCES

Many thanks for your offertory collection £923.40

Retiring Collection: Previous Week: MSP £237.30

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 foyer. Very easy to use!

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,

Our late Holy Father, Pope Francis called on us all during this Jubilee Year to try and engage in a pilgrimage of some sort. Sometimes the essence of pilgrimage is diluted. It becomes a trip, often by plane to a site of religious interest, a religion-based holiday, in a way. But the essence of pilgrimage is really in the journey. We make a physical journey that helps us reflect on an inner journey, a journey of the soul. Centuries ago such pilgrimages were often made in penance with the rigours of the journey reminding pilgrims of their need for forgiveness. But people can make pilgrimages with other spiritual intentions – to mourn the loss of a loved one, to pray for a concern of personal significance, to seek the courage to make some significant decision, or simply to enjoy travelling with the Lord.

We are, as a deanery of Bexley preparing a joint pilgrimage on July 5th to St. John Vianney in Bexleyheath. Pilgrims from every parish will have an opening ceremony in their own church and then walk or travel by other means to St. John Vianney and gather there for a closing ceremony. The Archbishop has made the church a special sacred site for the Jubilee Year. There’ll be route maps for walkers and walkers from our parish will travel mainly through green space, avoiding roads. It will be a great opportunity to take part in a Jubilee Pilgrimage – heartily recommended!

Our Live Simply Easter Tree has been discarded this week. It held an amazing 347 pledges—including 20 from children—each one a step toward a more mindful way of living. From reducing meat consumption and walking to church, to lowering thermostats and turning off taps, our small changes added up. Together, we saved emissions equal to 9,000 miles of car travel, recycled over 50kg of electronics, and conserved enough energy to run a washing machine for over 60 cycles. Even our youngest parishioners joined in, saving energy equivalent to 500 phone charges!

We also stood in solidarity with those in need. Forty-nine parishioners supported foodbanks more than 130 times—enough to feed a family of four for over five weeks. These acts of care and compassion made a real difference—to our planet, to others, and to our spiritual journey. Thank you to everyone who took part. We look forward to celebrating together later this year—and to continuing this journey as a parish. (Live Simply Team)

God Bless, Fr Doug

PATRICK O’BRIEN RIP

The funeral Service for Patrick O’Brien will be on Friday 23^rd May at 11.00

PARISH AGM

Our annual parish meeting will be on Sunday June 1^st at 12 noon in the hall. Please come along if you can. Those in leadership roles will appreciate your interest and your scrutiny!

JUBILEE YEAR PILGRIMAGES: Pope Francis encouraged us all to make some kind of a pilgrimage in this Jubilee Year of Hope

Deanery Pilgrimage to St. John Vianney Saturday 5^th July

Diocesan Pilgrimages to Aylesford on Sat 7^th June and Walsingham on Sat 28^th June

Augustine Camino: Rochester Cathedral to Minster Abbey – for Mary’s Meals Mon 1 – Sun 8Sep

WALK TO END HOMELESSNESS: On Sunday 18 May, four members of our AIC Passage Friends group are walking 10km in Battersea Park to raise money for the Passage. If you would like to support them, please see either Carole Hughes, Maria Ward or Alice (Ann) Harris. Thank you for your continued support.

SANCTUARY REFLECTION DAYS: Up in Hope – 24th May 11am to 3pm – offers time for personal reflection, space and peace as we consider the HOPE offered each of us through Christ’s Ascension.

Filled with the Spirit – 14th June 11am to 3pm – offers an invitation this Pentecost, to cooperate with the Spirit in reflecting on the need for HOPE in our time.

For more information or booking: email sanctuaryakwaaba@gmail.com or call/ text 07977 978536

10 May 2025 Nuntius

SUNDAY 11th May 2025,

FOURTH SUNDAY of EASTER Year C – Good Shepherd

Readings: Acts 13:14-52, Psalm 09, Apocalypse 7:9-17, John 10:27-30

Sat 10th May 17.30 Confessions

18.00 Special Intention (Cottle)

Sun 11th May FOURTH SUNDAY of EASTER Year C – Good Shepherd

08.30 Maureen Fitzpatrick RIP (Puddy)

10.30 Dec Relatives & Friends of Lyons Family (Lyons)

Mon 12th May 09.15 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 Mary Kane RIP (Laws)

Tues 13th May 09.15 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 Mary Reilly

Wed 14^th May 09.15 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 Maureen Fitzpatrick RIP (King)

Fri 16th May 14.00 Requiem Mass Dorothy Cima

Sat 17th May 17.30 Confessions

18.00 Molly Aldridge (Wood)

Sun 18th May FIFTH SUNDAY of EASTER Year C

08.30 Maureen Fitzpatrick RIP (Connolly)

10.30 Anthony Moffat RIP (Moffat)

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.

FINANCES

Many thanks for your offertory collection. £838.92

Retiring Collections: Last Week: MSP

This week: Priest Training Fund

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 foyer. Very easy to use!

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,

Habemus Papam – Pope Leo XIV

Our new pope takes the name Leo expressing a commitment to the great activity of the church in social welfare that took place during the pontificate of Leo XIII and to the great body of “Catholic Social Teaching” that arose in those times. This seems to indicate his intention to continue the work of Pope Francis in positioning the church alongside the poor and marginalised, while, as he said, building bridges with those in the church who have been slower to move in this direction. May God who chose him, now support him with all the strength and courage he will need. He is less than a year older than me!

God Bless, Fr Doug

MARY IN MAY – PRAYING THE MAGNIFICAT

We like to mark the month of May by paying some special attention to the place of Mary in the history of the world and especially in our lives, particularly in our prayer lives.

Saturday May 17 10.00 – 1.00 in our parish hall. Fr Doug will lead the presentations.

DOROTHY CIMA, PATRICK O’BRIEN RIP

The Requiem Mass for Dorothy Cima will on 16^th May at 2.00

The funeral Service for Patrick O’Brien will be on Friday 23^rd May at 11.00

PARISH AGM

Our annual parish meeting will be on Sunday June 1^st at 12 noon in the hall. Please come along if you can. Those in leadership roles will appreciate your interest and your scrutiny!

JUBILEE YEAR PILGRIMAGES

Pope Francis encouraged us all to make some kind of a pilgrimage in this Jubilee Year of Hope

Deanery Pilgrimage to St. John Vianney Saturday 5^th July

Diocesan Pilgrimages to Aylesford on Sat 7^th June and Walsingham on Sat 28^th June

Augustine Camino: Rochester Cathedral to Minster Abbey – for Mary’s Meals Mon 1 – Sun 8Sep

PRIEST TRAINING FUND.

This week our retiring collection is to support the training of priests for our diocese. It is a very costly affair spread out over many years. It is a good time to pray for vocations to the priesthood.

WALK TO END HOMELESSNESS

On Sunday 18 May, four members of our AIC Passage Friends group will be walking 10km in Battersea Park to raise money for the Passage. They are hoping to raise £500 and would be grateful for a few more sponsors to help them reach their goal. If you would like to support them, please see either Carole Hughes, Maria Ward or Alice (Ann) Harris in the hall after 10:30 Mass. Thank you for your continued support.

SANCTUARY REFLECTION DAYS

Up in Hope – 24th May 11am to 3pm – offers time for personal reflection, space and peace as we consider the HOPE offered each of us through Christ’s Ascension.

Filled with the Spirit – 14th June 11am to 3pm – offers an invitation this Pentecost, to cooperate with the Spirit in reflecting on the need for HOPE in our time.

For more information or booking: email sanctuaryakwaaba@gmail.com or call/ text 07977 978536

ST CATHERINE’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL, BEXLEYHEATH

We are seeking to appoint a Chaplain. The successful candidate will be a practising Catholic with a passion for encouraging young people in their faith, and the ability to lead and develop the spiritual, liturgical and prayer life of the school community. For more detail, see the school website.