Category: Weekly Newsletter

2nd SUNDAY OF LENT

Readings: Genesis; 22:1-2 .9-13,15-18 Psalm 115, Romans 8:31-34 Mark 9:2-10

SERVICES FOR WEEK 27th February – 7th March 2021

Sat 27 Feb   11.00 Confessions
                        18.00 Angela Cox RIP (Wood)

Sun 28th February SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
                        08.30 For the Parish
                        10.30 Dennis Newton (Newton)
                        Web – available anytime

                        Maureen Fitzpatrick at 90 (Choir)

Mon 1 Mar   St David Mae & Tim Moynihane (Sheehan)

Tues 2 Mar   09.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
                        10.00 Norma Brooker RIP (Hobson)

Weds 3 Mar   9.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
                        10.00 Marie Sullivan (Sullivan family)

Fri 4 Mar   09.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
                        10.00 David & Pat Latimer (Frake)
                        10.30 Stations of the Cross

Sat 5 Mar   11.00 Confessions
                        18.00 For the Parish

Sun 6 Mar   THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT
                        08.30 Ed Jones RIP (Jones)
                        10.30 John Hughes RIP (Hughes)
                        Web – available anytime Norma Brooker RIP (Frake)

FINANCES –
Please note the slight change in our bank account name. .
Direct Bank Payments to RCAS St John Fisher – Bexley, Sort code 51 70 14, Account 01831763
Please put your name and if you use envelopes, your envelope number, as the code
Extra Collection This Week: CAFOD
Next Week: Holy Places

CATHOLIC NEWSPAPERS
The weekly Catholic newspapers can be obtained directly (postage free) by subscription:
Catholic Universe and Catholic Times Go to http://www.thecatholicuniverse.com or ring 0161 820 5722 and they will arrange for you. £99.00 per year or just £55 for the digital version
The Herald has a similar offer: Ring 0207 448 3607 or go to http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/subscribe

I like having a “roadmap” out of Lockdown – give me a map any day in preference to Sat Nav!!
Meanwhile, we continue to live with directives for what we do in church. I thought it might be helpful to remind you of the rationale for some of the temporary changes we have made.
• The first directive concerns social distancing. We are required to distance at least at 1 “metre+” though we mostly distance at 2 “metres++”. In our case the one “+” is that we all wear face coverings and the second is that we all face in the same direction.
• We carefully steward any movements and processions for the same reason
• Another directive concerns the length of services and therefore potential contact time. We keep to the essentials of mass and omit singing, processions, the Creed, and bidding prayers. We have made a compromise on the prayers and I lead just a few brief petitions. After Lockdown expect the return of singing, processions and extended bidding prayers with the list of anniversaries solemnly read out.
• A third directive concerns the air we breathe so we do keep the church ventilated and we omit singing and the communal recitation of long prayers such as the Gloria and the Creed.
With the “roadmap” in place, we will be looking to reopen our parish hall at the earliest opportunity. I advise all parish groups and other users to begin to prepare accordingly. I think that Lockdown has taught us not to take our social interactions for granted. Indeed, I think we can all recognize that there is something quite sacred about spending time in each other’s company.

God Bless

DIOCESAN RETREAT FOR LENT – “Follow Me”
– introduced by Archbishop John Wilson, and led by the Spirituality Commission.
This is a retreat which you can follow at home. Using the link below, you can watch a short video reflection each week and then download prayer materials and other resources for the week ahead. Simply click on http://www.southwarkdsc.org.uk/followme If anyone wants to join a ‘zoom’ meeting to share reflections just email Fr Doug.

DANNY LYONS RIP
Kay Lyons and her family wish to warmly thank all who have supported them in prayer, with condolences and through masses for the repose of Danny’s soul.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION
With hopeful signs ahead, and our church remaining open for mass, we are now happy to about offer a programme of preparation for those children wishing to join in Holy Communion with God and with the Church. They need to be in year 3 or above and attending mass (obviously!) We will be getting underway soon so please add your name and contact details to the list in the church porch if you want your child to enrol. Some of the programme will have to be delivered at home but as the children are allowed to meet we will bring the programme back to the church and the hall.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS
To follow the Way of Jesus on his journey to Calvary – and to allow him to join us in our life journeys – is a popular and appropriate devotion to participate in during Lent, both in private and in public. In private, use a prayer book or follow the version Fr Doug has put on the parish website. Publicly, we will be ‘following’ the Way of the Cross after mass on Friday mornings.

CAFOD Lent Appeal 27/28 January
Abdella lives in an extremely remote and mountainous part of Ethiopia. It takes him ten hours a day to collect water. He says his life is being wasted as he has no time for anything else. Please give to reach vulnerable communities around the world with water and to provide other vital support. Please give using the CAFOD envelopes or via the Donate online at cafod.org.uk/lent or via text to LENT to 70460 to donate £10. John Rayer CAFOD coordinator

Please print off this newsletter, using the screenshots below, and post it through the door of any parishioner you know without electronic access and make sure everyone feels okay and feels connected.