Category: Weekly Newsletter

4th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

Readings: Deuteronomy; 18:15-20, Psalm 94, 1 Corinthians 7:32-35, Mark 1:21-28

SERVICES FOR WEEK 30th –7th January 2021

Sun 31st Jan 4th SUN (B):
                        Private Intention
                        Parish Mass – available to engage with via website at any time

                        Joan Aspeek, aged 90! (Connolly)

Mon 1 Feb   Joan Aspeek (Hughes)

Tues 2 Feb   Presentation of the Lord Margaret Bates (Haylett)

Weds 3 Feb 9.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
                        10.00 Danny Lyons RIP (Choir)

Thurs 4 Feb   Kay Gray RIP (Kilcullen)

Fri 5 Feb   09.30 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
                        10.00 St Agatha David White RIP (Fitzpatrick)

Sat 6 Feb   11am Confessions
                        18.00 Sonny Sheehan RIP (Sheehan)

Sun 7 Feb   5th SUN (B):
                        08.30 For The Parish
                        10.30 William Dawson-Asaam RIP (Asaam)
                        Parish Mass – available to engage with via website at any time
                        Charlie Back et al RIP

The Services from Wednesday 3rd Feb are public services

FINANCES – from the Diocesan and Parish finance teams.
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 Next Week: Catholic Association for Racial Justice

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. Special offer 3 months for £22.00 or 12 months for £80.00
The Herald has a similar offer: Ring 0207 448 3607 or go to http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/subscribe

You will probably be following the statistics measuring the infection rates for the virus and note, as I have noted, that the virus was virtually out of control in the Bexley area earlier in the month, but that in this last week in particular our rate has descended and that we are now comparable with our neighbours such as those in the borough of Bromley. It gives me great pleasure therefore to confirm that we will, as planned, reopen on Wednesday 3rd for 9.30 exposition and 10.00 mass.

I am really looking forward to seeing many of you again. I am also looking forward to our diocesan retreat for Lent that we can all engage in together:

LENTEN RETREAT – FOR EVERYONE!!
The Archbishop is going to be leading a Diocesan Retreat for Lent. Every single person in Southwark is invited to participate in one way or another.
Each Wednesday, starting on Ash Wednesday, there will be a video available. A printed summary will be available at the back of church. If you are shielding and unable to access the material on our website or on-line directly, then ask someone to deliver a copy through your door. There will also be a reflection and prayer exercises for the coming week – should you wish to engage to that degree.

I would also like to explore the possibility of engaging in ‘zoom’ meetings in which some of you will be able to take part in sharing reflections. Let me know if you would like to take part in a follow-up zoom meeting some time during the week, indicating when you might be able to do so on a regular basis through Lent. It is not far away so please plan ahead and think about how much time you might decide to “budget” for such a Lenten sacrifice and then you will be in a position to judge what parts you take on. It is designed to be very flexible. Take on as much or as little as you wish.
For more information click on this link Lenten Retreat to go to the page on this website.

Meanwhile, the office is effectively closed but I am not! So, please feel free to email me at douglasbull@rcaos.org.uk, or to ring me on the parish mobile number, 07394 920 694, or do drop things through the front door.
God Bless

BEXLEY INTERFAITH FORUM
For those of you who may be able to respond, there is an initiative from the Bexley Interfaith Forum to try and supply hot meals to those in need. For it to be realised there is a need for volunteers who might prepare food, cook food and deliver food. If you’d like to know more please contact Fr Doug – THANKS TO THOSE WHO HAVE RESPONDED

CHURCH CLEANING.
A big thank you to the small group of parishioners who give their free time to help keep our church clean. The rota for 2021 is now available for collection from the cupboard.
We would be grateful if more volunteers came forward to either join an existing group or make up a new one. At the moment, each group cleans once every six weeks. If we had another group of three or four people, that would change to once every eight weeks. If you think you might be able to help, please ring Carole Hughes on 07762 731303.

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.

3rd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

Readings: Jonah; 3:1-5, 10 Psalm 24 1 Corinthians 7:29-31:Mark 1:14-20

SERVICES FOR WEEK 24th –31st January 2021

Sun 24 Jan 3rd SUN (B): SUNDAY OF THE WORD OF GOD
                        Private Intention
                        Parish Mass – available to engage with via website at any time

                        Tony Moffat, aged 90! (Connolly)

Mon 25 Jan     Vincent Jeyaseelan RIP (Stanton)

Tues 26 Jan     Anne, Liam, Fiona, Marie, Higgins RIP (Sheehan)

Weds 27 Jan     Eileen Sheehan & Family (Fogarty)

Thurs 28 Jan     Mary Connelly (Connelly)

Fri 29 Jan     Andrew Vine RIP (SVP)

Sun 31 Jan     4th SUN (B):
                        John & Jay Hubbard RIP (Fogarty)
                        Parish Mass – available to engage with via website at any time
                        Joan Aspeek, aged 90!

We should be back open on Wednesday of the following week (3rd Feb)

FINANCES – from the Diocesan and Parish finance teams. .
Direct Bank Payments to RCAS St John Fisher Church, Sort code 51 70 14, Account 01831763
Please put your name and if you use envelopes, your envelope number, as the code

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. Special offer 3 months for £22.00 or 12 months for £80.00
The Herald has a similar offer: Ring 0207 448 3607 or go to http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/subscribe

 

As you know we reluctantly took the decision to temporarily suspend public services in our church. Let me emphasise once again that St John Fisher’s remains a safe place to gather and worship thanks to our brilliant stewards who have been working so hard. However, in being open and inviting parishioners to attend we are clearly defying the government, the NHS and the country’s leading medical experts, who plead with us all to “stay at home”. It is our intention to open up again after the peak of the wave of infections has passed over us in Bexley. Our Sunday Mass will still be available on the website. I not only thank our stewards, but so many others who have improvised so well in their ministries in these difficult times and I thank everyone for cooperating so willingly.

Rates do now seem to have peaked, so unless there is a resurgence, we intend to open the doors again from WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 3RD starting with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at 9.30 with silent private prayer, followed by mass at 10.00.

Some more GOOD NEWS is that the Archbishop is going to be leading a Diocesan Retreat for Lent. Every single person in Southwark is invited to participate in one way or another.
There will be a talk each week based on the Sunday Gospel and available online, or through printed copy available in church (which I am sure can be delivered to those shielding, by helpful neighbours). There will be additional material to assist in prayer and reflection. I would also like to explore the possibility of engaging in ‘zoom’ meetings in which some of you will be able to take part in discussions or in simply sharing your reflections. Watch this space!

Meanwhile, the office is effectively closed but I am not! So, please feel free to ring me if you need to on the parish mobile number, 07394 920 694, or to email me at douglasbull@rcaos.org.uk or to drop things through the front door. I will continue to offer mass each day for your intentions so please feel free to make your requests as usual.

God Bless          

BEXLEY INTERFAITH FORUM
For those of you who may be able to respond, there is an initiative from the Bexley Interfaith Forum to try and supply hot meals to those in need. For it to be realised there is a need for volunteers who might prepare food, cook food and deliver food. If you’d like to know more please contact Fr Doug – THANKS TO THOSE WHO HAVE RESPONDED

CHURCH CLEANING.
A big thank you to the small group of parishioners who give their free time to help keep our church clean. The rota for 2021 is now available for collection from the cupboard.
We would be grateful if more volunteers came forward to either join an existing group or make up a new one. At the moment, each group cleans once every six weeks. If we had another group of three or four people, that would change to once every eight weeks. If you think you might be able to help, please ring Carole Hughes on 07762 731303.

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.