Category: Weekly Newsletter

33rd Sunday (A)

Readings: Proverbs 31;10-13, 19-20, 30-31 Psalm 127, Thessalonians 5:1-6, Matthew 25:14-30

SERVICES FOR WEEK 14th – 22nd November 2020

Fr Doug will continue to say Mass for your intentions privately
Our Church will be open for Private Prayer only on Mon, Wed & Fri 10am – 11am

Sun 15 Nov    33rd SUNDAY
                        (08.30) Michael, Anne & Wheatley families (Wheatley)
                        Parish Mass – available to engage with via website at any time

                        Jim Henry RIP 1st Anniversary (Henry Family)

Mon 16 Nov    (8.30) ssEdmund,Margaret+Gertrude Deceased Relatives & Friends (Mantle)
                        10.00 – 11.00 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Private Prayer

Tues 17 Nov    (8.30) Doris Stubbs RIP (Keefe)

Weds 18 Nov    (8.30) Elizabeth Dearden RIP (Morris)
                        10.00 – 11.00 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Private Prayer

Thurs 19 Nov    (8.30) Cilan Geoghegan RIP (Sheehan)

Fri 20 Nov    (8.30) Dorothy & Tony Speed (Frake)
                        10.00 – 11.00 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Private Prayer

Sun 22 Nov    CHRIST THE KING
                        (08.30) Sonny Sheehan RIP (Fogarty)
                        Parish Mass – available to engage with via website at any time
                        Fr Padraig Regan (AIC Saturday Friends)

SUNDAY MASS ON THE WEBSITE http://www.stjohnfisherbexley.org then click on ‘Sunday Mass’

VINCENT JEYASEELAN R.I.P. Please pray for the repose of the soul of Vincent, who died yesterday (Saturday) morning. Please also remember in your prayers Mary and their family.

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

LINKS AND CONTACTS.
Our Diocese of Southwark: http://www.rcsouthwark.co.uk Lots of information and further links.
Bexley Council Helpline: 020 3045 5398. The helpline is open from 8am to 6pm.

ANNIVERSARIES
John Lenihan, Sheila Moss, Stephen Ward, Tony Sullivan, Cath Moriarty, Bridget Harrington, Jim Henry

What great news there was at the beginning of the week with the announcement that an effective vaccine may have been developed to help fight the virus! We must really express our thanks to God, having prayed so hard for such an outcome. God did not send the vaccine down under a parachute, of course. He uses the gifts of the dedicated research scientists and blesses their work abundantly. We might remember the miracle of the Feeding of the Multitude on the mountainside. It all starts off with the gift of bread and fish that a small boy shares. God’s way of working was to bless and multiply the gift. So, yes we can thank God for the vaccine and also the scientists involved in sharing their talents. There is a resonance with today’s gospel. Perhaps we should most accurately respond by thanking God and congratulating the scientists.

But as many have been saying, the discovery of the vaccine is not the solution, the vaccination of the entire world will be, and that is a long way off. We must continue to pray for those suffering with the virus and those fighting to cure them and care for them.

Here in the parish of St. John Fisher in Bexley we anticipate a return to Sunday Mass on 5/6 December, the 2nd Sunday of Advent, but we must also prepare for a potential extension of Lockdown. Let us hope that doesn’t happen.

We are not closing the parish of course, so please feel free to contact me – and if there is any urgent need, please do not hesitate at all! Hopefully we can keep in touch via the newsletter, by our weekly mass on the website and also at church during the week for those who wish to venture out for prayers in church.
God Bless

THE BLESSING OF GRAVES
This Sunday: Kemnal Park at 2.00 p.m.

STEWARDING
We are very grateful to the stewards who have volunteered to staff the church during these times.
We still need to steward the church during weekday opening times.
Please ring John Rayer (01322 523499) if you can help.

PARISH MASS BOOKS
It is good to follow the mass (especially the readings) in a missal if you have one. We all got used to using the Parish Mass Book so…

We have planned from the beginning of Advent (now deferred) to offer everyone the chance borrow their own copy of the parish mass book. None can be available for casual or occasional use but there is nothing stopping everyone keeping and caring for their own. Bring it to mass and take it home each Sunday. The idea is that for a nominal deposit you can take your copy and because there is a series of them running through the year, when the next is due, you return and swap your copy for the next in series or at any time simply return yours and get your deposit back. We will introduce this soon after Return to Mass Sunday.

Or you can follow the mass using the internet. See: https://www.universalis.com/mass.htm. or download: Catholic Calendar by Universalis Publishing, from your app store.

CATHOLIC NEWSPAPERS
The weekly Catholic newspapers can be obtained directly (postage free) by subscription:
Universe: 0161 820 5722 http://www.thecatholic universe.com/subscribe
Herald: 0207 448 3607 www catholicherald.co.uk/subscribe

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.

32nd Sunday (A)

Readings: Wisdom 6:12-16, Psalm 62, 1Thess 4:13-18, Matthew 25:1-13

SERVICES FOR WEEK 7th –15th November 2020

Fr Doug will continue to say Mass for your intentions privately at 8.30 in the morning
Our Church will be open for Private Prayer only on Mon, Wed & Fri 10am – 11am

Sun 8 Nov    32ND SUNDAY REMEMBRANCE DAY
                     (8.30) Jack Bowen RIP (Wood)
                     Parish Mass – available to engage with via website at any time
                     https://youtu.be/rzRNYruRORo
                     Fr Francis Hartley RIP (Speed)

Mon 9 Nov    (8.30) Lateran Basilica Andy Watson: 80th Birthday (Wilkes)
                     10.00 – 11.00 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Private Prayer

Tues 10 Nov    (8.30) Hazel Birch in memoriam (Birch)

Weds 11 Nov    (8.30) Geoff Birch RIP (OLPG)
                     10.00 – 11.00 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Private Prayer

Thurs 12 Nov    (8.30) Harrington & Sheehan families (Sheehan)

Fri 13 Nov    (8.30) Martin Dowling RIP (Stanton)
                     10.00 – 11.00 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Private Prayer

Sun 15 Nov    33rd SUNDAY
                     (08.30) Michael, Anne & Wheatley Families (Wheatley)
                     Parish Mass – available to engage with via website at any time
                     Jim Henry RIP 1st Anniversary (Henry Family)

FINANCES – from the Diocesan and Parish finance teams.
Last week’s collection £909 (including Standing Orders) Many thanks. .
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

LINKS AND CONTACTS.
Our Diocese of Southwark: http://www.rcsouthwark.co.uk Lots of information and further links.
Bexley Council Helpline: 020 3045 5398. The helpline is open from 8am to 6pm.

ANNIVERSARIES
Mona Shaw, Harry Dunmall, Ralph Rahim, Joseph Henry Desmond, Simon Connolly, Bill Keefe

   
Here we go again! We remain open for private prayer before the Blessed Sacrament on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings between 10 and 11 but it is a great disappointment to be unable to open for masses once more. Here is what our Archbishop has to say:

As you will be aware, the Catholic Church in England and Wales petitioned the Government to demonstrate the evidence that warranted the suppression of the celebration of Mass in our parishes. No formal response to this request has been forthcoming, despite Catholics across our Archdiocese, and other Dioceses nationally, contacting their MPs to make known their concerns. Thank you for all that you did to register objections. In the past days there has been a strong sense of unity within the Church in speaking up in defence of the Mass. This is a powerful witness to the importance and beauty of the Mass as the source and summit of our faith and life.
It is important that we continue to pursue this matter with our elected representatives so that the freedom of religion and the freedom of worship are not seen as something that can be dispensed with by Government. We should also, if possible, thank those members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords who spoke on our behalf. (Archbishop John Wilson)

We are not closing the parish of course, so please feel free to contact me and if there is any urgent need, please do not hesitate at all! Hopefully we can keep in touch via the newsletter, by our weekly mass on the website and also at church during the week for those who wish to venture out for prayers in church. But we look forward with some longing to “Return to Mass Sunday on 5/6 December, the 2nd Sunday of Advent, when we will hear St John the Baptist call to us: ‘Prepare a way for the Lord.’ By then we will have made plans for the Celebration of Christmas in our church.
God Bless
THE BLESSING OF GRAVES
The rules are a bit confusing about what can occur but we understand that there are to be blessings of graves at St. Paulinus Cemetery (Crayford) at 12 noon today (8th November), at Hillview Cemetery (Welling) at 1.30pm and Bexleyheath Cemetery at 2.30pm.
We will let you know about Kemnal Park (planned for next week) when we have more information.

STEWARDING
We are very grateful to the stewards who have volunteered to staff the church during these times.
We still need to steward the church during weekday opening times.
Please ring John Rayer (01322 523499) if you can help.

PARISH MASS BOOKS
It is good to follow the mass (especially the readings) in a missal if you have one. We all got used to using the Parish Mass Book so…
We have planned from the beginning of Advent (now deferred) to offer everyone the chance borrow their own copy of the parish mass book. None can be available for casual or occasional use but there is nothing stopping everyone keeping and caring for their own. Bring it to mass and take it home each Sunday. The idea is that for a nominal deposit you can take your copy and because there is a series of them running through the year, when the next is due, you return and swap your copy for the next in series or at any time simply return yours and get your deposit back. We will introduce this soon after Return to Mass Sunday.
Or you can follow the mass using the internet. See: https://www.universalis.com/mass.htm. or download: Catholic Calendar by Universalis Publishing, from your app store.

CATHOLIC NEWSPAPERS
The weekly Catholic newspapers can be obtained directly (postage free) by subscription:
Universe: 0161 820 5722 http://www.thecatholic universe.com/subscribe
Herald: 0207 448 3607 www catholicherald.co.uk/subscribe

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.

ALL SAINTS

Readings: Apocalypse;7:2-4, 9-14 Psalm 23, 1 John 3:1-3, Matthew 5:1-12

FOLLOWING THE LATEST CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE A PUBLC MASS IN THE CHURCH AFTER WEDNESDAY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. THE CHURCH WILL BE OPEN FOR PRIVATE PRAYER AND EXPOSITION ON FRIDAY BETWEEN 10.00 – 11.00am AND THIS WILL CONTINUE AS USUAL ON SUBSEQUENT MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. SUNDAY MASS WILL CONTINUE TO BE AVAILABLE ON THIS WEBSITE.

SERVICES FOR WEEK 31st October – 8th November 2020

Sat 31 Oct    18.00 Ivor John Burton-Bowen RIP (Wood)

Sun 1 Nov    ALL SAINTS
08.30 Fr Ernest Akorsou RIP (Jones family)
10.30 Dunning Family living + deceased (Wheatley)
Parish Mass – available to engage with via website at any time

Deceased Members & Benefactors (SVP)

Mon 2 Nov    09.30 All Souls Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
10.00 Alan Hyde RIP (Hyde family)

Tues 3 Nov    St Winefride Bill Keefe RIP (Keefe family)

Weds 4 Nov    09.30 St Charles Borromeo Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
10.00 Deceased Deanery Clergy

Thurs 5 Nov    Norma Brooker (Frake)

Fri 6 Nov    10.00 – 11.00 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

Sat 7 NO PUBLIC MASS

Sun 8 Nov    32nd SUNDAY 32A REMEMBRANCE DAY
NO PUBLIC MASS
Parish Mass – available to engage with via website at any time
Cilan Geoghegan RIP (Sheehan)

FINANCES – from the Diocesan and Parish finance teams.
Last week’s collection £979 (including Standing Orders) Many thanks. .
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
Extra Collections This week Missio
Next week Priest Training Fund
Nov 14/15 Apostleship of the Sea
Nov 21/22 Catholic Education Service, Catholic Youth Service
Nov 28/29 Holy Places
Dec 5/6 Bexley Deanery World Development Projects
Dec 12/13 Peter Pence

LINKS AND CONTACTS.
Our Diocese of Southwark: http://www.rcsouthwark.co.uk Lots of information and further links.
Bexley Council Helpline: 020 3045 5398. The helpline is open from 8am to 6pm.

Welcome to any who have made a special effort to be here (in one way or another!) this weekend to remember your loved ones. A sad consequence of the pandemic has been the minimal celebration of funerals. However that has not stopped those who have died from being in our prayers and this weekend we have some small opportunity to demonstrate that. Eternal Rest give unto them O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
God Bless

SUNDAY MASS ON THE WEBSITE http://www.stjohnfisherbexley.org then click on ‘Sunday Mass’ or ‘Fr Doug’ and then click the link.

THE BLESSING OF GRAVES
Sidcup Cemetery at 2.30,pm on Sunday 1st November – TODAY!!
St. Paulinus Cemetery (Crayford) at 12 noon on Sunday 8th November
Hillview Cemetery at 1.30pm on Sunday 8th November
Bexleyheath Cemetery at 2.30pm on Sunday 8th November
Kemnal Park Cemetery at 2pm on Sunday 15th November
Brook St. Erith TBA

PRIEST TRAINING FUND
This fund, known as the Ecclesiastical Education Fund, pays for men studying for the Priesthood and Diaconate. It costs £30,000 a year, for six years, to sponsor each seminarian, so your support is vital to our ability to fund and support men saying ‘Yes’ to the vocation of Priesthood. We currently have 8 men in formation for the Priesthood for Southwark.
There are gift aid envelopes for you to take away and bring back next week. You can also donate online via http://www.rcsouthwark.co.uk/donate.html (select Priest Training Fund) Please be generous and keep our seminarians, and priests, in your prayers. Thank you.

STEWARDING
We are very grateful to the stewards who have volunteered to staff the church during these times.
Please ring John Rayer (01322 523499) if you are available for any of the Sunday masses when they re-start.

BIBLE TIMELINE COURSE
This course is available for free, for 7 Wednesdays at 7 p.m. from November 4th.
“In the course you will see how the many characters and events in Scripture are related to each other in one unified narrative. You will grasp the Big Picture of the Bible from start to finish.”
To register, go to http://www.comeandsee.org/registration.html

PARISH MASS BOOKS
You may wish to follow the mass using the internet. See: https://www.universalis.com/mass.htm. or download: Catholic Calendar by Universalis Publishing, from your app store.

CATHOLIC NEWSPAPERS
The weekly Catholic newspapers can be obtained directly (postage free) by subscription:
Universe: 0161 820 5722 http://www.thecatholic universe.com/subscribe
Herald: 0207 448 3607 www catholicherald.co.uk/subscribe

READERS:
A new rota has been drawn up but will have to wait until the latest coronavirus restrictions are lifted.
Should anyone else like to become a reader please contact Carol Anderson on 07913 698912 or carolanderson@hotmail.com Many thanks, Carol

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.