Category: Weekly Newsletter

Christ the King

 

Readings: Ezekiel;34:11-12, 15-17 Psalm 22, 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28 Matthew 25:31-46

 

SERVICES FOR WEEK  21^{st –} 29^th 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 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 CM (AIC Saturday Friends)

Mon 23 Nov   (8.30) St Clement Beryl Parry RIP (Lee)
                        10.00 – 11.00 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Private Prayer

Tues 24 Nov   (8.30) St Andrew Dung Lac Private Intention (Connolly)

Weds 25 Nov   (8.30) St Catherine of Alexandria Anne & Dennis Newton & family) (Frake)
                        10.00 – 11.00 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Private Prayer

Thurs 26 Nov   (8.30) Eileen Geoghegan RIP (Sheehan)

Fri 27 Nov   (8.30) Thanksgiving on Anniversary Fr Doug’s Ordination
                        10.00 – 11.00 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament & Private Prayer

Sun 29 Nov   1st SUNDAY OF ADVENT
                        (08.30) Peggy Lawlor (Kilcullen)
                        Parish Mass – available to engage with via website at any time
                        Mrs O’Callaghan RIP (Lyons)

SUNDAY MASS ON THE WEBSITE
Click on the link above.  There are also links on the ‘Sunday Mass’ and the ‘Fr Doug’ pages on this website

Tony Speed RIP . Please pray for the repose of the soul of Tony who died on Sunday (November 22nd). Please also remember in your prayers Dorothy and all his 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.

There is a change in outlook with the progress in vaccine development cheering us all up but the infection rate here in Bexley remains very high and of course we have to be very careful. However, isolation and loneliness can be seriously debilitating too, so we should be alert to the needs of others during this time. Fatigue in this regard is real but we should fight our way past that and recognise the Lord present in all who are suffering. Today’s gospel spells this out for us, I think.

We continue in the hope of a return to Sunday Mass on 5/6 December, the 2nd Sunday of Advent, but we must also be prepared for a potential extension of Lockdown. In the meantime we are not closing the parish, 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 venturing out for prayers in church.
God Bless 

CHRISTMAS MASSES
We don’t know what the government is going to decide (nor do they, probably!) but if we are allowed to operate as we were before Lockdown then we will have our usual masses for Christmas but we will ask everyone wishing to attend to register or book in advance. If we exceed our permitted number for any one mass we will arrange for extra masses to be available.
We will wait for the government decision before putting our plan into action, but it might help if you are able to think about your own intentions in advance too.

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:
Catholic Universe and Catholic Times
You can get it delivered direct to your home every week, POST FREE.
Please go to http://www.thecatholicuniverse.com or call them on 0161 820 5722
and they will arrange for you. SPECIAL OFFER 3 MONTHS :-£22.00 or 12 Months:- £80.00
The Herald offers a similar scheme:
0207 448 3607 http://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.

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.