Newsletter

16 January 2026 Nuntius

SUNDAY 18^th January,

2nd Sunday, Year A

Readings: Isaiah 49:3-6 Psalm 39, 1 Corinthians 1:1-3, John 1:29-34

Sat 17^th Jan 17.30 Confessions

18.00 Christopher Welsh RIP (Deal)

Sun 18^th Jan SECOND SUNDAY Peace Sunday

08.30 Bernadette O’Kane (Cannon)

10.30 David Brailsford RIP (Brailsford)

Mon 19^thJan 09.15 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 John Colaco (Fos)

Tues 20^th Jan 09.15 NO MASS

Wed 21^st Jan 09.15 St Agnes Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 John Hollis RIP (Morris)

Please join us in the Hall for refreshments after the 10.00 mass in the Meeting Place

Fri 23^rd Jan 09.15 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 Sonny Sheehan & Colette Hunt RIP (Sheehan)

Sat 24^th Jan 17.30 Confessions

18.00 Francis Leetch RIP (Fitzpatrick)

Sun 25^th Jan THIRD SUNDAY

08.30 Ann & Chris Baxter 55th Annvsry & Danny Lyons RIP (Cannon/Lyons)

10.30 Ann & Chris Baxter 55th Annvsry & Danny Lyons RIP (Cannon/Lyons)

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.

MASS INTENTIONS: Do have masses said for your intentions. Use the envelopes in the foyer to name the intention and to enclose an offering. Give them to Fr Doug or post them through the presbytery door.

FINANCES

Many thanks for your offertory collection £ 870.65

Retiring collections: This Sunday for Pax Christi

Next Sunday for St. George’s Cathedral

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

Card Payment: Machine located in the foyer.

Gift Aid Please join the GIFT AID scheme – Forms available in the foyer.

OUR PARISH HALL

For hire: email bexley@rcaos.org.uk at ANY time and our secretary will get back to you.

Newsletter: Please copy notices to Fr Doug by the previous Wednesday

Dear Parishioners,

I shall be away during the middle of next week. Please welcome brothers from Erith who will be covering the masses.

God Bless, Fr Doug

CAR PARK PERMITS: It is time to renew car park permits. Please take a form from the foyer. The income is valued by the parish and at £10 p.a. the facility is great value for car owners!

CRIB COLLECTION:

Thank you for your generous Crib Offerings of £280 which was for Friends of the Holy Land, a charity based in Bethlehem to help the Christians there and in Gaza to survive.

WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY – 18-25 January

Churches Together in Old Bexley invite you to a service on Sunday 18 January at 3pm at URC, Hurst Road. We are all invited to celebrate, draw strength and encouragement from the gift of our shared faith. In these turbulent times, we can take heart from the endurance of that faith.

PAX CHRISTI: The work of Pax Christi is based on the gospel and inspired by faith. Our vision is of a world where people can live in peace, without fear of violence in all its forms. Rooted in Catholic Christianity, we work with all who share our values to abolish war and create communities of peace and justice.

Peace Sunday Collection is next week, Jan 18

DONALD ALMEIDA RIP: Please pray for Donald who died on Tuesday.

NEW AUXILIARY BISHOP FOR OUR ARCHDIOCESE OF SOUTHWARK.

Our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV has appointed Canon Gerard Bradley as Auxiliary Bishop for our Archdiocese of Southwark. Bishop-Elect Gerard’s Episcopal Ordination will be on Monday 2 February in our Cathedral. The Holy Father has assigned him the Titular See of Beverley, the birthplace in Yorkshire of St John Fisher, loved by us all as a former Catholic Bishop of Rochester.

RACIAL JUSTICE SUNDAY 1 FEBRUARY 2026

Archbishop John Wilson will celebrate Mass for Racial Justice Sunday at St George’s Cathedral on at 10am. It is a time for the Church to pray, reflect and act against racism, while celebrating the diversity of our Archdiocese. All are welcome and those who wish may wear national or cultural dress as a sign of unity and pride. Gather outside the cathedral at 9.45am to join the procession of national flags. Refreshments to follow in Amigo Hall.

Watch the livestream: https://www.youtube.com/live/fdmGwmESSgI

THE EUCHARISTIC MIRACLES OF THE WORLD

An exhibition designed and created by Saint Carlo Acutis will take place at St John Vianney Church, Bexleyheath, from 30th January to 15th February

ST CATHERINE’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL FOR GIRLS

wishes to appoint Examination Invigilators to maintain the integrity and security of both internal and external examinations, and to support and guide students calmly during their examination period. For more information and to apply, visit St Catherine’s Catholic School – Support Staff Vacancies

9 January 2026 Nuntius

SUNDAY 11^th JANUARY

Baptism of the Lord Year A

Readings: Isaiah 42:1-7 Psalm 28, Acts 10:34-38, Matthew 3:13-17

Sat 10^th Jan 17.30 Confessions

18.00 Tracy Andrews (Andrews)

Sun 11^th Jan Baptism of the Lord – The Last Day of Christmas

08.30 John Hollis RIP (Jeyaseelan)

10.30 David Brailsford RIP (Brailsford)

Mon 12^thJan 09.15 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 Jamie Cowdell RIP (F)

Tues 13^th Jan 09.15 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 B. Bosser (Bosser)

Wed 14th Jan 09.15 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 Souls in Purgatory & Abandoned Souls (Bosser)

Please join us in the Hall for refreshments after the 10.00 mass in the Meeting Place

Fri 16^th Jan 09.15 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 Jane Buhl RIP (Morris)

Sat 17^th Jan 17.30 Confessions

18.00 Christopher Welsh RIP (Deal)

Sun 18^th Jan Second Sunday Year A – Peace Sunday

08.30 Bernadette O’Kane (Cannon)

10.30 David Brailsford RIP (Brailsford)

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.

MASS INTENTIONS; Do have masses said for your intentions. Use the envelopes in the foyer to name the intention and to enclose an offering. Give them to Fr Doug or post them through the presbytery door.

FINANCES

Many thanks for your offertory collection: £ 916.57

Retiring Collection: Next week, Pax Christi

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

Card Payment: Machine located in the foyer.

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,

I do hope you have enjoyed the great Christian Festival of Christmas, with its many different Feast Days. It comes to an end today. The Year of Jubilee also came to an end on Tuesday at the Feast of Epiphany. So now the rest of the year gets underway. We pray for those involved in the Holy Communion Programme and those in the Confirmation Programme, both of which start very soon. We might think about personal changes we can make too. Perhaps in our level of giving, perhaps in our commitment to help out and volunteer, perhaps in the time we commit to prayer. Now is a good time to make changes and deepen our spiritual lives.

God Bless, Fr Doug

FLOWERS: As always, the flowers in the Church are beautiful and give great honour to the Festival of Christmas. Is this something you’d like to be involved in?

If not, would you like to support the work financially. A collection is taken through the box in the wall at the back of Church, on your right as you leave.

CRIB COLLECTION: Last chance to contribute!: This year we are collecting for Friends of the Holy Land. This charity, endorsed by Cardinal Vincent Nicholls, actually has workers based in Bethlehem and is therefore able to help the Christians there survive even under the current siege conditions imposed by Israel. They assist with emergency aid, with counselling and with a limited amount of development.

WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY – 18-25 January

Peace Sunday Collection is next week, Jan 18

NEW AUXILIARY BISHOP FOR OUR ARCHDIOCESE OF SOUTHWARK.

CHURCH CLEANING: A big THANK YOU to the small group of parishioners who give up their free time to help keep our church clean. The rota for 2026 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. Currently, each group cleans once every 12 weeks for about one hour. If you think you might be able to help, please ring Carole Hughes on 07762 731303.

AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST: A CATHOLIC APOLOGETICS RESOURCE.

The Archdiocese has launched an exciting apologetics project to provide evidence-based answers to questions such as “Is Jesus God?”. Ambassadors for Christ is designed to equip you with a deeper understanding of your faith, so you can confidently answer questions and be a joyful witness for the Lord Jesus and his Church. Every Monday, a new video will be posted on YouTube, along with a worksheet to enable you to use them. To watch the videos and take part in this exciting project, please visit: rcaos.org.uk/ambassadorsforchrist

2 January 2026 Nuntius

SUNDAY 4^th January 2^nd

Sunday after the Nativity Year A

Readings: Ecclesiasticus 24:1-12, Psalm 147, Ephesians 1:1-18, John 1:1-18

Sat 3^rd Jan 17.30 Confessions

18.00 Holy Souls (Jeyaseelan)

Sun 4^th Jan 2^nd Sunday after the Nativity

08.30 Alan Harrison RIP (Bowman)

10.30 Jacqueline Downey (Downey)

Mon 5^th Jan 09.15 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 Selia Willis RIP (Wilkes)

Tues 6^th Jan 09.15 Epiphany Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 Maureen Fitzpatrick RIP (Sarton)

19.30 Maria Nucera (Highland)

Wed 7th Jan 09.15 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 Patrick & Mary Sheehan, Dan & Julia Harrington (Sheehan)

Please join us in the Hall for refreshments after the 10.00 mass in the Meeting Place

Fri 9^th Jan 09.15 Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00 Catriona Keenan RIP (Laley)

Sat 10^th Jan 17.30 Confessions

18.00 Tracy Andrews (D Andrews)

Sun 11^th Jan Baptism of the Lord

08.30 John Hollis RIP (Jeyaseelan)

10.30 David Brailsford RIP (Brailsford)

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.

MASS INTENTIONS

Do have masses said for your intentions. Use the envelopes in the foyer to name the intention and to enclose an offering. Give them to Fr Doug or post them through the presbytery door.

FINANCES

Many thanks for your offertory collection £ 806.84

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

Card Payment: Machine located in the foyer.

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,

Happy New Year to you all. I wish you good health every joy.

With regard to New Year Resolutions, I think there was much in the Archbishop’s letter last week to offer a challenge. Let us resolve to welcome any new members in our parish and to reach out to those we don’t know. We were urged to ensure that everyone who comes to mass feels that this is where they belong.

EPIPHANY – A Holyday Of Obligation

God Bless, Fr Doug

JUBILEE YEAR OF HOPE: We will be closing the Jubilee Year formally on the Feast of the Epiphany. The closing prayers are to be said in all the churches of our deanery on that day. We have much to celebrate as we look back through the year, especially to our deanery pilgrimage back in the summer.

FLOWERS: As always, the flowers in the Church are beautiful and give great honour to the Festival of Christmas. Is this something you’d like to be involved in?

If not would you like to support the work financially. A collection is taken through the box in the wall at the back of Church, on your right as you leave.

CRIB COLLECTION: This year we are collecting for Friends of the Holy Land. This charity, endorsed by Cardinal Vincent Nicholls, actually has workers based in Bethlehem and is therefore able to help the Christians there survive even under the current siege conditions imposed by Israel. They assist with emergency aid, with counselling and with a limited amount of development.

NEW AUXILIARY BISHOP FOR OUR ARCHDIOCESE OF SOUTHWARK.

CHURCH CLEANING: A big THANK YOU to the small group of parishioners who give up their free time to help keep our church clean. The rota for 2026 is now available for collection from the cupboard.

WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY – 18-25 January

Churches Together in Old Bexley invite you to a service on Sunday 18 January at 3pm at URC, Hurst Road. We are all invited to celebrate, draw strength and encouragement from the gift of our shared faith. In these turbulent times, we can take heart from the endurance of that faith.

Peace Sunday Collection Jan 18