Newsletter

The newsletter this week will appear as two screen shots to enable anyone to print it out for anyone they know who does not have internet access.
The usual version will appear below.

Palm Sunday

Readings: Isaiah 50:4-7, Psalm 21, Philippians 2:6-11, Matt 27: 11-54

SERVICES FOR WEEK 5- 12 April 2020
Sun 5 Apr  PALM SUNDAY
Parish Mass – available to engage with via website at any time
Jim Henry RIP (Greenwich Irish Pensioners)

(Please note this video runs for 30mins)

 

    8.30 a.m. Peggy Dunne (Haylett)

Mon 6 Apr    8.30 a.m. Cancie Fernandes RIP (Mascarenhas)

Tues 7 Apr   8.30 a.m. Peggy Whiteside RIP (Haylett)

Wed 8 Apr    8.30 a.m. David Brailsford RIP (Wilkes)

Thurs 9 Apr    HOLY THURSDAY
      Mass of The Lord’s Supper – on website
      8.00 p.m. Eddie Griffin RIP
A VIDEO OF THIS MASS IS NOW AVAILABLE

Fri 10 Apr    GOOD FRIDAY
      3.00 p.m. SOLEMN LITURGY – on website at 3.00pm

Sat 11 Apr       VIGIL OF EASTER
Parish Mass – available to engage with via website at any time
      8.00 p.m. Giuseppe Nucera RIP (Graziella & Family)

Easter Sunday
      Sun 12 Apr 8.30 Maria Watts RIP (Sullivan)

Additionally as Fr Doug prays a Holy Hour between 5 and 6 each evening and all are encouraged to pause for prayer sometime during that hour and participate knowing others are with us in prayer.

Please pray for the souls of :
Mai Phelan Funeral 03rd April
Una Turner Funeral 14th April
Alice Howie Funeral 29th April

Please pray for those who are suffering from Corona virus and for the NHS workers who care for them
Finances
We still have to pay our bills so while our credit is good it is important for us to have some cash coming in.
We are most grateful to all those who contribute by standing order.
A number of parishioners have asked what do with collections not taking place. Our advice is:
• For those using envelopes, please put your donation into the envelope and hold onto it until the lockdown ceases.
• For those who put loose money in the plate, please try to put that money aside and donate it after lockdown
• The above also applies to next week’s collection which is your gift to the Parish Priest.
• If you are experiencing financial difficulty during this crisis please look after yourself first and do let me know so that we can see what help is needed.
We are working on how best to supply you with the boxes of envelopes for the coming year.
Should you wish to contribute to the parish directly from your bank account we would value that. Our details: RCAS St John Fisher Church Bexley Sort code 51 70 16 Account 01831763
Please ensure you put your name on the transaction code so that we can thank you later.

Holy Week
There is a call worldwide for us as Christians to mark this day by taking some branch, some vegetation from our garden and putting on our front door like an Advent wreath except with a branch for Palm Sunday. Easter is not postponed. Let us announce it.
Also, what about putting a candle in a jam jar and leaving that in the porch on Easter night or at least leaving the porch light on – something, anything!
Our services will be available through the website at the usual times, 8.00 for Thursday’s mass of the Lord’s Supper, 3.00 for the Good Friday Liturgy and 8.00 on Easter Night for an Easter Vigil.

For the “watching” before the Blessed Sacrament on Holy Thursday evening after mass we are encouraged to join the rest of the country by accessing http://www.stchadscathedral it will be a national prayer event.
On Easter Sunday the Cardinal Archbishop Vincent Nicholls will be addressing us and the entire nation at 8.10 on Radio 4
It is also possible to engage with His Holiness Pope Francis as he celebrates Easter in Rome.
(I would have called it “Rome alone” – Fr Doug!)

‘Pray As You Go’ https://pray-as-you-go.org/ for a daily prayer. This is on the web or you can download a free phone app

Prayer of St. Alphonsus
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in this Most Holy Sacrament of the altar.
I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come spiritually into my soul so that. I may unite myself wholly to You now and forever. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.

Please print off this newsletter and post it through the door of any parishioner you know without electronic access and make sure everyone feels ok and feels connected to and part of our most holy communion.
God Bless,
Fr Doug

BEXLEY COUNCIL HELPLINE:
The London Borough of Bexley has set up a phone line to assist people in need during the coronavirus pandemic. Whether you need someone to get shop[p[ing, pick up essentials or to give information, guidance and advice, please call on 020 3045 5398. The helpline is open from 8am to 6pm.

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Please click this link to watch the video of last Sunday’s Mass

FROM Fr Doug

My Dear Parishioners
What a difficult time this is. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. I have this week sent a brief message to about 70 people on an email list. It is my hope to be able to do this regularly. If you did not receive it and would like to then please contact me and I will add you in.

Let me share a thought for the week: It’s about the weekend!
I write this short note to you all on Friday morning.
The days this week have seemed so similar. I am out of touch with the normal rhythm of my week which is in itself, a little disconcerting. But Friday is Friday.
We look forward on a Friday to the Feast of Sunday to come – the Feast of Resurrection. That’s why on a Friday we try to ‘place’ ourselves in Good Friday and do some penitential act to recognise that reality.
I have been saying mass and praying each day for our parish – that’s my job!! It occurred to me today though, that I have been reaching out in prayer primarily to the God who can keep us all safe, but God has other guises (and I don’t mean disguises).
I have also, therefore been thanking the God who works his caring and healing power through the medics and it was a privilege to go out onto the door step last night at 8.00 with so many others and applaud those brave people.
But today I concentrate in prayer on the God who died on the cross and therefore suffers alongside all the victims of Corona and their families. We must see in them and those suffering alongside them the face of Christ. Part of our calling as Christians is to see and then give witness to God being in all things. The shape of the week, like the shape of the year helps us spread our gaze and see God’s presence all around – all the way round. So give emphasis to the weekend in your outlook and let Friday be Friday so that Sunday can be Sunday!

Friday’s context is to be found in Sunday, just as Good Friday’s context is to be found in Easter Day and death’s context is to be found in resurrection.

Let’s all try to keep safe and keep everyone we know in contact, far away from any fear or loneliness.

Before I sign off, a few things.
You might like to sign up to the diocesan Spirituality Commission Website to receive a daily thought for the day by email http://www.southwarkdsc.org.uk/
And/or sign up to ‘Pray As You Go’ https://pray-as-you-go.org/ for a fuller daily prayer. This is on the web or you can download a free phone app
Other useful sites are listed elsewhere on this site.
As you know, in addition to the Sunday Mass which you can engage with through the youtube link listed on this newsletter, or if you don’t feel able to do that you can at least read the Sunday Sermon elsewhere on this site. I also say daily mass and while it is not possible to join in Holy Communion in a physical way you are invited to make a spiritual communion.

This prayer of St. Alphonsus may be helpful:

My Jesus, I believe that You are present in this Most Holy Sacrament of the altar.
I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come spiritually into my soul so that. I may unite myself wholly to You now and forever. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.

God Bless,
               Fr Doug

CHURCHES TOGETHER in Bexley have appealed for help during the coronavirus emergency to assist in keeping Food Banks supplied. They provide help to some of the neediest people in our community. For more information please see the “Appeals” page on this website. There is also information from Bexley Council on help for the housebound and others in need as well as an appeal for volunteers.<a

MASS INTENTIONS FOR WEEK 28 Mar – 5 April 2020

Sat 28 Mar      Mavis Maher RIP (Fogarty)

Sun 29 Mar      Jim Henry RIP (N&J McCarthy)

Mon 30Mar      Delia Willis RIP (Wilkes)

Tues 31 Mar     Rosa Colaco RIP (Family)

Wed 1 Apr      Intentions of Colin Anderson (Keefe)

Thurs 2 Apr    Jim Henry RIP (Haylett)

Fri 3 Apr      Peggy Whiteside RIP (Mary Lee)

Sat 4 Apr      Maria Nucera RIP (Graziella & Family)

Palm Sunday

Sun 5 Apr      Jim Henry RIP (Greenwich Irish Pensioners)

CORONOVIRUS RESTRICTIONS

Following the national guidance of the Catholic Church in England and Wales; there will be no public celebration of mass in this church until further notice,.

Sadly the latest restrictions will also prevent us from having any opportunity for private prayer and Exposition of the Blessed sacrament as originally planned.

On Sundays we are hoping to have a video recording of the Mass available on YouTube although this may not be possible so please check this website for the latest information. To access last Sunday’s Mass please click on this link:

At present we do not have the ability to live stream the Mass however this is available on a number of church websites including St Lawrence’s at Sidcup. (stlsidcup.org).

The following links also provide access to the broadcasting of the live celebration of Holy Mass from churches in the UK and Ireland.
The website address is:
https://www.churchservices.tv/
A link to the different broadcasts available NOW is at:
https://www.churchservices.tv/whats-on-now/
A full weekly schedule of broadcasts is at:
https://www.churchservices.tv/timetable/

With every blessing.

Fr Doug Bull

Following the new tighter restrictions the Archbishop has sent the following letter to all parishes:

  
  

SUNDAY 22nd MARCH 2020 – 4th SUNDAY OF LENT (A)

Readings: 1 Samuel 16,1b,6-7,10-13a St Paul to Eph 5:8-14 Gospel John 9:1-41

In today’s Gospel, the healing of the man born blind invites us to focus on the physical and spiritual aspects of sight and light. The blind man went off and washed himself, and came away with his sight restored.

Fr Doug will continue to say Mass privately

MASS INTENTIONS FOR WEEK 21 – 29 Mar 2020

Sat 21 Mar     Deceased Members of Wood Family (Oonagh)

Sun 22 Mar     Jim Henry RIP (Lyons)

Mon 23 Mar     Jim Henry RIP (Mary & Family)

Wed 25 Mar     Intentions of Tony Frake (OLPG)

Fri 27 Mar     Anerley Eagles Seniors (Almeida)

Sat 28 Mar     Mavis Maher RIP (Fogarty)

Sun 29 Mar     Jim Henry RIP (N&J McCarthy)

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