Newsletter

SUNDAY 17th November 2024

THIRTY THIRD SUNDAY YEAR B

Readings: Daniel 12:1-13, Psalm 15, Hebrews 10:11-18, Mark 13:24-32.

 

Sat    16th Nov    17.30        Confessions

18.00              Fr Paul Rout OFM (Morris) 

 

Sun   17th Nov        THIRTY THIRD SUNDAY YEAR B 

                              08.30             Frederick Stewart RIP (Cannon)  

                             10.30              Deceased Members of the Creasy Family 

 

Mon  18th Nov     09.15         Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00                       Mary, Jude and Brian Doyle RIP (Doyle)

 

Tues 19th Nov     09.15        Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

                            10.00                     Mick Minihane (Sheehan)

 

Wed  20th Nov     09.15       Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 

10.00                      Edward Stringer RIP (Grainger) 

                                    

Fri     22nd Nov      09.15 Cecilia    Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 

                            10.00                   Tony Speed RIP (Speed)

 

Sat    23rd Nov    17.30        Confessions

                            18.00             Barbara Lenergan (Staden) 

 

Sun   24th Nov        CHRIST THE KING YEAR B 

                              08.30                    Peggy Lawlor (Kilcullen)  

                             10.30                  Mrs O’Callaghan (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.

  

FINANCES   

Many thanks for your offertory collection           Last Week:                           £1209.47 incl S.O.   

Last Week: Archbishop’s Appeal Fund    £133.51                                             

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

Please put your name and if you use envelopes, your envelope number, as the code.

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 weekdays, £40 per hour weekends

 

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

 

Dear Parishioners,

We are approaching the end of the Church Year. Next Sunday, the Feast of Christ the King is the last. Advent will be on us the week after, and the first Sunday of Advent opens our new year. From then on, the readings at Sunday Mass will be slightly altered. A different translation will be used and the ones we are used to hearing will be banned. READERS beware! I can only apologise for this. It means that the readings in your parish mass books will be slightly different from the ones read out at mass and those of you with missals will be equally inconvenienced. We discussed this in the parish liturgy committee and agreed that throwing away all our parish mass books and buying new ones at huge cost would not be ethical and so we ask that you manage the slight discrepancies in the readings. The prayers will remain as they are. 

                                God Bless,                                                Fr Doug 

 

THE TERMINALLY ILL ADULTS (END OF LIFE) BILL 

Kim Leadbeater MP is introducing a bill to introduce assisted suicide, which will be voted on by MPs on the 29 November. If you are opposed to it, please contact your MP to express your view by visiting www.livesworthliving.org.uk or…

USE THE CARDS that are available in the foyer.

Watch actor and disability rights advocate Liz Carr’s BBC documentary on assisted suicide, Better Off Dead? where she examines the impact of one of the assisted suicide laws in Canada. Watch for free online righttolife.org.uk/betteroffdead

 

BISHOPS OF ENGLAND AND WALES STATEMENT

The Bishops’ Conference have prepared a statement about this important issue of life and death. Copies are available in the foyer

 

SPIRITUALITY COMMISSION ADVENT REFLECTIONS. 

The Spirituality Commission will be sending daily reflections during Advent featuring Scripture, thoughts and prayers. You can sign-up to receive them directly into your inbox each morning here: tinyurl.com/adventreflections2024

Many of you already receive this. Recommended for all.

 

REFLECTION DAY – “Waiting For God”

Saturday 7^th December – 11am to 3pm, led by Trudy Kilcullen.

Sanctuary, 8 Hotham Close, Swanley Village. Bring a packed lunch. 

For more information or to book – please email tkilcullen@live.co.uk or call 07977978536

 

PRAYING THE MASS WITH ARCHBISHOP JOHN. 

Some may be returning to Mass. For others Mass, is the cornerstone of their spiritual lives. To help people, wherever they are on their spiritual journey, Archbishop John has recorded a message (tinyurl.com/prayingthemass) which guides us on how to pray through the Mass. 

 

OUR BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE is available throughout the month of November for you to once again prayerfully enter the names of your own deceased family members. The book of names will be brought up in the offertory procession at each Sunday Mass.

 

PRAYING THE OUR FATHER

The final one of our series of presentations on the Lord’s prayer will be on this Friday Nov 22nd

7.30.- 8.30. in our hall. Teas and coffees from 7.00 p.m. 

 

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2025

Application forms are now available for the 2025 First Holy Communion programme. Baptised children in year 3 or above can apply.  Forms are available in the church foyer.  Completed forms must be returned by 31st December 2024.  The programme will commence in January 2025. 

 

SUNDAY 10th November 2024

THIRTY SECOND SUNDAY YEAR B

Readings: 1 Kings 17:10-16, Psalm 145, Hebrews 9:24-28, Mark 12:41-44. Page 154

 

Sat    9th Nov       17.30  Confessions

18.00       Marie Sullivan RIP (Stobart/Connolly) 

 

Sun  10th Nov        THIRTY SECOND SUNDAY YEAR B 

                             08.30              Kathleen Horan (O’Donnell)  

                            10.30          Jim Henry RIP (Henry Family)

 

Mon  11th Nov     09.15  Martin of Tours   Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00               Zara Willis (Harris)

 

Tues  12th Nov    09.15  Josaphat       Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

                             10.00        Harrington Family (Sheehan)

 

Wed   13th Nov    09.15                    Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 

10.00            Vincent Jeyaseelan RIP (FM) 

                                    

Fri      15^th Nov     09.15                    Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 

10.00            Lisa Field (Hollis)

 

Sat     16th Nov   17.30  Confessions

18.00            Fr Paul Rout OFM (Morris) 

 

Sun    17th Nov        THIRTY THIRD SUNDAY YEAR B 

                              08.30          Frederick Stewart RIP (Cannon)  

                              10.30          Deceased Members of the Creasy Family 

 

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.

 

FINANCES   

Many thanks for your offertory collection           Last Week:                           £794.19 incl S.O.     

This Week:                Archbishop’s Appeal Fund                                     

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

Please put your name and if you use envelopes, your envelope number, as the code.

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 weekdays, £40 per hour weekends

 

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

 

Dear Parishioners,

First of all, A WARM WELCOME to any visitors who are here to pray for loved ones whose funerals have been here in this past year. We will be reading out each of their names and lighting a candle for them on the sanctuary. We will also be lighting one large candle for everyone else that we want to remember. (In November, we always try to remember the faithful departed.) 

 

Our Book of Remembrance is available throughout the month for you to once again prayerfully enter the names of your own deceased family members. The book of names will be brought up in the offertory procession of each Sunday Mass.

 

Today is also Remembrance Sunday We will remember those who have lost their lives in war. 

 

The Blessing of Graves at cemeteries not visited last weekend:

Sidcup                        Nov 10           1.00

Bexleyheath              Nov 10            2.30

Erith – Brook St.       Nov 10           3.00

 

Fr Peter Stodart

I visited Fr Peter during the week up in his new home in St. Peter’s Residence, Vauxhall. He is still finding his way about but he is clearly living with less anxiety. St Peter’s offers him personal and nursing care. All his meals are provided and there are other priests there whom he knows. This is all made possible by the diocesan fund for sick and retired priests which many of you generously support. We wish Fr Peter a long and happy second phase to his retirement. 

                         God Bless,                                                Fr Doug 

 

PARISH QUIZ NIGHT

Many thanks to all who came along and took part. It was a great evening and the parish community walks a little taller after such an enjoyable event.

Congratulations to the Events Team and particularly our Quiz Master.

Ticket sales raised £400 and the raffle raised a further £301. I hope everyone who uses any of our facilities can see how we are investing these monies. We have spent a lot on the hall in particular this year, especially the toilet facilities.

 

PRAYING THE OUR FATHER

The next in our series of presentations on the Lord’s prayer will be on this Friday Nov 15th

Then, 22nd.  7p.m. for 7.30.- 8.30. in the hall. 

 

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2025

Application forms are now available for the 2025 First Holy Communion programme. Baptised children in year 3 or above can apply.  Forms are available in the church foyer.  Completed forms must be returned by 31st December 2024.  The programme will commence in January 2025. 

 

THE TERMINALLY ILL ADULTS (END OF LIFE) BILL 

Kim Leadbeater MP is introducing a bill to introduce assisted suicide, which will be voted on by MPs on the 29 November. If you are opposed to it, please contact your MP to express your view by visiting www.livesworthliving.org.uk 

Watch actor and disability rights advocate Liz Carr’s BBC documentary on assisted suicide, Better Off Dead? where she examines the impact of one of the assisted suicide laws in Canada. Watch for free online righttolife.org.uk/betteroffdead 

Archbishop John has asked that we, as an archdiocese, come together in prayer and action to uphold the dignity of human life. We should all find time to pray with him and all the bishops of England and Wales in a Holy Hour on Wednesday 13 November between 5.30pm-6.30pm 

 

SUNDAY 3rd November 2024

THIRTY FIRST SUNDAY YEAR B

Readings: Deuteronomy 6:2-6, Psalm 17, Hebrews :23-28, Mark 12:28-34. Page 152

 

Sat    2^nd Nov 17.30    Confessions

                       18.00              Margaret Leech RIP (Staden) 

 

Sun   3^rd Nov           THIRTY FIRST SUNDAY YEAR B 

                      08.30                    Geoff Murkin RIP (Fogarty)  

                      10.30                   John Hughes RIP (Hughes)

 

Mon  4th Nov     09.15     Exposition of the Blessed Sacramen 

                          10.00                      All Souls (Benedicte)

 

Tues 5th Nov       09.15         Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

                             10.00                    For the Parish

 

Wed  6th Nov       09.15            Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 

10.00               Dave Watson RIP (Hughes) 

                                    

Fri     8^th Nov        09.15         Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 

10.00                     Holy Souls in Purgatory (Gillespie)

 

Sat    9th Nov      17.30    Confessions

18.00                     Marie Sullivan RIP (Stobart/Connolly) 

 

Sun   10th Nov        THIRTY SECOND SUNDAY YEAR B 

                             08.30              Kathleen Horan (O’Donnell)  

                            10.30                   Jim Henry RIP (Henry Family)

 

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.

 

FINANCES   

Many thanks for your offertory collection           Last Week:                           £920.41 incl S.O.     

Next Week:               Archbishop’s Appeal Fund                                     

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

Please put your name and if you use envelopes, your envelope number, as the code.

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 weekdays, £40 per hour weekends

 

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

 

Dear Parishioners,

As we enter November, we in the Catholic Church traditionally try to remember the faithful departed. 

Our Book of Remembrance will be available throughout the month for you to once again prayerfully enter the names of your own deceased family members. The book of names will be brought up in the offertory procession of each Sunday Mass.

Remembrance Sunday November 10^th We will solemnly remember those who have lost their lives in war. 

Sunday, November10^th, will also be the day we pray for the parishioners who have died in the course of the past year and whose funerals were hosted here in church. We will be reading out each of their names and lighting a candle for them on the sanctuary, We have tried to contact their families and invite them along. Please make them welcome if they come to mass that weekend. We will also be lighting one large candle for everyone else that we want to remember.

The Blessing of Graves is as follows:

St. Paulinus              Nov 3^rd           12.30  

Kemnal Park             Nov 3^rd            2.00

Hillview                      Nov 9^th                 12.00

Sidcup                        Nov 10           1.00

Bexleyheath              Nov 10            2.30

Erith – Brook St.       Nov 10           3.00

 

FR PETER STODART

Due to his increasing fragility and need for greater daily support, Father Peter has now moved to St Peter’s Residence in Vauxhall. From his sister, Ursula: “We, his family, wish to thank the parish for all the friendship, kindness and support he has been given during his time in Bexley.” 

In St Peter’s he will enjoy personal and nursing care. 

This is made possible by the diocesan fund for sick and retired priests which many of you generously support. We wish Fr Peter a long and happy second phase to his retirement. 

                God Bless,                                                Fr Doug 

 

THE VOTE ON ASSISTED SUICIDE 

Kim Leadbeater MP is introducing a bill to introduce assisted suicide, which will be voted on by MPs on the 29 November. If you are opposed to it, please contact your MP to express your view by visiting www.livesworthliving.org.uk It is straightforward. Even I could do it!

Watch actor and disability rights advocate Liz Carr’s BBC documentary on assisted suicide, Better Off Dead? where she examines the impact of one of the assisted suicide laws in Canada. Watch for free online (you do not need a TV licence): righttolife.org.uk/betteroffdead 

 

PRAYING THE OUR FATHER

The next in our series of presentations on the Lord’s prayer will be on this Friday Nov 15th

Then, 22nd.  7p.m. for 7.30.- 8.30. in the hall. 

 

ST. CATHERINE’S SCHOOL

There are 2 vacancies: a SENDCo and a Learning Support Assistant. Please go to info@stccg.co.uk

 

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2025

Application forms are now available for the 2025First Holy Communion programme. Baptised children in year 3 or above can apply.  Forms are available in the church foyer.  Completed forms must be returned by 31st December 2024.  The programme will commence in January 2025. 

 

THE UNION OF CATHOLIC MOTHERS, OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY, BLACKFEN  

Are holding a St. Martins day lunch & cake sale on Friday 8^th November 12.30 to 2 pm.

Soup, fish, desert, tea/coffee for £13.00 or soup & bread £3.00