Newsletter

SUNDAY 24th November 2024

CHRIST THE KING YEAR B

Readings: Daniel 7:13-14, Psalm 92, Apocalypse 1:5-8, John 18:33-37.

 

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) 

 

Mon   25th Nov    09.15    Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

 10.00              Forgotten Souls in Purgatory RIP (Bosser)

 

Tues  26th Nov    09.15    Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

                         10.00             Jean Murray (Kilcullen)  

 

Wed 27th Nov  14.00 FUNERAL MASS     Catherine Fenner RIP

                                    

Fri     29th Nov    09.15     Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 

10.00      Holy Souls in Purgatory RIP (Gillespie)

 

Sat    30th Nov    17.30     Confessions

 18.00        Andrew Vedanayagam (Satchi) 

 

Sun    1st Dec          FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT YEAR C 

                          08.30             John Hollis (Hollis)  

                          10.30             Pam & Ernie Sarton RIP (Sarton) 

 

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:                         £893.67 incl S.O.

This Week:                           Catholic Youth Service

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

 

  Dear Parishioners,   

READERS beware! 

From next Sunday, the first Sunday of Advent, we have to use a different translation of the Sunday readings. The prayers and other parts of the mass will not be changed. Those of you using the Universalis app. on your phones will be able to read the altered translation. You can still prepare for mass using the more familiar Jerusalem Bible translation, but readers should check the lectionary before reading at mass for the slight variations.

Readings in your parish mass books will be slightly different from the ones read out 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 would not be ethical and so we ask that you manage the slight discrepancies. Sorry, once again. 

                                     God Bless,                                                Fr Doug 

 

WORLD YOUTH SUNDAY 

This is World Youth Sunday. The retiring collection will support youth work in the Archdiocese and beyond, especially the work of the Southwark Catholic Youth Service, which provides a variety of activities for youth and young adults. For more information, visit www.tinyurl.com/scys1 or join the Southwark Catholic Youth network for regular updates at www.tinyurl.com/scysnetwork

 

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. 

 

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. 

 

SCAM EMAILS TARGETING PARISHIONERS. 

These emails impersonate the parish priest, often using a similar email name and masking the real email address. They typically request the recipient to purchase Amazon or other gift cards for the priest. This is a SCAM. Don’t be caught. Report any such scams to Fr Doug and/or the police. 

 

CHRISTMAS IS COMING 🎄 Churches Together in Old Bexley invite you to join: 

·      Carol Singing, Wednesday 11 Dec, 5:30-7pm. Singing outside Flowers of Bexley, High Street, or meet for hot drinks in Bexley URC Church doors open from 5pm and afterwards.

·      Advent Course, hosted by Bexley United Reformed Church (opposite War Memorial), Hurst Road, DA5 3JN.  10am-12noon Tuesdays 26 Nov, 3 Dec, 10 Dec, 17 Dec. 

Kathy Fogarty, Parish Christian Unity Contact, k.fogarty@ntlworld.com  

 

SOUTHWARK ARCHDIOCESE ROSARY PRAYER PROJECT
Everyone is warmly invited to join this Archdiocese-wide prayer initiative, praying a decade each day for priests and parishes in Bexley deanery. Details fromsouthwarkrenewal@gmail.com

 

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