Newsletter

SUNDAY 1^st October 2023

 TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY, YEAR A

Readings: Ezekiel: 18:25-28 Psalm 24 Philippians 2:1-11 Gospel: Matthew 21:28-32

 

Sat    30^th Sep     17.30  Confessions

18.00        Anne Frances Burton-Bowen RIP (Wood)

 

Sun  1^st Oct           TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY            

                             08.30       Priest’s Intention 

10.30        Rex Wheatley RIP (Wheatley)

 

Mon  2^nd Oct        09.15   Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00  Guardian Angels  Marie McGrath RIP (Harris)

 

Tues 3^rd Oct        09.15    Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

                            10.00        Anton Jeyaseelan RIP (Connolly)

 

Wed  4^th Oct        09.15   Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

                            10.00  St Francis of Assisi    Ann Hyde (Hughes)    

 

Thurs  5^th Oct      08.00  St Faustina Kowalska  Priest’s Intention

 

Fri      6^th Oct      10.30    Funeral Mass for Peter Hammond 

 

Sat     7^th Oct       10.00      Rosary during October

                            17.30      Confessions

18.00      Rita Maynard RIP (Sullivan)

 

Sun   8^th Oct           TWENTY-SEVENTH SUNDAY 

08.30      Thanksgiving (Gillespie)

                           10.30       Florencia & Fabian Del Finado RIP (Bernarte)

 

LIVE STREAMING OF MASSES ON THE WEBSITE

All masses are streamed live and can be viewed via the link:

Recordings are available. The Sunday sermon is also on the website in printed form.

 

FINANCES   

Many thanks for your offertory collection last week:            Incl. S.O.s            £914.05

Last week: Libya Relief Fund                                                                                  £479.56

Next week: Harvest & Cafod family fast

                                                                        

Direct 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 porch, is easy to use.  

Gift Aid Please join the GIFT AID scheme – Forms are at the back of the Church. For every £1.00 donated the Parish receives 25p from the Tax Office. Standing Orders are best for us. Thank you.

 

OUR PARISH HALL

Our hall is available for hire. Please email bexley@rcaos.org.uk at ANY time for enquiries and our hall secretary will get back to you. 

 

Please join us in the Hall for refreshments after the 10.30 mass

 

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

Dear Parishioners,

Today begins our month of devotion to Our Lady (through the rosary). We will, as is our custom, use the ‘Hail Holy Queen’ in our bidding prayers instead of the Hail Mary. The words can be found on page 219 of the Parish Mass Book.

Also, for the 4 Saturdays in the month, beginning next Saturday, 7^th October at 10.00, our parish spirituality committee are offering an opportunity to pray the Rosary together with commentaries on the scriptural refences to the mysteries. We are calling it “A Doorway Into Prayer”. We begin with the Joyful Mysteries. All are welcome, and you don’t need to be in possession of rosary beads. Just give it a go! With any luck, I am addressing you (hopefully!!) from the beautiful Greek island of Kos. See you next week. 

                                             God Bless,                        Fr Doug

 

PETER HAMMOND

Please pray for Peter who died last Sunday. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

His funeral will be on October 6^th at 10.30 

 

THE HARVEST & CAFOD FAMILY FAST

Friday 6^th October is Family Fast Day. You are invited to fast on the day and offer the money saved to the work of CAFOD. We will have a retiring collection on Sunday 8^th to harvest your savings and to give everyone the chance to contribute. Also, on that Sunday we will celebrate at 10.30 mass Our Harvest Festival. We will be collecting food donations (non-perishable only please) and other essential items for the Manna Day Centre at London Bridge. For a list of most needed items please visit the Manna Society website: http://www.mannasociety.org.uk.  So please bring in your food items (nothing fresh that can go “out of date”) from today onwards and place them on the sanctuary. Harvest Festival gifts provide the Manna Centre with 70% of their foodstuffs for the year and are therefore critically important to them.  Please give if you are able.

 

HARVEST CAKE SALE

Following our Harvest Festival Mass (10.30), the Children’s Liturgy Group will be holding a cake sale in the parish hall.  All money raised will be donated to CAFOD’s Harvest Appeal.  Please come along and support us. All donations welcome.  Thank you.

 

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2024

Application forms are now available for the First Holy Communion programme 2024. Baptised children in year 3 or above are eligible to apply.  Forms can be collected from the entrance porch or please speak to Father Doug or Angela Underwood after mass.  Completed application forms must be returned by 1st December 2023.  The programme will commence in January 2024. 

 

FAITH AWARDS – Last Call!

Bexley Interfaith Frum and L. B. Bexley invite submissions of any project that has a positive impact on residents of the borough, for a FAITH AWARD. The presentation evening will be in the Civic Offices on Wed 15^th Nov at 7 p.m. Submissions to bexleyinterfaith@gmail.com by 1^st Oct. 

 

ALL READERS AND SPECIAL MINISTERS

Called to Pray: A Formation Day for Ministers of the Word of God and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion There are two sessions – 14 October in Welling or 21 October in Streatham.

Please let Fr Doug know, if you wish to attend. (‘Cos he wants to pay any fees!)

SUNDAY 24th September 2023 

TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY,YEAR A, 

Readings: Isaiah: 55:6-9 Psalm 144 Philippians 1:20-24, 27 Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16

 

Sat   23^rd Sep       17.30      Confessions

  18.00                       Noreen Collyer RIP

 

Sun  24^th Sep        TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY             

                              08.30                       Margaret Hagen RIP 

  10.30                        Lance Grainger RIP (Hewitt/Grainger)

 

Mon    25^th Sep       09.15    Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

   10.00                       For the Parish

 

Tues   26^th Sep        09.15    Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

                                10.00  Ss Cosmas+Damian    Margaret Gallagher (East)

 

Wed    27^th Sep        09.15    Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

                                10.00  St Vincent de Paul    The Homeless (Saturday Friends + SVP)    

 

Thurs  28^th Sep        08.00                      Priest’s Intention

 

Fri       29^th Sep        09.15     Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

                                10.00  Archangels       Private Intention 

 

Sat      30^th Sep       17.30     Confessions

    18.00                        Anne Frances Burton-Bowen RIP (Wood)

 

Sun      1^st Oct           TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY 

     08.30                       Priest’s Intention

                                10.30                        Rex Wheatley RIP (Wheatley)

 

LIVE STREAMING OF MASSES ON THE WEBSITE

All masses are streamed live and can be viewed via the link:

Recordings are available. The Sunday sermon is also on the website in printed form.

 

FINANCES   

Many thanks for your offertory collection last week:            Incl. S.O.s            £1097.85

Last week: Evangelii Gaudium Sunday                                                                  £62.70

This week: Libya Relief Fund

                                                                        

Direct 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 porch, is easy to use.  

Gift Aid Please join the GIFT AID scheme – Forms are at the back of the Church. For every £1.00 donated the Parish receives 25p from the Tax Office. Standing Orders are best for us. Thank you.

 

OUR PARISH HALL

Our hall is available for hire. Please email bexley@rcaos.org.uk at ANY time for enquiries and our hall secretary will get back to you. 

 

Please join us in the Hall for refreshments after the 10.30 mass

 

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

Dear Parishioners,

Next weekend sees the start of October, traditionally a month of devotion to Our Lady. We will, as is our custom, use the hail Holy Queen in our bidding prayers instead of the Hail Mary. The words can be found on page 219 of the Parish Mass Book.

Also, for the 4 Saturdays in the month, we will offer an opportunity to pray the Rosary together with commentaries on the scriptural refences to the mysteries. Check it out: 

We are calling it “A Doorway Into Prayer”. 

We begin on Saturday 7^th October at 10.00 with the joyful mysteries. All are welcome.

 

Also, I am away next weekend. Be nice for Fr Peter!

God Bless,                        Fr Doug

 

PETER HAMMOND

Please pray for Peter who died last Sunday. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

His funeral will be on October 6^th at 10.30 

 

THE HARVEST & CAFOD FAMILY FAST

Friday 6^th October is Family Fast Day. You are invited to fast on the day and offer the money saved to the work of CAFOD. We will have a retiring collection on Sunday 8^th to harvest your savings and to give everyone the chance to contribute. Also, on that Sunday we will celebrate at 10.30 mass Our Harvest Festival. We will be collecting food donations (non-perishable only please) and other essential items for the Manna Day Centre at London Bridge. For a list of most needed items please visit the Manna Society website: http://www.mannasociety.org.uk.  So please bring in your food items (nothing fresh that can go “out of date”) from next Sunday onwards and place them on the sanctuary. Harvest Festival gifts provide the Manna Centre with 70% of their foodstuffs for the year and are therefore critically important to them.  Please give if you are able.

HARVEST CAKE SALE

Following our Harvest Festival Service, the Children’s Liturgy Group we will be holding a cake sale in the parish center.  All money raised will be donated to CAFOD’s Harvest Appeal.  Please come along and support us. All donations welcome.  Thank you

 

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2024

Application forms are now available for the First Holy Communion programme 2024. Baptised children in year 3 or above are eligible to apply.  Forms can be collected from the entrance porch or please speak to Father Doug or Angela Underwood after mass.  Completed application forms must be returned by 1st December 2023.  The programme will commence in January 2024. 

 

FAITH AWARDS

Bexley Interfaith Forum and L. B. Bexley invite submissions of any project that has a positive impact on residents of the borough, for a FAITH AWARD. The presentation evening will be in the Civic Offices on Wed 15^th Nov at 7 p.m. Submissions to bexleyinterfaith@gmail.com by 1^st Oct. 

 

ALL READERS AND SPECIAL MINISTERS

Called to Pray: A Formation Day for Ministers of the Word of God and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion There are two sessions – 14 October in Welling or 21 October in Streatham.

Please let Fr Doug know, if you wish to attend.

SUNDAY 17th September 2023

TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY,YEAR A

Readings: Ecclesiasticus 27:30-28:7 Psalm 102 Romans 14:7-9, Gospel: Matthew 18:21-35

 

Sat     16^th Sep   17.30  Confessions

18.00                                      Anita Rowland RIP (Morris)

 

Sun    17^th Sep        TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY       

                            08.30                                      Kay Gillespie RIP (Gillespie)

10.30                                      Sergia Balaqui RIP (Bernarte)

 

Mon   18^th Sep    09.15                                      Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00  St Edith                         For the Parish

 

Tues  19^th Sep     09.15                                      Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

                            10.00                                      John & Helen Evans RIP (Evans)

 

Wed   20^th Sep     09.15                                      Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

                            10.00  SsAndrew Kim+ Paul Chong  Mary Connolly RIP (Eida/Connolly)    

 

Thurs  21^st Sep    08.00 St Matthew                   Priest’s Intention

 

Fri      22^nd Sep    09.15                                     Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

10.00                                      Olga Bowman RIP (Bowman)

 

Sat     23^rd Sep   17.30                                      Confessions

18.00                                      Noreen Collyer RIP (Anon)

 

Sun      24^th Sep        TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY 

08.30                                     Margaret Hagen RIP (Anon)

                            10.30                                      Lance Grainger RIP (Hewitt/Grainger)

 

LIVE STREAMING OF MASSES ON THE WEBSITE

All masses are streamed live and can be viewed via the link.

Recordings are available. The Sunday sermon is also on the website in printed form.

 

FINANCES   

Many thanks for your offertory collection last week:            Incl. S.O.s            £840.27

Last week: Catholic Education Service.                                                           £182.61

This week: Evangelii Gaudium Sunday (PTO for details)

Next week: Libya Relief Fund

                                                                        

Direct 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 porch, is easy to use.  

Gift Aid Please join the GIFT AID scheme – Forms are at the back of the Church. For every £1.00 donated the Parish receives 25p from the Tax Office. Standing Orders are best for us. Thank you.

 

OUR PARISH HALL

Our hall is available for hire. Please email bexley@rcaos.org.uk at ANY time for enquiries and our hall secretary will get back to you. 

 

Please join us in the Hall for refreshments after the 10.30 mass

 

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

Dear Parishioners,

Thank you to those attending the 6.00 and 8.30 mass who expressed an opinion in the consultation exercise last week regarding music. These are the results:

At the 6.00 mass      For no music: 6%     As it is: 71%             With hymn singing: 21%

At the 8.30 mass      For no music: 5%     As it is: 65%             With hymn singing: 30%

At both masses it seems we are generally happy that there should be organ music for suitable hymns played during the course of the mass. There might be the odd occasion where we would singing along – perhaps on special feast days. Anyway, it is good to know what people think!! 

 

I am very pleased that this weekend (and possibly next weekend) we will be enrolling altar servers in the Guild of St. Stephen and awarding medals to new entries and different medals to the more experienced!! Well done, Team, and especially our M.C., John Stanton.

 

                                   God Bless,                        Fr Doug

 

PETER HAMMOND

Please pray for Peter who died last Sunday. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

His funeral will be on October 6^th at 10.30 

 

FAITH AWARDS

Bexley Interfaith Forum and L. B. Bexley invite submissions of any project that has a positive impact on residents of the borough, for a FAITH AWARD. The presentation evening will be in the Civic Offices on Wed 15^th Nov at 7 p.m. Submissions to bexleyinterfaith@gmail.com by 1^st Oct. 

 

ALL READERS AND SPECIAL MINISTERS

Called to Pray: A Formation Day for Ministers of the Word of God and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion There are two sessions – 14 October in Welling or 21 October in Streatham.

Please let Fr Doug know, if you wish to attend.

 

QUIET MORNING AT SANCTUARY, in Swanley Village BR8 7UX 

16^th September 11-1pm “Free from all Distress”. Come and reflect on the words and meaning of this prayer from our mass. Contact: Trudy on email tkilcullen@live.co.uk or 07977978536

FIRST FRIDAYS: the garden is open and free for you to recollect and rest between 10 and 4 

 

BEXLEY INTERFAITH FORUM POP-UP SYNAGOGUE: 

On Tuesday 19th September, the Bexley Interfaith Forum will be hosting a Pop-Up Synagogue in the Church Hall at St John’s (7pm start). Developed by members of local Jewish communities, this is an opportunity to experience and learn about Jewish worship in company and fellowship with members of a range of faiths from across the Borough. St John’s Church is next to Golden Acre Park on Parkhill Road in Bexley village. 

 

EVANGELII GAUDIUM – Preparing for the Jubilee Year in Faith and Prayer 

Evangelii Gaudium Sunday calls us to be joyous in proclaiming our faith. “Evangelii Gaudium” is Latin for “Joy of the Gospel”. The day supports the work carried out by the Mission Directorate on behalf of the Bishops’ Conference. 

A key focus of work for the next few years is responding to Pope Francis’ calling of a Jubilee Year in 2025 with the theme Pilgrims of Hope. The Holy Father has invited the whole Church to prepare for the Jubilee in the two years prior through:

·       Reflecting on the four Constitutions of the Second Vatican Council in 2023.

·       Deepening our prayer life, with a special focus on the Lord’s Prayer, in 2024.