MARCH IS THE MONTH OF ST. JOSEPH
The Second Week of Lent
Dear parishioners,
The Hidden Holiness of St. Joseph
(print available through https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/695686159/sleeping-st-joseph-catholic-picture )
The world looks for glory in things that have earthly power and riches, but in Lent we are reminded that the Lord calls us to reveal his Glory through giving up such things –sacrifice -, through living in The Way of the Cross.. St Paul says ‘You have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory’.
The great holiness of one saint in the Church lay hidden behind Our Lord and Our Lady for centuries. It is St. Joseph, patron of The Church , whose month we have just begun. In many ways, the glory of God in the holiness of St Joseph, has been slowly revealed through the centuries in a growing appreciation of his life and works and consequently, his image and place in the church has in some way been transformed. Pope John XXII wrote:
‘ But Joseph, except for some slight sprinkling of references to him here and there in writings of the Fathers, for long centuries remained in the background, in his characteristic concealment, almost as a decorative figure in the overall picture of the Saviour’s life. It took time for devotion to him to go beyond those passing glances and take root in the hearts of the faithful, and then surge forth in the form of special prayers and of a profound sense of trusting abandonment. The fervent joy of pouring forth these deepest feelings of the heart in so many impressive ways has been saved for modern times!’
We can now say, with Pope John, ‘Now is the time of St Joseph’ He was no stranger to upheaval in his life, or to the sacrifices he made for his family. Long before his Happy Death in the presence of Our Lord and His Blessed Mother, Joseph died many, smaller deaths. There was the death of not knowing at first who was the true father of the child his fiancée Mary had conceived, and the possible stigma of being known as a cuckolded husband; the death of uprooting and going to Bethlehem for a census that ultimately would extract taxes for a foreign, oppressive regime; the death of being unable to provide a safe space and shelter for the birth of Jesus; the death of being uprooted again and fleeing as a refugee to Egypt; the death of not only losing Jesus in the Temple in Jerusalem, but also of being seemingly publicly repudiated by this precocious 12 year old who ‘must be about my Father’s business’ ( Luke 2: 50).
Each of these smaller deaths implied a letting go – letting go of whatever hopes and dreams he had for his own life and that of his family. Each letting go was in a way its own apocalypse. Each ‘death’ unveiled, enabled, and furthered God’s plan for His Son, Jesus; and each one showed how Joseph would play an active, willing role in that plan.’ (from the Mill Hill Missionaries)
St Joseph is a model to us of how to reveal God’s glory to the world through our penances this Lent. The Solemnity of St Joseph is on Monday 20th March (transferred from Sunday 19th) and we will also be having our monthly devotions which this month are dedicated to him on Sunday 19th March at 4.00 p.m. with The Parish Rosary, The Litany of St Joseph, Prayer to St Joseph and Benediction. Please bring your family and ask St Joseph for his protection of your little ones.
Next year I invite you to join me in consecrating yourselves and therefore, our parish, to our holy Father St Joseph. Please purchase ‘CONSECRATION TO ST. JOSEPH: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father’ by Donald H. Calloway. Famliarise yourselves with it, then next year we can enter into the 33 DAY preparation for the Consecation to St Joseph. This will normally begin on February 15th (16th on Leap Years) and concludes with the Consecration on St Joseph’s Feast Day on March 19th. Fr Calloway takes us on a spiritual journey in a beautifully written book. Perhaps this year, we could get to know the material and direction then next year undertake it, with weekly meetings of reflection from February 15th to March 19th 2024. If anyone is interested in hosting these or participating in anyway, please let me know. But first of all, buy the book, and see where it takes you, and in the great joy of familiarity, we can, well prepared, enter a spiritual journey together with St Joseph, next year.
CAFOD FAMILY FAST DAY LENT APPEAL: SECOND COLLECTION THIS SUNDAY
This Lent, CAFOD is supporting families with the skills and tools they’ve asked for to fight the climate crisis. In Bangladesh, 14-year-old Dristy and her mum Rupali are building seed beds and planting palm trees to protect their crops from flooding and cyclones. Give today to help families grow in strength to adapt to the climate crisis in the second collection, with envelopes, by contactless or online at cafod.org.uk/lent.
CAFOD Syria-Turkey Earthquake Appeal
CAFOD is responding with support of provision of food, water, shelter, medical assistance and winter kits for survivors. Your donations in recent months have made that quick response possible. Let us join CAFOD in praying for our sisters and brothers affected by the earthquakes and the winter weather. Your support for CAFOD throughout the year allows our Catholic agency to act quickly when disasters strike. For more details visit CAFOD’s Syria Turkey Emergency Appeal online at https://cafod.org.uk/give.
More from CAFOD next week with our annual Lent Family Fast Day Appeal.
FOCOLARE* AFTERNOON GET-TOGETHER
We invite children between 4 and 10 years old, together with their parents, to come join us for an afternoon filled with music. Focolare is an international movement that teaches us to love everyone as we love ourselves.
Date 19th March 2023 between 2-4 PM in the Parish Church Hall.
Please contact Elisa (elisapuzzolo@gmail.com phone 07565613867) or Leonara (07467366566) to let us know you are coming so we can plan logistics.
*The Focolare Movement is an international organization that promotes the ideals of unity and universal brotherhood, and celebrating ‘Jesus in our midst’, God who is with us.
STATION OF THE CROSS We are doing the traditional Stations of the Cross of St Alphonsus Liguori every Friday in Lent concluding on Good Friday at 7.30 p.m. There will also be a Children’s Stations of the Cross on Good Friday at 10.30 a.m.
MARCH DEVOTIONS TO ST. JOSEPH, PATRON OF THE CHURCH, Sunday 19th March at 4.00 p.m. with The Parish Rosary, The Litany of St. Joseph, Prayer to St Joseph and Benediction.
A DAY WITH MARY
1. Sacred Heart Church, Knatchbull Rd, Camberwell. Saturday 11th March. From 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
2. St. Anselm’s, West Hill, Dartford. Saturday 25th March. From 9.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.
3. St. Dunstan’s, London Rd, Southborough. Saturday 1st April. 9.45 a.m. to 5.05 p.m.
Bring your own packed lunch.
WALK WITH ME Pick up your ‘Walk with Me’. Daily Reflections through Lent. £1.00 donation asked. Some junior versions may still be available, also available is the excellent ‘Day by Day’ for juniors and infants.
FRIDAY LENTEN REFLECTIONS. Join Patricia in the presbytery after mass on Friday mornings in reading the Sunday scriptures and sharing your thoughts with one another with Tea, coffee and even a biscuit.
PARISH PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES in October. Please contact the parish office if you are interested in joining us.
PARISH PILGRIMAGE TO WALSINGHAM. We have now taken all the bookings and will be in touch soon.
BAR STAFF NEEDED a few hours a month for the parish social club bar. Please contact Mr Tony Brook 07833 707016
FOOD BANK. Thanks to all who offered to help with collecting our donations and taking them to the Food Bank on Monday morning. Tony McLaughlin will be covering for Paul for a few weeks and will collect the donations after the Sunday 11.00 a.m. mass.
Notice from Marriage and Family Life South East
Planning a catholic marriage? Marriage preparation courses are available by emailing mflse@rcaos.org.uk.
CHILDREN’S CHURCH.: Resumes this Sunday, 26th February, following the half- term break.
THURSDAY LUNCH CLUB: The lunch club is taking a break this week. Next lunch club on Thursday 9th March from 12.30 p.m.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2023. Session 8 on Saturday 11th March, 10.30 a.m. in the hall.
CONFIRMATION 2023. Next meetings: 1. Stations of the Cross 7.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. Friday 17th March. 2. Sunday 26th March 4.00 p.m. in the presbytery.
DEATHS
For all our brothers and sisters who ate the Body of Christ, the bread of Life, that they may be raised up on the Last Day. (Drawn from the intercession of the Funeral Mass)
Please pray for the soul of:
Thelma Ali, aged 84, who died on 22nd February and whose funeral is on Monday 7th March at 11.00 a.m. followed by committal at Sidcup Cemetery.
May the divine assistance remain with her always, and may her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.
MASSES AND INTENTIONS FOR THE SECOND WEEK OF LENT
Instaurare Omnia in Christo: "to restore all things in Christ."
Saturday 4th March Ember Saturday of Lent with comm. of St. Casimir [T.C.]
9.00 a.m. Confessions
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 10.00 a.m. [Latin 1962]. Canon Michael Bunce R.I.P.
6.00 p.m. Confessions
+ 6.30 p.m. SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT (A) Second Collection for CAFOD LENT APPEAL. Abigail & Amelia D’Souza TG
Sunday 5th March
8.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+9.00 a.m. [SUNG] Catherine Meehan R.I.P.
+11.00 a.m. [SOLEMN. Latin with English. Missa in Dominicis Quadragesimae] The people of the parish.
Monday 6th March Lent feria
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 10.00 a.m. Tommy Coyle R.I.P.
Tuesday 7th March Lent feria & comm. of Ss Perpetua & Felicity, martyrs.
10.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 11.00 a.m. Funeral Requiem of Thelma Ali followed by committal at Sidcup Cemetery.
Wednesday 8th March Lent feria & comm of St John of God, religious.
The Daily Rosary at home.
NO PUBLIC MASS TODAY
Thursday 9th March Lent feria with commemoration of St Nicholas Owen.
9.30 a.m. Daily Rosary
+10.00 a.m. Pat & Geoff Oldroyd T.G. on their 60th Wedding Anniversary.
Friday 10th March Lent feria with comm. of St. Frances of Rome, religious.
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 10.00 a.m. A Parish Family W.B. & P.I.s
6.00 p.m. Parish Choir Practice. New members welcome.
7.30 p.m. Stations of the Cross.
Saturday 11th March Lent Feria [T.C.]
9.00 a.m. Confessions
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 10.00 a.m. [Latin 1962]. Patrick Dillon R.I.P.
6.00 p.m. Confessions
+ 6.30 p.m. THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT (A) Hallet & Yeates deceased family (Wales) R.I.P.
MARCH PRAYER TO ST.JOSEPH
Prayer to the Sleeping St. Joseph
Oh Saint Joseph, You are a man greatly favoured by the Most High. The angel of the Lord appeared to you in dreams, while you slept, to warn you and guide you as you cared for the Holy Family. You were both silent and strong, a loyal and courageous protector.
Dear Saint Joseph, as you rest in the Lord, confident of His absolute power and goodness, look upon me. Please take my need… (mention your request here) … into your heart, dream of it, and present it to your Son. Help me then, good Saint Joseph, to hear the voice of God, to arise, and act with love. I praise and thank God with joy. Saint Joseph, I love you. Amen.
God bless
Fr Jonathon