Saturday 11th November 2023 – Saturday 18th November 2023
- jonathonrouth
- Nov 11, 2023
- 7 min read
NOVEMBER IS THE MONTH OF HOLY SOULS
Thirty- Second Week of Ordinary Time
Dear parishioners,
DIES IRAE, DIES ILLA
The Day of Wrath, that awful day,
Shall reduce the earth to ashes,
As David and the Sybil prophesied.
How great will be the terror,
When the Judge shall come
To examine all things rigorously.
This Saturday is Armistice Day followed by Remembrance Sunday in which we pray for the dead of two world wars. It has become common practice among Christians in this country, that as we pray for the dead of the two world wars, we also remember the dead of the many wars which Britain has been involved in or supported since. Armistice Day commemorates the ceasefire of 1918 and indeed, Armistice means to ceasefire. Therefore, no more fitting day could there be than this to call for a ceasefire in the attack on thousands of defenceless people in Gaza: the total revenge for the terrorist attacks on Israeli citizens and some foreign workers on October 7th. Some estimate that already 30,000 people have been slaughtered, with bombs raining down from the sky hour after hour for four weeks upon peoples’ homes, hospitals, mosques, a church, schools: a complete desolation of all that makes a city. The terrorists are accused of hiding among the people and so the helpless victims are blamed by one of the most powerful armed forces in the world for its continued attacks on them. Let us remember, that by their very nature, insurgent movements never remain in the open with barracks and headquarters with a postal address. Catholics in England, including priests, had to hide among the people, three centuries ago. The French resistance, of course hid among the French people during German occupation. I am sure the Israeli terrorists in Palestine of the forties did the same during the British mandate and the IRA hid in the ordinary homes of Northern Ireland. Following the many terrible attacks on this country by the IRA, it is quite unimaginable that the British government, for all its errors in the Troubles, would ever have ordered a revenge carpet- bombing for weeks on end of Derry city because IRA members lived among the people there. If the British Government had done so, rightly would we have been a pariah among nations, and no longer called civilized. It would have been incomprehensible that the British had to kill four hundred Derry residents in order to kill one IRA leader. Can you imagine such an injustice even graver than the crime? But we are witnessing this now in Palestine. Why is our government and opposition supporting a country that is doing this?
People are finding it hard to speak against the atrocity taking place because it is supported by our government and opposition leaders and those who are speaking against the continual bombing are being called ‘hateful’ and ‘anti-semitic’. We British citizens like to imagine ourselves being on the side of decency and to be told it is hateful to march and speak against the mechanised massacre of the people in Gaza is disorientating. It is Orwell’s 1984 in which good is bad and bad is good, black is white and war is peace. But please be assured, that the majority of the hundreds and thousands who are marching for justice for Palestinians are ordinary Remembrance Day poppy wearing Christians - catholics, orthodox and protestants, Muslims - shia and sunni , atheists, Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat supporters, young and old, man and woman, white British - English, Scottish, Irish, Northern Irish, British - Asian, African, European and every ethnic background of British, ex-service people, students, every class and job and profession and significantly, British Jews. These marches are an expression of frustration that no longer do we see ourselves represented by our government in its complicity in the continued bombardment of poor, stateless people whose homeland was forcibly taken from them and who have no safe place to lay their heads. What else can ordinary people do to help stop this killing? Protesting is the cry to the powerful to hear the voice of the powerless, and the hundreds and thousands of people have taken to the streets across the world to be that voice for those who have no power in this world and are being silenced to death by the Israeli killing machine.
Many people feel mentally blocked and tongue-tied, not knowing how to speak about what is going on for fear of causing offence to someone, but that is the intention. It is absurd that we are now indulging ourselves in the discussion about ‘causing offence’ by calling for a ceasefire and an end to the occupation and oppression of a people rather than the gross offence to God and humanity of a whole people being slaughtered, made homeless and forcibly evicted from their land. If this newsletter causes offence, then so be it, but I hope anything offensive is my own failure in the relative security of my homeland to fully comprehend the horror unleashed upon the Palestinian people and the shame we should feel in our own political establishment. However, before being accused of ‘supporting terrorists’, being ‘political’, ‘racist’ ‘antisemitic’ or ‘hateful’ in speaking against Israel’s actions and our government and the opposition leadership’s support for it, I would ask you to look again at the teaching of the Catholic Church on what is a Just War and ask whether what you see now is just. Is our political establishment, both government and opposition on the side of justice or complicit in the brutal horror of a mass killing and injuring of thousands of people?
In the utter tragedy taking place in the Land of Our Lord’s birth, humanity needs to hear the Lord’s words of life in the Gospel more than ever. All humanity needs to hear the Church’s teaching on what is just in war, because God will judge all who engage in it and no person or country should think it is an exception and above God’s laws. We sing in the Dies Irae at the Requiem Mass:
‘the trumpet, with astounding blast, echoing over the sepulchres of the whole world, shall compel all before the throne.
Death and nature will stand aghast, when the creature shall rise again, to answer before his Judge.
The written book shall be brought forth, containing all for which the world must be judged.
When, therefore, the Judge shall be seated, whatsoever is hidden shall be brought to light, naught shall remain unpunished’
The Catholic Church teaches that people have a right to defend themselves when attacked. This is called a just war. The Catholic Church also categorically teaches in the Catechism that the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders even graver than the evils to be eliminated. Civilians must be respected and treated humanely. Actions deliberately contrary to the law of nations and to its principles are crimes and the extermination of a people, nation or ethnic minority must be condemned as a mortal sin and all Catholics are mortally bound to resist any orders that command genocide.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church goes on to say ‘Every act of war directed to the indiscriminate destruction of whole cities or vast areas with their inhabitants is a crime against God and man, which merits unequivocal condemnation’. This is the evil we now see inflicted on the poor people of Gaza by a powerful country supported by our government.
International Law is in line with the teaching of the Catholic Church, because it comes from it. In a letter to churches from the Christian charity ‘Embrace the Middle East’, we are told no country has the right - on this international law is very clear - to act indiscriminately, without due regard for the safety of innocent civilians. It cannot for example erase whole neighbourhoods, starve or move an entire population from their homes. Before God, no catholic should uphold responding to evil with even greater evil. The second Vatican Council tells us ‘Concerning this task of working for unity in the love and practice of justice, we will answer to God who will judge every single human being on the last day’
This Remembrance weekend, let us pray for a ceasefire now, the return of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and an end to the unjust mass killing and enforced movement of ordinary, very poor, stateless and powerless people. May God have mercy on them! And we will not forget that thanks to the sacrifice made by the men and women of this country in two world wars we still - for now -have the freedom to speak out against injustice and protest in the streets on behalf of those whose cry of agony is dismissed by earthly powers. It is this freedom they died for, to quote Sir Nicholas Soames on Radio Four ‘Today’, as he joined the call to ceasefire now.
How you can keep the Month of Holy Souls at St Thomas More:
1. Attend The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on All Soul’s Day or any November Requiem, including the Solemn Requiem Mass at 11 o’clock on Remembrance Sunday, 12th November (with the Dies Irae quoted above).
2. Visit the Graves in your own time or for the Blessing of Graves or at the following times:
Sunday 12th November - Bexleyheath Cemetery at 12:30 p.m.
Sunday 12th November – Sidcup Cemetery at 1.00 p.m.
Sunday 12th November - Brook Street at 3.00 p.m.
3. Come to our annual Service of Commemoration of the Faithful Departed with Benediction on Sunday 26th November, Feast of Christ the King at 3.00 p.m. followed by tea and cakes.
4. Say the Novena for Holy Souls – our November prayer below.
November Indulgences
As always, a plenary indulgence, applicable only to the Holy Souls, may be gained once in any church either on All Soul’s Day, on the preceding or following Sunday or on the Feast of All Saints, on the usual conditions, viz a visit to a church, where the Creed and Our Father are recited, sacramental confession made, Holy Communion received and a prayer for the pope’s intentions. Those who visit a cemetery between 1st and 8th November and pray for the faithful departed, may obtain a plenary indulgence, applicable to the holy souls ( and at other times a partial indulgence)
Furthermore, a plenary indulgence is granted to all those present, subject to the usual conditions to those who attend our Service at St Thomas More on Sunday 26th November, the Feast of Christ the King at 3.00 p.m. or any church on that day where the Blessed Sacrament is exposed, the consecration of the human race to Christ the King made and the Litany of the Sacred Heart said.
God bless and peace be with you as we pray for Holy Souls,
Fr Jonathon
ARCHBISHOP’S APPEAL. This Sunday.
UPCOMING EVENTS
BINGO ON FRIDAY 17TH IN ST THOMAS MORE CHURCH HALL
St Thomas More Parish Club Presents our BINGO EVENING. Cash Prizes! Friday 17th November 2023, 8.00 pm till 11.00 pm, Eyes down at 9.00pm. Your Bingo book is £5 each, available at the door. For more information call Jenny on 07710 527692 or Mary on 07369 252072
PARISH NOTICES
Liturgy of the Word for Children.
The Liturgy of the Word for our children will meet again this Sunday during the 9.00 a.m. mass.
FOOD BANK. You can make your donations at Sunday Mass in the crates in the Church Porch (narthex) and they are taken to Bexley Food Bank on a Monday morning.
Bexley Food Bank Requirements
Food
UHT Milk Tinned Meat (Hotdogs, Meatballs, etc.) Tinned Fish, Tinned Fruit, Sponge/Rice Puddings, Coffee (small jars), Long-life Juice, Pasta Sauce, Spreads, Tinned Meals (Spaghetti, Chicken or Veg Curry’s, Chilli) Tinned Soup, Jam and Spreads
Non-food Items
Shower Gel, Shampoo, Conditioner, Deodorant, Toilet rolls, Washing up liquid, Laundry Detergent Pods
Bexley Food Bank currently particularly requests (please notice the new items at the end):
Please follow the link below to view the food donations page of the Bexley food bank site. https://bexley.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/donate-food/
NOTICES FROM MARRIAGE & FAMILY LIFE SOUTH EAST:
PASSING ON THE FAITH AS GRANDPARENTS
What practical steps can we take and what sort of conversations can we have which will help anchor our grandchildren’s faith?
Four online sessions starting Weds eves November 8th, 7:30 – 9pm. Email Lisette on mflse@rcaos.org.uk
PASSING ON THE FAITH FOR PARENTS
How do we start? How do we continue? What works well for children at different stages?
Four online sessions starting Thurs eves November 9th, 8pm – 9:30pm. Email Lisette on mflse@rcaos.org.uk
Growing in Faith Together -- this new online course has been developed in collaboration with the Southwark Marriage and Family Life team, the Diocesan Agency for Evangelisation and SycamOre, a programme about the Catholic faith by Fr Stephen Wang. It consists of four one hour-long sessions via Zoom and is a wonderful opportunity for: · married couples to enrich their friendship and love · engaged couples who have completed their marriage preparation course and want to continue exploring their faith together
The course runs on Tuesday evenings from 8-9pm beginning October 24th. To register click on the link: https://aec.rcaos.org.uk/together
Planning a catholic marriage? Marriage preparation courses are available by emailing mflse@rcaos.org.uk.
BEXLEY CRISIS CAFÉ Experiencing emotional or psychological distress? Access mental health support and advice after hours. Open every day from 6.00 p.m. to 10.00 p.m. including bank holidays. MIND IN BEXLEY at 2A Devonshire Road, Bexleyheath DA6 8DS
WESTMINSTER CATHEDRAL CHOIR
Becoming a chorister at Westminster Cathedral is simple, fun and open to any boy in Year 2 -5 from London or beyond who loves to sing. Your boy will become part of the most famous catholic choir in the world, he will broadcast, record and tour around the world and take part in the beautiful services at Westminster Cathedral. Up to 100% bursaries are offered to attend one of London’s best schools up until year 8, including a comfortable boarding house with expert staff to look after the children in their care at all times. Choristers board during the week only, heading home to their families from Friday afternoon until Sunday morning at 9.45a.m.
‘’ Being a chorister at Westminster Cathedral has given my son a fantastic headstart in life. We are so proud of him and love hearing him sing, and although he lives with his friends, we get to see him every weekend so we are still able to enjoy quality time together as a family. We can’t recommend this experience highly enough to families thinking about choristership!’’ Chorister parent. ‘’ It is a privilege to be able to offer ordinary boys the extraordinary experience of singing in one of the world’s finest choirs. As a chorister attending Westminster Cathedral Choir School, boys can expect to find a family environment in which they can thrive academically as well as musically. With a high degree of specialism in a range of academic subjects and with plenty of sport on offer, we are confident that our choristers leave us as well-rounded individuals with lots of confidence’’. Simon Johnson, Master of Music.
If you have any questions about how to take up this great opportunity, contact Lucy Auger lauger@choirschoo.com and ask her for the link to join the next Zoom introductory session on Wednesday 22nd November.
A Solemn Requiem Mass at Westminster Cathedral
SPUC COFFEE MORNING 'Rob, Jemma and Tom from the Bexley Branch of the SPUC would like to thank Fr Jonathon, Annette, Pauline and the parishioners of St Thomas More for their support at Sunday's coffee morning. We made £53 for which we are very grateful. Thanks again. Rob, Jemma and Tom'
Please complete one of the postcards urging the Health Secretary to abandon the pills by post scheme.
1. The pills by post scheme allows abortion pills to be obtained with just a telephone consultation.
2. There's a high incidence of subsequent hospitalisation.
3. Women have to dispose of their baby's remains themselves.
4. False information has been given during the telephone consultations leading to the death of a healthy baby at 8 months' gestation (amongst other incidents)
5. Abortion providers aim to use their inability to administer this scheme to push for the total decriminalisation of abortion.
Regards
Rob - Bexley SPUC
REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY
EMBRACE THE MIDDLE EAST
Dear Friends As the tragic devastation continues to unfold in Gaza, we listen to the news and hear our partners’ updates with increasing sorrow and heartbreak. As many of you will be aware, the Greek Orthodox Church in Gaza City was damaged last week (19 October) as a result of nearby shelling. Some 400-500 people had been sheltering in the precincts of the church for the last two weeks. Tragically, whole families died and many were injured, and there was significant damage to the church building. Our Programmes and Partnerships Manager for Gaza, Rhiannon, has written about her personal experience of the long and rich history of the Christian faith in Gaza. Although there are now only around 1,000 Christians left in the Gaza strip, she never ceases to be amazed by how the Christian community continues to make a deep impact by serving those in need:
Embrace the Middle East
As a Christian development charity, EMBRACE THE MIDDLE EAST partners with Christians in the Middle East as they work to transform lives and restore the dignity of the most excluded and marginalised communities. Where there is a need – for refuge, a home, for health care, for education, for justice and human rights EBRACE THE MIDDLE EAST responds with its partners. Their goal is to contribute to a culture of human flourishing in a troubled region.
They have a vision of love in action. It is rooted in, and inspired by, Christ’s invitation to care for those most in need.
Please sign the #CeasefireNow petition: Embrace the Middle East is among over 300 charities from across the globe who have signed the #CeasefireNow petition, an open call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and Israel to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and further loss of innocent lives. Head over to our website to read the open letter and sign the petition.
Please support our Gaza Crisis Appeal The people of Gaza are living through an unprecedented humanitarian crisis and are in desperate need of help. The UN estimates that 1.4 million people have been displaced from their homes and the number of people killed in Gaza has exceeded 5,000.
Our local Christian partners in Gaza can make a real difference. They are ready to serve faithfully as soon as they are able to - but they need our support.
Your gift will help to:
· deliver emergency response where possible
· restart essential services as soon as possible
· undo the damage that has torn through Gaza and the hearts of those affected.
Please give what you can today to our Gaza Crisis Appeal. Thank you.
CHRISTMAS NOTICES
We are looking for raffle prizes and bottle donations. Please give these to Fr. Jonathon. We are also looking for volunteers to help on the day. Please see Fr. Jonathon or Melissa if you are interested.
MASSES AND INTENTIONS FOR THE THIRTY- SECOND WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME
Instaurare Omnia in Christo: "to restore all things in Christ." Saturday 11thNovember St. Martin of Tours, bishop & confessor [TC]. 9.00 a.m. Confessions 9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary (in Latin & English) + 10.00 a.m. (Latin 1962) Wilhelmina McCahey R.I.P. + 6.30 p.m. SAID THIRTY- SECOND SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (with the Archbishop’s Appeal) Jacob & Helen Fernandes R.I.P. With an additional second collection for the Royal British Legion.
Sunday 12th November 8.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary + 9.00 a.m. SUNG with Liturgy of the Word for children in Church Hall. Carlo Rodrigues TG on his second birthday. +11.00 a.m. SOLEMN REQUIEM (in Latin with English Readings] for the dead of two world wars. 2.30 p.m. Music Among Friends. An afternoon get-together for parents and children in the Hall. 7.00 p.m. Parish Social Evening in the Hall. All welcome. Monday 13th November St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, religious. 9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary +10.00 a.m. The people of the parish Tuesday 14th November feast 9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary +10.00 a.m. Freny’s parents R.I.P. Wednesday 15th November St Albert the Great, bishop & doctor of the church. The Daily Rosary at home NO PUBLIC MASS TODAY Thursday 16th November St Edmund of Abingdon, bishop. 9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary +10.00 a.m. James Clannie Thomas R.I.P. 12.00 noon Thursday Lunch Club Friday 17th November St. Hilda, religious. 9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary +10.00 a.m. Teresa Lindsay R.I.P. 6.00 p.m. Choir Practice. Saturday 18th November The Dedication of the Basilicas of Ss Peter & Paul [TC]. 9.00 a.m. Confessions 9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary (in Latin & English) + 10.00 a.m. (Latin 1962) Mary Bane R.I.P. + 6.30 p.m. SAID THIRTY- THIRD SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME The Doogan Family R.I.P
NOVEMBER PRAYER
THE NOVENA FOR THE HOLY SOULS by St. Alphonsus Liguori
You can say this prayer for nine days in preparation for All Souls Day or for any set of nine days in November.
O most sweet Jesus, through the bloody sweat which you suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane, have mercy on these Blessed Souls. Have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord. O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which you suffered during your most cruel scourging, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord. O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which you suffered in your most painful crowning with thorns, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord. O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which you suffered in carrying your cross to Calvary, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord. O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which you suffered during your most cruel Crucifixion, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord. O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which you suffered in your most bitter agony on the Cross, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord. O most sweet Jesus, through the immense pain which you suffered when you gave up your spirit in your last breath, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.
(Recommend yourself to the Souls in Purgatory and mention your intentions here)
Blessed Souls, I have prayed for you; I entreat you, who are so dear to God, and who are secure of never losing Him, to pray for me a miserable sinner, who is in danger of being damned, and of losing God forever. Amen