AUGUST IS THE MONTH OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY
THE TWENTIETH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME
Dear parishoners,
THE SOLEMNITY OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
On this great feast day, our thoughts and emotions are lifted to heaven. From the losses and humiliations of this life our hearts and minds are joyfully raised to the Blessed Virgin Mary assumed body and soul into Heaven, of which she is crowned the Queen. Her assumption is a sign to all the faithful of our victory to come. The sufferings of our lives lived in love of Mary shown through obedience to her Son Jesus, may also be our path to heaven as it was hers. If we do as the Blessed Virgin Mary says, which is to listen to Our Lord Jesus Christ and do as he says, her Assumption into heaven points the way to our Resurrection and eternal life and bliss with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and with her, our blessed mother.
We rejoice today at her Assumption in the words of today’s entrance antiphon:
Gaudeamus omnes in Domino, diem festum celebrantes sub honore Mariae Virginis: de cuius Assumptione gaudent angeli, et collaudant Filium Dei.
(Let us all rejoice in the Lord, as we celebrate the feast day in honour of the Virgin Mary, at whose Assumption the Angels rejoice and praise the Son of God)
MISSIO RED BOXES
For many years Helen has co-ordinated the distribution and collections of the Red Boxes and counted and banked the money. Due to her recent move, this is no longer possible or feasible and is asking for someone to take over this responsibility.
Helen’s message:
So that the parish can continue its excellent tradition of support for Missio, via the red box collection, is any parishioner able to spare about 3 hours per year to make this happen? Until last year and the COVID restrictions we were sending about £1,000 per year to Missio from about 40 red box holders.
If you would like to take on this job, you would need to ask, via the newsletter, for the box holders to bring their boxes to church and keep records of the money received in order to inform Missio on an annual basis.
If you would like to help, please give your name to Fr Jonathon who will be able to give any further information you may need and a meeting can be arranged with me for the handover.
Thank you Helen for your support of Missio over the years and we pray someone will hear this call and keep an old tradition going in this parish of raising money through the Red Boxes for this great catholic charity.
Church Redecoration
There is currently some work being done in the church:
1. Repairing and repainting the black marks above the arches to the Lady Chapel caused by water from the Lady Chapel roof.
2. Repairing damage done to the decorative plaster work.
3. Removing paint which has peeled, been damaged and bubbled and then repainting.
We are using the surplus money collected from The Hall Renovation appeal to pay for this. It is difficult to draw a line on what should be repaired and decorated as it could be seemingly without end, but the line is the maximum we have available to spend left over from the Hall appeal. Hopefully this small patch and repair job will lift things a bit for a year or two, after which we will need to begin some major fundraising for a full redecoration (that is of course if a major urgent and necessary job doesn’t strike us down before then)
Thursday Lunch Club
It was good to see many of our old regulars back in the Hall last Thursday for Afternoon Tea. Thanks to the parishioners who provided the excellent sandwiches and cakes and made everyone so welcome after an absence of a year and four months. It is another hopeful sign that we are coming out of our homes and can begin to rebuild the social life of the parish.
As previously mentioned, we have re-launched the Lunch Club with Afternoon Tea to see how things go, but we hope in the autumn lunches may resume.
The next Thursday Lunch Club Afternoon Tea is on Thursday 26th August at 2.00 p.m. To all our Senior Citizens, please think about coming along and meet up with old friends or make new ones.
If you would like to assist with Afternoon Tea for our senior parishioners (or future lunches) please contact Marian on 0208 3037584 or Joyce on 0208 3032424.
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 souls of:
James Nesbitt, aged 90, who died on Tuesday 13th July 2021. Funeral mass on Tuesday 9th August at 11.00 a.m. with burial at Sidcup Cemetery.
Thomas Furlong, aged 88, who died on Friday 16th July in the evening. Funeral details to follow.
May the divine assistance remain with them always, and may their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.
PARISH GOLF DAY.
MESSAGE FROM TONY BROOKE. Saturday 18th September 2021 to be held at Pedham Place Golf Club, Farningham.
Bacon rolls from 11am. First tee off at 12 noon. 18 holes of golf followed by a one course meal and prize awarding. In an attempt to keep the price down we have dropped to a one course meal and bumped into a very gracious sponsor who will hold down the price to £40per contestant. There will be the usual charity raffle attached to the day that parishioners will have a chance to be involved with by purchasing tickets after Mass.
Any enquiries / interest to Tony Brooke 07833707016. Provisional numbers please ASAP so that we can secure tee times.
MASSES AND INTENTIONS FOR THE COMING WEEK: THE TWENTIETH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME
Psalter week 4. Ferial cycle 1 at mass.
Please come to mass once a week only, on any day of your choosing, to help with numbers and social distancing.
Mass intentions booked for masses cancelled or replaced with a funeral will be moved to another day.
Please note the Sunday 10.30 mass has been moved to 11.00 due to the lack of time after the 9.00 to prepare for the next mass and consequently the consistent very late start of the 10.30. We will try this new time for a few weeks and see how it works and hopefully the mass will begin at the scheduled time.
Saturday 14th August THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, solemnity.
5.30 – 6.00 p.m. Confessions
+ 6.30 p.m. MASS (said) The people of the parish.
Sunday 15th August
8. 30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 9.00 a.m. SUNG MASS. Michael Meehan W.B.
+ 11.00 a.m. SOLEMN LATIN MASS (with English Readings) Denis Cronin R.I.P.
Monday 16th August St. Stephen of Hungary.
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 10.00 a.m. Pat Brennan R.I.P.
Tuesday 17th August feria.
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 10.00 a.m. Requiem. Eleanora and Vincenzo Brogna R.I.P.
Wednesday 18th August feria.
The Daily Rosary at home, in private.
NO PUBLIC MASS TODAY
Thursday 19th August St. John Eudes, priest.
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 10.00 a.m. Eilish Lynch R.I.P.
Friday 20th August St. Bernard, abbot & doctor of the church, memorial.
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 10.00 a.m. Peter Collison R.I.P.
6.00 p.m. choir practice
Saturday 21st August St. Pius X, pope, memorial.
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 10.00 a.m. Latin (with English readings) Don Rickwood W.B.
10.30a.m. Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament (Benediction at approx. 11. 30 a.m..)
10.30 to 11.00 a.m. Confessions
[ + 6.30 p.m. THE TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME. The James Family T.G.)
AUGUST PRAYER TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY: ‘BLESSED BE YOUR PURITY’
(Purity is an eminently positive virtue, which gains the grace of God for the person who lives it. It is the virtue of the beautiful and spotless soul. It elevates us to things divine. These ten verses praise Mary. Conceived without sin, she was always pure and brighter than snow, she is ‘The Immaculate Heart’. From the ‘Handbook of Prayers’, Midwest Theological Forum)
Blessed be your purity, may it be blessed for ever, for no less than God takes delight in such exalted beauty. To you, heavenly Princess,
Holy Virgin Mary, I offer on this day my whole heart, life and soul. Look upon me with compassion; Do not leave me, my mother.
God bless,
Fr Jonathon
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