DECEMBER IS THE MONTH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.
FOURTH WEEK OF ADVENT/ CHRISTMAS OCTAVE
Dear parishioners,
Please pay careful attention to the two- week timetable as it is not quite a usual couple of weeks. Christmas falling on a weekend has cause some changes from the usual routine.
We are still observing certain cautions regarding the pandemic with congregations wearing masks and with good ventilation at all times.
However, we need to be considerate of one another in the coming week and absolutely avoid having an overcrowded church which may make some people uncomfortable or anxious. Therefore, please think about the following:
·Only come to the Christmas Vigil Mass on Christmas Eve at 6.00 p.m. if you have small children. Let’s make sure our young families have a seat at this mass.
·If you would like a quiet simple Christmas mass, we have an early mass at 8.00 a.m. on Christmas morning. If you want some distance around you please indicate that to anyone, and no-one should be upset if you ask for this.
·Like last year, if you want to avoid any chance of being amongst larger groups of people, please consider coming to mass on any day during the octave. All masses until Saturday morning are masses of the Christmas octave.
·We have two masses for the solemnity of the Holy Mother of God. One is a vigil mass on New Year’s Eve at 6.00 p.m. and we have the usual Latin mass at 10.00 a.m. on Saturday morning of the 1st January 2022.
CATHOLIC CHILDREN’S SOCIETY: CRIB OFFERING 2021
Throughout the pandemic the Catholic Children’s Society (CCS) has provided emergency support for thousands of vulnerable children and families. Their Southwark Crisis Fund provides immediate help for local families who are facing real hardship and have nowhere else to turn. Recently CCS helped a family with two young children when the father suddenly died. The family were already struggling and paying the funeral costs pushed them to the brink, with no money left for food or essentials. CCS provided a one-off grant to help them get through this challenging time. The mother got in touch to say:
‘When my husband died, I was completely lost. You gave me the breathing space I needed to sort out my finances. You took away the pressure so I could grieve and care for my children. Thank you.’
There are many more families in need of support and our parish will be donating our Crib Offering to support this important work. Every penny donated will be given out via CCS’s Southwark Crisis Fund to support local families in need. You can donate at the Crib or via the CCS website www.cathchild.org.uk/crib
Message from for CAFOD
Thank you to all parishioners at St Thomas More for your generous support for CAFOD this year and for your latest donation of £523.27 which we received on 10th December. Thank you for reaching out in love to the most vulnerable communities around the world and for being part of this life-changing work.
Fr Francis Ato Jackson Donkor R.I.P. : Memorial fund 2021
Every year we commemorate the great saints and martyrs on their feast days. At St Thomas More, through prayers and a special memorial fund, we remember every year a lovely priest who used to work in this parish and was a friend to many of you here. We come to the time of year again when we remember him again and support the work he promoted through the Spiritans for the education of young women in Ghana.
Please make your offering by cash or cheque and it is best placed in an envelope marked ‘Fr Francis Memorial Fund’ or you can make your donation online:
NATWEST
ACC NO. 21361606
SORT CODE 517014
for the credit of: RCAS ST THOMAS MORE - BOSTALL PARK
Ref: Fr Francis Memorial Fund
Days with Mary
The Sacred Heart, Edge Hill, Wimbledon, Saturday 1st January 2022
Honour the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God and consecrate the new year to her. Programme begins at 10.45. Bring your own packed lunch.
Food Bank:
PLEASE NOTE THERE WILL BE NO COLLECTIONS ON 27TH DECEMBER & 3RD JANUARY. ONLY NON PERISHABLE ITEMS CAN BE RECEIVED AT THIS TIME.
There is currently a particular need for:
Long Life milk, Long Life juice, Squash, Tins of Rice Pudding, Toilet Paper
The container for donations is in the Church Porch and is taken to Bexleyheath food bank on Monday mornings.
St. Thomas More Catholic Primary School Admissions.
The next open morning for parents considering sending children to our catholic primary school is on Monday 10th January. For more detail look at the website and video on the school website: www.stm.bexley.sch.uk/admissions/admissions
Archdiocese of Southwark ‘synodal process’
If anyone is interested in ‘the synodal process’ and discussion on communion, participation and mission you are invited to meet with our parish delegates, Obi and Esther for the final meeting:
On Monday 20th December, 6.00 p.m. in the Church Porch.
For more information on the ‘synodal process’ and ‘synodality’ go to the Archdiocese of Southwark website.
First Holy Communion 2022
Thanks for submitting your applications on time.
Please read the newsletter every week and listen out for notices at the end of Sunday mass.
The children’s commitments were made at all masses on the Second Sunday of Advent.
Sunday Children’s Liturgy in the Hall: 9.00 a.m. this Sunday. Helpers still needed. Please contact me or Fiona Martyres.
CONFIRMATION 2022
Application forms can be picked up by candidates, completed at home and then returned after any Sunday mass. Preparation will begin in the spring term and include a couple of day/evening trips and (hopefully) an overnight retreat.
PARISH SOCIAL EVENINGS & FUTURE EVENTS
Parish Social Evenings in Church Hall every Sunday from 7.00 p.m. The bar is open again this Sunday.
Thank you to all who have come to the Church Hall on Sunday evenings since the bar reopened on the 5th December. We also thank the parishioners who got our Sunday social evenings going even before the bar reopened by coming along and supplying their own drinks and entertainments. It is good that we now have our Hall bar open again and we hope that more will use and support this facility and come to our Sunday Social Evenings. All parishioners are welcome.
The Bar will be open as follows during the Christmas holiday period:
Sunday,19th December 7.30 to 10.30pm Friday,24th December from 7pm to 9.30pm
On New Year’s Eve there will be a Disco from 7.30pm to 12.30. Tickets are still available: if you would like to purchase tickets please contact Mark on 07944 774933.
In the New Year Parish Socials will continue in the Church Hall on Sunday evenings from the 9th of January.
We may have to make adjustments if there is any change in the guidance issued by the Government in coming weeks to deal with the covid pandemic.
CHRISTMAS OFFERINGS can be made online:
NATWEST
ACC NO. 21361606
SORT CODE 517014
for the credit of: RCAS ST THOMAS MORE - BOSTALL PARK
Ref: Christmas Offering
There are also envelopes at the front and side door of the church.
NEW CATHOLIC PAPER: THE CATHOLIC POST
There is a brand new national monthly Catholic newspaper ‘THE CATHOLIC POST’. The publishers have sent us samples. They say:
‘As publishers of many catholic newspapers, we have recently been asked by several parish priests, if we would start a new paper to provide news from around the country and beyond. The last couple of years have not been easy for newspaper publishers but we believe strongly that there is a place for a national paper to provide thoughtful articles and a Catholic perspective on the news stories of the day’
The edition in the porch has been given to the parish free of charge. Please help yourself and let me know what you think of it. If I receive some positive reports, THE CATHOLIC POST can be made available every month in the Church Porch.
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:
Ann Ellen Silvestre who died on Monday 15th November aged 85. Her Funeral Requiem was on Monday 13th December. May she rest in peace.
MASSES AND INTENTIONS FOR THE COMING WEEK: THE FOURTH WEEK OF ADVENT & THE CHRISTMAS OCTAVE
Saturday 18thDecember FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT (C)
6.00 p.m. Confessions
+ 6.30 p.m. MASS [said] Oliver Fernandes & family W.B.
Sunday 19th December
8.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 9.00 a.m. SUNG MASS. Mason Russ W.B.
+ 11.00 a.m. SOLEMN LATIN MASS [with English readings] Kevin Bass T.G.
7.00 p.m. Parish Social Evening in Church Hall with bar.
Monday 20th December Advent feria.
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 10.00 p.m. Deceased members of the Connor family R.I.P.
6.00 p.m. Final meeting with parish ‘synod representatives’ in Church Porch.
Tuesday 21stDecember Advent feria.
The Daily Rosary at home
. NO PUBLIC MASS TODAY
Wednesday 22nd December Advent feria
The Daily Rosary at home.
NO PUBLIC MASS TODAY.
Thursday 23rd December Advent feria.
The Daily Rosary at home
9.00 a.m. First Holy Communion Children preparation for Christmas Vigil Mass
+ 6.00 p.m. Barry Bourne R.I.P.
No Thursday Lunch Club Today.
Friday 24thDecember
Morning:Advent feria. The daily rosary at home. No morning mass.
Evening:THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD. Solemnity with Octave.
5.30 p.m. Carols
+ 6.00 p.m. Evening Vigil of Christmas. SUNG. Mums, Dads and children only please. P.I. in T.G. to the Holy Family.
7.00 p.m. – 9.30 p.m. Parish Christmas Social in Church Hall with bar.
9.30 p.m. Carols
+ 10.00 p.m. Mass of Christmas Night. SOLEMN. (‘High Mass’ in Latin & English) Bridie Lynch R.I.P.
Saturday 25th December
8.00 a.m. Mass of Christmas Dawn. SAID. Peter Braganza R.I.P.
+ 10.00 a.m. Mass of Christmas Day. SUNG Rosa Cabral R.I.P. (who died on this day 62 years ago)
[NO 6. 30 p.m. Sunday vigil today. There will be one Sunday mass only]
Sunday 26th December THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY & JOSEPH.
+ 10.00 a.m. SUNG. The Pereira Family W.B. & T.G.
Monday 27th December St John Apostle & Evangelist, feast.
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary.
+10.00 a.m. The deceased members of the Bass family R.I.P.
Tuesday 28th December The Holy Innocents, martyrs, feast.
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary.
+10.00 a.m. The McDonagh family R.I.P.
Wednesday 29th December St. Thomas of Canterbury, bishop & Martyr, feast.
The Daily Rosary at Home
NO PUBLIC MASS TODAY
Thursday 30th December Sixth Day of the Octave of Christmas.
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary.
+10.00 a.m. Catherine Keane R.I.P. (on her anniversary)
Friday 31st December Morning: Sixth Day of the Octave of Christmas/ St Sylvester I, pope.
Morning:The Daily Rosary at Home. No morning mass.
Evening: Vigil of MARY, THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, Solemnity
+ 6.00 p.m. Johanna Sullivan and her sister Anne McMahon R.I.P.
7.30 p.m. – 12.30 a.m. New Year celebrations with ‘Disco’ and bar in Church Hall.
Saturday 1st January 2022 MARY, THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, Solemnity
+ 10.00 a.m. [Latin] Joseph Bane R.I.P.
No 6.30 p.m. mass this evening.
Sunday 2nd January 2022 SECOND SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS
+ 9.00 a.m. SUNG Christian Pereira T.G. on his birthday.
+ 11.00 a.m. SOLEMN LATIN and ENGLISH Paraic Mulkerrin R.I.P.
DECEMBER PRAYER TO OUR LADY. The ‘ALMA REDEMPTORIS MATER’
Loving Mother of the Redeemer, gate of Heaven, star of the sea, assist your people who have fallen, as we strive to rise again. To the wonderment of nature, you bore your Creator, yet remained a virgin after as before. You who received Gabriel’s joyful greeting, have pity on us poor sinners.
Alma Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti. Surgere qui currat, populo: tu quae genuisiti, natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem, Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore sumens illud ave, peccatorum miserere.
Next newsletter on New Year's Eve, although there may be updates and most probably corrections. God bless and a Happy Christmas to you all,
Fr Jonathon
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