MARCH IS THE MONTH OF ST. JOSEPH
THE THIRD WEEK OF LENT
Dear parishioners,
SUNDAY 20TH MARCH – KNIGHTS OF ST COLUMBA
COFFEE MORNING & RECRUITMENT DRIVE

INVITATION FROM OUR GRAND KNIGHT LEO.
The Order of the Knights of St Columba is an organization of Catholic Laymen dedicated to the service of the Church and fellow man. It was founded in Glasgow in 1919 and is named after Saint Columba, a Christian missionary from Ireland, who helped to introduce Christianity to the people of Northern Britain.
The Order exists to support the mission of the Catholic Church and to work for the spiritual and material good of its members and their families.
In accordance with the social teachings of the Catholic Church, members diligently work for the moral and social welfare of their communities, helping young people develop in the likeness of Christ. Members of the Order strive to achieve these aims through the fundamental virtues of Charity, Unity and Fraternity.
The Order is a family organisation, dedicated to The Holy Family. It is firmly committed to the protection of human life, from conception to natural death, and to the preservation and defence of the family.
Through its local chapters, called Councils, the Order strives to achieve its core objectives by engaging in the following activities:
· Stewarding at Aylesford Priory: We provide the stewards at Aylesford Priory without which the pilgrimages cannot take place.
· Stewarding at local parishes and during major events at the cathedral.
· Supporting the parish in whatever task the Parish Priest requires of us.
· Fundraising to support local, national and international charities.
· Support for our brothers, their families and the widows of our departed brothers.
· We support and engage Catholic Youths by organizing national competitions and seminars.
· Promotion of Catholic ideals through campaigns such as the ‘Keep Christ in Christmas’ and ‘He is Risen’ campaigns for which we produce and distribute posters to parishioners annually.
If you are a practicing Catholic man, aged 16 years or older, and you share in our ideals, please consider joining us, as we strive to better support the parish of St Thomas More, Bexleyheath.
The Order of the Knights of St Columba are having a recruitment drive this weekend of 19th/20th March 2022.
All parishioners are invited to our coffee morning after the 9.00am mass on Sunday 20th March, with proceeds going towards a new memorial plaque for the deceased brothers of the Order. Even if you usually go to the Saturday 6.30 p.m., come along on Sunday morning again just for coffee, a hot snack and to meet up with other parishioners.
Fraternal Regards,
Leo-Kennedy C. Azodoh
Grand Knight of Council 380 - Lessness Abbey of The Order of the Knights of St Columba
In the Church, many men have found friendship and support for one another in the Order of the Knights of St Columba and in this parish the order is long established. It is open to all Catholic men, married, single or separated, young and old. The order is a way of deepening your involvement in the Church in a social group which offers fraternity in a world in which our religion is the most wonderful thing in it, but ‘not normal’ for the majority we live among. Being a catholic husband and father and indeed being a catholic celibate too in the world is constantly challenged and tested. Belonging to a particular social group in the Church can help give courage and motivation to face the world and bring the joy of fellowship, fraternity and friendship that is a fruit of our Catholicism when fully lived and shared with others.
Following the launch for our women of a Foundation of the Union of Catholic Mothers a few weeks ago, the Knights of St Columba will be talking to us this week at mass. If you have a friend or relation who is catholic, but perhaps doesn’t come to mass every week, encourage him to come this week: the Knights of St Columba might even be for him too.
To find out more about joining the Knights of St Columba, contact Leo on: telephone: 07793 109204 or email: < l.azodoh@sky.com>
See you on Sunday.
Friday Lent Group. Sentence of the week:
Jesus remember me, when you come into your Kingdom; Jesus remember, when you come into your kingdom.
All are welcome to The House after Friday morning mass for a short time of reflection on the Scriptures. Every Friday in Lent.
THE UNION OF CATHOLIC MOTHERS:
Met on Saturday afternoon too late for publication of any news. I’ll keep you posted next week of any news.
A Day with Mary
Saturday 2 April 2022 at Our Lady of the Annunciation, Addiscombe, Croydon from 9.30 a.m.
First Holy Communion 2022
Next class: SATURDAY 26th MARCH 2022, 10.30 A.M. in Church Hall.
Please read the newsletter every week and listen out for notices at the end of Sunday mass. Don’t forget to bring your mass attendance cards to Sunday mass!
CONFIRMATION 2022
No session this Sunday.
Next session on Friday 25th March, meeting at 4.30 p.m. at Bexleyheath Station for the 6.30 p.m. Mass at the London Oratory for the Solemnity of the Annunciation followed by Confirmation Dinner in town.
‘CHILDREN’S LITURGY’
This Sunday at 9.00 a.m.
CATHEDRAL NEWS
Consecration of Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
The pope has announced that he will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of our Blessed Lady on Friday, 25 March, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord (‘Lady Day’). This will occur during a ‘Celebration of Penance’ over which he will preside at 5.00pm (Rome time) in the Vatican Basilica of St Peter.
This act of consecration will be performed in communion with the local Churches throughout the world, and so at 4.00 p.m. (London time) that same day, Archbishop John will lead our archdiocese in prayer, and himself preside at a service of consecration followed by a ‘Rosary for Peace’ in Southwark’s Metropolitan Cathedral of St George.
This celebration will be livestreamed on the RC Southwark YouTube channel, although it is hoped that many will wish to join Archbishop John in the cathedral. Clergy, religious, and lay-faithful may also wish to might mark this moment of prayer in their conventual and parish churches.
The regularly scheduled Friday evening Holy Hour and Confessions, at 6pm, will also be an opportunity to visit the cathedral and offer prayers for peace.
For information concerning the message of our Lady of Fatima, and the pope’s desire to consecrate Russia and Ukraine to her Immaculate Heart, please see this report from Vatican Media, here.
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:
Mrs. Patricia Cassidy who died on Sunday 16th January. Her funeral was on Monday 7th January followed by committal at Hillview.
Paul Joseph Desmond McGilligan who died in Australia on 17th December 2021. Paul’s ashes were Burial of Ashes at Hillview on Monday 7th March after a Requiem here.
William Churchill, husband of Rita, who died on 24th February, aged 55. A Requiem was said on Tuesday 15th March and his committal will be on 30th March.
Fr Jean Icher, died in France on Friday 4th Marcy aged 92. Fr Jean used to come to St Thomas More parish with French exchange students and said mass here.
Michael Gilmer RIP who died on the 17th of February just three days after his 80th birthday.
Michael was born in Plumstead and moved to Bostall Park in the 1970s. In the mid- 1980s Michael settled in Erith. He was a very close friend of the Etheridge, Leahy, Lonergan and Bowman families. Michael was in the Knights of St Columba for over 45 years and attended many functions at St Thomas More’s.
Michael sadly had a stroke in 2000 which seriously affected his mobility.
His body will be received into Our Lady of the Angels, Erith at 7pm on Tuesday,22nd March. His Requiem Mass will take place on Wednesday,23rd at 11.30am followed by cremation at Eltham Crematorium at 1.15pm. May he rest in peace.
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.
MASSES AND INTENTIONS FOR THE COMING WEEK: THE THIRD WEEK OF LENT
Saturday 19th March THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT (C)
5.00 p.m. Union of Catholic Mothers. All women parishioners welcome. In the House.
6.00 p.m. Confessions
+ 6.30 p.m. SAID Lloyd D’Souza T.G.
Sunday 20th March
8.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary.
+ 9.00 a.m. SUNG with ‘CHILDREN’S LITURGY’ in church hall. The people of the parish.
10.00 a.m. The Knights of St. Columba Coffee Morning in the Church Hall. All welcome.
+ 11.00 a.m. SOLEMN LATIN MASS (with English Readings/ missa XVII In Dominicis Adventus et Quadragesimae) Jessica Asuen T.G. on her 18th birthday.
7.30 p.m. Parish Social Evening in Church Hall.
Monday 21st March Lenten feria.
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 10.00 noon. Michael Caheny R.I.P.
Tuesday 22nd March Lenten feria.
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 10.00 a.m. The deceased members of the Kenny family R.I.P.
Wednesday 23rd March Lenten feria with collect of St Turibius of Mogrovejo, bishop.
The Daily Rosary at home.
NO PUBLIC MASS TODAY
Thursday 24th March Lenten feria.
11.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 10.00 noon. Jacob & Eleutheria Castanha R.I.P.
1.00 p.m. Thursday Lunch Club. Church Hall.
Friday 25th March THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD, SOLEMNITY.
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 10.00 a.m. Anthony Fernandes R.I.P.
10.45 a.m. Lenten Reflection.in the House.
No choir practice tonight.
7.30 P.M. St. Alphonsus Ligouri’s traditional Stations of the Cross.
Saturday 26th March Lenten feria.
9.30 a.m. Confessions/ The Daily Rosary
+ 10.00 a.m.[Latin] Priest’s private intention.
10.30 a.m. First Holy Communion Class in Church Hall
[ + 6.30 p.m. FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT ‘Laetare Sunday’ (C) Frank Mercieca R.I.P. 1st anniversary)
MARCH PRAYER TO ST. JOSEPH
O chaste spouse of Mary,
great was the trouble and anguish of your heart
when you were considering quietly sending away your inviolate spouse;
yet your joy was unspeakable,
when the surpassing mystery of the Incarnation
was made known to you by the angel.
By this sorrow and this joy,
we beseech you to comfort our souls,
both now and in the sorrows of our final hour,
with the joy of a good life and a holy death
after the pattern of your own life and death
in the arms of Jesus and Mary. Amen.
Blessings and God’s peace to you all,
Fr Jonathon