Saturday 1st - Sunday 9th November 2025
- bostallpark
- Oct 31
- 7 min read
ALL SAINTS – CYCLE C
SUNDAY 2ND NOVEMBER 2025
HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV
Sunday 19th October 2025
Dear brothers and sisters, let us begin our reflection with the question that concludes the Gospel just proclaimed: “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Lk 18:8). This question reveals to us what is most precious in the Lord’s eyes: faith, namely, the bond of love between God and man. Today we have before us seven witnesses, the new Saints, who, with God’s grace, kept the lamp of faith burning. Indeed, they themselves became lamps capable of spreading the light of Christ. When we consider the great material, cultural, scientific and artistic treasures, faith shines not because these goods are to be undervalued, but because without faith they lose their meaning. Our relationship with God is of the utmost importance because at the beginning of time he created all things out of nothing and, at the end of time, he will save mortal beings from nothingness. A world without faith, then, would be populated by children living without a Father, that is, by creatures without salvation. For this reason, Jesus, the Son of God made man, asks about faith: if it disappeared from the world, what would happen? Heaven and earth would remain as before, but there would no longer be hope in our hearts; everyone’s freedom would be defeated by death; our desire for life would fade into nothingness. Without faith in God, we cannot hope for salvation. Jesus’ question can disturb us, but only if we forget that it is Jesus himself who poses it. The Lord’s words, in fact, are always the “Gospel,” the joyful proclamation of salvation. This salvation is the gift of eternal life that we receive from the Father, through the Son, in the power of the Holy Spirit. Dear friends, this is precisely why Christ speaks to his disciples of the “need to pray always, and not to lose heart” (Lk 18:1). Just as we never grow weary of breathing, so let us never grow weary of praying! Just as breathing sustains the life of the body, so prayer sustains the life of the soul: faith, in fact, is expressed in prayer, and authentic prayer lives on faith. Jesus shows us this connection with a parable: a judge remains deaf to the pressing requests of a widow, whose perseverance finally leads him to act. At a glance, such tenacity becomes for us a beautiful example of hope, especially in times of trial and tribulation. Nevertheless, the woman’s perseverance and the judge, who acts reluctantly, set the stage for a provocative question from Jesus: Will not God, the good Father, “grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night?” (Lk 18:7). Let us allow these words to resonate in our hearts: the Lord is asking us whether we believe that God is a just judge towards all. The Son asks us if we believe that the Father always wants our good and the salvation of every person. In this regard, two temptations test our faith: the first draws strength from the scandal of evil, leading us to think that God does not hear the cries of the oppressed and has no pity for the innocent who suffer. The second temptation is the claim that God must act as we want him to: prayer then gives way to a command to God, to teach him how to be just and effective. Jesus, the perfect witness of filial trust, frees us from both temptations. He is the innocent one who, especially during his Passion, prays thus: “Father, your will be done” (cf. Lk 22:42). The Master gives us these same words in the Our Father. Let us remember that whatever happens to us, Jesus entrusted himself as Son to the Father. We are, therefore, brothers and sisters in his name, so we can proclaim: “It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God, through Christ our Lord” (Eucharistic Prayer II, Preface). The Church’s prayer reminds us that God grants justice to all, giving his life for all. Thus, when we cry out to the Lord, “Where are you?”, let us transform this invocation into a prayer, and then we will recognize that God is present where the innocent suffer. The cross of Christ reveals God’s justice, and God’s justice is forgiveness. He sees evil and redeems it by taking it upon himself. When we are “crucified” by pain and violence, by hatred and war, Christ is already there, on the cross for us and with us. There is no cry that God does not console; there is no tear that is far from his heart. The Lord listens to us, embraces us as we are, and transforms us as he is. Those who reject God’s mercy, however, remain incapable of mercy towards their neighbour. Those who do not welcome peace as a gift will not know how to give peace. Dear friends, we now understand that Jesus’ questions are a powerful invitation to hope and action: when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith in God’s providence? Indeed, it is this faith that sustains our commitment to justice, precisely because we believe that God saves the world out of love, freeing us from fatalism. When we hear the cries of those in difficulty, let us ask ourselves, are we witnesses to the Father’s love, as Christ was to all? He is the humble one who calls the arrogant to conversion, the just one who makes us just. We see all this in the lives of the new Saints: they are not heroes or champions of some ideal, but authentic men and women. These faithful friends of Christ are martyrs for their faith, like Bishop Ignazio Choukrallah Maloyan and catechist Peter To Rot; they are evangelizers and missionaries, like Sister Maria Troncatti; they are charismatic founders, like Sister Vincenza Maria Poloni and Sister Maria del Monte Carmelo Rendiles Martínez; with their hearts burning with devotion, they are benefactors of humanity, like Bartolo Longo and José Gregorio Hernández Cisneros. May their intercession assist us in our trials and their example inspire us in our shared vocation to holiness. As we journey towards this goal, let us pray without ceasing, and continue in what we have learned and firmly believe (cf. 2 Tim 3:14). Faith
on earth thus sustains the hope for heaven.
PARISH NOTICES
ARCHBISHOP’S APPEAL.
The Archbishop’s Appeal is a Diocesan second collection that funds key areas of ministry: Youth & Evangelisation, Our Faith in Action (Caritas) and Clergy Care & Formation. Your support will enable the Archdiocese of Southwark to support innovative projects taking place within Catholic parishes and Schools throughout South London & Kent that seek to invest Faith, Hope and Love into the communities they serve. This second collection will take place next weekend. Please see the poster in the porch for more information.
FHC & CONFIRMATION 2026.
Application forms are now available from the parish priest after Sunday Mass. We are also looking to grow our team of catechists for all sacraments so if you would be interested please speak to the parish priest.
RCIA & ADULT CONFIRMATION CLASSES - every Wednesday, till Easter 2026. Venue: Church Porch. Time: 7:15pm. Anyone can join to learn and/or refresh one’s knowledge and faith in God.
NOVEMBER - MONTH OF HOLY SOULS
BLESSING OF GRAVES, CEMETERY VISITS.
St Paulinus– 2nd November @12.30pm
Hillview– 8th November @11.30am
Plumstead – 8th November @2pm
The Friar’s, Erith – 9th November @9.30am
Kemnall Park– 9th November @2pm
Bexleyheath– 9th November @2.30pm
Brook Street – 9th November @3pm
Sidcup – 16th November @2pm
PARISH DAY OF REMEMBRANCE – 16th NOVEMBER.
The parish will be holding a day of remembrance at 3pm in the Church. The day will include a bereavement talk followed by light refreshments, followed by the parish remembrance service at 4pm. Please speak to the parish priest for more information.
MONTH OF THE HOLY SOULS.
November is the month where the Church especially prays for all Holy Souls. Please take an envelope from the porch & place the names of all those who have died whom you wish pray. Please place sealed envelopes in the Holy Souls box.
ALTAR OF REMEMBRANCE.
During the month of November, parishioners are invited to bring photographs of their dearly departed to be placed on the Lady Altar. Please place your photographs in a clearly labelled envelope into the wooden box in the porch or hand them to the parish priest.
UPCOMING EVENTS
CHRISTMAS BAZAAR.
The parish will be having a Christmas Bazaar on Sunday 7th December in the hall. Entry is free and there will be a free gift for anyone wearing a Christmas Jumper/outfit. There will be lots of stalls, festive food & drink and Santa will be here in his Grotto. We are looking for donations of gifts in a good/like new/brand new condition that can be sold. Examples would be new toiletries sets, new toys, like new books, unused candles, cuddly toys etc. Please leave items with the parish office or the parish priest. If you would like a stall please email the parish office. Also, if you are able to volunteer in any way, please speak to the parish priest or email the parish office. Flyers and posters are available in the porch and keep an eye out for raffle tickets soon.
PARISH GROUPS NOTICES
LEGION OF MARY.
Meeting every Friday at 11:15am in the porch. New members are always welcome.
LUNCH CLUB.
The next lunch club will be on the 6th November at 12.30pm in the hall. New members always welcome.
MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK
ALL SAINTS
Saturday 1st November
W The Blessed Virgin Mary
9.30 a.m. Adoration
10.00 a.m. Clara D’Souza RIP
W ALL SAINTS
6.30 p.m. John & Noreen Smith WB
Sunday 2nd November W
8.30 a.m. Daily Rosary
9.00 a.m. Departed Souls of Legionaries
10.30 a.m. Daily Rosary
11.00 a.m. Fran Olaj RIP (7th Ann.)
7.15 p.m. MMC Webinar
Monday 3rd November
P ALL SOULS DAY
7 p.m.
7.30 p.m. Holy Souls
Tuesday 4th November
W St. Charles Borromeo
7 p.m. Daily Rosary
7.30 p.m. Holy Souls
Wednesday 5th November
G Feria
9.30 a.m. Adoration
10.00 a.m. Holy Souls
Thursday 6th November
G Feria
9.30 a.m. Adoration
10.00 a.m. Denis Murphy RIP
Friday 7th October
W Dedication of St. George’s Cathedral
9.30 a.m. Rosary for the Dead
10.00 a.m. Wilhelmina McCahey RIP
Saturday 8th November
W The Blessed Virgin Mary
9.30 a.m. Adoration
10.00 a.m. Deceased members of Mrs Wight RIP
W THE DEDICATION OF THE LATERAN BASILICA
6.30 p.m. Deceased members of the D’Souza & De Lima families RIP
Sunday 9th November W
8.30 a.m. Daily Rosary
9.00 a.m. Carlo Rodrigues TG on his birthday
10.30 a.m. Daily Rosary
11.00 a.m. Alice McLaughlin RIP