Saturday 25th February – Saturday 4th March 2023
- jonathonrouth
- Feb 25, 2023
- 2 min read
FEBRUARY IS THE MONTH OF THE HOLY FAMILY
The First Week of Lent
Dear parishioners,
‘Jesus was led by the Spirit out into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil’ (Mtt 4:1)
In our Lent appeal, we are supporting CAFOD who help us help people who either have little of the material wealth we have or have had it all taken from them. Millions of people in the world today have been forced into the wilderness, their familiar world of the homes, towns, workplaces and the people they know and love, destroyed or killed by war and natural disaster. In this Lent, we are called to make small sacrifices to help them and pray for them.
Jesus entered the wilderness too, leaving all that was homely and familiar behind him, and He faced temptation. The biggest temptation we all face when we lose people, possessions, places, health and activities we love, is to despair, to think God has gone too, and that we have nowhere to turn. But we must not despair, it is a sign we have put those people, places, possessions, places, health and activities into the place in our lives where God should be. It is when all that is familiar is stripped away that we enter the wilderness with Our Lord and we too are tested: do we turn to God, or not? And if we don’t turn to God when we’ve lost what is most important to us, who or what do we turn to? What’s the point of it all?
Nowadays in the world, many faithful Catholics also face losing access to the worship of God that brings them joy and gladness, but Jesus said ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for my sake’. Through the centuries in our islands, when Catholics have faced penal restrictions, the faithful have not given up, but worshipped God on hillsides with rocks for altars, in barns, private homes or prison cells. Faithful catholics do not turn away from God because they are forbidden to worship him in freedom and in truth. That is why we are here today and in this parish and have St Thomas More as our patron.
In the end, when we come to the day of trial, there is either no point to life at all, or we can turn to Jesus, crucified and forsaken, who had been tempted in the wilderness to make him stronger for the trial to come, and ask Him to remember me in his kingdom. This was the choice of St Thomas More. May he pray for us.
God bless
Fr Jonathon
LENT NOTICES
CAFOD FAMILY FAST DAY LENT APPEAL.
This Lent, CAFOD is supporting families with the skills and tools they’ve asked for to fight the climate crisis. In Bangladesh, 14-year-old Dristy and her mum Rupali are building seed beds and planting palm trees to protect their crops from flooding and cyclones. Give today to help families grow in strength to adapt to the climate crisis. This Sunday, there will be a talk at Sunday masses and the following Sunday there will be a collection in church using the envelopes provided or you can give online at cafod.org.uk/lent.
Also this Lent, please support our elderly, retired priests by supporting the:
Clergy Support Fund Second Collection 2023
The Clergy Support Fund enables the Archdiocese of Southwark to care for clergy in their retirement, old age, and at their time of ill health, after their lifetime of service and devotion to Christ, His Church and His People. Your donations ensure a dignified retirement for all of our priests.
With the help of generous people like you, the Clergy Support Fund cares for over 100 elderly or unwell priests each year. Over the next ten years, the Archdiocese expects a further 120 priests to retire from active ministry. With the average age of our priests rising, combined with the high cost of care homes, the financial cost of caring for our clergy in their retirement is rising year on year.
Wherever possible, the Archdiocese works with the NHS, social services and the local council to ensure funding gaps are met, but the Archdiocese of Southwark must actively raise funds to meet the gap in funding costs.
Please return your envelopes this weekend or make a donation to the second collection. You can also donate on- line at: https://rcaos.org.uk/donate/csf
WALK WITH ME.
Pick up your ‘Walk with Me’. Daily Reflections through Lent. £1.00 donation asked.
FRIDAY LENTEN REFLECTIONS.
Join Patricia in the presbytery after mass on Friday mornings in reading the Sunday scriptures and sharing your thoughts with one another with Tea, Coffee and even a biscuit.
STATION OF THE CROSS.
We will be doing the traditional Stations of the Cross of St Alphonsus Liguori every Friday in Lent, starting this Friday, 3rd March 7.30 p.m. concluding on Good Friday at 7.30 p.m. There will also be a Childrens Stations of the Cross on Good Friday at 10.30 a.m.
UPCOMING EVENTS
A DAY WITH MARY
1. Sacred Heart Church, Knatchbull Rd, Camberwell. Saturday 11th March.
From 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
2. St. Anselm’s, West Hill, Dartford. Saturday 25th March. From 9.30 a.m.
to 4.30 p.m.
3. St. Dunstan’s, London Rd, Southborough. Saturday 1st April. 9.45 a.m. to
5.05 p.m.
Bring your own packed lunch.
PARISH PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES in October. Please contact the parish office if you are interested in joining us.
PARISH PILGRIMAGE TO WALSINGHAM . We have now taken all the bookings. Please contact the parish office if you have not received your confirmation email.
Escorted Pilgrimage to Knock Shrine, Ireland, 15th March 2023. £699.00 per person sharing. Price includes flight, all transfers, 4 nights’ in Knock House Hotel with full board. All entertainment and excursions included. Day trips to Westport, Ballintubber Abbey, Croagh Patrick, Fr. Peyton Centre & National Museum. Special St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations. Single supplement £150.00. Contact Patricia on 01268 762 278 or 07740 175557 or email knockpilgrimages@gmail.com.
Notice from Marriage and Family Life South East
BUILDING A BETTER MARRIAGE
This Saturday morning online session on February 18th is aimed at couples with average-to-good marriages who would like to improve their relationship further and gain insights into their communication and the call of the Church to the married. No personal sharing!
Email Carole on mflkent@rcaos.org.uk or phone 07983 524 727.
GROWING IN FAITH TOGETHER
SycamOre is an online course exploring our Catholic faith and suitable for individuals and couples alike. It runs throughout Lent, with weekly one-hour sessions on Tuesday evenings from 8-9.00 pm starting on February 28th.
For more details or to register, visit the website: Growing in Faith Together — Agency for Evangelisation and Catechesis (rcaos.org.uk)
CELEBRATE PARENTING FOR FAITH
A new online course for those with babies and toddlers, 5 weeks from February 23rd – March 23rd. 8.00 pm, 45 mins. https://www.celebratetrust.org/
And a reminder to you that our marriage preparation courses are available by emailing mflse@rcaos.org.uk
PARISH NOTICES
CAFOD Syria-Turkey Earthquake Appeal
CAFOD is responding with support of provision of food, water, shelter, medical assistance and winter kits for survivors. Your donations in recent months have made that quick response possible.
Let us join CAFOD in praying for our sisters and brothers affected by the earthquakes and the winter weather. Your support for CAFOD throughout the year allows our Catholic agency to act quickly when disasters strike.
For more details visit CAFOD’s Syria Turkey Emergency Appeal online at https://cafod.org.uk/give.
BAR STAFF NEEDED a few hours a month for the parish social club bar. Please contact Mr Tony Brook 07833 707016.
FOOD BANK. Thanks to all who offered to help with collecting our donations and taking them to the Food Bank on Monday morning. Tony McLaughlin will be covering for Paul for a few weeks and will collect the donations after the Sunday 11.00 a.m. mass.
THURSDAY LUNCH CLUB
The lunch club is taking a break this week. Next lunch club on Thursday 9th March from 12.30 p.m.
PARISH YOUTH NOTICES
CHILDREN’S CHURCH.:
Resumes this Sunday, 26th February, following the half- term break.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION 2023.
Session 7 on Saturday 4th March, 10.30 a.m. in the hall.
CONFIRMATION 2023.
Next meetings:
1. Stations of the Cross 7.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. Friday 17th March.
2. Sunday 26th March 4.00 p.m. in the presbytery.
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:
Thelma Ali, aged 84, who died on 22nd February and whose funeral is on Tuesday 7th March followed by committal at Sidcup Cemetery.
May the divine assistance remain with her always, and may her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.
MASSES AND INTENTIONS FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF LENT
Instaurare Omnia in Christo: "restoring all things in Christ."
Saturday 25thFebruary Lent feria [T.C.]
9.00 a.m. Confessions
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 10.00 a.m. [Latin 1962] P.I.
6.00 p.m. Confessions
+ 6.30 p.m. FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT (A). Second Collection for the Clergy Support Fund. Martha & Francis Yeates R.I.P.
Sunday 26th February
8.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+9.00 a.m. [SUNG] The people of the parish.
+11.00 a.m. [SOLEMN. Latin with English. Missa in Dominicis Quadragesimae] Lucia and Giovanni Lembo R.I.P.
Monday 27th February Lent feria with comm of St Gregory of Narek.
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 10.00 a.m. Muriel D’Souza W.B.
Tuesday 28th February Lent feria
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 10.00 a.m. John Bevan R.I.P.
Wednesday 1st March St. David, bishop, patron of Wales, feast.
The Daily Rosary at home.
NO PUBLIC MASS TODAY
Thursday 2nd March Lent feria with commemoration of St Nicholas Owen.
9.30 a.m. Daily Rosary
+10.00 a.m. Edward Drobke R.I.P.
Friday 3rd March Lent feria.
The Daily Rosary at home.
NO MASS AT CHURCH TODAY. Mass will be said at St. Catherine’s School for staff and pupils.
6.00 p.m. Parish Choir Practice. New members welcome.
7.30 p.m. Stations of the Cross.
Saturday 4th March Ember Saturday of Lent with comm. of St. Casimir [T.C.]
9.00 a.m. Confessions
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 10.00 a.m. [Latin 1962]. Canon Michael Bunce R.I.P.
6.00 p.m. Confessions
+ 6.30 p.m. FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT (A) Second Collection for CAFOD lenten appeal. Abigail & Amelia D’Souza TG
FEBRUARY PRAYER FOR CATHOLIC FAMILIES
A blessing on all our young families in our parish.
Your kingdom come; yes bid it come – as when your kingdom first began on earth, your kingdom was a home, a child, a woman and a man.
The child who was in the midst of them, O blessed Jesus, holiest One! The centre and the fount of love, Mary and Joseph’s little son.
Wherever on this earth shall be children, a woman and a man, may they be an image of that sweet trinity with which your kingdom first began.
Establish in that family your kingdom! Yes, and over it your trinity of unity, harmony and peace send down, and on that chosen day, the blessings of your love.
(after Katherine Tynan Hinkson 1861- 1931 ‘Thy Kingdom Come’)