Saturday 31st December 2022– Saturday 7th January 2023

JANUARY IS THE MONTH OF THE MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS

Dear parishioners,

Thank you all for your generous Christmas offerings to me, the cards and the very kind, supportive and encouraging words in them, the invitations to your homes, the deliveries of great home cooked food to my door, not to mention home grown Irish potatoes and indeed the extension cable, a most useful present indeed and one which I hope won’t walk out on us like all the others. I also love the tin with the image of Our Lady of Sorrows on the lid, the beautiful photo of St Therese of the Child Jesus, the wonderful CD of Vaughn Williams carols, the poetry and great reading, the most amazing nativity set and enough cakes and biscuits to keep me going to Candlemas 2024. For those of you who’ve written to me and also made an offering to the parish but still haven’t made it back to church since the pandemic, just to let you know, we miss you and pray for you to join us again. If for whatever reason you feel unable to come to church, please call me and I would be happy to visit you and bring Holy Communion to your house and have a chat and some tea. Equally, you are always welcome to come here any time.

Whilst I’m here, I would also like to thank all those who have made our church so beautiful this Christmas. Thank you Paul and Christine for the crib, the donor of our Christmas trees and Suzie and Michael for all you did to decorate the church for Christmas. Thanks to our amazing team of altar boys too for turning out in strength at our Christmas masses, some of them to two masses. We could not ask for more dedication than they give. We had all four Christmas masses which is proper ( vigil, midnight, dawn and day) and the music this year was also splendid, with our First Holy Communion choir leading well- rehearsed carols led by Natasha for the Vigil supported by Dorota and Suzie and St Thomas More Choir leading the midnight and the day masses, including a new setting of the mass ( for us) called ‘St Anne’s’ by James Macmillan which I hope will become familiar to you all. Thanks too to Helen for leading the music of our choir and providing such gorgeous music as always at the offertory. To Tony, Michael, Karla and all who have helped front of house with stewarding, thank you too and all who have helped with the cleaning just before Christmas, a big thanks and to all of you and never forgetting those who help in the office and behind the scenes, including Hugh and the team of counters, still counting the cash for those who still donate the old way. Thanks to Lorraine our sacristan, as always, Norma who has helped out with the laundry for the altar while Bernie’s away, and for the constant and ever reliable help given in the maintenance and supervision of our premises. I thank Blasco for helping to keep our old hall heaters going just a little bit longer, and another thanks goes to Milla again for the very fine needlework done on restoring and altering altar linen and vestments. A big thanks as always to Patrick, our treasurer, for managing our Finances. I would be lost without you. Thanks to all of you too who contribute to the social life of the parish, Mary, Joyce, Marian and Dave, Pat and Doris and all of you for providing meals and setting tables for our Thursday lunch club and for all who provide a bar on parish social occasions. Thanks go too to our pastoral council for their continued support and good intitiaves. I also thank Tom, Rosario and Bernie for taking Holy Communion to the housebound and helping to keep us all connected in this most essential way. For we are one body, even if you can’t physically make it to mass anymore, and through Holy Communion brought to your home, we all share in the same Bread of Life, Jesus Christ Our Lord.

I finally thank Conor, Matt and all at Praetorium Hall Hire for all the bookings for our church hall. These bookings play a major part in keeping us going and I do not underestimate the help this has been to us at a difficult time.

At this time of writing, please keep Pope Benedict XVI in your prayers. May God be with him in his struggle. No amount of prayers can be enough to thank him for all he has given the church. May Our Blessed Lady, mother of the Church, hold this great successor of St Peter, the first pope, in her immaculate heart as Pope Benedict moves from this life to the next. May her friendship for him unite his life here with the life to come and may he know God’s peace.

God bless you and all your families, dear parishioners, this New Year.

With love

Fr Jonathon

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CRIB OFFERING 2022

In support of the Catholic Children’s Society Southwark Crisis Fund

The Catholic Children’s Society (CCS) is helping local disadvantaged families facing severe hardship due to the cost of living crisis. Through their Southwark Crisis Fund, CCS is providing immediate, practical support to famiies in need. Recently CCS helped a young mother who had to give up work to care for her five year old daughter who had been diagnosed with cancer. Her daughter often felt cold, so the mother would keep the heating on to help her child feel warm and comfortable. The family could just afford the rent and food but had no way to pay their rising energy bills. CCS provided a one off grant to help them get through winter. The mother said:

‘’ I felt so helpless and scared. All I wanted to do was look after my daughter, but I couldn’t stop worrying about how I would pay our bills. You have taken that worry away and now I can focus on caring for my child. Thank you’’

There are many more vulnerable 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 by cash or contactless or via the CCS website with message St Thomas More, Bexleyheath Crib Offering: https://www.cathchild.org.uk/crib/

LOURDES 2023

PARISH NOTICE BOARD

FOOD BANK. Don’t forget the Food Bank collection crate in the Church Porch! People are not managing to afford the basic essentials of life. If you can contribute some long life milk, canned food, packets of pasta, toilet rolls or any other non-perishable basics, you will be helping our neighbours in great need.

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Confirmation 2023.

Application forms are available for collection from the priest at the end of all Sunday masses and should be returned to him after Sunday mass on a following Sunday.

Key dates:

Closing date for applications: Sunday 8th January 2023

Parents Meeting: Wednesday 11th January 2023 at 7 p.m.

First Session: Sunday 22nd January 2023

Confession: To be confirmed.

Confirmation: Sunday 23rd July 2023 at 11 a.m.

The fulfilment of the Sunday obligation to attend mass on all Catholics (with obvious exemptions) is required for all those preparing to receive their Confirmation.

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Diocesan Directories.

If you ordered a Diocesan Directory from me these are now available from the sacristy after mass.

MASSES AND INTENTIONS FOR SECOND WEEK OF CHRISTMAS

Instaurare Omnia in Christo: "restoring all things in Christ."

Saturday 31stDecember Seventh Day of the Octave. Comm. St. Sylvester I, pope & confessor.TC.

9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary

+ 10.00 a.m. [Latin 1962]

+ 6.30 p.m. [SAID] MARY, THE MOST HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, SOLEMNITY. Colin Jones R.I.P

Sunday 1st January 2023

8.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary

+9.00 a.m. [SUNG] Christian Pereira T.G. on his birthday

+11.00 a.m. [SOLEMN. Latin with English. Missa cum jubilo ‘Our Lady’s mass setting’] Joseph Bane R.I.P.

Monday 2nd January St. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, bishops & doctors of the church, memorial.

9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary.

10.00 a.m. The people of the parish.

Tuesday 3rd January The Most Holy Name of Jesus.

9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary

10.00 a.m. Fr Michael Jones W.B.

Wednesday 4th January The beatified martyrs of the diocese, memorial.

The Daily Rosary at home.

NO PUBLIC MASS TODAY.

Thursday 5th January Christmastide feria.

9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary

+10.00 a.m.

Friday 6th January THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD SOLEMNITY, holyday of obligation.

9.30 a.m. Daily Rosary

+10.00 a.m. Patricia Pinto R.I.P. ( second anniversary)

6.00 p.m. Parish Choir Practice. New members welcome.

Saturday 7th January Our Lady’s Saturday TC

9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary

+ 10.00 a.m. [Latin, Low mass 1962] Requiem for Pope Benedict XVI

+ 6.30 p.m. THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD. Vincent D’Souza TG.

JANUARY INVOCATIONS TO THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS.

THE LITANY OF THE HOLY NAME (one of the official litanies of the church for public recitation). If you are saying this litany on your own, say it slowly with the breath. Breathe in for the invocation and out at each response. You can listen to this litany on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgrzS9Kexrw and you will be able to join in a public recitation at St Thomas More at ‘An Hour in Peace with the Lord’ on Sunday 22nd January at 4.00 p.m, concluding with Benediction.

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

Jesus, hear us. Jesus, graciously hear us.

God the Father of heaven, have mercy. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy. God the Holy Spirit, have mercy.

Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy.

Jesus, Son of the living God, Jesus, Splendour of the Father, Jesus, Brightness of eternal light, Jesus, King of glory, Jesus, Sun of justice, Jesus, Son of the virgin Mary, have mercy on us.

Jesus most lovable, Jesus, most adorable, Jesus, most admirable, Jesus, the mighty God, Jesus, Father of the world to come, Jesus, Angel of great counsel, Jesus, most powerful, Jesus, most patient, Jesus, most obedient. Jesus, meek and humble of heart, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Lover of chastity, Jesus, Lover of us, Jesus, God of peace, Jesus, Author of life, Jesus, example of all virtues, Jesus, zealous Lover of souls, Jesus, our God, Jesus, our Refuge, Jesus, Father of the poor, Jesus, Treasure of the faithful, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Good Shepherd, Jesus, True Light, Jesus, Eternal Wisdom, Jesus, Infinite Goodness, Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, Jesus, Joy of angels, Jesus, Master of apostles, Jesus, Teacher of evangelists, Jesus, Strength of martyrs, Jesus, Light of confessors, Jesus, Purity of virgins, Jesus, Crown of all saints,

Be merciful to us: Spare us, O Jesus, Be merciful to us: Hear us, O Jesus.

From all evil, From all sin, From your wrath, From the snares of the devil, From the spirit of fornication, From everlasting death,

From neglect of your holy inspirations, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

Through the mystery of your holy Incarnation, through your nativity, through your divine infancy, through your sacred life, through your labours, through your agony and passion, through your cross and dereliction, through your pains and torments, through your death and burial, through your glorious resurrection, through your ascension, through your joys and glory, in the day of judgment,

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: Spare us, Lord Jesus. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: Hear us, Lord Jesus. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: Have mercy on us, Lord Jesus.

Christ Jesus, hear us. Christ Jesus, graciously hear us.

V. May the name of the Lord be praised R. Now and forever.

Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, you said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Mercifully hear our prayers and give us your gift of divine charity,that we may always love you with all our heart, and always praise your holy name; for you live and reign, one God, now and forever. Amen.