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Saturday 5th March – Saturday 12th March 2022

MARCH IS THE MONTH OF ST. JOSEPH

THE FIRST WEEK OF LENT


Dear parishioners,


FR. HENRY REYNOLDS R.I.P.


Fr Reynolds was parish priest of St Thomas More from 1975 to 1998. In his time here he served the parish with great dedication and dramatically improved our facilities which are so well used today, most notably the building of the Church Hall and the House, in addition to founding the Social Club. He is well remembered by our older parishioners and by many in the diocese and in his later years was a much loved member of the community at St Peter’s Home in Vauxhall run by the Little Sisters of the Poor. Mary Bass and I were able to join him for his 95th birthday and he was still very interested in his old parish and shared memories with us.


Fr Reynolds died just as fear of the COVID pandemic was spreading and before the national ‘lockdown’ when all churches were closed to the public and priests were forced to offer all masses in private. This meant that although a big funeral had been fully arranged to take place at St Thomas More, this had to be cancelled but the Traditional Latin Funeral Requiem was said in private at the High Altar of our church where Fr Reynolds had stood ‘in persona christi’ with you for twenty -three years. I remain thankful to P.L. Mulligan’s Funeral Services for the great care and sensitivity with which they arranged this.


Fr Reynolds was buried at Kemnal Park, near Sidcup. If you are ever there, please do visit his grave and pray for his soul and give thanks to God for his ministry and friendship to this parish.


Fr Reynolds died on 6th March 2020 and we will be saying a Requiem mass for him on his second anniversary with eulogy by his long- time friend, former parishioner and fellow resident at St Peter’s, Margaret Roome, on Thursday 10th March 2022 at 12.00 noon.

CAFOD APPEAL


Family Fast Day Friday 11th March 2022

This Family Fast Day, we remember that there are many people who need our love and support all around the world. Children experiencing malnutrition like Amie’s daughter Lombeh did in Sierra Leone or as we are seeing now in Ukraine, families affected by conflict. Your small act of love can make big things happen. Donations to CAFOD this Lent will reach families around the world, enabling local experts to provide support to families in times of need or conflict. You can donate in church using a CAFOD envelope or by visiting the CAFOD website: cafod.org.uk/lent


This Sunday we welcome back to the parish Eileen Hayes to update you on the work of CAFOD and thank you for your kind donations and prayers. CAFOD would love you to join their volunteer team and you are warmly invited to contact the local CAFOD centre on southwark@cafod.org.uk.


This could be a very interesting voluntary job, working in a team with CAFOD and our own CAFOD representative, Mr Lawrence Dadzie and sometimes visiting other parishes to promote the good work of CAFOD. If you have any questions or want to know more about volunteering please do chat to Eileen after Mass this Sunday. She will be available in the Porch.


Saint Thomas More Weekly Lenten Reflection


There will be a Lenten reflection meeting after the 10.00 a.m. on Fridays in Lent. The meeting venue will be in the meeting room in the House and will last about thirty minutes. It is being offered as a way for making a good Lent. All are invited; some will be interested in finding out more. See you there. God bless.


See you there!


Last week’s thought for reflection shared with you is:


‘Be not afraid, I go before you always, come follow me and I will give you rest’.



IMPORTANT NOTICE RE SAFEGUARDING.

ARE YOU A VOLUNTEER IN THE PARISH? ARE YOU CONSIDERING VOLUNTEERING?

If so you must have a DBS.

As you know safeguarding is a priority within our Parish. One of the important aspects of safeguarding is that all adults that volunteer with children or visit adults at risk, must have a DBS check that is dated within the last three years and issued by the Catholic Church. The Archdiocesan Safeguarding team have agreed to attend our Parish on SATURDAY 12th MARCH FROM 10.00 a.m. until 1.00 p.m. in the CHURCH HALL and will assist all volunteers who need a DBS check completed. The safeguarding team will bring the documents that you need to complete, but you must bring appropriate identification documentation.


You need to show three documents that have your name, address and date of birth. An example would be your passport, birth certificate or driving licence and also an original utilities/council tax/bank statement dated within the last three months.


So, for example, you might bring with you 1. Your passport 2. A recent bank statement and 3. A tax demand/ letter from the Inland Revenue.


You need to bring originals with you, not photocopies and not downloaded and printed from the internet.


If you have any questions please email the safeguarding team on safeguardingoffice@rcaos.org.uk .


THE UNION OF CATHOLIC MOTHERS:

The next meeting will be on Saturday 19th March at 5.00 p.m. in The House.


Please come along if you are interested in finding out more and would enjoy the friendship, companionship and support of other women in your parish in a long established and excellent Catholic society.


SUNDAY 20th MARCH – KNIGHTS OF ST COLUMBA COFFEE MORNING: watch this space!

I thank our Knights of St Columba for supporting and promoting the Clergy Support Fund over the last couple of weeks. If you still haven’t made a donation to help the Diocese support our retired and elderly priests, please complete an envelope marked ‘Clergy Support Fund’ and place it in the collection baskets. Or you can donate on line at www.rcaos.org.uk/donate/CSF



A Day with Mary


Saturday 19th March 2022 at Our Lady and St. Peter, Victoria Drive, Wimbledon Common, London SW19

First Holy Communion 2022


Next class: SATURDAY 12th MARCH 2022, 10.30 A.M.

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


THIRD SESSION on SUNDAY 13th MARCH at 4.00 P.M. in THE HOUSE.


‘CHILDREN’S LITURGY’

This Sunday at 9.00 a.m.

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:


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. There will be a Sung Requiem followed by the Burial of Ashes at Hillview on Monday 7th March at 10.00 a.m.


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 COMING WEEK: THE FIRST WEEK OF LENT


Saturday 5th March FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT (C)

6.00 p.m. Confessions

+ 6.30 p.m. Abigail & Amelia D’Souza T.G.

Sunday 6th March

8.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary.

+ 9.00 a.m. SUNG with ‘CHILDREN’S LITURGY’ in church hall. Natasha Pereira W.B. & T.G.

+ 11.00 a.m. SOLEMN LATIN MASS (with English Readings/ missa XVII In Dominicis Adventus et Quadragesimae) The people of the parish

4.00 p.m. Confirmation Group in The House.


7.30 p.m. Parish Social Evening in Church Hall.


Monday 7th March Lenten feria with collect of Ss Perpetua & Ss Felicity, martyrs.

9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary

+ 10.00 a.m. Sung Requiem for Paul Joseph Desmond McGilligan followed by burial of ashes at Hillview cemetery.


Tuesday 8th March Lenten feria with collect of S. John of God, religious.

9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary

+ 10.00 a.m. Joseph Douglas Perera R.I.P.


Wednesday 9th March Lenten feria with collect of S. Frances of Rome, religious.

The Daily Rosary at home.

NO PUBLIC MASS TODAY


Thursday 10th March Lenten feria.

11.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary

+ 12.00 noon. Requiem for Fr Henry Reynolds, parish priest of St Thomas More 1975 – 1998, second anniversary.

1.00 p.m. Thursday Lunch Club. Church Hall.

Friday 11th March Votive mass ‘in time of famine’. CAFOD Family Fast Day.

9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary

+ 10.00 a.m. Vernon Wijegoonawardena R.I.P.

10.45 a.m. Lenten Reflection.in the House.

6.00 p.m. Choir practice. (new members always welcome)

7.30 p.m. St. Alphonus Ligouri’s traditional Stations of the Cross.


Saturday 12th March Lenten feria.

9.30 a.m. Confessions/ The Daily Rosary

+ 10.00 a.m.[Latin] Nuala Shea W.B.

10.30 a.m. First Holy Communion Class in Church Hall

10.00 a.m. DBS checks in Church Hall

[ + 6.30 p.m. FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT (C) Joaquim and Helen D’Souza W.B.)



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



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