Saturday 8th July – Saturday 15th July 2023
- jonathonrouth
- Jul 7, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 8, 2023
JULY IS THE MONTH OF THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD OF
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
Fourteenth Week of Ordinary Time.
Dear parishioners,
GLORY BE TO JESUS!
Last Saturday morning we celebrated High Mass for the Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. I was celebrant for the first time at a High Mass in the traditional form, Fr Francis Lynch was sub-deacon and Deacon John Harrison, the Deacon. I am very grateful to them for joining us for our celebration and most especially and essentially, Jonathan Hague who as Master of Ceremonies patiently prepared and guided us the whole way with Steve Ryan at his right hand. Equally, I thank Julia Jones and Mother Cristiana who movingly sang the propers of the mass, starting with that heavenly introit ‘Redemisti nos, Domine, in sanguine tuo… You have redeemed us, O Lord, in your blood, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us to our God, a Kingdom’.
It was wonderful to see so many of you, including so many families, especially when you consider it was a Saturday morning. We can be very proud of what our own servers and choir have achieved, and their singing of Mass II setting ‘fons bonitatis’ was confident and joyful, accompanied perfectly, as always, by Helen, while our own servers carried their torches with true love and pride in their service of the Lord at the altar of God. Also, we thank Dorota and Esther of our UCM for cleaning the church first thing in the morning and preparing refreshments for us all in the hall afterwards, and as ever, Suzie for the most festal floral arrangements.
As for me, this mass was the highest point in my priesthood, if not my whole life, one of those events to which life journeys towards and from. I could not talk about it afterwards, or rather, could not find the words, but then several of you who were there were suffering the same condition; the joy and beauty of the mass still moving through our hearts and souls, for which words cannot be found - except in the praise of God: Glory be to Jesus who, in bitter pains, poured for me the life-blood from his sacred veins! Lift then all your voices, swell the mighty flood; louder still and louder, praise the Precious Blood!
I pray our celebration will bring great blessings to us all in St Thomas More parish, ‘that we have been admitted to your Holy Table, O Lord, have drawn waters with joy from the fountains of the Saviour: may His Blood, we beseech You, be for us a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life’. Amen.
JULY DEVOTIONS TO THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD: with Sung Litany and Benediction, Sunday 30th July, 4.00 p.m.
God Bless
Fr. Jonathon
UPCOMING EVENTS
MASS IN CELEBRATION OF THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE, Sept. 23rd, 3pm, at St George’s Cathedral
Message from Marriage and Family Life South East, RC Archdiocese of Southwark:
‘If you are celebrating your 1st/10th/25th/40th/50th/60th + wedding anniversary this year, please let your parish know as soon as possible, and no later than the end of July, providing the following details: your names in the format John and Mary Smith, your home address, the anniversary you are celebrating, so you can receive an invitation from the Archbishop for the renewal of vows during Mass. Spaces are limited. You can also get in touch with us at mflse@rcaos.org.uk As the title of your email, please write your parish location e.g. Clapham, Beckenham’.
ST THOMAS MORE GOLF DAY to be held Thursday 21st September 2023 at Birchwood Park Golf course, Swanley. Anyone interested in taking part please contact Tony Brooke. 07833707016. There will be the usual charity raffle attached to the day in aid of taking sick / disabled to Lourdes. You will be offered a chance to be involved in the raffle in early September.
THE LATIN MASS SOCIETY AGM for members Saturday 15th July 2023 at Westminster Hall followed by SUNG MASS (all welcome )in Westminster Cathedral at 2.00 p.m for the Feast of St Henry. This will be accompanied by the men of the Cathedral Choir singing William Byrd ‘mass for four voices’, Robert Parsons ‘Ave Maria’ and Tomas Luis de Victoria ‘Ave Maris Stella’.
DAYS WITH MARY
1. Saturday 8th July 2023 at Our Lady of the Rosary, Blackfen from 9.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
2. Saturday 22nd July 2023 at St Anselm’s Church, Tooting Bec from 11.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
3. Saturday 29th July 2023 at Westminster Cathedral, starting at 9.45 and ending at 5.00 p.m. After tea and coffee, you are welcome to stay to attend the Cathedral’s Evening Prayer at 5.30 p.m. and First Mass of Sunday at 6.00 p.m. Bring a packed lunch. Tea and Coffee provided. Recommended.
EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF HOLY COMMUNION AND LECTORS - Formation Day 2023
Saturday 14th October 2023, 10.00 a.m.-4.00 p.m.
For Parishes in the Deaneries of Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich
Venue: St Stephen’s Church, 26 Deepdene Road, Welling, Kent DA16 3QL
If you are a lector or extraordinary minister you are encouraged to put this in your diary and attend it. Please let me know if you are going so I can let them know numbers.
PARISH PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES.
Monday 23rd October to Friday 27th October 2023. Please contact the parish office if you are interested in joining us.
ENJOY AN EVENING OUT at St Thomas More Parish Club Presents a social evening for all the family Music by Annie G. Friday 7th July 2023 8.00pm to 11pm Admission - Adults £3 at the door. For more information call Jenny 07710 527692 or Mary 07369 252072, everybody welcome
ESCORTED PILGRIMAGE TO KNOCK SHRINE, Ireland, 2nd October 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. Single supplement £150.00. Contact Patricia or Natali on 01268 762 278 or 07740 175557 or email knockpilgrimages@gmail.com.
PARISH NOTICES
MONEY COUNTING. NEW HELPERS NEEDED!
Thank you to our new volunteer for stepping forwards, this is a great help. More help needed though. The more are on the counting team rota, the less often you need to do it! Please speak to me or Mr. Hugh Willan if you can help.
MESSAGE FROM SPUC
(The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children)
'Please contact your MP and implore them to reject the British Pregnancy Advisory Service's call to completely decriminalise abortion. BPAS successfully campaigned for the pills by post scheme ( active during covid) to be made permanent. We argued that without proper examination women would be sent the pills after the cut off period. BPAS have done just that, leading to the death of a totally viable child and a prison term for the mother. BPAS have made a tool for people to contact their MP so we need to respond. There's advice about this on www.spuc.org.uk but no tool as it's important you use your own words.
Rob Hills
Bexley SPUC Branch Chairman
THE SOCIETY for the PROTECTION of UNBORN CHILDREN (SPUC) wishes to recruit a part-time Executive Assistant (21 hours p.w) whose role is to work with the Executive Director (Internal Operations) in ensuring the smooth and successful operation of SPUC's governance, administration and finance departments.
Duties include:
- Taking Minutes and maintaining accurate files
- Drafting correspondence
- Maintaining the diary of the Executive Director and coordinate meetings
- General administrative support
Salary details are available on request.
For a full job description and application form, please email jobs@spuc.org.uk or call 020 7091 7091.
The closing date for applications is the 15th July 2023. Applications may close early if a suitable candidate is found.
‘SEA SUNDAY’ second collection for ‘Stella Maris’ this Sunday.
‘Stella Maris’ formerly ‘The Apostleship of the Sea’, is a Catholic Charity supporting seafarers worldwide. They provide practical and pastoral care to all seafarers, regardless of nationality or belief. Port chaplains and volunteer ship visitors welcome seafarers, offer welfare service and advice, practical help, care and friendship. Stella Maris is Great Britain is part of an international network working in more than 250 ports around the world. 90% of world trade is transported by ship, however the life in the ports of a modern seafarer can be dangerous and lonely. They may spend up to a year at a time away from home, separated from their family and loved ones and often working in harsh conditions. Stella Maris relies wholly on voluntary contributions, and can only continue its work through the generous donations of its supporters, particularly this collection.
PASTORAL COUNCIL: change of date: Next meeting on Saturday 29th July at 12.00 noon.
JOB OPPORTUNITY: PART-TIME CATHOLIC CHAPLAIN.
St. Joseph’s Lasallian College, Beulah Hill, is currently seeking a qualified individual to join our institution as a part-time Chaplain. For detailed information regarding the job description and application process, please visit our website: stjosephscollege.org.uk and navigate to the Vacancies section. The job advert is located on the parish noticeboard.
FOOD BANK.
The Bexley Food Bank currently particularly requests (please notice the new items at the end):
CARRIER BAGS/ TINNED TOMATOES / RICE / NOODLES / JAM / CUSTARD /TOOTPASTE / SHOWER GEl/ DEODORANT/ TOOTHPASTE/ SUGAR / WASHING PODS/ LONG LIFE MILK / BISCUITS / SWEETS- CONFECTIONARY.
Please follow the link below to view the food donations page of the Bexley food bank website. https://bexley.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/donate-food/
Notice from Marriage and Family Life South East: Planning a catholic marriage? Marriage preparation courses are available by emailing mflse@rcaos.org.uk.
EXTRA HELP NEEDED FOR THURSDAY LUNCH CLUB: The Lunch Club are needing some extra help putting out tables and chairs and especially putting them away again at 2.30 p.m. Could you help us out with this? There will be no lunch club this Thursday.
BEXLEY CRISIS CAFÉ.
Experiencing emotional or psychological distress? Access mental health support and advice after hours. Open every day from 6.00 p.m. to 10.00 p.m. including bank holidays. MIND IN BEXLEY at 2A Devonshire Road, Bexleyheath DA6 8DS.
GIFT AID: If you would like to join the Gift Aid Scheme by donating with cash or through a bankers order/standing order, or still need to collect your envelopes, please email bostallpark@rcaos.org.uk.
PARISH YOUTH NOTICES
‘SUMMERTIME 2023’: Altar servers and young people’s summer break, Tuesday 1st August – Friday 4th August at the Oratory School, Reading, cost £169. . A few days to meet up in a holiday atmosphere with activities including talks, discussions, prayer, daily mass, sport, a visit to Thorpe Park and swimming. For more details, contact Fr Stephen Boyle dartford@rcaos.org.uk . ‘Summertime’ is open to any teenagers up to 17years old who are attending mass every Sunday.
CHILDREN’S CHURCH for infants: This Sunday in the Church Hall at 9.00 a.m. This will be the last one before the summer break.
CONFIRMATION 2023. Next meeting: Sunday 16th July, 4.00 p.m. in the house.
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:
Elizabeth ‘Elsie’ Murphy, who died on 18th April and whose funeral requiem was on Thursday 4th May.
Eddie Etheridge, who died on 19th April, aged 87. Funeral Requiem was on Friday 2nd June.
Milita De Mello, beloved wife of Alex, who died on Tuesday 23rd May 2023, aged 83 whose funeral was on Monday 3rd July 2023 at 10.00 a.m. followed by private committal.
Robert Penny, who died on Tuesday 30th May, aged 87, funeral arrangements with St John Vianney parish.
Bridget Daghini, who died on Tuesday 4th July, aged 79. Her funeral requiem is on Friday 28th July at 11.00 a.m. (TBC) followed by committal at Eltham crematorium.
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 FOURTEENTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME
Instaurare Omnia in Christo: "to restore all things in Christ."
Saturday 8th July St Elizabeth of Portugal, Queen [TC]
10.30 a.m. Rosary
+ 10.00 a.m. [Latin 1962] Marie Anne Peters R.I.P. (N.B. due to LMS AGM there will be no mass next Saturday, 15th July. Please attend if you can the Sung Mass at Westminster Cathedral at 2.00 p.m)
+ 6.30 p.m. FORTEENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME Carole Frances Tracey R.I.P. Second Collection for Stella Maris.
Sunday 9th July
8.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 9.00 a.m. SUNG. Church for our infant children in the hall, last time before summer break. The people of the parish.
+11.00 a.m. SOLEMN LATIN MASS (missa orbis factor) Aniela, Amit, Octavia and Amit’s mum, Sita W.B.
7.00 p.m. Parish Social Evening in the Hall. All welcome.
Monday 10th July feria
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+10.00 Stella Meehan R.I.P.
Tuesday 11th July St. Benedict, abbot, patron of Europe, feast.
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+10.00 a.m. The Revd. Deacon Jeffrey Singleton R.I.P.
Wednesday 12th July St. John Jones, priest and martyr.
The Daily Rosary at home.
NO PUBLIC MASS TODAY.
Thursday 13th July St Mildred, abbess.
8.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+9.00 a.m. The Revd. Deacon Andrew Bishop W.B.
Children in church for practice. + 6.00 p.m. Mass of Thanksgiving to God for the headship of Mrs. Colette Doran-Hanon at the school.
No Thursday Lunch Club.
Friday 14th July St. Camillus de Lellis, priest.
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+10.00 a.m. Margaret Heffernan R.I.P.
6.00 p.m. Choir Practice.
Saturday 15th July St Henry, Holy Roman Emperor [TC]
The Daily Rosary at home.
NO MORNING MASS. [Sung Mass 1962 at Westminster Cathedral at 2.00 p.m. following LMS AGM)
[+ 6.30 p.m. FIFTEENTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME Milita De Mello R.I.P.
JULY PRAYER
PRAYER TO THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
