SEPTEMBER IS THE MONTH OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS.
Twenty-Third Week of Ordinary Time
Dear parishioners,
‘EDUCATION SUNDAY’
This Sunday is designated by our Bishops of England and Wales as ‘Education Sunday’ with a second collection for the CATHOLIC EDUCATION SERVICE. The CES acts on behalf of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference to support Catholic education. They have a strong and working relationship with the British and Welsh governments, sharing the aims of high academic standards for all, and increased parental choice. Catholic schools make up 10% of the national total of maintained schools. There are over 2,000 Catholic schools, academies and colleges in England and Wales educating over 800,000 students. The Catholic Church and the Church of England together provide one-third of all of the schools in the country. The CES is the chief negotiating and advisory body on matters affecting all aspects of Catholic education, and it also provides financial assistance for school transport in rural areas.
We are blessed in the borough of Bexley to have excellent Catholic schools with our own St Thomas More Catholic Primary School (shared with St John Vianney parish) and St Columba’s Catholic Secondary for Boys and St Catherine’s Catholic Secondary for Girls. You can’t do better than go to these good schools for an education grounded in Catholic principles. Our local catholic schools care for a catholic child’s needs in mind, body and most essentially – soul as we prepare our young people for this life and the next.
If you, or your child, is going to Sixth Form next year, I can recommend our Catholic Christ the King Sixth Form Colleges which have open events in September and October for you to find out more about what they offer. Details below in Parish Notices.
Finally, our Primary School will be celebrating its start of year mass on Friday which is also The memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows. At the mass of this day we hear the words of the Lord from the Cross to his mother and St John ‘Son behold your mother, mother behold your son’. From the Cross, Our Lord surrendered his own dear mother to his beloved disciple and so became mother of the church and therefore of all of us who are the disciples of Jesus. We pray for the Lord’s little disciples at our school and for the teachers who have answered the call of Christ our teacher to take a key role in handing on The Faith to our children. As we start a new year, we also pray for Mrs Grace Lodge who has taken on a new role of Acting Head of our Catholic Primary School. May God bless Mrs. Lodge and may Our Lady of Sorrows, Mother of the Church, pray for her and our school.
Listen to the beautiful Introit for Our Lady of Sorrows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsF7i7tKNLo
‘Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala/ have mercy on me O God, because they oppress me, pressing home their attacks all day long’.
God Bless
Fr. Jonathon
UPCOMING EVENTS
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.
War On The Catholic Family Conference.
Saturday 14th October 2023 9am-5pm
at
Our Lady and St Peter Church
15 Victoria Drive, Wimbledon, SW19 6AD
This pivotal conference gathers seven distinguished Catholic voices to address challenges arising from poor catechesis and media misinformation. They bring rich insights, rooted in research and experience, to support today’s Catholic families. Tickets available for in-person and online Zoom attendance at: www.familyandlife.co.uk/conference. Tel: 020 88579950.
Tickets: Single £10.00/ Family £20.00.
#Areas of exploration will include:
Methods to strengthen children’s faith amidst growing secularism.
Fostering the enrichment of children’s spiritual lives by guiding them in prayer, engaging with sacraments, and nurturing emotional well-being.
Strategies to counter ‘culture of death’ and ‘woke’ ideologies.
For further information and tickets go to www.familyandlife.co.uk/conference
A DAY WITH MARY
1. Our Lady of Sorrows, Friary Road, Peckham. Saturday 23rd September 2023 from 9.45 to 5.15. Please bring a packed lunch.
2. Sacred Heart, Essendene Rd, Caterham. Saturday 30th September 2023 from 8.45 to 5.30. Please bring a packed lunch.
DIVINE MERCY APOSTOLATE PILGRIMAGE TO KNOCK The Divine Mercy Apostolate, London is hosting a Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock, Co Mayo from November 9 to 14 to pray for the Holy Souls. It will be led by the Marian Fathers. Package includes: Return flights by Aer Lingus from Heathrow Airport, half board, 5 nights, accommodation in en suite twin rooms, hand-luggage (10 kgs), all transfers and Airport Development fee. The Retreat will include daily Mass and Hour of Mercy and retreats at Glendalough and Kylemore Abbey. Cost £800. All Welcome. Please call Millie Fernandez on 07957594646 for more information.
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.
Tickets and Raffle tickets are still available after mass and we are looking for donations for raffle prizes. Raffle items must be in new condition and in original packaging and can be given to Fr. Jonathon, Melissa or ticket sellers. Raffle prizes we need include bottles (wine/spirits/cooking ingredients etc.), gift sets, toys, gift vouchers and decorative homeware (candles, ornaments etc.). Please contact the parish office if you are able to help with any of the above or if you are available to lend a hand on the day by emailing bostallpark@rcaos.org.uk.
PARISH NOTICES
SPUC NOTICES
DEATHS
MASSES AND INTENTIONS FOR THE TWENTY- THIRD WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME
SEPTEMBER PRAYER
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