THE TWENTY- EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
OCTOBER IS THE MONTH OF THE HOLY ROSARY
Dear parishioners,
THE MONTH OF THE HOLY ROSARY: EIGHT REASONS TO PRAY THE ROSARY DAILY
Archbishop John reminds us: ‘St Pio of Pietrelcina, Padre Pio, said, ‘Love our Lady and make her loved; always recite the Rosary and recite it as often as possible.’ Every member of the Church is asked to pray the rosary everyday this month of October. On the bus or the tube, out for a walk, in a lunchbreak, sitting quietly in Church or at home, each bead is a prayer, each decade a share in the mysteries Christ’
Why should we say the Rosary every day?
Here is a summary:
1. Praying the Rosary daily makes praying easy. It provides an easy to way to spend time with God in prayer. We can’t easily say the rosary in less than 15 or 20 minutes, so however distracted you are, if you say the rosary, you have spent time with God.
2. The rosary helps us think about Jesus and all he has done for us. Through the mysteries of the Rosary we meditate on the life of Christ and ‘make a tour’ through the gospels. In the Rosary, we walk with the Lord.
3. The Rosary is tangible. ‘Each bead is a prayer’. As Catholics, when we worship, we use body, mind and soul, all our senses. The sacraments are all physical and spiritual, and so is the Rosary. It is therefore a ‘sacramental’, involving our body, mind and spirit.
4. The Rosary has a beginning, middle and end, including an introduction and a conclusion. It is therefore ordered and structured, we know where we are with it and where we are going and so it helps keep us on track in our prayer and time with God.
5. The Rosary is multi- layered and so can fully occupy the mind. On the top level are the memorised prayers (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be). Next level down in our mind we might continue with the meditation through the decade, below this you might even contemplate being with the Lord or Our Lady. You may also use each bead or decade to pray for particular people or intentions. And hovering around all this, yes, you may even be thinking about your dinner or an argument you had with someone, but all this is offered up in prayer. It is not hidden from God. The mind can work at many levels at once, and the Rosary is brilliant at helping us do this. What you think is a mental distraction sometimes, can be considered a prayer because by thinking of it in the Rosary, you have presented your true self to God. We ask God ‘to give us each day our daily bread and forgive us as we forgive others’ and our thoughts and worries during the rosary are ways of asking God to sustain us and heal us and mend our relationships.
6. The Rosary is relaxing and calming, with a natural rhythm which when the Hail Mary’s are timed with the breath in and out, can help still the mind.
7. The Rosary has been endorsed and recommended by the Saints for 800 years. That great pope, St. Pius X said ‘of all prayers, the rosary is the most beautiful and the richest in graces. Love the Rosary and recite it every day with devotion’. St ‘Padre Pio’ said ‘Some people are so foolish that they think they can go through life without the help of the Blessed Mother. Love the Madonna and pray the Rosary. The Rosary is THE weapon against the evils in the world today. All graces given by God pass through the Blessed Mother’.
8. We say the Rosary because Mary is our Mother, and we should all spend time with our mothers and if we live far away from them, we call them. Our mother is on our side and so Christ loves his church so much he shared his with us. He established the Church by elevating human nature in a sacramental way and just as by nature we have a mother, so in the church we have Mary, who is our spiritual mother. Before he died on the cross, Jesus said ‘Behold your mother’. Mary is here for us and in apparitions, has constantly been saying to us her children, again and again, pray the Rosary!
So don’t forget to call Mother Mary… and pray that Rosary every day.
This October, the month of the Holy Rosary…
i. If you are free in the day time, join us at St. Thomas More and say your DAILY ROSARY AT CHURCH (check newsletter) with us.
ii. Say your DAILY ROSARY AT HOME or on public transport on the way to work, when out for a walk.
iii. Parents: say THE ROSARY WITH YOUR FAMILY every evening: a family that prays together, stays together.
iv. Join the 37TH ANNUAL NATIONAL ROSARY CRUSADE of REPARATION on Saturday 8th October 2022. Assemble by 1.45 p.m. outside Westminster Cathedral and join the procession of Reparation for Sins against the Immaculate Heart to the London Oratory, Brompton Road for Benediction, ending at about 5.15 p.m.
v. Join us at St. Thomas More for our monthly devotions with The PARISH ROSARY & BENEDICTION on Sunday 23rd October at 4.00 p.m.
To watch Dr Taylor Marshall’s full broadcast on ‘EIGHT REASONS TO SAY THE ROSARY EVERY DAY’ visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3qjSVlGcMM
Do you find the Rosary difficult?
St. Therese of the child Jesus in "The story of a soul" wrote about her struggle saying the rosary:
"For a long time I was desolate about my lack of devotion which distressed me for I love the Blessed Virgin so much that it should be easy for me to recite prayers in her honour that are so pleasing to her. Now I am less desolate: I think that the Queen of Heaven, since she is my mother, must see my good will and be satisfied with it."
If you find a whole rosary difficult, aim to say a decade and offer it up. You may find once you've said one decade, you won't want to stop, because Our Lady will be with you and you'll think, now I've started, I might as well go the end and stay with her. And if you don't, you've done a decade, you've prayed, and that is good. As St Therese says 'she must see my good will and be satisfied with it'.
IS ANYBODY THERE……. FOR COFFEE?
Thanks to Annette and all who helped or contributed to our coffee morning last Sunday to raise money for GREENWICH & BEXLEY HOSPICE. Thought, time and work goes into our coffee mornings and people who attend enjoy the opportunity to meet other parishioners and raise money for charities. However, it was noted how few people came into the hall after mass on Sunday. Why is this? It’s not even as if people have to make a special trip out as we are at church anyway. Didn’t know about it? There was also an announcement right at the end of mass, in addition to several weeks of notices at the end of mass, on the noticeboard, and in the newsletter. Perhaps people would prefer just to put a fiver in an envelope and not have to meet others? Such donations to charity are gratefully received, but it’s sad to me that having knelt together before the altar of God, parishioners can’t spend some time together in the hall after Mass. Remember the command of Jesus: we are called to love God and our neighbour, and by coming to mass, meeting one another afterwards and supporting a charity, we’ve gone some way to fulfilling the spirit of the Lord’s command in one morning.
Whilst the mass is said whether there are two hundred present, or the priest is on his own - the work of God will be done regardless - a coffee morning , just like the Social Club or all social events , depends for its future on people wanting it and turning up, otherwise it might not be worth the effort that goes into it.
A total of £335 was raised at the coffee morning, excellent considering the poor turn-out, in addition to £200 raised from the Golf Day, which means at total of £535. Thanks to all of you who supported this fundraising. God bless your generosity and good work to support GREENWICH & BEXLEY HOSPICE and the service it offers to the dying and their families in this area.
If you have a charity you would like to raise money for and would like to help organise a Sunday coffee morning, Annette will give you all the assistance you need. Please let me know and I’ll put you in contact with her.
CAFOD WORLD FOOD CRISIS APPEAL. Second collection this Sunday. Millions of families are facing a food crisis that could be the worst in living memory. Your donations can help CAFOD’s local experts to provide emergency food supplies to families in the worst affected countries in East Africa and support communities around the world working hard to put food on the table. Please give today or start a monthly gift to CAFOD. You can make your donations the old- fashioned way with an envelope, available at the entrances to the church and return them next Sunday or go to:
FIRST CONFESSION & HOLY COMMUNIONS 2023. Application forms are available for collection from the priest at the end of all Sunday masses and returned to him after Sunday mass on a following Sunday. The deadline to submit forms is Sunday 13th November.
Key dates:
Closing date for applications. Sunday 13th November 2022.
Parents Meeting: 7.00 p.m. Wednesday 23rd November 2022.
First Holy Communion Group Christmas Choir for the Christmas Vigil Mass. 24th December 2022
First Session: 10.30 a.m. Saturday 7th January 2023.
First Confessions: probably a Saturday morning in March: to be confirmed.
Children’s Stations of the Cross: 10.30 a.m. Good Friday, 7th April 2023
First Holy Communions: Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th June 2023.
The fulfilment of the Sunday obligation to attend mass on all Catholics (with obvious exemptions) is required for all families with their children preparing to receive their First Holy Communion.
DAY WITH MARY.
1. 9.45 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Saturday 15th October 2022. Westminster Cathedral. Bring a packed lunch. Great venue for a great day of devotions to the Mother of God, Our Lady of Fatima. Recommended.
2. 9.30 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. Saturday 22nd October 2022 at Our Lady of the Rosary, Blackfen. Please bring a packed lunch.
FEAST OF ST. JUDE, THE APOSTLE PATRON OF LOST CAUSES) This feast is the highpoint of the calendar at the shrine church of St Jude in Faversham. Many visit Faversham in devotion to the Apostle in the company of the Carmelites of Aylesford who run the shrine. In addition to masses, there is a piety stall, a display of Carmelite books and light refreshments.
Friday 28th October 10.00 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. St Jude Mass.
Saturday 29th October 10.00 a.m. and 2.00 p.m. St Jude Mass.
Sunday 30th October 12.30 p.m. and 3.00 p.m. St. Jude Mass.
Faversham is a fine Kentish town, well worth a visit, accessible by train from Bexleyheath or Abbey Wood, changing at Gravesend. There are some excellent old pubs and other places to eat. Prayers at the shrine of St Jude in Faversham have helped many people, including myself, and I recommend this to you.
The shrine of St Jude is at 34 Tanners Street, Faversham, Kent ME13 7JW.
MARRIAGE PREPARATION PRESENTERS
Job vacancy: a married couple, both being practising Catholics, to present 6 courses a year in various locations in South London and Kent, as well as providing cover in case of colleagues’ illness.
Salary: £30,000 pro rata (£7,000) for the couple. Mileage paid in addition. All training given.
For full job description and further details, please contact liamgallagher@rcaos.org.uk
Closing date for applications: October 14th
Escorted Pilgrimage to Knock Shrine, 17th October 2022. £699.00 per person sharing. Price includes 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 £100.00. Contact Patricia on 01268 762 278 or 07740 175557 or email knockpilgrimages@gmail.com
ST BERNADETTE RELIC TOUR. Wednesday 19th October - Friday 21st October 2022 at St. George’s Cathedral and Aylesford Friary from Monday 24th October to Friday 28th 2022
This visit will provide people across our community of faith with a valuable opportunity for prayer and healing. To ensure the comfort and safety of pilgrims, and to allow venues taking part in the Relic Tour to prepare for the large numbers who will travel to them, individuals and groups are strongly encouraged to register their attendance at their earliest convenience choosing a free, dedicated timeslot at their chosen church or cathedral, as demand is likely to be high.
The reservation system is now open and can be accessed here: stbernadette.org.uk/the-tour/
Details of the itinerary can be found on this page and prayers to support the tour are also there at: stbernadette.org.uk/prayers. However, if you have any questions about the tour, please feel free to get in touch at: contact@stbernadette.org.uk
The relics will visit our cathedral, St George’s, from the morning of Wednesday 19th October until the morning of Friday 21st October; they will also visit Aylesford from Monday 24th October until Friday 28th October. Please consult the website of each venue for further details.
If anyone would like to travel to the cathedral with me by train on Thursday 20th October please let me know. Otherwise, perhaps some mums and dads could organise small groups of families to go up at the weekend.
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Enjoy an evening out
St Thomas More Parish Club
Presents
A social evening for all the family, everybody welcome
Music by Annie Gee
Friday 14th October 2022
8.00 pm till 11pm
Admission - Adults £3 at the door
St Thomas More Hall Long Lane DA7 5JW
For more information call
Jenny 07710 527692 Mary 07749 197957
‘Children’s Liturgy’ this Sunday at 9.00 a.m.
SATURDAY MORNING LATIN MASS. Please note there will be no mass here on Saturday morning 22nd October.
LATIN MASS SERVERS & CHOIR. Trip to St. Mary’s Twickenham on 22nd October for Open Meeting and celebration of mass of Pope St. John Paul II, with presentation and closing with benediction. Meet at St Thomas More Church 9.00 a.m. for mini bus. Lunch included. Please let the parish priest know if you are coming or not. The day costs £15.00, children free, with donation towards cost of mini bus. If anyone else who loves Catholic Church music and enjoys the Latin Mass, please let me know, you’d be most welcome to join us.
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.
THURSDAY LUNCH CLUB will take place this coming Thursday 6th October, 1.00 p.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 souls of:
Judith Cooke, who died on Saturday 20th August 2022 at the hospice. Her funeral was on Thursday 15th September.
Hammond Macaulay who died on Saturday 27th August at Bexley and Greenwich Hospice aged 53. Her funeral was on Tuesday 13th September 2022.
Frances Anne Carter who died on Monday 5th September 2022. Her funeral was on Tuesday 20th September 2022.
Clare Cullen who died on Friday 23rd September 2022 aged 92. Her funeral requiem is Monday 31st October 2022 at 11.00 a.m. followed by committal at Camberwell New Cemetery.
Teresa Cooper who died on Wednesday 5th October 2022 aged 77. Her funeral is on Monday 7th November at 12.00 noon followed by committal at Eltham Crematorium at 1.45 p.m.
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 TWENTY- EIGHTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME.
Instaurare Omnia in Christo: "to restore all things in Christ."
Saturday 8th October St. Bridget (with comm. of Ss Sergius, Bacchus, Marcellus & Apuleius) - TC.
9.00 a.m. Confessions
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+10.00 a.m. (Latin 1962) Oliver Mulvey’s thanksgiving to St Joseph. (NB no mass here Sat 22/10)
12.15 p.m. Pastoral Council
+ 6.30 p.m. TWENTY- EIGHTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (C). Second Collection for CAFOD. 'Prisoner's Sunday'. Derek D’Souza T.G.
Sunday 9th October
8.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 9.00 a.m. SUNG. The people of the parish.
+ 11.00 a.m. SOLEMN LATIN MASS (with English Readings/ missa orbis factor). Clare Cullen R.I.P.
7.00 p.m. Parish Social Evening in the Hall? All welcome. No bar.
Monday 10th October St. Paulinus of York, bishop.
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary.
10.00 a.m. Bishop Howard Tripp R.I.P.
Tuesday 11thOctober feria.
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary.
10.00 a.m. Maria Fernandes R.I.P.
Wednesday 12th October
The Daily Rosary at home.
NO PUBLIC MASS TODAY.
Thursday 13th October St. Edward the Confessor, king, feast.
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+ 10.00 a.m. SUNG. Vince D’Souza TG
1.00 p.m. LUNCH CLUB.
Friday 14th October St.Callistus I, pope & martyr.
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+10.00 a.m. William Hart R.I.P.
6.00 p.m. Choir Practice. New members welcome.
Saturday 15th October St. Teresa of Avila, virgin & doctor of the Church. - TC.
9.00 a.m. Confessions
9.30 a.m. The Daily Rosary
+10.00 a.m. (Latin 1962) Lucy Murphy R.I.P. (please note: no mass here on 22/10)
+ 6.30 p.m. TWENTY- NINTH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (C). Jack Fernandes and deceased family members R.I.p.
OCTOBER PRAYER TO OUR LADY, QUEEN OF THE MOST HOLY ROSARY.
(This prayer was written by, St. Jean Marie Vianney, the Cure d’Ars)
O most holy Virgin, Mary, who evermore stands before the Most Holy Trinity, and to whom it is granted at all times to pray for us to your most beloved Son; pray for me in all my necessities; help me, protect me, and obtain for me the pardon of all my sins. Help me especially at my last hour; and when I can no longer give any sign of the use of reason, then encourage me, make the sign of the cross for me, have me sprinkled with holy water and fight for me against the enemy. Make in my name a profession of faith; assure me with the promise of my salvation, never let me despair of the mercy of God and help me to overcome the temptations of the evil one.
When I can no longer say: “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul,” I ask you to say it to me; when I can longer hear human words of consolation, comfort me. Leave me not before I have been judged, and if I have to atone for my sins in purgatory, pray for me earnestly; and lead my friends to pray for my speedy enjoyment of the blessed vision of God.
Lessen my sufferings, deliver me speedily, and lead my soul into heaven with you: that, united with all God’s chosen, I may there bless and praise my God - and you Mother Mary - for all eternity. Amen.
God bless,
Fr Jonathon
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