FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
(New Lectionary Cycle:
Year C)
Second collection for
Christmas Flowers
MASS (OLHoC): 6.00pm (Sat. 30th) (Well-being of Ricardo Rosa)
MASS (OLHoC): 9.00am (Pro Populo)
X Refreshments in the hall after Mass
MASS (OLHoC): 11.00am (Safe journey to Thailand for Ashleigh and his parents)
(Children’s liturgy at this Mass)
X Refreshments in the hall after Mass
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
MASS: 9.00am (Tony Knowles RIP)
X RCIA JIF: 7.00pm
• TUESDAY,
December 3rd – St Francis Xavier
NO MASS TODAY
•
WEDNESDAY, December
4th - Feria
MASS (OLHoC):10.00am (Patsy Costello & Donal Ryan RIP)
X Refreshments in the hall after Mass
•
THURSDAY, December
5th – Feria
MASS (OLHoC):9.00am (Deceased members of the Walmsley family)
Parish Open Office with Fr Alex
4.00pm-7.00pm at the Presbytery (OLHoC)
•
FRIDAY, December
6th – Feria
MASS (OLHoC):9.00am (Bishop John Hine RIP)
•SATURDAY,
December 7th – St Ambrose
MASS (OLHoC):10.00am (Mary Stafford RIP)
X 1HC class: 9.00am
X Confirmation class:
10.00am
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Next Sunday: December 8th 2024
SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
MASS (OLHoC): 6.00pm (Sat. 7th) (Sr Sophie Pepper RIP)
MASS (OLHoC): 9.00am (Giuseppina
Cavallo RIP)
X Refreshments in the hall after
Mass
MASS (OLHoC): 11.00am
– (Pro Populo)
X Refreshments in the hall
after Mass
X OUR PARISH’S JOURNEY TO CHRISTMAS – Advent is a time of waiting, prayer, penance, fasting, joy and hope because the promised Messiah is here and near. We are all called to be ready to welcome Him whose birth changed the course of our human history.
I therefore invite each one of us to seize the opportunity that the introduction of the new lectionaries gives us to create a new habit. That is to develop a love for the Scriptures by reading the lectionaries at home, that you may have purchased from our parish shop or accessed online, or during the period before Mass with a copy of the new Mass books provided by the parish for use in the church. Please use the readings for your personal prayer and reflection.
As a Parish, we will have a Novena during the week leading to Christmas. It will be based on the antiphons from the Evening Prayer of the Church. Therefore, the week will be as follows:
There will be an Evening Mass from 16th-20th December 2024 at 7.00pm preceded by Confessions at 6.30pm.
For the weekend of 21st-22nd December, the Homily at the weekend Masses will cover the theme of the Evening Prayer. We will conclude our Novena with our Mass at 7.00pm on Monday 23rd December. There will be refreshments in the hall on the first and last evenings.
Monday16th December
O Wisdom, you come forth from the mouth of the Most High. You fill the universe and hold all things together in a strong yet gentle manner. O come to teach us the way of truth.
Tuesday 17th December
O Adonai and leader of Israel, you appeared to Moses in a burning bush and you gave him the Law on Sinai. O come and save us with your mighty power.
Wednesday 18th December
O Stock of Jesse, you stand as a signal for the nations; kings fall silent before you whom the peoples acclaim. O come to deliver us, and do not delay.
Thursday 19th December
O Key of David and
sceptre of Israel, what you open no one else can close again; what you close no
one can open. O come to lead the captive from prison; free those who sit in
darkness and in the shadow of death.
Friday 20th December
O Rising Sun, you are the splendour of eternal light and the sun of justice. O come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd December
O King, whom all the peoples desire, you are the cornerstone which makes us all one. O come and save humanity whom you made from clay.
Monday 23rd December
O Immanuel, you are our king and judge, the One whom the peoples await and their Saviour. O come and save us, Lord our God.
I wish you all a happy and spiritually rewarding Advent and may it increase our love and preparedness for the coming of Jesus in our hearts and lives.
X NEW LECTIONARIES – from today we have replaced all the Lectionaries in England and Wales. This means the old ones are no longer required and will never be used again.
Those who can afford it, can now buy a new Sunday Missal. Those who cannot afford it, the Parish will make provision for you at our Masses. We have moved from the Mass Reading Sheets to a Parish Mass Book.
X AN APPEAL FOR AN ACT OF KINDNESS AND FAVOUR - Please, as you leave the Church at the end of Mass, return the books and papers, that you were given when you first arrived, to the back of the Church where they normally stay for the next Mass. It is sad to see our volunteer who welcomed you, going through the pews to collect hymn books and papers that have been left behind and not returned to them or to the back of the Church. Thank you for your act of kindness and favour regarding such matter.
X DRAW PRIZES – please look to see if you have won a prize in the Grand Draw. There is a list of prize winners in the porch and in the hall. Prizes can be picked up from the Presbytery.
X PARISH CHRISTMAS DINNER will be on Sunday 8th December at 12.45pm at the OLHC hall. There will be a delicious three-course meal. Soft drinks will be provided, but please bring your own wine/ beer. Tickets £20 per adult and £10 for children aged 5-16 years. Under 5 year olds eat free.
Please see Chi Davies, Anne Berry, Ellen Fitzpatrick or Sara Adams for tickets. Alternatively, you can email the parish with the number of tickets you would like.
X WE PRAY FOR THE SICK - We remember all those who are sick or housebound and that they remain in our prayers including, Robert Claridge, Cecilia Niven, Stacy Rodrigues, Ann Robinson, Uzo Mbanugo, Bob & Tess Vickery, Canon Luke Smith, Beulah Blomfield, John Lodge, Veronica Poulton, Margaret Woolley, and all those who have asked for our prayers.
X INFANT BAPTISM may only happen after
undergoing a preparation with the parish priest. Baptisms can then be
celebrated at either 3pm on a Saturday or 1pm on a Sunday on the 1st or 3rd
Sunday of the month.
X WE PRAY FOR THE RECENTLY DECEASED - Please pray for the repose of the soul of Bishop John Hine, Lillian Orfila, Robert Jones, Christine Mary Kissane, James Kissane, Ron Hall, Suchada Robinson (who was known as Jo or Jojo) and all those who have died recently, and those whose anniversaries fall at this time including Anthony Reddington, Douglas Watts (1st Dec); Peter Patton, Margaret Westall, Florence Sharpe (2nd Dec); Jose Scheirs, Alice Stanley (3rd Dec); Raymond Charsley, Gertrude Peat, Charles Birch, Alice Gregory, Florence Tinney, Thomas Noble (4th Dec); Francis O’Brien, John Dobbin, Gertrude Grundy, John Pattarini, Margaret Light, Frederick Buller (5th Dec); Geraldine Loader, Christopher Shields, Marjorie Burdett, Ann Brooks (8th Dec).
X A DAY WITH MARY is taking place at St George's Cathedral, Southwark on Saturday 14th December (10.15am to 5.15pm). Mass will be celebrated by the Archbishop of Southwark Diocese, John Wilson. Further information is available at https://www.adaywithmary.org/ or https://eventcatholic.com/
X RECEPTION OF COMMUNION – only Catholics in a state of grace are allowed to receive Communion at Mass. Those who receive this in their hands should put it into their mouth before leaving the Minister. Anyone not receiving should go to the priest, cross their arms over their chest to receive a blessing. If you have not received Baptism, Confirmation and First Holy Communion in the Catholic Church or received into the Catholic Church, you only receive a blessing when you attend Mass.
X MESSAGE FROM THE ORFILA FAMILY TO THE
PARISH – Thank you to everyone who
came to the Requiem Mass for Lillian and who sent messages to the family.
Lillian was a big part of this parish and your words, support and love meant a
great deal at this difficult time for all the family.
