Fourth Sunday of Lent (Year B)
Parish Collection: Last week’s collection was £1379.90. Many thanks.
CAFOD Collection – The amount raised was £1603.42. Many thanks for your generosity.
St Patrick’s Day
On Saturday 17th March we will have Mass at 10 am to remember St Patrick, with blessing and distribution of shamrock after the Mass.
Legion of Mary – ACIES – Sunday 18th March 2018
The Legion of Mary, St Mary’s writes: On Sunday 18th March at 3 pm, the Annual Consecration to Our Lady will take place here at St Mary’s. This will be followed by refreshments in the parish centre. All are welcome.
Special opportunities for confession before Easter
1. On Saturday 24th March, Fr Tony Convery from Golders Green will be in the confessional from 4.30-5.50 pm. He will also celebrate the Vigil Mass at 6 pm.
2. On Monday 26th March we will have exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at 8 pm until at least 9 pm. During this period Fr Leo Edgar of the Dominicans will be available in the confessional, and Fr Terry will be available by the Sacred Heart statue. A chance for confession in the quiet and prayerfulness that come to us always when we are aware of the Lord’s special presence.
HOLY WEEK SERVICES
A card will be available next weekend with the times of Holy Week services. Please do take one home with you.
LENT
Lenten Film Series: The Bible
Back on this week, join us for our Lenten film series. We are watching the miniseries The Bible (2013) following stories from the Old and New Testaments.s. Note please that the films carry a classification of 12 (as you can imagine, they include violent scenes and some sexual content). Watch the next episode Kingdom on Friday 9th March, 7.45 pm – 9 pm, in the parish centre. Sandra and Kristy, finchleyeastcat@rcdow.org.uk
Soup and scripture
Each Saturday in Lent, beginning Saturday 17th February, there will be ‘Soup and Scripture’ in the presbytery. Delicious vegetarian soup and discussion of Sunday scriptures 12.30 pm.
Stations of the Cross
Each Friday in Lent immediately after Mass
SINGERS WANTED to sing at the GOOD FRIDAY PASSION SERVICE (Fri 30th March 3pm ) and EASTER VIGIL (Sat 31st March 8pm)
Helen writes: All welcome - just make as many of the following rehearsals as you can: Thursday 15th March 8pm-8.45pm, Thursday 22nd March 8pm-8.45pm, rehearsal in Holy Week to be arranged.
Mission Appeal
On the weekend of 17th-18th March the annual mission appeal will be made by Sister Anne Moore of the Franciscan Missionaries of St Joseph. Sr Anne writes: ‘I have spent 35 years in Kenya and only came back to the UK (Manchester) towards the end of 2011. I have worked with people who live in the poorest of circumstances and also worked as the Religious Education Adviser in a diocese in western Kenya. At the present time our Sisters are living and working in 8 different areas of Kenya and one area in northern Uganda. I look forward to being with you at St Mary’s East Finchley.’
Skateboarding Workshop and Easter Trail
Only six spaces left! Join us for our afternoon of Easter eggs, skateboarding and rollerskating on Easter Monday, 2nd April 3-5 pm. Ages 6 – 18. Skateboarding workshop for beginners, improvers and advanced skaters led by Skates and Ladders (http://skatesandladders.com). Boards and helmets provided. Rollerskaters are welcome to bring their skates. Please book asap by e mailing Sandra, finchleyeastcat@rcdow.org.uk
INCENSED Youth Group Silent Coffee Morning
Our Incensed Youth Group raised an amazing £202 in aid of the Catholic young people’s charity Million Minutes last Sunday. They on the charity’s siLENT challenge and served teas and coffees in complete silence. They money they raised will go towards after-school activities, a wide range of support and opportunities for teenagers and young people in our local area and across the UK. Many thanks for your generous donations and a big well done to our young fundraisers!
Cardinal’s Appeal
In his most recent pastoral letter, Cardinal Vincent Nichols commended to us his own Cardinal’s appeal for a share in our Lenten alms. He wrote:
The Cardinal’s Lenten Appeal enables me to offer funding to new programmes of outreach across the diocese that address some of today’s more pressing problems here at home. The Appeal supports in work its key areas of social outreach, young people and marriage and family life.
There are leaflets and envelopes available by the door in support of this appeal, or you can give via the wall box dedicated for this purpose.
– Eggs Please!
Many thanks for your kind and generous donations of hard-boiled eggs last Sunday. We took more than 200 eggs to the local drop-in centre. Next date for collection: 6th May. Contact: finchleyeastcat@rcdow.org.uk
St Mary’s Open Choir
Our next rehearsal with Liz is on Sunday, 18th March at 11 am to practise the hymns for 10 am Mass on Palm Sunday, 25th March. All welcome, no previous experience necessary, all ages. Contact Sandra, finchleyeastcat@rcdow.org.uk
Cardinal’s Mass of Thanksgiving for the Sacrament of Matrimony
Westminster Cathedral, Saturday 19th May 2018 at 3 pm
The Cardinal invites all couples in the Diocese who are celebrating their 5th, 10th, 25th, 30th, 40th, 50th and 60th (and every year over 60) wedding anniversary of Catholic marriage in 2018. If interested please give Yvonne Merola, Parish Secretary by Friday 16th March 2018 the following details: husband and wife’s names, wedding date, full postal address and e mail (or telephone number).
Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation, West Grinstead
Pilgrimage with the Consolata Fathers to the Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation, West Grinstead on Saturday 23rd June 2018. Coach leaves St Mary Magdalen’s Church, Athenaeum Road, Whetstone N20 9AE at 9 am sharp. Returns 6/6.30 pm. Cost £22 per person – includes travel by coach, teas, coffees, soft drinks. Please bring your own picnic foods. How to book: Cheques should be dated 1st May 2018 and made payable to Consolata Fathers. Post cheque with details of booking to: The Superior, Consolata Fathers, 3 Salisbury Avenue, London N3 3AJ. Please book early. Cheques will not be banked until 1st May 2018. For further details about the pilgrimage contact Stella Devlin on 0208 445 3099.
Eucharistic Congress in Liverpool
The Bishops of England and Wales invite delegates from all parishes to attend a Eucharistic Congress in Liverpool the weekend of 7-9 September 2018. The focus is on deepening our appreciation of Christ in the Eucharist. Our parish is looking for 2 – 4 delegates to attend this Congress, financial support will be available.
The National Novena to St Joseph – 10-18th March 2018
This will take place at St Joseph’s Church in Maidenhead and at Herbert House, Freshfield, Liverpool. Each year the Mill Hill Missionaries prepare for the Feast of St Joseph, their patron, with a special Novena of Masses and prayers to ask for God’s blessing on their Society and the missionary outreach of the Church, as well as for the intentions of all those who support their work. You are invited to send in your petitions and/or to request a Novena booklet to enable you to join in from home by praying the daily Novena prayer. Please write to Fr Liam Cummins MHM, St Joseph’s Missionary Society, 58 Cookham Road, Maidenhead, SL6 7HT, or email novenamhm@gmail.com
Volunteers for Children’s Liturgy
Helen Doran writes: We are looking for volunteers to join the rotation Children’s Liturgy of the Word during the 10am mass. Teaching is not a requirement, just the desire to help children to be formed in the Catholic faith. Training and instruction are provided. If you are interested in becoming a facilitator or need more information please contact Sandra Lipner at finchleyeastcat@rcdow.org.uk or Helen Doran at h.doran@virgin.net or see me
National Catholic Men’s Pilgrimage to Walsingham
Sunday 22nd April 2018, 10.30 am – 17.30 pm
Catholic National Shrine of Our Lady and Catholic Man UK write: A warm invitation to the first annual pilgrimage for Catholic men. Meet, talk and share the faith with other men, listen to speakers, celebrate confession and Mass, pray for families and for the country, process to the old Abbey grounds for Benediction. We welcome lay and religious, single and married, young and old, fathers and sons. “When England returns to Walsingham, Our Lady will return to England”. Pope Leo XIII, 1887. For more information visit www.catholicman.co.uk
Pray for the sick esp. Eddie Caddle, John & Carmel Bates, Cathy Walker, Finola Hickey, Bridget O’Donnell, Kelly-Marie O’Donnell, Simon O’Donnell, Pat Gleeson and Mary Myles.