First Sunday of Advent (Year A) 1st December 2019
MASS TIMES AND INTENTIONS
Sat 30th Nov
6.00 pm Vigil Holy Souls
Sun 1st Dec
8.30 am People of the Parish
10 am Christina Puddicomb, RIP
12 noon Mary and Eamonn Rogers, RIP
Mon 2nd Dec Advent feria
10 am Thomas O’Sullivan, RIP
Tue 3rd Dec St Francis Xavier
10 am Tom Lobo, RIP
Wed 4th Dec Advent feria
10 am Anne & Seamus Dunne, intentions
Thurs 5th Dec Advent feria
10 am Marie Bloom, intentions
Fri 6th Dec St Nicholas
10 am James, Helen & Liam Rynne, intentions
Sat 7th Dec St Ambrose
10 am Vincent Harrison, RIP
Confession: Saturday 10.30 am and 5.30 pm
Exposition & Benediction: Thurs. 10.30-10.45 am & Sat. 5.30-5.55 pm
Please pray for the sick and those who care for them, today especially for the frail elderly and for those who work as carers.
Parish Collection: Last week’s collection came to £ 1000.08
Christmas Fair
Fr Peter writes: “I am so sorry not to be with you this weekend. Last weekend’s snow flake from Santa requested that I keep an eye on the North Pole while Fr Christmas is at St Mary’s and also to visit my older brother who is celebrating his 60th Birthday. I look forward to seeing you all next weekend and leave you in the wonderful care of Fr Kevin and Fr Carlo.
A YuleTide Big ThankYou…
…..to all those who have helped with this year’s Christmas Fete. More details and thanks in next week’s newsletter.
Safeguarding Notice:
St Mary’s has two websites: the address of our bespoke page can be found at the top of the newsletter.
We also have a diocesan webpage:rcdow.org.uk/finchleyeast. This diocesan webpage details our safeguarding principles and information about Educare – a course for all parish volunteers – you might like to take a look.
CRISIS Carol Singing:
It has been great having parishioners taking part each year in the carol-singing at the opening of the Crisis Centre at Westminster Kingsway College in Grays Inn Road
This year it is 23rd Dec 5-6pm -The more the merrier and you don’t need to be an experienced singer but you will need to register due to security
Details from Helen Tierney on tierneyhelen63@gmail.com
“The God who Speaks”
Advent is also the beginning of “The God who Speaks” a yearlong invitation from the Church to celebrate and focus on scripture in our lives. We are going to mark the beginning of this special invitation in three ways. From next weekend, at every Sunday Mass, the book of the Gospels will be carried into Mass by Fr Peter, to highlight the life giving words of Jesus. Secondly, from next weekend, at the 10am Mass on Sunday, the children will be invited to follow a special banner which bears “the God who speaks” logo for their own liturgy of the word. We must thank Holly for making this beautiful banner. Finally, next weekend you are invited to bring your family Bibles to whichever Sunday Mass you attend. During these Masses, Fr Peter will bless these precious libraries of scripture. Additionally, we will be tweeting a verse a day so if you don’t already follow us on Twitter, you can find us @StMarysN2. In the New Year, more invitations will be extended for us to gather, pray, reflect and learn about what God says to us and how God speaks.
Advent Reconciliation Service.
Our parish advent reconciliation service will be on Tuesday 17th December at 7:30pm. There should be a few priests to hear confessions and help us declutter our souls to welcome Christ at Christmas.
New Year’s Eve 2019
Fr Peter writes: “For the past few years I have tried to celebrate a New Year’s Eve Mass in honour of Our Lady at midnight on 31st December. I see it as a way of beginning the New Year in the presence of Christ, who I know will be accompanying us through 2020. So on New Year’s Eve I will be celebrating a quiet informal Mass in the Church beginning at Midnight – and you are most welcome to join me.”
Chris McCarthy RIP
The funeral of the late Chris McCarthy will be held at St Alban’s, North Finchley on 10th December at 10 am. The body will be received into the church the evening before for a short service at 7 pm.
PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO BRING YOUR FAMILY BIBLES TO MASS NEXT WEEKEND – FR PETER WILL BLESS THEM DURING EACH SERVICE.
Our Lady of Lourdes, N12 - Applications for Reception & Nursery Sept 2020
Our Lady of Lourdes, Bow Lane is now accepting applications for Reception and Nursery for September 2020. If your child was born between 1/9/15 and 31/8/16 please apply for Reception. The deadline is 15th January 2020. If your child was born between 1/4/17 and 31/3/18 please apply for Nursery. The deadline is 31st January 2020. Application forms are on the school website http://www.ololbarnetschool.org.uk or from the school office on 0208 3461681. We welcome applications from non-Catholic children.
Reception School Forms:
Parents of Catholic children who need to have their reception class school forms signed by the parish priest need to present themselves to Fr Peter after the Saturday evening and Sunday Masses. Please have the child’s name, address and date of birth filled in, and bring applications for all the Catholic schools you have chosen.
Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School N12 – Open Day
Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School - Open Day on Monday 16th December - tours will take place at 9.30am, 2 pm and 7 pm. No requirement to book in advance – everyone welcome to visit the school.
Hall Dishes and Tins:
Fr Peter is going to organise a “declutter party” to spruce up and tidy the hall kitchens, before then…. could you please reclaim any dishes, containers or tins you may have left behind from previous parish events. Your last chance will be after the Christmas Fete.
“The Westminster Record”:
Fr Peter writes: “For the past few years I have written a very small insignificant column in the diocesan newspaper called ‘Inside the Hospice’. Now that I have moved to St Mary’s, the editorial team would like me to continue with ‘Inside the Parish’ - the first one of these will be in the December edition. As with the hospice, I will never make reference to anyone in the parish, rather I will be reflecting on my own small spiritual observations as your priest. If anything, the articles will give you a peek into my mind and how proud I am to work and pray alongside you.”
In case you are admitted to hospital........
In light of data protection please indicate on entering hospital that your details are to be passed to the RC Chaplain. Also state that you would like the RC Chaplain to visit you.
If you would like your child to be baptised please contact
Fr Peter.