Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) 23rd February 2020
MASS TIMES AND INTENTIONS
Sat 22nd Feb
6.00 pm Vigil Eileen and Paul Sweeney, intentions
Sun 23rd Feb
8.30 am May Brennan, intentions
10 am People of the Parish
12 noon Mary King, intentions
Mon 24th Feb Feria
10 am Marie Bloom, intentions
Tues 25th Feb Feria
10 am Eileen McGinley, RIP
Weds 26th Feb Ash Wednesday
10 am Thomas O’Sullivan, RIP
7.30 pm Tony Martin, RIP
Thurs 27th Feb Lent feria
10 am Maura McCormack, RIP
Fri 28th Feb Lent feria
10 am Eddie Caddle, anniversary
Sat 29th Feb Lent feria
10 am Prim Rajagopal, 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 £ 774.20– Thank you.
Baptism
We welcome Cara Niamh who was baptised into our Catholic community of St Mary’s last Sunday.
New Parishioners:
If you have joined the parish in or since 2019 please come to a New Parishioner Party in the Presbytery on Tuesday at 7.30 pm. Pancakes and refreshments will be provided. Please sign the sheet, now avaiable in the porch if you are a new parishioner and wish to attend
Some extra Lent Masses:
Fr Peter writes: During Lent I am going to add an extra Mass each week. The first of these will be at 6:30am on Monday 2nd March. I am calling this a “Dawn Mass” and hope to encourage those who commute to come to Mass before going to work. Mass will be half an hour, and I will try to arrange coffee and croissants in the hall afterwards (volunteers gratefully received). Other extra Masses include one for the bereaved and another which will incorporate the sacrament of the sick. Please refer to the Lent and Holy Week leaflet which details the dates of these additional Masses as well as the times of the celebration of the Stations of the Cross.
Coronavirus news:
Fr Peter writes: In keeping with latest coronavirus diocesan guidelines (issued to all parishes), I have introduced alcohol gel dispensers in the porch. One will also be available for Eucharistic Ministers to use before dispensing the host or chalice. I have also put a dispenser in all toilets and kitchens in the hall. Please do not apply to damaged or sensitive skin. Our diocesan adviser – Mr Jim McManus, Public Health Officer for Hertfordshire, says the best defence against the virus is good hand hygiene. Please remember to keep gel dispensers away from candles, do not drink, do not bless yourselves with gel and as well as providing good hygiene the gel is ideal for cleaning ovens and stripping paint off walls.
Incensed!
Our Youth Group, Incensed, will meet again today Sunday, 23rd February. If you are aged 10+, please come and join us in the Community Room after 10 am Mass for snacks, games and a look at how we can prepare for Lent.
Safeguarding Reminders:
Please ensure your child is accompanied by a parent when using the toilet in the church porch and keep a watch on them when they are playing outside the hall.
“Flip a Pancake Competition for CAFOD”:
Come and flip a pancake in the presbytery for CAFOD. The person who successfully flips a pancake with the most flips will win a Lent prize and awarded the “golden pancake”. Entrance fee is £2 per adult and £1 per child (children must be accompanied by an adult). All money raised goes to the “CAFOD Family Fast Day Appeal”. Competition times on Tuesday are between 9:30am and 1pm, 4pm to 5pm and 7:30pm to 9pm. Come to the presbytery. Pancakes and frying pans are provided – Judges are Fr Peter, Yvonne and Holly.
CAFOD Family Fast Day – Friday 6th March:
Envelopes are at the back of church for you to take away. Abstain from a meal on Friday 6th March and the money saved you put in the envelope and bring back to church the following weekend. This year’s campaign focuses on those who provide charitable medical support to the poor and vulnerable in Zimbabwe.
“LeapYear SingAlong” at Nazareth House:
To mark the “leap year” come and join Helen and Fr Peter on Saturday 29th February to sing some songs at Nazareth House. Voices of all sorts and instruments of all kinds are very welcome. Performance is approximately 45minutes. We meet at 2pm in the Church. Please sign the sheet in the porch if you would like to come along.
All EU, EEA and Swiss citizens living in the UK:
All EU, EEA and Swiss citizens living in the UK are required by the government to apply through its Settlement Scheme to continue living, working and accessing services here. The deadline for applications is 30 June 2021. Details and links to the application process can be found at: gov.uk/eusettledstatus
Please bring this to the attention of friends, family members and fellow parishioners who may need to apply. Information on assistance for those who may have difficulty applying is available at: gov.uk/help-eu-settlement-scheme
The Catholic Church in England and Wales stands in solidarity with all European citizens who have made their homes here. They are a valued part of our parishes, schools and communities.
Vinnie Packs
The SVP are distributing 11,500 Vinnie Packs containing cold weather essentials to the homeless this winter. Please could you consider sponsoring packs at a suggested donation of £3.50 per pack? Donations can be sent to Vinnie Packs, PO Box 72264, London SW1P 9EZ with cheques made out to SVP or by bank transfer to Nat West sort code 60-60-04, account no. 4608 8237 . Thank you so much for your support."
Annual Mass of Thanksgiving for the Sacrament of Matrimony
Westminster Cathedral, Saturday 30th May 2019 at 3pm.
The Cardinal will be inviting to this Mass 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 2020. If you are celebrating an anniversary, please give Yvonne Merola, the Parish Administrator the following details: husband and wife’s names, wedding date, full postal address and email (or telephone number, if no email) by Tuesday 31st March 2020. Many thanks.