Fourth Sunday of Easter (Year A) 3rd May 2020
MASS TIMES AND INTENTIONS
NO PUBLIC MASS
Sun 3rd May
10 am People of the Parish
Mon 4th May The English Martyrs
10 am Jean Cunningham, RIP
Tues 5th May Easter Feria
10 am Mary McDermott, RIP
Weds 6th May Easter Feria
10 am Mick Keneiry, RIP
Thurs 7th May Easter Feria
10 am Maisie Craig, RIP
Fri 8th May Easter Feria
10 am Victor Da Souza, RIP
Sat 9th May Easter Feria
10 am Bridie Carolan, RIP
Please pray for the sick and those who care for them, today especially for the frail elderly and for those who work as carers.
Baptisms, Sacrament of Marriage and Funerals.
Fr Peter writes: Sadly baptisms and the Sacrament of Matrimony will be deferred until such time that the public health advice is that congregations can gather safely. Funerals will now take place at the graveside or at a crematorium, subject to the conditions laid down by the cemetery or crematorium authorities. Mass will be celebrated in memoriam when we are allowed to gather. We must keep in prayerful solidarity those who are grieving the loss of a loved one at this difficult time and offer as much support as we can.
Saturday Evening & Sunday Mass Intentions:
Fr Peter writes: As public Masses cannot be celebrated at this time, it is generally no longer appropriate for priests to celebrate Mass more than once a day, including on Sundays. This will mean that all Saturday evening and Sunday Masses which were to be celebrated for a special intention will now not be celebrated. Instead I will celebrate one Sunday Mass at 10am for the “People of the Parish”. If you have arranged for an intention for a Sunday Mass, I will defer this to the first available weekday Mass. I totally understand your disappointment, and if you would prefer to send your Mass intention to a missionary or enclosed community, let me know and I will arrange a refund.
How to see St Mary’s 10am Daily Mass.
Fr Peter writes: With the excellent assistance of Peter (a talented young man in the parish) and Holly you will be able to see me celebrate a daily 10am Mass in the Church via www.saintmarys.online Please let others know of this website -every day at 10am. We are working on the sound quality – hopefully will improve – but please turn up your volumes or wear headphones.
Finchley Foodbank:
Fr Peter writes: In light of the uncertainty over the Coronavirus, it is understandable that we want to ensure our kitchen cupboards are well stocked. However, we must not forget that this can leave foodbanks struggling. Hundreds of people rely on generous donations from our parishioners. If possible, our foodbank would be grateful if you could spare: a carton of UHT milk, a tin of meat, fish, fruit, custard, rice pudding, vegetables, or tomatoes, aA packet of pasta, pulses cereal, tea, biscuits or soap. If you able to spare any of these items please ask a neighbour to hand them in either to Fr Peter at the presbytery or leave them outside his door and ring the doorbell.
UK Mutual Aid
We connect volunteers to those needing assistance while self-isolating during covid-19.To request help leave us a message: 020 31 377 488. We have volunteers in Barnet. We are good at Picking up Shopping • Sending Post or providing useful information • or just a friendly chat.
Do not forget…
Fr Peter writes: Even though you cannot come to church, I can still light a candle for your intentions. If you would like me to place a lighted candle underneath the statue of the Sacred Heart, Our Lady or St Anthony, please give me a call, or leave a message, and I will do so before the daily 10am Mass.
Every Thursday at 7pm:
Every Thursday at 7pm the Cardinal and Bishops around the country will be celebrating Mass for the frontline workers in the NHS, care homes and those working in the community. We are all invited to pray at this time for those wonderful brave medical staff. At 8pm we will then join the rest of the community offering a round of applause for the NHS.
The Photographs!
Fr Peter writes: I have selected seven photographs out of fourteen which show the construction of the church and its consecration by Cardinal Griffin in 1952. You can also see the edge of the temporary wooden church and the edge of the big house which is now the car park and presbytery. Soon I will send you photos of the interior of the church after its opening. What I find so uplifting is the name of the construction company – “Dove Brothers”. How brilliant that St Mary’s was built by a company bearing the name of the Holy Spirit. These photographs were sent to me, just before “lockdown”. When we are able to use the hall again, I will display them in their entirety.
May is the Month of Our Lady:
Fr Peter writes: The idea of a month dedicated specifically to Mary can be traced back to baroque times. It was in this era that a month for Mary and May were combined, making May the Month of Mary with special devotions organized on each day throughout the month. This custom became especially widespread during the nineteenth century and remains in practice until today. The ways Mary is honoured in May is as varied as the people who honour her. It’s common for parishes to have a daily recitation of the Rosary during May, and many erect a special May altar with a statue or picture of Mary as a reminder of Mary’s month. Additionally, it’s a long-standing tradition to crown the statue of Mary during May – a custom known as May crowning. Often, the crown is made of beautiful blossoms as a reminder to the faithful to strive to imitate our Blessed Mother’s virtue in our own lives. May crowning, in some areas, is a huge celebration and is usually done outside of Mass, although Mass may be celebrated before or after the actual crowning. For May, give Mary a special spot in your prayer corner. It can be a statue or picture, but place there some representation of our Blessed Mother. Make it appealing and a real tribute to her. Then, crown Mary. You can give her an actual or spiritual crown and you can make it a subtle gesture or ornate ceremony of your own device. The meaning is far more important than the action. You can do it in the beginning, at the end of May or anywhere in between. Strive to say at least a decade of the Rosary every day (my Mum & Dad said a whole Rosary every day during May). The Rosary is Our Lady’s way of catechising us about the life of her son – it is her chatter to us about His love for us. Let her talk to you through the Rosary, during this special month.