Feast of All Saints - 31st October 2021

MASS TIMES AND INTENTIONS

Sun 31st Oct

​8.30 am​ People of the Parish

10 am​ Martin Brennan, RIP

12 noon​ For the Newly Baptised Children

Mon 1st Nov ​Feria

10 am​ Goziem Onuchukwu, thanksgiving

Tues 2nd Nov ​All Souls’ Day

​10 am​​​ Holy Souls

​7 pm​​​ Holy Souls

Weds 3rd Nov​

NO MASS

​Thurs 4th Nov​​ St Charles Borromeo, Bishop

7 pm​​​Deceased Members of Brennan Family

​Fri 5th Nov Feria

10 am​Holy Souls

​Sat 6th Nov​​ 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

10am – 11am; 4:30pm – 5pm: Confessions and Exposition

5 pm ​​​Tony Tyler, 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

Please do not forget, Sunday Obligation resumes 27th/ 28th November

Your Prayers:

Let us keep in our prayers: Kathleen Lancaster, Denis Leenane, John O’Shea, Rekha, Bina, Gale Yates, Jose Luis Pérez, Alice, Michael O Boy, Lilian Murphy, Karina McKiernan Father Robert Plourde and Izabela Lissowska – all unwell at this time. We also pray for Sinead Gunawardana, Maria Zanelli, Patrick Kamara, Arthur Palmer, Noel Ryan, Donato Merola, Aurora Lobo – Buckland, Larry Tuohy and Monica Thomson who have all died recently. May they Rest in Peace.

Collection for Sick and Retired Priests – Next Weekend

The second collection next weekend will be for the sick and retired priests of our Diocese. Most priests offer their resignation at 75, but many continue to serve in our schools, hospitals, hospices and parishes. By supporting the Sick and Retired Priests’ Fund , you can help cover essential costs and give them peace of mind that in the event of an emergency, their needs will be met. You will find a donation envelope at the back of the church. Please take one home, and bring it back next weekend with your donation. You can also donate online at www.rcdow.org.uk/donations - the envelopes and posters feature a ‘QR’ code that you can scan with a phone camera to give online.

Registration for First Holy Communion 2021/22

Registration for the next round of First Holy Communion preparation classes is now open. If your child in in Year 3 or above and you would like them to prepare to make their First Holy Communion next year, please email Holly finchleyeastcat@rcdow.org.uk for an application form. Classes will be on Sunday mornings in term time.

COP26 and St Mary’s young people

World leaders are in Glasgow for the UN Climate Change Conference COP26. To support this call to prayer and action we are going to walk from St. Mary’s to Westminster Cathedral after the 10am Mass on Sunday 7thNovember, while the COP26 conference is running. Along the way we’ll stop for lunch, have further breaks, chat and reflect on the environment and ways we can be better stewards of our planet. The Confirmation group, “Incensed group” and anyone of secondary school age is invited. We will also need a few adults to volunteer to accompany us, please email Holly finchleyeastcat@rcdow.org.uk if you would like to help.

Clocks go back on Sunday

Please remember that the clocks will go back one hour on Sunday 31st October at 2 am.

The Synodal Church:

Fr Peter writes: “Included with this week’s newsletter is an information sheet provided by the diocese to prepare us for the “Synodal Pathway”. I plan to call a meeting (much like the Parish “In Council”) at 7:30pm on Monday 22nd November where we will all have a chance to discuss some of the questions highlighted on the information sheet. More details to follow.”

Sunday 31st October (Feast of All Saints):

Fr Peter writes: “This Sunday I am going to celebrate a special 12 noon Mass for children baptised since and including 2019 on the Feast of All Saints. These little gifts from God could be future Saints! Please come along if your child has been baptised since 2019”

Thank You from the SVP

The SVP would like to thank everyone who supported the film night and the kind donations. It was good to see everyone together enjoying the occasion. The funds raised will be a major contribution to support local families with extra help over Christmas.

November Holy Souls Envelopes, Candles, & Cemetery Mass:

Fr Peter writes: Holy Soul envelopes and headed paper to list those who have died are now available in Church. At the 10am & 7pm Masses on “All Souls”(Tuesday 2nd November) I will bless commemorative candles for you to place at loved ones graves during this special month of prayer. On Thursday 11th November at 2pm I will celebrate Mass in the cemetery chapel for all those buried or interred at St Pancras Cemetery (across the road from the church). At 2:30pm on Sunday 14th November I will place a St Mary’s Poppy Wreath at the War Memorial in Finchley Memorial Hospital – all are welcome to join me.

Calling all Carol Singers for our Christmas Fair

Please join Claire and Liz on Sunday 7 November AFTER THE 10 AM Mass In the blue hall for our first Christmas carol singing rehearsal.

Christmas Fair Sunday 28th Nov 11 am – 3 pm

Thank you very much to those who remembered to bring donations for the Christmas Fair. Please take home a flyer as a reminder of what to donate. We particularly need baskets for items donated to make up hampers;bottles and chocolate for the Tombola; home-baked fruit cakes/long-life bakes and prizes for the raffle. If you can help us there are sign up sheets at the church entrance. Thank you. Email: Helensarahdoran@gmail.com

Please do not forget, Sunday Obligation resumes 27th/ 28th November

Offertory Collection

Fr Peter writes: “The offertory collection in church for week ending 24th Oct 2021 - £ 552.82 Allcontributions, every penny, is greatly received and I am very grateful for your continued support at this difficult time. Please do not forget, that arranging a standing order is the easiest way to support St Mary’s.

IMPORTANT NEWS ABOUT GIVING ON LINE VIA VIRGIN MONEY GIVING TO ST MARY’S

You may have already heard that Virgin Money Giving – the online donation platform used throughout the diocese – is to close in November 2021. While the diocese is working towards alternative online donation systems, we thought it wise to make everyone aware of what this situation means for St Mary’s East Finchley.

What does this mean for you?

During the pandemic, on line giving has become increasingly important for many parishes. At St Mary’s, we are fortunate to receive many one-off donations online. Some people have also generously set up recurring monthly donations via Virgin Money Giving to support the parish during COVID-19. From 30th November, these monthly donations will be cancelled automatically by Virgin Money Giving.

If you are someone who makes an occasional or regular donation online, you may now be wondering how you can continue supporting the parish. The Diocese will be setting up new online giving tools but this will take a little time to arrange. But before that happens, it is worth remembering that the best way to support the parish is by standing order.

Giving by Standing Order

Regular giving is the financial bedrock of the parish. It also costs the parish less to manage than online giving so your money goes further. If you would like to support the parish, we would ask you to consider setting up a regular donation in this way. If you would like to know more about standing orders, please contact Yvonne Merola, Parish Administrator on 0208 883 4234. Naturally, we will be happy to help you with this process.

Thank You

I also want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has continued supporting St Mary’s during the pandemic. Thank you for your ongoing support of our parish at this difficult time. I pray that you keep well and your faith remains strong.

Fr Peter.