5th Sunday of Lent 17.03.2024
MASS TIMES AND INTENTIONS
Sun 17th Mar
8.30am Mary Feehan, intention
10am. Claire Dowd, intentions
12 noon The Brennan family, intentions
Mon 18th Mar Lent Feria
10am People of the Parish
Tues 19th Mar Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
10am Julie Bates, RIP
Weds 20th Mar NO MASS
Thurs 21st Mar Lent Feria
10am Maureen Brennan, intentions
Fri 22nd Mar Lent Feria
10am. Marie Hanna, intentions
Sat 23rd Mar Palm Sunday of the Passion of The Lord
5pm Irene Hegarty, RIP
Saturday 10 am – 11am; 4.30pm – 5pm: Confessions and Exposition
Your Prayers:
Let us keep in our prayers: King Charles III and all those suffering from Cancer, Michael O’Boy, Christina Cahill, Eric Nicholas Darwent, Therese Kemp, Bina, Noel, Jose Luis Pérez, Alice, Karina McKiernan, Jonathan Heller and Izabela Lissowska – all unwell at this time.
We also pray for: Rodolfo Icban, Marjorie Reid, Luis Goncalves, Sean Duffy, Iride Villa, John O Shea, Raffaella Di Trolio, Mercedes Bahillo, Amber Wood, Eileen Sweeney and Arcangela Moretto whose anniversaries occur at this time or have died recently. May they Rest in Peace.
Offertory Collections
The offertory collection for the week ending 10th March was £767:66. Contactless Offertory Collection for last weekend was £68:83. Many many thanks for your generosity.
Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School Lent Prayer Group:
The last 20-minute prayer workshop for staff and parents of Our Lady of Lourdes School, and for parishioners of St Mary’s will be on Tuesday. The prayer group will begin at 8:15am at Our Lady of Lourdes School in Bow Lane. If you want a lift with Fr Peter please be in the parish car park by 8:00am
St Mary’s Lent Course 2024 – every Monday during Lent.
Will You Follow Jesus to Calvary?
Filmed on location in the Holy Land, No Greater Love is a biblical pilgrimage that reveals Christ’s amazing love for us. Best-selling author Edward Sri guides you through the last hours of Christ’s life.
You will walk step-by-step with Jesus from the garden of Gethsemane to Mount Calvary. Every step of the way, Old Testament prophecies, messianic expectations, biblical symbolism, and historical context shed light on the mystery of Christ’s suffering and death. Experience a deeper understanding and appreciation of God’s immeasurable and unconditional love for you—grow closer to Jesus than you ever have before.
We will walk with Jesus every Monday evening at 7:30pm during Lent in the Parish
Do you want to walk with Jesus?
Offertory Collections at the Easter Vigil & Day:
The offertory collection at the Easter Vigil and on Easter Day go towards the salary of the Parish Priest – Many Thanks.
Five Bells Computer Club!
If you need help with laptops, smartphones and tablets in a sociable setting, you can come along to the Five Bells computer club in the pub at 165 East End Road on a Tuesday between 2pm and 4pm. The help is free provided by volunteers and there is a free cup of tea or coffee too. Note that Tuesday 19th March will be the last session before Easter, and it will resume on 16th April. More details on the website at https://five-bells-computer-club.mailchimpsites.com/
Annual Mass of Thanksgiving for the Sacrament of Matrimony
Westminster Cathedral, Saturday 25th May 2024 at 2.30 pm
The Cardinal is 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 2024. If you are celebrating an anniversary, please give to Yvonne, the parish administrator, the following details: husband and wife’s names, wedding date, full postal address, email (or telephone number if no email). Details will be sent to the Diocese by the parish office and invitations will be sent out to the couples from the Diocese, on behalf of the Cardinal. PLEASE FORWARD YOUR DETAILS TO YVONNE – E MAIL: finchleyeast@rcdow.org.uk BY FRIDAY 5TH APRIL 2024.
Please Pray for those undergoing RCIA formation:
Kate, Sandra, Eleanor, Sean, Alessandro and Adriano have been in Catholic formation since September. They will all receive the Sacrament of Confirmation at the Easter Vigil and one of them will make their First Holy Communion. Please pray for them and their sponsors as we all prepare for Easter.
St Mary’s Lent Reconciliation Service (confessions)
A reminder that Fr Peter will be joined by two other priests to hear confessions on Thursday 21st March at 7:30pm. If you cannot wait until then, confessions are heard every Saturday 10am – 11am or 4:30pm -5pm or you can make an appointment to see Fr Peter. Why go to confession? Because this is the method of Forgiveness that God has established. Why would you not take advantage of a grace from God?
Next Weekend is “Palm Sunday”:
For those attending next Sunday’s 10am Mass we will begin in the hall and listen to the Palm Sunday Gospel and then process to the church to hear the Passion reading. Palm leaves will be provided, but children are invited to bring branches from their gardens, or with permission from a care-taker, to take similar from their local park. Like the disciples, we will welcome the Messiah with “Hosannas” and branches of celebration.
Confirmation Classes:
The Confirmation Course will begin on Thursday at 7:30pm in the Small Hall
The Parish Council:
The Parish Council will meet at 4pm on Sunday 24th March in the presbytery. The main agenda points will be the results of the recent synodal questionnaire.
First Holy Communion Parents Meeting:
Tuesday’s First Holy Communion Parents Meeting has had to be cancelled, and is now re-scheduled for Monday 15th April at 7:30pm.
THE SACRED TRIDUUM at St Mary’s.
The Sacred Triduum is one great festival recounting the last three days of Jesus' life on earth, the events of his Passion and Resurrection, when the Lamb of God laid down his life in atonement for our sins………
Holy Thursday – 8pm – 28th March
The evening Mass on Holy Thursday is referred to as The Mass of the Lord's Supper. This is where the Church re-lives the institution of the Eucharist and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass at the Last Supper, as well as the institution of the priesthood, which took place the evening before Jesus was crucified. After the homily there is the "washing of the feet" ceremony, where the priest washes the feet of others to signify his role as servant—just as Jesus did with his disciples. The Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday concludes with a procession of the Blessed Sacrament to the "altar of repose”. Many parishes will create space for people to stay and pray with the reposed Eucharist at this altar of repose late into the night, remembering Jesus' request in the Garden of Gethsemane for someone to "watch and pray" with Him.
Good Friday – 3pm – 29th March
Good Friday is a mandatory day of fasting and abstinence. This is the day of the crucifixion, the day Jesus died for the sins of the world. The parish altar looks very different on Good Friday: it is plain and bare. There is no consecrated Host in the tabernacle at the main altar of the church; it was carried away on Holy Thursday night to the "altar of repose" to signify Jesus' death. The candle by the tabernacle is blown out, and the tabernacle doors are left open to show that it is empty. Jesus is gone. This is quite dramatic, reminding us that Good Friday is a solemn day of mourning and prayer. The ceremony on Good Friday is not a Mass—it is a communion service using the consecrated hosts from Holy Thursday. Good Friday is the only day of the year on which no Masses are offered. These Good Friday services often take place at 3 p.m., the hour that Jesus breathed his last on the cross. Often the priest will begin the service by prostrating himself in front of the altar. Veneration of the Crossusually takes place at this service, in which the priest and the faithful kneel before a cross and kiss it.
Easter Vigil – 8pm- 30th March
A vigil Mass is held after nightfall on Holy Saturday, or before dawn on Easter Sunday, in celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. This is called the Easter Vigil: the most glorious, beautiful, and dramatic liturgy for the Church. The vigil is divided into four parts and can last up to three hours: 1) the Service of Light, 2) the Liturgy of the Word, 3) the Liturgy of Baptism, and 4) the Liturgy of the Eucharist. This is also the Mass in which many RCIA catechumens are received and confirmed and brought into full communion with the Catholic Church. This year at the Easter Vigil six adults will be either received and confirmed into our community of St Mary’s.