First Sunday of Advent 28 November 2021
MASS TIMES AND INTENTIONS
Sun 28th Nov
8.30 am - Holy Souls
10 am - Maggie McHugh, RIP
12 noon - Mary and Eamonn Rogers, anniversary
Mon 29th Nov - Advent feria
10 am - Gordon Scott, intentions
Tues 30th Nov - St Andrew, Apostle, Patron of Scotland
10 am - Special intentions of the Ikwueke and Ogbogu families
Weds 1st Dec
NO MASS
Thurs 2nd Dec - Advent feria
10 am - Andy Winiarski, 1st anniversary
Fri 3rd Dec - St Francis Xavier, Priest
10 am - Nora Madden, intentions
Sat 4th Dec - 2nd Sunday of Advent
10am – 11am; 4:30pm – 5pm: Confessions and Exposition
5 pm - Dirce and Giovanni Negrotti, anniversary
Please pray for the sick and those who care for them, today especially for the frail elderly and for those who work as carers
Your Prayers:
Let us keep in our prayers: Frank Kilbride, Kathleen Lancaster, John O’Shea, Rekha, Bina, Gale Yates, Jose Luis Pérez, Alice, Michael O Boy, Lilian Murphy, Karina McKiernan and Izabela Lissowska – all unwell at this time. We also pray for Sr. Angela, Peter Sartori, Arthur Palmer, Noel Ryan, Donato Merola, Aurora Lobo–Buckland, Larry Tuohy, Elizabeth O’Sullivan, Monica Thomson, Christine Pavlou, Owen Gallagher, Tom Lohan, Dennis Lennane and Vincenzo Gagliardi who have all died recently. May they Rest in Peace.
Peter Sartori RIP
Fr Peter writes “Some of you will know Peter from coming to Mass or if you shopped at the local Waitrose. This gentle giant of a man died after a short illness at the beginning of November. His requiem Mass, held at St Mary’s on Thursday, was full of people. Please keep his family in your prayers at this difficult time. May he Rest in peace.
Our Christmas Fair is TODAY Sunday 28 November 11 am – 3 pm
Join us today for the merriest of Christmas Fairs. Have a tea/coffee or a complimentary glass of mulled wine (when purchasing a delicious mince pie) then sit back, relax and enjoy our festive extravaganza. There will be carol singing at 11.15 am and again at 12.45 pm; fiddle playing at 1.45 pm; Santa’s Grotto at noon; home-bakes; tombola; hot food; arts & crafts, Advent wreath making; glitter tattoos; mounted photography; indoor plants; hampers; cosmetics and more. See what our volunteers have done with your wonderful donations. As always, entry is free and everyone is encouraged to protect each other by wearing a face mask. Please bring along your freshly made home-bakes and any late donations to the parish halls from 2.30 pm on Saturday or from 9 am on Sunday. Thank you.
Raffle Tickets
Look out for raffle ticket sellers after Mass (tickets cost £1 each).Cash prizes and more! Draw takes place after 10 am Mass on 5 December. Raffle ticket sellers – please return stubs, proceeds and unsold tickets to the sacristy by 4 December, latest. Thank you.
Sick and Retired Priests’ Collection
Thank you to everyone who kindly and generously supported this collection. A total of £757.30 was raised – wonderful!
Offertory Collection
Fr Peter writes: “The offertory collection in church for week ending 21st November 2021 - £735.31. All contributions, 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.
The Synodal Pathway
Thank you to those who attended the “Synodal Pathway” meeting on Monday. We had a chance to hear about the inspiration behind the forthcoming process and to work a way forward for St Mary’s to give our contribution to the pathway.
Basically we all need to answer a number of questions (along with the rest of the Catholic world) before the end of January. Our answers will be sent to the diocese and collated with every other parish in Westminster and directed to Rome. As the “pathway” and process is so huge (it is the entire Catholic world of the baptised) the Pope and Cardinals will get their first chance of responding in 2023.
That seems a long way off!
However, for us, at St Mary’s, the questions and answers gives us a chance to set our parish mission goals for 2022.
The exciting aspect of the process is that it involves reaching out to those who no longer attend church and giving them a chance to say “why”.
“Synod” more or less comes from the word “caravan” which means journeying together. Pope Francis wants us to appreciate that the Church never sits still or stagnates. It is on a pilgrimage, and we are the pilgrims. With the idea of “Caravan”, we have decided to use the Feast of the Epiphany (the arrival of the three wise men) on 6thJanuary to focus our response to the Synodal questions. However, it is good to be prepared!
Over Advent, I am going to release, some of the questions giving you a chance to think of your answers. After 6th January, you will have a chance to submit your answers by completing a straightforward questionnaire, by attending a discussion group, or using a “post it” note system which will be available in the porch. Or….you might like to answer each question as they appear in the newsletter and send your response to me….either via the presbytery letterbox or by email.
The first question is..
During the pandemic what strengths did you find in your faith and faith community? In what ways did the grace of God most clearly touch and uplift you? How might you have been disappointed or sorrowful?
We can all answer this question – and more importantly we can pass it on to friends and family who no longer attend church. Their views are so important and integral to the success of the “Pathway” and to our St Mary’s “Mission”.
Blessings, Fr Peter.
Red Missio Boxes:
If you have a red Missio box that needs emptying, please leave it in the porch or hand into the sacristy. If you have not collected your Missio box since the pandemic, please see Fr Peter.
Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School Applications for Reception and Nursery
Applications are invited for the Reception Class for September 2022 - this is for children born between 1st September 2017 and 31st August 2018. The deadline to return this to the school office is 15th January 2022. The forms are available to download on the school website. Please also be advised that you must also complete a CAF (Common Application Form) from Barnet - the on-line system is already open.
Applications are invited for the Nursery for the Academic Year starting September 2022. This is for children born between 1st April 2019 and 31st March 2020. The deadline to return this to the school office is 31st January 2022. Please contact the office or visit the school website for an application pack.
Advent Lectio Divina
Fr Peter writes: “Starting Monday at 7:30pm I will host 4 consecutive “Lectio Divina Zooms” during Advent. Lectio Divina includes a short period of prayer followed by discussion about a Gospel reading. Our Gospels will be those for each Sunday of Advent (Year C – in the lectionary). Please email peterscott@rcdow.org.uk if you would be interested.
Calling all Altar Servers – Existing and Those who wish to learn.:
So we can get ourselves ready for Christmas, there will be an altar servers practice after the 10am Mass on Sunday 5th December. To be an alter server, either you have served at St Mary’s or you have made your first Holy Communion. There were will be another practice after the 10am Mass on Sunday 12th December. If you would like to come along, please email Holly at finchleyeastcat@rcdow.org.uk
The Feast of the Immaculate Conception:
Fr Peter writes: The 8th December is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Normally I would take my day off on a Wednesday, but as the feast is so important, I will celebrate a 10am Mass.
Senior Citizens Club:
Every Monday morning, after the 10am Mass, there is a chance for the Senior Citizens of the parish to gather in the hall for a cup of coffee, a cake or biscuit and a chance to chat. At this time, it is an informal gathering, but if numbers grow, Fr Peter will arrange for a speaker or two in the future.