Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time 8.11.2026
MASS TIMES AND INTENTIONS
Sun 8th Nov Remembrance Sunday
8.30 am Yvonne, Intentions
10 am Remembrance Mass
12 noon Cathy Byrne, RIP
Mon 9th Nov The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
10 am Kitty Pollard, RIP
Tues 10th Nov Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church
10 am Holy Souls
Weds 11th Nov NO MASS
Thurs 12th Nov Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr
10 am Holy Souls
Fri 13th Nov Feria
10 am Tom Lohan, RIP 5th Anniversary
Sat 14th Nov Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
5pm Teresa McGouern, Anniversary
Every Saturday: 10am – 11am - 4.30pm – 5pm: Confessions and Exposition
PLEASE PRAY FOR:
Let us keep in our prayers: May Brennan, Mike O’Brien, Freya Askew, Joan Gordon, Sanjuna Madonandi Kuniyil, Ben Galligan, David Ryan, Margaret Ryan, Michael O’Boy, Christina Cahill, Eric Nicholas Darwent, Therese Kemp, Jose Luis Pérez, Karina McKiernan, Jonathan Heller and Izabela Lissowska – all unwell at this time. We also pray for: Hil Mhilli, George O’Gorman, Giovanni Ne Grotti, Cathy Byrne,Kitty Pollard,Tom Lohan, Teresa McGouen, Arturo Jr Esmeralda, Bonares Esplago, Raul Esmeralda; the Holy Souls and all those whose anniversaries occur at this time or have died recently. May they Rest in Peace.
OFFERTORY COLLECTIONS
The amount for Offertory Collection of week ending 25th October was £706.79 and the week ending 1st November was £890.33. Contactless was £191:50. Thank you for your generosity.
NOVEMBER: THE MONTH OF THE HOLY SOULS
November is traditionally dedicated to praying for the Holy Souls, especially our loved ones who have died. During this month, we remember them in a special way at Mass and in our personal prayers, asking God to grant them eternal rest and the joy of His heavenly kingdom.
Holy Souls envelopes are now available at the back of the church. Please take an envelope and a blank sheet of paper, write the names of those you would like remembered in prayer, place the sheet in the envelope, and return it to the Holy Souls Box at the back of the church. These names will be remembered throughout the month of November in the prayers and Masses of the parish.
A special Mass for those who have been bereaved, and whose loved ones are buried or commemorated in St Pancras Cemetery, East Finchley Cemetery, or at Marylebone Crematorium, will take place at St Mary's this Saturday at 5pm. During the Mass, each family will receive a blessed candle to take to the grave or memorial of their loved one as a sign of prayer, remembrance and Christian hope.
Our Parish Remembrance Day Mass for all those who have died as a result of war and conflict will take place on Sunday at 10.00am. At 2.00pm, Fr Peter will place a poppy wreath at the memorial within the grounds of Finchley Memorial Hospital. All parishioners are warmly invited to join him for this act of remembrance and prayer for peace.
SAFEGUARDING
I would be grateful if all Readers and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion could attend a safeguarding meeting on Sunday 15th November at 4.00pm in the Small Hall.
ST MARY’S CHRISTMAS FAIR - JOIN THE FESTIVE FUN!
Sunday 29 November, 11am–2pm
A huge thank you to everyone who has brought in donations for our Christmas Fair. Please keep them coming! We’d be grateful for:
• Bottles for the tombola
• Chocolates for the tombola
• Hamper baskets and hamper fillers
• Books, new toys, Christmas decorations and boxes of mince pies
There are only TWO more Sundays before the fair to bring donations!
If you can, taking a book or two of raffle tickets home to sell to family and friends would be a great help. First prize £300; second prize £100; third prize £75, plus many other lovely prizes. A book of five tickets costs £5. Don’t forget to fill out the register.
Have an idea for a raffle prize or a new stall, or fancy lending a hand? Please speak to Helen Doran, Nicola Hewson, Anna Maughan or Fr Peter – we’d love to hear from you! Email: Helensarahdoran@gmail.com
Our next planning meeting is today, 8 Nov, after the 10am Mass in the blue hall. Everyone is warmly welcome, whether you’ve helped before or would like to join in for the first time.
Thank you for your generosity and support!
BISHOP DOUGLASS SECONDARY SCHOOL
Let us keep the staff and students of our parish secondary school in our prayers on Monday. Archbishop Moth will be visiting Bishop Douglass to celebrate Mass and bless the new school chapel.
CENTENERY OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES PRIMARY SCHOOL
Our parish primary school, Our Lady of Lourdes, will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2029. Planning for this major milestone will begin very soon.
If you are a former pupil, member of staff, governor, parent, or have any other connection with the school and would like to be involved in the planning committee, please speak to Fr Peter.
We are also keen to reconnect with former pupils from every generation. If you know of past pupils who have gone on to serve their communities, excel in their professions, make a contribution to public life, the Church, the arts, sport, education, business, or in any other way have an interesting story to tell, we would be delighted to hear from you. Equally, we would love
to hear from anyone who simply cherishes their memories of Our Lady of Lourdes and would like to share them.
Together, we hope to celebrate not only the history of the school, but the many lives it has touched over the last century.
NOT THE LAST WORD
Many people avoid speaking about death. Yet the Church invites us during November not to fear it, but to face it with faith, honesty and hope.
Reflecting on All Souls' Day last week, Pope Leo reminded Catholics that our memories of those who have died are not simply a looking back at the past, but an expression of our hope for the future promised by Christ. Because Jesus has conquered death, those whom we love are not lost to us forever. We continue to accompany them through our prayers, especially through the Mass.
The Christian approach to death is neither denial nor despair. We grieve because we love, but we grieve with hope. We commend our loved ones to God's mercy and entrust ourselves to the promise that Christ has prepared a place for us.
November gives us an opportunity to pray for the Holy Souls, to remember those who have gone before us, and perhaps to reflect on our own lives. The saints remind us that preparing for a holy death is really about learning to live well: loving God, serving our neighbour, seeking forgiveness, and placing our trust in the Lord day by day.
As we pray for the dead this month, may we also remember the words of Jesus: "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me has eternal life” Blessings, Fr Peter.
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