St Mary's East Finchley N2 8HG

Father Terry writes: Old age has a bad press in the UK. It becomes the source of endless jokes. It spawned comedies like One Foot in the Grave. Even Dad’s Army relied too much on jokes about incompetent of older people. And don’t get me started on Father Ted. The old are frequently shown as foolish, as blundering from one mishap to another. This mockery is so much at odds with the picture of older people in other cultures. In many other countries senior citizens are treate

MASS TIMES AND INTENTIONS Sat 13th Oct 6 pm Vigil Mass People of the Parish Sun 14th Oct 8.30 am Carmela Pignataro, RIP 10 am Luigi Oglina, anniversary 12 noon Mary O’Connor, intentions Mon 15th Oct St Teresa of Jesus (Teresa of Avila) 10 am Séan Howley, intentions Tue 16th Oct 10 am

The readings this weekend are both challenging and beautiful at the same time, and it is important that we hold them together. In Genesis 2.18-24 we get one of the creation stories. The man beholds the woman and exclaims that she is bone of his bone, flesh of his flesh. The point is to underscore the deep unity of the two, a unity so deep that in marriage the two become one. The language of flesh and bone expresses this beautifully: they form one life together, they depend u

MASS TIMES AND INTENTIONS Sat 6th Oct 6 pm Vigil Mass Edward Dooley, anniversary Sun 7th Oct 8.30 am Mary Doherty, intentions 10 am Teresa Harrison, anniversary 12 noon Philippa Knox, anniversary Mon 8th Oct 10 am Sister Avis, intentions Tue 9th Oct Blessed John Henry Newman 10 am

Here is a story about myself that I tell with shame. I was on holiday in the Netherlands a long time ago when I was young. I had very little money and I was hitchhiking. I visited the city of Haarlem to see the Frans Hals Museum. I bought a lunch from a shop and as I left realised that the assistant had given me far too much change. I wrestled with my conscience briefly. He might get into trouble at the end of the day when they were cashing up; I ought to return the money. Bu

MASS TIMES AND INTENTIONS Sat 29th Sept 6 pm Vigil Mass Joan O’Sullivan, RIP Sun 30th Sept 8.30 am Revd D. Anderson, intns 10 am Anna Maria Adobatti, intns 12 noon Mary O’Malley, RIP Mon 1st Oct St Thérèse of Lisieux 10 am Daniel Navalta, intns Tue 2nd Oct Holy Guardian Angels 10

Fr Terry writes: The Letter of St James is unusual. It mixes shrewd advice and social commentary in a way that really speaks to our times. In today's extract from James we find an extended meditation on the power of peacemaking and the roots of aggression. About aggression, the letter of James is quite blunt: it comes from our desire to have more. And more again. There is much here for us to ponder. Western culture and Western economies are built upon this desire. Si

MASS TIMES AND INTENTIONS Sat 22nd Sept 6 pm Vigil Mass Nancy O’Shaughnessy, intentions Sun 23rd Sept 8.30 am Atty Benjamin Dadios, RIP 10 am Benny Fitzimons, anniv 12 noon People of the Parish Mon 24th Sept Our Lady of Walsingham 10 am Mossy King, RIP Tue 25th Sept 10 am Ma