Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph / (Old Rite) Sunday in the Octave of the Nativity

Changes to this week's Masses
Monday 31st December
No morning Exposition or Benediction; 
10.30pm Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament; 11.30pm Solemn Te Deum & Benediction; 12midnight Latin Mass 
Tuesday 1st January 
9am Convent; 9am English; 12.30pm Latin

No Parish Surgeries until Monday 14th January:  

Thank You: Frs. Marcus, Romany, Andrew and Gabriel would like to say thank you to everyone for their Christmas offerings, presents and cards. They are all much appreciated in a very busy time which is an onslaught for most of us. 

Happy New Year: Can you believe it – it is 2019!  Our Blessed Lord said, “I have come that you may have life, and have it abundantly!”  Most of us admit that we do not enjoy abundant life.  Of course we live in a vale of tears; however, there is so much pressure in the modern world that so often all the possibilities for living life to the full are squeezed out. 

Tomorrow (New Year's Eve):  Fr Gabriel will offer the Midnight Mass to see in the New Year 2019 after the “Te Deum” and Benediction.

Feast of the Epiphany: After the 9am Mass on Saturday morning, Fr Gabriel will bless the Epiphany waters and chalk ahead of the Feast of the Epiphany on Sunday.

Lunches / Cook needed for January & February: We need volunteers to cook for the priests for two months Mondays to Fridays starting the week of 7^th January whilst Madeleine goes to visit her family in Seychelles.  You can bring to the presbytery up to 1pm on the day or cook here in the kitchen – whichever you prefer.  We would be grateful if you could commit to one day a week if possible – but if you are only able to do a few, that’s fine too!  There is a sheet at the back of the Church with the days on it or contact the office (Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri 10.30-5.30pm).

Crib Offerings:  This year nominated charity for crib offerings is the ‘Mary’s Meals’. They are a no-frills charity with a simple idea that works: by providing one good meal in a place of learning, children are drawn into the classroom where they can receive an education that could one day free them from poverty.  Mary’s Meals is named after Mary, the mother of Jesus, who brought up her own child in poverty. We consist of, respect and reach out to people of all faiths and of none. Their vision is that every child receives one daily meal in their place of education. Working together, we believe that can be achieved in this world of plenty.

Bazaar Profits: We have now finalised the totals from this year’s bazaar and the usual list of stall takings are now available at the back of Church.  We managed to make £8,500 towards our payment to the Diocesan Development Fund.  Thank you to the Latin American community who raised £1,500 from their Bingo and Latin American supper.  

Readers Rota - January to March: Now available at the back of Church – please pick up your copy today.

Confirmation Applications 2019: If you are in Year 8 or above, you can apply for the Confirmation programme.  Application forms now available from Fr Marcus & Fr Romany.

2019 Diocesan Directories & Diaries for sale: Diaries cost £1 each and the Diocesan Directories cost £3 for standard bound and £3.50 for the spiral bound version – these have the liturgical calendar for whole year, Mass times for every parish in the Diocese and lists of every Priest, Bishop, Deacon, School, Convent and Catholic institution within our large Diocese, and also all the statistics and guidelines. Buy one today! 

Congratulations to: William Wilde and Hayley Smedley who got married last Saturday and Germain Burton and Mirian Clovis who were married yesterday by Miriam's uncle Fr Linus Clovis.

Welcome to God's Church: Elena Cozzani, daughter of Alessandro & Chiara; Hannah Kealey Lopez, daughter of Luis and Amparo and Mouzaya Harvey Ikenna Mouzaya Taylor, son of Ikenna and Wardieh all baptised in December.

Cleaners this week: Yorusalim Zekristos, Sara Tuccu, Senayit Halefom & Aster Emhazen.  

4th Sunday of Advent

Changes to this week's Masses

Monday 24th December: 

No Exposition or Adoration this week or next (New Year's Eve)

Christmas Eve Masses: 

6pm; 8pm Latin, 8pm Spanish at Convent and Midnight Mass. 

Christmas Day Masses: 

8am; 9.30am and 11am Latin. No Evening Mass.  

Wednesday 26th December (Boxing Day) 

9am Convent; 9am; 10am Latin; 11.30am Benediction

Thursday 27th December: 

The Latin Mass is being changed to 10.30am.  Requiem - John Chang at 1pm 

Saturday 29th December

The Latin Mass is being changed to 8.30am; Wedding at 11am 

No Parish Surgeries until Monday 14th January:  

Message from Fr Marcus: With today’s newsletter I’ve prepared a Christmas greetings picture (from the artist Petrus Christus) and an invitation to Masses. I’ll be referring to this image in my sermon this weekend and ask that you share the Mass times with friends and family (especially with those who have been away from Church). Finally, I encourage you to use these last days before Christmas for spiritual preparation, through prayer and confession, for the great feast. I look forward to celebrating this with you.   Fr Marcus  

Christmas Offerings: In the porch & around the sides of the Church are the envelopes for your Christmas Offerings for Fr Marcus & Romany. As you are aware, a priest does not get a salary as such, & relies on the Collections at Christmas & Easter, as a primary source of income. These two collections are the only ones that are for the priests of the parish. Please be generous as your means will allow. 

Christmas Eve - 8pm Traditional Rite Anticipated Midnight Mass: followed by the procession to the crib, blessing and singing of the Christmas Martyrology.  Music: Mozart’s Coronation Mass.  Offertory: Hodie Christus Natus Est by Marenzio and Communion: O Magnum Mysterium by Victoria.

The Twelve Days of Christmas: lead us traditionally to the Epiphany and the liturgy for the next few weeks is meditating on the mystery of the Word made flesh. The implications of the incarnation are so many. All of creation is in some sense sanctified by the presence of God made man. That means that created matter can be a means to the end of union with God. Icons, statues and pictorial representation are all ways that we can appreciate the mystery of the Kingdom which is beyond representation. Nevertheless, with the coming of Christmas, we can actually see the face of the Lord.


New Year's Eve: In this parish, we always begin the New Year with a solemn Mass to beseech the Divine Majesty for the graces we need in the New Year. Each one of us should make a New Year’s resolution to tackle some area in our life which habitually we may neglect.  We will start at 10.30pm Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Confessions; 11.30pm Solemn Te Deum and Benediction followed by a sung Midnight Mass.

Crib Offerings:  This year we will be sending the crib offerings to Mary’s Meals.  Mary’s Meals feeds children one good meal every day at school in 14 countries.  Because of our low costs, we can do this for as little as £13.90 per child per year!   

Altar Servers Mass & Party: All Altar servers are invited to the 10am Mass on Boxing Day, followed by Benediction & a party in the club.  

Thank you from Fr Christopher:  Many many thanks for your generous collection and many gifts.  I was overwhelmed and deeply touched by your kindness.  It was a good thing I was jet-lagged; otherwise, I might have broken by Anglo-Saxon stiff upper lip! ☺ This Christmas I will be in the Holy Land and will remember you all at Mass.  I am very grateful to Fr Marcus for all of his support in our ‘swap made in Heaven!’  On 17th January I am to begin in Ramsgate.  Let us pray for each other.

Cook needed for January & February: We need a volunteer/volunteers for two months whilst our usual volunteer is away. If you could help us, please speak to one of the priests today.

Welcome to our First Communion Candidates & Families: There will be a short meeting after the 9.30am Mass 

Confirmation Applications 2019: If you are in Year 8 or above, you can apply for the Confirmation programme.  Application forms now available from Fr Marcus & Fr Romany.

2019 Diocesan Directories & Diaries for sale: Diaries cost £1 each and the Diocesan Directories cost £3 for standard bound and £3.50 for the spiral bound version – these have the liturgical calendar for whole year, Mass times for every parish in the Diocese and lists of every Priest, Bishop, Deacon, School, Convent and Catholic institution within our large Diocese, and also all the statistics and guidelines. Buy one today! 

Cleaners this week: Saba Tekle, Nebiyat Zereome & Alem Araya Zemichael Please note: Wedding next Saturday at 11am.  The new rota for January to June 2019 are now being sent out.