St Mary’s & St Michael’s Church Newsletter
Presbytery: 2 Lukin Street, London E1 0AA
Telephone: 020 7790 5911
Parish Priest: Fr. Keith Stoakes
Email: commercialroad@rcdow.org.uk
Website:http://parish.rcdow.org.uk/commercialroad
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Congolese Chaplain: Fr. Julien Matondo Mboko
Telephone: 020 7790 2211 / 07452 772111
Email: julienmboko@rcdow.org.uk / julienmboko@hotmail.fr

First Sunday of Advent

Mass Intentions this Week

Saturday 30^th Nov	6.00pm	Ethelca Gervaise. Anniv.
Sunday 1^st Dec	8.00am	Pro Pop
	10.30am	Patrick Henshaw. Anniv. Mass in Word and Sign.
	1.00pm	Congolese Community Mass
Monday 2^nd Dec	9.15am	Mass in Church with Primary School. George Falzon & Kikka Turner. RIP
Tuesday 3^rd Dec	10.00am	Requiem Mass Agostino Borg. RIP
Wednesday 4^th Dec	10.00am	Mark Borg & Family Int.
Thursday 5^th Dec	9.30am	Requiem Mass for Elizabeth Brown
Friday 6^th Dec	9.30am	Betty Said. Anniv.
32nd SUNDAY OF YEAR B
Saturday 7^th Dec	6.00pm	Pro Pop
Sunday 8^th Dec	8.00am	War Dead
	10.30am	Andrew Darmís Int.
	1.00pm	Congolese Community Mass

Sacrament of Reconciliation: Sat 5.15pm– 5.40pm or on request.
Weekday Masses take place in the Sacristy

Dear Parishioners,

Dear Parishioners,

Welcome to all parishioners and visitors to our parish and especially members of the Deaf Community at our 10.30am Mass. Today we begin a new church year and begin to use the English Standard Version of the Scriptures and the Abbey setting of the Psalms. Our Sunday readings are from Year C and Weekday readings Year 1. Our Advent wreath is in place as a visual countdown to the celebration of Christ’s birth. Christmas Mass times can be found in the newsletter. Please use the time of Advent to prepare worthily and well for the celebration of Christ’s birth. Perhaps make some spiritual New Year’s Resolutions, pray more, argue less. Celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation, be at peace with your neighbours. Forgive others, be kind to yourselves, “Stand erect, hold your heads high because your liberation is near at hand”.

Earlier last week I received an email concerning the “Knife Bin” which is outside our church, it contained: 502 knives as well as scissors, knuckle dusters and other sharp objects. This report is the first I have received. Whilst it is good to know the bin is being used the quantity for at least 16 months is frightening to say the least. Let us continue to pray for an end to the violence in our society. “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with us!”

With Prayers and Blessings
Fr. Keith

PRAYERS PLEASE FOR: Those of our parish who are sick: at home or in Hospital; Peace: in our troubled world especially in Ukraine and the land of our Saviour’s birth; The People of America as they elect a new President; The defeat of the Assisted Suicide Bill; Our Deanery: the Parish of St Anne’s Underwood Road and the Brazilian Community; Our young people: as they return to school after half term; Those who have died recently and for all whose anniversaries occur about this time.

OCTOBER THE MONTH OF THE HOLY ROSARY an ideal month to join our Parish Rosary Group which meets on Zoom every Monday evening at 8.00pm to pray the Rosary. Send a text message to Miriam on 07396823051 to receive a link. If you cannot join by Zoom, just pray the Rosary at 8.00pm on Mondayís.
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SEWING CLASSES Bernadette invites you to join her sewing classes on a Wednesday Evening from 7.00pm to 9.00pm in the Presbytery. All abilities welcome. All equipment is provided just bring yourself and your ideas. For further information call her on 07786033457

REFRESHMENTS AFTER 10.30am MASS Our next gathering takes place next Sunday Remembrance Sunday, when the Mass will be in Word and Sign as we are joined by members of the Deaf Community. Donations of food and help with this monthly event gratefully received.

ANNIVERSARY BOOK AND NOVEMBER HOLY SOULS: Thank you to all who have returned their lists of names for our Anniversary book. The book now sits alongside the wooden box containing our Holy Souls Lists in front of the Altar. At the end of November the book will be placed in the Sacred Heart Chapel. Throughout the month of November Holy Souls Masses will be offered for those on our lists, those in the Book of Remembrance, and those whose names are written in our hearts.

URGENT HELP REQUIRED Since Tower Hamlets ceased delivering Meals on Wheels just before lockdown Neighbours in Poplar have stepped into the gap to provide support and specifically hot meals to elderly and vulnerable people on Wednesdays and Sundays, not just in Poplar but to our area E1 as well E2 and E3. Drivers are urgently needed to help get the dinners delivered. This is not just about delivering a dinner, for too many isolated people the driver is one of the few friendly, caring faces they see!

ST. PATRICK’S CEMETERY Holds it’s Bi-Annual Mass on Monday 11th November at 11.30am, for all departed loved ones and especially those who are buried there. All are welcome. The Cemetery is in Langthorne Road E11 4HL, and is a short walk from Leyton Central Line Station.

ST. MARY AND ST. MICHAELíS SCHOOL Please support our Primary school by voting in the Tescoís ìStronger Startî programme which awards small groups up to £1500 towards their projects – which for our school is to provide new books for their library. Use the blue tokens by the tills and vote for our school as you leave the shop in our local Tescoís Metro on Commercial Road and those up towards Whitechapel.

FIRST COMMUNION COURSE Starts Saturday 9th November at 4.45pm in the Sacristy. Entrance at the side of the Presbytery.

A BIG THANK YOU A letter was received from The Little Sisters of the Poor who made an Appeal here on 7th/8th September thanking everyone for their physical and electronic donations which amounted to …£980-03!

READERS ROTA Now available for collection from the Sacristy. Mass sheets not available at this time.

CONGRATULATIONS To Tom, who last Sunday was commissioned as Lector (Reader) at a Mass in St. Albans. Lector is the first of the minor ministries in preparation for Diaconate. Those who were admitted to Lector here last year were commissioned as Acolyte. Please keep them all in your prayers.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: It is nice to be important but it is important to be nice

OFFERTORY COLLECTIONS
	LOOSE	ENVELOPES	TOTAL
SUNDAY 20^th OCTOBER	£321.53	£195.25	£516.78
SUNDAY 27^th OCTOBER	£412.58	£205.00	£617.58
FOR WHICH MANY THANKS INDEED (These figures do not include donations made electronically by “Dona” or “Online”) COUNTERS: Team B (3/11) Team C (10/11) Team D (17/11) Team A (24/11)