ST JOSEPH’S JOURNAL Volume 52 No: 46
CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION & SAINT JOSEPH
23 ST JOHN’S STREET, HERTFORD SG14 1RX
https://parish.rcdow.org.uk/hertford
Email: hertford@rcdow.org.uk
Parish Priest: Canon Terence Phipps Tel: 01992 582109
DATE: 13 December 2020
THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
The page numbers for the prayers for this Sunday’s Mass are at the front of The Parish Mass Book. Please note that there is a Loop system in the Church.
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THE VIEW FROM THE PRESBYTERY
The Third Sunday of Advent is one of the two days in the year when the priest wears rose, or pink, coloured vestments. The liturgy tells us to rejoice and we are asked to have a moment’s relaxation of the penitential elements of the Advent season. We can’t yet relax the regulations for dealing with the Tiers 1, 2, and 3, but we can rejoice in the Lord and ask him to give us the grace to celebrate the sacred liturgy with great joy and devotion and also to have the determination and the perseverance to cope with the current pandemic and to keep safe until it is over.
It has been good to have public Masses again in church and the booking system is now in place once more. Please use this online facility if you can; otherwise you can phone our parish secretary on 07900 538114. The Christmas services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are now fully booked, and I am really sorry that many people will be disappointed. However, we do have Masses all through the Octave of Christmas, so some people may perhaps wish to come on one of those days, instead of on the Feast itself. And of course, we can remind ourselves that there are traditionally 12 Days of Christmas so that too might give people extra time to celebrate liturgically. As we have said for some time now, our Sunday Obligation has been suspended, so we can just try to get to Mass when we can. And many people have also used live streaming and have “attended” Mass online in cathedrals, churches and monasteries all over the world. I know that for many people these live streamed Masses have been an enormous comfort in this difficult period. Let’s hope that many more people may benefit from them as we move forward.
A number of people have been putting their Offertory contribution through the presbytery front door and I thank them for doing so. Other people have set up Standing Orders or Direct Debits and I am most grateful for this, since it makes things easier for everybody. If you are going to make a contribution to the Christmas Offerings, please put that through the presbytery letter box, and if you normally use planned giving envelopes for your contributions, please either use the envelope itself, or make sure that your envelope number is clearly marked on whatever you use. Many thanks
It is sad that we are not able to have the Christmas Alone Lunch in the town this year. Do look out for any people who might be very lonely on the day and see how you might help them. There will be hampers of food distributed to people in need, so any donations you can make to the Food Bank will be gratefully received. There is a notice on the notice board with suggestions of what you might usefully give.
God Bless – Fr Terry
POPE’S INTENTION DECEMBER:
For a Life of Prayer
We pray that our personal relationship with Jesus Christ be nourished by the Word of God and a life of prayer.
ONLINE DONATIONS TO OUR CHURCH:
Westminster Roman Catholic Diocese Trustee Hertford as the account name.
Account number 21263242
Sort code: 40-05-20
If you would like to use STANDING ORDER to donate your weekly/monthly offering, the forms are available on the website to download.
IF YOU WRITE A CHEQUE TO THE PARISH please can you make payable to WRCDT Hertford. Thank you.
ORDER YOUR FRESH CHRISTMAS TREE
As in Previous years, The Friends of St Joseph (School PTA) are offering you the chance to pre order your fresh Christmas tree at a great price, from a local ecologically managed plantation near Watton at Stone. The order forms are on the table in the cloister (next to the newsletters) or email nadinebarry@hotmail.com
HERTFORD & DISTRICT FOODBANK CHRISTMAS 2020 SHOPPING LIST:
tinned salmon, tinned ham, tinned potatoes, mince pies, Christmas pudding, Christmas cake, tinned fruit, tinned custard, jars of jam or marmalade. Items can be dropped at Tesco’s or Sainsbury’s in Hertford at the front of the stores.
THE LOCKDOWN NATIVITY
The Lockdown Nativity a video of a dramatic reading of a short poem written by the Revd Austin Janes of Churches Together in Hemel Hempstead and performed by Christians from across the churches in Hertfordshire.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoHpDahXXCs&feature=youtu.be
Please do credit it to the Revd Austin Janes who has so kindly allowed us to use his work and share it with churches across the county to bring a much needed smile this Christmas.
MISSIO RED BOXES: If you have a Missio box please can you bring it in asap ready for counting.
ST JOSEPH’S deadline for applications for reception class is 15th January.
POPE FRANCIS’S PRAYER TO OUR LADY at this time of the virus outbreak O Mary, you always shine on our path as a sign of salvation and of hope. We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick, who at the cross took part in Jesus’s pain, keeping your faith firm. You, Salvation of the Roman People, know what we need, and we are sure you will provide so that, as in Cana of Galilee, we may return to joy and to feasting after this time of trial. Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to conform to the will of the Father and to do as we are told by Jesus, who has taken upon himself our sufferings and carried our sorrows to lead us, through the cross, to the joy of the resurrection. Under your protection, we seek refuge, Holy Mother of God. Do not disdain the entreaties of us who are in trial, but deliver us from every danger, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.
MASS INTENTIONS
Saturday:
6.00pm: Wilson Family (Ints)
Sunday: THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
10.30am: William Shevlane (RIP)
6.00pm: People of the Parish
Monday: St John of the Cross
10.00am: Stacey Family (Ints)
Tuesday:
10.00am:
Wednesday:
10.00am:
Thursday:
7.30am: Teresa Giwa (RIP)
Friday:
10.00am:
Saturday:
10.00am: Sr Judith Penkat (RIP)
6.00pm: People of the Parish
RECENTLY DECEASED:
Mary Deighton, Mary Whelan, Frankie Whelan
May they rest in eternal peace.