ST JOSEPH’S JOURNAL Volume 53 No: 38
CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION & SAINT JOSEPH
23 ST JOHN’S STREET, HERTFORD SG14 1RX
Email: hertford@rcdow.org.uk
Parish Priest: Canon Terence Phipps Tel: 01992 582109
DATE: 17 October 2021 TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
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
Many thanks for all your good wishes and prayers for my appointment with the Parkinson’s Consultant last week. All went pretty well and he was able to agree that I can continue to drive, so I have at least one more year with you all in Hertford!
Thanks, too, for your generous response to the Cafod collection last weekend. The total raised was £1060.00, which is great considering that our numbers were down. I shall send off the money to Cafod this week.
Next weekend, we celebrate World Mission Sunday, which this year is focusing on the difficult and dangerous situation in Nigeria. We shall remember that intention in our prayers and there will be a retiring collection for the work of Missio which concentrates on the world-wide mission of the Church, and this will also be reinforced by the money in the red Missio boxes, which many people keep at home. Please bring them to the church as soon as possible and they will be counted.
Last Friday evening Bishop Paul McAleenan came to the parish to administer the sacrament of Confirmation to a group of young people who began their course of preparation some eighteen months ago. The Covid situation is the reason for the delay, and we wish them all the very best as they commit themselves to full membership of the church. Congratulations to them all!
Next weekend we have our First Holy Communion celebrations. These, too, have been delayed, but one of the Masses will be the 10.30 on Sunday. Could I ask all those who are not connected with the children making their First Communion to avoid the 10.30 Mass next weekend, since we shall be quite full enough. Thank you for your cooperation.
And as we mentioned last week, the opening of the Westminster Synodal Pathway takes place this weekend. There will be some special prayers at Mass and we shall try and focus our attention on what is being asked of us by the Holy Father in particular. I also suggested last week that we might have a meeting to discuss what is involved this coming Wednesday at 11.00am in the hall. This would be after Mass and coffee and would be an opportunity to listen to what others have to say about the experience of the past eighteen months and about what might be done to involve more of us in the life of the Church in the future. Our life as a parish community has changed over this time and it may be that we never quite get back to the way things were. Most of us felt that it would all be over by Christmas 2019 – how wrong we were! Let’s see therefore, whether we can get a wide range of people together (regular churchgoers or not) to suggest ways forward and to be guided by the spirit in the practice of our Faith. The final Mass Count will be this weekend, so don’t be surprised.
As always: keep safe; keep smiling; keep going! Wear masks in church and keep your hands clean.
God Bless – Fr Terry
POPE’S INTENTION OCTOBER
Missionary Disciples – We pray that every baptized person may be engaged in evangelization, available to the mission, by being witnesses of a life that has the flavor of the Gospel.
IF YOU GO IN TO HOSPITAL: Catholics in hospital are unlikely to receive an automatic visit from the Catholic Chaplain. If someone is sick in hospital, please let us know here at the Presbytery, and/or ask the staff on the ward, so that your loved one can be visited whilst in hospital, and receive Holy Communion and any other Sacraments from the Chaplain.
FIRST COMMUNION 2021/22
If you would like your child/ren to prepare for First Communion, please write to Fr Terry or Mrs Walker stating their name, address, date of birth, place of baptism and the school they attend. All candidates must be in year 3 or
above. Classes will start on Tuesday 9th November from 4-5pm in the church hall.
THE LOBSTER POT LUNCH: Friday 19 November at 12.45pm in the church hall. Lunches cost £15 for a three course meal, glass of wine, coffee and chocolates. Please call Sue on 07711 584 517.
SPECIAL COVID APPEAL: ST PATRICK’S MISSIONARY SOCIETY – please take a newsletter from the back of the church.
CHRISTMAS STALLS: During November we will be selling Advent Calendars, diaries and many other Christmas items. The stall will be held after the weekend Masses.
Friday 12 November from 7pm there will be a BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION in the church hall for FR TERRY. If you would like to come along and bring a plate of something, please sign the board on the table in the cloister.
ADVENT LUNCH on Tuesday 30 November, in the church hall after the 12.15 Mass. If you would like to come along please sign the board on the table in the cloister.
ROSARY GROUP: Come and join us in the church on Tuesday evenings at 7pm for recital of the Rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
MOTHER & TODDLER GROUP on Fridays at 9.30-11.00am. All are welcome.
DO YOU WANT TO BECOME A CATHOLIC? ARE YOU AN ADULT CATHOLIC WHO WISHES TO BE CONFIRMED? ARE YOU A CATHOLIC WHO WISHES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FAITH?
Here at St Joseph’s we run classes that meet on Tuesday evenings at 7.30pm in the Presbytery. If you are interested please take a form (on the chest at the back of the church). Please put your completed form through the letter box of the Presbytery.
RECENTLY BAPTISED
Sienna Sofia Chiazza
MASS INTENTIONS
Saturday:
6.00pm: Kilgallon Family (Ints)
Sunday: 29th SUNDAY OF THE YEAR
8.30am: Philomena Carey (RIP Anni)
10.30am: Niall Gargan (RIP Anni)
6.00pm: Mrs Leelama (RIP)
Monday: St Luke
10.00am:Ellam Family (Ints)
Tuesday:
12.15pm: Mary Josephine Baldwin (RIP)
Wednesday:
10.00am: Kathleen Hay (RIP)
Friday:
12.15pm: William Shevlane (RIP)
Saturday:
6.00pm: Fr George Kallungal (RIP)
Confessions: 10-10.30am & 5-5.40pm
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at 5pm and Benediction at 5.45pm
RECENTLY DECEASED:
Tony Queally, Peggy Stevens