ST JOSEPH’S JOURNAL Volume 52 No: 43
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: 22 November 2020
SOLEMNITY OF CHRIST THE KING
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.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
THE VIEW FROM THE PRESBYTERY
This is a big weekend for me and I hope all goes well. As I write this piece early on Friday morning, 20 November, I am preparing to go
to the Rivers Hospital for a Covid test in preparation for my urological procedure on Monday. This means that when I get back later this
morning I must isolate myself quite strictly so as to avoid any infection. This will mean – as I mentioned last week – that our sessions of
private prayer will be slightly changed. The church will open from 9.30—11.00 on Friday, Saturday and Monday (20, 21 and 23 November)
but the afternoon sessions will not take place and the church will not open on Sunday. I am sorry about this, but I hope you will
understand. People often say that we are living in strange times. They certainly seem strange to me.
There was no proper collection last weekend and so money was not counted. However, if any of you still have donations for the Sick and
Retired Priests’ Fund please use the envelopes on the table in the cloister and post them through the presbytery letter box.
Many thanks for all your generosity.
I also want to thank all those who sent cards and presents for my 70th birthday last Monday. I was completely overwhelmed by what I received and people’s generosity was quite amazing. I still can’t quite realise that I have reached the age of 70, but your kindness made it a lot easier!
We celebrate this weekend the Solemnity of Christ the King, the last Sunday in the liturgical year. This is a feast, which seems to urge us to leave things in God’s hands and not to worry. That may be a bit difficult at the moment, but I am sure that it is best for us to keep calm and carry on complying with the restrictions placed upon us. They are extremely irksome but let us hope that they will do some good and that we can soon enjoy our freedoms once again.
For if it is Christ the King this week, it must be the first Sunday of Advent next week. It will be strange to begin the Advent season in lockdown, but we shall just have to grin and bear it. There is still no news to report about arrangements for Christmas and we shall have to wait until the Government decides what will be permitted before we can sort out the details. I still hope that we will be able to erect our crib and I suggest a date of 7pm on Wednesday 16 December for this task. This may have to change as we get closer to the time, so watch this space and keep hoping and praying.
On the reverse of this sheet you will find a notice about the purchase of Christmas trees. This scheme has been running very successfully for a few years now and I commend it to you.
God Bless – Fr Terry
POPE’S INTENTION NOVEMBER:
Artificial Intelligence:
We pray that the progress of robotics and artificial intelligence may always serve humankind.
PRAYERS FOR HOME – NOVEMBER #2
Copies available with the newsletters or can be viewed on our website.
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.
THE SAINT JOHN HENRY NEWMAN SCHOOL ASSOCIATION An opportunity has arisen for a Learning Support Assistant to join our friendly and supportive SEND Department from January 2021. working in a school environment with a view to a further career in education. Please contact Heidi Foyle (foyleh@jhn.herts.sch.uk) for further information and an application pack can be downloaded from our website. Closing date for applications is 3pm 2nd December.
CHRISTMAS STALL selling Advent calendars, candles etc…. Please see Mrs. Sue Walker who will be in the church hall each weekday from 7.30am until 12noon.
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.
During lockdown there are no public Masses.
Masses, however, will be celebrated at:
7.30am weekdays
6.00pm Saturdays
10.30am Sundays
Church opening times for individual prayer:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday: 9.30am – 11am
and 4.30pm – 5.30pm (with Exposition)
Thursday: church remains closed
Sunday: 2.30pm – 6.00pm (with Exposition)
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
MASS INTENTIONS
Saturday:
6.00pm: Holy Souls
Sunday: CHRIST THE KING
10.30am: William Shevlane (RIP Anni)
Monday:
7.30am:
Tuesday: St Andrew Dûng-Lac, Priest
7.30am: Holy Souls
Wednesday:
7.30am: Mary Deighton (RIP))
Thursday:
7.30am: Holy Souls
Friday:
7.30am: Rosemary Byrne (RIP)
Saturday:
6.00pm: People of the Parish
RECENTLY DECEASED:
Mary Deighton, Mary Whelan, Frankie Whelan
May they rest in eternal peace.