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 Tel: 01992 582109
Parish Priest: Monsignor Séamus O’Boyle
DATE: 22nd October
29th SUNDAY OF THE YEAR
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
I was thinking the other day that, just as I am beginning to feel settled here in Hertford, the world seems to be getting more and more unsettled! The horrors of the conflict in the Holy Land between Hamas and Israel are there for us to see every day – with fears of a wider involvement in the violence of militant factions in neighbouring countries. The plight of hundreds of thousands of their displaced brothers and sisters in the Gaza Strip is obviously a major contributing factor to this. We must pray hard for those who are seeking diplomatic means to try and broker a ceasefire between the warring powers and allow much-needed aid to reach the beleaguered people in Gaza.
Nearer to home there has been the terrible weather – with all the flooding in Scotland and Ireland caused by Storm Babet. These extreme weather ‘events’ are becoming increasingly commonplace. On a different note, I heard this morning that the brother of Fr Charles Cahill – the Parish Priest of Ware – has died. May he rest in peace. Fr Charles has been a great help here over the last few months. Please pray for his family in their loss.
Fr Séamus
POPE’S INTENTION FOR OCTOBER for the Synod We pray for the Church, that she may adopt listening and dialogue as a lifestyle at every level, and allow herself to be guided by the Holy Spirit towards the peripheries of the world.
IF YOU GO IN TO HOSPITAL: 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. John O’Neill 01438 314333 at the Lister hospital. The staff on the wards can also contact the Chaplain.
ROSARY GROUP: Come and join us in thechurch hall on Tuesday evenings at 7pm for recital of the Rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
WORLD MISSION SUNDAY is being celebrated in every single Catholic parish around the world today! It supports missionaries who work alongside communities that are poor or in need, regardless of their background or belief. By supporting Missio, the Pope’s charity for world mission, you will help missionaries like Sr Mary who has given her whole life to bring the love and hope of Jesus to situations of extreme poverty and injustice. Please give what you can to this very important collection which will sustain the future of our Church. Envelopes are at the back of the church.
ONE DECADE OF THE ROSARY will be said after each weekday Mass in October.
DON’T FORGET! NEXT WEEKEND THE CLOCKS GO BACK
HEAD COUNT: During October you may have noticed people counting the congregation at Mass. We have to do this every year and this year the average weekend attendance was 270. Before the pandemic the average was 471. Where have all these people gone?
THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER is almost here and the time when we especially remember and pray for the dead. Envelopes and printed lists for names of the departed will be available on the chest at the back of the church from this weekend. Do please fill out the lists with the names of people you want to pray for, and, if you wish, you may put a donation in the envelope. The envelopes can be posted through the presbytery letter box or given to me directly. It is a good thing to remember the dead: let us pray that they may rest in peace after all their labours.
COLLECTION: Many thanks for your contributions: Last Weekend: £537.40
THE LOBSTER POT LUNCH: Friday 17th 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
MASS INTENTIONS
Saturday:
6pm: People of the Parish
Sunday: 29th SUNDAY OF THE YEAR
8.30am: Corinne (Ints)
10.30am: Tony Queally (Anni)
NO EVENING MASS
Monday
10.00am: JJ Connelly (RIP)
Tuesday
12.15pm:
Wednesday
11.30am: Funeral Mass Elizabeth Hope
Thursday: CHURCH CLOSED
Friday
12.15pm:
Saturday
6.00pm: John Quinn (RIP)
Confessions:
Saturday: 5.15pm -5.45pm
RECENTLY DEPARTED
Elizabeth Hope, Steven Davies, Sara Wilson, James Barber