St. Vincent de Paul Osterley (Online Newsletter) December 2025

DECEMBER 2025: ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ACTIVITIES

  • Christmas Mass: 06:00 & 8:00 pm & Midnight, beginning with a Carol Service at 11:00 pm.
  • Christmas Day: 09:30 and 11:30 am (No evening mass)
  • Advent Saturday Morning Masses will be held at 0:930 am
  • Advent Confession Service on December 20, after mass till 11:00 am.
  • Dr Suni Perera-Merry will offer 5-7 minutes Advent Reflections at 5:50 pm before the Saturday vigil masses during Advent.

CHRISTMAS PRIEST OFFERING – A MESSAGE TO OUR PARISH FAMILY

 we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Saviour, we are reminded of the countless ways our parish priest accompanies us throughout the year—celebrating the sacraments, guiding our families, visiting the sick, supporting the bereaved, preparing our children, and strengthening our community in faith. We are given a special opportunity to support our priests through the Christmas Priest Offering. It is important to remember that the clergy do not receive a traditional salary. Their income comes almost entirely from the Christmas and Easter offerings, stipends for baptisms, weddings, funerals, and Mass intentions. We invite to reflect on what the ministry of our priests has meant to you and your family this past year.

COMPILING OSTERLEY PARISH HISTORY BOOK

We are delighted to share that the whole history of St Vincent de Paul Parish, Osterley—from its beginnings in 1936, through the completion of the new Church in 2005, and up to the present day—is being compiled. As part of this project, we warmly invite parishioners who have worshipped in both the Old and New Church to contribute a short reflection (up to three paragraphs) about your memories, experiences, or personal connection to our parish journey. If you would like to take part, please send your reflection by 31st January 2026 to osterley@rcdow.org.uk. A selection of contributions may be included as an addendum to the Parish History Book. Thank you for helping to honour and celebrate our shared parish story.

SUPPORTING MISSIONARY WORK OF THE PILAR FATHERS

Thanks for supporting the missionary works carried out by the Missionaries of St Francis Xavier in India and Africa in December. Your generosity helps sustain evangelisation among the most underserved communities. You may contribute by using the QR code, through the “St Francis Xavier Missions” tab on the online giving page, or via envelopes marked “St Francis Xavier Missions,” available in the church. Thank you for your continued generosity.

SATURDAY ADORATION, AND CONFESSION AT 5:00 PM -5:45 PM

From 6th December 2025, the Saturday morning Adoration and Confession will now take place from 5:00 pm, followed by Benediction at 5:45 pm and Vigil Mass at 6:00 pm. Saturday Morning Mass will be offered during Advent.

PARISH NEWSLETTER PRINTED MONTHLY

We are planning to publish the parish newsletter monthly. It will save a ton of admin work and paper, as over 80% of the information was being repeated every week in print. We will continue to upload weekly announcements on our WhatsApp Channel and display them on our notice boards, in addition to announcements during our Sunday services. For the Mass Intention section, please refer to the previous notice. Thank you for your suggestions and understanding.

PARISH HALL REFURBISHING DURING CHRISTMAS BREAK

We will close the parish hall for repair works during the Christmas Break. In view of the repair works, there will be no tea and coffee mornings on Sunday Dec 28, 2025 & January 4, 2026. Children’s Liturgy will also be cancelled on these Sundays.

MASS REQUEST & INTENTION | BOOKING & VIEWING APPROVED INTENTIONS

Please visit https://parish.rcdow.org.uk/osterley/mass-times/ to request a mass or view the intentions. Check our QR code for mass booking and Mass intentions for the week displayed on the parish notice boards. If a mass is booked, an email confirmation will be sent after approval, and a reminder will be sent a day before the mass intention is celebrated.

DRAMATISED NATIVITY – CHRISTMAS EVE 6 P.M. VIGIL MASS

We invite all children of the parish to take part in our Dramatised Nativity at the Christmas Eve Vigil Mass at 06:00 p.m. Parents who would like their child to be involved (as an angel, shepherd, reader, etc.) are warmly encouraged to sign up using the QR code or the link on the website. We plan to have two practices: on December 13th and 19th, from 10:30 to 12:00 noon.

CHRISTMAS RAFFLE 2025

Parish Christmas Raffle 2025 draw will be on 23rd December 2025. Fantastic cash prizes of £1,000, £500, and £250 are up for grabs. Tickets are just £2 each, or a book of ten for £20. Your support makes a real difference—give a little, help a lot!

CHRISTMAS & FOOD FAIR SUCCESS! A BIG THANKS

We thank all organisers, volunteers, sponsors and people for displaying a great sense of fellowship in support of the Osterley church, raising money for the Church Building Fund and supporting the activities of SVP Osterley. The total amount raised from the Food Fair (£2,107.60) and the Christmas Fair (£653.55) totals £2,761.15. Thanks for your generosity, support, ideas and feedback. The Christmas Fair continues with the stalls displayed on Sundays in Advent.

OFFICE and Administration

The Parish Office is open on Tuesdays & Thursdays from 10 am-12 Noon, or by appointment.  The Office is Closed on Wednesdays, Weekends & Public Holidays. Email the Office to Schedule an Appointment osterley@rcdow.org.uk

  • SECRETARY: Lucia Faria                                            
  • CCP/MAC/DBS: Antonella Cleaver
  • BOOKKEEPER: Steve McEvoy                                   
  • SAFEGUARDING: Amanda Trigger                          
  • PASTORAL (PPC)    
  • FINANCE (PFC): Mike O’Brien

Celebration of SACRAMENTS

  1. BAPTISM: Baptism celebrations will be held on the following Saturdays at 11:00 am (February 7, April 11, May 23, June 27 & July 25). Kindly submit a Baptism Request Form. Check dates for Pre-Baptism Courses. Details on the parish website.
  2. CONFIRMATION: Osterleyconfirmation@rcdow.org.uk, last date to register Dec. 28, 2025. Confirmation on May 30, 2026
  3. FIRST COMMUNION:  osterleyfhc1@rcdow.org.uk.  FHC Mass on Saturday, May 16, 2026
  4. RECONCILIATION (CONFESSION): Every Saturday from 05:00–5:30 pm or by appointment.
  5. ANOINTING OF THE SICK: Chaplain-on-Call at West Middlesex Hospital on Tuesdays or by appointment
  6. Marriage:  6 months’ notice required. Contact Fr. Feroz Fernandes via the Parish Office email. See website.
  7. HOLY ORDERS: Interested in becoming a priest, contact the office or the diocesan website.

PASTORAL SERVICES and Information

  • SAFEGUARDING REPRESENTATIVE:  Mrs. A. Trigger.  osterleysg@safeguardrcdow.org.uk
  • FUNERALS: Contact Fr Feroz via the parish office to arrange a funeral date and time. Further details on the parish website.
  • WEST MIDDX HOSPITAL RC CHAPLAIN: Tel. 020 8321 5447.
  • MASS ATTENDANCE CARD may be neededif your child is aged 1+. Email: osterleyccp1@rcdow.org.uk
  • CHILDREN’S LITURGY: If you would like to volunteer to conduct the Children’s Liturgy, kindly contact the Office.
  • ALTAR FLOWER ARRANGERS: Interested in flower arranging in the Church? To volunteers, contact the Office.
  • COMMUNITY FOOD BANK SUNDAY: Donate food items for the poor. Food collection every 2nd Sunday of the month.
  • SVP OSTERLEY: For assistance to the housebound and those in need.
  • HALL BOOKINGS: Parish Hall Bookings are taken for Fridays from 6 pm to 11 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 11 pm.
  • SATURDAY: Adoration 5:00-5:45 pm | Confession 5:00–5:30 pm 
  • HEALING MASS: Last Tuesday of the month at 7.30 pm. SPECIAL PRAYERS & BLESSINGS: by appointment
  • MORNING PRAYER: 9.10 am. | Rosary & Divine Mercy Chaplet: Mon/Wed/Thu & Fri after mass.
  • CCP/MAC/DBS COORDINATOR: Mrs Antonella Cleaver (Tue/Thu).  Email: osterleyccp1@rcdow.org.uk
  • PLANNED GIVING COORDINATOR & BOOKKEEPER:  S. McEvoy. osterleybk@rcdow.org.uk  (Tue/Thu 1–6 pm).
  • CHURCH CLEANING VOLUNTEERS gather on Fridays from 10:30 am – noon. You are welcome to join the group.
  • WHATSAPP CHANNEL: We invite WhatsApp users from our parish to follow our WhatsApp channel: Osterley Church.
  • RCIA – If you or your friend would like to become a Catholic, send us an email or talk to our volunteers.

CHURCH SUPPORT & Fundraising

Thanks for your Offerings during November 2025

  • Standing Orders: 4,869.04
  • Contactless: 2,369.00
  • Loose Plate: 2,874.61
  • Envelopes: 1,203.00
  • Total: 11,315.65

Osterley Parish needs £ 20,440* per month * Excluding Loan repayment and quarterly interest payments.

  • Average weekly collection per person for 2024 was £3.99 (compared with similar parishes, £4.50-£5.00).
  • Our parish had an operational deficit of £404 per week in 2024. We are trying our best to reduce the gap or overcome it.

  • PARISH BANK DETAILS: Bank:  HSBC
  • Account Name:  WRCDT Osterley
  • Account No: 41095889
  • Sort Code: 40 05 20. 
  • Please reference: Mass, Donation, etc. / Date           
  • Donate via online link, add your name, email and reference.

“BE AN ANGEL” FOR THE CHURCH FUND

The oldest “Be An Angel” initiative invites you to join with a monthly contribution of £12 for a lucky draw of £300 per month. Collect a brochure to learn more or set up direct debit with our HSBC bank with a reference:  Be An Angel/Your Name – WRCDT St Vincent Building Project Osterley | Account Number 31297511 Sort Code 40-05-20

HOUSE OF GOD!  Handing on the Torch of Faith

We have collected 89,061.50 towards our interim target of 100,000 for the year 2024-25. We paid £90,000 towards the loan since December 2024 in addition to our monthly loan repayment commitment of £3,736. We have to pay £425,147 of the loan taken out in 2004 to build our new Church. Thank you for your generosity and prayerful support in November 2025.

  • Nursery Rent: 3,270.25
  • Parish Hall: 1,660.00
  • Building Fund 2,610.00
  • Be an Angel: 466.00
  • Parish Activities: 3,291.15
  • Loan Repayment (23,736.41)
  • Debit Interest:
  • Loan Status: (425,147.88)

You can directly support the Church Building Fund. Bank: HSBC A/C Name: WRCDT ST VINCENT BUILDING PROJECT OSTERLEY | Account: 31297511   Sort Code: 40 05 20  | Please reference: Your Name/BUILD/ Date