PASTORAL LETTER – This weekend we have a Pastoral letter from our Archbishop, Cardinal Vincent. Copies are available at the exits of the church. Today we print the first extract from the Pastoral Letter.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Jesus Christ,
Coming to church today all of us will have made the Sign of the Cross, at least once. We did so at the opening words of the Mass. Many will also have done so on entering the church, using the holy water as a reminder of our baptism. This is our first prayer.
The Sign of the Cross is our hallmark, or, if you prefer, our foundation. It tells us who we are and how we understand our lives. We see our life to be founded and rooted in God, Creator, Father; we walk in the pathway marked out for us by Jesus, the eternal Son of the Father; we have within us the company and power of the Holy Spirit, the eternal love which flows between Father and Son and surges into our lives by God’s gift. This is who we are, not just individually but together, as the community of the Church.
It is not easy to put this fundamental reality into practice. There is a yearning within the human spirit for precisely the mercy, forgiveness, truth and love which flow abundantly from the mystery of God. Our mission, through baptism, is to make visible this saving truth, each day, in every circumstance, fulfilled or failed by what we say and do.
In the last two years, Pope Francis has been calling us to be renewed in this mission. He wants us to rediscover our life in the Church as a communion of life with God and with one another, opened up for us through the Sacraments, those outward signs of inward grace. Furthermore, he wants us to be a sacrament for the whole world, the outward sign that leads people to the inward grace of faith in Jesus Christ, known and lived within the communion of the Church.
CONFESSIONS 16TH SEPTEMBER – from 4:30pm – 5:15pm. No morning confessions.
CHURCH CELEBRATIONS THIS WEEK
Wednesday 20th September St Andrew Kim Tae-gon
Thursday 21st September St Matthew
Saturday 23rd September St Padre Pio
MASS INTENTIONS – Masses for October are fully booked. We can send Masses to Fr Henry in Malawi. Please note that if you asked for an intention on a specific date and a funeral is subsequently arranged on that day, the intention will be moved to the next available date.
| Final Reminder: the Alpha course begins on Tuesday 19th September @ 7 pm. All those registered will have had contact by a member of the team by now, if you haven’t heard, please let the parish know by Monday or complete a registration form and hand it in to Fr Perry this weekend or email : woodgreen@rcdow.org.uk with your contact details. We look forward to welcoming you to the course this week. |
CELIA ANASTASIO RIP – We pray for the repose of the soul of Celia Anastasio who died recently. We remember her family in our prayers. Her Requiem Mass is on Monday 18th September at 9:30am. May she rest in peace.
NORBERT NWAJIAKU RIP – We pray for the repose of the soul of Norbert Nwajiaku who died recently. We remember his family in our prayers. His Requiem Mass is on Friday 22nd September at 6pm.
BERNADETTE PAULINE THAHA – We pray for the repose of the soul of Bernadette Pauline Thaha who died recently. We keep her family in our prayers. Her Requiem Mass is on Tuesday 26th September at 9:30am. May she rest in peace.
SARAH JORDAN RIP – We pray for the repose of the soul of Sarah Jordan who died last week. We keep her family in our prayers. Her Requiem Mass is on Thursday 5th October at 9:30am. May she rest in peace.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION PARENTS – Meeting for those who registered for the classes takes place on Wednesday 20th September at 7:30pm. This meeting is for parents only – the children don’t need to attend.
CONFIRMATION REGISTRATION – is now closed. No more applications.
FHC & CONFIRMATION PARENTS – You were sent an email from Fr Perry on Friday 1st September. If you did not receive that email, please email the parish office woodgreen@rcdow.org.uk giving the name of the child and state FHC or Confirmation. You will then be sent the relevant details.
BAPTISMS – Please ring the Parish Office on 0208 888 2390 to arrange a time to come and meet with Fr Perry.
MASS COUNT – From next weekend, we will have the annual Mass Count of parishioners attending Mass. This will take place for the next four Sundays.
SECONDARY SCHOOL TRANSFERS – Parents who need a Certificate of Catholic Practice signed should come at one of the following times:
Wednesday 4th October: 3:15pm – 4:15pm
Saturday 14th October: 3pm – 4pm
No appointment necessary. Just come to the Parish centre.
VISITATION – Bishop John Sherrington will be visiting our parish the weekend of 7th / 8th October. More details nearer the time.
WELCOME BACK SUNDAY/SVP WEEKEND – Weekend 30th September and 1st October. Refreshments will be served in the Parish Centre after all Masses. It will also be an opportunity for us to welcome Fr Michael who will be coming to live in retirement here at St Paul’s.
THANK YOU FOR THE COLLECTION OF – Sunday 10th September –Total £1131.11 (Loose £849.41; Envelopes £281.70). Contactless £187. Standing Orders – for July amounted to £5447.01; for August amounted to £5352.01
PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND & JORDAN 2024
Departure date: 24th May 2024 Return date: 2nd June 2024
Itinerary & Booking forms available from Fr Perry or the Parish Office. We have 45 pilgrims. Only 5 more places available !! Cost per person £1850 sharing; £2195 single room.
The following flight times have been confirmed
| Fri 24 May 2024 Flight number EZY2581 DEPARTING London Luton (LTN) Fri 24 May 07:15 ARRIVING Tel Aviv (TLV) Fri 24 May 14:20 | Sun 2 Jun 2024 Flight number EZY2584 Tel Aviv (TLV) Sun 2 Jun 20:30 ARRIVING London Luton (LTN) Sun 2 Jun 23:55 |
BUILDING WORKS – Over the summer we have done a number of maintenance jobs around in the church and parish centre.
- All of the parish centre rooms were painted (not the big hall).
- The back of the presbytery redecorated.
- Updated the door entry system to the parish office and the presbytery
- Installed CCTV in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, the main entrance into the church and the small yard by the parish centre.
- Church Tower – Part of this work to repair the Church tower will be covered by the church insurance.
All of the above works are only made possible by your generosity to the weekly collection at Sunday Masses.
POPES INTENTIONS FOR SEPTEMBER – For people living on the margins – We pray for those persons living on the margins of society, in inhumane life conditions; may they not be overlooked by institutions and never considered of lesser importance.
| PARISH DIARY Sunday 17th Sep Refreshments after 10am Mass Monday 18th Sep 7:30pm SVP Meeting Tuesday 19th Sep Refreshments after 9:30am Mass + Church Cleaning Wednesday 20th Sep 7:30pm FHC Parents Meeting 7pm ALPHA Friday 22nd Sep 10am ASCENT Group Sunday 24th Sep Refreshments after 10am Mass | NEXT SUNDAY 24TH SEPTEMBER IS THE 25TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 1st Reading Isaiah 55:6-9; 2nd Reading Philippians 1:20-24,27; Gospel Matthew 20:1-16 |