Thank you for your offerings over the summer period listed below with Mass attendances.

-          26th July £1253.24 – 546;

-          2nd August £1214.69 – 587

-          9th August £1305.96 – 541

-          16th August £1096.65; Zambuko House £843.82 – 592

-          23rd August £1443.14 – 565; and

-          30th August £1271.37 – 592.

 

Sunday

6/9/15

Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

6pm Saturday  People of the Parish

 

9.15am Bridget & Paul Wiggins

 

11.00am Mary Casartelli

 

Monday

7/9/15

 

Feria

 

9.30am Kate Hayes RIP (Angela Hawkins)

 

Tuesday

8/9/15

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

 

9.30am  Sheila Simon RIP (Simon Family)

 

Wednesday

9/9/15

Feria.  St.  Peter Claver

 

9.30am  In Loving Memory of Moira & Trevor Lyons (Gaynor Whitley)

 

Thursday

10/9/15

Feria

 

10.00am  Requiem Mass for Gerard Roy Chittilappily

(please note change of time)

 

Friday

11/9/15

Feria

 

9.30am For the careers & good health of the whole family (Mr & Mrs Chirochangu)

 

Saturday

12/9/15

Vigil Mass

 

6.00pm  Anthony Olivelle RIP (M Olivelle)

 

Sunday

13/9/15

Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

9.15am People of the Parish

 

11.00am  Jean Rawling RIP (Foundation)

 

Confessions heard Saturday 5.00pm-5.45pm or by appointment.

 

A warm welcome is extended to all our Parishioners, new members of our Parish and any visitors who are here with us this weekend.

Fr David writes......

It is virtually every day that we hear in the news about illegal migrants or refugees either trying to cross the Mediterranean or endeavouring to cross the English Channel through the tunnel from Calais.  Different political parties have their own narratives about the situation.  Some through their rhetoric are good in triggering our deepest fears.  Through their insights, we do formulate our own narrative.  First of all, we need to acknowledge that we are humans and as humans we do have, like it or not our own prejudices.  We are frightened to see our country changing – we are frightened of being inundated by foreigners who might be attracted by the welfare benefits that we are so much admired for.  So we come to the conclusion that we need to protect ourselves from “these people” at any cost.  Being bombarded by what the media is telling us, we might out rightly become immune to the plight of these people who because we, the western world, has destabilised politically their own countries, now they are in political chaos.  They are literally living in hell in a country governed by terrorist groups and rebels.  They know that if they remain in their own country they would experience persecution and torture for their beliefs.  The majority, we have been told this week of these refugees are coming from Syria and war torn countries.  The Middle East at the moment is in total crisis.  Ideally, these people do not want to leave their homes, families, cultures and countries.  It is not greed for a more wealthy life that is making them risk literally their lives by crossing the Mediterranean.  We know of thousands who have drowned in the crossing – men women and children, after paying so much money to people who promised them a safe crossing.  We are seeing and witnessing a generation of people in despair.  Our own brothers and sisters are in despair.  To protect ourselves from feeling this reality we cease to see their faces and get to name and they become just numbers.  It is easier for us to see them as such.  We feel less uncomfortable with numbers.  They are trying to come over because they feel that Europe has some kind of hope for them.  It is their instinct for survival that is making them go to such extreme measures in order to find an adopted home.  All three readings and the psalm today expresses the same idea: That God protects and cares for the outcasts, the helpless in society.  This is a basic premise of Christianity and has been since Jesus walked the earth.  Jesus showed us that care in his healings of the blind, the plagued, the lepers, and the deaf which we read about today.  Particularly in his time, the sicknesses we just referred to were seen as punishments by God for sin, so the people who suffered from them multiplied their woes by being outcasts as well.  I do not talk usually politically but today I felt that we need to risk and start developing a narrative informed not by political agendas but by the Gospels.  We need a change of heart from maybe judging our desperate brothers and sisters as being parasites and monsters and start maybe putting ourselves in their situation – what would we do if we were living in hell? Would we too do our utmost to try and create a more humane future for ourselves and our children? Maybe we cannot do it as we have never been in such a desperate situation ourselves.  As Christians we believe that God is on their side – in the first reading today Isaiah writes “Say to all faint hearts, Courage! Do not be afraid.  Look your God is coming, vengeance is coming, the retribution of God; he is coming to save you…” I am not naοve – I know that the situation is complex and governments need to see the welfare of their own countries before making drastic decisions.  But maybe the rhetoric needs to change – especially as a Christian country – stop seeing our brothers and sisters in their plight as a burden and start seeing this present situation as an opportunity to be more Christ like in our options and choices and decisions.  If we can afford it, let us share and give shelter and help to the “new Outcasts”.  Do we truly believe that by being generous to the least of our brothers and sisters, God will be generous to us in his blessings?  Let us pray for a more humane solution to this complex narrative that we are seeing unfolding under our eyes.

Reminders - Church Cleaning!

Saturday 12th September – Guides

Saturday 19th September – Year 4 Parents

Second Collections

There will be a second collection next weekend for the Maintenance Fund.

Morning Prayers

Takes place Monday – Friday at 9.10am.  All are welcome to attend.

Deanery Youth Mass

At St Joseph’s Church on Saturday 12th September 2015 at 6pm- call to young people. 

 

As part of the Catholic Youth Ministry Project, St Joseph’s parish will be hosting a Youth Mass on Saturday 12th September and would like to invite all young people from across Bromley Deanery aged 10 - 18 years to participate.  There will be workshops running from 2.45-5.30 pm which will involve a variety of activities including art, music and drama.  If you would like to take part in the Mass as a Welcomer, Singer,  Musician , Reader, Artist, Prayer Writer, Collector, Offertory processor, Altar Server, or in any other way, please email susan.longhurst@bromleydeanery.org by September 5th 2015.

Annual Day of Renewal

All parishioners are invited to attend the sixth annual Day of Renewal on 26th September 2015 at St George’s Cathedral, praying for the needs of the Diocese and organised by the Diocesan Service Team for charismatic renewal.  If you would like to attend please contact Stefanie Donovan on 01892 542245 or email stefaniedawn61@gmail.com.  More details on poster in porch.

Leave the Car at Home Weekend

For one weekend in September 2013 a large number of parishioners left their cars at home when coming to Mass.  This was in support of the LiveSimply project, showing our commitment to the principle of Sustainability.  The J&P Group is asking the parish to repeat that initiative on the weekend of 26-27th September.  Please note that this request is for those fit enough to travel by foot, cycle, bus, scooter, push chair, etc!  There will be stickers for children.  Help to renew our promise to live simply.

Firm Believers

While St James' Hall is being refurbished, our inter-church fun-fitness class is meeting at Southborough Lane Baptist Church (opposite St James’), every Tuesday during term-time, 7.00pm – 7.45 pm, starting on September 8th.  It is a friendly group for all abilities.  Just turn up in comfortable clothing and trainers, bring a towel or mat to lie on and give it a try.  £5.  Please pick up a flyer from the porch for further information.  All welcome.

Annual Day of Recollection for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and Readers

This will take place on Saturday 14th November at Bishop Thomas Grant School, Belltrees Grove, SW16 2HY, registration at 10.30am.  The day will be led by Fr Ashley Beck, from St Edmund of Canterbury, Beckenham.  Bishop Patrick Lynch will end the day with Mass at 3.00pm.  All Ministers of Holy Communion and Readers are encouraged to attend.  Please email or call the parish office so that we can reply with the names of those that are attending.

Confirmation in 2016

 

If you would like to apply to take part in our parish programme for Confirmation, please cut out this box and complete the information requested  below.  Please then return the full slip to the Parish Office (281A Crescent Drive) by Sunday 13th September. 

Please note the following:

 

- Candidates must be in Year 9 or above.

 

- There will be a weekend retreat and dates will be advised in due course.

 

- All sessions will be on Sunday evenings.

 

- You must attend Mass every week so that you will be confirmed in a faith that you have already been committed to in your life. 

 

 

We are interested in taking part in the Confirmation Preparation Course. 

 

(Please print.)

 

Parents Names……………………………………

 

Home Address………………………………….

 

…………………………………………….

 

Phone number……………………………………

 

Email address……………………………………

 

Young person’s

name………………………………………

 

Date of Birth……………………………………….