Palm Sunday
Today we start the most solemn week of the year, Holy Week. It starts in a triumphant way as we recall Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem with the crowds welcoming him with palms. Weather permitting, for morning Masses, please gather in the Parish Centre for the blessing of palms. We will then process to the church for Mass, waving our palms. Please do not park any cars to obstruct the procession. During the recitation of the Passion, please take the part of the crowd, marked’C’ in the booklet.
Holy Monday
On Monday evening at 7.30, we have a Reconciliation Service to help us make a worthy preparation for the coming festival. Several priests will be available for confession.
Holy Tuesday
The Chrism Mass takes place in Westminster Cathedral at 12 noon, during which the oils are blessed and the priests renew their priestly commitment. There will be 9am Mass at the Annunciation as usual and the Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help at 7pm.
Holy Wednesday
The 9am Mass will be followed by Holy Hour and Benediction at 10.20am.
Maundy Thursday
There is no morning Mass but there will be confessions between 10.30 and 11am. The Mass of the Lord’s Supper is at 8pm. During the Mass, the oils blessed at the Cathedral will be brought to the altar. Those who have been chosen for the washing of the feet are asked to come forward at the end of the homily. This is followed by the commissioning and re-commissioning of the Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist who are asked to come to the altar steps. At the end of the Mass, the Blessed Sacrament will be taken in solemn procession to the Altar of Repose, where there will be watching until 10.30pm.
Good Friday
This is a day of Fasting and Abstinence as we recall Christ’s Passion and Death. At 9.30am, we have the Annual Walk of Witness, starting from outside the Annunciation Church. We will walk in silence to Appletree Court in Burnt Oak Broadway whose there will be a short service. At 11.30am, there will be the Children’s Stations of the Cross in the Parish Centre. The Solemn Liturgy of the Passion will be in the church at 3pm. As on Palm Sunday, during the recitation of the Passion, please take the part of the crowd, marked ‘C’ in the booklets. There will be a retiring collection for the Holy Places to support the shrines in the Holy Land. At 7.30pm, there will be a Mercy Service around the Cross.
Holy Saturday
There will be confessions between 10.30 and 11am. There is no morning Mass or 6.30pm Mass. The Easter Vigil starts at 7.30pm, which will begin outside by Our Lady’s Shrine with the Blessing of the Fire and Lighting of the Easter Candle. During the Mass, there will be Baptisms, a Reception and Confirmations.
Easter Sunday
Masses on Easter Sunday will include the Renewal of Baptismal Promises and the sprinkling with Easter water.
Recommissioning of Eucharistic Ministers
Ministers of the Eucharist are invited to be recommissioned for a further year during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Maundy Thursday at 8pm. Copies of the promise can be collected from the sacristy today. If you are unable to be present, please arrange an alternative time with one of the priests.
Caritas
Caritas envelopes can be returned in the Lenten Alms Box by Our Lady’s Altar.
Blessing of Food
For those who follow the custom of having Easter food blessed, we invite you to bring along the food for blessing on Holy Saturday 26th March at 12.30 in the church.
Children’s Stations of the Cross
Children are invited to take part in the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday at 11.30am, either acting or reading. There will be a rehearsal on Maundy Thursday (24th March) from 2.30 to 4pm, and again on Good Friday itself at 10am. This will all take place in the Parish Centre.
Clocks Going Forward
Clocks should be put forward one hour on Holy Saturday night.
Thank You
CAFOD would like to thank all those parishioners who contributed, £726.01 was raised by the parish, which will be matched by the government.
Altar Servers Rehearsals
Wednesday 23rd March 4.30pm
(For Maundy Thursday)
Friday 25th March 12.15pm
(For Good Friday)
Saturday 26th March 11am
(For Easter Vigil)
Feast of the Annunciation
Our Parish Feast Day will be on Monday 4th April, when Masses will be at 9am and 7.30pm. At the evening Mass, we invite people to come in their national costume and for children to carry a flag of their country in the opening procession. After the Mass, there will be a get-together in the Parish Centre to which we invite you to bring along an international dish, and we will provide the drink. This is an occasion when we hope you will be able to bring along someone with you, particularly one who has not been to church for some time.
New Offertory Envelopes
If you have not done so already, please take your box of offertory envelopes available on the table at the back of the church but do not start using them until 10th April. If you are able to Gift Aid your contribution, please complete a Gift Aid Form also available on the table.
Thank You
From Delete Blood Cancer
We would like to say a huge thank you to all of the people who were involved in the event. We were able to recruit 93 donors, who will now be added to the UK stem cell registry. We have also been able to raise £586.80, which helps us towards our mission.
Thank you once again.
Donor Recruitment Manager.
WATCH THIS SPACE-J.D.S
A group of priests and their Cardinal were attending a retreat at a private countryside resort owned by a prominent Catholic business man. They were wandering around the grounds together in a group when they came across an old bridge that crossed a quiet pond. Unfortunately they didn’t notice the small sign declaring the bridge to be unsafe. As they began to cross it, a security guard drove up “Hey” he shouted “Get off that bridge” “It’s all right” said the Cardinal “we are at this resort with permission. We’re Catholics” “That maybe, but if you don’t get off that bridge you’ll all be Baptists!”