24th Sunday Of Year C
Today all three readings are about mercy. Mercy us the gift that God has given us to recover what was lost, and so mercy enables us to escape the past and find a new future. Mercy is not like a medicine, which we may take for a while and then, being healed, are able to dispense with. It is more like the air that we breathe. We breathe it in and we breathe it out. Mercy is the atmosphere of heaven. These final three months of the Year of Mercy provide an opportunity for us to reflect on God’s great mercy for us, encouraging us to have mercy on others.
Your Clergy
This week we say farewell to Fr David Burke and thank him for the great pastoral care he has given. We wish him well in his new appointment at St Francis de Sales in Tottenham. We look forward to seeing him again on Friday 28th October, when he will celebrate the 7.30pm Mercy Mass which will be followed by a get-together in the Parish Centre.
We welcome Rev Carlos Quito to the parish. He is a deacon who will be ordained to the priesthood next summer. He will be able to work full-time in the parish, having completed his studies.
What Can a Deacon Do?
A deacon is one who has a specific role in service, just as the first deacons had a role assisting the apostles in the early church. Liturgically although a deacon cannot celebrate Mass, he has the role of proclaiming the Gospel and assisting with the distribution of Holy Communion. He can celebrate Baptisms, Weddings, and Funerals (without Mass) but he cannot administer the Sacrament of the Sick. The deacon can bless people and objects but would not be able to sign Mass Cards.
Arrangements for Mondays
Mass on Mondays will be at 7.30am. Any Mass intentions originally booked for the 9am Mass on Mondays have been transferred to 7.30am. Deacon Carlos will lead a Communion Service on Mondays at 9am. This will include the Liturgy of the Word (the readings of the day) followed by Holy Communion, under one kind. The service will be preceded by Morning Prayer at 8.40am.
Education Sunday
Today is Education Sunday and there will be a second collection for the Catholic Education Service.
Wednesday mass in Infants School
The Wednesday morning Mass will be in the Annunciation Infants School next door at 9.15am
Lately Dead
Please pray for the repose of the souls of the following who have died in the last few weeks:
Patricia Jones of Mostyn Rd, Celine Gannon of Deborah Lodge, Martin Young of Montrose Ave, Mervyn Barsenbach of Montrose Ave, Liam McEwen of Hemel Hempstead and Christine Calrow of Banstock Rd.
First Communion 2017
Today (Sunday) is the final date for submitting application forms for the 2016/2017 First Communion Programme. This is open to children who are starting in Year 3 or above this term. Yellow application forms are available in the porch.
There will be an introductory meeting for the parents who have applied for their child on Tuesday 27th September at 7.45pm in the Parish Centre. There will then be 7 sessions for parents and 7 sessions for children during the course of the programme, starting on Tuesday 4th October for parents (7.45m) and Sunday 9th October (9.15am) for children.
Burnt Oak Parade & Festival
This takes place on Saturday. You are invited to join the parade with others from the Annunciation which starts from the grounds of Edgware Hospital at 11am. The parade will make its way along Burnt Oak Broadway, finishing in Silkstream Park where there will be Stage Entertainment, Youth Sports, Food & Drinks and stalls. We will have a Parish stall for which we invite you to make cakes. We will also be selling religious items on the stall. We need volunteers for the stall at which we will also have Parish publicity leaflets. If you would like to help, please speak to Fr Colin. This event has been organised by Altogether Better Burnt Oak with the intention of promoting a lively involved community.
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee meet on Thursday 22nd September at 7.30pm in the Dominic Room.
Baptism Preparation
There will be a preparation session for parents who wish to have their baby baptised next Sunday 18th September at 4pm in the Dominic Room in the Parish Centre.
RCIA Sessions
Sessions for those adults who are considering baptism, reception into the church or confirmation start on Tuesday 11th October at 8pm, upstairs in the Parish Centre. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a process whereby adults journey in the faith toward receiving the Sacraments and become full members of the Catholic Church. Please let those interested know about this, or you may like to introduce them to Fr Colin.
Meeting for Catechists
There will be a meeting for the First Holy Communion catechists on Tuesday 20th September at 7.45pm in the Parish Centre.
Tuesday Novena &
Wednesday Holy Hour
The Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help resumes this Tuesday at 7pm. Wednesday Holy Hour resumes on 21st September at 9.30am.
Home Mission Day
Next Sunday there will be a second collection for Home Missions.
Canonisation of Mother Teresa
There will be a Mass of Thanksgiving for the canonisation of Mother Teresa at 5.30pm in Westminster Cathedral on Friday 16th September, celebrated by Cardinal Vincent.
Hail Holy Queen
Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy:
Hail, our life, our sweetness and our hope;
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;
To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears.
Turn then most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us;
And after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary
Secondary School Transfer
As the open evenings for Secondary School Transfer are taking place about this time, Fr Colin will be available to sign school forms in the Parish Centre at the following times: Wednesday 21st September 4-5pm
Tuesday 27th September 4-5pm
Saturday 8th October 12-1pm
Wednesday 19th October 4-5pm
Please note that Fr Colin can sign only for those who attend Mass every Sunday.
Jubilee of Mercy—Pilgrimage to St Albans- Saturday 8th October
2.30pm Renactment of the life of St Alban in Verulamium Park &
Procession to St Albans Cathedral.
More details on the poster at the back of the church.
WATCH THIS SPACE—J.D.S
Mrs Smith decided she needed a good watchdog. Having seen an advertisement for a thorough-bred police dog at a very reasonable price, she sent off a cheque and asked for the dog to be delivered. A few days later the dog arrived - the shaggiest mongrel she had ever seen. Furious, she telephoned the advertiser “How on earth can you call that old mongrel a thorough-bred police dog?” “But he is, Madam”, came the reply. “Don’t be deceived by his looks, he’s in the Secret Service.”