26th Sunday Of Year C
Today’s Gospel passage provides a stark call for all of us to be alert to the needs of the poor. The image of the rich man feeding and dressing lavishly while the poor man is lying at his entrance is meant to jolt us into action. There is a great gulf between heaven and hell. Once there, there is no going back. The rich man’s plea to let his brothers know this fell on deaf ears. The passage ends by intimating that if they do not listen to the prophets, they would not even be convinced if somebody should rise from the dead. The resurrection should be our main reference point for the good deeds we need to do.
Walsingham
Today we have a second collection to support the National Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham, yesterday being the Feast of Our Lady of Walsingham. The collection will help in the developments of England’s National Shrine to Our Lady. The Bishops are looking to upgrade existing buildings and build new facilities, to help serve the increasing numbers of pilgrims, who continue to walk in the Walsingham Way, since the shrine was established in 1061. Their aims are to update the facilities, and to make provision for sick and disabled pilgrims and to have facilities for young people to come on pilgrimage. Full details are given on their website www.walsingham.org.uk.
Evangelisation Team
The Evangelisation Team meet on Thursday at 7.30pm in the Dominic Room. This group of parishioners has been meeting since the beginning of this year to plan ways in which we could spread the faith in Burnt Oak and encourage people to a deeper faith and bring back those who have lapsed. Amongst the projects we have undertaken are the International Mass we had on the Feast of the Annunciation, holding House Masses and having a display board on the corner of Gervase Road, soon to be erected. Having Open Doors on Election Days advertising ourselves at the Burnt Oak Parade & Festival are other ways we have made ourselves better known. Anyone is welcome to join us on Tuesday evening as we plan the next stage and consolidate on what we are already doing.
Mass Count
Starting next weekend and for the following three weekends in October, we will be counting heads at Masses. Many thanks to those who help us in this.
Presentation to Fr David
If you would like to make a donation towards a presentation to Fr David, now at Tottenham parish, you will find gift envelopes in a basket at the back of the church. These should be returned by 23rd October. We will be making a presentation to Fr David at a reception following the Mercy Mass on Friday 28th October at 7.30pm.
Second Collections
Thank you to all those who supported the Home Missions collection last Sunday, £190.90 was raised.
First Communion Programme
We cannot accept any more applications for the First Holy Communion programme. The applications closed on 11th September. There will be a meeting for the parents of those who have applied on Tuesday at 7.45pm in the Parish Centre, an introductory session.
There will be another session for parents on the following Tuesday, 4th October, at 7.45pm. The first session for children will be on Sunday 9th October at 9.15am.
Lately Dead
Please pray for the repose of the soul of SALVATORE PAOLI, father of Maria Binelli, whose funeral Mass will be on Monday at 1.30pm. The Mass will be celebrated by Fr Derek McGuire, once with us and now
Parish Priest of Hounslow.
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.
New Altar Servers
Children who have already received their First Holy Communion are invited to become altar servers. There will be an introductory session in the church on Saturday 15th October at 11am.
Secondary School Transfer
Fr Colin will be available to sign school forms for those who attend Mass each Sunday on Tuesday between 4-5pm in the Parish Centre. Future signing sessions will be:
Saturday 8th October 12-1pm: Wednesday 19th October 4-5pm
Readers Rota
Can all those that do not receive their rota by email pick their new one at the back of the church today. Thank you.
Cheeky Chums
The mother and toddler group is now back every Wednesday at 9.30am. Enjoy a cup of tea/coffee and chat while your child is playing. The weekly subs is £2.
Catholic Singles
Catholic Singles is an organisation which helps single adult Catholics of all ages meet, either one to one or through social events. Please tel. 0161 941 3498, visit the website www.catholicsingles.org.uk or email info@catholicsingles.org.uk
Mercy Mass
This month’s Mercy Mass takes place on Friday at 7.30pm. At this Mass, we will consider how the theme of Mercy is included in every Mass we celebrate. The remaining Mercy Masses will be on Friday 28th October and Friday 25th November.
WATCH THIS SPACE—J.D.S
We often wonder where some of our sayings originate. Did you know there was a pub in Marble Arch in London, which used to have a gallows adjacent to it. Catholics know the gallows as Tyburn. It is said that there were about fifty thousand executions there over the centuries. A plaque at the junction of Marble Arch and Edgware Road commemorates this place of execution. Prisoners were taken to the gallows (after a fair trial of course) to be hanged. The horse-drawn dray, carrying the prisoner, was accompanied by an armed guard, who would stop the dray outside the pub and ask the prisoner if he would like ‘one last drink’. If he said “Yes”, it was referred to as ONE FOR THE ROAD. If he declined, the prisoner was “ON THE WAGON.”