23rd Sunday of Year B
The response of the crowds when Jesus cured a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech was unbounded admiration. They remarked that Jesus has done all things well. This is still true today. This miracle reminds us of the gifts that we have of speech and hearing, and how we should use these gifts to listen to God’s word and proclaim it ourselves.
Education Sunday
Today is Education Sunday, an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of Catholic Schools and Colleges across our diocese. This year the theme of Education Sunday, is ‘Ephphatha: Be Opened’ taken from today’s Gospel, referred to above. Jesus is telling us to open our ears to the joys of the Good News and open our mouths to praise God. Catholic Schools should be seen as open and welcoming places for all. We thank God for the excellent schools in our parish. The Catholic school is a place where a pupil learns to experience God’s grace and presence in their lives through their relationship with family, friends and teachers.
Those entering Year 6 will be thinking about Secondary Schools and next week I will announce dates and times for signing sessions later this month and in October.
Home Mission Sunday
Next weekend we celebrate Home Mission Sunday, an opportunity to focus on the spread of the Gospel in England and Wales. There will be a second collection to support the work of the Home Mission Office: Last year’s collection enabled them to provide training and support to diocesan evangelisation personnel, to trial events that inspire people to share their faith and to encourage the faithful to pray for evangelisation particularly form Assentation to Pentecost.
Then there was one
Over the last four years, we have been fortunate to have had Fr. Oscar, Fr. David, Deacon (now Fr) Carlos and Deacon Ronnie assisting me in the parish. Before that we had Fr. Henry with us. Now we are back to just me. This will mean that on Mondays, my day off, there will be Mass at 7.30am only, and no Communion Service. On most first Tuesdays of the month, there will be the Novena at 7:00pm without Benediction as I attend the Canons’ Chapter Meeting and Mass. There may be other occasions when I will have to make alterations to the normal weekly schedule.
Letter from Cardinal Vincent
Cardinal Vincent Nichols has sent a letter to the priests of the diocese following Pope Francis’ recent letter to all members of the church, concerning the abuse of children. Copies of Cardinal Vincent’s letter are available at he back of the church for you to take.
St James’ Catholic High School
Open Evening
Prospective parents and students are invited to view the school on Wednesday 19 September 2018 between 5:30—8:00pm (final admission at 7:30pm). There will be a talk by the Head teacher in the Hall at 6:00pm and again at 7:00pm. Parking on-site will be available. Open mornings will also take place by appointment, during the week commencing Monday 8 October between 9:30am and 10:30am. Parents are welcome to come and view the school at work, to meet students and senior staff. Please contact the school on 020 8358 2800 for further details or email:
admin@stjames.barnet.sch.uk
Welcome to Susan
We welcome Susan Whelan, our new Administrator, she will be available in the parish office on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 9:30 and 4:30 and on Wednesday and Fridays between 1: and 4:00. Loretta will continue to work here on a part-time basis.
New Altar Servers
There will be a meeting for new altar servers on Tuesday at 5:00pm in the church.
Baptism Preparation
Parents who wish to have their baby baptised are invited to a preparation session next Sunday at 4:30pm in the Dominic Room.
New Stained – glass Window
You may have noticed a new stained-glass window of St James on the right-hand side as you enter the church, It has been given by the Bourke Family. It will be blessed at the end of the 9:00 Mass on Sunday 23rd September.
Adoremus
Please pray for the success of the Eucharistic Congress which is taking place in Liverpool this weekend, and for our five parish delegates.
Parish Council
The Parish Council meet on Thursday at 7:45pm in the Presbytery.
Lately Dead
Please pray for the repose of the souls of brothers MICHAEL and FRANCIS MCDONAGH whose funerals have already taken place and for JOAN O’SULLIVAN Mother of Carol Minihan, Head teacher of Annunciation Junior School.
Tuesday Novena
The Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help resumes this Tuesday at 7:00pm.
Mass in the Infants School
On Wednesday, Mass will be at 9:15 in the Annunciation Infants School next-door, not at 9:00 am in the church. Everyone is welcome.
Older Children for Baptism
Children aged 7 or over who wish to be baptised are invited to join classes on Saturday mornings at 11:00am in the Dominic Room, starting on 6th October.
90th Anniversary of Parish
On 15 December 1928, the Annunciation was completed and was solemnly blessed by Fr. Goggin, the Area Dean. It was used for the first time the next day.
To commemorate this anniversary, we are having a special Mass on Sunday 25th November at 12;00noon. This will be followed by a reception in the Canon Smyth Parish Centre. We hope to produce a slide show with photographs from the past. If you have any photos yourself and are prepared to lend them to us, please let Fr. Colin know. They can be memories of the distant past or more recent memories. Thank you.
First Communion in 2019
If your child is starting in Year 3 or above in September and would like to receive First Holy Communion next year, please take an application form from the porch and return it to the presbytery by 16th September at the latest. Application forms cannot be accepted after this date.
There will be an introductory Meeting for Parents on Tuesday 25th September at 7:45pm in the Canon Smyth Parish Centre and they will have a further 7 sessions over subsequent months. The first session for the children will be on Sunday 7th October at 9:15am, the first of 7 sessions. The First Communion will take place over three Sundays in May 2019.
RCIA Sessions
Sessions for those adults who are considering baptism, reception, into the church or confirmation start on Tuesday 9th October at 8pm, upstairs in the Canon Smyth Parish Centre. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a process whereby adults journey in the faith towards 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.