7th Sunday of year C
Of all the instructions that Jesus gave his disciples, one of the most difficult is what Jesus teaches in today’s Gospel—to love our enemies. This involves doing good to those who hate us, blessing those who curse us and not asking for our property back from the robber. Why? It is because God had compassion on us when we do wrong to him., As the psalm response for today goes — The Lord is compassion and love. We are to treat each person, friend or foe, as if they were Christ himself: because each of us has been made in God’s image.
Lent
Lent starts on Wednesday week so we need to start planning our Lenten activities. Here are a few suggestions:
Attending a daily Mass gives us an excellent way to come closer to Christ. Mass is at 9.am here on Tuesdays to Fridays and on Mondays at 7.30am, enabling you to be on the tube by 8am if you are going to work.
Making the Stations of the Cross brings us a closer reminder of what Jesus endured to bring us the forgiveness of our sins. The church is open all day to make the stations individually. We make the stations together on Friday evenings at 7.pm. On 8th March, they take place here at the Annunciation, on 15th March they will be at St Alphage in Montrose Avenue and then alternate between the two churches in subsequent weeks.
The prayer and discussion booklet for this lent is entitled ‘Rejoice and Be Glad’. Its intention is to discover a profound and personal sense of being loved and of being called to love, inspiring a deep desire to make Christ know and to be his joyful missionary disciples in a church which looks only outwards and upwards. Copies are available in the porch, price £2.00.
Also available in the porch are copies of ‘Walk With Me’. Giving a short meditation for each day of Lent, price £1.00. For children, there are calendars giving something to do each day of Lent.
There will be a Lenten Alms Box by Our Lady’s altar. At the time of writing, it has not been announced to which charity the donations will be sent.
On Friday 5th April, we will have a Day with the Lord when there will be Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament between 9.30am and 6.30pm.
90th Anniversary Booklet
The 90th anniversary booklet is now available in the Repository. Donations are welcome and money will be used to purchase two new chalices for the parish. We are very grateful to Alice O’Neill who compiled the booklet, to all those who contributed in any way and to Putnam’s for arranging the printing.
Baptism Preparation
The next session for parents who wish to have their baby baptised will be on Sunday 24th March at 4pm in the Dominic Room.
Shared Lunch and Parish A.G.M.
Next Sunday we will have a shared lunch in the Canon Smyth Parish Centre at 1.15pm. You are invited to bring along a dish of food and we will provide the drink. This occasion is an opportunity to have a little parish celebration before Lent starts the following Wednesday.
The lunch will be followed at 2pm by the Parish Annual General Meeting. We will review what has happened during the past year, plan ahead for this year and elect a New Parish Council. Nominations for the Parish Council should be handed to Fr. Colin today.
First Communion Programme
There will be a meeting for 1st Communion parents on Tuesday at 7.45pm in the Canon Smyth Parish Centre. The children have a session next Sunday at 9.15am.
Confirmation Programme
There will be a session for Confirmation candidates on Wednesday at 7pm. Their retreat will be next Saturday in the Canon Smyth Parish Centre.
Lately Dead
Please pray for CATHERINE BEARD whose burial takes place on Thursday and BABY NELLY BELL-JENKINS whose burial takes place on Friday 8th March. Also please pray for JOAN DUNNE who has died recently.
Rite of Signing
During the 12 Noon Mass next Sunday, our RCIA catechumens and candidates will take part in the Rite of signing. The following Saturday (9th March) they will go to Westminster Cathedral for the Rite of Election. Please pray for them as they take their final step before receiving the Sacraments at the Easter Vigil.
The Passage
Please support a St David’s Day concert in aid of The Passage at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster on Friday 1 March 2019 at 7.30. Full details to book are on the website www.passage.org.uk or telephone 020 75921856 or email
info@passage.org.uk.
Fully escorted Pilgrimage to Knock Shrine, Ireland
06th May 2019. £649.00 per person sharing. Price includes flight with 10kg hand luggage, all taxes, luxury transfers, 4 nights’ in Knock House Hotel with full Irish Breakfast each morning and 4 Course Dinner each evening. All entertainment, excursions and guided tours included. Wheelchair accessible rooms in the hotel. Limited single rooms at supplement of £100. Groups and Individual bookings welcome. Contact Patricia on 01268 762 278 or 07740 175557 or email knockpilgrimages@gmail.com.
Knock Pilgrimages is a member of the Travel Trust Association and is fully protected by ATOL T7613.
Cardinal’s Mass of Thanksgiving for the Sacrament of Matrimony, Westminster Cathedral, Saturday 8 June 2019 at 3pm
The Cardinal will be inviting to this Mass all couples in the Diocese who are celebrating their 5th, 10th, 25th, 30th, 40th, 50th and 60th (and every year over 60) wedding anniversary of Catholic marriage in 2019. If you are celebrating an anniversary, please give your parish clergy the following details: husband and wife’s names, wedding date, full postal address and email (or telephone number, if no email).
National Novena to St Joseph – 10th-18th March
The National Novena to St Joseph takes place from 10th – 18th March at St Joseph’s Church Maidenhead and at Herbert House, Freshfield, Liverpool.
Each year the Mill Hill Missionaries prepare for the Feast of St Joseph, their patron, with a special novena of Masses and prayers to ask for God’s blessing on their Society and the missionary outreach of the church, as well as for all those who support their work. You are invited to send in your petitions and /or request a novena booklet to enable you to join in from home by praying the daily novena prayer. Please write to Fr. Brian Oswald MHM, St Joseph’s Missionary Society, 58 Cookham Road, Maidenhead SL6 7HT, or Email: novenamhm@gmail.com.