Palm Sunday 14th April
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. 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 7.30pm, we have a Reconciliation Service to help us make a worthy preparation for the coming festival. Several priests will be available for confession. Mass is at 7.30am.
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 here as usual and the Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help at 7pm.
Holy Wednesday
The 9am Mass will be followed by Holy Hour.
Maundy Thursday
There is no morning Mass but there will be confessions between 10.30 and 11.am. The Mass of the Lord’s Supper is at 8.pm. During the Mass, the oils blessed at the Cathedral will be brought to the altar, members of the Parish Council and new Eucharistic Ministers will be commissioned, the current Eucharistic Ministers will be recommissioned. At the end of 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 where 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 Holy Places to support shrines in the Holy Land.
Holy Saturday
There will be confessions between 10.30 and 11.00am. There is no morning Mass or 6.30pm Mass. The Easter Vigil starts at 8.30pm which will begin outside by Our Lady’s Grotto with the Blessing of Fire and lighting of the Easter Candle. During the Mass, there will be adult baptisms, receptions and Confirmations.
Easter Sunday
Masses on Easter Sunday will include the Renewal of Baptismal Promises and the sprinkling with Easter water.
Lenten Alms
The Cardinal’s Lenten Appeal envelopes are available on the table at the back of the church. If you have not done so already, please take one and put your filled envelope into the Lenten Alms Box by Our Lady’s Altar. This appeal is supporting Marriage and Family Life, Youth Evangelisation and Social Outreach within Civil Society, especially Food Poverty.
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 20th April at 12.30pm in the church
Choir Rehearsal
All choirs are invited to come along to a rehearsal for the Holy Week services on Wednesday at 7.30pm 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 (18th April) from 2.30 to 4.pm and again on Good Friday itself at 10.am. This will all take place in the Canon Smyth Parish Centre.
Altar Servers Rehearsals
Wednesday 17th April 4.30pm
(for Maundy Thursday)
Friday 19th April 12.15pm
(for Good Friday)
Saturday 20th April 11.am
(For Easter Vigil)
Recommissioning of Eucharistic Ministers
Current Eucharistic Ministers are invited to be recommissioned at 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 see Fr Colin for a private recommissioning.
TakeHomeNews
Next week’s newsletter will cover two weeks.
Photos from 90th Anniversary
Did you take any photographs at the parish 90th anniversary celebrations last November? If you have some available please see Fr Colin.
Eucharistic Ministers
Can all Eucharistic Ministers collect their rota from the back of the church.
St Michael's Catholic Grammar School - Pupil Premium Priority for
Year 7 Entry in September 2020
St. Michael's Catholic Grammar School is appealing to parents of Year 5 Catholic girls who may be considering applying to take the entrance tests in September 2019.
St. Michael's is expanding by an extra 32 places. Priority is going to be given to girls who are 'Pupil Premium'. This means girls who are having, or have had, free school meals because of low income or could be eligible to apply for free school meals.
If you think your daughter could be in this category and you would like to find out more about the school and how to apply, the school invites you to attend on Tuesday 14th May 2019 at 7.pm in the school Hall. This is a specific evening targeted at support only for families in this category.
There is an Open Afternoon and Evening for all parents on June 27th at 3.30pm and 7.pm.
Baptism Preparation
There will be a preparation session for parents who wish to have their baby baptised on Sunday 12th May at 4.pm in the Dominic Room.
CAFOD Emergency Cyclone Idai Appeal
Thank you for your donations towards CAFOD Emergency Appeal last weekend. The collection amounted to £655-87.
Votive Candles
The votive candlestands are currently being renovated. When they return at Easter, please put candle money in one of the wall boxes nearby.