Newsletter w/c 18-02-2024

 

Please pray for the souls of all deceased parishioners, family and friends    

  • Mary Philomena Kelly – Requiem at St John’s Tues 20th February at 11.30am
  • Della Flaherty – Requiem at St John’s Monday 4th March at 11am
  • Peter Walsh – Requiem at St John’s Friday 15th March at 11am

May God console their family. May the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace;

+++++++++++++++++++++

Please pray for those whose Anniversaries occur at this time including….

  • 18: Thomas David Butterfield, Family Spreugel, William Gerald Flynn, Bridget Lereille, Eileen Lynch, S. Gilbert, Ada Hilton, Ruth Birch, Michael Alfred Stapley, Doris Olive Joyce
  • 19: Luigi Boffa, Sister M. Veronica Couchman, Doreen Minnie Hodge, Baby Arthur Antonio Jackson, Enid Anita Hedges, Patrick Finbar Crotty, Edward William Webster, Joan Beatrice McGlinn, David Kavanagh, Matilda Turner
  • 20: Thomas Finton Byrne, Patrick Joseph Doyle, Theresa Laws, David William Brooks
  • 21: Nancy Moore, Gwen Miller, James Little, Lionel Anthony Jackson, John Halligan, Francis Arthur Barnacle
  • 22: Nicola Carnovale, Sister M. Francis Elmes, Mary Hills, Frankie Conroy, Henry May
  • 23: James Comgall McBennett, Peter Joseph Hughes, Alan Thomas Ryder
  • 24: Alfred Tiller, Catherine Odd, Louisa Amelia Sullivan, Ellen Mollie Patricia Moore, Marina Ventskene
  • 25: Hilda Veronia Chick, Kathleen Finnerty, Horace Cecil Medhurst, John McGowan, Ivy Louise Savage, Mark James Fraher,

May they rest in peace…

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

World Children’s Day  Pope Francis has announced the first World Children’s Day will be held on 25-26 May. We would like to take a group to Rome. Please take a form available at the back of the Church or talk to Fr Stephen for more information. We will hold a meeting this Tuesday 20th February at 7pm in the Presbytery for parents to discuss plans.

Building a Better Marriage  St John’s Church invites married couples to a special day on Saturday 16th March 10-4pm where couples can privately explore their relationship more deeply and gain valuable insights into the communication and the call of the Church to be married. The one-day course is for married couples (whether married for one year, 60 years or anywhere in between). It seeks to help husbands and wives to make their marriages better and to improve their communication skills. There is no group sharing and private information remains private to each couple. There is no charge but booking is essential. Please return the leaflet, available on the information table to the parish office or one of the Priests. The event will be held at St John’s Primary School, Rochester Road DA12 2SY. Refreshments will be provided but please bring a packed lunch.

Lent We wish to appeal for active and regular participation at the masses, attendance to the Station of the Cross and the sacrament of penance/reconciliation/confession during this special season of grace. Above all, let us pray for one      another,  the Church and the world. Please collect a Lenten leaflet with all the dates.

What are you giving up for Lent? We are collecting good quality clothes/shoes/unwanted gift to give to various charities. Please hand into the Presbytery or the back of the Church (no jumble please)

Rite of Election Please keep in your prayers those candidates that went to the Cathedral this weekend in preparation for their reception into the Church at Easter.

School Forms We will be available to sign school forms on Thursday between 11-1pm in the Presbytery. Please note that the day and times may change each week.

Last weeks collections  £1,064.59 This week: There will be a second collection for the Clergy Support Fund.

Next week: there will be a second collection for Cafod. Thank you for your continued generosity and also to those people who pay by standing order and contactless. 

Cry For Help! Our children have been unfortunately neglected for weeks now. No Children’s Liturgy! Please, can you help? Volunteer to join the Children’s Liturgy Group (we can build a rota so that maybe you only need to commit to once a month.)

Children’s Choir Already our youths help with the liturgy on the last weekend of the month (10.30am). We are inviting   children/young people to join the children’s choir at that Mass. Practice will be; 24th February @1pm

Foodbank Thank you for your generous donations – 207.9kg was delivered to the foodbank for those in need.

Baptism  We welcome into our parish family Osezemen Ibhariale, Oluwatobiloba Adegun, Joshua Adegun and Hudson Welch who were baptized this weekend. Application forms for Baptism are available from the back of the Church or the    parish office. Families need to attend a talk before the baptism. Please phone/email the office if you wish to attend (Next session is Monday 11th March).

Wedding  Our prayers and congratulations to Marcia Rubina Caires Vieira and Adolfo De Sousa Francisco on their wedding this week at St John’s. Please  see the Parish Priest if you would like to get married at St John’s.

RCIA You are welcome to the Catholic Church. Are you searching or want to review your faith or may be interested in joining the Catholic community, or wish to be Confirmed. Come to the Presbytery on Wednesday @ 7.30pm. God Bless.

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: Christ is really present in the Blessed Sacrament; come and talk heart to heart with Him, either on Wed (12.30pm-6pm) or Sat after 10am Mass until 12.30pm. During Lent there will be a clipboard at the back of the Church to sign so that the Church will always have some people available. There will be 24hours continuous Adoration on 1st March after 9.15am Mass until 10am Saturday. If you are able, please sign the clipboard at the back of the Church so that we can be sure that there will always be someone with Our Lord.

Booking Mass IntentionsEnvelopes for Masses are available at the back of the Church, write the intention and put the stipend (£10 is recommended) in the envelope. Please do not use the Dona Machine for Mass stipends.

Car Park  May we remind everyone that the Church car park may only be used while you attend Mass or visit the Presbytery.

Divine Mercy Chaplet The Divine Mercy Chaplet will be online at 3pm Monday – Friday. Click here for how to join the online meetings as well as the prayers if you wish to say the Chaplet privately.

Come and Rest in Me  is a contemplative group that meets around the Word of God on Wednesdays 8-9pm. Click here for the zoom link.

Mustard Seed  Bible study every day @ 8.30pm; Lectio Divina on Fridays @ 7.30pm. Please click here for how to join

LENT: Stations of the Cross Friday evening at 6.30pm (Confessions 5.30-6.15pm) & Wednesday  @10am

Sick/housebound Please contact the parish office and let us know of neighbours/family members who are unable to come to Church and would like to receive Communion or call 07405803862. We remember in our prayers those who are sick, housebound or in     hospital & those who care for them and their families. Please, when on admission in the hospital or care home, volunteer the information of your faith as you won’t be asked ordinarily.