2nd Sunday of Lent 25.02.2024

MASS TIMES AND INTENTIONS

Sun 25th Feb​​

​8.30am​​ ​People of the Parish​​

10am​​​ Antonio and Maria Russo, thanksgiving to St Anthony

12 noon​​​ Julie Bates, RIP

​Mon 26th Feb         ​Lent Feria

10am           ​Hugh and Ronni O’Gara, intentions

Tues 27th Feb           ​Lent Feria​

10am            The Luis Family, intentions

Weds 28th Feb​ NO MASS

Thurs 29th Feb        ​Lent Feria

10am​ Margaret Ryan, intentions

​Fri 1st Mar​         St David, Bishop and Patron of Wales

 10am​ Jim Heenan, RIP​

Sat 2nd Mar​ Third Sunday of Lent

5pm               Lillian Murphy, RIP

Saturday 10 am – 11am; 4.30pm – 5pm: Confessions and Exposition

Your Prayers:

Let us keep in our prayers: King Charles III and all those suffering from Cancer,  Michael O’Boy, Christina Cahill, Eric Nicholas Darwent,  Therese Kemp, Bina, Noel, Jose Luis Pérez, Alice, Karina McKiernan, Jonathan Heller and Izabela Lissowska – all unwell at this time. We also pray for: Marjorie Reid, Luis Goncalves, Sean Duffy, Iride Villa, John O Shea, Raffaella Di Trolio, Mercedes Bahillo and Eileen Sweeney whose anniversaries occur at this time or have died recently. May they Rest in Peace.

Eileen Sweeney, RIP

Eileen Sweeney, a long standing and well-known parishioner of St Mary’s, has sadly died.  Her funeral will be held on Friday 15th March at 10 am here at St Mary’s.  Let us keep her and her family in our prayers.  Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her.  May she rest in peace.  Amen.

Offertory Collections

The offertory collection for the week ending 18th February it was £ 801.95  Many thanks for your generosity.

CAFOD – Second Collection this weekend

There will be second collections at all Masses this weekend - 24th and 25th February 2024 - for CAFOD Family Fast Day. Envelopes are at the back of the church.

Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School Lent Prayer Group:

Every Tuesday morning during Lent, Fr Peter will lead a 20-minute prayer workshop for staff and parents of Our Lady of Lourdes School, and for parishioners of St Mary’s. The prayer group will begin at 8:15am at Our Lady of Lourdes School in Bow Lane. If you want a lift with Fr Peter please be in the parish car park by 8:00am

St Mary’s Lent Course 2024 – beginning this Monday!

Will You Follow Jesus to Calvary?

Filmed on location in the Holy Land, No Greater Love is a biblical pilgrimage that reveals Christ’s amazing love for us. Best-selling author Edward Sri guides you through the last hours of Christ’s life.

You will walk step-by-step with Jesus from the garden of Gethsemane to Mount Calvary. Every step of the way, Old Testament prophecies, messianic expectations, biblical symbolism, and historical context shed light on the mystery of Christ’s suffering and death. Experience a deeper understanding and appreciation of God’s immeasurable and unconditional love for you—grow closer to Jesus than you ever have before.

We will walk with Jesus every Monday evening at 7:30pm during Lent in the Parish Centre. Use the “sign-up sheet” at the back of the church if you would like to attend.

Do you want to walk with Jesus?  

Remember what the Holy Father said during World Youth Day in 2023…..

‘Dear brothers and sisters: to all of you, laity, religious, priests and bishops, to one and all I say, do not be afraid, let down the nets. Do not go about hurling accusations – telling people, “this is a sin” or “this is not a sin”. Let everyone come, we can talk later, but first, they should hear the invitation of Jesus; repentance comes later, closeness to Jesus comes later. Please, do not turn the Church into a customs house: there the righteous, peoples whose lives are in order, those properly married, can enter, while everyone else remains outside. No. That is not the Church. Righteous and sinners, good and bad: everyone, everyone, everyone. And then, may the Lord help us to straighten things out … everyone!’

Keep the above in mind as you…

…….give your answers to the following Synod Questions:

You are part of the Synod of the Church, and Pope Francis wants to hear your answers to four questions:

Q.1: How do we witness as a Parish and proclaim our faith to:

▷those who have never heard of Christ;

▷those who have ceased walking with Christ;

▷those with whom we worship Christ (those who go to church)?

Q.2: How should we organise ourselves as a Parish to do this more effectively?

Q.3: What concrete steps/formation opportunities would help us begin to witness and proclaim our faith more effectively?

Q.4: What structures may need to change? How might we need to develop the way we are organised currently?

You can answer these questions in the parish centre after one of next weekend Masses or submit your replies to the presbytery using a “synod response sheet”. All submissions will be sent to Cardinal Vincent to be sent to Rome. Your answers matter!  

What can I do during Lent ?

Pray: Come to a daily Mass (as well as at the weekend), say the Rosary, join the Eastern Church and repeat 5 or 6 times “Lord Jesus Christ Have Mercy on me a Sinner.” Attend the Tuesday 8:15am prayer workshops at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School.

Fast: For some of us “fasting” is a necessity as we endure the cost of living crises, and for others “fasting” is seen as a health benefit. Pope Francis encourages us to fast from gossip – saying negative or spiteful things about others. When you have the temptation to gossip, just say something positive instead!

Give Alms: Some of us carry “change” in our pockets and purses. At the end of each day or week, why not set aside some of those coins and put them in an envelope, box or jar. During Holy Week bring your donation to St Mary’s and decide which charity you want to give to:

• Mary’s Meals – providing food for children in developing or debt-ridden countries.

• Finchley Foodbank – providing food for those suffering food poverty in our neighbourhood

• Bakhita House – a hostel for women trafficked in London.

• CAFOD – Catholic charity providing Aid and support to countries in crises.

Any donation, little or great is of great value.

St Mary’s Pilgrimage to Assisi:

A meeting for Registered Pilgrims will take place in the small hall on Thursday 14th March at 7:30pm. The pilgrimage is now fully booked.

Return of The Men’s Group!

The “Men’s Group” makes a return in Lent at 9am on Saturday 2nd March. This time, Fr Peter will provide tea, coffee and fruit juices and participants are invited to bring “breakfasts to share”. The theme will be Lent and how it has been practiced down the ages!

Stations of the Cross:

Beginning Friday 23rd of February, Stations of the Cross will be celebrated in the church every Friday after the 10am Mass

Annual Mass of Thanksgiving for the Sacrament of Matrimony

Westminster Cathedral, Saturday 25th May 2024 at 2.30 pm

The Cardinal is 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 2024. If you are celebrating an anniversary, please give to Yvonne, the parish administrator, the following details: husband and wife’s names, wedding date, full postal address, email (or telephone number if no email). Details will be sent to the Diocese by the parish office and invitations will be sent out to the couples from the Diocese, on behalf of the Cardinal. PLEASE FORWARD YOUR DETAILS TO YVONNE – E MAIL: finchleyeast@rcdow.org.uk BY FRIDAY 5TH APRIL 2024.