Second Sunday of Lent 16.03.2025

MASS TIMES AND INTENTIONS

Sun 16th Mar​​

8.30am​ Kitty Heenan, RIP

​10am​​​ People of the Parish

​12noon​​​ Lillian Murphy, 2nd anniversary

Mon 17th Mar     St Patrick, Bishop, Patron of Ireland

10am           ​Eileen and David Scott, RIP

Tues 18th Mar​ Lent Feria

10am​ Julie Adams, intentions

​Weds 19th Mar​​ NO MASS

Thurs 20th Mar​ Lent Feria

10am​ Kitty Heenan, RIP​

Fri 21st Mar​ Lent Feria

10am​ Holy Souls

Sat 22nd Mar ​Third Sunday in Lent

5pm​ In thanksgiving to Our Lord and Our Lady

4.30pm – 5pm: Confessions and Exposition

YOUR PRAYERS:

Let us keep in our prayers: Julius Lipner, David Ryan, Margaret Ryan, Michael O’Boy, Christina Cahill, Eric Nicholas Darwent, Therese Kemp, Jose Luis Pérez, Karina McKiernan, Jonathan Heller, Izabela Lissowska and Sveta Valeri – all unwell at this time. We also pray for: James Corr, Maud Holloway, Kitty Heenan, Fr Sean Carroll, Fr David Barnes, Gerry Stenson, Luis Goncalves, Arcangela Moretto, Patrick Jean Noel Louis-Auguste,Jose Barreto, Gianpiero Gallian, Mary Teresa Foran, Martin Flanagan, Noeleen Hare, Noreen McGlynn and James McCormack whose anniversaries occur at this time or have died recently. May they Rest in Peace.

OFFERTORY

The offertory collection for the week ending 9th March 2025 - £876:05 and Contactless was

£139:64. The Offertory via Standing Order, Stripe and Online Banking will be communicated one month in arrears.

CONFIRMATION CLASSES 2025

For those who have registered - Confirmation classes have begun and take place on Thursdays at 7.30 pm in the small hall of the parish centre. They aim to end by 9pm. The date of the Confirmation Mass is 10th June at 7PMcelebrated by Bishop John Sherrington.

SAINT JOSEPHINE BAKHITA

The chapel of St Therese (on the left of the Sacred Heart Statue) now has a permanent portrait of St Josephine Bakhita.

Saint Josephine Bakhita was born in the Darfur region of Sudan in 1869. At the age of seven she was seized by slave traders. She was bought, sold and given away more than 12 times before being freed in 1889. She was left with the Canossian sisters, where she encountered Christianity for the first time. She entered the novitiate and spent the rest of her life in the Canossian convent in Schio, northern Italy. Saint Bakhita is the patron saint of Sudan and of survivors of human trafficking. Her feast day is celebrated on 8 February, which is the International Day of Prayer Against Human Trafficking. Let us ask for her prayers, particularly for victims of modern-day slavery.

CONFESSIONS & FIRST CONFESSIONS

Next Saturday, beginning at 11am, the First Holy Communion children and their families will celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). You are welcome to come along and have your confession heard too! Ideal for families who may not have been to confession for a while. Just come along at 11am

ST MARY’S JUBILEE DAY TRIP TO ROME:

After a few hiccups, booking should now be easier! To book please go to the website at www.pilgrimagepeople.org and then to the “Book” tab.  Select the trip from the drop-down menu and complete your details.  When you get to the payment page you must tick the “Deposit” box (otherwise it will ask for the whole amount). Price: £290 per person. Deposit of £150 and completed booking required by 18.3.2025 to secure seat on flight…. or you can see Fr Peter for a Booking Form! Full Balance due by14.4.25…. Your passport must be in date. Non-European passport holders will need a Visa to enter Italy.

ANNUAL MASS OF THANKSGIVING FOR MATRIMONY AT WESTMINSTER CATHERDRAL ON SATURDAY 17TH MAY 2025 AT 2.30 PM

The Cardinal invites couples in the Diocese celebrating in 2025 their 5th, 10th, 25th, 30th, 40th, 50th and 60th (and any year over 60) wedding anniversary of Catholic Marriage.  Please give the following details to the parish office: husband and wife’s names, wedding date, number of years married, address, e mail (or phone number if no e mail).  PLEASE SEND THEM BY 29TH MARCH 2025..  These details will be forwarded to the Diocese and invitations will be sent out by the Diocese directly.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS

During Lent the “Stations of the Cross” will be celebrated every Friday at 10:30am. The outdoor stations need a few repairs – Fr Peter would be grateful if volunteers came forward to help with the repairs and placing of the crosses around St Mary’s church. Please contact Fr Peter if you would be willing to help – volunteering is a great Lent project for those uncertain how to mark this special season.

PLEASE KEEP IN YOUR PRAYERS:

The RCIA group has been meeting since September and are about to begin a more intense period of formation before Easter. At the Easter Vigil Aziz and Arlan will be Baptised, receive their First Holy Communion and Confirmed. Roger and Milka will also be confirmed. Please keep John, their catechist, and their sponsors in your prayers as we journey through Lent towards the great feast of Easter.  

WHAT SHALL I DO FOR LENT?

Pray, Fast, give to CAFOD Family Fast Day, provide unopened in date non-perishable food to the foodbank, help clean the church on a Monday morning after Mass, go to a daily week -day Mass at 10am, attend the Lent study course on a Monday evening, volunteer and help Fr Peter, help with the gardening around the church, be an altar server…the list is endless!

PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

The Parish Council will meet on Sunday at 4pm in the presbytery.

ST PATRICK'S DAY 

Irish coffee or tea and soda bread will be served by the SVP in the parish hall following the 10am Mass onMonday 17th March, St Patrick's feast day. All are welcome.

OUR LADY OF LOURDES, BOW LANE, N12 – NURSERY PLACES

Our Lady of Lourdes, Bow Lane, N12 still has spaces available at their Nursery in September 2025.  This is for children born between 1st April 2023 and 31st March 2024.  Please contact the school office – 0208 346 1681 – or visit the school website for an application pack.

ST THERESA’S PRIMARY SCHOOL, EAST END ROAD, N3 – NURSERY PLACES

St Theresa’s Primary School, East End Road, N3 – A new nursery is now open and spaces are available immediately, as well as for September 2025.  Please contact the school office or visit the school website for an application pack.

MONDAY MORNING “BINGO:”

The “Bingo twins” – Mark & Christopher – host Bingo in the small hall every Monday after the 10am Mass. There is always a cup of tea and a slice of cake and the company of others. All very welcome.

ST MARY’S LENT COURSE – 2025

 “WHEN YOU PRAY”

You know prayer is important but still find it challenging. Perhaps it’s hard to find time, or you’re unsure what to do when you pray. Or maybe you feel discouraged by your weaknesses and your inability to overcome them.

If you have any of these feelings, you are not alone. Many of the saints struggled in prayer. They were like us. But each time they fell, they got up again and learned to rely more on God’s grace.  “When You Pray” is Authored and presented by Dr Edward Sri. 

This Monday’s Theme “The Battle for Prayer”

Every Monday until Monday 7th April. Each session is an hour.

Make it one of your Lent commitments for 2025.

LENT THOUGHT: THE REAL FALL IS NOT ACCEPTING HELP

“We are saved by Jesus; He loves us; it’s in His nature. We can do any number of things against Him, but He loves us and saves us. For only what is loved can be saved. Only what is embraced can be transformed. The Lord’s love is greater than all our problems, frailties and flaws. But it is precisely with these problems, frailtiesand flaws that He wants to write our love story. He embraced the prodigal son, He embraced Peter after His denials and he always,always embraces us after every fall, helping us get back on our feet.”

Pope Francis “I want you to be Happy” – Hodder & Stoughton