St Mary’s Blackheath
Newsletter 12th March 2023
Sunday Masses: Saturday 6.30pm first Mass of Sunday
– Sunday 9.30 and 11am and 5pm.
Monday to Friday: Mass at 8am.
Saturday 10am and 6.30pm
Confessions: Saturday 12 to 1
Today is the Third Sunday of Lent.
Welcome today to the First Communion Children at the 9.30 Mass.
Thank you for your generous response to the Fast Day last week: we were able to send £ 798.08 to Cafod.
As a Lenten devotion there will be stations of the Cross at 4.15 this afternoon.
This week there is a Confirmation class at 6.30pm on Thursday evening . I look forward to seeing you all again.
Last week servicing the clock and the bells in the Church – this week servicing the organ in time for Easter.
Friday is the feast of St. Patrick. I will bring out our relic so that it can be venerated at the end of Mass. Otherwise, the weekday Masses are for the Lenten season.
The Justice and Peace group meet in the Angelus Room after the 11am Mass. Also after Mass marmalade will be on sale for the benefit of Cafod. Recently I noted in an obituary a comment from a distinguished lady who turned up her nose at the thought of shop-bought marmalade.
In the middle part of Lent, there are series of long gospels, mainly from John. This week the gospel tells the story of the Lord meeting the Samaritan women at the well.
News of the boy – his sister has now taken up gymnastics and a Facebook picture shows her touching the back of her head with her toes. It looks impossible, but they think that their mother might be able to do it after a bottle of Merlot.
Green veg. are hard to fine at present. I have been using some baby cabbages. Add a pinch of bicarb to the water so that they retain their colour. I serve them with a little butter and some nutmeg. It helps to make the most boring item interesting.
The week before last a trip by train to Oxenholme on the West Coast main line. I travelled on the 11.30 train from Euston which in former times would have been known as “The Royal Scot”. Nowadays swift and efficient, but quite impersonal.
And a prayer:
Heavenly Father, grant that by the guidance of the Holy Spirit we may discern your holy will, and by the grace of the same Spirit we also do it, gladly, and with our whole hearts, for the glory of your Son Jesus Christ Our Lord.
Some Wordsworth:
The City now doth like a garment wear
The Beauty of the morning: Silent, bare,
Ships, towers, domes, theatres and temples lie
Open unto the fields, and to the sky-
All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.
(The poet was certainly up to date)
I sometimes use my Father’s Palgrave to find verses; dated 14th June 1944 and presented to him by the crew of his ship.
Best wishes to you all,
Monsignor Nicholas Rotho