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Newsletter 16th October 2016.
Today is the 29th Sunday in ordinary time.
Monday is the feast of St. Ignatius of Antioch and Tuesday is the feast of the Evangelist St. Luke.
The Eucharistic Ministers meet on Thursday evening at 8pm.
There is a second collection next week to support the work of the Missions.
Quite a busy week with a meeting at Tolworth on Tuesday and to Greenwich Town Hall in the evening and to Canary Wharf on Wednesday.
No Confirmation or First Communion classes this week – but in recent weeks we have been very busy. Thanks to the parents who have helped with the classes.
A recipe recommended to me if you have some plums in your garden. Alternate layers of buttered squares of bread – with the crusts cut off – and plums stoned and cut in half. Bake in a medium oven until it is browned.
At Rotherhithe some of the new railway track has been laid. For the dive under the down Brighton slow line seems to be in place and at least one of the up lines to Charing Cross. The flyover for the Thameslink services has been completed and track laying should commence in the near future. Then the task of joining it all up with the existing tracks.
Already thinking of Christmas – there will be a 6.30 Mass on Christmas Eve. This was very popular last year and will be repeated again. There should be time after the procession to the heath. Midnight Mass as normal with Masses at 9.30 and 11 on Christmas morning.
A reminder that we will have to start ironing the costumes for the plays in a few weeks’ time – and then the task of putting the crib together. Already a helpful offer to bring down the crib figures from the loft in the Sacristy.
My pot of basil had been doing well for several weeks and I was hoping to produce a strong plant. To my horror the other week a fat today appeared and was busy feeding himself on all the leaves. I am not sure if the plant will survive – I will say nothing about the toad.
A prayer for today:
Help us, Lord, to make sense of the gospel, and to relate it to the needs of others, so that they may be drawn to your love and worship and serve you in the family of the Church. Amen.
Something from Chesterton:
It may be we are meant to mark with our riot and our rest
God’s scorn for all men governing. It may be beer is best.
But we are the people of England; and we have not spoken yet.
Smile at us, pay us, pass us. But do not quite forget.
(Reading this, I wonder what Chesterton would have made of Brexit.)
Time to put on the heating once again: please help to keep the Church warm by not leaving the doors hooked open. The Church boiler is working well but some problems with the house so a few cold days. It was necessary to use an extra pullover.
The work on the lower flat at no 4 seems to be progressing well. After weeks of excavation, something seems to be going back at last. The next job in the Church will be the cleaning and renovation of the organ which is due to take place during November. I will let you know the exact dates in due course.
The boy is enjoying his days at school. Although he is only 5, he tells me he wants to take some GCSEs early so that he will be ready for University. His sister continues to watch in admiration.
Best wishes to you all
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon