St Mary’s Blackheath
Newsletter 19th November 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 thirty-third Sunday of the Chruch’s year: almost the end of another year: next Sunday is the final Sunday, the feast of Christ the King.
This year, the Sunday gospels have been taken from Matthew.
A word about Christmas: this year Christmas Day comes on a Monday. There will be the normal morning Masses on the Sunday, Christmas Eve. There will not be a 5pm Mass and this will be replaced by the First Mass of Christmas at 6.30pm. As usual, there will be the midnight Mass and Masses on Christmas morning at 9.30am and 11am.
The mystery plays will be taking place as usual this year; the first part on Sunday 17th, on Christmas Day and on Sunday 7th January. Lists for the parts will be going up soon. We are encouraging children in the First Communion class to take part.
Our Carol service will be on Sunday 10th December at 5pm. This means that on this Sunday, the evening Mass will be at 6.30pm rather than 5pm.
A note about a parish meeting on Tuesday evening at 7.30pm in the Big Hall. We have not held a parish agm since before Covid – there is a need for a meeting, and I hope that it will be possible to appoint some new members for the Parish Council.
Tuesday is the feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Wednesday is the feast of St. Cecilia. Always an important day at the College in Spain as this was the first day on which we could light the stoves. The early autumn days could be very cold.
You might like to try this recipe: cook some long grain rice and some pieces of chopped spinach. Drain very well, pressing out all the liquid and then mix together. Season well with plenty of black pepper and maybe some olive oil. This goes very well with fish. Also, it can be used as a salad by adding a few cashew nuts.
The German Railways Company, DB, has sold its holding in the London Arriva Bus Company to an American Private Equity Company. It has been reported that DB had been losing money for a long time on its railway operations in Germany. As yet, the DB logo has not been removed from the buses on route 202.
Here is Dryden on St. Cecilia:
But bright Cecilia rais’d the wonder high’r;
When to her organ, vocal breath was given,
And Angel heard, and straight appear’d
Mistaking Earth for Heav’n.
A prayer for today:
Look graciously upon us, O Holy Spirit, and give us, for our hallowing, thoughts which pass into prayer, prayers which pass into love, and love which passes into life with thee for ever. Amen.
I hope that you and your families are all keeping well.
Best wishes to you all,
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon