newsletter 1st March 2020

ST. MARY’S NEWSLETTERS

5, Cresswell Park, SE3 9RD

Tel. 020 8852 5420 

E-mail: stm.Blackheath@tiscali.co.uk

Website: www.stmarysblackheaeth.org.uk

Mass times: Saturday: 6.30 pm (first Mass of Sunday) Sunday: 9.30 am, 11.00 am, 7.30 pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday: 10.00 am Eucharistic Service: Tuesday 10.00 am Confessions: Saturday 12 to 1.00 pm

Newsletter 1^st March 2020.

Today is the first Sunday of Lent.

The purple vestments appear again today. We do not recite the Gloria and do not use Alleluia until the great Alleluia on Easter Sunday.

There are no flowers on the altar during Lent.

There is a second collection today to help the poorer parishes in the Diocese.

There are Stations of the Cross this evening at 6.30pm as a Lenten devotion.

The gospel today gives an account of the temptations of the Lord in the Wilderness. A very appropriate gospel for the beginning of Lent.

During the week, there are no feasts of Saints and all the Masses are for the Lenten season.

I am off to the College in Spain on Monday morning and will return on Friday evening.

The Bishop will be here for Mass on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10am but there will not be a 7.30 Mass on Tuesday or Thursday mornings or a Convent Mass on Friday evening at 6.30pm.

A lot of problems at the moment with the properties. A fence to be repaired after the storms, a blocked drain, cleaning the tower from pigeon infestation and repairing clock, lopping the trees in the roadway and the repairs to the roof of the Church. There are some good people to help but it is taking up a lot of my time.

I will bring back a recipe from Spain. In the meantime, here is a recipe from Madrid. Cook some chopped onion and a pepper in some oil. When soft add some flour but make sure it does not burn. Cook for a moment then add some lentils, a small can of tomatoes and some diced carrot. Add a litre of water, simmer gently and then put through a blender.

A prayer for Lent: God our Father, your will is that all should be saved, and no one lost. You draw us to yourself by prayer and penance. Grant that we may so follow Christ in love that our lives may help others and our weakness never hinder them. We make our prayer through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Here is Eliot on Ash Wednesday:

And pray to God to have mercy upon us

And pray that I may forget

These matters that with myself I too much discuss

Too much explain.

In Spain, I will take the High-Speed train from Madrid to Valladolid – just over an hour for the journey. Work is continuing to extend the high-speed line to connect with the French TGV at Hendaye, but the work seems to be taking an age. I have worked it out that when completed, it should be possible, at least in theory, to travel from London to Valladolid by train in a day: probably about 14 hours of travel.

Remember to look at the First Communion trees in the garden: they all seem to be coming into fruit.

Best wishes to you all,

Monsignor Nicholas Rothon