St Mary’s Blackheath
Newsletter 25th June 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 Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Thursday is the feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul. It is a Holy Day of obligation and Masses in the Church are at 8 and 10am and 6.30pm.
The inscription forms for the next set of First Communion classes are available today. Please complete them and return them as soon as possible. As always, I need to order the books and other materials in advance.
The last edition of the magazine before the summer break is published today. Many thanks to the editors and to all who have contributed articles. It seems that it is distributed widely and from time to time I meet people who are impressed by the way in which our parish is able to produce this magazine.
A sandwich for your summer picnic. Toast some pieces of white bread and remove the crusts. Butter them well and gently spread some sauce tartare and some French mustard. Add some cold meat such as some ham and cut into rounds.
Keats writing about a favourite place in Borough High Street:
Souls of poets dead and gone,
What Elysium have ye known,
Happy fields or mossy cavern,
Choicer than the Mermaid Tavern?
Have ye tippled drink more fine
That mine host’s Canary wine?
And a prayer:
God of our pilgrimage, who hast willed that the gate of mercy should stand open for those who trust in thee: look upon us with thy favour, that we, following in the path of thy will, may never wander from the way of life. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord.
My herb pots have been replanted and seem to be doing quite well. The fig tree, and also the apple tree from the First Communion class receive special attention. Probably no fruit this year, but I look forward to a good crop in the years to come.
The Justice and Peace Group will be making an appeal for funds to support the work of the Greenwich Foodbank this weekend. Envelopes for your donations will be available for you take away and return the following weekend. “
And some 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.
And from St. Thomas More:
Lord, give me patience in tribulation, and grace in everything to conform my will to thine, that I may truly say, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.
Best wishes to you all,
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon