St. Mary’s,
Blackheath
Newsletter: 25th November 2018
Mass times: Saturday: 6.30pm (first Mass of Sunday)
Sunday: 9.30 and 11am and 7.30pm
Monday, Wednesday and Friday: 10am
Tuesday, and Thursday, 7.30am
Eucharistic Service: Tuesday 10am
Confessions: Saturday 12 to 1pm
Today is the last Sunday in the Church’s year and is celebrated as the Feast of Christ the King.
There is a second collection today for the Diocesan Youth Service.
Next Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent. At Mass a new set of readings taken from cycle C. I will put out the new Mass books during the week. Please check to see if you have taken one home by mistake.
Friday of this week is the feast of the Apostle St. Andrew.
You might find it helpful to have an advance note about the Christmas Masses. As usual there will be a Mass at 6.30pm on Christmas Eve and this will fulfil your Mass obligation. There will be a solemn Mass at 12 midnight, preceded from 11.30pm by a service of carols and readings. At 9.30 on Christmas morning, the Mass will include the second part of our set of mystery plays performed by the children of parish. There will also be the solemn Mass of the day at 11am.
A reminder that the Giving Tree will be put up for next Sunday. Also fairly soon, once again, we will start work on putting up the structure of the crib.
The Advent Carol Service this year takes place on 9th December.
This coming week I am out at a meeting in London on Thursday and there is a day for the Governors at the Sixth Form College on Friday.
You probably know this recipe for Oeufs Benedictine. Cut some muffins in half and toast them. Butter well. Cover with a slice of tongue and a poached egg, keeping it warm. Before serving cover with Hollandaise sauce. I always wondered if this was a special monastic treat.
And so it is appropriate to follow this with a prayer from St. Benedict.
O gracious and Holy Father, give us wisdom to perceive you, diligence to seek you, patience to wait for you, eyes to behold you, a heart to meditate upon you, and a life to proclaim you, through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.
There is a lot of speculation as to what is actually happening with the building work behind the up platform at Blackheath station. When the site was first cleared, some very ancient pieces of track were revealed but these have now been cup up. There were two sidings behind the platform but these have been out of use for many years. At one time, at the end of the 19th century, there were trains that terminated at Blackheath and the bay platform was used for these services. It is also suggested that they were used for ambulance cars for wounded soldiers. You might notice the remains of the old wooded sleepers and bullhead track which was kept in the metal chairs with a wedge.
Best wishes to you all,
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon