St. Mary’s,
Blackheath
Newsletter: 26th April 2015
Mass times: Saturday: 6.30pm (first Mass of Sunday)
Sunday: 9.30 and 11am and 7.30pm
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 10am
Tuesday, Thursday: 7.30am
Confessions: Saturday 12 to 1pm
Today is a special day of prayer for Vocations to the Priesthood and the Religious life. There is a second collection at the end of Mass today to help meet the cost of training the future priests of the Diocese.
Next Sunday is the first Sunday of May. At the end of the 9.30 Mass we will be crowning the Statue of Our Blessed Lady. As always the children help with this task.
The First Communion classes are almost at an end – Saturday 2nd May there will be the last of the classes to cover chapters 10 and 11 in the book. Thanks to the children for sharing in all the classes and to the parents who have helped. For the parents who are helping with this last class, there will be a meeting in the house at 8pm on Monday evening.
May is a busy month – so you will need to note the dates – Confirmations on 10th May and First Communions on 17th and 24th May – all at the 11am Mass. The Church will be very full so if you normally come to the 11 Mass, you might like to think of a different time for these weeks.
The priest of the Deanery meet on Tuesday and there is a Mass at the school on Wednesday morning at 9am.
Wednesday is the feast of St. Catherine of Sienna and Friday is the Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker.
The magazine is always very popular – but we are reaching a point at which we need some new editors to help with the preparation each month. The names of the editors are given inside the front cover and if you would be interesting in helping, you could contact them by email.
The little house in the garden is proving to be very popular – also I have undertaken some maintenance to the trampoline and this is always well used. Questions about when will the pool appear again – it is still a bit cold at the end of April – I have to go to the College in Spain in mid-May but when I come back we can get it out once again and fill it with water. I will let you know when this will take place as I would welcome some help.
Now some railway matters – over the Easter period some works were undertaken at New Cross. Beyond the station there used to be six lines – two fast line, to relief lines and two slow lines. The fast lines have been taken out of use and the tracks slewed across so fast trains now use the relief lines. There are now speed restrictions at this point so we no longer enjoy the fast non-stop journeys to Waterloo which started in January. The former fast lines will be used to build the under pass at Bermondsey, which is under construction at present. Together with the works at London Bridge there is much to observe at present.
And a prayer: O God, to whom all hearts are open, all hearts known, cleanse our thoughts by the inpouring of your Holy Spirit so that every thought and word of ours may begin from you and in you be perfectly completed. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Wordsworth I now in London:
Earth has not anything to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty:
The City now doth, like a garment, wear
The beauty of the morning.
Just room for a recipe from Spain: you will need some milk, some short grain rice, a large strip of orange zest, some cinnamon and some vanilla, some fine sugar and maybe a pinch of salt. Cook slowly and gently and allow to simmer, making sure the mixture does not stick. When the rice is cooked and creamy, transfer to some small dishes. Decorate with some ground cinnamon and serve cold.
Best wishes to you all
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon