St Mary’s Blackheath
Newsletter 29th May 2022
Sunday Masses: Saturday 6.30pm first Mass of Sunday
– Sunday 9.30 and 11am and 5pm.
Monday to Friday: Lenten service at 8am.
Saturday 10am and 6.30pm
Confessions: Saturday12 to 1
Today is the Sunday within the Octave of the Ascension. The Paschal candle was extinguished after the gospel on Ascension Day and has been moved to its usual place beside the font.
During these days we think of the apostles gather in the Upper Room in Jerusalem awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirt.
The Mass this evening – Sunday – is for the intention of the repose of the soul of Margaret Noonan. She died recently with a funeral service at Eltham and we have a Mass for her intention today.
Next Sunday we will celebrate the Feast of Pentecost and the red vestments will appear once again.
Tuesday of this week is the Feast of the Visitation in which we commemorated Our Blessed Lady travelling to visit her cousin Elizabeth before the birth of John the Baptist. This is commemorated in one of the windows in the Church.
Newsletters are written well in advance but if all has gone well, I should have returned from a visit to the College in Spain. A very short visit this time – out on the Monday, meetings all day Tuesday and returning on the Wednesday as I had to be back for the Masses on Ascension Day.
Many things are happening this coming week as we celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen. I wondered about having a celebration in our garden, but many events are taking place locally already – there is an extended holiday. I hope that the weather will be fine and if you wish, you are welcome to come for a picnic or to play in the garden during these days.
A prayer for the Queen:
O Lord our heavenly Father, we beseech thee with thy favour to bless our most gracious Sovereign, Elizabeth our Queen. Endow her with your Holy Spirit, enrich her with your heavenly grace, grant her every happiness and bring her to your everlasting kingdom, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
A special pudding for the Jubilee day. Cook some pudding rice with some milk for about 20 minutes and then add some sugar. Dissolve half a packet of gelatine with a little of the hot milk and mix with the rice. Allow to cool and beat in an egg yolk and when it reaches room temperature, fold in some whipped cream. Serve cold with some lightly cooked fruit and maybe decorate with some nutmeg.
The time has come – the Walrus said,
To talk of many things;
Of shoes -and ships-and sealing wax-
Of cabbages and kings-
And why the sea is boiling hot
And whether pigs have wings.
It seems that some of the new Routemaster buses are being withdrawn from service in Central London as they are being replaced with new all electric buses. Their life has been short – only 10 years compared with the 50 year lifespan of their predecessors.
Best wishes to you all
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon