newsletter 4th October 2020

St. Mary’s Blackheath.

Newsletter 4th October  2020

Mass times: Saturday 6.30pm (first Mass of Sunday) – Sunday 9.30 and 11am, 5 and 7.30pm.

Weekdays: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 10am. Tuesday and Thursday 7.30am.

Due to distancing regulations, for the present there are no confessions.

Today is the Twenty Seventh Sunday in the Church’s year.

Wednesday is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary and Friday is the feast of St. John Henry Newman.

Two special anniversaries for me this week on Saturday:  Archbishop Cowderoy, who ordained me as a priest and Father David Greenstock, the Vice-Rector when I was at the College in Valladolid. May they rest in peace.

I have sent a message round to parents regarding First Holy Communion classes – it seems that we can arrange classes in the big hall and the first class is at 10.30 next Saturday. I look forward to seeing you.

I have spoken to Bishop Lynch about Confirmations. It is possible for the Parish Priest to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation with special permission from the Bishop.  It seems that the Bishop may not be able to come next year so I will see what I can arrange. We can then begin to organise the classes.

Friday is the October Fast Day for CAFOD. I will put out the boxes as normal, but you can make a donation online – to Cafod.org.uk/give or text CAFOD to 70085 to donate £10.  CAFOD is helping the victims of the coronavirus throughout the world.

I don’t think I have ever shared anything from Tennyson with you:

Then in the boyhood of the year,

Sir Launcelot and Queen Guinevere

Rode thro’ the coverts of the deer,

With blissful treble ringing clear.

With blissful treble ringing clear.

(It is amazing that he wrote so much – though I find much of it is almost unreadable!)

Here is a recipe to use up some bits and pieces. Fry some small pieces of ham in some butter until it begins to colour. In another pan cook some mushrooms in a mixture of oil and butter until they have given out their liquid.  Add some chopped garlic and some parsley then add some olives and the ham with some seasoning.  This can be served with some pieces of crisply fried bread.

A prayer for our families:

Lord we ask you to bestow on our families the richness of your blessing. With the gift of your grace, sanctify us all, so that faithful to your commandments, we may care for each other and reach the home that you have prepared for us all in heaven. Amen.

The  buses on operating on route 202 appear to be the Smart Hybrid version of the Enviro 400.  They seem to be new with “20” registration plates and a class code HT.

It is a busy time in the garden, clearing up the fallen leaves and branches. I have cleaned out some of the herb pots and have made a final attempt to grow a further crop of parsley and dill before the winter days. The birds look at the pots with great interest and I seem to lose some of the seeds. Also, there are some daffodil bulbs to be planted. 

The boy and his sister are hard at work at school. The big decision at the moment is who will be allowed to visit at Christmas, keeping within the limit of 6. Maybe the grandparents can have all four grandchildren, leaving their parents to go off on their own.

Cut off local roads make it difficult to travel anywhere – long delays, even on the bus, but it is possible to work out alternative train routes, though these may involve some roundabout journeys. 

Best wishes to you all,

Monsignor Nicholas Rothon

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