St Mary’s Blackheath
Newsletter 6th February 2022
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: Saturday12 to 1
Today is the Fifth Sunday of the Church’s year.
Gradually we are returning to normal. There will be hymns at some of the Sunday Masses. Masks are recommended but not obligatory. For the present we will not offer the chalice at Mass. Also we are not using the collection baskets but you are asked to use either the card reader or the box if you have not made a standing order.
First Communion classes are coming round once again: there is a class in the big hall on Saturday at 10am and a meeting in the house on Monday evening at 8pm to plan the class.
This week there is a funeral Mass at 11 on Thursday of the late Margaret Calogeras.
The Governors of Christ the King College meet on Tuesday evening. It is good to have a formal meeting rather than “on-line.”
A good recipe for a winter soup. Chop up 2 onions, 2 carrots, 2 red peppers and some skinned tomatoes. Add some cloves of garlic, coat with oil and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until they are soft. Transfer to a pot and add a drained can of chick-peas and about ¾ pint of vegetable stock made from a cube. Bring to the boil, simmer for about five minutes and then liquidise. A tasty pot to see you through the cold days.
Can you work out what this is?
Il brilgue; les toves lubricilleux
Se gyrent en vrillant dans le guave
Enmimes sont les gougebosqueux
Et le momerade horsgrave.
The spring flowers are now appearing in the garden, and I have started to clean up some of the beds. Many fallen branches from the big trees, and we will have to start to cut these up. February already and a reminder that last year we were able to fill the pool in March.
And a prayer:
Give us a sense of humour, Lord, and also things to laugh about. Give us the grace to take a joke against ourselves and to see the funny side of the things we do. Help us to laugh, even in the face of trouble. Fill our minds with love of Jesus, for his name’s sake. Amen.
It is interesting to see that in central London, some of the new Routemasters – the Boris buses – are being replaced by new all electric vehicles. None seem to have been withdrawn as yet, but it will be difficult to find a purchaser for them so that they can be used elsewhere.
The boy and his sister are looking forward to the half term. Already making plans to persuade their parents to take them on special trips: Legoland is always the great favourite – or else enormous meals in China-town.
And some Hopkins:
Elected silence sing to me
And beat upon my whorled ear,
Pipe to me pastures still and be
The music that I care to hear.
Best wishes to you all
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon