St Mary’s Blackheath
Newsletter 7th January 2024
Sunday Masses: Saturday 6.30pm first Mass of Sunday
– Sunday 9.30 and 11am and 6.30pm.
Monday to Friday: Mass at 8am.
Saturday 10am and 6.30pm
Confessions: Saturday 12 to 1
The first newsletter of the New Year. A happy new year to you all.
Today we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany – the visit of the three wise men to the Holy family bringing their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. This year the feast is transferred to the Sunday from 6th January.
The end of the Christmas season; at the end of the Masses the crib figures and the decorations will be put away for another year.
At the 9.30 Mass today, the children will perform the third part of the cycle of mystery plays.
First Communion classes again on Saturday. This time there will be a special timetable as we will be arranging the first confessions. A meeting for the parents who are running the classes at 8pm on Monday evening in the house.
Many thanks for the large number of generous gifts for the Manna Centre and the Jesuit Refugee Centre. They are due to be delivered this week.
This year we celebrate the feast of the Baptism of the Lord on Monday 8th January. Next Sunday will be the second Sunday of the Church’s year. The weekday Masses with be for the first week in ordinary time with the Scripture readings taken from the second cycle.
You might have noted the problem with the lampposts in the garden. Damp has affected the cable, and I am arranging for it to be replaced. On dark evenings there is a temporary lamp.
Already signs of spring in the garden with the first of the early flowers. We look forward to another wonderful summer.
A regular favourite these days is a large omelette. I spread out the well beaten egg mixture in a large pan and allow it to cook very slowly and add some good dollops of cream cheese. When the mixture has set and cooked through, double it over and serve at once with a green salad. Good healthy food!
As usual in the last few days, a great deal of work in preparing the parish accounts for 2023. I have a very good computer system and it was good to find that the accounts came out to the penny at the first cast.
A prayer for the beginning of the year: O God, creator of light, at the rising of the sun this morning, le the greatest of all lights, your love, rise like the sun within our hearts. (from the Armenian Church)
And some Yeats:
When you are old and grey and full of sleep
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep.
Best wishes to you all,
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon