St Mary’s Blackheath
Newsletter 9th April 2023
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: Saturday 12 to 1
Greetings to you all on this Easter Day as we celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord.
Thank you all for sharing in our Holy Week services over the past few days.
Today at Mass, instead of the recitation of the Creed, we will renew our baptismal promises and you will be sprinkled with water from the font, blessed during the Easter Vigil Service.
The Paschal Candle, representing the presence of the risen Christ will remain beside the altar until Ascension Day.
In these first days after Easter, the gospels at Mass tell the stories of the appearances of the risen Lord.
I hope that the treasure hunt in the garden after the 9.30 Mass is successful. A revised plan this year: you may remember that last year, the beastly foxes and the squirrels thought that special treats had been delivered for their benefit and there were many empty wrapping papers.
Monday is the Bank holiday and you may possibly find me working on the steam railway. Many changes at present and I am not sure what I will be doing – but it is always great fun. I will be getting out my high viz jacket once again.
A reminder that there is a First holy Communion class on Saturday at 10am in the big hall. I hope that the children will be able to come. We are very busy at present preparing everything for the big day.
A recipe from Spain: prepare some ratatouille: if possible use some fresh vegetables and take care not to season them strongly with salt and pepper. Serve with a fried egg cooked in some very hot oil.
George Herbert on Easter:
I got me flowers to straw thy way
I got me boughs off many a tree
But thou wast up by break of day,
And brough’st thy sweets along with thee.
The garden is doing well with some warm April days. I hope to have the pool up soon and will be asking for some help to put it together.
An Easter Collect:
Almighty Father, who hast given thine only Son to die for our sins and to rise again for our justification: Grant us so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, that we may always serve thee in pureness of living and truth; through the merits of Christ Our Lord. Amen.
A few works taking place at present: some restoration of the stonework in a few places: a new water heater in the sacristy: and some new exterior lights – not needed at present but they will be a great help on winter nights.
A journey back from Heathrow on the Elizabeth line the other evening: not to be recommended: a long wait for a train and a slow service with delays on the approach to Paddington. I will be using the familiar Piccadilly line trains in the future.
I hope you are all keeping well and will have a good week.
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon