Sunday 9th December 2019
Today is the second Sunday of Advent.
A reminder that we have our Advent carol service at 5pm this evening. After the service there will be hot wine and mince pies in the Angelus Room.
During this middle part of Advent, the gospels concentrate on the figure of John the Baptist.
You may find it helpful to have advance notice of the Christmas Masses:
6.30 pm on Christmas Eve
12 Midnight
9.30 with the Mystery play.
11 Solemn Mass of the day.
The Christmas Giving Tree is at back of the Church – boxes for your gifts, and if you have not done so already, take one of the labels from the tree.
The charts are now up for places in the Christmas plays, so please add your names if you have not done so already. There will be a short rehearsal after the 9.30 Mass next Sunday, particularly for those who have a reading part. The first play is on Sunday 23rd December.
To Woolwich on Tuesday for a meeting with the priests of the Deanery and to London on Wednesday for a Finance Meeting.
The Diocesan Finance Office has given us a new email address and this will appear in the Diocesan Directory. I am keeping this for Diocesan business and ask that you should continue to use our current address for parish business.
A recipe for a dish that you can serve during Advent. Slice some tomatoes and cook them in a little butter with some finely chopped ham and pepper and salt. Add two eggs and stir until the mixture has set. Serve on buttered toast with a little chopped parsley on top.
And now an Advent prayer:
Help us O Lord, to cast away the works of darkness and put upon us the armour of light during the time of this mortal life; so that on the last day, when your Son Jesus Christ will come again in majesty to judge the living and the dead, we may rise to everlasting life in his name. Amen.
And some Hopkins, which is well worth enjoying from time to time:
And though the last lights off the black West went
Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs –
Because the Holy Ghost over the bent
World roods with warm breast and with ah! Bright wings.
A quiz question – how is April 5th, the day for tax returns, linked with a Christian feast?
Even in Paris the bendy buses are coming to the end of their days. They still survive on routes 91 and 95 from Gare Montparnasse but the 28 to St Lazare now has some new buses with label Vehicule Hybride.
The boy and his sister are looking forward to Christmas. I think that this year they will be at their own home rather than coming to grandparents in Sussex. Their mother may have to work over part of the holiday. I have sent them a copy of a Tintin book in French. It seems that they are very trendy at present and are used to provide new words for classes at school.
My pot of parsley has survived very well into the late autumn but most of the other herbs have finished their days. There were still a few flowers on the tomato plants but it is over optimistic to hope that they will produce very much at this time of year. The olive trees have done well, though the fruit has been very small. I look forward to a good crop from the cherry trees next year.
Best wishes to you all
Monsignor Nicholas Rothon