Newsletter for Week starting on the 31st March 2019 : 4th Sunday of Lent

Published by AFAN in News · 30 March 2019

HOLYCROSS CATHOLIC CHURCH

208 Sangley road

Catford,

London, SE6 2JS

Fr Antony Megalan

Parish Priest

[email protected]

Tel : 0208 698 3672

Parish email : [email protected]

Website: www.holycross-catford.org.uk

Parish mobile: 07367426492

Hartley Hall - Parish Community Centre

Culverley Road, SE6 2LD

[email protected]

HOLY CROSS SCHOOL

020 8698 2675

Headteacher: Miss Mary Collins

Please join

Rosary:

Mon, Tues, Thurs: 9.40 am, Wed 8.50 am

Stations of the Cross:

Wed 9.40 am and Fri 7.30 pm

Confessions: Sat 10 - 11 am and 6 pm

Parish Diary

Palm Sunday: 14^th April

Lenten Confessions 16^th April 7.30 pm

Good Friday: 19^th April

Easter Vigil 20^th April 8 pm

Easter: 21^st April

Divine Mercy Sunday: 28^th April, Mass at 3pm

First Holy Communion:11^th / 12^th May

Bishop Pat ‘s visit 17-19 May:

Confirmation 18 May

Finance : Loose: £800.20

Standing orders: £503

STATIONS OF THE CROSS Fridays of Lent 7.30 before 8pm Mass

Parish Surgery This Week: On Friday from 6 pm, you may meet our parish priest, Fr Antony, without prior appointment in the presbytery.

Altar Servers Club The next meeting will be on Saturday 13^th April from 3 pm – 4 pm when we will be preparing for Holy Week and Easter.

Stations of the cross in Tamil from 4.30 pm on 31^st March in Holy Cross.

Hartley Hall Bookings and Enquiries: Please note that all bookings and enquiries should be emailed to this address: [email protected]

Parish Office Opening Hours: The parish office will be open on Mondays and Thursdays from 10 am – 12 noon.

Parish Mobile: Kindly use this number [text, call or WhatsApp] to get information or any enquiries.

On Divine Mercy Sunday [28^th April at 3 pm], we shall have a special Mass with Divine Mercy prayers and Divine Mercy Chaplet.

SEASON OF LENT

During Lent we Focus on…

Prayer helps us to grow closer to God.

Fasting is a form of Penance. Catholics between 18 and 60 are obliged to Fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Catholics who have reached the age of 14 are obliged to abstain from eating meat on the Fridays of Lent.

Almsgiving is a practical way to express our love for God by expressing our love and generosity for others. Acts of charity are a basic part of Christian life.

St Vincent de Paul Society

Our Holy Cross Parish SVP groups, (Adult group, Youth SVP and Mini Vinnies) are all volunteers, aiming where we can to provide practical help, friendship and support. Our contact number is : 07835 188 411

Baptism Preparation Course (May)

If you have a child to be baptized please download a Baptism Form from the parish website (available on the FORMS page), if you wish to take part in the next sessions. Once you have completed the form attach a copy of your own baptism certificate and return it to Fr. Antony or the Parish Office.

Gospel Reflection: Today we hear one of the most beloved stories in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son. Reconciliation is a prominent theme. Seeing the younger son returning to him, the son who left the family and squandered his inheritance, the compassionate father runs to embrace him. Jesus offers us a vision of a loving God who is merciful and forgiving when we, through our own sinfulness, leave his presence, and then through repentance, return to him. The remainder of the Lenten season offers us an opportunity to reflect on God’s compassion and our need for reconciliation. Consider celebrating the sacrament of reconciliation and experience God’s loving embrace and forgiveness.

Pray for the sick: Let us pray for the sick including Philamen Mirian, Fidelis Demello, John Fish, Charlie Hyam, Rose Calver and Eileen O Reilley. To include anyone’s name, kindly contact Lesley Allan.

R.I.P.; Pease pray for the repose of the soul of Derrick John Cook, who was a parishioner of Holy Cross and whose funeral Mass will be on 11^th April [Thursday] at 12.30.

Fr John Mulligan’s Memorial Mass Planning has already begun for the Memorial Mass for Fr. John Mulligan on Saturday 22 June at 6.30pm. He died suddenly in September last year. He was in Catford from 1990 – 2009, and our Parish priest from 1993. We are planning a display of photos and we are looking for recollections and memories to accompany it. Please see Fr. Antony or one of the Parish Council if you think you can help.

Nigerian Community TEA Meeting will be held on Sunday [31^st March] after the 11.30 Mass in Hartley Hall.

Lenten Reflection The final Lenten Reflection will be this Wednesday 3^rd April in Hartley Hall 8pm- 9pm.

Bidding Prayers: Are you able to spare a few minutes out of your week to compose the bidding prayers in time for the Sunday Masses? You will be provided with all the necessary resources and guidance. If you are interested, please enquire by emailing Sarah Edwards at [email protected]

Ecumenical Pilgrimage: Holy Cross’s first ecumenical pilgrimage to Aylesford and West Malling with our friends from St Andrews and St Laurence's is fast approaching. Wednesday May the 29th, cost of the day by coach from Hartley Hall is £10. Please register your place with Fr Anthony. Times and details to follow.

Lenten Confessions - April 16^th from 7.30 pm in our parish.

Sound System of our church will be updated soon. We have received three quotations from audio engineers and the quotations are available in the noticeboard. Kindly give your suggestions.

CCTV: We are installing CCTVs in our church premises. These cameras record images for the purposes of crime prevention and public safety. Unfortunately there have been a number of thefts in our premises. These cameras are operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark.

Streaming of Parish Liturgy: We will be soon streaming liturgical services of our parish in our website [only the sanctuary and the front space before the pews to be seen]. For the time being, baptisms, marriage celebrations, funerals and so on can be streamed on request. After due consultation with the parishioners and displaying proper notices, Holy Masses will be also streamed. This will be a great help for those house-bound, parishioners now living in other parts of the world and for those family members whose beloved ones’ celebrations of sacraments are celebrated here in Holy Cross.