Sunday 19th Sept 2021 : 25th Sunday in Ordinary time

COVID SECURITY GUIDELINES : Following the recent changes(Monday 19 July) in the regulations from the Government, the parish has issued updated guidelines for continued safe and covid-secure worship in the church.The latest document is Covid-19 Route Map - Step 4

Dear Parishioner,

A number of good things have taken place in our parish in the past week. We had a meaningful celebration of our parish feast at all the weekend Masses, especially at the special 7pm Mass on Sunday...we remembered the departed parishioners in our prayers, in particular Fr John Mulligan as it was the 3rd anniversary of his death, we prayed for the sick and elderly, we offered our thanks to God for every blessing we cherish in our families and in our wider parish family, we received a blessing with the relic of the real wood of the Holy Cross, the Welcome Ministers were awarded The Archbishop’s Certificate, and the children the Holy Cross Certificate of thanks, and then we enjoyed refreshments in Hartley Hall. We continue to thank God for the gift of our parish and our parishioners.

In the last newsletter I asked for your suggestions regarding the change of Mass time during weekdays. After having heard from a number of regular participants, the decision was made to continue with the existing mass times during weekdays. It is now the season for us to begin our sacramental preparations in our parish. We are indeed blessed with efficient and enthusiastic teams of catechists. Please find the lead catechists’ details in the PARISH CONTACT section of this newsletter. On your behalf, I sincerely thank them all for their good will and sacrifices. Once again, may I ask you to be an apostle to bring people to God? Invite your friends and family members who are not Catholics or lapsed Catholics to the RCIA? The RCIA’s first session will be in Hartley Hall after the Saturday 6.30pm Mass on 2nd October 2021. Please come and learn more. Enrolment forms will be available, and there will be refreshments. The invitation extends to practicing Catholics who may wish to share their faith with others, or deepen their faith

We have an exciting programme for the year which covers the main topics in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and much, much more. Please find the programme on the back page of this newsletter. You can attend for one session or stay for all. The sessions will take place after the Saturday 6:30pm Mass from 7:15-9:00pm and will run from October 2021 until Pentecost 2022, with a mixture of meeting in Hartley Hall and online sessions. By virtue of our baptism, we are all called to mission and catechism is one way to share our faith as well as to learn at the same time. You will never regret participating in this beautifully designed Holy Cross RCIA programme. My sincere thanks to Judy & Fabian Chen, Jacintha Chen, Rachael & Nick Wibberley, Josephine O’Sullivan, Leon and Rhonda Jackson, Sharmini Joseph and Lisa O’Hara for their team work and enthusiasm to pass on the Good News. If you feel you can contribute (with support if needed) to this team, please contact me. We are going to resume Altar Service in our parish. Nick and Rachael Wibberley have come forward to train our altar servers, and provide refresher training for those who were unable to serve for almost 18 months during the Pandemic. The first session for all altar servers will take place on Saturday 25th September at 10am in the church. All who wish to serve, both existing and new, must complete a new application form to ensure you are registered for and complete the required training. We are going to start our Holy Cross Manna Mission from the first week of October. This Soup and Bread Kitchen also welcomes our parishioners after the 11.30 Mass to eat, meet and chat. We will invite the needy and welcome them into our community. May the Almighty God bless us and our efforts to establish His kingdom in our midst.

Fr Antony

Fr Antony will be available for you to receive the applications after every Mass next week

• Please note that the Mass times have been reviewed : See below (Mass Times and Intentions)

All the Masses will be live-streamed: https://holy-cross-stream.click2stream.com

• Application Forms for Baptism, First Holy Communion, Confirmation and RCIA: please contact Fr Antony during the Parish Surgery without an appointment.
  

• Parish Surgery: Meet with Fr Antony without an appointment after any Mass

• Until the End of the Pandemic:

1. Please ensure you sanitise your hands as you enter and leave the church.
2. 9pm for Night Prayer [every day except Saturday]: In this Pandemic, let us pray together as God’s family and receive His blessings before going to sleep.

   Please invite your family also to join prayer. Meeting ID: 7578777461; Passcode: 20212021.

For those children who made their First Holy Communion in 2021, you are invited to attend Mass on Saturday 18th September at 10:00am.

After each Mass, the Candidates and their families are invited to a celebration party in Hartley Hall. If you can wear your special outfits, please do. Otherwise please dress smartly.

• The Holy Mass is offered everyday  via Livestream

• Our Newsletter is available by visiting our Newsletter webpage with updates on how and when to register for the sacraments of Baptism, Holy Communion, Confirmation and RCIA

Please take a copy of the Newsletter home with you - please do not leave it in the church. Thank you.

• Diamond Club Magazine is available here

• Catechises, Formation and Evangelization Teams in Holy Cross: anyone who would like to join these teams, please contact Fr Antony.

• Holy Cross Manna Mission: we are planning to begin the Soup And Bread Kitchen in our parish after the 11.30am Mass from October – as long as we receive sufficient assistance from our parishioners. Please come forward to support the poor and needy. You can either let Fr Antony know you would like to support this Mission, or email the Parish Office with your contact details.
  

• Altar Servers Training: There will be a training session for altar servers on Saturday 25th September at 10am in the church. All who wish to serve at the Holy Mass, please request an application form from Fr Antony. Many thanks to Nick and Rachael Wibberley who are happy to lead the altar servers. Can you help?