Sunday 20th March 2022 : 3rd Sunday of Lent
HOLY CROSS CATHOLIC CHURCH
208 Sangley Road, Catford, London SE6 2JS
Fr Antony Megalan Sellam [Parish Priest] – 02086983672
Website: www.holycross-catford.org.uk
Parish Contacts
Parish Office is Open
(Tuesday and Thursday)
10am - 3pm
020 8698 3672
Josepha Flahive
Lisa O’Hara
Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate
Holy Cross Bookshop, 020 3441 8240
Holy Cross School
[020 8698 2675]
Miss Mary Collins
www.holycross.lewisham.sch.uk
Repository:
CLOSED
St Vincent De Paul [SVP] 07835 188411
Safeguarding Line 07598 524024
Pat Barber and Kate Cleevely - [email protected]
Third Thursday Time TTT
Email: [email protected]
Hartley Hall [Tony Early]
Culverley Road, SE6 2LD
Email:[email protected]
Sunday 20th March 2022 : 3rd Sunday of Lent
You can find the Readings from here
Gospel Reflection: Jesus gives two examples at the beginning of today’s Gospel where he ‘reads’ how his listeners were thinking.
In the first instance, he perceives that the listeners thought that Pilate acted for a god who did not accept the Galileans’ sacrificial offerings and therefore sent him, Pilate, to kill them. In the second example, the falling of a tower and killing eighteen was an action wilfully done by God. As we would say today Jesus’ answer to both situations was “no way! “ .
The seekers in today’s Gospel are like us when we ask a theoretical question about someone else, but we are really asking for a very practical answer for ourselves.
The point of this Gospel incident is that each of us has a clear mission to do God’s will. God does have expectations of us. When you and I fall short, God is in some divine way disappointed in us.
The story of the fig tree is that it, too, is a story of someone who is not performing, not doing the will of God. The will of God, without a doubt, is that we change and produce fruit that we help to bring about the kingdom of God on earth. The Lord’s prayer, the prayer that Jesus himself taught, prays that the kingdom of our Father in Heaven will come, that His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Christians may disagree on many things, but never that doing the will of God is paramount in Jesus’ teaching.
Fr Antony
- Money Matters
CAFOD Lent Fast Day Collection: £240
Thank you all for your kindness and generosity.
Please take a copy of the Newsletter home with you - please do not leave it in the church. Thank you.
- Holy Cross Parish Pastoral Council: In order to make our parish a more dynamic and a missionary parish, we are going to form a new Parish Council. As we sincerely thank the members of the previous Council, we now invite new members to take up the missions of Jesus in our parish and beyond. We have identified a number of people who can give their time and talents for the greater glory of God and the wellbeing of God’s people. They are now being contacted one by one. If you feel called to do this mission as a Council member and are able to help the parish in any special areas, please contact Fr Antony.
- The RCIA had a joyous day on 5th March at St George's Cathedral when Adekunle Shittu and Tanner Bernardi-Heslop were called during the Rite of Election. Ade is now an Elect and will be Baptised, Confirmed and receive the Holy Eucharist at Easter, and Tanner will be Confirmed. Please pray for these candidates for their continuing journey of faith. Ade will participate in the Scrutinies at 9:00am Mass on Sundays 20th and 27th March and 3rd April. Please join us in prayer
- Lesley Allen received an outstanding recognition award, awarding the Lewisham residents who make our borough proud in recognition of her support for older residents particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic from Mayor Damien Egan at the full council meeting at the civic suite on Tuesday the 2 March. She was also made a Sheroe (a heroine ) of Lewisham and a poem was written about her, to see more go to the exhibition at Lewisham shopping centre at We are Lewisham next to the Argos.
We are proud of you dear Lesley.
- LENT IN HOLY CROSS
Divine Mercy Chaplet: Every Wednesday after the 9.15am
Mass Palm Sunday: 10 April—Mass times as Sundays
Maundy Thursday: 14 April—Mass begins at 7pm
Good Friday: 15 April—service begins at 3pm Easter:
Easter Vigil at 9pm. Sunday 9am and 11.30pm
- PARISH DIARY
25 Mar Annunciation of the Lord27 Mar Fourth Sunday of Lent (Laetare Sunday)
2nd RCIA Scrutiny (9:00 am Mass)
3rd Apr Fifth Sunday of Lent
3rd RCIA Scrutiny (9:00 am Mass)
Group 1 Manna Mission10th Apr Palm Sunday
15th Apr Good Friday
17th Apr Easter Day
OUR PARISH RESPONSE TO COVID 19 PANDEMIC - Updates
URGENT: COVID-19 Update-> Holy Cross Church is Open
COVID SECURITY GUIDELINES : Following the recent changes(Friday 10 dec) 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 Guidances for Churches December 2021
- 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
- With respect to the current situation with the omicron variant it is important to ensure the following points are followed in our churches:
- That people displaying any symptoms of covid-19 should stay at home and not travel to church or participate in person.
- That hand sanitiser is used by everyone attending the Church.
- Concerning face masks, some form of face covering will be required in most public indoor venues, including places of worship. However, exemptions exist for various reasons: legitimate health reasons, as has always been the case.
- That there is good ventilation and air throughput in the building; in this case, because of climatic conditions, please do wrap up warmly when coming to the church as we may need to leave doors open.
- That people who are engaged in a form of pastoral ministry which involves ministry to the housebound, sick, and vulnerable, should take regular lateral flow tests to ensure they are safe to do so. These are free from the NHS.
- The Holy Mass is offered everyday via Livestream
- Diamond Club Magazine is available here
