Sunday 21st Nov 2021 : Christ The King
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 21st Nov 2021 : Christ The King
You can find the Readings from here
Dear Parishioner,
Today is the last Sunday of this Liturgical Year and we celebrate the solemnity of Christ the King. Jesus Christ is not only the king of the universe but also the king of our hearts, our families, our parish… He reigns in our hearts through his divine love and friendship.
When we were baptised, we received the kingly function of Jesus Christ, meaning to say, we too are called to reign in the hearts of the people of the world by an ex-emplary way of life according to His values. By seeing our goodness, may they glorify the Heavenly Father [cf. Mat 5:16].
I am glad to inform you that Pope Francis officially cleared Blessed Lazarus Devasahayam and 6 others for sainthood. Bl Devasahayam is from my home town, a couple of miles from my parish in India. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints declared that the canonization Mass will take place in the Vatican on May 15, 2022.
Born on April 23, 1712, as Neelakanda Pillai, Devasahayam served in the palace of southern India’s Hindu King Marthanda Varma of Travancore.
Captain Eustachius De Lannoy, a Dutch naval commander of the Dutch East India Company who was sent in 1741 to capture Travancore’s port of Colachel was defeated and taken prisoner. The dutchman who was later pardoned went on to become the king’s trusted commander. It was during their influential roles under the King of Travancore that Devasahayam Pillai and De Lannoy became close friends.
Devasahayam became interested in the faith of De Lannoy, who enlightened him, leading to his conversion in 1745. He was baptized by Jesuit priest Father R. Bouttari Italus. He assumed the name 'Lazarus' or 'Devasahayam' in the local language, meaning ‘God is my help’.
However, Devasahayam’s conversion did not go well with the heads of his native religion, and was regarded as a betrayal and danger to the Hindu kingdom. His refusal to worship the Hindu gods of the palace and renouncing the traditional Hindu religious festivals greatly angered the officers. False charges of treason and espionage were brought against him and he was divested of his post in the royal administration. He was imprisoned and subjected to harsh persecution. A Catholic for only seven years, he was shot dead in the Aralvaimozhi forest on January 14, 1752.
If anyone is interested in participating in the Canonization Mass with me in the Vatican on May 15, 2022, please contact me.
Fr Antony
- Parish Office: (Open Tuesday and Thursday this week): 02086983672
- Last Week’s Collection: £449Last Week’s 2nd Collection: for the Archbishop’s Fund: £295. Thank you.Second Collection: Sunday is National Youth Sun-day and the Second Collection taken this weekend will support youth work in the diocese and beyond, especially the Southwark Catholic Youth Service
- We plan to begin the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament after the Mass every Tuesday from this Advent.
- Next First Holy Communion Class : Sat 04th December [10:00am]
Confirmation Class : Sat 04th December [4:30pm]
- We will begin a youth group ‘DANCING YOUTH FOR CHRIST’ in our parish in due time. The children/ youth who are interested will be taught Biblical music and action songs. They will learn the teachings of the Bible/Church through Biblical music. This group will eventually lead the Sunday Bible Class action songs in our parish. Please register your interest: [email protected]
- Manna Mission: This Sunday we shall run our Manna Mission [Bread and Soup kitchen] after the 11.30am Mass. This mission [every 3rd Sunday] is taken up by Team B. As they shall be undertaking this for the first time, it is again primarily for the parishioners. Please come and enjoy this hearty meal of bread and soup to support this team.Many thanks to Team A who did a great job on the first Sunday of this month. This is still a pilot project. We will decide after a few months whether to make this an ongoing mission.
Please take a copy of the Newsletter home with you - please do not leave it in the church. Thank you.
OUR PARISH RESPONSE TO COVID 19 PANDEMIC - Updates
URGENT: COVID-19 Update-> Holy Cross Church is OPEN
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
- 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
- Covid Rules Updates: As the cases of covid-19 and flu are increasing, please make a note of the following: If you have any symptoms, please stay at home and watch the Holy Mass via livestream (the link is Angelcam | Live video from Holy Cross Stream camera (click2stream.com) ) Please wear a face mask, unless you are exempt; Please sanitise your hands as you enter and exit the church; Please ensure you keep sufficient distance between yourself/ves and the people in front of you during the Comunion procession (a Welcome Ministers will assist) We won’t be taking any details for track and trace at this time.
- Welcome Ministers: As the number of Covid 19/Flu cases are expected to rise during the winter, let us now be ready to safeguard our people in our church. Along with welcoming the people, we will issue the parish newsletter wearing gloves, and ask everyone to sanitize their hands as they enter/exit the church. We shall guide parishioners up for Communion as in the past, and after Mass will sanitize the benches and areas frequently touched. Could I ask all Welcome Ministers to remain in Church after Mass for a short meeting. Many thanks for your commitment and sacrifice.
- The Holy Mass is offered everyday via Livestream
- Diamond Club Magazine is available here
