Newsletters for Week starting on Sunday 02nd February 2020 : Presentation of the Lord

Published by AFAN in News · 31 January 2020

HOLY CROSS CATHOLIC CHURCH

208 Sangley Road, Catford, London SE6 2JS

Fr Antony Megalan Sellam [Parish Priest] – 02086983672

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Website: www.holycross-catford.org.uk

18^thJan / 19^th Jan 2020 [2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time]

Parish Contacts

Parish Office - Open Wed & Fri [10am -3pm]

020 8698 3672

Josepha Flahive [secretary]

[email protected]

Lisa O’Hara [volunteer]

[email protected]

Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate

Holy Cross Bookshop, 020 3441 8240

Holy Cross School

[020 8698 2675]

Miss Mary Collins & Miss Giovanna Finaldi

www.holycross.lewisham.sch.uk

Repository:

To buy gifts and cards, the church shop is open after all weekend Masses.

St Vincent De Paul [SVP] 07835 188411

Safeguarding Line 07598 524024

Third Thursday Time TTT

Email: [email protected]

Hartley Hall [Angela Allen]

Culverley Road, SE6 2LD

Email: [email protected]

Finance: £699.54; SO £503

Newsletter matters to be sent to [email protected] by Wednesday.

Candlemas This weekend we celebrate Candlemas, also called Presentation of the Lord, a Christian festival reminding us of the occasion when Mary and Joseph went to the temple in Jerusalem to be purified and to present their son Jesus to God. This was in accordance with Jewish law and occurred 40 days after Jesus’s birth.

From a sermon by Saint Sophronius: “…The true light has come, the light that enlightens every man who is born into this world. Let all of us, my brethren, be enlightened and made radiant by this light. Let all of us share in its splendour, and be so filled with it that no one remains in the darkness. Let us be shining ourselves as we go together to meet and to receive with the aged Simeon the light whose brilliance is eternal. Rejoicing with Simeon, let us sing a hymn of thanksgiving to God, the Father of the light, who sent the true light to dispel the darkness and to give us all a share in his splendour. Through Simeon’s eyes we too have seen the salvation of God which he prepared for all the nations and revealed as the glory of the new Israel, which is ourselves. As Simeon was released from the bonds of this life when he had seen Christ, so we too were at once freed from our old state of sinfulness.

By faith we too embraced Christ, the salvation of God the Father, as he came to us from Bethlehem. Gentiles before, we have now become the people of God. Our eyes have seen God incarnate, and because we have seen him present among us and have mentally received him into our arms, we are called the new Israel. Never shall we forget this presence; every year we keep a feast in his honour.”

Parish Pastoral Council

The next meeting is on Tuesday 4^th February at 8pm in Hartley Hall.

Prayers of the Faithful this month:

Mary Baldwin [02/02]; Ossie Folkes [09/02]; Margaret Folkes [16/02]; Rachelle Thevathas [23/02]; Ash Wednesday – Francisca Dunbar [26/02]

If you are sick at home and would like Holy Communion brought to you,

please give your name, address and telephone number to Fr. Antony or Lesley Allen and a Eucharistic Minister will get in touch with you. Also, if you are aware of a parishioner who is housebound or ill please let us know. If you are in hospital and wish to speak to a priest, please ask the staff to contact the Catholic Chaplain.

Racial Justice Sunday is next Sunday.

There will be a second collection then (8/9^th February) to raise funds to support the works of the Catholic church to promote racial justice in our schools, parishes and wider society. The theme this year is “You are at the heart of the Church” and will celebrate the contribution of the travelling communities.

Pray for the sick:

Let us pray for the sick including Pat Doyle, Gloria Israel, Mariam Philomin, Rose Calver, Charlie Hyam, Joan Laughnane, Agatha Lewis, Myra Hannon, Elizabeth Goba, Florence Nosgobie, Gala Lobo and Ann Whitington.

Our Lady of Grace RC Primary School, Charlton

is looking to appoint a Deputy Headteacher and a KS1 Class Teacher – both posts to start in September 2020. Please see the posters at the back of the church or contact Anna Sully at [email protected] for further information and an application form.

St Peter’s Catholic Primary School [Crescent Road, Woolwich, London,SE18 3BN] Headteacher required September 2020. For more information, email; [email protected] or call 0208 295 0028. Please feel free to view school website on; http://www.stpeters.greenwich.sch.uk

Remember to save the date, 27^th June, for Archbishop John Wilson’s special diocesan gathering in Aylesford.

Please join: Rosary: Mon Tues Thurs 9.40am / Wed 8.50am, Chaplet of Divine Mercy: Wed 9.40am, Confessions: Sat 6pm, Church cleaning and Decoration: Thurs 10am

Building & Maintenance Committee

The first meeting of our newly formed committee will be on Wednesday 5^th February at 6pm in the priest house. If you are interested in the building and maintenance of our church and hall, you are most welcome to join the first meeting. We are hoping to refurbish Hartley Hall and the Sacristy. If you have any suggestions, please let us know before the first meeting – email: [email protected]

Holy Cross Parish Food/Household Items Bank – Second Sundays

A reminder that next weekend, 8/9th February, a trolley will be in each Church porch during 6.30pm vigil Mass and before 10am Mass, and in Hartley Hall Library during the YSVP coffee morning after 10am Mass, for donations of food and household items and Parishioners who may be finding it hard to make ends meet to take what they need. Parish organisations have suggested examples of possible donations, including breakfast cereals, coffee, tea, washing powder, toilet rolls, sanitary towels, washing up liquid, tinned goods, biscuits etc. Carrier bags are also welcome. Any items remaining at the end of the coffee morning will be given to people in need known to SVP or for Parish groups or local organisations to use. Ideas, suggestions, offers of help to [email protected] Thank you.

Holy Hour in Holy Cross:

from the first week of February 2020, Holy Hour is celebrated every Friday 7pm to 8pm. “When you look at the Crucifix, you understand how much Jesus loved you then. When you look a t the Sacred Host you understand how much Jesus loves you now,”- Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Meet Fr Antony

without an appointment on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 9.45am to 11.45am.

Baptisms in February:

Please pray for Alven Jovaz Salema and Pierre Aaron Boga who will be baptised at Holy Cross this month. May they and their families always be blessed with God’s everlasting love

Funerals:

Please pray for the peaceful repose of the souls of Barbara Cottle, whose funeral will be on Friday 7^th February at 12 noon and John Taylor, whose funeral will be on Monday 17^th February at 12.30pm. We also pray for their families, some are coming from abroad. We pray they have a safe trip and all are blessed with much strength at this difficult time.