Catholic Legacy

Gifts in your Will are a wonderful way you can continue to support the Church’s ministry and mission and help meet the needs of future generations. Do please consider gifts to the Church and Catholic charities next time you update your Will. For more information, please contact Your Catholic Legacy on 020 7095 5370 or contact Adrian Radford, the Diocesan Finance Controller, by email at adrianradford@rcaos.org.uk.

The London Encounter

The London Encounter is a one day cultural festival with profound Catholic roots. The day involves exhibitions, presentations and discussions on this year’s theme, “The Human Being: A Paradox of Freedom”. More details can be found at www.thelondonencounter.co.uk, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheLondonEncounter.

Meeting for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.

There will be a meeting for all Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion on Thursday 22nd November at 7pm in the Lady Chapel. Please can you email Fr. Jonathon if you are unable to attend.

Missio Red Box Collection.

It’s time to empty the boxes again! Please can you bring your boxes to the repository as usual or wait for your collector to call. Thank you. Helen Ratcliff.

The Co-Workers of St. Teresa of Calcutta.

I wish to say a huge thank you to all of you who contributed so generously both in the items requested and cash donations. The response as usual surpassed all expectations. We are holding our monthly coffee morning this Sunday (11th November) in the church hall following the 9 a.m. Mass. Please come and support us.

First Holy Communion 2019.

Please see the key dates for First Holy Communion 2019 Preparation below:

Catechist’s Meeting – Monday 26th November at 7pm in the Presbytery
Parents Meeting – Wednesday 28th November at 7pm in the Hall
Commitment Mass – Sunday 2nd December at the 9 a.m. Mass

Bingo Night.

The St Thomas More Social Club have organised 3 Bingo Nights on Friday’s the 23rd November & 14th December in the hall which promise to be great evenings for the family where you could walk away with one of the cash prizes. The doors open at 8pm and eyes down at 9pm. The bar will be open and please bring your own nibbles and dabber (or anything to write with).

St Thomas More Social Club Vacancy.

The position of Club Treasurer for 2019 is urgently required as our present Treasurer after many years of reliable service is retiring. If you are interested or if you would like to join the committee, please contact Fr. Jonathon at jonathonrouth@rcaos.org.uk or Bob Penny on 020 8304 7909.

The Three Sunday Masses

Good practice is to give parishioners a choice of the type of mass which suits them. It seems to me from seeing our resources, both actual and potential, that we should have;

1. A said Sunday mass (equivalent of the pre 1970 ‘low mass’)
2. A sung ‘family’ mass (like the old ‘sung mass’)
3. A solemn mass (like the old ‘high mass’)

Saturday 6.30 p.m. "is our said mass."

It will be quieter, with simple ceremony, no hymns and therefore shorter. Some people prefer this and they should have this option. In the past people often had an early 8.00 a.m. mass which met this need and we can still provide this at our 6.30 p.m. Hymns and music are always additional, although amplify, embellish and beautify our worship. For parishioners who need a mass simple and said, 6.30 p.m. is the option. However if there is a special occasion, e.g. a visit by the bishop, then this mass will be sung.

Sunday 9.00 a.m. "is our sung, family mass."

It de facto already is this because of the children’s’ Liturgy in the hall during mass and the participation of children on the First Holy Communion course. The sung family mass could involve more servers and therefore some simple ceremony but the music will be more modern in style, hopefully accompanied by the keyboard, other instruments and a children’s choir. (Please contact me if your child is interested in serving and Mrs Apy Fernandes or Mrs Doran-Hannon at the school if your child would like to join the choir for this mass.)

Sunday 10.30 p.m. "is our Solemn Mass."

Now in modern church- speak, this does not mean slow and serious, but it does mean celebrating mass with music and full ceremony. Our young serving team at this mass have already impressed me greatly with the cheerful but dignified and correct way they have been serving at this mass. I doubt you’d find any church in South London doing any better. We can be proud of what they have achieved and this has been through giving up their time on a Saturday, preparing and PRACTISING. Thank you 10.30 a.m. servers. We cannot offer the Lord the best in choir music, ceremonial, flowers or anything unless we do this. The music at this mass has organ accompaniment and may have more traditional hymns. We will aim to sing simple chants for the settings of the mass (i.e. kyrie, holy, holy, lamb of God etc.) and the priest will intone some of his parts such as the Collect and Preface. If traditional music is sung at normal ‘speaking’ speed it is joyful. It’s when we sing it slower and slower it really becomes deadly. The solemn mass should be beautiful, dignified and joyful. More on Music later, in the meantime, if you play, sing or want to serve, get in touch.