Dear parishioners,

On Monday we celebrate the feast of St David, bishop and patron of Wales. St David lived in the sixth century and founded the great monastery at Menevia in Pembokeshire. Later Menevia was renamed ‘St David’s’ in honour of him. St David’s monks followed a very austere rule, following a life of hard labour in silence, never ceasing to pray and eating only vegetables with a little salt. (Yes, there is an austere vegetarian tradition in Christianity) Anyone who felt called to this life had to wait at the door for ten days during which he was tried by many words and painful labours to show he could ‘die to himself’ before being admitted to the community. St David was called ‘the great ornament and pattern of his age. He spoke with great force and energy, but his example was more powerful than his eloquence and he has in all succeeding generations been the glory of the British Church’ (Butler). Such was the honour paid to him that in times past there was a three-day holiday to celebrate him in South Wales, now just the 1st of March marks his feast in these islands, which in Wales is a great Solemnity.

The daffodil is of course the great symbol of St David Day and a national flower of Wales. It is also a sign for us that spring is here and sunny days are returning. It is a joyful flower: 13,000 varieties of which trumpet forth the spring in bright yellow and orange and white. The daffodil is abundant: just look round here. You can see it in highly tended gardens and in abandoned ones, the woods, roadsides, Bostall Heath, that patch of grass between Long Lane and Sheldon Road and if we leave them there for everyone to enjoy, they are also in Sainsbury’s for £1.00 a bunch for our own personal enjoyment in our homes. Can such beauty be bought for less? And they even make a brief appearance at church in Lent on Laetare Sunday on the 14th March, as a pointer to Easter to come and as the most perfect and yet common and humble gift to our mothers. Like motherhood, the daffodil is everywhere and so sometimes taken for granted, but the daffodil reminds us that what is common is also the most precious and beautiful gift from God for which we give thanks.

HALL APPEAL

We’re nearly there! For those who don’t know already, on Christmas Eve the church hall was severely damaged by flooding from pipes. The floor has had to be removed and needs to be replaced. Before we do this we need to redecorate so that our hall is clean, cheerful and welcoming for you to use for social gatherings and parties again. These are some of the events the hall is used for:

Baptism parties· - First Communion breakfast - Wedding anniversaries·- Funeral receptions - Birthday parties for all ages - Memorial gatherings - Fund raising parties - Parish dances and concerts - Talks and presentations - The parish barbecue - Senior citizens Christmas dinner and weekly lunches – Macmillan coffee mornings - Children's play groups - First Communion and confirmation classes - Keep fit classes - Weight watchers – Guides – community meetings.

Let's look to the future when we can come out of lockdowns and lead a full life again. Currently the Hall is closed and will not reopen until this work is done. We need to raise nearly £12,000 and work cannot start until we have raised the money. Can you help by investing in the future life of your parish now so that we have a venue for the varied social life of your parish again?

Please make donations by cheque to St Thomas More, Bostall Park and mark the envelope ‘hall repairs’ or even better, BACS payment to:

NATWEST/ ACC. NO. 21361606/ SORT CODE 517014/ for the credit of: RCAS ST THOMAS MORE - BOSTALL PARK/ Ref: HALL REPAIRS

Or you can make your donation through ‘justgiving’ on line at:

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/STM-bexleyheath

And please pray too for a successful outcome.

Thank you to those who have already generously an impressive total of £10, 875, through the varied means we now have on offer, including a raffle at our school among the staff.

Lent Appeal: To CAFOD. Please go to the CAFOD website to make donations or there are envelopes available in the Church.

Deaths

Please pray too for the soul of :

Patrick Joseph Dillon who died on Wednesday 3rd February 2021. Funeral on Friday 5th March, 1.00 p.m.at Eltham. Requiem mass at St Thomas More at 10.00 a.m.

May the divine assistance remain with him always, and may his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.

MASSES AND INTENTIONS FOR THE COMING WEEK: THE SECOND WEEK OF LENT

Please come to mass once a week only, on any day of your choosing, to help with numbers and social distancing.

Mass intentions booked for masses cancelled or replaced with a funeral will be moved to another day.

Saturday 27th February THE SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT (B)

   6.30 p.m. Abigail & Amelia D’Souza T.G.

Sunday 28th February

   9.00 a.m. Colm Davis R.I.P.

 10.30 a.m. Mary Gomes W.B.

Monday 1st March St. David, bishop, patron of Wales, feast.

 10.00 a.m. Linda Low R.I.P.

Tuesday 2nd March feria of Lent.

 10.00 Kathleen Murphy R.I.P.

Wednesday 3rdMarch feria of Lent

NO PUBLIC MASS TODAY.

   Mass said in private: Patrick Barry (on anniversary) R.I.P.

Thursday 4th March feria of Lent. St Casimir, patron of Poland.

   10.00 a.m. Keith Boorsma R.I.P.

Friday 5th March feria of Lent.

NO PUBLIC MASS TODAY.

   Mass said in private: Requiem for Patrick Joseph Dillon R.I.P. Committal at Eltham 1.00 p.m.

7.00 p.m. STATIONS OF THE CROSS. (Please note, stewards are needed for forthcoming Fridays – there’s a sign- up sheet in the porch or give me a ring)

Saturday 6th March feria of Lent.

   10.00 a.m. Stefania Chojnacka R.I.P.

(6.30 p.m. THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT (B) Patricia Pinto R.I.P.)

February prayer:

JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH (traditional prayer usually said at night or with the dying. It can be said alone or as a short responsory with another person or other people)

V. Jesus, Mary and Joseph,

R. I give you my heart and my soul.

V. Jesus, Mary and Joseph,

R. Assist me in my last agony.

V. Jesus, Mary and Joseph,

R. May I sleep and take my rest in peace with you. Amen.

Until next time, may God keep you in safety and peace,