Weekly Bulletin

OLSJ Weekly Bulletin
Pope Benedict XVI's coat of arms

   19th - 25th December 2010

Liturgical calendar

Fourth Sunday of Advent
7pm (Sat) Patrick Walsh RIP
8am Sick Children Intentions
9:30am Gladys Gasparro RIP
11am (Sung) William Sweeney RIP
12:15pm People of the Parish
2pm Nigerian Mass
6:30pm Verity's Intentions

Monday
Advent Feria
9am William Sweeney RIP
6pm Imelda Graham RIP

Tuesday
Advent Feria

9am William Sweeney RIP
6pm Laffan Family Deceased

Wednesday
Advent Feria
9am Joseph Tom Jackson & his Parents RIP
6pm K. Evans & Sons RIP

Thursday
Advent Feria
9am Alexander Diadhiou 10th Anniv. RIP
6pm Parents of Tony Lyons RIP

Christmas Eve
9am Bridget, Edward & Mary Lambert RIP
6pm Vigil Mass of Christmas for Families
11:30pm Carols before Midnight Mass

Christmas Day
Midnight Mass People of the Parish
            William & Mary Donovan RIP
8am Apolloh Ekeocha Intentions
9:30am Sarah Corcoran
11am Friends and Relatives of Donovan Family
12:15pm Martin Fahy RIP
No Evening Mass

Next Sunday: Holy Family
8am Tony Gasparro RIP
9:30am Igbetu Asheshe RIP
11am (Sung) People of the Parish
12:15pm Alfredo & Ana Miranda RIP
6:30pm Dempsey Family Deceased

Confession
Saturday 11am to 11:45am & 6pm to 6:45pm
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
Sunday 5pm to 6:15pm
Saturday 11am to 11:45am & 6pm to 6:45pm
Fridays 6:30pm to 7:30pm
First Friday also 9:30am to 10:30am
Novena & Benediction
Saturdays after the Noon Mass
Morning Prayer
Monday - Friday 8:45 am and Evening Prayer at 5:45 pm.
The Rosary is recited after weekday Masses

Readings for the Fourth Sunday in Advent (Year A):
First Reading Isaiah 7: 10 - 14
Psalm 23
Second Reading Romans 1: 1 - 7
Gospel Matthew 1: 18 - 24

This Week at a Glance (19th - 26th Dec.)

This Sunday
Nigerian Mass at 2 pm in the Church
Monday
n/a
Tuesday
Legion of Mary at 7 pm in the Small Hall
Wednesday
n/a
Thursday
n/a
Christmas Eve
n/a
Christmas Day
n/a
Next Sunday
Enrolment of Altar Servers into the Archconfraternity of St. Stephen at all Masses

Extra Opportunities to Celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation in Preparation for the
Nativity of the Lord.

After all the weekday Masses a priest will be available for Confession. Please do take this opportunity to be well prepared to celebrate the Birth of our Lord and Saviour.

The Courage of St. Joseph

Quite rightly, we highlight the central role that Mary played in the Incarnation and God’s gracious work of our salvation. By her wholehearted and faithful “Yes” to the Father, and her complete openness to the Holy Spirit, she became Mother of Jesus Christ, truly God the Son and truly human.
However, it is also very important to appreciate the part that St. Joseph undertook. In today’s Gospel we hear that because of his concern to protect Mary’s reputation he was willing to withdraw from their marriage. God, however, had other ideas! Joseph is called to the wonderful vocation of being husband to Mary and of providing fatherly protection for Jesus. In obedience, Joseph accepted this mission. John Paul II wrote, “One can say that what Joseph did united him in an altogether special way to the faith of Mary. He accepted as truth coming from God the very thing that she had already accepted at the Annunciation... Therefore he became a unique guardian of the mystery ‘hidden for ages in God’ (Eph 3:9), as did Mary. Together with Mary, Joseph is the first guardian of this divine mystery... and in relation to Mary, he shares in this final phase of God’s self-revelation and does so from the very beginning.”
May Our Lady’s and St Joseph’s prayers lead us more deeply into the marvellous mystery of Christmas:Emmanuel...God-is-with–us!

Preparation to Receive the Sacraments

Confirmation

The next preparation session for Candidates is on Thursday, 6th January, 2011 at 7pm prompt in the Church Hall. Please come prepared to share your ideas about the Holy Spirit.

RCIA
RCIA Grp 1 meets Mon., 10th Jan., 7pm, in the Presbytery.
RCIA Grp 2 meets Thurs. 13th Jan., 11:30am in the
Presbytery.

First Holy Communion

The first preparation session for children and their parents/carers is on Wednesday, Jan. 12th at 7pm sharp. Everyone to gather in the Church please.

Getting Married?

On Saturday, 19th February, 2011 there will be a course for couples preparing for marriage. The course will begin at 9:30am and end at 4:30pm. All couples living in this parish planning to marry next year, either here or elsewhere, are invited to attend. Please see one of the clergy as soon as possible to enrol for this very helpful day. Many thanks.

Please Pray for the Sick and Housebound

Mary Tomlinson, Barbara Hutchinson,
Marcelle Nixon

Please let Frs. John, William or Sr. Winifred know of any sick parishioners who would like to be anointed or visited.

Parish Notices

Card Carrying Catholics

Christmas Service Cards detailing times of Mass, Confession and other liturgies over the festive season are now available in the porch. We have had plenty printed, so please feel free to take a few to distribute to people you know and invite them to join us in celebrating the Lord’s Nativity. Be sure to keep your card in a place where you can see it easily, so that you know what’s happening when!

One Way to Say Thank You

Christmas Offering Envelopes are also available to take if you are not in the Planned Giving Scheme. Your Christmas Offering (along with that at Easter) is the principal means by which you support your parish clergy. Frs. John, William and Deacon Andrew thank you in advance for your gracious generosity.

Party On, Dude

Many thanks to the Parish Fund-Raising and Social Group for organising the Children’s Party. As ever it was a fantastically enjoyable occasion thanks to their very hard work . Thanks also to everyone who supported the event by buying raffle tickets and donating prizes to the tombolas.

Fun Nun

Thank you very much as well to Sr. Winifred and her wonderful team of volunteers who made the Christmas Party for our more senior parishioners such a wonderful occasion. Preparing the Hall and cooking the delicious meal for over 100 people, washing-up and clearing away, as well as transporting the guests to and from the party requires careful organisation plus lots of energy—so thanks again to everyone who made the party another huge success.

Are you on Facebook? If you are, you may be interested to know that a group dedicated to the parish has been set up. The group is called 'Our Lady & St Joseph's Catholic church, Kingsland' - easy to find! OL&SJ on Facebook is for any member of the parish, past, present and even future who would like to keep in touch with the church via the popular social networking site.

Readers and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

Forms on which to indicate your availability for the Christmas Masses are in the Sacristy. Please sign-up today. Thanks very much. You will be contacted to let you know at which liturgies your services will be required.

Altar Servers

You now know that our Parish has been affiliated to the Archconfraternity of St. Stephen and, if you have been serving for about a year or more, you will be enrolled as a member of it on Sunday, 26th December (the Feast of the Holy Family this year) at whichever Mass you attend that day. Please let Deacon Andrew or one of the Priests know if cannot attend.

Totally Ga-Ga

The Toddler Group are now on Christmas Break and will next meet on Wednesday, 5th January, at the new time of 10am to 11:30am.

Community Action

Hall Refurbishment: The Small Hall has recently been repainted, carpeted, new cupboards fitted and a mobile divider installed so that, according to need, there can be two smaller meeting rooms or one larger one. The painting of Large Hall is almost completed and the blinds are installed. New lighting is in the process of going up. 170 chairs, for the total cost of about £4,500, have been ordered for the Hall and will be arriving at the end of January. That works out at about £25 a chair - so if anyone wants to sponsor one, that would be great! So too would donations, no matter how small, towards the refurbishment of our halls be very welcome. Thank you to the Parish Caribbean Community Group for their donation of £100.

Please Pray for the Souls of the Faithful Departed

Sheila Connell, Bridget Lands

May their souls rest in peace,
and their family and friends be consoled by the Lord.

***