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REGULAR NOTICES

“May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you.

Psalm 32

St John Fisher Roman Catholic Church North Harrow

80 Imperial Close, Harrow, HA2 7LW, 020 8868 7531 harrownorth@rcdow.org.uk www.stjohnfisheronline.org.uk

www.stjohnfisheronline.org.uk

APPRECIATING THE MASS

This Lent I plan to give a couple of short talks on the celebration of the Eucharist, the ‘source and summit of the Christian life.’ I hope it will help us all grow in our appreciation and love of the Mass, however much or little we know about this celebration. The first session will focus on the Introductory Rites and Liturgy of the Word this Thursday, 12th March and the second will cover the Liturgy of the Eucharist and the Concluding Rites on Thursday 19th March. You can just turn up to the Fisher Room after 7pm Mass but it would help to have an idea of numbers if you could sign up on the yellow sheet at the back of the Church.

The following Monday, 23rd March, we will be exploring environmental issues as part of our commitment to Harrow Citizens with a session from 7pm in the Parish Centre, Small Hall. There has been much in the media on the need to respond to the challenges affecting our planet at personal, parish, local and national level. Community Organising offers us a route to turn these ideals into practical results. After all Pope Francis reminds us in ‘Laudato Si’ that Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience.

Every blessing for the week ahead,

Fr Graham

In the Year of The Word why not read next Sunday’s Readings? Exodus 17:3-7, Romans 5:1-2; 5-8, John 4:5-42

and the Wednesday Word may help you: www.wednesdayword.com

MASS TIMES AND INTENTIONS

Week beginning Saturday 7th March 2020

7th Sat Lent Feria 9.30am Mark Ransley RIP

Vigil of Sunday 6.00pm Harry Gallagher RIP

8th Sun 2nd Sunday of Lent 8.30am Remy Martins & Hilda Desouza RIP

10.00am People of the Parish 11.30am Colin Martin Anniv

9th Mon Lent Feria 9.30am Lakshmi Naganathan RIP

10th Tue Lent Feria 9.30am Marie Harrison RIP

11th Wed Lent Feria No Mass

12th Thu Lent Feria 7.00pm Susan Constantin

13th Fri Lent feria 9.30am Andrew McGrath followed by Stations of the Cross 7.00pm John & Nora Riordan Anniv followed by Stations of the Cross

14th Sat Lent Feria 9.30am Jean Burgess

Vigil of Sunday 6.00pm Marie & Ernie Cromp RIP __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sacrament of Reconciliation Saturday 10am - 10.30am; 5.15pm – 5.45pm

and by appointment

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament Monday 8.15 – 9.15am; Saturday 10 - 10.30am

First Friday 10am - 11am (concluding with Benediction)

LITURGICAL CALENDAR

Parish Priest: Fr. Graham Stokes, 020 8429 5684, grahamstokes@rcdow.org.uk Parish Catechist: Kay O’Connor, 020 8429 5682, kayoconnor@rcdow.org.uk

Parish Administrator: Nuala Rodger, nualarodger@rcdow.org.uk 020 8429 5681(office hours Mon - Thu 9.30am-1pm) Parish Safeguarding Representative : Gerald O’Keefe harrownorthsg@safeguardrcdow.org.uk

8th March 2020 ~ 2nd SUNDAY OF LENT Year A

This parish is part of the Westminster Roman Catholic Diocesan Trust, Registered Charity Number 233699

Please keep the sick in your prayers. A list of sick parishioners is displayed on the noticeboard at the back of the Church.

If you or a sick relative could benefit from a visit from the parish St Vincent de Paul Society, please contact the parish office or phone number 07935776298. If you would like a visit from the priest and/or to regularly receive Holy Communion, please contact the parish office.

Pray also for:, Irene Smith, Margaret Turner, Maria McCullough, Donal Ryan, Colin Martin, John O’Rogun, Mary Cross, Richard Cobb, Andrzej Drapa, Michael Carolan, Mel Stiffle, Anna Castignetti, Rowland Kenworthy, Bruno Castignetti, Breda Linnane, Doreen Williams, Edward Goulding, Bob Le Forestier, Jack Conway, Charlie O’Brien, Kathleen Hayes, Derrick Mitchell, Delores Atkins, George O’Neil, Patricia Roach, Catherine Cattigan Joan Howard, Brenda O’Hanlon John Forde, Guiseppe Marcellini, Milly Yarwood, Frederick Sutherland, John Cahill, Norma Mesquita and all whose anniversaries occur at this time.

PARISH NOTICES

Coronavirus – As you will be aware there have been significant developments in the last week in the spread of the virus. Therefore, whilst not wishing to reduce the impact of the more serious phase of the protective processes, it seems prudent at this time to offer Holy Communion under one kind, the Body of Christ, and to exercise the option in the liturgy to remove the invitation to exchange the sign of peace. For more details on the Church’s infirmed response to coronavirus please see https://rcdow.org.uk/news/advice-regarding-coronavirus/

CAFOD Lenten Fast Day – This was last Friday. Please return your CAFOD envelope this weekend, with your donation and contribute to the retiring collection at all Masses. Thank you.

Church lighting – The company that installed the church lighting will be returning to repair the fault soon. In the meantime thank you for your patience with the gloom at the back of the Church.

Fair trade coffee morning Thank you to everyone who supported the raffle and coffee morning last weekend. We raised £200 for Traidcraft Exchange. Congratulations to the winners of the 'coffee pest' competition and the raffle.

Action by Christians Against Torture You are invited to write letters on behalf of prisoners of conscience & people persecuted for their faith in the lounge at Christ Church, Roxeth Hill, HA2 0JN on Tuesday 10th March from 10-11:30am. You can choose whether to write letters or to use the time to pray for those suffering and their families.

New Readers Training – At 7:30pm on Monday 9th March there will be a meeting in the church for all new readers. If you are interested in reading at Mass, please speak to Fr Graham or Kay.

Altar Servers – if you would like to become an Altar server we will have training at 6pm on Monday 9th March in the church. To be an Altar Server you must have made your First Holy Communion. Please contact Fr Graham or Kay beforehand.

Rededication of England to Our Lady - This country will be rededicated as Our Lady’s Dowry on Sunday 29th March. We will celebrate the rededication at the 11.30am Mass that Sunday. The statue of Our Lady of Walsingham will be visiting Westminster Cathedral from 19th – 22nd March.

Knitting group meets on Friday 13th March from 2pm in Fisher Room. All welcome.

Charity concert 28th March 7.30pm in the Parish Centre to support treatment of Cardiomyopathy. Ashley and his band of singers, including parishioners, accompanied by The Grimsdyke Brass Band are holding a charity concert. Tickets on the door.

LENT 2020 - ‘Prepare the Way of the Lord’

Appreciating the Mass – Fr Graham will be hosting two short talks on the Mass at 7.30pm on Thursday 12th March and Thursday 19th March, in the Fisher Room. All welcome with no prior understanding required! Please sign up on the yellow sheet.

Lenten Alms – This year we will be supporting Aid to the Church in Need. Their Westminster organiser, John Ravi, will be coming to speak to us about their work on the weekend of 21/22 March.

Lenten Reconciliation Service - with visiting priest confessors will take place on Monday, 30th March from 7.00pm.

Devotions and Mass As last year, there will be Stations of the Cross led by parishioners after the 9.30am Friday mass. If you would like to lead these morning stations, please contact the parish office. In additional there will be 7.00pm Friday Mass followed by Stations of the Cross led by Fr Graham.

Lenten lunches A simple bread and soup lunch supporting St Luke’s Hospice; the first will be at Elmfield on Imperial Drive at 12noon on Saturday 14th March.

Harrow Citizens – Date for the diary Please keep free Tuesday 21st April, the date for the London Citizens Mayoral Assembly at 6pm in the Copperbox in the QE Olympic Park, Stratford.

DEANERY & DIOCESAN NOTICES

Annual Mass of thanksgiving for the Sacrament of Matrimony-. The Cardinal invites all couples in the Diocese who are celebrating significant anniversaries of Catholic marriage in 2020 to Westminster Cathedral for a Mass of Thanksgiving on Saturday 30th May 2020 at 3pm. If you are celebrating an anniversary, please contact the parish office.

Divine Mercy Retreat at St Gabriel South Harrow on Saturday 14th March. More details on poster in church porch.

Holy Week Palm Sunday 8.30 am 10.00am starting outside St Alban’s church 11.30am Holy Thursday 8.00pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper

(then watching until Night Prayer at 11.50pm) Good Friday 9.30am Morning Prayer 1.00pm Children’s Stations of the Cross 3.00pm Celebration of the Lord’s Passion 7.30pm Stations of the Cross Holy Saturday 9.30am Morning Prayer 8.00pm Easter Vigil Easter Sunday Masses as normal Easter Monday 11.00am Mass