St Anthony of Padua Anerley

Third Sunday of Lent (C)

Mass Readings: 160 – 163

Order of Mass: Pages 7 – 60

First Reading: on Mount Horeb (also known as Mt Sinai) Moses encounters God (‘I Am’) in the burning bush who promises, in his compassion for his people, to deliver them from slavery in Egypt.

Psalm: a psalm of praise and thanksgiving to God, who ‘is compassion and love’.

Second Reading: during the Offertory the priest takes the chalice and says the wine ‘will become our spiritual drink’, a phrase taken from this passage.

Gospel: the parable of the fig tree is one of the many ‘parables of mercy’ to be found in Luke.  If we understand the vine dresser to be God, then the parable speaks of how God will give the sinner more time to repent and start doing good works.  If the vine dresser stands for the Christian disciple, it encourages us to give offenders a second chance and to expend effort (‘time to dig round it and manure it’) in helping them rehabilitate.

Sunday Teas:

This Sunday’s teas will be served by the St Vincent de Paul Group.

Next Sunday’s Mother’s Day teas will be served by the Knights of St Columba.

Thank you to all those who help out with the Sunday Teas.

Last Sunday’s Collections: The 1st collection was £581.71p + £339.00p in Gift Aid envelopes giving us a parish total of £920.71p. The 2nd collection for CAFOD/Family Fast Day was  £69.69p. Thank you for your generosity.

Recently Deceased: Please pray for the souls and families of Joe Fryday, Sylvia Virginia Matthews and William O’Brien.

The funeral of Joe Fryday will be on Tuesday 26th March at 11am followed by the burial at Beckenham Cemetery at 12.30pm. The body of Joseph Fryday will be received into the Church on Monday 25th March at 6.00 pm.

Sylvia Matthews’ funeral service will be at West Norwood crematorium on Wednesday 27th March at 2.00 pm.

William O’Brien’s body will be received into the Church on Thursday 4th April at 4.30 pm and the funeral will be on Friday 5th April at 10.30 am.

May their souls rest in peace.

Blessed Sacrament: We will continue to have exposition of the Blessed Sacrament every Friday from 7:30pm to 8:30pm until further notice.

Holy Communion Classes: The next date is Saturday 30th March at 10.30 – 11.30am in the Parish Centre.

Stations of the Cross:  Stations of the Cross will be on Wednesdays after the 9.30am Mass, Fridays at 7.30pm and Sundays at 4.00pm.

Wednesdays during Lent: Father Stuart’s Lent Films continue this Wednesday (27th March) with part two of a film on the Holy Land and ‘A Time to Revive the Church’.

Parish Lent Reconciliation: This will be on the 30th March at 11.30am. Please note there will be also be a Spanish priest available.

Knights of St Columba Notices: There will be a very short ceremony during the 5.30 pm Mass on Sunday 31^st March for the initiation of this year’s officers of our parish council of the Knights of St Columba.

This month’s food bank appeal will be held on the weekend 30^th/31^st March.

St Anthony’s Parish is taking part in the Top of the Pew Quiz Competition between Bromley’s Churches in the Parish Centre this coming Sunday 24^th March starting at 7.30pm. Our opponents will be Christ Church -Chislehurst. Please come along  to support our team as we attempt to win through to the next round.

19th March – 12 noon Tues 26th March to support its work with homeless people moving from Street to Home. Double your Donation, Double your impact.  This is a matched giving scheme for online donations.  If someone (can be company, individual or trust) gave £10 online matched giving of £10 would bring the Gift up to £20 (and for individuals to £22.50 with Gift Aid with higher rate tax relief it may cost the donor less than £10). For more information ring Andrew Hollingsworth 020 75921856 andrew.h@passage.org.uk  Donate at www.thebiggive.org.uk/thepassage2019  The maximum is £25,000 from any one donation. It is not a limit per person.

Easter Prayers: Please pray for Idalina Milhano and Sandra Ohene who are both about to embark on their spiritual journey in the Catholic faith.  Idalina will be receiving her First Holy Communion and her Confirmation at the Easter Mass.  Sandra will be being baptised, receiving her First Holy Communion and her Confirmation at the Easter Mass.

Events at the House of Prayer in East Molesey:

Finding Meaning in the Margins; Saturday, 30 March, 10.00 am – 4.00 pm  Led by: Chris Bemrose and Mike Mullins Suggested donation: £25.00 – Please bring a packed lunch.  A day exploring the transformative power of the margins.  What aspects of ourselves do we – consciously or unconsciously – marginalise within us?  How can we integrate those parts so as to become more whole?  How are we challenged and changed by those on the margins?  Where is God revealed in the margins?  We will draw on our own experience, individual reflection, small groups, prose, poetry and the arts.  To book, please contact us on: 020 8941 2313 or e-mail: admin@christian-retreat.org

Lent Retreat: The Grace of Emptiness; Friday 5 – Sunday 7 April. Led by: The House of Prayer Community  Cost: £160.00  Arrive on Friday in time for supper at 7.00 pm and leave on Sunday at 4.00 pm; An opportunity to listen more deeply to God’s personal call.  This retreat provides an opportunity to step aside from the busyness of everyday life and spend time in quiet prayer and reflection.  A retreat guide will be available for daily individual meetings to accompany you through the retreat.

To book, please contact us on: 020 8941 2313 or e-mail: admin@christian-retreat.org

Lent Extra 2019 – Copies of Lent Extra 2019: Your Journey to Easter and Beyond are available in the Repository. Please take a look.

Easter Cards: Please take a look at our selection of Easter cards, now available in the Repository.

Please pray for the sick of the Parish: John Whelan, John Barry, Mercie Ihekweme-Hill, and Michael Creech.

Please see the notice board for the latest job vacancies.

MASS TIMES AND INTENTIONS (24th Mar—31st Mar 2019)  (Year: C)