St Anthony of Padua Anerley

Parish Monthly Newsletter July 2023

Welcome to St. Anthony’s Church

We kindly ask that you respect our Parish Church guidance:

¨ Please turn off your mobile phone when you enter the Church.

¨ Please remember that many parishioners like to pray before/after the mass so please be respectful and keep talking/noise to a minimum.

¨ People displaying any symptoms of Covid should stay at home and not travel to church or participate in person.

¨ Hand sanitiser is available near the entrances to the Church.

¨ The use of face masks is a personal choice.

¨ Holy Communion can now be received on the tongue or on the hand and The Sign of Peace can now be carried out with handshakes (if you so wish).

Mass times:

Mondays to Saturdays: 9.30am (and 7.30pm on Tuesdays).

Sunday Masses: 6pm (Saturday evenings);  9.30am;  11.15am and 5.30pm.

Every Friday at 7:30pm: Adoration and Benediction

Please note that after week day masses The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed for 30 minutes so that parishioners can pray for world peace.

The parish website www.stanthonyofpaduaanerley.com has details of the weekly Mass Intentions.

July Collections:

Over the weekend of the 2nd July, there will be collections for ‘Peters Pence’.  Peter’s Pence is the name given to the financial support offered by the faithful to the Holy Father as a sign of their sharing in the concern of the Successor of Peter for the many different needs of the Church and for the relief of those most in need.

Sea Sunday is Sunday 9th July.  It is when the Church prays for all those who live and work at sea.  Your support will make a big difference to seafarers and fishers in need.  You can donate in church, by visiting www.stellamaris.org.uk/donate, or by texting ‘SEA’ to 70460 to donate £5.  .

Seafarers and fishers play a vital role in all of our lives, but they often work in difficult, hazardous conditions.  In the last year, more crews have been abandoned by their employers than ever before.  Many are still being denied the right to leave their ships for even a short break away from the relentless noise and pressure onboard.  Many are reporting more stress and poorer mental health.

This collection is vital to enable Stella Maris to continue its important work, so please give generously.  Thank you.

Sunday Teas: Sunday teas and coffees are served in the Parish Centre after the Sunday 9.30am mass.

This month the following groups will be serving the teas:

2nd July: The Knights of St Columba

9th July: The Parish Pastoral Council

16th July: The Union of Catholic Mothers

Parish Quiz Night: The Parish Quiz Night will be at 7pm on Friday 14th July at Melvin Hall, Melvin Road, SE20 8EU.  Entrance fee is £5 without snacks and £6 with snacks.  There will be a bar.  All are welcome!

Choir Practice for 9.30 Sunday Mass: The dates for choir practice are 16th July and the 13th August from 3 – 4pm at the Church.  All are welcome.

Union of Catholic Mothers (UCM): The UCM will be meeting in the Bridge House Tavern Garden for their Summer outing on Monday 17th July at 7.30pm.  All Parish ladies are welcome to join them.

Introduction for new readers:  If you would like to find out about serving the parish by reading at Mass, you are invited to a meeting on Monday 17th July from 8.00 – 9.00 pm at the church.

Parish Pilgrimage: This year’s Parish Pilgrimage will be on Saturday 9th September to visit The Oratory of St Francis de Sales in Hartley, Kent and Aylesford Priory.  For further information about the Oratory please visit the website at http://saintfrancisdesales.org.uk.  Further information will be shared in the coming weeks.

Summer Concert: Cross the Line Jazz Band on Saturday 1st July at 5 – 6.30pm at St Michael’s Church, 121 Ravenscroft Road, BR3 4TN.  Free Entry.  Voluntary cash collection on the door in aid of the Spinnaker Trust.  Please see the poster on the notice board.

Mass in Celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage, Sept. 23^rd , 3pm, at St George’s Cathedral:  If you are celebrating your 1^st/10^th/25^th/40^th/50^th/60^th + wedding anniversary this year, please get in touch with us, no later than the end of July, at mflse@rcaos.org.uk, writing your parish location in the title of your email, eg. Anerley.  Please also provide the following details:  your names in the format John and Mary Smith, your home address, the anniversary you are celebrating, so you can receive an invitation from the Archbishop for the renewal of vows during Mass.  Spaces are limited.

Gift Aid Envelopes: Please collect your box from the back of the Church.  Please note that if you are a basic rate UK tax payer, and are not yet a member of the Gift Aid Scheme, completing a Gift Aid envelope (at the back of the Church) will help to support the Church even further.  Donating through Gift Aid means that the Church can claim an extra 25p for every £1 you give.  It will not cost you any extra.

Financial Support: We appreciate your continued care and support for our parish Community.  Parishioners can contribute directly to the Parish bank account: Natwest Bank Beckenham Branch, Sort Code 60-02-12 and Account Number 46000208. Tax payers, please join the Gift Aid programme allowing our parish to increase the value of every donation it receives from tax payers by 25%. We value your assistance in maintaining our wonderful Parish community.  Please note that the name of the Parish Bank Account is RCAS St Anthony of Padua Anerley. 

Homes for Ukraine: If you are interested in supporting the Homes for Ukraine programme, please see the notice board for further information.

Summertime 2023: 1st – 4^th August: For altar servers (or practising and interested youngsters) aged 11 – 17. The venue is the oratory school in Reading. Total Cost £169. Forms are available from the website www.stanselmsdartford.wordpress.com or email dartford@rcaos.org.uk. It is a brilliant few days of prayer and recreation. For more details contact Fr. Stephen Boyle, chaplain to the Guild of St. Stephen: Tel: 01322 220075.

Pilgrimage of Reparation and Prayer for the Sanctity of Life: Saturday 5th August, led by Archbishop Kevin McDonald.  For details see the poster on the noticeboard or go to www.prolifepilgrimage.org.  Please join in the ‘great prayer for life’ asked for by Pope Saint John Paul II.

Save the Date: The Commission for Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation for the Archdiocese of Southwark will be holding an Autumn Assembly on Saturday 23rd September 2023 entitled: The Right to Stay – Free to Choose addressing the motivations that affect decisions taken to leave one’s native land.  Everyone welcome – more information will follow shortly.

Unsettled/Upset Young Children: If your child becomes unsettled or upset during the Mass, you are welcome to use the porch area of the Church.  This area has a speaker system and a bench that you can sit on to help comfort/soothe your child/children while still being able to follow the Mass. 

Funeral Notices: Please check the noticeboard at the Church entrance for details of funerals.

Notice Board: Please take time to read the latest information on the notice boards. 

If you have a notice for the Parish Newsletter, please email it to the presbytery (anerley@rcaos.org.uk) by the last Thursday of the month.

If you would like to book a Mass, there are envelopes at the back of the church.  At present, there are plenty of dates available.