St Anthony of Padua Anerley

Twenty-ninth Sunday

Mass Readings: Page 146 – 149

Order of Mass: Pages 7– 47

First Reading: Eucharistic Prayer III asks God to ‘gather to yourself all your children scattered throughout the earth’, and Eucharistic Prayer IV prays for those ‘gathered into one body by the Holy Spirit’.  This theme of gathering the scattered is taken from today’s First Reading from Jeremiah.  Prayer III or Prayer IV would therefore seem to be the most appropriate today.

Psalm: a song of joy, sung by those scattered into exile in Babylon but now gathered back to Jerusalem (Zion).

Second Reading: only the high priest offered the sacrifice for sins on the Day of Atonement.  Christ is in fact made the true high priest by the Father, and so Christ alone can offer the sacrifice which takes away our sins.

Gospel: the healing of blind Bartimaeus is the last healing miracle in Mark.  Notice that Bartimaeus is not initially a disciple of Jesus; he comes to faith after his encounter with Jesus.  The Lord’s question ‘what do you want me to do for you?’ is perhaps the way we should start in seeking to evangelize and win disciples for Christ.

By Fr David Gibbons, Centre for Catholic Formation

Gift Aid: We would like to say a big thank you to all parishioners who have signed up for our Gift Aid Scheme. We have recently received a tax refund cheque for £9,587.48p from HMRC for the tax year 2014/15.  This bonus income for the parish has been made possible because parishioners who pay income tax have filled in and signed  a Gift Aid Declaration form and it has not cost them a penny more.

If you pay tax please consider filling in a Gift Aid Declaration. Forms are available in the church porch.

Sunday Teas:

This Sunday’s teas will be served by the French Speaking Prayer Group.

Next Sunday’s teas will be served by the volunteers.

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

Gift Aided  £405.95p). The 2nd collection for the Prison Advice & Care Trust was £98.54p. Thank you for your generosity.  The 2nd collection today will be APF/Missio (World Mission Sunday)

Recently Deceased: It is with great sadness that we announce the deaths of both father and son Peter Fagan and Peter Fagan.  Please remember them both and their families  in your prayers.  The funeral service of Peter Fagan (the son) will be on Thursday 29th October at 1pm followed by the cremation at 2.15pm at Beckenham Crematorium.  The Requiem Mass of Peter Fagan (the father) will be on Monday 9th November at 11.30am followed by the cremation at Beckenham Crematorium at 1.30pm.

Blessed Sacrament: Please note that Silent Adoration will be on Sundays at 4pm followed by Benediction at 4.45pm.

Baptism Preparation Classes: The date of the final class will be on the 19th October at 7.30pm in the Parish Centre.  Please note that it is important to have attended ALL three classes.

UCM: The next UCM meeting will be at 7.30pm on Monday 19th October in the Parish Centre.  Please bring your rosary with you.
Thank you to all who bought cakes at the recent cake sale.  We raised £105 for Macmillan Cancer Trust.

RCIA: If you are an adult who would like to become a Catholic or are a  baptised Catholic who has not received First Holy Communion or Confirmation or if you are baptised in another church and would like to become a Catholic then please fill in an RCIA application form (forms available in the narthex) and give it to one of the clergy.  RCIA classes are being held every Thursday at 7.30pm in the Presbytery.

Parish Christmas Fair: We are now collecting items for the Christmas Fair (which will be on the 5th December).  If you have any unwanted gifts or good quality items that would attract people to a stall (for example, gifts sets or bottles) then please do donate them by leaving them in the box in the narthex.  For a successful fair, we need appealing items which will attract buyers and help raise funds for the Church. Thank you.

Mount Street Jesuit Centre: Please see the Mount Street Jesuit Centre’s website www.mountstreet.info or contact them on 020 7495 1673 to find out about all their October and November events.

Parish Barn Dance: Following last year’s highly successful barn dance, the Knights of St Columba are repeating the event this year on Friday 23rd October at the Royston Club. Tickets are now on sale and can be bought from the Knights after mass.

Can you help prisoners and their families?: You are invited to come and see the opportunities for you to volunteer to help those in prison, prisoner’s families, and ex-offenders. The Catholic prison charity Pact (Prison Advice & Care Trust) work in several prisons across London and rely heavily on volunteers to help those in need.  Saturday 14^th November from 10.00am–2.30pm, Westminster Cathedral Hall.  For more information contact:

prisonsweek2015@prisonadvice.org.uk or call 020 3031 6953

St Mary’s, Crown Lane, Chislehurst, BR7 5PL: The Annual Cemetery Mass and Blessing of the Graves  will take place on Saturday 21^st November at noon, remembering those buried at Saint Mary’s and Beaverwood Cemetery. This year, we have had all of the graves reviewed and are in the process of repairing many that pose a safety concern. Unfortunately, we no longer have up to date contact details of all the families of those buried here. A list of graves that require repair will be posted on the St Mary’s notice board, along with the associated cost. Please email Kelly Robson at office@stmarysrc.org or call 0208 467 3215 if you would like a copy of this list sent to you.                    

Christmas: There are many Christmas items now on sale in the repository. Please do take a look and see what there is on offer.

If you want to see a priest then please phone and make an appointment.

Notices for the newsletter need to be emailed/posted to the presbytery by 6pm on Thursdays.

 MASS TIMES AND INTENTIONS (18—25 Oct 2015) (Year B)