Parish News

OCTOBER 31: 5pm Mike NOVEMBER 1st 10.30am Chris 7/8: 5pm Phil; 10.30am Gerry 14/15: 5pm Lisa; 10.30am Mutsa 21/22: 5pm Collette; 10.30am Jim 28/29: 5pm David; 10.30am Chinwe

Vision for our Parish and Church - 13 members of the parish attended this meeting last Friday week and initially wondered why so few had attended. The session raised my awareness that the Church is changing and that it is the Holy Spirit who is prompting, nudging, and inviting each one of us to change and better understand who we are as Christians and to contribute to and be involved in the way the Church develops and functions especially here in Sanderstead. We are being invited to copy and do what those first Christians did as described in the Acts of the Apostles who prayed together, worshipped together, looked after those in need together and supported each other and felt able to tell others about Jesus. How do we achieve this or feel motivated to engage in the process? What do we, as a community, need to do or change in order to better respond to this call? There are no quick answers…it raises several challenging issues and questions.  Let’s ponder and discuss the meaning of this invitation for ourselves and others during our time in the parish Café and amongst ourselves at home. (Paul Donovan)

During the month of November, we pray for everyone who has lived in this world and during that brief time, has tried to follow the Lord’s will and plan for them. We call them the ‘Holy Souls.’ Following their deaths, they are now travelling home to Heaven, while undergoing a process of the purification of their Souls. We believe that the holy Mass, celebrated for the deceased person, connects them closely to the Lord and his saving love and speeds their purification and journey to Heaven.  Please find in the porch of the church, envelopes for holy Masses to be celebrated in November, for people you have known or have known about. Please complete the details on the envelope, adding your stipend, and please post the envelopes through the door of the presbytery. One day, please God, following our deaths, there will be people praying for us.

October 31: 5pm David 1st November 10.30am Angela, Margaret, Phil(H) 7/8: 5pm Simone; 10.30am Mary, Lisa, Lesley(H) 14/15: 5pm Jim; 10.30am Paul Donovan, Gaberielle, Giannina(H) 21/22: 5pm Regina; 10.30am Andrea, Paul Mould, Patrick(H) 28/ 29: 5pm Lizzie; 10.30am Lorenza, Patricia, Maggie(H) Thank you to our wonderful Ministers of the Eucharist who have accepted the Lord’s invitation to this awesome, sacred ministry, by their willingness to give up their own plans and convenience in order to do God’s will rather than their own. Let us pray for them because they too fight the same personal weaknesses we all have to fight against and they too have to fight the same temptations we all have to fight. God be with them.

Tue: Patricia Wed: Collette Thu: Paul  Fri: Jim

During October, we pray a decade of the prayer of the rosary, at the end of every holy Mass. To carry a string of rosary beads with you and to pray the rosary can be a beautiful way of prayer. Please bring your rosary with you, when you come to holy Mass. If you don’t yet have a rosary, please may I encourage you to get one.

On Sunday 7th February 2027, Bishop Gerard will be joining us for our 10.30am holy Mass. During that holy Mass, Bishop Gerard will celebrate the great Sacrament of Confirmation for us. Please would anyone who has not yet received the Sacrament of Confirmation in her or his life, speak with me. This is a great opportunity to receive the gifts of God’s Holy Spirit in this Sacrament. The Holy Spirit comes upon us to give us gifts, like Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Gentleness, Self-Control, Perseverance, Wisdom, Generosity, Humility and Courage and many more. These are the gifts that we all need to live real, adult, mature lives of Faith in this world. We will shortly begin a series of meetings to help those who will be preparing to receive this Sacrament. Please let know in the next few weeks if you would like to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation on Sunday 7th February next year, when Bishop Gerard visits us.

The re-arranged date and time for the first meeting will be Friday 20th November at 5.00pm in the Parish Room.

Please renew or sign up for Gift Aid. Thank you to everyone who has already done so. Please use the QR you will find on this Newsletter. Any difficulties, please let me know. Gift Aid enables us to claim an extra 2 5p for every £1 you give, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your generosity in support of your parish. 

To everyone who came together last Friday evening to discuss the Archbishop’s response to the views of our parish on the Synod. It was so encouraging to hear your views and insights into how our parish and every parish in the Archdiocese must change and adopt new ways and structures to enable us to be missionary, to be better at offering the Good News of the Lord’s saving love to the people of our age.

23rd OCTOBER at 5.00pm We will shortly begin our parish-based Parents and Children programme of preparation for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist.  Dear Parents, please register your children for the Course of Preparation for these two great Sacraments which is shortly to begin. You will find a Registration list in the porch of the church. Please print your own name, address, contact phone number and your child’s name. The first meeting for parents and children will be on Friday evening, the 23rd of October, at 5.00pm in the Parish Room. At this meeting, I’ll explain the details of the Course to you and we will fix the dates for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion in 2027. Please note that the children must be at least 7 years of age.