This week's Newsletter - St Joseph's Church, Bromley

St Joseph’s Parish News
Christmas Time
Year B
24th December 2014
Readings are on Page 94, 97 & 102 of the Parish Mass Book
020 8402 0459 | [email protected] | www.stjosephsbromley.org
Twitter: @ParishStJosephs
Sacrament of Reconciliation:
Saturdays: 11 am-12 noon & 5.00-5.45 pm or on request.
Desk of the Parish Priest:
Welcome home for Christmas
Dear Friends
Rosary: Daily at 10.30am
Parish Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: First three Fridays of each month from 7.30-8.30pm.
Malayalam Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: Last Friday of each month from 7-8.30pm
Benediction on Saturday 10.30-11.00am
Baptism: Parents & Expectant Parents—please contact a Priest during Surgery. One month
preparation required.
Wedding: Please contact a Priest during Surgery. Six months notice required.
Presbytery & Parish Office
Presbytery: 1 Orchard Road, Bromley, BR1 2PR
Parish Pastoral Team
Fr. Tom
Fr. Saju
Fr. Cyriac Palakudy
Mary Crosby
Deacon Barry
Deacon Aidan
Tel: 020 8402 0459
Tel: 020 8402 0459
Tel.: 020 8402 0459
Tel: 07946 996759
Tel.: 07445 417335
Tel: 07747 036253
e: [email protected]
e: [email protected]
e: [email protected]
e: [email protected]
e: [email protected]
e: [email protected]
Parish Secretary: Susan Allatt 9.00 am-1.00pm Monday-Friday
Tel.: 020 8402 0459
Surgeries (at Presbytery: no appointment needed)
Monday: No Surgery
Wednesday: No Surgery
St. Joseph’s School: Tel: 020 8460 1976 | Website: www.st-josephs.bromley.sch.uk
St. Joseph’s Playgroup Ltd: Monday to Friday in Church Hall. Enquiries please ring 07961 413694
We welcome you all most warmly as we gather to
celebrate the birth of Christ. Many of you will be
returning from college or university, some may have
come after being away for a long time. Others
come to join family and friends. All of us will have
come to feel the touch of God who has come to live
among his people in the form of a helpless baby
with an animal shed for his home. You are all very
welcome.
We come with our histories, questions and doubts;
our hopes and dreams—our need for healing and
love. All are welcome in this place. Our God has
made his home among us. He invites us to make
our heart his resting place and to experience the
peace and joy of his presence.
We want everyone to participate fully in our worship
as fully as you are able. You are encouraged
especially to join in the singing.
This Christmas we would like to offer you a gift in
the form of a book or CD by a young Catholic writer
and father, Matthew Kelly. It is not your typical
‘religious book’ - but a beautiful and helpful guide to
the riches of the Catholic Faith and how it can help
you become a better version of yourself. We hope
that this will be a gift that you treasure and help you
on your life journey.
On Sunday 28th December we celebrate the feast
of The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph. By
then we will have recovered from the festivities of
Christmas Day!! So I invite you to join the parish
family as we thank God together for the gift of our
family with its messiness, struggles, joys and
hopes.
Cont...
MASS TIMES AND INTENTION
Psalter Week 1
Saturday 27th December
6.00 pm
Jude McCarthy RIP
Sunday 28th December The Holy Family
8.00 am
People of the Parish
9.15 am
UCM
11.00 am
Most Rev. James K Owusu RIP
5.00 pm
Padraic McDonagh RIP (Liamin)
Monday 29th December St Thomas
7.30 am*
Lily John RIP (Doran)
10.00 am
Philip Spearpoint RIP
Tuesday 30th December
10.00 am
Elizabeth Crawley RIP (Lowery)
Wednesday 31st December
10.00 am
Jerome T McCarthy RIP
9.00-10.00 pm Hour of Prayer before the
Blessed Sacrament
10.00 pm
Vigil Mass of the Mother of God
10.45 pm
Festive Drinks
Thursday 1st January 2015
10.00 am
Patrick McDonagh Liamin RIP
Friday 2nd January
10.00 am
John Murphy RIP
11.00 am
St. Raphael’s
Mary Ann Waller RIP
Saturday 3rd January
10.00 am
Sheila Mears (Helen)
6.00 pm
Anita Kember RIP (Bonicci)
Sunday 4th January
8.00 am
Maisy O’Reilly
9.15 am
People of the Parish
11.00 am
Theresa Coltan RIP (Doran)
Baptism: Hanna Quinlivin
5.00 pm
John Kelly RIP (Aubin-Parvu)
*7.30am Masses will be held in Holy Trinity Chapel
We take time to reflect on our own family life
experience and ask in prayer to learn from the
family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph.
We on the parish team wish you and your loved
ones every happiness, joy and peace at Christmas
and throughout 2015.
May you all feel welcome and at home always
here at St. Joseph’s.
Fr. Tom, Fr. Saju, Fr. Cyriac, Deacon Barry,
Deacon Aidan & Mary Crosby.
Consolation Group When a loved one has died,
the thought of Christmas can fill us with dread. We
remember the joys of Christmases past, and
wonder how we will be able to get through this
season when the rest of the world seems to be
rejoicing. However hard we try to enter into the
celebration of Christmas, a sudden recollection of
our loss can easily bring us down to earth with a
bump. If you are grieving and need someone to
talk to please contact the Parish Office or speak to
a member of our Pastoral Team. Contact details
in the Newsletter.
Christmas Crib Offerings this year will be for
‘Friends of the Holy Land’. Your gift will help
Friends of the Holy Land support the poorest
Christian families so they can have a secure future
and remain as a Christian presence in the land
where Our Lord was born. To donate online at :
www.friendsoftheholyland.org.uk or send a
cheque to: FHL, 2 Station Road, Kenilworth CV8
1JJ. Thank you.
Please check the Christmas Card Boxes in the
foyer. There may be a card for you.
Smile International - Christmas Shoeboxes
Thank you to all parishioners who donated
prepared Christmas Shoeboxes through the
charity Smile International. In total, St Joseph's
Parish gifted 44 Shoeboxes and some additional
items to complete boxes at the Smile
warehouse. A lorry full of Shoeboxes and
Aid arrived in Kosova recently and they are
currently being distributed. For further information,
please see www.smileinternational.org. Thank
you, Angie Gibbs.
Christmas Offerings: As we do not receive a
salary the Priests of the Parish depend on your
offerings at Easter and Christmas. If you
would like to support your Priests please use
the envelopes available in the foyer. Thank
you.
Our Parish Faith Formation
Your Child’s Baptism.
Parents and
Expectant Parents are invited to contact Fr.
Tom, Fr. Saju or Fr. Cyriac during surgery hours
or call the parish office to make an appointment
and enrol on our next 4 week course.
First Holy Communion—Dates for your Diary:

Reconciliation Review Session for
parents and children on Saturday 10th
January 2015. Meet at 9.00am in the
hall followed by tour of the church and
10.00am Mass.

First Reconciliation on Saturday 17th
January 2015 at 11.00am. Followed by
family celebration in the hall.
The Vocations Centre have written informing us
of the following recent ordinations in the diocese:

Thomas Bakalumpagi was ordained to
the priesthood last week by the
Archbishop. He will continue to serve at
the Cathedral.

Keith Sylvia was ordained as a deacon in
Addiscombe on 21st November.

Mark Higgins will be ordained to the
diaconate this week at Wonersh.

Keith, Mark and Matthew O’Gorman will
be ordained to the priesthood next year.
MARRIAGE MATTERS
(www.twoinoneflesh.org.uk)
Christmas Day Midnight Mass Readings
(Isaiah 9:1-7 Titus 2:11-14 Luke 2:1-14)
The first Christmas Story is simple: it reveals the
real presence of Jesus, Mary and Joseph to
each other. Maybe the lesson for us is to focus
more on being ‘present’ to one another rather
than on giving ‘presents’, so that Jesus can be
born again in our marriage and in all those we
love and care for.
Joy of the Gospel Group Reading Sessions.
A Mass will be celebrated on Monday 5th
January at 7.30pm for all those who have
recently attended the group reading sessions.
Mulled wine will be served in the Club Room
following the Mass.
Journey in Faith Group Sunday 11th January
at 11.00am Mass we will celebrate the Rite of
Welcome with those preparing to be received
into the Church this Spring. The group will
resume again on Monday 12th January 2015 at
7.45 for 8.00pm in the Upper Room.
Parish News
UCM Fees for 2015 are now due. Please give
to Esther Haylock as soon as possible.
Mission & Outreach
The Bromley Community Choir presents a
Christmas Concert entitled ‘ A Child is Born’.
To be held on Sunday 28th December at 6.00pm
in The Great Hall, Bromley Civic Centre. All
welcome.
Youth Ministry
Flame 2—The biggest Catholic Youth Event in
the country. To be held at Wembley Arena on
Saturday 7th March 2015 from 11.00am to 5.30pm.
Suitable for those in Year 10 to young adult. For
more information and to book your place please
contact the parish office. We hope to organise
transport with other parishes in the deanery and to
subsidise the price of the tickets.
Miscellaneous
Vacancies: Bishop Challoner School

Marketing Manager. 3 days per week.
Term time only.

Network & Technical Support Manager.
Term time only. 37.5 hours per week.

Learning Support Co-ordinator (SENCo/
EAL).

Taster Days for 11+ Entry: Tuesday 27th
January and Wednesday 25th February.
For further details see school website:
www.bishopchallonerschool.com or email
[email protected]. See posters in
cabinet outside the church for full details.
Found in Church: Light blue blanket with dark
blue stars. Please contact the parish office if you
have mislaid this.
Readings for Sunday 28th December 2014 are
on Page 105 of the Parish Mass Book.
Jesus He comes in silence to live among us.
As households of faith take a few
moments each day this week to focus
on the crib or image of the Holy
Family.
Light a candle, be silent, then pray.
Question of the Week
Adult: How do your family members know that
you are a compassionate person?
Child:
What family member needs your
compassion and kindness right now?
PARISH FINANCES
We are the Parish and we all belong to God
Last Week: Total offering: £ 1372.00
When making your will you may wish to
remember your Parish.