Newsletter 388 October Half term edition 2023

PARISH NEWSLETTER FOR ST. JOSEPH’S (MAIDENHEAD)
& ST. ELIZABETH’S (COOKHAM)

29th & 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

All Souls Day with His Holiness The Pope

On 2 November, All Souls Day, His Holiness The Pope will celebrate mass from our war cemetery in Rome https://www.cwgc.org/visit-us/find-cemeteries-memorials/cemetery-details/2019300/rome-war-cemetery/. Mass will commence at 9.30 Central European Time. Link to be updated

Share Your Faith – Give Life

World Mission Sunday falls on the penultimate Sunday in October. It is the one Sunday in the year when the Mass is celebrated exclusively for missionary activity.


In 2023, World Mission Sunday is celebrated on Sunday, 22 October.

Donations are collected at these worldwide Masses and they go, in their entirety, to support churches, hospitals, schools and vocations in countries where the Church is new, young or poor. Pray with the Global Church World Mission Sunday is our chance to show love and solidarity to our brothers and sisters overseas who share our faith. In offering our prayers, we join with missionaries everywhere in communion and compassion to support them in spreading the Good News, and by giving a donation we respond to Christ’s call to feed the hungry and clothe the naked.


Why WMS is so important to us?

Missio is responsible for coordinating World Mission Sunday and provides new, young or poor dioceses with the essential support they need on their journey to becoming self-sufficient. We work through local bishops, churches and missionary congregations to ensure that resources are distributed equitably and justly – on the basis of need. The money goes directly from England and Wales to the bishops in the mission territories – local Church directly helping local Church!


Contribute at today’s 2nd Collection, pick up a red box, or online via

https://missio.org.uk/

or

https://missio.org.uk/wmsdonate/

 

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

 

1st ReadingIsaiah 45:1, 4-6 

Psalm: Ps 95:1, 3-5, 7-10 R/ Give the Lord glory and honour  

2nd Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5

Acclamation: Alleluia!x2 Your word is truth, O Lord, consecrate us in the truth.  Alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 22:15-21

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

 

1st Reading: Exodus 22:20-26

Psalm: Ps 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51 R/ I love you, Lord, my strength.

2nd Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10

Acclamation: Alleluia!x2 Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord, and my Father will love him and we will come to him.  Alleluia!

Gospel: Matthew 22:34-40

Announcements:

Baptisms:

8th: Sienna, d/o Daniele & Sarah

21st: Henry, s/o Linda & Philip

22nd: Iris d/o Diego & Jennifer

Weddings this month:

21st: Amy & Scott

Funerals in October:

2nd: Giuseppe Gabriele Aronica

12th : Pauline Neal

12th Josephine Marie Brown

19th : Patrick Gorrigan

27th: Klaus Hohenauer (Greenacres Jordans 11am)

The families welcome your support. See mass intentions.

November: Month of Holy Souls

In the Catholic Church, November begins with the Solemnity of All Saints’ (1st Nov), followed by the  ‘Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed: All Souls’ Day’ on 2nd Nov.

 

Both these days mark the start of a ‘Month of the Holy Souls’.

You are invited to present names of deceased family & friends who died in the last 12 months in the envelops provided, and Masses will be offered for them throughout the month.

 

On 3rd Nov, there will be a special Mass of Remembrance and Healing for families of the living and the dead on First Friday.

 

November is also a good time for people to visit and pray at the graves of their loved ones. We do this on Sun 12th Nov at Braywick (3pm) & Cookham  (4pm)

1st Nov: Solemnity of All Saints: day of obligation. Mass at

  10am St Joseph’s

  7.30pm St Elizabeth’s

 

Does your child like to sing? Is he/she Y3 or older? If so, come join the fortnightly Children’s Choir! Next practice session is on  22nd Oct 10.30am. Meet in the front pews of church. Sign up here

Parents who want to help will need DBS clearance – please contact [email protected] 

Can you help?

Rooms for Refugees

A lot of the refugees from the Holiday Inn in M’head are being granted Leave to Remain from the Home Office. Although this gives people the right to stay in the UK, they are then not entitled to stay at the hotel anymore- sometimes with a very short notice period. This means that a lot of people are at risk of being homeless on the streets of Maidenhead as we head into winter. If you are able to temporarily host an individual in your home, Pls contact Eric Brutnall (Care 4 Calais volunteer): [email protected] who has details of charities that help to facilitate this in a safe and supported way.

———

A Ukrainian lady & her mother are looking for 6 month’s accommodation while she studies & works in M’head. Preferably near train/bus. Happy to do housekeeping for family. Budget ~£1k

Laura 079010 97064

Registration for Confirmation closes on 29 October

First meeting at St Edmund’s 11 Nov 1645h

Find out more here See also forms at the church entrances

Christmas Shoppe at the repository will be open mid Oct! Come prepare for advent!

Advent & Christmas: We need volunteers to help with the Advent and Christmas programmes. Contact the office!

Reminder to book 2024 mass intentions. Pop into the office!

To reduce repeating information in the printed newsletter, we have printed hand-bag/ wallet-friendly information packs and placed them at the entrance/exits of the church. Please keep this with you for future reference. Thank you for helping us save the environment by reducing paper waste!

Dates for your Diary

Cor et Lumen Christi Catholic Miracle Rally https://tinyurl.com/ynnzz5ak

See website and forms in the church.

7.30pm: Clare’s Court School – OPERA NIGHT in aid of the Church in Need Charity. 4 professional opera singers will perform a mixture of Arias and songs from Musicals at the 34th Annual evening organised by the Catenians. Tickets £25 pp with ‘early bird’ price of £22.50pp before end of September. Tickets available from Jonathan Holder via [email protected] or ring 07740 430599

Open Day for new parents

Talk by Fr Kevin Hughes MHM at St Joseph’s Hall. Other locations TBC

Concert in aid of SVP and the Widows and Orphans of Rural Kenya. St. Edmund Campion Church. Tickets @ £12 includes a glass of wine /soft drink, ½ price for 12-18 years old, free for children under 12. Tickets available from https://rmvc.net/october/ or from John Carr. Both charities are close to the hearts of the St. Edmund Campion parish community.

Food and drinks after. All are welcome!  

At St Bede’s Church, Popley Way, Basingstoke RG24 9DX

RSVP by 7th Nov: [email protected] or call 02392 00759

 

We have come around to that time of the year when we advertise for the above event. It will take place on Friday 1st December starting at 7.30 pm. Tickets will be available from next week at £25 each. This will include the cost of a 3 course meal, a live performance of a Filipino Band (The SoulMates Family) and of course the company of Mill Hill Missionaries! All proceeds will go to support our new mission in Cambodia, which has an outreach to the floating village. If you would like to reserve or buy tickets, please contact Millie on 07957594646

Fr Brian Oswald MHM

Please bring on that day (or leave in the office 22-24th Nov): small items suitable for presents, Christmas decorations: bunting, table decorations, crackers, small Christmas puddings etc. And bring your money to purchase items. Soups will be on sale also.

PILGRIMAGES/ WALKS/ RETREATS

During the weekend, Young Catholic Adults and the Traditional English Association of Catholic History will be organising a pilgrimage to York and will visit the shrine of St. Margaret Clitherow, York Oratory, the Bar Convent and St. Mary’s Abbey.

 

This event is aimed at Young Catholic Adults and Catholics interested in history.

 

For details of how to book onto this free weekend and for more info see:- https://bookwhen.com/youngcatholicadults-yorkpilgrimage2023.

The Divine Mercy Apostolate, London, is hosting a Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock, Co Mayo from November 9 to 14 to Pray for the HolySouls. It will by the Marian Fathers. Package includes: Return flights by Aer Lingus from Heathrow Airport, half board, 5 nights, accommodation in en suite twin rooms, hand-luggage (10 kgs), all transfers and Airport Development fee. The Retreat will include daily Mass and Hour of Mercy and retreats at Glendalough and Kylemore Abbey. Cost £800. All Welcome. Please call Millie on 07957594646 for more information

Courses & Talks

A 1-hour talk by Kevin Hughes mhm

 St Edward’s Church

Non-residential retreat in Winchester. Contact Aba 07387 645 211

See brochure here.

6-week Zoom course following the Ignatian Way of prayer.  It is an ideal opportunity for those who desire to deepen their prayer life and attend from home.  It is free of charge and only 20 participants for each course. See An Introduction to Ways of Praying (epiphanygroup.org.uk)

IRD conference

St Bede’s Church https://shorturl.at/mvFOY

Available for all Parents whose child is being Baptised at either St Joseph’s, St Elizabeth’s or St Edmund Campion. The course is a 90-minute preparation and guidance. It is held at St Joseph’s the first Tuesday of the month at 7pm.

RESOURCES

Magnificat: This is one of the best publications around for following scripture readings for daily Mass and every Sunday. There are also many interesting articles to help you in your spiritual life. If you would like a copy please get in touch with the Parish Office to arrange. We can leave in the sacristy or post out to you. The Magnificat is only £5 per month. 

Day by Day: Available in the church at all times. Please leave the £1 in the candle box. 

 

Library: We have a parish library located in the corridor of the Parish Centre. This is dedicated to Theology/Religious books. Please feel free to borrow/swap. 

 

St Joseph’s Church Repository: is open after 11am every Sunday. We have lots of cards, candles, rosary beads, statues and many more religious gifts on sale. If a Sunday does not suit to visit, then please phone the office on 01628 783988 and we can arrange a time that best suits.

 

Are you a budding journalist? Or someone with some time to spare?
We are looking to relaunch the biannual Parish Magazine. 
Please contact the Parish office for more details!

Vacancies: We currently have some exciting opportunities across the Diocese for an Estate Manager, IT Manager, Choral Director, and Parish Administrators. 

All vacancies posted here

Other information and links

If you’re away from your church or the Diocese, you can still keep in contact with all the latest news from the Bishop or the Diocese via: E- News  (subscription service available)

Twitter @PortsmouthRC

Facebook @PortsmouthRC @StJoMaidenhead

Are You New To Our Parish?

Thank you for your interest in our parish. Whether you’re just visiting us for a brief time, looking for a new parish home, returning to the practice of your Catholic faith or are interested in finding out more about the Catholic Church, we are happy to answer your questions, listen to your comments and help you in any way that we can. We are a parish of the Diocese of Portsmouth, and are a very vibrant community, made up of ‘old’ Maidenhead families and relative “newcomers” from all walks of life.

We hope that you find our Catholic parish a caring community that is loving, welcoming and supportive of all. Our mission is to grow in the image of Christ through the Holy Spirit, to be formed by the Word and our prayer, to use our gifts to welcome those who are here and reach out to those who are not. We invite you to join us as partners in the mission. Together, let us get to know Christ better and to make Him better known. May God Bless you wherever you are and thank you for exploring our website and newsletter. Please stop by the parish office to introduce yourself! We would love to meet you.

Code: SI: Special Intention, RIP: Rest in Peace, A: Anniversary, FM: Foundation

We would like to get the newsletter distributed on time and are grateful for understanding in the deadline for submissions of announcements and mass intentions. Please send all contributions no later than Thursday 10am.