PARISH NEWSLETTER FOR ST. JOSEPH’S (MAIDENHEAD)
& ST. ELIZABETH’S (COOKHAM)
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
The risen Christ can reach down to the deepest corners where we are hiding, prisoners of our loneliness, our fears, our anxieties, our despair, our depressions, our cynicism, our shame, and there he shows us his hands and his side.
This is an important gesture. It is Jesus’ way of saying to us: “I know what you are suffering because I shared it. I know your sadness because I felt it, I know your feeling of having been abandoned by God because I screamed it, I know your loneliness because I was betrayed by all my friends. But thanks to me all this suffering has become a source of life, peace and joy, and it reopens doors, it abolished the walls, it restores the relationship with the Father.”
(from: Luigi Gioai, from Say it to God, Bloomsbury 2017)
1st Reading: 31:10-13,19-20,30-31
Psalm: 127(128):1-5 R/ Blessed are those who fear the Lord
2nd Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6
Acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia! Make your home in me, as I make mine in you, says the Lord. Whoever remains in me bears fruit in plenty. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30
Announcements:
November: Month of 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 25th Nov we will pray for all buried in Cookham & Bray – please send in names of loved ones in those cemeteries
Children’s Liturgy Artist’s folder needed! The Children’s Liturgy folder of card for posters etc disappeared in Summer ☹ We would appreciate if you can contribute any large stiff coloured card and/or large A2 or A3 carry folder that you no longer use? Contact Tricia 01628 627265 or triciaweeksmail @gmail.com for further details
Care4Calais emergency fund aid refugees who are facing homelessness and destitution. Volunteers are plugging gaps: issuing emergency cash, providing food, paying costs, sourcing emergency accommodation, etc. Every penny donated goes directly to benefit those most in need. £10 buys warm gloves & hat, £20 buys a warm coat, £60 covers a night’s B&B – every penny helps! Select gift aid if you are eligible. If you can’t donate please share the link for us. https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/fundraising/refugee-emergency-homelessness-fund
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!
PT Youth worker needed. Contact Fr Ephraim/ office
Advent Project 2023 will support SVP Maidenhead; Fr Ephraim’s – SA Children’s Drop-in Centre; & Fr Noah’s – St Jude’s Youth Centre in Bamenda. Support us via:
² Grand Christmas Draw Sun 26 Nov Tickets @£1 ea or £5 per book of 5, on sale after Sunday Masses: Prizes include Christmas Hamper, Beauty Package, Wine etc.
² 26th Nov: after 11 am Mass. Vision Group Stocking Filler Sunday. Please bring on that day (or leave in 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
² Soups lunches in the Parish Centre
² 2nd Collections at Sunday Masses.
Christmas Shoppe is open!
Come get advent calendars, suncatchers, candles and more!
Christmas Choir practise Every Tues from 7 Nov 7.15-9.15pm. Do you enjoy singing or can play a musical instrument? Rehearsals for Christmas have started and we welcome new voices and musicians to join us this season and also for Sun 11am Mass. Please talk to Joanna or Claire or let the office know!
25th Nov: 1-4pm St Mary’s Winter Fair – Tombolas, Games, Shops, Elf Academy, Food & Drink and more! FOSM will be selling raffle ticket at 11am mass on Sunday. Please support our children!
UCM Raffle: From Nov – early Dec, UCM members will be selling raffle tickets after each Mass – Tickets at £1 a ticket or £5 a strip. Prizes include Christmas Hamper, whisky, cheese, biscuits and chutney. Proceeds will go towards charitable donations for the planting of trees, in line with Pope Francis’ message.
Christmas Flower Prayer Cards: please contact Joan Boland or the Parish office for prayer cards dedicated to loved ones and special intentions no later than 10 Dec Donations will go towards flowers for Christmas
Advent Parish Reconciliation Services: Advent is a wonderful time to celebrate the reconciling love and the healing graces our Lord offers us. We have services on: 9 Dec 10am St. Edward’s Windsor; 13 Dec 6.30pm – St. Thomas More Twyford; 20 Dec 6.30pm St Joseph’s
17th Dec: 3pm Pilipino Traditional Christmas Mass – Simbang Gabi (Misa de Gallo). See here for more
CAFOD World Gifts – https://worldgifts.cafod.org.uk
Reminder: As we do not put up flower arrangements during the season of Advent & Lent, kindly refrain from leaving flowers at the altars over this season. Thank you
Dates for your Diary
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!
Do keep an eye out for individual events coming in Spring’24 in order to ensure we recognise the sacrifices our worshipping communities continue to make
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
See https://coretlumenchristi.churchsuite.com/events/gcoc4rcs
meets on 2nd Sun of each month at St Edmund Campion Hall. If you are bereaved and would find it helpful to talk or share with others who are also grieving, join us over a cup tea and cake .
PILGRIMAGES/ WALKS/ RETREATS
£899.00 pps. Price includes flight, 10kg hold luggage, 5 nights’ in 4* Castlecourt Hotel, Westport with Dinner, Bed & Breakfast. Lunch on three days. All entertainment, excursions and transport included. Visit Knock, Galway City, Kylemore Abbey, Croagh Patrick & Ashford Castle. Single supplement on Enquiry. Contact Patricia or Natali on 01268 762 278 or 07740 175557 or email [email protected].
Courses & Talks
by Fr Kevin Hughes mhm. 18 Nov 7pm St Mark’s Windsor 20th Nov 10am St Edmund Campion, 7pm St Thomas Moore Twyford
The Diocese in partnership with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales is hosting an online seminar on Tuesday 21st November, at 6 pm for Catholics wishing to bring people closer to Christ led by Evangelist Sherry Weddell. Tickets are £10 per person from
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.
For Lower Sixth/Year 12. Do you want to help build a Christian society? The programme offers stimulating and high-quality intellectual content, spiritual nourishment, personal development, inter-personal skills, team-building, with expert academics and professionals. Bursaries available as needed. See more at www.christianleadershipformation.com
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.
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
Missio If you have a Red Box which is ready to be emptied, please bring it in over the coming weeks.
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.