fourth sunday of advent (a) fr peter writes… mass times€¦ · but the archetype of human hope,...
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ST MARGARET’S PAGE
Fourth Sunday of Advent (A) 18 December 2016
Mass Times Vigil 6.30pm (Sat). Sunday 8.30am, 10.30am & 6.30pm Mon. Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat.10.00am Adoration Wednesdays 8-9.15pm
Confessions Saturdays 10.30-11.00am Sundays 10.00-10.20am
St Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church, 130 St Margaret’s Road, Twickenham TW1 1RL Tel: 020 8892 3902
E-mail: stmargaretsonthames@rcdow.org.uk
for ‘THE PAGE’ on line contact Westminster Diocesan Website : parish.rcdow.org.uk/stmargaretsonthames
Parish Priest: Canon Peter Newby. Parish Administrator, Jean McGinley; Catechetical Co-ordinator: Therese Teevan; Bookkeeper: Ann Edes
Fr Peter writes…...
During this season of Primary School Nativity Plays I am re-
minded of the scene in the film ‘Love Actually’ when a child
appears as an octopus ready to be taken to his own School
Nativity Play. Obviously in this modern age the cast has is ex-
panded to cater for a class of thirty pupils. Such an embellish-
ment matters little so long as the main characters are present
because the account of the birth of Jesus stills holds pride of
place in most peoples’ understanding of Christianity. At the
other extreme the account of the birth at Bethlehem can even
stand the de-mythologised crib of ox and ass, made famous
by the 1970s seminarians of the Pontifical Biblical Institute.
They were making the point that to demystify the account of
the birth of Jesus Christ, a fashionable enterprise in those
years, was only to point as to who was absent, the Holy Fami-
ly and Shepherds, and the intimate human involvement that
are at the heart of the account of Jesus’ birth.
This folk creativity may be grasped as a legitimate develop-
ment stemming from the differing accounts of the birth of
Jesus found in both Matthew’s and Luke’s Gospel. The seam-
less robe of Angels, Bethlehem, Shepherds, Wise men, and
Herod is an amalgam of both Gospels. This combined account
domesticates the much starker account found in St Matthew’s
Infancy narrative. The Gospel of St Matthew begins with the
genealogy of Jesus, tracing His origin back to Abraham before
launching straight into the circumstances prior to Jesus’ birth,
a combination of the Holy Spirit’s unique action and the an-
gel’s message to St Joseph through a dream. There is nothing
about the tenderness of Jesus’ relatives nor any description of
the physical circumstances of the birth, nor about the shep-
herds; the Gospel reading of Midnight Mass.
The focus of the account is on St Joseph and not the Virgin
Mary as in St Luke’s Gospel. St Joseph is described as a just
man, and so was identified with the major figures of the Old
Testament. The just person delights in the Law of the Lord,
and their conduct derives from a living relationship with God
through prayer, charity and moral life. This relationship made
it possible for him to accept the angel’s message only because
he had previously chosen the merciful option to divorce Mary
informally.
Entrance Antiphon: Drop down dew from above, you heavens, and let the clouds rain down the Just One; and let earth be opened and bring forth a Saviour
Response to the Psalm Let the Lord enter! He is the King of glory.
To step beyond this, and to take home of Mary would have
been unthinkable in normal circumstances, all the more be-
cause of the obscure origins of her pregnancy. Hence the angel
says, ‘Do not be afraid’ the same words as expressed to the
Virgin Mary by the Archangel Gabriel. The choice of St Joseph
is explained as fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah given over seven
hundred years earlier in a time of national crisis, and one
which would initiate a new relationship between God and hu-
manity through Jesus Christ. St Joseph’s role was essential be-
cause by taking the Virgin Mary into his home he legitimised
Jesus as Son of David, thus allowing the Messiah to be Son of
David.
The invocation, ‘Do not be afraid’ is addressed to every Chris-
tian, because the prophecy of Isaiah is addressed to all human-
ity. The birth of the child from a virgin, is more than just fact,
but the archetype of human hope, that burst forth in every
family. Virgil, the Roman poet, in his Fourth Eclogue predicts
the birth of such a child. This Christmas we too are invited to
participate in this silent dream of humanity by being the just
man and women filled with joy who can discern the
promptings of God within their own lives. Through our lives we
make the Holy Spirit tangible and so embody the hope that the
birth of this child, Jesus, brings to the world
PLEASE PRAY FOR: The Sick: Rose Lorden, William Hamilton, Ethan Knott,
Caroline Horsbrugh, Colin Bertram, Gerry McEntee, Rose Williams, Brian Winter, Peter Coughlan, Carol Samba, Cesar Juan Urrutigoity, Mary English, Maureen Tanner, Mary Arnolda, Florence Clements, Carmen Bourne, Simon Barber, Amanda Lonergan , Mary Ethel Arnolda and Gerda Kerrigan.
Anniversaries: Janina Jascia, Stanislaus Leszczynski, Mary Kelly, David Matthewson, Bridget O’Connor, Helen Colsey, Charles Bendy, Marje Kensit, Alice Bendy, Sr Carol Manning, Thomas Goulds, Timothy Exley, Mary Sharratt, Ida Verbruggen and Margaret Ottman
Deanery Intentions for Fr Nigel Griffin and the
parishioners of the St Edmunds Whitton.
Mass Intentions Sat. 17 6.30pm Julie Thompson (Ban Lavery)
Sun. 18 8.30am Intention of Moya Cosgrove (McGinley)
10.30am Intention of Sylvia Skelton (Friel)
6.30pm Deceased members of Evenhuis Family
(Evenhuis)
Mon. 19 10.00am Intention of Maureen Davis (Davis)
Tues. 20 10.00am Intentions of Patricia & George (Davis)
Wed. 21 10.00am Sr Carol Manning RIP (Burman)
Thur. 22 10.00am For all Prisoners and their Families
Fri. 23 10.00am Intention of Lauri Watson (Ban Lavery)
Sat. 24 10.00am Intention of the Shaw Family (Shaw)
Vigil 6.00pm Childrens’ Mass For Families everywhere
11.15pm Carols and Readings
12.00am Midnight Mass For our Parishioners
Sun.25 Nativity of the Lord
8.30am Intention of Irene Starzecki
10.30amEdward Preston Anniversary (Byrne)
(There will be no evening Mass)
for all the gifts
and all the help that YOU
have given the Angel Tree project his year.
Thanks to you, many people, less fortunate than
ourselves in our local community will receive a
gift this Christmas. Special thanks to those who
sorted the gifts (you know who you are): To
those who helped with preparations and
wrapping all the angel gifts and finally to our
drivers who delivered the parcels to Social
Services on your behalf.
Your kindness and generosity of time
and effort are greatly appreciated.
18 December 4th Sunday of Advent Isaiah 7:10-14 Psalm 23 Romans 1:1-7 Matthew 1:18-24
25 December The Nativity of the Lord Isaiah 62:11-12 Psalm 96 Titus 3:4-7 Luke 2:15-20
Please remember in your Prayers
especially at Christmas
The Sick, The Lonely,
The Housebound and
Prisonersand their Families
Fr Peter will be holding
Open Mornings
for
Signing School
Forms
Tuesday 20 December 2016
11-12.30pm
Saturday 14 January 2017
11.00am—1.00pm (in the Parish Library (upstairs)
Angel Tree
Mass Times for the Christmas Season Please collect a leaflet from the narthex
Fr Peter
is very happy to
visit our
Sick & Housebound
Parishioners
If you would like to receive Holy Communion or celebrate
the Sacrament of Reconciliation, please contact the
Parish Office 020 8892 3902 between 8-1.00pm weekdays.
Certainly one for the Diary! Men’s Breakfast - Saturday 4th March 2017
Come and enjoy a hot cooked breakfast, it’s a great opportunity to chat and share time with like-minded chaps.
Paul Valler is our the speaker of the day – a really interesting guy, formerly Finance and Operations Director of Hewlett-Packard Ltd, Paul is Chair of the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity and a regular conference and seminar s peaker. He has written a book ‘Get a Life – Winning Choices for Working People’ and his seminar Inte-grating Work and Life has run in over 50 locations nationally and in Europe. You may have heard him interviewed on Premier Christian Radio
CAR PARKING FOR THE DISABLED
Would parishioners please leave the two parking bays (near the church doors) free for those who need them most.
Thank you Fr Peter
Music for Midnight Mass
There will be practices after 10.30am Mass on Sunday 18 December.
Our regular singers and any
others who wish to join are invited to attend.
Bernard Winter 07769 721 975
mazbern1@sky.com
Additional House Meeting
Sunday 15 January 2017 12noon—1.00pm
In the Parish Library
Please sign up on the List provided
at the back of the Church
Important Dates for your Diary
Talk & Discussion
on Pope Francis’ Evangelii Gaudium
as a blue print for the 21st century
Missionary Parishes.
Wednesday 25 January 2017 &
Friday 3rd February .
8.00pm -9.30pm In the Parish Library.
Diocese of Westminster
Pilgrimage to Fatima
Centenary Year of the Apparitions
Led BY: Cardinal Vincent Nichols
Monday 24-Thursday 27 April 2017
Price £530.00 per person
Single Rooms £50 per person
Price includes flights with Air Portugal from
London Heathrow.
Travel Insurance £26 per person
Package includes 3 nights full board
accommodation at Hotel Steyler.
A full itinerary including a visit to Lisbon on day
of arrival, daily Mass 2x1/2 day excursions
Details: The Pilgrimage Office
46 Francis Street, London SW1P 1QN
Tel: 0207 798 9173
Marriage Course Days
at St Margarets of Scotland
Saturday 18 February 2017
& Saturday 13 May 2017
9.45am Registration
10.00am –5.00pm Course
Lunch provided.
£70.00 per couple.
Please contact the Parish Office on 020 8892 3902
(between 8.00-1.00pm weekdays
Would you like to become an Altar Server?
Have you made your First Holy Communion? If so, we welcome you to join the Altar Servers. This is the last opportunity to join this academic year, next in-take will be September.
Becoming a server is to have the honour of assisting the priest in the celebration of the Mass and other
ceremonies.
Any new servers are required to attend a training session on 22nd January before 10:30 Mass and then serve for the first time at that Mass.
If you would like to join, or have any questions, please email Andrew Polland (andrewpolland@gmail.com) with your name, email address and the Mass(es) you would like to regularly serve at.
We look forward to welcoming you to the team.
CURRENT VACANCIES Diocese of Westminster
Riona Scannell | Senior HR Advisor |
Diocese of Westminster (maternity cover for Julie Dauncey)
Vaughan House | 46 Francis Street | London SW1P 1QN
Tel: (020) 7798 9167 | Fax: (020) 7798 9012
Job title Dept Hours per week Closing date
Locum Night Concierge
Caritas Bakhita House as required 31/01/2017
SPEC Re-treat Leader SPEC 40 hours per week 16/01/2017
The December 100 Club Draw has been drawn early this month
Congratulations to the following winners
First Prize No. 5 Bernard Winter £100.00
Second Prize No 78 Joseph Estorninho £50.00.
Your Prizes will be forwarded to your home addresses this week.
Congratulations To all the children who made their First Reconciliation
yesterday. The First Holy Communion sessions will
begin on 8th January at the same time in the hall
(9.15am). You will not need to bring your purple books
but will receive a new book on the first session.
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