22nd of November 2020
Latest Covid Restrictions:
With the government’s latest imposed restrictions now in force until at least 2nd December, the church is no longer open for public Mass. We will be open for periods of private prayer. These will be as follows:
Sundays: 10 – 11 am
Wednesdays 12 noon – 1 pm.
The Voice for December:
The December edition of our diocesan newspaper is now available online.
Red Boxes
At the moment it is not possible for your Red Box to be collected or for you to take it to church, please count the money in your box and choose one of the following:
Send A Cheque payable to Missio-Mill Hill, to RED BOX, 23 Eccleston Square, London SW1V 1NU (put your parish name on the back)
Text Redbox 5 (to donate £5) or Redbox 10 (to donate £10) to 70085
By Phone call us on 020 7821 9755 during office hours to donate with your credit/debit card.
Bank Transfer Account Name Missio Sort Code 16-00-16 Account No. 10824230 Ref. RB+your postcode
Youth Sunday (This Weekend):
This year the collection for National Youth Sunday is going to be taken online. The proceeds will go to support Castlerigg Manor and the Youth Service, which have suffered a great deal this year with Covid and the Lockdown. If you can spare any money for this important cause, please head to castleriggmanor.co.uk/nys or alternatively you can send donations to ‘Castlerigg Manor, Manor Brow, Keswick, Cumbria CA12 4AR.'”
Protect The Unborn:
Sadly, abortion is currently available in the UK, right up to birth, for babies with cleft lip, cleft palate and club foot. All of these conditions can be corrected. A cross-party group of MPs from the three largest parties in the UK Parliament have come together to bring forward the Abortion (Cleft lip, cleft palate and club foot) Bill. The Bill will change the law to clarify that cleft palate, cleft lip, and club foot are not grounds for abortion in the UK. Please visit www.standupandsmile.org.uk to email your MP asking them to support the Bill. Thank you.
Family Ideas For Advent:
Follow the link below for ideas for exploring Advent with the family: https://s3.amazonaws.com/ministrysites/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2018/11/14162803/Family-Advent-Guide.pdf
RISE – An Online Youth Group:
RISE is an online group for young people (Years 7-9 or equivalent age) – an opportunity to explore faith and make friends. To sign up go to: https://lancasteryouthservice.churchsuite.com/events/0wf7layy
Advent Retreat Days:
Hyning Monastery is offering 2 retreat days via Zoom. Thursday 3rd December and Saturday 12th December 2020. The overall theme will be HOPE, much needed at this time! Start time both days is 10:15am concluding with Vespers at 4:30pm. Please contact Sr. Mary Bernard on hyningbookings@yahoo.co.uk or 01524 732684 or 01524 989380 before Monday 30th November to book. There is a voluntary contribution of £10 for the day, but the Sisters would not want anyone who wishes to join to be left out because of finance.
Online Retreat:
This the here will be an online retreat entitled ‘Living Laudato Si: Your Parish and Your Planet’ available on Zoom on 22nd – 25th January 2021. Laudato Si is Pope Francis’ Encyclical on the environment. The retreat will be led from Boarbank Hall, Cumbria. Cost – Free but voluntary donations gratefully accepted. To apply, simply email Sr. Margaret Atkins on margaret@boarbankhall.org.uk
Art For The Heart:
Just a little art to lift the heart in these times…
Hope at the end of the rainbow…
Our Father does art in heaven…
Next Sunday:
Next Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent, and the beginning of a new liturgical year. In the Mass it is the year of Mark’s Gospel. Try reading this Gospel in one sitting during Advent: it is the shortest of the four Gospels – just 16 chapters – but is a powerful testimony of our Lord who came to live and suffer with, and for, His people. ‘The time has come… and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News (Mk 1:14-15
St Joseph’s Care:
If you, or someone you know is in need, St Joseph’s Care has a helpline and we have volunteers who will be in a position to provide basic support such as shopping. The number is: 07840 112 265 (9am – 7pm daily). In these difficult times many people may be worried or concerned about a loved one. If you would like to ask for prayers, please ring St. Joseph’s Care phone line or send an e-mail to:
st.josephs_ansdell@btinternet.com . A list of prayer requests in addition to the sick, lately dead and anniversaries will be on the bulletin each week.
We continue to support needy families in the South Shore area with food and clothing vouchers.
Christmas Day – in conjunction with local churches we can this year offer delivery of a 3-course Christmas Dinner and a light supper if you are elderly or on your own in the Lytham St Annes area. Booking by 10th December is essential. Please telephone Edwina on the number in this weeks bulletin for the menu and to make a booking.
Support – we are very grateful for your continued financial support; contributions can be deposited in the safe at the back of church or put in an envelope clearly marked St Joseph’s Care and posted through the presbytery door or dropped in the basket as you leave church at weekend.
Donation by Standing Order:
If you wish to donate to the parish by Standing Order, please email us at st.josephs_ansdell@btinternet.com, requesting a standing order form. If you are a taxpayer and are not already Gift-aiding your contributions, please consider this. It is a great support to the parish. Forms for Gift-aid are available as above.
From The Bishops’ Conference Of England & Wales:
‘The Catholic Church in England and Wales welcomes the Report from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) published this last week relating to the institutional response of the Church in its duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation. We thank the IICSA Panel for their work. The Report will now inform the ongoing reform and improvement of safeguarding in all aspects of the Church’s life.
An important aspect of the Inquiry’s work was the voice given to victims and survivors of abuse, including the accounts which they gave of their subsequent engagement with the Church. Listening attentively to their witness testimony has brought into sharp relief the extent of the damage this sexual abuse has had on their lives. We apologise to all victims and survivors who have not been properly listened to, or properly supported by us. By listening with humility to those who have suffered, we can contribute to the healing of the wounds of abuse, as well as learn from those most directly affected how we must improve the Church’s safeguarding standards, policies and procedures. This is an ongoing task and one to which we are wholly committed.’
Hospice 200 Club:
On behalf of the St Joseph’s Ansdell Hospice Fund Committee, I would like to offer our sincere thanks to Father David and to all of our parishioners and friends who have supported and so generously donated to our 2020 Fundraising Campaign for Trinity Hospice and Brian House Children’s Hospice. An amazing total of £1,680.16 has been raised and we have received a lovely letter and Certificate from the Hospice to acknowledge receipt of this amount. The letter and Certificate will be displayed in the parish noticeboard on Blackpool Road and here. With grateful thanks. Dennis Duignan
Tree Of Remembrance 2020:
To mark this extraordinary year, a winter flowering cherry has been planted in the Garden of Remembrance. The blossom will be a symbol of light in the dark.
Children’s Liturgy Resource:
Here is a link to a useful resource for Children’s Liturgy online. There is an outline of a service that can be led by an adult for use at home or over the internet via Zoom: https://www.tentenresources.co.uk/primary-subscription/prayers-for-home/sunday-liturgy-for-families/
CAFOD Appeal:
CAFOD has joined with the UK Disasters Emergencies Committee to help millions of people whose lives are at risk, as coronavirus spreads across refugee camps and countries suffering conflict. You can donate at cafod.org.uk/coronavirus to help CAFOD scale up its coronavirus response through our global Church family. Or use CAFOD’s Summer of Hope fundraising ideas with your family and friends to transform lockdown and raise money for the appeal: cafod.org.uk/summerofhope
St Joseph’s Care:
If you, or someone you know is in need, St Joseph’s Care has a helpline and we have volunteers who will be in a position to provide basic support such as shopping. The number is: 07840 112 265 (9am – 7pm daily). We thank those extra volunteers who have given their names and are prepared to provide help for those who need it.
ALSO:We continue to support needy families in the South Shore area with food and clothing vouchers. Contributions towards this can be deposited in the safe at the back of church or put in an envelope clearly marked St Joseph’s Care and posted through the presbytery door or dropped in the basket as you leave church at weekend.
Mass Intentions:
may be posted through the door at St Joseph’s Presbytery
Online Masses:
Here, for recordings of Mass here at St Joseph’s..
A Prayer to your Guardian Angel:
Dear Guardian Angel, go for me to the church, there kneel down at Mass for me. At the Offertory, take me to God, and offer Him my service: What I am, what I have, offer as my gift. At the Consecration, with your seraphic strength, adore my Saviour truly present, praying for those who have loved me, for those who have offended me, and for those now deceased, that the blood of Jesus may purify them all. During Holy Communion, bring to me the Body and Blood of Jesus uniting Him with me in spirit, so that my heart may become His dwelling place. Plead with Him, that through His sacrifice all people throughout the world may be saved. When the Mass ends, bring home to me and to every home, the Lord’s blessing. Amen.
An Act of Perfect Contrition:
This requires us to be contrite of heart for what we have done, know and be overwhelmed by the love and mercy of God for his children, and to approach this grace with humility and resolution not to sin again. The following or similar formula should be used:
My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Saviour Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God have mercy.
St Joseph’s Facebook Page:
We now have over 300 people regularly following us on Facebook which is allowing us to reach out to those in the wider community and fulfil our parish commitment to evangelisation. In the last couple of months we have been able to help a number of people who have sought assistance through this medium.