27th Sunday Of Year C
In Jesus’ time, the idea of having servants and expecting them to obey was very much evident in life. So it is that Jesus explains to his apostles that they are merely servants. This is not a downgrading title. It means that they have a duty to serve and should not expect any reward apart from what was due to them. Serving one another is our duty too as Christians. It should be part of life, not something that we do now and again.
However, towards the end of his life, Jesus did tell the apostles that he was not to call them servants anymore but friends. That did not mean that they were not to serve one another any longer but that they were to carry on the work of Jesus, serving one another, after Jesus had risen from the dead. So we too can call ourselves friends of Jesus as we continue to work in His name.
CAFOD Harvest Fast Day
Next Friday is CAFOD Harvest Fast Day when we are encouraged to give up a meal, part of a meal or some luxury and give the money we save to the needy in the Third World. This Harvest Fast Day we are invited to join 32 year old Nicanora from Bolivia on her journey from poverty to abundance. We can stand alongside Nicanora as she learns new skills and receives materials and seeds that will enable her to grow enough food to feed her family. Please take a Fast Day envelope and return it with your contribution next weekend.
Mercy Mass & Presentation to Fr David
The next Mercy Mass will be on Friday 28th October at 7.30pm. This is the Feast of St Simon and St Jude and during the Mass the new statue of St Jude will be blessed. The Mass will be celebrated by Fr David Burke, after which there will be a reception and presentation to Fr David. Envelopes will be available at the back of the church. We invite you to bring a dish of food to the reception, but being a Friday, no meat items please. We will provide the drink.
Thanks from Harrow Mencap
Harrow Mencap have written to thank us for the collection and coffee morning they held here on 3rd July. A total of £342 was raised for Harrow Mencap to help improve the people’s skills and quality of life.
First Communion Programme
There will be a meeting for parents of First Communion candidates on Tuesday at 7.45pm in the Parish Centre. The first session for the children will be next Sunday at 9.15am in the Parish Centre. The following Sunday, 16th October, there will be a Celebration Mass at 10.30am, at which the children and their families will be enrolled into the programme.
Baptism Preparation
There will be a session for parents who wish to have their baby baptised on Sunday 20th November at 4pm in the Dominic Room.
Counting Heads
We will be having a Mass count at Masses this weekend and on the following three weekends. Many thanks to those who help us in this.
Thanks from Father Jozef
Dear Annunciation Parishioners, many thanks for everything done by you for my spiritual and physical benefit during my stay in your Parish in August. I keep you faithfully in my prayers and remember you at Mass. You are a Parish community of reliable co-workers and many diligent church goers, a perfect example of never-tiring Christian believers—uplifting for my personal spirituality! The Peace of the Lord be with you always. Fr Jozef.
RCIA Sessions
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults sessions start on Tuesday 11th October at 8pm, upstairs in the Parish Centre. These sessions are for adults who wish to be baptised, those baptised in other Christian churches who wish to become Roman Catholics and baptised Catholics who have not received the other Sacraments. The sessions last for one hour, and are open to anyone who wants to discover more about their faith. We are looking for more people to help those adults in their journey of faith. Everybody is welcome to come along to the introductory session on 11th October.
New Altar Servers
Children who have already received their First Holy Communion are invited to become altar servers. There will be an introductory session in the church on Saturday 15th October at 11am.
Secondary School Transfer
Fr Colin will be available to sign school forms in the Parish Centre on Saturday between 12 noon-1pm. After that, the next session will be on Wednesday 19th October between 4-5pm.
Mass at Deborah Lodge
The monthly Mass at Deborah Lodge is this Friday at 3pm.
Gift Aid
We have recently received a sum of £10,215.87 from the Diocese as a result of the contributions that parishioners have Gift Aided over the last year. Very many thanks. We hope that many more will use this simple way of enabling the Parish to receive an extra 25% on what you give, without any extra cost to yourself. If you pay tax, you can complete a gift aid form from the back of the Church and return it to us. If you already gift aid your contributions, there is no need to complete another form. If you have gift aided in the past but no longer pay tax, please let us know. Many thanks.
Youth Mass
On 9 December at St Aloysius Parish, Euston the WestminsterYouth Service host their annual Youth Mass – Bishop Nicholas leading. The Mass begins at 6.30pm and the music will be led byEdwin Fawcett and the young music scholars; the evening is a celebration of youth throughout our diocese. Light refreshments will follow Mass – all young people and teenagers are encouraged to take this opportunity to meet their peers from across Westminster.
WATCH THIS SPACE—J.D.S
A teacher was testing the children in her Sunday School class to see if they understood the concept of getting to Heaven. She asked them “If I sold my house and my car and had a big car boot sale and gave all my money to the Church, would that get me into Heaven?” “No” the children answered. “If I cleaned the Church every day, mowed the grass and kept everything neat and tidy, would that get me into Heaven?” Again the answer was “No”. Now they’re getting it she thought “Well then, if I was kind to animals and gave sweets to all the children and loved my husband, would that get me into Heaven?” Again they all answered “No”. She was just bursting with pride for hem. “Well,” she continued, “then how can I get into Heaven?” A five year old boy shouted out, “You gotta die first.”