TAKEHOMENEWS SUNDAY 2 NOVEMBER 2025

Solemnity of All Saints 2025

Celebrating Our Hope

This Sunday, we celebrate the Feast of All Saints. We praise God for our brothers and sisters who have gone before us. With joy we hasten, as pilgrims advancing by faith. This celebration gives us hope. The first reading (Rev 7:2-4, 9-14) gives a vision of a great multitude, uncountable from every nation, race, people and tongue.  It reminds us that God’s offer of salvation is to all. We rejoice in this hope and look forward to that glorious inheritance in the saints. (Ephesians 1:18)

Having been adopted as sons and daughters in Christ, St. Paul calls us saints. (Colossians 1:2,12).  Thus, this Sunday’s second reading says that to be saints is to be God’s children.

However, because we have this unfailing hope of the saints, the second reading invites us to purify our hearts. To do that, we embrace Jesus’s invitation in the Gospel. We are to be poor in spirit, recognising our dependence on God.  With gentleness, mercy, and peace, we maintain unity among us. As we persevere in good works, Jesus says, “Rejoice and be glad because the rewards of the saints are ours too.

May the lives of all the Saints inspire and lend us courage. Surrounded by such a great multitude that intercedes for us, may our unfailing hope and the vision of our glorious future with the saints renew our strength. Amen.

Happy Feast  Fr. Chinedu

SOMETHING IS BREWING! YOU'RE INVITED TO OUR NEW COFFEE MORNING!

We are absolutely delighted to announce the launch of a wonderful new  gathering designed to bring us closer together as a community! ​Starting TODAY Sunday, 2^nd November, we will be hosting a brand-new Coffee Morning in the Parish Hall immediately following the 9 am Mass.

BAPTISM PREPARATION

There will be a preparation session for parents who wish to have their baby baptised today Sunday, 2^nd   November at 4pm in the church. There will be no baptisms in December, our  Session in January, will be on Sunday, 4^th.

All Saints’ & All souls’ DAY

Today 2^nd November we  celebrate Solemnity of All Saints and on Monday, 3^rd November, is All Souls,  the Book of Remembrance  will be displayed in the church.  You may  add the  names of your deceased relatives from the last year, there is no need to add  names that have been previously entered.

All souls’ envelopes

Please take an envelope from the back of the church  write your list of deceased relatives and friends who you wish to be remembered during the November Masses. Place the envelope in the box labelled All Souls on the altar.

Bereavement mass

The Bereavement Mass, at which we remember in particular  those who have died in the last year, takes place on Saturday 22^nd November at 3pm.  Everyone is welcome.

FIRST COMMUNION APPLICATIONS 2026

Application forms for parents who wish their child to receive their First Holy  

Communion next year are available at the back of the church. Children should be in Year 3 or above.

CONFIRMATION APPLICATIONS FOR 2026

Confirmation application forms will be available to collect from the church.  They need to be returned by  14^th December.  Payment and baptism certificate must be enclosed with the form.  Confirmation is open to students that are in year 10.

ST VINCENT DE PAUL COMMUNITY (BURNT OAK & MILL HILL)

Our next meeting is on Thursday, 6^th  November at 7pm, here in  the    Canon  Smyth Parish Centre.

MISSIO RED BOX

Please bring your red box back for counting before 18^th November, thank you .

RECENTLY DECEASED

PATRICIA LAMBERT, may her soul and the souls of all the departed rest in peace.  Patricia's funeral is on Tuesday, 4^th November 11.30am.

A DAY WITH MARY IS TAKING PLACE AT WESTMINSTER CATHEDRAL

On Saturday 8 November 2025 (9.45am to 5.00pm). Further information is available at https://www.adaywithmary.org/  or https://eventcatholic.com/ 

MONTHLY CHILDREN'S MASS Monthly Children’s Mass

The next Children’s Mass will take place on Sunday 23rd November at 10:30am. Children in school years 3 to 10 inclusive who would like to support the liturgy by welcoming the congregation to Mass, singing with the choir, reading, or bringing the gifts to the altar can sign-up by giving their name and their parent/carer’s contact details in at the Repository after Mass. The deadline for registering to take part in the November Children’s Mass is 12 Noon on Sunday 16th November.

There will be a variety of activities including tombola, raffle and much more.

Help raise funds for our Church and celebrate the greatest gift of all, the birth of Jesus Christ.

Donations welcomed including Prizes for a raffle, Bottles i.e. for our Bottle Tombola stall, Gift ideas i.e. gift sets, chocolates etc and Baked items (cakes, cookies etc)*** VOLUNTEERS NEEDED *** Contact the Parish Priest or Office with your name and availability.

SENIOR CITIZENS' CHRISTMAS PARTY

St James’ Catholic High School invites local senior citizens to our annual Christmas Party on Thursday, 4th December at 4pm. Admission is by ticket only. If you would like to attend, please inform the office, who will arrange for your name to be added to the guest list at St James’ and for a ticket to be prepared for collection from the office As tickets are limited, please put your name forward as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.  Closing date for tickets Thursday, 20 November.