TAKEHOMENEWS SUNDAY 8 MARCH 2025
- RCDOW Burnt Oak
- Mar 6
- 4 min read
The Living Water
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus gently leads the Samaritan woman to God. The Samaritans were despised and considered to be outside God’s plan. Jesus overturns that and approaches the Samaritan woman with compassion. He begins by humbly asking her for water, thus breaking through suspicion and opening the way for a genuine encounter.
From this simple request, Jesus gradually leads her to the saving truth. Jesus tells her, “You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know….” But then he added, “The hour has come when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth.” What is important is not where you worship or are from, but rather if you seek God in truth with a sincere heart. The Lord “Will search for his sheep wherever they may be…. and bring back the strayed” (Ezekiel 34:11,16).
The Samaritan woman’s story mirrors our own journey of faith. Like her, we come with our weaknesses, doubts, and past mistakes. Yet as we listen to Jesus, we recognise our need for God and with openness receive the Living water, the Holy Spirit foreshadowed in the first reading by the water, which flows from the rock. Jesus is The Rock through whom God’s love is POURED into our hearts as St. Paul tells us in Romans 5:5. May this living water quench our deepest thirst, restore our hope, and lead us to true freedom in Christ.
Happy Sunday. Fr. Chinedu
Stations of the Cross
During this Lenten season on Friday’s, there will be Stations of the Cross after morning Mass and again at 7pm.
FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION MASS
Our parish feast of the Annunciation is on Wednesday, 25th March at 7.30pm. This will be followed by light refreshments in the Parish Centre. After the Mass, we will proceed to the hall. We invite you, our parishioners, to bring with you your special dishes to be shared with others. Drinks shall be provided by the parish. Please give your names and contact numbers to the Stewards if you would like to support the parish feast by volunteering. Thank you.
CONFESSIONS DURING LENT
Saturdays: After morning Mass. (During Holy Hour) 10:45am to 11:15 am
Before Saturday Vigil Mass. 5: 45 PM to 6:15 PM
Parish Reconciliation (Penitential) Service: Friday, 27th March. 7pm followed by Stations of the Cross.
Holy Week: Monday to Wednesday after morning mass: 9:40 am to 10:40 am
FIRST SCRUTINY
The Scrutinies are Rites celebrated on the Third, Fourth and Fifth Sundays of Lent, by those people who are preparing to be baptized at Easter. They are important and special rites of the Church.
MONTHLY CHILDREN’S MASS
The next Children’s Mass will take place on Sunday 15th March 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 March Children’s Mass is 12 Noon on Sunday 8th March.
BAPTISM PREPARATION
The next preparation session for parents who wish to have their baby baptised is on Sunday, 3rd May at 4pm in the church.
NEW OFFERTORY ENVELOPES
New Offertory envelopes will be available after Masses this weekend. One of the Stewards/Priests will be available to hand you your box from the presbytery lobby. We are not allowed to put the boxes on display in the church because of data protection. If there is not a set available for you please fill out a request form and we will have a set available for you on the following weekend.
A DAY WITH MARY
A Day With Mary is taking place at Westminster Cathedral on Saturday 14 March 2026 (9.45am to 5.00pm). Further information is available at https://www.adaywithmary.org/
NATIONAL NOVENA TO ST JOSEPH
The national Novena will take place from 10-18 March at St Joseph’s Church in Maidenhead. Every year, Mill Hill Missionaries prepare for the Feast of St Joseph, their Society Patron, with a special Novena of Masses and prayers to ask for God’s blessing on their Society’s missionary outreach. Masses are at 10am every day of the Novena except Sunday, when it is at 11am. These Masses will be available to follow on YouTube, via the Mill Hill website: www.millhillmissionaries.com/novena.
Annual Mass of Thanksgiving for the Sacrament of Matrimony
Westminster Cathedral, Saturday 23 May 2026 at 2:30pm.
The Archbishop is inviting to this Mass all couples in the Diocese, who are celebrating their 5th 10th, 25th, 30th, 40th, 50th and 60th (and every year over 60) wedding anniversary of Catholic marriage in 2026. If you are celebrating an anniversary, please give your parish office the following details: husband and wife’s names, wedding date, your full postal address and email (or telephone number, if no email). Please advise Susan in the office before Thursday 16 April 2026.
GIFT AID
We thank all parishioners who are paying by direct debit or envelopes and have signed a Gift Aid Declaration. We ask any parishioner who is a tax payer and donating through the loose plate to please consider donating instead by direct debit or envelope.
Any parishioner who has stopped being a tax payer should inform the office if they were previously a gift aider here.
BISHOP DOUGLAS SCHOOL
Are able to offer a small number of year 7 spaces to any parents or carers who have not secured a secondary school place for their child in September 2026, or are unhappy with their offer. The school’s bespoke and personalised Transition Programme ensures that all children feel confident to begin in September. This begins with a Welcome Event on Tuesday, 11th March from 4:15 pm. Any interested parents can sign up using this link, or can contact the school on admissions@bishopdouglass.barnet.sch.uk or phone 020 8444 5211 for further information.
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