Pastoral Letter on Assisted Suicide 12/13 October 2024 from Archbishop Vincent Nichols
This Wednesday, 16 October 2024, a bill will be introduced to Parliament proposing a change in the law to permit assisted suicide. The debate will continue for a number of months, in society and in Parliament, before a definitive vote is held there. This puts in the spotlight crucial questions about the dignity of human life and the care and protection afforded by our society to every human being. As this debate unfolds we hope that you will take part whenever and wherever you can, and that you will write to your Member of Parliament. And pray. Please listen to the Cardinal’s letter and discuss and pray about it. The charity ‘Right to Life’ has a simple online mechanism to write to your MP. It takes little more than a few minutes to input your postcode, make sure the suggested text suits your viewpoint and submit your message to ask your MP to stop assisted suicide being rushed into law.
Prisoners’ Sunday
Prisoners’ Sunday is this Sunday, October 13, and marks the start of Prisons Week. Our prisons are in crisis. There are record numbers of people behind bars. Inspectors regularly report instances of vermin, violence, self-harm and people languishing in cells with nothing to do. At the same time, too many people are released with no home, no job, no family and no hope. Prisoners’ Sunday is a day to reflect on and pray for prisoners and their families. It is also an opportunity to consider how individuals, churches, and communities can serve those affected by imprisonment. The theme for Prisoners’ Sunday 2024 is “Today you will be with me in paradise”. Prisons Week is a time to raise awareness and generate prayer for those affected by prisons. It also motivates volunteers to give their time and gifts to help those in prisons and their communities. Find out more here.
CAFOD Harvest Family Fast Day Collection
Thank you for your donations last weekend which raised over £900 for the work of CAFOD. You can still hand in CAFOD envelopes, give online or scan the QR code. If you can, please Gift Aid your donation. Thank you.
World Mission Sunday
World Mission Sunday is next Sunday, October 20, our opportunity in the retiring collection to support Missio, the Pope’s charity for World Mission. Our prayers and contributions help build churches, train clergy, and provide essential services to those in need. There are donation envelopes in church for next weekend so you can Gift Aid what you give or you can give online. If you have a Missio Red Box at home please bring it (labelled with your name) to the Sacristy to be emptied and added to the collection.
Services
Sunday Masses are at 6:30pm (Saturday), 9:45am, 11:15am and 7pm.
Sunday Scripture readings
Notes on the Scripture readings
Normal Weekday Mass times (unless there is a funeral) are 9am Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday after Morning Prayer at 8:45am.
Eucharistic Adoration: Wednesday and Friday after 9am Mass until 10:30am.
Rosary: Tuesday and Friday after 9am Mass.
Confession: The Sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession is available on Saturday evening from 6-6:20pm.
Coming up
Thursdays Together: Thursday lunchtimes 11:30am – 1:30pm in the Groves Room, Holy Trinity Church Granville Road N4 4EL. Meet your neighbours and chat over light refreshments.
Community Soup Café: Enjoy a free bowl of homemade soup with bread every Monday, during term, From 11am – 2:30pm at Hornsey Vale Community Centre, Mayfield Road. Soup is served from 12 – 2pm.
Fundraising and Stewardship Campaign
We need to increase the number of volunteers who are able to give of their time and talents to help in the day-to-day running of the parish as a number of key people who have served the parish for many years in critical roles will retire in the coming months and it is urgent and critical that we find new volunteers to replace them! Fr David will speak about this in the coming weeks, please listen and be generous in responding to this appeal.
Secondary School Transfer Forms
Please see Fr David after mass for an appointment, bring along your school transfer forms, and any other forms you wish signed by the parish priest.
2024-2025 Parish Sacramental Programmes
First Communion: There is a meeting in church with Fr David at 11am on Saturday 19 October for parents and children who will be making First Communion next year.
Confirmation: Young people in Year 9 wishing to be confirmed should give Fr David their names and contact details, so that he can assess the numbers who want to be confirmed this year.
Adult Faith Formation: Coming to Mass but not a Catholic? Thinking of becoming a Catholic? Catholic but not made your confirmation? Looking to know more about your faith? Please see Fr David after mass, or email him at the parish e mail, to learn about the upcoming program of faith formation for this year.
Other News:
October – Month of the Holy Rosary: By tradition, the Catholic Church dedicates the month of October to the Rosary, one of the best known of all Catholic devotions. October includes the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (October 7). The best way to celebrate the month is, of course, to pray the Rosary. At St Peter’s, the Rosary is prayed after morning Mass on Tuesday and Friday and everyone is welcome.
Scrapping the two-child benefit cap The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has renewed its call for the government to scrap the two-child benefit cap on Universal Credit payments and is asking Catholics to contact their local MPs to make their feelings known. The policy is currently under review by the Government’s Child Poverty Taskforce and the Bishops’ Conference has set up an e-Action online at https://www.cbcew.org.uk/contact-mp-two-child-cap/ – a simple form to help Catholics contact their MPs.
Looking forward to the Jubilee Year 2025: For the forthcoming Jubilee Year a series of model Holy Hours have been produced in PDF downloadable format to provide guided prayer and reflection, with moments of silence in the presence of the Lord. The themes are: Creation, Eucharist, Forgiveness, Jubilee, Justice, Marriage and Family, the Risen Jesus, and Vocation. These can be found at: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/category/cbcew/liturgy/mass/eucharist/holy-hour/
Soup Run: Grateful thanks to those who have come forward as drivers/distributors after our last appeal. It has helped to ease the pressure off our current volunteers. We would still always welcome help and also for our sandwich teams. Donations of instant coffee, tuna (no catering sizes please), sweetcorn and mayo always appreciated. For more info contact Kit Greveson on 07507138582 or kit.greveson@gmail.com.
Procession in honour of Our Lady of Willesden: On Sunday 13th October at 7pm there will be the annual candlelit procession with the Statue of Our Lady of Willesden from the shrine church and through the streets of Willesden, praying for the protection of London and for the gift of vocations to the priesthood.
“Awake London” A Catholic Bible convention and Healing ministry on Saturday 19th October from 11am to 5pm led by Fr. John Victor and Anointing Fire Catholic Ministry UK at Catholic Parish of Christ The King, 455 Chingford Road London, E4 8SP. Convention includes: Praise and Worship, Holy Mass, confession, Healing service and Eucharistic Adoration, spiritual sharing, sessions for children (www.afcmuk.org). Free car parking available.
Young Catholic Adults and the Traditional English Association of Catholic History is organising a pilgrimage to Catholic York, on 26th and 27th October. It will be themed around St. Margaret Clitherow with visits to her Shrine, her relics at the Bar Convent and the place of her execution. There will also be other social and devotional activities/talks. Please come to as much or as little of the pilgrimage as you want. To book onto this FREE pilgrimage please visit:- https://bookwhen.com/youngcatholicadults-yorkpilgrimage2024
Do you like Brass Band Music? Regent Community Brass and the Time-Travelling Trombone, Sat 19th October. 7- 9pm, St Mary the Virgin Church, Primrose Hill, Elsworthy Road, London, NW3 3DJ Tickets: £6* in advance (under 5s free) Book here https://tinyurl.com/575cupuh *small booking fee Tickets £8 on the door. Bar & Refreshments available
Food Bank donations: As more and more people need to access food banks, we would ask anyone who is able to donate, when they can, to one of our local food banks. Contributions can be made to Holy Trinity Foodbank on Sundays between 1pm and 3:30pm. Please come to the Church Hall on Stapleton Hall Road, next to St Aidan’s School, N4 4RR, near the Albany Road junction.
The Universe Catholic Weekly The Universe Catholic Weekly gives Catholics the chance to read about this country and the world through the lens of their religion. Digital and printed editions are available to subscribers. Visit their website for more information.
Please pray for:
Those who are ill: Christian Overal, Antonio Neto, Zintra Sansom, Brenda Buzec, Amy Gordon, Annette Donivar, Caroline Hilton, Karin Summers, Graham Summers, Joan Summers, Helen Kozlowski, Don Brewis, Roman Cholij, Adeline Oyekoya, Mary Wallace, Margaret Whelan, Kitty Madden, Brendan Whelan, Claire Marchand, Mike Coombes, Gemma Francis, Richard Simon, Noah Purcell–Chandler, Nathalie Renford, Jackie Loivette, Michael Reid, Wendy Fairhurst, Ann Elizabeth Bennett, Joseph Lunn, Michael Hurley, Enid Samaru, Emilie Alcaraz, Ann Kozlowski-Hunt, Gabriel Brimacombe-Rand, Marie-Christine Polak, Frank Farrell, Peter Leung, Elizabeth Herbert, Mr Anthony Mark Selvarajah, Elaine Benjamin, Emma Gordon.
Those who have recently died: Sister Pia Müller, Mariia Karp RIP.