News items added on Thursday, December 25, 2008

Happy Christmas

I pray that the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will bring joy and peace to your homes and families.

I wish to offer thanks on behalf of the whole parish for the work of all those who have given their time and energy during the year to the various tasks that enable the mission of the parish to be carried out effectively.

May God bless your generosity.
Fr Timothy Finigan

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News items added on Sunday, December 21, 2008

Manna Centre appeal

At this time of the year, the homeless especially need our support and generosity. The UCM have been organising various donations for the Manna Centre and have raised over £700 so far.

If you would like to make a donation, please put it in an envelope marked “Manna Centre” and post it in the presbytery letterbox. (If you write a cheque, please make it payable to "Our Lady of the Rosary, Blackfen" and I will send a single cheque to the Manna Centre from the parish.)

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Altar Servers' Mass

Friday 26 December is the feast of St Stephen, the patron of our Altar Servers. All servers are asked to come if possible to the 10am Mass on that day. Those servers who have been serving regularly and have not yet received their St Stephen’s medal are invited to participate in the enrolment ceremony which will be held at the Mass.

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Christmas Masses

The Masses for Christmas Day are celebrated as follows:

Midnight Mass
(preceded by carols from 11.20pm)
Solemn High Latin Mass sung in the older form of the Roman Rite

9am Dawn Mass
10.30am Day Mass

English Masses with carols in the ordinary, newer form of the Roman Rite.
At the 9am Mass, after Holy Communion, the children are invited to gather round the crib to sing the carol Away in a Manger.

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Crib Service

This afternoon we had our Christmas Children's Crib Service. Children are invited to come dressed as an angel, a shepherd or a king and the children's liturgy team organise them in a simple service of readings and carols with a tableau of the Nativity.

Each year, the team try to find out about a baby who is to be born shortly before the service who can play the part of baby Jesus. This year it was Joshua. It was a very special day for him since he was also baptised this morning.

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News items added on Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Lunch at Aylesford

Each year, Hilda and the Union of Catholic Mothers organise a trip to Aylesford for the Christmas dinner served by the magnificent catering staff. Today after Mass, on a glorious December morning, Cedar Coaches took us along the A2 to the Friars. Here are a few photos from the day:



There were other photos taken as well as mine as you can see here:

Brother Lawrence O.Carm welcomed us and told us all about the 13th century Pilgrims Hall. It has a lovely fireplace in which a good blaze kept out the cold:

Many people bought books, medals and other Christmas presents from the Friary shop as well as having the opportunity to jon the Friars for Mass. We returned to the coach well nourished both physically and spiritually.

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Michael Hobson's diary

Michael is one of our young parishioners and is hoping to compete in the Olympic Games in 2012. The BBC London website carries his diary which has recently been updated, telling, among other things, of his work with young people with intellectual disabilities. See: Michael Hobson's Diary.

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News items added on Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Parish Google Group

The parish now has its own Google Group. It is for people who live in the parish of Blackfen or come to Mass here. Members can start a new topic or information or discussion and can add comments to existing topics. You can also upload files to the group.

Visit the group

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