CATHOLIC

CHURCH OF OUR LADY ST JOHN’S WOOD

“If you want to change the world, go home and love your

family.”

St Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Mass Times:

Sunday 6pm (Saturday)

9, 10.30, 12 & 6pm

Weekday Mon-Fri: 10am

Thurs: 7pm Sat: 10am

Rosary After weekday Mass

Exposition Daily Mon-Fri 9.15-10am

Sat after Mass (Exposition/Benediction)

Confessions Sat 10.30-11am,

5.15-5.45pm Or daily before all

Masses

Christmas Mass Times See notice at the back of

the church

Weekly Newsletter THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD – 8th January 2017

A WORD FROM FR JEFF

Epiphany (also known as Twelfth Night, Theophany, or Three Kings Day) marks the occasion of a time-honoured Christian tra-dition of “chalking the doors.” The formula for the ritual — adapted for 2017 — is simple: take chalk of any colour and write the following above the entrance of your home: 20 + C+M + B + 17.

The letters have two meanings. First, they represent the initials of the Magi — Cas-par, Malchior, and Balthazar — who came to visit Jesus in His first home. They also abbreviate the Latin phrase, Christus mansionem benedicat: “May Christ bless the house.” The “+” signs represent the cross, and the “20” at the beginning and the “17” at the end mark the year. Taken together, this inscription is performed as a re-quest that Christ to bless those homes so marked that he stay with those who dwell therein throughout the entire year.

I would like to invite you to adopt this custom of marking your home door with blessed chalk in your family. The family gathers to ask God’s blessing on their home and on those who live in or visit the home. It is an invitation for Jesus to be a daily guest in our home, our comings and goings, our conversations, our work and play, our joys and sorrows.

Instructions for Blessing the Home Using the blessed chalk mark the lintel of your front door (or front porch step) as follows:

20 + C + M + B + 17 while saying:

The three Wise Men, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar followed the star of God’s Son who became human two thousand and fifteen years ago. May Christ bless our home and remain with us throughout the new year. Amen. Then offer the following prayer: Visit, O blessed Lord, this home with the gladness of your presence. Bless all who live or visit here with the gift of your love; and grant that we may manifest your love to each other and to all whose lives we touch. May we grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of you; guide, comfort, and strengthen us in peace, O Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen “Chalking the door” is a way to celebrate and literally mark the occasion of the Epiphany and God’s blessing of our lives and home. With time the chalk will fade. As it does we let the meaning of the symbols written sink into the depths of our heart and be manifest in our words and actions the Latin words, Christus mansionem benedictat, “May Christ bless the house.” There is blessed chalk at the back of the church for any who would like to take one home and begin this custom. Another option will be to purchase a red card in the church shop to place over your front door as well. May our Lord bless each and every home in our parish this next year and may the peace of Christ Jesus reign in our hearts and homes! Happy New Year and Happy Feast of the Epiphany!

Latin classes will continue in the Jubilee Room at 7.30pm every Thursday.

Newcomers are very welcome and will have no problem catching up.

Come and learn the Church’s mother tongue!

Restoration Project: As we continue to plan and develop the restoration

project, Fr Jeff will be placing phots of items we wish to purchase for the

Lady Chapel, Shrines of the Sacred Heart and St Joseph in the back of the

church with news in the newsletter if anyone wishes to give towards them

as we move forward. These too can be offered in memory of others. Fr Jeff

is presently searching for appropriate statues of the Sacred Heart and St

Joseph for those shrines.

Giving to the Parish: If you are new to the parish and wish to participate

in your offerings through the Gift-Aid programme where we receive an

extra .25 pence on the pound for your offering, please let Fr Jeff or Fr Lo-

renzo know and send us your details so that we can get the appropriate

paper to you for you to sign. This really helps our parish financially and

costs us nothing extra. If you would like to give by Direct Debit, please

send an email to the parish with this request along with your address and

we will send you the forms to fill out too. Thank you to all who give gener-

ously and help support our parish as we seek to bring the Gospel into eve-

ry area of our lives.

Crib Offerings will go to help the work of the Catholic Children Society.

Fr Jeff will be on his Christmas break from the 10th till the 17th January.

Sunday Readings (p.115) Isiah 60:1-6

Psalm 71:1-2,7-8,10-13 Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6

Matthew 2:1-12

Hymns 520 O Come all ye faithful

788 We three Kings 133 Come thou long expected

Jesus

Baptism Prep Group

The next Baptism course starts on 14th Jan at 12.30pm in the

Jubilee Room.

Marriage See one of the Priests.

Six months’ notice required Preparation obligatory

St Joseph’s Fellowship Next meeting 9th Jan at 8pm

Union of Catholic Mothers Next meeting tbc

Parish Office Hours

Mon - Fri: 10.30 - 13.30

Open Surgery Tues 17th Jan at 6pm

Collect O God, who on this day revealed your only be-

gotten Son to the nations by the guidance of a star, grant in your mercy, that

we, who know you al-ready by faith, may be brought to behold the beauty of your sublime glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the

Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.

Amen

Parish Hall Activities

Monday

English Language

Classes

Tuesday

Parent & Toddler Group

(also Weds & Thurs)

Over 50’s

(Youth Mercy Associates

is suspended until after

Christmas)

Sunday After 9am

Mass Teas & Coffees

Ask Father! Fr Jeff is proposing one evening a month for adults age

18 plus to gather in the lower hall for an evening of ‘Theology on

Tap’. What that means is that questions surrounding issues in the

world or the Church can be submitted to Fr Jeff for a month leading

up to the evening of the gathering when we will have some drinks

and perhaps a nibble or two and Fr Jeff will answer the questions that

were submitted. This will be a time where we can have some fun to-

gether and talk about some pressing issues and perhaps something

with a bit of depth but fun for all. With all the grey skies during the

winter months, this will give us an excuse to come together for some

social time. In the summer months we can move it to the garden!

Watch the newsletter as we hope to begin in January. If this sounds

like a good idea to you, please let Fr Jeff know.

Sacristy Fund – Fr Jeff has present needs for the Sacristy Fund. These

items are for the beautification of Mass. These will include items such

as Funeral Palls, a white and a black Altar Frontal, a new cope and a

Funeral Cope, as well as Statues. If you wish to donate to this fund,

please speak to Fr Jeff.

Home Enthronement -For all those who signed up, please contact the

Parish Office to book a date for Fr Jeff or Fr Lorenzo to visit your

home.

SVP The next meeting will take place on 18th Jan at 8pm in the

O’Neill Room (lower hall.) If you wish to join the SVP, pleaser con-

tact the Parish office

The Pope’s Prayer Intentions For January:

Christian Unity:

That all Christians may be faithful to the Lord’s teaching

by striving with prayer and fraternal charity to restore

ecclesial communion and by collaborating to meet the

challenges facing humanity.

Spouse’s Corner Marriage is much like the Epiphany. It is the ap-pearing of our Lord for the good of the other. Epiphany means “appearing” or making one-self known. How are we bringing the light of Jesus to our marriages and making Him known for the salvation of our spouse?

Contact Information

Catholic Church of Our Lady, St John’s Wood

54 Lodge Road

London, NW8 8LA

02072863214

stjohnswood@rcdow.org.uk

http:/www.rcsjw.org.uk/

Parish Team

Parish Priest: Fr Jeff Steel

Assistant Priest: Fr Lorenzo Andreini

Parish Sister: Sr Brigid Collins

SATURDAY

7th January

Christmas Feria

- - -

THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

10.00 10.30 - - - 17.15 18.30

FR John McDonald RIP Sacrament of Reconciliation Sacrament of Reconciliation Otilia Cortazar de Sepulveda RIP

SUNDAY

8th January

THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

09.00 10.30

12.00 18.00

Jose Antonio Garcia Navarro RIP People of the Parish

Jack, Margaret & Tony Doherty RIP Holy Souls

MONDAY

9th January

THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD

Elizabeth Obi (Intentions)

TUESDAY

10th January

Feria

Holy Souls

WEDNESDAY

11th January

Feria

Mary Agnes Meiklejohn RIP

THURSDAY

12th January

St Aelred of Rievaulx

Mrs James RIP (Anniv.)

FRIDAY

13th January

Feria

Mary Ball (Intentions)

SATURDAY

14th January

Feria

- - -

2nd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

10.00 10.30 - - - 17.15 18.30

Carmel McKenzie RIP Sacrament of Reconciliation Sacrament of Reconciliation

SUNDAY

15th January

2nd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

09.00 10.30

12.00 18.00

Recardo Amora RIP Holy Souls

Helen Casey (Birthday Intentions) For The People of the Parish

All celebrations take place at the parish church, apart from those marked Q which take place at the Chapel of Our Lady Queen of the World