News
Archive
December
2015
News Archive for December 2015
Archbishop Peter's Christmas Prayer ...
Gerrit
van Honthorst
Adoration of the Child c.1620
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence
I
pray that God may bless you, your famliy and friends,
and give you the gifts of his love, peace, joy,
and mercy this Christmas
and throughout the extra-ordinary Jubilee of Mercy.
Archbishop of Southwark
Christmas Family Mass in the Cathderal
Archbishop
Peter presided at the Family Mass in the Metropolitan Cathedral Church
of St George on Christmas morning
After
Mass Archbishop Peter
distributed sweets to the children
More photos on the RCSouthwark Diocesan Flickr page
Televised Midnight Mass 2015
Midnight
Mass at the Metropolitan Cathedral Church of St George was
broadcast live this year on BBC 1.
The Mass is available to 'watch again' on the BBC IPlayer (click here) until 23rd January
The Mass is available to 'watch again' on the BBC IPlayer (click here) until 23rd January
The Mass, which Archbishop Peter celebrated, along with Fr Richard Hearn (Cathedral Dean), Fr Oladele Craig, Fr Thomas Bakulumpagi and Fr David Gibbons
Archbishop Peter was assited by Deacons Daniel Weatherley, David Howell and Philip Andrews
Southwark Seminarian ordained Deacon
Daniel Weatherley was ordained a Deacon on 19th December 2015 by Archbishop Peter at St John's Seminary - Wonersh
Deacon Daniel will exercise his ministry at Wornesh
South East Catholic Schools Christmas Music Festival
Sacred Heart Church - Camberwell
8
Catholic schools, in South East London, on Thursday 17th December,
gathered at Sacred Heart Church Camberwell for the second edition of
the SE Catholic schools music festival.
The
schools are, St Joseph Infant School, Camberwell, St Francis Primary
School, Peckham, English Martyrs Primary School, Walworth, St
Josephs Primary School, Camberwell, Sacred Heart Secondary School,
Camberwell, Virgo Fidelis Convent School, St Michaels
Catholic College, Bermondsey, and St Thomas the Apostle,
Nunhead
Bishop
Patrick Lynch was the special guest of honour and thanked all those who
worked hard towards the celebration, and he reminded everyone that the
birthday of Jesus is what Christmas celebrates. He blessed all the
participants and all who were present
The
parish priest, Fr Victor Darlington, in an interview, also reminded
everyone that the birthday of Jesus is the reason for this joyful
season, and he stressed that the annual celebration of the music
festival, is to strengthen solidarity between catholic schools in the
South East of London and to promote the Catholic ethos of our schools.
Mass and Lunch with Overseas Clergy Support Group and Ethnic Chaplaincy - Woolwich
On the 15th December
Archbishop Peter visited St Peter's Wololwich to join Father Shaju
Varkey, the new coordinator of Ethnic Chaplaincy in Southwark and the
On Going Formation of Preists, who organised a Mass and Christmas Lunch
for the Southwark Ethnic Chaps and overseas clergy in Southwark
The parishioners of St Peter’s provided superb lunch consisting of many different dishes from throughout the world
Opening of the "Door of Mercy" at the Cathedral
On Sunday 13th December
Catholic Bishops throughout the world
opened a Door of Mercy in their Cathedral Church. Pope Francis opened
the Door of Mercy in his Cathedral Church, the Basilica of Saint John
Lateran, on this same day, having previously opened the door in St
Peter’s Basilica.
Archbishop Peter opened
the St George’s Door of Mercy at the
beginning of the 11.30am Mass, joined by Bishop Paul Hendricks, clergy
from the Cathedral, the Rev Canon Andrew Nunn (Dean of the local
Anglican Cathedral), and many people, some of whom had joined the
Cathedral Mass especially for the Jubilee event.
Over the door is a quote
from the Gospel of Luke (13.24) “enter
by the narrow door”;
although the Mercy of God is generous beyond our understanding, as
Christians we are called to respond to the challenge of living our
lives by following Christ and his Gospel message
Jesus went through one town and village after another, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, ‘Lord, will only a few be saved?’ He said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.’ (Luke 13:22-24)
Jesus went through one town and village after another, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, ‘Lord, will only a few be saved?’ He said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.’ (Luke 13:22-24)
The Door of Mercy in our Cathedral is a completely new entrance. The builders broke began the process of breaking through the wall a few weeks ago, and the exterior of the door was completed, just in time, the previous Friday – more work will be done inside over the next few weeks to complete the project.
The Door of Mercy will be
fully
open for pilgrim groups at some point in January; Parishes, Deaneries
or other groups who wish to make a particular pilgrimage to the
Cathedral and the Door of Mercy should contact the Cathedral bookings@stgeorges.org.uk
Once the work is
completely finished the Door of Mercy will be
available for the duration of the extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, and
will be formally closed on Sunday 13th November 2016.
More
photos on the RCSouthwark Diocesan Flickr page
Three futher "Doors of Mercy" in Southwark
In the Bull of Indiction
of the
Jubilee Pope Francis gave Diocesan Bishops permission to permit Shrines
also to have a Door of Mercy. In Southwark three shrines in Kent
will have a Door for the Jubilee: St Augustine's Shrine
(Ramsgate), St Jude's Shrine (Faversham), The Friars (Aylesford).
The Carmelite community
at Aylesford gathered at the 10.15am Mass to open the Door of Mercy at
the Shrine, the Prior, Fr Damian, presided over the Mass, delegated by
the Archbishop to open the door on his behalf.
The Jubilee of Mercy has begun
Archbishop Peter, together with Bishop Paul Hendricks and several other
priests celebrated the Cathedral Parish 12.30pm Mass on Tuesday
December 8th.
The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary was chosen by Pope Francis to be the beginning of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy; a particularly important day in the dioceses as Mary the Immaculate Conception is our principal Patron
Advent Reflections
Preparing for God’s
Coming – 5 minute daily thoughts for Advent
Our diocesan Spirituality Commission and stewardship team have developed a series of daily reflections featuring the Scripture of the day and a related thought and prayer drawn from the spirituality of stewardship
If you would like to receive these daily emails and encounter Advent in this way please subscribe via http://eepurl.com/bF0b6P
New Tabernacle blessed at Tonbridge
Archbishop joined the
community of Corpus Christi Parish, Tonbridge, to bless
a new tabernacle on the 6th Decemeber 2015.
A generous donation enabled the Parish to be able to buy the new tabernacle for the Sanctuary. Fr Peter Murphy invited Archbishop Peter to bless the new tabernacle, which he did during the Sunday evening parish Mass. The Tabernacle in a church is a securely locked place where the Blessed Sacrament may safely be reserved, principally so that Holy Communion by be brought to sick or dying, but also as a focus of prayer as Jesus Christ is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. The tabernacle, of a Spanish design, takes a very visible place in the centre of the rear wall of the sanctuary – a precious home for Corpus Christi (the Body of Christ) in Corpus Christi Parish.
A generous donation enabled the Parish to be able to buy the new tabernacle for the Sanctuary. Fr Peter Murphy invited Archbishop Peter to bless the new tabernacle, which he did during the Sunday evening parish Mass. The Tabernacle in a church is a securely locked place where the Blessed Sacrament may safely be reserved, principally so that Holy Communion by be brought to sick or dying, but also as a focus of prayer as Jesus Christ is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. The tabernacle, of a Spanish design, takes a very visible place in the centre of the rear wall of the sanctuary – a precious home for Corpus Christi (the Body of Christ) in Corpus Christi Parish.
Live Simply Award for Tunbridge Wells Parish
On 6th December St Augustine - Tunbridge Wells welcomed Archbishop Peter Smith to celebrate the 11.15am Mass and present the live simply award
The community of Tunbridge Well, inspired by the Pope's encyclical Laudato Si', wanted to put their faith into action. The parish livesimply award enables them to strengthen the bonds of their community, nourish their spiritual life and care for God's gift of creation.
To win the award, the parish displayed nine ways in which it put into practice the three principles of livesimply: living in solidarity with people in poverty; living simply; and living sustainably with creation. Receipt of the award is national recognition to Catholic parishes that they are making a difference to their community – and the world.
There was refreshments in the hall afterwards
Holy Family Thanet
Father Paul Mason, Episcopal Vicar for Kent, presented Don Macpherson and Ann Shufflebotham each with the new diocean award 'Fideliter Servienti' for their outstanding work in the parish over many years.
The presentation was made during the 9.15 am Mass at the parish church of The Holy Family in Birchington on the Second Sunday of Advent, 6th December 2015.
Don is Parish Secretary
and Ann has just retired
as the organist/choirmaster
as the organist/choirmaster
The Most Holy Trinity - Bermondsey
Ayowunmii Nuga was presented with a cheque for £800 by John Rayer, at the 10:00 Mass on Sunday 6th December 2015The cheque is given by the Catenian Association Bursary Fund which supports hundreds of young Catholics every year who volunteer for varied charitable projects.
The money will help her in her work with a charity to fight poverty in Northern Ghana for the next six months.
John is a leading figure in the Catenian Association as has been involved in trying to start a group of Catenians in the Cathedral Deanery.
The Association is always looking forward to sponsor young people in this way and we wish Nuga every success and look forward to hearing about the work on her return