THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT—GAUDETE
Today is Gaudete Sunday—a day of rejoicing and gladness in the heart of the Advent journey. Today we light the third, rose-coloured candle on the Advent wreath.
ONLINE CAROL SERVICE FOR NEW SOUTHGATE
In preparation for Christmas, our joint carol service with our neighbours at St Paul’s Church of England Parish is now ready. It will ‘premiere’ on YouTube on Sunday evening (today) at 7pm. Thank you to our readers, filmers, musicians and singers. Special thanks go to Rev. Matthew Harbage, vicar of St Paul’s, to our own Deacon Ian, to Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School and St Paul’s CoE Primary School. If you want to search on YouTube, search for: ‘New Southgate lessons carols 2020’, alternatively, use this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMUj2PHSodE
ADVENT TALK 2
This week’s Advent Talk by Fr Andrew will be given on Tuesday evening at 7pm online only. Fr David’s talk from last Thursday is recorded on the Church services TV website if you would like to catch up. The link is here.
FOOD BANK DONATIONS
A huge thank you to the wonderful response of bringing food for those in need, especially at the food bank. The items will be distributed shortly so please bring any last additions as soon as possible.
CONFESSIONS (& EXTRA CONFESSIONS)
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is celebrated in church each Saturday afternoon at 2pm. There will also be extra confessions before Christmas on Monday 21st December 10am-11.30am when the priests will be available in the confessionals in church (NB this will not be a service but individual confessions). There are no confessions on Boxing Day.
RCIA
Our new RCIA course for adults who wish to be baptised, confirmed or received into the Church is now underway and going well. If anyone else would like to join, this is still possible. Please speak to Fr Andrew at church or email the parish office on:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR TICKETS
At the time of writing, there are still tickets available for some Masses on Christmas morning (especially the 8am). Please contact the parish office you would like one. If you don’t have a ticket for Christmas Mass it will not be possible to turn up but you are invited to go online and watch the live-feed. Please spread the word to save people a wasted journey. Please also remind others in the neighbourhood that there is no ’Midnight Mass’.
We will also be asking you to take a ticket for Mass on New Year’s Day. There will be two Masses here on January 1 at 11am and 12 noon. Tickets available from next weekend (please note that there is obviously no New Year’s Day party this year).
FR DAVID WRITES—VOLUNTEERS
As Christmas and the end of the year approaches, I would like to say a special word to our volunteers who have stewarded the opening of the church and Masses since July. They have been so faithful and generous. Without their help we would not have been able to operate so safely and efficiently. We owe them a really big ‘thank you’. We will still need more volunteers for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Would you be able to help to supervise the church or car park in the festive season? Please contact us or speak to one of the priests.
PRIMARY SCHOOL FORMS
If you need a form signing for primary school entry, or a Certificate of Catholic Practice, please send the necessary papers to the parish office with stamped self-addressed envelope. We will process them and return them to you by post. Please note carefully: do not leave this till the last moment. Bear in mind the Christmas post.
FR DANIEL—ENFIELD
This Wednesday, we will celebrate in Enfield the induction of Fr Daniel Humphreys as the new Parish Priest of Our Lady of Mount Carmel & St George, Enfield Town, and Our Lady of Walsingham, Holtwhites Hill. We send him our best wishes and prayers for his new ministry.
CAFOD
The cut in the aid budget will likely have a devastating effect on the poor, the displaced and those fighting disease in the developing world, please consider purchasing a gift from the World Gifts catalogue this year at cafod.org.uk/worldgifts. You could buy a Keep Clean Kit for only £6 or a Vegetable Garden, just £10. Your purchase will make a real difference to someone's life. Thank you.
IF YOU VISIT THE CHURCH FOR PRIVATE PRAYER
HANDS - use the hand sanitiser on the way in and out of church (no exceptions)
FACE - always wear the face covering unless exempt
SPACE - maintain social distancing inside and outside church
TEST & TRACE - please sign in using the QR code or email address