In today’s Gospel passage, a law scholar asks Jesus which is the greatest commandment. He immediately responds with the second half of the Shema prayer – the great Jewish prayer which begins, “Hear, O Israel” (Deut.6:5). In saying the greatest commandment is to love God with all your being, Jesus easily answers the question he has been asked by the lawyer. However, Jesus does not stop there; he adds an additional comment by saying the second greatest commandment is, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself”. By linking these two commandments from the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) together, Jesus shows us how we are to live out the first by doing the second. It can be difficult to quantify, or see, our love for God with our whole heart, mind and soul however, caring for our neighbour, God’s beloved sons and daughters, we show our devotion to God.
COMING TO MASS AT HOLY TRINITY IN TIME OF CORONAVIRUS
Face Coverings are mandatory in Places of Worship. All those who are attending churches must wear a face covering unless they are exempt from doing so.
Should I come to Mass or not? While we would all love for everyone to be able to come to Mass, we should think about our own wellbeing and the good of other people. You should not come to Mass if you have symptoms or feel unwell in any way. You should not come to Mass if you are very elderly or have health conditions that may mean you are particularly vulnerable. Think carefully about how you will travel to church and whether you can get there and back safely. The obligation to attend Sunday Mass is still lifted. You could come to a weekday Mass instead or as well as a Sunday Mass. The number of seats available in the church is limited: 46 places for individuals/couples/household units. Couples and family units who live in the same house can sit together without observing safe social distancing from each other, but of course must all be 2 metres away from anyone else in the church.
What will I have to do? Everyone will be asked to wear a mask and use the hand gel on the way in and out, and on arrival wait to be seated by the stewards. A collection is not taken: please place your envelope or offertory gift in the donation boxes in the entry and exit porches, as we need and welcome your kind gift! The stewards will usher you up to the altar for Holy Communion or a blessing. Holy Communion will be given in silence, and only on the hand. Please do not drop any litter or tissues.
What things will not be available? The toilets have to remain closed. There will be no access to the sacristy, parish centre or the parish office. Bookstand and repository are closed. Please bear all these factors in mind before deciding whether you should come to church. There is no holy water.
What will the Mass be like? We are following the instructions for Mass issued by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. These instructions are there to help keep the whole operation as safe as possible. Because we want to reduce the amount of time spent indoors, Mass will be shorter. There will be no singing or other ministries (e.g. no altar servers or choirs). But we do need a parish Reader for each Mass.
Times of Mass for the Week beginning Sunday 25th October
(The Church opens 15 minutes before Mass
and closes 15 minutes after Mass)
Saturday 24th October 6.00 pm First Mass of Sunday
Sunday 25th October 8.30 am Mass
30th Sunday of Year 10.00 am Mass
11.30 am Mass
Monday 26th October 6.00 pm Mass
Tuesday 27th October 6.00 pm Mass
followed by Rosary till 6.45 pm
Wednesday 28th October 9.00am Mass
6.00pm Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament until 6.30pm
Thursday 29th October 9.00 am Mass
Friday 30th October 9.00am Mass
Saturday 31st October 6.00 pm First Mass of Sunday
Sunday 1st November 8.30 am Mass
All Saints 10.00 am Mass
11.30 am Mass
Confessions
Saturday 6.30 pm
Sunday 12 noon
We are only allowed to open the church for Mass if volunteer stewards are kindly available to ensure the required hygienic and social distancing arrangements are observed, and to clean thoroughly or sanitise the church after each Mass. If you would like to enquire about volunteering for this ministry, please contact the parish office.
First Holy Communion and Confirmation
Thank you to the young adults who applied to join the preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Any last minute applicants see Sr. Jenefer after one of the morning Masses TODAY.
Congratulations to Joao, who was part of the RCIA group last year, he will be confirmed at 11.30 Mass on 1st. November.
New enquirers are always welcome.
The new group of those interested in the Catholic Faith has begun.
For more details speak to Sr. Jenefer or one of the priests, or email srjenefer@rcdow.org.uk
Don’t miss the online Children’s Liturgy on our Facebook page as well as the reflection with the saint of the day.
Look out for contributions from the new Confirmation candidates, soon.
Preparation for the Sacrament of Baptism
If you have a child for Baptism under 5 years old please email us for an application form. You will be contacted once the form has been received. A copy of one of the Catholic parents’ baptism certificate will be required. Baptisms can only take place on Saturdays at 11am with special Covid safety measures in place.
November is the Month of the Holy Souls
As usual, a book containing the names of our dear departed will be placed near the altar, and each week several Masses will be offered for the repose of their souls. We invite you to submit the names of those you wish to be prayed for on a sheet of A4 (if possible) paper, which should be placed in an envelope marked Holy Souls, along with a donation towards the Masses, and put through the presbytery letterbox. (We are unable this year to leave special sheets of paper and envelopes in church for you to take for this purpose, as this would infringe the coronavirus regulations.)
Sunday 1st November is the Solemnity of All Saints
Masses at (Saturday 6.00 pm,) 8.30 am, 10.00 am and 11.30 am.
Monday 2nd November is All Souls, the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed.
Requiem Masses at 9.00 am and 6.00 pm.
Sunday 8th November is Remembrance Sunday
Requiem Mass for the War Dead and Two Minute Silence at 11.30 am.
Masses of the Sunday at (Saturday 6.00 pm,) 8.30 am and 10.00 am.
Father Mark receives a new appointment
This is Father Mark 's last weekend with us at Holy Trinity
before he moves to his new appointment as Assistant Priest in the Parish of St Mary Magdalen Willesden Green mid-week. Father Richard will express our warm thanks to him for his fruitful ministry with us, at all the Sunday Masses this weekend and make a presentation to him on behalf of us all. Due to coronavirus restrictions we are unable to have a social gathering, but hope to invite him back to a parish party when such events are again possible!
Father Rajiv Michael
currently a Chaplain of Westminster Cathedral, has been appointed by Cardinal Vincent as our new Assistant Priest here at Holy Trinity, and we shall welcome him to the parish on Sunday 1st November, the Solemnity of All Saints.
Thank you to all who have been able to continue giving in these difficult times.
If you wish to make a one-off donation, or continue giving, please use the red DONATION button on the right which will allow you to easily use your credit or debit card Please make sure to label your donation as Planned Giving (when you normally use envelopes) or simply donation (if not gift aiding).
Alternatively, you may make any offering via bank transfer to:
HSBC
Acc Name: Westminster Roman Catholic Diocese Trustee, Brook Green Holy Trinity
Acc no: 01308173
Sort Code: 40-05-20
Thank you for remembering that without your donations the parish cannot run. A lot of expenses remain whilst our income has been drastically reduced. We are very grateful for your continued support.
Planned Giving Envelopes
Parishioners who are donating by envelopes are kindly requested to come and collect their boxes from the parish office during office hours. Boxes have accumulated in the office and no donations have been received since March. If you are financially able, please contact us to change your planned giving to a standing order. Thank you.
News and updates
Regular Mass, Liturgy and sacramental times will resume, after restrictions have been lifted, as follows:
Mass Times
Saturday (Vigil) - 6pm
Sunday - 8.30am / 10am / 11.30am / 6pm
Syriac Rite Mass - Sunday 1pm
Daily Mass - 9.30am & 6pm
Holy Days - 9.30am / 12.30pm / 6pm
Rosary
Monday to Friday 6.30pm
Confession
Saturday 10am - 10.30am / 5.15pm - 5.40pm
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Saturday 5pm - 5.45pm
First Friday 6.30pm-7.30pm
Mass Intentions
Requests for Mass intentions can be made by email, by phone or in person. It is customary to make an offering when requesting a Mass intention. This has always been a contribution to the support of the priests of the particular parish where the Mass is being said. The Diocese of Westminster suggests the figure of £10 as a guideline, but it is of course entirely the free choice of the donor to decide this.
Each Thursday Mass is being offered for all working in the NHS and all Hospital Chaplains
FOUR HOURS ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
'The Gospel is the Body of Christ'
(St Jerome, Patron of the Year of the Word, 'The God Who Speaks')
Saturday 21st November
Vigil of the Feast of Christ the King
1.00pm – 5.00 pm
• Every year for the last eight years, we have had the Forty Hours Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on the Thursday – Saturday leading up to the Feast of Christ the King, the last Sunday of the Christian Year.
• This year we cannot hold the full Forty Hours, because of the pandemic.
• But we can keep Four Hours Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament – 10% of 40 Hours!
• Our two main intentions will be:
- All suffering the results of the coronavirus, whether in physical/mental health or economic terms, and all supporting them, and for wisdom for our leaders.
- For lasting blessings from the special events of 2020: The Year of the Word, and the Year England was Rededicated as the Dowry of Mary, that like her all the people of our parish may hear the Word of God and keep it, including Fr Richard as he prepares to mark the 25th Anniversary of his Ordination to the Priesthood on 4th December.
• For the Four Hours Adoration to bear fruit, we all need to commit to spending time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament between 1.00 and 5.00 pm on Saturday 21st November.
• Because of the pandemic we cannot display a rota in the porch for you to sign to commit yourself to spending half an hour in church. Instead, please e mail or contact the parish office to let us know when you can do this for one of these periods of time: 1.00 -1.30, 1.30 – 2.00, 2.00 – 2.30, 2.30 – 3.00, 3.00 – 3.30, 3.30 – 4.00, 4.00 – 4.30, 4.30 – 5.00 pm.
Certificate of Catholic Practice for Nursery and Primary School Applications
Our priests will be available for interviews with parents requesting the signing of such a certificate after the half term holidays. You can book an appointment by contacting the parish office, and you will need to obtain and complete an information form to bring with you to the interview.
To comply with Covid safety guidelines, we will allocate 20 minutes for each appointment and will expect you to be on time. If you miss your slot your appointment will have to be rebooked. Parents should ring the office door bell and sanitise their hands before coming to the office. Should a queue develop, only one person at a time will be able to wait inside, hence the importance of arriving on time.
Full time Nursery places
from 9-3pm are still available at St Mary’s Primary Catholic School, Masbro Road. If your child is 3 years old on 31st August prior to starting in September or 3 years old by 31st December prior to starting in January please contact Robina Maher, Headteacher of St Mary’s Catholic Primary School:
All children are entitled to a free funded place for 15 hours a week. Some are eligible for 30 hours. If not, the afternoon sessions are offered for £20 per day.
Christian Marriage: a journey of healing
On Friday 29th September the Church celebrated the Great Feast of the Three Archangels: Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Can you identify them in the picture above?
Michael carries a sword in his hand to defend your marriage from the Devil who accuses us when we sin, lies to us about what makes us happy, and puts in our minds doubts about the love of God.
Gabriel carries a pregnant womb, the visible sign that every Word of God carries new life and can become flesh in your marriage, because ‘nothing is impossible to God’.
The third angel, in the middle, is Raphael, meaning ‘God’s healing’. This Angel carries the hand of a young man - called Tobias - and is walking with him towards the marriage with Sarah. Raphael is the Guardian Angel of Tobias and Sarah,and of EVERY married couple.
Planning to get married?
Marriage Preparation Course 2020
Our marriage preparation course concluded in March and no further courses will be held this year.
Our course is open to all couples intending to marry in a Catholic Church, regardless of which parish you live in. If you are interested in attending a course in the future please speak to Father Mark or e-mail him: markdunglinson@rcdow.org.uk
