Week of 17th Dec 2006

TODAY

PARISH CAROL CONCERT 3 pm – 5 pm
As a community we celebrate the imminent coming of Christ.
This is an important part of our parish preparation for the Mass of Christ-Mass.
It would be good to see young and old, parents and children, single and married.
Includes Children’s Nativity Play, Instrumentals, Solo recitals etc.
and a collection towards the rebuilding of our primary schools.

Extra Confessions today from 6 – 7 pm (i.e. during the evening Mass).

TREE OF LIGHT Our annual ‘Tree of Light and Life’ is in position close to Our Lady’s Chapel. We invite those who wish to write the names of those (perhaps deceased) they would like us all to remember during our celebration of The Light shining in darkness.

Available from back
v CHRISTMAS SERVICE SHEETS (yellow) are available. Please take one home.
v CHRISTMAS EDITION of Magdala, parish magazine.
v ENVELOPES for your CHRISTMAS DAY OFFERING, which goes to the priests of the parish.

v LARGE SELECTION of cards, cribs, mass bouquets, candles, from the Repository
v DIOCESAN YEAR BOOKS 2007 available from Repository

THIS WEEK
Tuesday: ADVENT PENITENTIAL SERVICE 7.30PM
Wednesday: Junior School carol service 2:00 pm in Church
Thursday: Church closed, 10 am – 2 pm for floor polishing.

ADVENT MORNING PRAYER Join us, each or any of the few remaining Advent morning (except Wedn.s) 7:45 am (8:15 on Sat and Sun) to pray the “Prayer of The Church” Continues until next Sunday, Christmas Eve.

Cricklewood Homeless Collection of non-perishable foodstuffs 30th / 31st December

SEPT 2007 PRIMARY SCHOOL TRANSFER
· All parent parishioners involved in any primary school transfer need to ring Clergy House (between 10 & 2 on a weekday) to arrange a brief January interview.
· All application forms must be submitted to Brent by 9th February including supplementary forms for faith schools.
· Forms for admission to J&M nursery and reception can be collected from school office.

NEXT SUNDAY, Christmas Eve, there will be no 6:30 p.m evening Mass.
This year, in the providence of God, there are two consecutive days on which the whole practising Body of Christ meet together, as the church, to celebrate and to enact the Sacred Mysteries of the salvation of the world. Both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are days of solemn obligation to attend Mass. Midnight Mass satisfies the latter but not the former! As ever the Saturday evening Mass (6:30 pm) satisfies the Sunday obligation.

This is a God given opportunity to try, among other things, to avoid allowing non-God centred things overrunning our celebration of the Nativity of Our Lord. As ever, the key to our happiness and that of the world, is joyful practice of our faith. As Pope John Paul reminded us, time spent at Sunday Mass is time gained not time wasted.

NEXT SUNDAY: Extra Confessions: 11:15 – 12:15, and 6 – 7 p.m.

CHRISTMAS SERVERS please sign up on list in sacristy.

MIDNIGHT MASS PRACTICE, especially for servers: Sat 23rd 11:00 am – 12:30 pm . All serving at midnight Mass must be present. Readers are encouraged to pop in towards the beginning of this practice and extraordinary ministers towards the end of the practice.

MIDNIGHT MASS is preceded by a service of carols at 11:30 pm.

THERE WILL BE NO NEWSLETTER ON the next two weekends, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. May the time of Christmastide be truly blessed for you and yours.

Week of 10th December 2006

TODAY

§ REHEARSAL FOR OUR PARISH NATIVITY PLAY 2 pm – 4 pm (today) for children of reception age upwards. Annexe. Performance Sun 17th 3p.m.

§ TICKETS FOR OUR NEW MUSICAL “THE PROMISE” profits to Aid the Church in Need. To be performed by the youngsters of our new drama group on Today & Sunday 9th & 10th Dec at 2:30 p.m. at the Junior School, Linacre Rd- produced by Martin Plunkett.

ADVENT MORNING PRAYER Join us, each or any Advent morning (except Wedn.s) 7:45 am (8:15 on Sat.s and Sun.s) to pray the “Prayer of The Church”

ECHOES training for handing on the faith. The 3rd session (repeated), for those who could not make last week’ session, Sat 16th Dec 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

PARISH CAROL CONCERT & CHILDREN’S NATIVITY Sunday 17th December,3 p.m.

SEPT 2007 PRIMARY SCHOOL TRANSFER – MEETINGS THIS TUESDAY
Entry to Reception for Convent of Jesus and Mary Infant School
Parents who wish to gain a place should attend one of the following meetings at which forms will be handed out and the application process explained. Tues Dec 5th at 10.30 am or 1.00pm at the school. Please tell your friends & neighbours whose children may attend other nurseries and who wish to gain a place at the school about this meeting.

Entry to Year 3 St Mary Magdalen Junior school
A meeting for children currently in Year 2 at the Convent will be held at the convent school on Tuesday Dec.5th 2.45pm at which application forms will be handed out and the process explained.

Forms for admission to nursery and reception can be collected from school office from Mon 12th Dec.

All parent parishioners involved in above applications need to ring Clergy House (between 10 & 2 on a weekday) to arrange a brief January interview.

HANDELS’ MESSIAH by Cardinal Vaughan school’s choir, Tues 12th Dec, 7:30 pm. Tickets from £12 to £28 in aid of new music centre.

PARENTS of teenagers: The Family Education Trust’s Excellent “Sexual Spin” fact sheets are available for free from Repository, or top left of pamphlet rack. These give useful & objective facts concerning the epidemic and increasing levels of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among young people, as government starts yet another counter-productive condom campaign.

CHRISTMAS CARDS

LARGE SELECTION of cards, cribs, mass bouquets and candles, from the Repository at the back corner of Church

THE CONVENT OF JESUS AND MARY INFANT SCHOOL CHILDREN have designed their own Christmas cards. There are samples of the three designs on the noticeboard to the right of the Knight’s glass noticeboard. £5 per pack of 12, proceeds to the school. Please complete green order form, on this board and on heater near Church exit, & give to school or Clergy Ho

Applying for Primary School 2007- All application forms must be submitted to Brent by 9th February including supplementary forms for faith schools.

A Day with Mary Pilgrimages 2007 – Fatima (9days) 12th -20th July £535 twin or £585 single full board, inclusive. Rome (9days) 8th -16th September £695 twin or £775 single hotel by Vatican full board, inclusive. Please contact Trevor Downs 0208 641 6418.

Church Closed – Thursday 14th December from 10am -2pm for Church Cleaning.

Week of 3rd December 2006

TODAY

REHEARSAL FOR OUR PARISH NATIVITY PLAY 2 pm – 4 pm (& next Sunday) for children of reception age upwards. Annexe. Performance Sun 17th 3p.m.
§ TICKETS FOR OUR NEW MUSICAL “THE PROMISE” are available after Mass £3 adults, £2 children, profits to Aid the Church in Need. To be performed by the youngsters of our new drama group on December 9th & 10th at 2:30 p.m. at the Junior School, Linacre Rd- produced by Martin Plunkett.

From TODAY: ADVENT MORNING PRAYER Join us, each or any Advent morning (except Wedn.s) 7:45 am (8:15 on Sat.s and Sun.s) to pray the “Prayer of The Church”

PADRE PIO GROUP meets in Lady Chapel this Thursday 8pm for Mass etc.

ECHOES training for handing on the faith. The 3rd session, which will be presented as scheduled on Sat 9th Dec, will be repeated, for those who cannot make that date, the following week, Sat 16th Dec 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

PARISH CAROL CONCERT & CHILDREN’S NATIVITY Sunday 17th December,3 p.m.

SEPT 2007 PRIMARY SCHOOL TRANSFER – MEETINGS THIS TUESDAY
Entry to Reception for Convent of Jesus and Mary Infant School
Parents who wish to gain a place should attend one of the following meetings at which forms will be handed out and the application process explained. Tues Dec 5th at 10.30 am or 1.00pm at the school. Please tell your friends & neighbours whose children may attend other nurseries and who wish to gain a place at the school about this meeting.

Entry to Year 3 St Mary Magdalen Junior school
A meeting for children currently in Year 2 at the Convent will be held at the convent school on Tuesday Dec.5th 2.45pm at which application forms will be handed out and the process explained.

Forms for admission to nursery and reception can be collected from school office from Mon 12th Dec.

All parent parishioners involved in above applications need to ring Clergy Huose (between 10 & 2 on a weekday) to arrange a brief January interview.

ADVENT REFLECTION Thurs 7th Dec 7:30 p.m. St Agnes’s, Cricklewood Lane, a meditative hour with flute, piano, song and text. Retiring collection in aid of Rwandan music therapy project.

HANDELS’ MESSIAH by Cardinal Vaughan school’s choir, Tues 12th Dec, 7:30 pm. Tickets from £12 to £28 in aid of new music centre.

PARENTS of teenagers: The Family Education Trust’s Excellent “Sexual Spin” fact sheets are available for free from Repository, or top left of pamphlet rack. These give useful & objective facts concerning the epidemic and increasing levels of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among young people, as government starts yet another counter-productive condom campaign.

CHRISTMAS CARDS

LARGE SELECTION of cards, cribs, mass bouquets and candles, from the Repository at the back corner of Church

THE CONVENT OF JESUS AND MARY INFANT SCHOOL CHILDREN have designed their own Christmas cards. There are samples of the three designs on the noticeboard to the right of the Knight’s glass noticeboard. £5 per pack of 12, proceeds to the school. Please complete green order form, on this board and on heater near Church exit, & give to school or Clergy House.