1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity
3. catholicism

ST JOSEPH’S CATHOLIC CHURCH, UPMINSTER
www.stjosephschurchupminster.com
[email protected]
PARISH NEWSLETTER
For private circulation only
Live in Joy!
The first words of the second reading of
today set the theme for this Sunday. The
Christian is a cheerful person: he is happy
because Christ has shown him the meaning
of life. Rich or poor, sick of healthy, the
Christian is always happy.
The first reading states that the achievement
of happiness is an ongoing and demanding
task, but is a gift that God will give to all.
The Gospel teaches us that only those who
are happy listen to the Baptist, who let their
minds and hearts be opened to recognise the
Messiah and welcome his light.
THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
13TH / 14TH
DECEMBER 2014
Year B
PARISH PRIEST
Fr John Tuohy
The Presbytery
Champion Road
Upminster
RM14 2SY
Tel:- 01708-222432
PARISH SECRETARY
Mrs Rachel Finigan
This weeks readings:
First Reading:
Is 61:1-3.10-11
Second Reading:
1 Thes 5:16-24
Gospel:
John 1:6-8.19-28
Tel:- 01708-222432
ADMIN OFFICER
Mrs Claire Mears
SCHOOL REFERENCES: Please note that we are now taking appointments for
completion of primary school references. Please call 01708-222432 after
10.00am on Monday 15th December 2014 to make your appointment.
COLLECTION WEEKEND OF 6TH / 7TH DECEMBER: Thank you to everybody
who gave to our collection last weekend. We raised the sum of £1,392.91.
£749.76 of this was gift aided and £643.15 was not.
CHRISTMAS NATIVITY SCENE: Once again, Clare at Kinda's, Upminster is
displaying our lovely nativity scene in her shop window for the
Christmas period. This serves to remind people why we celebrate
Christmas, so we are all very grateful to Clare. Knights of St
Columba. Pat Chalk.
FR JOHN TUOHY’S RUBY JUBILEE: Thank you
to everybody who helped Fr John celebrate his
Jubilee. Thank you for all the cards,
presents, money and a special thank
you to the CWL for the
wonderful food and cake that they
provided.
CANNING TOWN: Thank you to everybody
who gave so generously to our second
collection last weekend in aid of Canning
Town. We had a wonderful response and
raised the sum of £1,543.12 plus some
additional gift cards. The cash will be
converted into Sainsburys / Tesco gift cards
and given to Fr John Armitage
and Fr Dan Mason to distribute
where the need is greatest.
REPOSITORY: Please
note that the repository
has Christmas stock,
Advent calendars,
Christmas cards,
candles, & stocking
fillers. The shop is
open after 9am Mass
each Sunday.
Fr John Taylor: Fr
John would like to
wish everybody a
very peaceful and
blessed Christmas.
ADVENT PENITENTIAL SERVICE: There will be an
Advent Penitential service here at St Joseph’s on
Tuesday 16th December 2014 at 8pm.
2015 DIOCESAN DIRECTORY: These are now available at the
back of the church. They are priced £4.00 for ringbound copies
and £2.75 for non-ringbound. Please put money into the
wallbox marked ‘papers’. Thank you.
CHRISTMAS 2014 MASS TIMES
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
St Stephens Day
6.00pm**
8.00pm
8.30pm
10.00am
12.15pm
10.00am
Family Mass
Carols
Mass
Mass at St Joseph’s
Mass at St Peter’s, Cranham
Mass at St Joseph’s
** Children are invited to attend the Family Mass at 6pm on Christmas
Eve dressed in Nativity related costumes if they wish to encourage them
to become part of the Christmas story.
INVITING ALL CHILDREN OF ST. JOSEPH’S PARISH
IN YEAR 5 OR YEAR 6…. If your child would like to be
part of the 6:00pm Christmas Eve Family Mass,
please could you send their details (name, year
group, email address/contact telephone number) to
Nicola Greenwood, email
[email protected] or 07749 782279 by
Monday 15th December.
There will be a short rehearsal after school on Friday
19th December at 3.30pm and just before the start of
Mass on Christmas Eve.
SACRED HEART OF MARY GIRLS SCHOOL
UPMINSTER CAROL CONCERT: Our Carol Concert
will be held in St Joseph’s Church on Wednesday
17th December 2014 at 7pm. There will be a
collection at the end for charity. Everybody welcome
please join us.
FIRST RECONCILIATION PROGRAMME:
Parents if you have a child in Year 5 at a
state school and
would like him/her to
join the programme
please speak to
Fr John.
CHRISTMAS
POSTAGE
STAMPS: If you
are purchasing
postage
stamps to send
Christmas
cards please
do not forget to
ask for the
religious ones.
The Post Office
will not give
them to you
unless you
ask—help keep
the true
meaning of
Christmas
alive. Thank
you.
MOTHERS PRAYERS: Happy Christmas from Mothers Prayers
Group. We will meet again on Tuesday 6th January 2015 at 2pm
in the Social Centre. You are all welcome to join us on any
Tuesday in school term.
Nine Lessons and Carols at
Brentwood Cathedral on Sunday
21 December at 4.00 pm led by
Bishop Alan. This is a beautiful
service of music, readings and
prayer to which everyone in the
diocese is welcome. If you would
like to prepare for Christmas in a
really special way this year, then
please come along.
THE CAMPION SCHOOL: The
Campion School Open Evening for
parents and students seeking
admission to the Sixth Form of the
school in September 2015 will take
place in the school hall at 6.30pm on
Tuesday 16th December 2014.
Presentation by the Headmaster will
be at 7.30pm.
IN CONVERSATION WITH BISHOP ALAN– an evening for young adults
aged 17-35, with a unique opportunity to hear Bishop Alan share his
vocational journey. Bishop Alan has served as a school chaplain, uni
chaplain, parish priest, shrine director and superior of his religious
order. He is a mountaineer and a scientist. But what inspired him to
become a priest? Hear his story on Thursday 18th December, Cathedral
House Conference Room, 7.30-10.00pm including fish & chip supper. Full
details at www.brentwoodvocations.org or on the Brentwood Vocations
Facebook Page. The evening is free, but registration is required – call Fr
Dominic, Vocations Director, on 01268 281732 or email
[email protected]
PARISH MAGAZINE - CHRISTMAS EDITION
The Parish Magazine Christmas Edition will be available from Saturday
20th December priced £2. If you have any articles for the magazine then
please email them to [email protected] or ring Sinead on 07988
208327 by Friday 12th December 2014. We will also be publishing
Christmas messages for friends and family. Messages can be dropped
into the Presbytery in an envelope for the attention of Sinead Earley or
you can contact me directly using the contact details above. We are
asking for a £5 donation per message to be given to the Christmas
charity of Fr John's choice. The deadline is very tight, please can you put
your message in by Friday 12th December.
CWL SERVICE OF THANKSGIVING AND PRAYERS: Wednesday
17th December in the Social Centre at 11am. This will be followed
by warm mince pies, sherry, tea and coffee. There
will be no charge, donations will be welcome. Any
money made will be sent to Aid to the Church in
Need, to support Christians suffering terrible
persecution in the Middle East. Everyone is most
welcome and it will be lovely to see you.
ALL SAINTS CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL DAGENHAM: The Governors of
All Saints Secondary School Dagenham would be most grateful if you could include the
following advert in this week’s newsletter, please:
ALL SAINTS TECHNOLOGY COLLEGE- vacancy for a Student Mentor for January 2015.
Further details of the post are available from Mrs Hartley. Email:
[email protected]
Tel: 020 8270 4242 - Salary range £16,432-£20,584.Closing
date for applications is December 12th 2014
THE CATHEDRAL HOUSE HANDBELL RINGERS: We would like to thank
all those who attended their second Lunchtime Recital at Brentwood
Cathedral on 3rd December 2014. Due to the generosity of the audience,
the retiring collection amounted to an amazing £207.30 for the
SAMARITANS – such an important organisation, especially vital at this
time of the year. Your support was greatly appreciated.
CHURCH CLEANERS COFFEE MORNING: Sunday 4th January
2015 in the social centre. We are holding a coffee morning to
say thank you to all the church cleaning volunteers after 11am
Mass. Please come along to show your support. We are always
looking for new volunteers so if you are interested in joining the
rota come along for a chat or ring Christina
Gunn on 07879-688672. Thank you.
YOUTH 2000 NEW YEAR RETREAT: ‘Take Heart’ 29th December—1st
January 2015. AN EPIC EVENT TO KICK OFF THE NEW YEAR! If you’re
16-35 & would like a fun and meaningful way to start 2015, then TAKE
HEART is for you. The 4 day London event is @ Maria Fidelis Lower
School, North Gower Street, NW1 2HR. It will be jam packed with
engaging talks, workshops, prayer, live music & social times…. There
will be laughter, prayer and most importantly an Encounter with our
Great & Loving God! Check it out on: www.youth2000.org or contact
the National Office on 0207-221-2124 or [email protected] for more
information.
THE OLD CHAPEL UPMINSTER
VINTAGE CHRISTMAS FUN: Sunday
14th December 2014 2pm—5pm. Come
and enjoy some 1940’s Christmas spirit.
With traditional singing, vintage
stalls, hair and make-up stylists
and activities for all the family.
For more info email:
[email protected]
THE KNIGHTS OF ST
COLUMBA: The ‘Peace & Joy
at Christmas’ posters for
parishioners to display are
available at the back of the
church. Please take one and
put it up to keep the true
meaning of Christmas alive.
HEALING MASS AT
ABBOTSWICK HOUSE OF
PRAYER: To be celebrated by
Fr Eamonn Power at 2.30pm
Wednesday 17th
December 2014. All are
welcome! Please call 01277
373959 for more information
USED STAMPS: Please remember that
we have a box at the back of the church
for used stamps. These are collected
and divided between two charities one
being St Francis Hospice and
the other being Lymphoma
Research. These stamps
provide the charities with much
needed extra income.
PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE AT THE BACK OF THE CHURCH:
We have our normal weekly supply of newspapers at the back of the
church including:
The Universe (£1.30)
The Catholic Herald (£1.50)
The Tablet (£2.95)
Walk With Me Advent (£1.00)
Please leave the money for any of the above in the wall box at the back
of the church marked ‘Papers’. Thank you.
PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SICK:
In Hospital: Dawn Ney, Hilda Blackledge & William Dailey.
At Home: Jeffrey Woods, Reuben Jack Dodd (Lacey), Mitzi Williams, Jenny
O’Sullivan, Jean Stubbs, Mary Merrigan, Angela Scuse, Karen Scuse, Paul
Bussutil, Morris Howe, Emilia Gunn, Chloe Phillips, Stella Rogers, Jane
Stevenson, John & Diana Fairchild, Maria Judge, Joan Spoor, Denise
Burnett, Frank Clements, Margaret Munnelly, Mary Fielder, Brenda
Forster, Liam O’Byrne, Tom Martin, Maureen Peek, Fr Pat Shanahan,
James Sena, Teresa Rudd, Catherine Goddard, Jim Hoey & Paula Phillips.
Anniversaries: Ron Howard, Fr Frank Kerrigan, Ellen Biggs, Tom Connolly,
Ellen Lockey, Honora Ferriter, Joseph McEnnerney, John Garwood, Mary
Allistone, Aida Kidd, Marion Lamont, Wilfred Mowat, Ellen Davis, Anthony
Januszka, Kathleen Connolly, Stanley Armstrong, Denis Scott, Joanne
Cozens, John McKeown, Louis Precieux, Peter Watson, Eva Furze, Irene
Roberts & Mary Bardwell.
May they all rest in the eternal peace of Christ.
USEFUL INFORMATION WITHIN THE PARISH
Mothers Prayers
-
Pat Duffey 01708-223748
Telephone Mass Link
-
Veronica Hogan 01708-225382
Helping Hands
-
Sylvia 01708-224810
St Joseph’s School
-
School office 01708-220277
Sacred Heart of Mary School
-
School office 01708-222660
Campion School
-
School office 01708-452332
Easy Fundraising
-
www.easyfundraising.org.uk
Gift Aid Organiser
-
[email protected]
Baptisms
-
Presbytery 01708-222432
St Joseph Pre-school
-
Lilian Fielding 07982-333858
MASS INTENTIONS
SATURDAY 13th December
ST LUCY, V, M
11.00—11.30am
-
Confessions
6.30pm
-
Rosa & Joe McEnnerney RIP
(McEnnerney)
SUNDAY 14th December
THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
09.00am
-
Fr Frank Kerrigan RIP (Williamson)
11.00am
-
Danny Claffey RIP Anniv. (Hale)
12.15pm
-
Andrew Proctor RIP (Andersen Family)
-
Nora Maguire RIP (St Joseph’s School)
09.15am
-
Nora Dennehy RIP (Regan)
6.00pm Fr Taylor
-
NO MASS THIS EVENING
8.00pm
-
Advent Penitential Service
MONDAY 15th December
9.15am
TUESDAY 16th December
WEDNESDAY 17th December
09.15am
-
Maureen Williams Intentions
7.00pm
-
Sacred Heart of Mary Girls School Carol
Service
-
EUCHARISTIC SERVICE
-
Sheila & Jim Buckley (Regan)
11.00am—11.30am
-
Confessions
6.30pm
-
People of the parish
THURSDAY 18th December
09.15am
FRIDAY 19th December
9.15am
SATURDAY 20th December
SUNDAY 21st December
FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT
9.00am
-
Holy Souls
11.00am
-
Daisy Dobinson RIP (Cush)
12.15pm
-