St. Edmund of Canterbury & St. Thomas More
Parish Newsletter
December 2023
Third Sunday of Advent
Parish Priest: Fr Adrian Lowe
Parish Phone: 0208 508 3492/ E-mail: loughton@brcdt.org
The Brentwood Diocesan Trust Registered Charity No. 234092
PLEASE PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE SICK
Edgar Azzopardi, Margaret Baldwin, Evelyn Bearne, Karl Britz, Brenda Bryant, Jane Downs,Pat Fenn, Bernadette Hall, Ann Hawkes, Claire Howes, Les Langan, Angela Long, Lilian Mothersole, John McKernan, Rosemary O’Rourke, Remy, Geraldine Taylor, Vera Taylor, James Wright, Pamela Gibson, Martha D’Souza, Peggy Howes, Geraldine Stains, Linda Moriarty, Andrew Godsave and all our loved ones who are unwell.
CHRISTMAS MASSES
Sunday 24th December, 2023
5pm Mass Family Mass with Tableau
7pm Vigil Mass
9:30am Carols before mass
10:00pm Mass during the Night
Monday 25th December, 2023
9:00am Mass
11:00am Mass
CHRISTMAS CHURCH CLEAN
21st December, 2024 10:00am – Please can anyone lend a hand after the morning mass on Thursday to help clean the church for Christmas. We would be very grateful for anyone that
can help us.
NATIVITY REHEARSALS
Rehearsals for the Christmas Eve Mass Nativity, will be on the 10th and 17th December 2023 after the 11am Mass. If your child would like a part, please stay behind on these dates after 11am Mass. Should you have any queries please contact Sam O’Connor or Danielle King
CHRISTMAS COLLECTION
The Christmas offerings are your personal gift to your priest. Please gift aid your donations as usual.
ALTAR SOCIETY
We need new members to join our Altar Society Group. Please if you can assist contact Sharon at 07854919207 or shazzafitzm@aol.com
CHRISTMAS CAROL SERVICE -TRINITY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
“Christmas is coming, Scrooge is hurrying home to meet visitors he didn’t expect. The wise men are slowly making their way to Bethlehem. In the tavern, the inn is filling up and there is only room in the stables. Christmas is coming! What a better way to celebrate other than the Trinity Catholic High School Christmas Carol Service. This will take place on Wednesday 20th December in the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Hall ( Lower Site) at 7:00pm. It will be a true festival of a wide variety of music, all of it most pleasing to the ear. Do come along and join us as we make our journey to Bethlehem. As we do, I thank Mrs Kelly Greene and all those working so hard to make this a memorable occasion.
CAFOD ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CRISIS APPEAL Donate to CAFOD’s Israeli-Palestinian Crisis Appeal at cafod.org.uk/ipc or call 0303 303 3030 to support those affected and get funds to local trusted experts in Gaza and southern Israel who have been working alongside communities helping those most in need.
BAPTISMS If there are parents wishing to have their children baptised at St. Edmund’s please could you kindly contact your parish priest Fr Adrian Lowe as soon as possible. For first time parents there is a Baptismal Programme run by Mrs Sharon Chalk. Baptisms take place on Saturdays at 12.30pm
PARISH NEWSLETTER
If you would like to receive the Parish Newsletter via E-mail each week, please contact Iain McLay bloggeriain@gmail.com this gives an extended version of the weekly bulletin. The Parish Newsletter can also be obtained and downloaded from the Parish website. They are always published on a Saturday Morning.
HELP SUPPORT THE EPPING FOREST FOODBANK THIS CHRISTMAS!
Every year as well as basic food parcels the Foodbank also provides Christmas hampers to help spread joy and happiness over Christmas, providing relief for individuals and families.
The Foodbank is reaching out to the local community for any help they can give, so if you are able to support them, one way to do this over the next few weeks is to drop an item or two into our plastic collection boxes (in Father Adrian’s garage), we will then do the rest and deliver it to the Foodbank. For inspiration, the Top 10 items they need are: Batter mix, tinned potatoes, tinned carrots & peas, stuffing and gravy, tinned custard, hot chocolate, savoury crackers, Christmas pudding, chocolates, mince pies.
Thank you everyone for your support.
IN CASES OF EMERGENCY: If there is no answer from the parish phone and you are seeking a priest in an emergency, please call one of the local parishes, either in Epping – Tel 01992 572516, or the St. Thomas of Canterbury Friary at Woodford Green – Tel: 020 8504 1688.
DO YOU ENJOY PLAYING SCRABBLE? Would you like to join a Scrabble group just starting in Epping? Meeting monthly, times can be mutually arranged.
Please telephone 01992 575017 if interested.
RE TEACHER STARTING AT LOCAL CATHOLIC SCHOOL (TCHS)
Seeking Monday-Friday Accommodation
Term Time Room to Rent from January 2024
Priest Reference Available
Contact John 07708188108
VACANCIES TRINITY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
- Cover Co-ordinator and HR Administrator, 36 hours, Immediate start
- Teacher of English, F/T, Jan 24
- Teacher of Theology and Philosophy, F/T ASAP
- Teacher of Design & Technology, F/T February 2024
Contact: www.tchs.org.uk
THE SVP ARE LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS WILLING TO HELP CHILDREN PUT THEIR FAITH IN ACTION. Could this be you? The St Vincent de Paul Society have primary groups called Mini Vinnies, and volunteers would support teachers or youth leaders wishing to start a group in their school or parish. They will talk to children about how they can make a difference to those living in poverty and share resources to support the group. The role is flexible but does need people with some availability during school hours (at least 2 mornings or 2 afternoons per month) who are willing to travel within the diocese (all costs covered). If you are passionate about helping children discover how they can make a difference in their communities please email Sarah for more information on youngvincentians@svp.org.uk You do not have to have previous experience of working with children as all training will be given. Our next training day is on Tuesday 27th February, 2024.
READERS WANTED Julie Callander is putting together a volunteer Rota for people to read at the weekend Masses. If you are interested and can help Fr Adrian please email: Julie.Callander@hotmail.com or phone: 0783408866
MASS INTENTIONS – FROM 16th December 2023
| Vigil Mass for SundaySAT 16TH NO MASS OR CONFESSIONS | |||
| Sat 16th | 9:30am6:00pm | NO MASS OR CONFESSIONSPeople of the Parish | |
| Sun 17th | 9:00am | Renee ‘Ming’ Ordonez (Bacuetes Family) | |
| Sun 17th | 11:00am | P.C. Joseph RIP ( Kumar Family) | |
| Mon 18th | 9.30am | Anne Campbell RIP ( Brenda Bryant) | |
| Tues 19th | 9.30am | No Mass | |
| Wed 20th | 9:30am | Malcolm Campbell RIP Baby Anniv (Brenda Bryant) | |
| Thur 21st | 9:30am | Rosemary & John O’Rourke INTS ( Pat & Margaret)Deceased Relations of Sheely Family | |
| Fri 22nd | 9.30am | Mary Ryan INTS ( Pat & Margaret)Karen, David & Neil Emslie INTS ( M. Duffy) | |
| Sat 23rd | 9:30am | Cris Ungos & Eugenio Mirto- Healing Mass( Bacani Family) | |
| Confessions 5:30-6:00pm or by appointmentVigil Mass for Sunday | |||
| Sat 23rd | 6.00pm | People of the Parish | |
| Sun 24th | 9.00am | Jim Sullivan RIP ( Celia Sullivan) | |
| Sun 24th | 11:00am5:00pm7:00pm10:00pm | Archie Campbell RIP ( Brenda Bryant)People of the ParishDavid Faud RIP ( Faud Family)Caroline Masawi ( Lucy Weight) | |