Weekly Email – Easter 5
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Dear friends,
We are launching today a next step in the campaign we started at the beginning of the year to reduce our parish’s sacristy costs. This is a crucial part of how we hope to balance our budget this year and I would like to appeal for your help and generosity.
In the run up to Corpus Christi, we are seeking to find sponsorship for the annual costs of our hosts and altar wine supplies. We have bought in a year’s supply to replenish our sacristy stocks. It would be wonderful if parishioners could cover the cost of these supplies by sponsoring packets of hosts and bottles of altar wine.
You will be aware that we have been seeking to reduce sacristy costs over the past year as part of our efforts to balance our parish budget. I was very heartened a few months ago by the incredibly generous the way in which people contributed to the costs of the incense and charcoal we use through the year. This project will operate in a similar way, and will now take place each year around Corpus Christi.
Just as we thank God for the gift of the Eucharist in that great feast, so we each have here an opportunity here to make a modest financial contribution to our parish as a sign of that gratitude and a token of our devotion to our Eucharistic Lord.
Here’s how the project will work. From Sunday onwards, there will be a stall in the courtyard where you can pay to sponsor as many bottles of communion wine or packets of hosts as you wish to: people’s hosts cost £5 per packet; priest’s hosts cost £3 per packet; and altar wine costs £8 per bottle. If you are unable to be at church in person or are an online worshipper, you can make a contribution online here. If you do this, please email the parish office (office@asms.uk) to indicate how many packets of hosts or bottle of wine you would like to have put down in your name.
If each parishioner bought a bottle of wine and a packet of hosts, we would be home and dry in terms of our sacristy supplies for the next twelve months!
I will now let out a little secret – the altar wine we use is actually just Waitrose’s own brand Moscatel de Valencia (full details here). Another alternative way of giving to All Saints’ as part of this effort would be for people with a Waitrose account to arrange for a delivery of that wine to be made to All Saints’. That would also be a wonderful gift that would significantly help reduce our day-to-day sacristy costs.
At the heart of what we believe about the Eucharist lies a wonderful exchange. We offer bread and wine to the Father as a sign of our thanksgiving and praise, and he returns them to us transformed into his Son’s Body and his Blood. It is through that exchange of gifts that we are drawn into the sacrifice of Christ and experience the life of the godhead.
I pray that by buying and sponsoring the Eucharistic gifts we offer day by day, the People of God in our parish will feel they are making a worthwhile and tangible contribution to the liturgical life of our parish.
As we approach the feast of Corpus Christi, let us give thanks ever more eagerly for the gift of the Body of Blood of Christ and unite ourselves ever more lovingly to that saving sacrament.
Fr Peter
Corpus Christi advertising
A number of posts and adverts are currently live on Twitter and Facebook advertising our Corpus Christi festivities on Thursday 30th May. In particular, we are once again using the excellent video created last year by Richard Everton. We are hugely grateful to him for his time and creativity!
It would be very helpful if parishioners on social media could contribute to raising awareness of our celebrations by sharing or retweeting the following:
Facebook Corpus Christi video here.
Twitter Corpus Christi video here.
Mark Bushby Scholarship Fund
It was good to have Julia Bushby with us last Sunday, attending the High Mass. She was with us to express her thanks to our parish for the contribution we made towards this year’s Mark Bushby Scholarship Fund. The fund was a beneficiary of the All Saints’ Festival Appeal in October-November 2023. The donation from All Saints alone funded more than half a scholar!
Mark Bushby was a member of All Saints choir for more than ten years. He died very suddenly in 2019. The fund was set up in his memory to provide scholarships for promising young musicians in Brent. One scholar started her four-year scholarship in September 2002, and further two in 2023. The fund aims to create two new scholars to start in September 2024, if it can reach its funding target. You can donate to the fund here.
Parishioners may like to know there will be a concert at St Mary’s, Bourne Street, tomorrow night at 6.30 pm in aid of the Mark Bushby Fund. Full details can be found here.
Julia Bushby with Fr Peter and James Sherwood on Sunday morning.
Online Zoom Coffee Hour
An online Zoom Coffee Hour is planned for Sunday 5th May at 12.45 pm and will be hosted by Fr Alan.
These coffee hours offer an opportunity for those who worship with us online, and those who are housebound to meet online for a time of chat, conversation and fellowship. At the end of the High Mass, just make yourself a cup of coffee and join us online. Do put these dates in your diary.
The Zoom link for Sunday 5th May is here.
Coffee in our courtyard last Sunday after the High Mass.
Zoom Theology – texts now available
Our next Zoom Theology Seminar will take place on Tuesday, May 14th, 2024. It will be entitled, “The Scapegoat: James Alison, René Girard and Scapegoating.”
Thomas Miles will lead us in a study of Fr James Alison, a Catholic priest and theologian influenced by the ideas of René Girard (1923-2015).
Girard’s thought focusses on how Jesus’ death calls into judgement the human tendency to create social cohesion through scapegoating, and how, conversely, the resurrection invites Christians to courageously seek truth in unity.
Thomas has suggested that participants might wish to read Chapter 4 of James Alison’s book, “The Joy of Being Wrong: Original Sin through Easter Eyes.” If you don’t have a copy of the book, please be in touch with the parish office and we can easily send you an electronic scan of the text.
More details of our Zoom Theology programme can be found here.
“Joy to thee, O Queen of Heaven!” The congregation joins in singing the Regina Coeli at last Sunday’s High Mass.
Young Adults Group
An Eastertide rambling day trip will take place on Saturday May 25th. We’ll meet at Victoria Station at 0930, ready for the 0946 Littlehampton train to Hassocks. A circular route of around 12 miles – involving some abrupt changes in relief; some fine Sussex churches; and a pub lunch will follow. All welcome! Be in touch with Fr Alan if you want to know more or come along.
Coffee in our courtyard last Sunday after the High Mass.
Confessions
Fr Graeme Rowlands will be available to hear confessions at the following times over the coming weeks: Wednesday 1st May at 5.30 pm; Wednesday 8th May at 5.30 pm; Wednesday 22nd May at 5.30 pm.
One of our parish clergy is also regularly available in one of the confessionals in church on Saturday evenings each week at 6.00 pm to hear confessions.
You can watch last Sunday’s liturgies on our parish YouTube channel. The High Mass can be found here and Evensong can be found here.
Confirmation 2024
Please note that Bishop Jonathan will be with us for the Feast of Pentecost on Sunday 19th May to baptize and confirm at the 11.00 am High Mass. There will be a parish lunch after the High Mass to celebrate with those who have been baptised, confirmed, and received into the Church of England. Do put this occasion in your diaries and pray for those preparing to receive the sacraments of initiation.
Coffee in our courtyard last Sunday after the High Mass.
SOM May Devotion
The Society of Mary May Devotion will take place at S. Silas’, Kentish Town, on Saturday 4th May at 12 noon. The principal celebrant at the Mass will be the Bishop of Fulham, and the preacher at the afternoon devotion will be the Bishop of Oswestry.
Coffee in our courtyard last Sunday after the High Mass.
Join the Friends of All Saints’
The latest edition of the Parish Paper, the journal of the Friends of All Saints’, Margaret Street, is fresh off the press and out now! To receive a copy, join the Friends of All Saints’ here. The Friends receive a copy of the Parish Paper by post twice a year, and are remembered by name at the daily Mass at 12 noon.
Flowers
The flowers this Sunday have been given by Carlos Remotti-Breton in memory of his mother, Marcelina Breton.
If anyone would like to make a donation for flowers, please contact Shawn or the office.
Coffee in our courtyard last Sunday after the High Mass.
Attendance last Sunday
Prayer List
The Friends of All Saints’ Margaret Street:
April 28th – Fr. Peter and Anna Oesterby-Joergensen, Fr. Barry Orford, Samantha Parker, Malcolm Parr, Bhaven Patel, Alma Pearson
29th – Pat Philips, Colin Podmore, Nick and Cecilia Powell, Simon Pusey, Simon Rainey, Gordon Reid, Heikki Repo
30th – The Sisters of All Saints’
May 1st – Carlos Remotti-Breton, Dr Steve Rice, John Rick, Fr. Peter Roberts, Hilary Rodger, Mossman Roueche
2nd – Greg Round, Fr. Jim Rosenthal, Jamie Rundle, Mary Sherred, James Shrimpton
3rd – Gabriel Simerson, Brad Singer, Ingrid Slaughter, Naomi Slippe, Vaughan Snook, Harvey Solomon-Brady
4th – Gwynedd Sooke, Richard and Louise Stallwood, Iain Stewart, Jason Stewart, Ian and Veronica Summers, Colin Symes, Ann Tacchi
The sick:
Javier Barbetta, Martin Berka, Dave Carcosia, David Craig, Roger Dilks, Fr. Harry Hodgetts, Peter Hoyle, Lesley Lee, Wendy Leech, Elizabeth Lyon, Frank Ottwell, James Roger, Bruce Ross-Smith
The faithful departed:
Julian Clark, Sarah Lauren Grube, Michael Morena
Those whose anniversaries of death fall at this time:
April 28th – Isabel Sturges-Jones, Lilian Raven, John Birch
29th – Basil Simpson Bp, Beatrice Hudson
May 1st – Douglas Robertson, Jane Mather
2nd – John Beard, Trevor Stevens Pr
3rd – Mary Forsyth, Dolly Powell
4th – Cecil Meyer, Phyllis Matthews, Catherine Towers, Douglas Brough, Margaret Spencer
5th – Alfred Adams, Paul Curno
Service times this week
Saturday 27th April – Feria
12.00 noon Mass of Requiem
6.30 pm Vigil Mass
Sunday 28th April – EASTER V
11.00 am High Mass
5.15 pm Low Mass
6.00 pm Evensong and Benediction
Monday 29th April – St Catherine of Siena, V and Dr, Patron of Europe
12.00 noon Mass
6.30 pm Mass
Tuesday 30th April – Feria
12.00 noon Mass
6.30 pm Mass
Wednesday 1st May – Feria
12.00 noon Mass
6.30 pm Mass
Thursday 2nd May – St Athanasius, B, Dr
12.00 noon Mass
6.30 pm Mass
Friday 3rd May – Feria
12.00 noon Mass
6.30 pm Mass
Saturday 4th May – The English Martyrs
12.00 noon Mass
6.30 pm Vigil Mass
Sunday 5th May – EASTER VI
11.00 am High Mass
5.15 pm Low Mass
6.00 pm Evensong and Benediction