Saint Teresa of Avila Interceding for Souls in Purgatory.

 

We are now just a week away from launching a major capital Appeal to upgrade our heating facilities and to refurbish the church organ.  We have an ambitious target of £500,000 for this very necessary work.  Private fundraising activity, prior to the Appeal, has already yielded £100,000, a magnificent result so far.  We are grateful to those who have pledged very generous gifts.  John Gilhooly, CBE, Director of the Wigmore Hall and one of our well-known parishioners who has worshipped here for over 20 years, is leading our fundraising efforts, and he will speak at every Mass next weekend. In addition to launching our capital Appeal, John will also speak about planned giving and legacies.  Do listen to what he has to say at this pivotal moment for our community. 

 

I appreciate that these are difficult economic times for many,  and we encourage parishioners to give only according to their means and circumstances. Some can give far more than others, but your collective donations, and indeed your prayers, will make this Appeal the great success it deserves to be.  It's been a long time since the parish has undertaken a fundraising drive, certainly one of this magnitude.    Both projects are now essential, and this Appeal is vital to maintaining our great musical tradition which has been a defining aspect of our parish life and a source of inspirtation for decades. 

 

The concert taking place in the church this coming Friday will be a Wigmore Hall concert, featuring the Requiem by Gabriel Fauré, whose centenary occurs this month.  Our fundraising drive will be launched at this concert, when the church’s organ will be heard.  Both Masses on Friday 22 November are to take place in the Lady Chapel, as the church furniture will need to be rearranged for the evening’s concert, but everything should be back to normal by Saturday 23 November.

 

This weekend we have the diocesan collection for sick and retired priests.  It is an opportunity to show our gratitude for those who cared for us in the past and are now in need of our support.  Envelopes were available last weekend and they will be collected this weekend at the end of Mass.  Those who prefer to make digital donations may do so by scanning the QR code on the envelopes or on the poster at the back of the church, or else by using the “Second Collection” option on our own contactless machines.

 

As we approach the end of the Church’s year, there is a distinctly apocalyptic tone to the Mass readings.  This Sunday we hear Our Lord say, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”  This is a stark reminder that the things of God are what really matter, since nothing else is durable, despite appearances to the contrary.  Next Sunday, the last Sunday of the Church’s year, is the feast of Christ the King, when we acknowledge Our Saviour’s primacy over the whole universe.  

 

Then, in two weeks’ time, we begin a new liturgical year.  Not only will the colour change to purple, as it does every Advent, but we will start using the new Lectionary, based not on the Jerusalem Bible as hitherto, but on the English Standard Version.  Readers especially will need to look out for changes in the appearance of the liturgical books, but everyone is likely to notice small changes in the texts that are used during the readings at Mass.  You will notice that new copies of the “Parish Mass Book” will be available at the back of the church, as the current ones contain the older translation of the readings.  Copies of the new People’s Missal are available for purchase from the Repository, for those who like to follow their own texts for Mass.  

 

Although it is good practice during the season of Advent to avoid anticipating Christmas as much as possible, the demand for carol services is very great.  Our own Parish Carol Service will take place on Wednesday 18 December, just a week before Christmas.  The following day, the Christmas Celebration takes place at Westminster Cathedral, and, as always, parishioners are encouraged to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to hear carols and readings performed by the world-famous Westminster Cathedral Choir, orchestra, and celebrity readers.  Leaflets advertising the times of our own Christmas services should be available from the start of Advent.  

 

The vote in Parliament on assisted dying is now very close.  Parishioners are reminded of the opportunity to hear an expert panel discussion of some of the issues raised by this proposed legislation next Sunday, at Farm Street Church, beginning at 3pm.  There is no charge for attendance, but booking is required (cf. https://catholicunion.org.uk/2024/11/is-the-assisted-suicide-bill-about-compassion-giving-choice-and-dignity/). For those unable to attend in person, livestreaming will be available at www.farmstreet.org.uk/livestream.

 

November, the month of the dead, began with the great feast of All Saints and it ends with the feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle.  This year, the last day of November will also be the last day of the liturgical year, as we move into Advent on Sunday 1 December.  As we read in the opening chapter of Saint John’s Gospel, it was Andrew who brought his brother Simon Peter to meet Jesus.  What an incomparable service that was to the Church and to the world!  Through the intercession of Saint Andrew, may we too bring many of our contemporaries to meet Jesus.