CARDINAL’S LENTEN APPEAL 2023 Saturday 11/Sunday 12 March
Funds raised this year will be shared between the four pillars of the Cardinal’s Lenten Appeal: Marriage & Family Life; Youth & Evangelisation; The Education Service and Caritas Westminster. The effects of the pandemic, followed by the cost of living crisis, are still making daily life harder for all. Price rises last year meant many families faced an impossible choice: HEAT or EAT? The Church continues to respond, with thousands of people putting their faith into action by serving those in need. Cardinal Nichols has expressed his gratitude to everyone who supports the Appeal, with whatever they can afford. And for those who can’t give financially, your time is a priceless commodity – please see the posters on how you can volunteer in the diocese and help those in need. Please take a donation envelope today, for more information. You can use the QR code to make your donation online. Thank you for your generosity.

CAFOD FAMILY FAST DAY
This Lent, your donations to CAFOD’s Family Fast Day Appeal will help families fighting the climate crisis and ensure that our Church network can quickly respond to emergencies, like the recent earthquake in Syria and Turkey. Thank you all very much for your kind donations last weekend, which amounted to £1,512.07.  Envelopes are still available if you would still like to donate or use the QR code on the poster.

FR DAVID WRITES
Today is the Second Sunday of Lent, when we hear the Gospel about the Lord’s Transfiguration on the mountain. Here we catch a glimpse of the meaning of his coming Passion, Death and Resurrection. Jesus, God’s beloved Son, is our Saviour who we are called to follow in his Paschal Mystery. This weekend, we welcome our new candidates for Confirmation who will be enrolled during the Saturday Vigil Mass at 6pm. Please pray for them and their families. Today there will be a retiring collection after all Masses for CAFOD Lent Fast Day. Also this weekend, you are invited to the parish hall after the 8.45 and 10am Masses to join in our Easter raffle! May God bless you all during this Lent and the week ahead.

FR DAVID WRITES
The Season of Lent began on Ash Wednesday, and today is the First Sunday of Lent. In faith, let us begin this time of grace together. In Lent we are invited to renew our friendship with the Lord, principally through prayer, fasting and charity. Let us also use this time to prepare spiritually for the celebration of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus in Holy Week. We look forward to welcoming back Bishop Sherrington who will join us on Good Friday to celebrate the Lord’s Passion in this centenary year. May God bless you all this week and throughout Lent.

FR DAVID WRITES
Today there is a pastoral letter from Cardinal Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, in preparation for the coming season of Lent which begins on Wednesday. The main part of the message will be read out at Masses this weekend. The pastoral letter may be viewed on the diocesan website www.rcdow.org.uk.  We look forward to seeing you all this week on Ash Wednesday, and again next weekend for the First Sunday of Lent. If you have been on half-term holiday we hope you had a lovely week and are ready to return to school and college. May God bless you all.

FR DAVID WRITES
We had a lovely celebration on Friday evening in honour of Our Lady of Lourdes. Many thanks to everyone who came or who helped our celebration in any way. Thank you to Mgr Paul McGinn for joining us as the celebrant at Mass. I wish you all every blessing in this our centenary year, as the whole Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and keeps the World Day of Prayer for the Sick. This coming week is also half-term. We send you good wishes if you are on holiday from school, college or work. This coming Tuesday we will hold the meeting of the Enfield Deanery conference here at Our Lady of Lourdes in honour of her recent feast day. Please keep us in your prayers. God bless you all.

FR DAVID WRITES: FRIDAY—FEAST DAY
This coming Friday we are keeping our patronal feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. This will be almost one hundred years since the arrival of Fr Sunn and the start of the mission here in New Southgate. Please note that there is no 8am Mass.  Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School will be present at the 10am Mass. The special Mass for the parish will be at 7pm in the evening, followed by a reception. That evening, we will welcome Mgr Paul McGinn. The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes is also the World Day of Prayer for the Sick. Please join us and make every effort to come for the special occasion. We send you every blessing and good wish for the week ahead.

FEAST OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES IN THE CENTENARY YEAR
On Friday 10 February we will keep our patronal feast in honour of Our Lady of Lourdes, Patroness of the Parish, Church and School. There will be Mass in church at 10 am for the Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School.  In the evening, at 7 pm, there will be a special Mass for the parish. We are delighted to welcome Mgr. Paul McGinn (Parish Priest from 1990-2001) as the celebrant. After Mass, there will be a celebration in the parish hall. Please make a note of the date and be sure to join us!

FR DAVID WRITES - FEAST OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES IN THE CENTENARY YEAR
Dear Parishioners: on Friday 10 February we will keep our patronal feast in honour of Our Lady of Lourdes, Patroness of the Parish, Church and School. Our feast day this year has added meaning as we begin to celebrate the centenary of the parish. On Friday 10 February, there will be Mass in church at 10 am for the children, staff and community of Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School. In the evening, at 7 pm, there will be a special Mass for the parish. We are delighted to welcome Mgr. Paul McGinn (our Parish Priest from 1990-2001) as the celebrant and preacher for our Mass. After Mass, there will be a celebration in the parish hall. Please make a note of the date and be sure to join us! Thank you to Ashley Wells for adjusting our logo for the centenary. May God bless you all - have a wonderful weekend!

FR DAVID WRITES
Today is the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, but the mystery of the Epiphany continues to shine through the liturgy, making clear for us the meaning of the Word-made-Flesh, God among us. We will celebrate the Feast of the Presentation  on Candlemas Day, 2 February. Well done and thank you to all the children and their families who were enrolled in the First Holy Communion programme at the 11.15am Mass last Sunday. It was a joy filled celebration. Please keep them all in your prayers. We had a lovely celebration on Wednesday morning in thanksgiving for the life and ministry of Pope Benedict XVI. Please continue to pray for him, for Pope Francis and for the whole Church. Have a good Sunday and a nice week.

FR DAVID WRITES
Today is the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, coming quickly after the feast of his Epiphany which we celebrated on Friday. These mysteries concern the revelation of Jesus as the Christ—the Messiah, God’s anointed one. Today we celebrate the revelation of Jesus who is anointed by the Spirit to undertake his threefold mission as Priest, Prophet and King, the One who would save God’s people from their sins. Today marks the end of the Christmas season, but the mystery continues to reach forward until 2 February, the Feast of the Lord’s Presentation. Happy Christmas!

POPE BENEDICT XVI
As prayers continue to pour in from around the world for Pope Benedict we are asked by Pope Francis to keep him in our thoughts and prayers.