ST.

JOHN VIANNEY 4 Vincent Road, London N15 3QH

Parish Office: 020 8888 5518
CHURCH E-mail: westgreen@rcdow.org.uk
WEST GREEN Website: stjohnvianneywestgreen.co.uk

7th/ 08th December 2019

2nd SUNDAY OF ADVENT

PEACE.

We all long for it, and we know that it is a

truly wonderful thing.

The words of John Lennon’s famous song

came to my mind:

Imagine there's no countries

It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion, too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
Imagine indeed! We may say he’s a
hopeless dreamer, but he really isn’t the
only one. It turns out that the prophet
Isaiah dreamed of a similar world when he
proclaimed almost 3000 years ago:
The wolf lives with the lamb,
the panther lies down with the kid,
calf and lion feed together,
with a little boy to lead them.
The cow and the bear make friends,
their young lie down together.
The lion eats straw like the ox.
The infant plays over the cobra’s hole...
I’d say he’s an even bigger dreamer than
Lennon! How will this ever be possible? It is
in the nature of a wolf to prey on the
lamb... a lion would never eat straw... and
no sane mother would leave their infant
playing anywhere near a cobra’s nest!
We are talking about natural and in-built
instincts here!
And yet, perhaps this is precisely the point.
The peace that we are longing for is not of
a natural order, but a super-natural one. It
takes a lot of faith to ask for the kingdom
of God (of peace, love and justice) to come
and believe that it is possible, but for those
who dare to ask for it and live accordingly,
the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.
Perhaps it is part of human nature to be
greedy and selfish – but in faith, we are
called to generosity and charity. Perhaps it
is normal that we fight and hurt each other
– in faith, the invitation is to forgive and
reconcile. We all have moments where we
are proud and jealous – in faith, humility
and service takes precedence. Perhaps it is
the most human thing to be sad or angry
when we are in pain or suffering – in faith,
the light of hope overcomes the darkness.
Perhaps, with everything that is happening
around us, it is no wonder that people are
scared and anxious – in faith, it is possible
to find peace within us, and to find the
strength and courage to do what we can to
bring about this peace to our world.
Imagine all the people living life in peace...
They say imagination is the beginning of
creation. Let us go beyond imagining this
peace and ask for God’s grace in bringing
about this peace in ourselves, in our homes
at our workplaces and in our world!
God bless, Sr. Devy
 THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY
LAST SUNDAY!
CATECHETICAL PROGRAMMES
2019-2020
For more information, contact the
office or Sr. Devy on 07455 544 065
FIRST COMMUNION PROGRAMME
Next session: Sat, 14th Dec 2019, 10am
plus Sunday Mass at 11:00am.
FIRST RECONCILIATION PROGRAMME
Children attending Catholic schools who
had received their first Holy Communion in
May 2019 are invited to prepare for their
first Sacrament of Reconciliation.
The first session will be on Saturday,
18th January 2020, 12pm-1:15pm
(for both children and parents)
CONFIRMATION PROGRAMME
Next session: Sat, 14th Dec 2019, 3:30pm
plus Mass 6:00pm.
RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION
FOR ADULTS (RCIA)
Next session: Sat, 18th Jan 2019, 4:00pm
plus Mass 6:00pm
BAPTISM FOR INFANTS
If you would like to have your child
baptised on the 14th December or later,
please contact the Parish Office or Sr. Devy
to make the necessary arrangements.
Next session: Monday, 9th Dec, 7:30pm.
PARISH OUTREACH
SANDWICH MAKING (PREPARATION):
on Fri. 13th December after 9:15am Mass.
Next SOUP RUN: Group A
at 4.30pm on Sat, 14th December 2019
Volunteers for sandwich making and
drivers are urgently needed.
We pray for the repose of the soul of:
KEN EVAN, RIP
The Funeral Mass will be held at
St James the Less, Priory Street, Colchester
on 9th December at 11am,
followed by burial at 12.30pm.
MARY BOND, RIP
(mother of Jim Bond)
Who died on Tuesday 26 November 2019.
The Funeral Mass will be held at Ramsgate
on 18th December at 11:30am.
We remember them and their respective
family in our prayers.
May they rest in peace.
INSIGHT III:
WOMEN & MEN OF THE BIBLE
This course offers an insight into the lives
of various women and men in the Bible,
specifically from the New Testament.
Next session: Tuesday, 10th Dec (7.30pm)
or Wednesday, 11th Dec. (10am)
ADVENT PENITENTIAL SERVICE
Here, at St John Vianney on
Monday, 16th December at 7.30pm.
A number of visiting priests will be
available for individual confession.
THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
will be celebrated as per normal on
Saturdays, 9:45—10:15am
ADVENT PENITENTIAL SERVICES
IN NEARBY PARISHES:
Wood Green – Fri, 13th Dec (7-9pm)
Muswell Hill – Wed, 18th Dec (7:30pm)
Tottenham – Fri, 13th & 20th Dec (6-7pm)
ADVENT & CHRISTMAS
MASSES AND SERVICES
Please take a copy and
pass one to your friends
and neighbours.
Thank you!
 CAROL SINGING
Come and join us in Carol Singing
at Wood Green Shopping Mall
on Wednesday 18th Dec
from 5pm (in front of
Boots). To let us know
who will be joining us,
please sign up on the
list at the back of the
church.
LITURGY GROUP GATHERING
for Tea and Mince pies!
We would like to invite all those who have
been supporting the daily and weekly
Liturgies, including: Church cleaners,
Collectors, Readers, Eucharistic Ministers,
Powerpoints, Flower arrangers, Altar
Servers, Musicians, etc, for a “Thank You!”
tea and mince pies on
Sunday, 22nd December at 10am
(between masses).
Hope you can come!
THANK GOD ON FRIDAY
Make time to spend a moment alone with
God in thanksgiving, prayer and adoration.
Next session: Friday, 3rd Jan, 7:30pm
WALKING PILGRIMAGE TO FATIMA
for 16-20 year olds
We are currently organising a 5-day
walking pilgrimage from Lisbon to Fatima
for young people for the 3rd-9th April 2020
(during Easter break).
If you or anyone you know are interested
and would like to know more about it,
please speak to Sr. Devy.
VISIT TO CALAIS
Fr Joe is going to Calais on Thu, 12th Dec
for a meeting on ‘People-not-Walls’. He will
also visit a shelter looking after families.
We are collecting items that would be
helpful such as old phones, hair clippers, £1
shop sanitizers, men’s gloves, £1 shop
purchases etc. Thank you!
HOMELESS DURING ADVENT:
Each year we have a basket/container in
the church for donations and presents for
the HOMELESS – e.g.: socks, gloves,
hats/caps, scarves, toiletries (toothpaste,
soap, disposable razors) etc.
Bigger items such as CLEAN blankets,
towels, men’s clothing will be greatly
appreciated and these can be handed in to
the presbytery during office hours before
Friday 13th December.
(Please DO NOT LEAVE ITEMS ON THE
DOORSTEP OF THE CHURCH, PARISH
OFFICE or CENTRE)
ST THOMAS MORE SCHOOL
Cordially invites you to their
ANNUAL SENIOR CITIZEN CHRISTMAS
PARTY on Thursday 12th December 2019
from 2:30pm-4:30pm.
If you would like to attend this event,
kindly contact Germaine in the parish office
and provide you name and contact no.
ST. JOHN VIANNEY NURSERY
APPLICATIONS JANUARY 2020
If your child was born between
1st Sep. 2016 and 31st Dec. 2016 and you
wish to apply for a JANUARY 2020
Nursery place at St John Vianney School,
please collect an application pack from the
school office.
Address: St. John Vianney Catholic School,
Stanley Road, Tottenham N15 3HD
Telephone: 020 8889 8421
We offer FREE 15hour or 30hour spaces
(if eligible)
AVAILABLE NOW IN THE PIETY STALL
St Paul Sunday Missal: £5.95
Westminster Year Book 2020: £4.50
LIVE SIMPLY MESSAGE
We can reduce plastic
waste by buying fruits and
veg that are not repacked
 MASS & SERVICE TIMES THIS WEEK WE PRAY FOR:
Monday 9:00am (note change)
The repose of the soul
Tuesday 9:15am Rosemund Dubois
Wednesday 9:15am Mary Bond
Ken Evans
Thursday 9:15am
Josephine Rice
(communion service)
Jennifer O’Neill
Friday 9:15am Philomena Oragui
Saturday 9:15am John Danaher
6pm (Vigil Mass) Alberto Rossetti
Columba Bragoli Bernazani
Sunday 9:00am and 11:00am Giovanni Bragoli
Maria Bragoli
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION
RIP Anniversary
Saturday 9:45am – 10:15am John Lyons
Steve Costello
ADORATION Joan O’Callaghan
OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
Special Intentions
Tuesdays – after 9:15am Mass Jahbez
st
1 Friday of the month – 7:30pm
1st Sunday of the month – after 11am Mass
And for all the sick and
ROSARY those in our parish

Weekdays at 8:45am (before mass)

First Saturday of the month at 3:00pm Birthday
Marcus
MORNING TEAS /COFFEE
Christmas
(in the Parish Hall) Kathy
Sundays, after 9am and 11am Masses Gretta
Thursdays, after the 9:15am Mass Kathy

PARISH TEAM

Fr. Joe Ryan, Parish Priest NAMES NOT LISTED ABOVE ARE
Sr. Devy Pranadjaja, Parish Sister LISTED IN OUR BOOK F INTENTIONS
Germaine Ng Ying, Parish Admin/Secretary

PARISH OFFICE HOURS

Tues. To Fri. 10am-12noon & 1pm-4pm 3rd SUNDAY OF ADVENT

To make an appointment, 1st Reading : Isaiah 35: 1-6, 10

phone: 0208 888 5518 or Psalm : Psalm 145:6-10
email: westgreen@rcdow.org.uk 2nd Reading : James 5: 7-10
Gospel : Matthew 11: 2-11
We cannot guarantee to have anyone
available outside of these hours.