2nd Sunday of Advent

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Ready?   Dear parishioners, dear friends, We all know insight doesn’t always bring change in us or others. Perhaps we can recognise ourselves in St Augustine’s honest reflection: You showed me that what I said was true, and I  was convinced by the truth. But my only answer was these dreary words: ‘Soon, soon: presently presently ‘or ‘Leave me alone for a while’ But my ‘presently’ came to no present, and my ‘little while’ lasted a long time” None of us is born again - change that easily . In today’s bible  readings we hear four voices, (Baruch, the psalmist, Paul, and John the Baptist), encouraging people to imagine a good future that the great mystery of love we name God  has in store for them . All our readings today  invite us  to envisage the best and then act accordingly. All our scripture  readings suggest that we begin to change when we are encouraged to see the best in ourselves , not when we are asked to dwell with the worst in ourselves We all need encouragement to leave behind familiar ways which have become destructive. We need a vision of how we could be different. John and Jesus both  cross thresholds  they will never be able to go back. The same applies to us; once we begin to tread the path that leads to a new life in Christ there is no turning back. If our community is to be constantly converted to the Lord we all need to breathe in encouragement and breath  it out. As St John Henry Card. Newman reminds us “ To be human is to change. To be perfect is to have changed often” Mgr. Jim Curry   A call to listen and walk together: Synod 2022-2023   The synodal pathway is a journey of mutual listening and discernment. We are invited to meet, listen, discern. As part of the Westminster Synodal Pathway we are invited to join Bishop Nicholas Hudson at a Listening Event on Wednesday 8th December, 7.00pm – 9.00pm, at Westminster Cathedral Hall, Ambrosden Avenue, London SW1P 1QJ. Pope Francis has invited the worldwide Church to a time of listening – of listening deeply to each other as we walk side by side, sharing our stories of faith. Here in our local Church, our Diocese, this is just what we are doing. This Listening Event is an opportunity to listen, to share, and to dream about the Church we are called to be. All are welcome, and places can be booked by emailing catadmin@rcdow.org.uk. If you want to find out more just click the underneath buttons:       Vatican Synod Office Diocesan Website Mater Ecclesiae College Colloquium on Synodality  Saturday 11th December 2021, 10am-3pm Waldegrave Suite, St Mary’s University   The synodal pathway is a journey of mutual listening and discernment. We are invited to meet, listen, discern. As the Catholic Church embarks in the Synodal path process, four members of the Faculty of Mater Ecclesiae College will engage in a discussion on the theme of synodality. Dr Javier Ruiz-Ortiz will reflect on the biblical evidence of synodality, Dr Michael Lang will provide an historical overview, Dr Jacob Philips will lead a theological reflection, while Dr Helen Costigan will give a canonical assessment of the process. To book and reserve your place for the event click the underneath button:   Colloquium on Synodality The Prayer of the Synod: Adsumus Sancte Spiritus Attributed to St. Isidore of Seville (560-636), it has been traditionally used at Councils and Synods for hundreds of years. The version below was specifically designed for the Church’s Synodal journey from 2021 to 2023. We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in Your name. With You alone to guide us, make Yourself at home in our hearts; Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it. We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder. Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions. Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life and not stray from the way of truth and what is right. All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time, in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen. Glass Door’s Statement on Night Shelters for winter 2021-2022   It is with a heavy heart that Glass Door has taken the decision to not open communal night shelters this winter. Unfortunately, despite all our best efforts over many months to provide a COVID-safe environment, staff and trustees felt the risks are too great. The transmissibility of the new Omicron variant and the related changes to self-isolation rules were important factors in our decision.   We will continue to do all we can to ensure those in need of a safe home receive support to leave homelessness behind, and we will continue to push for increased government-provided accommodation to be made available for everyone.   Too keep in touch with all the different initiatives run by Glass Door and to find out more about how to support them, please click on the underneath button   Glass Door Westminster Cathedral’s annual Christmas Celebration   A wonderful evening of music and readings for all the family in the magnificent Mother Church of the Diocese is taking place this year on Wednesday 15th December and Thursday 16th December at 7:30 pm. Doors will open at 6:30 pm, with organ music being played from 7 pm. The programme includes some of the finest Advent and Christmas choral music from across the centuries, sung by the world-famous Cathedral Choir, as well as favourite congregational carols. Westminster Cathedral Choir and Orchestra will be conducted by Simon Johnson, the Cathedral’s new Master of Music.  This year’s selection of readings ranges from the Scriptures to writers such as GK Chesterton, all read by an array of celebrity readers.    Tickets are now available at Ticketmaster:   https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/westminster-cathedral-tickets-london/venue/254582    'On the Road to Bethlehem with Saint Joseph’ To mark the close the Year of Joseph the Agency has produced a novena prayer and a short set of reflections drawing from scripture and the Holy’s Fathers Apostolic Letter Patris Corde (With a Father’s Heart) for our journey with Joseph to Bethlehem. ‘Pope Francis has declared a year dedicated to St Joseph, from 8 December 2020 to 8 December 2021. He says: “Each of us can discover in Joseph - the man who goes unnoticed, a daily, discreet and hidden presence - an intercessor, a support and a guide in times of trouble" (Patris Corde - With a Father's Love - Pope Francis). Let's do that. Let's ask St Joseph to keep a watchful eye on this family of the Church, to intercede on our behalf’.  Cardinal Vincent Nichols   For more information about the novena prayer and the year of St Joseph, please click the buttons underneath:   Novena Prayer Apostolic Letter Patris Corde Year of St Joseph Invitation to CAFOD's Advent Carol Service 2021 Wednesday 8th December at 7 pm As 2021 draws to a close and we enter Advent I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued and generous support of our work over the past year. As an expression of our thanks it is our pleasure to invite you, your family and friends to our annual Advent Carol Service.  The event will be held on Wednesday, 8 December at 6pm at Our Lady of Victories, Kensington, 235a Kensington High Street, London, W8 6SA. We will begin with pre-event drinks and nibbles at 6pm in the church hall and then we will head into the Carol Service just before 7pm, which will be led by Monsignor James Curry. We are delighted to be joined by The Our Lady of Victories choir, led by Director of Music and Organist, Timothy Macklin.  The service will be followed by wine and mince pies in the church hall.  I do hope you will be able to join us for what promises to be a wonderful celebration and a warm welcome to the festive season.  As numbers for our pre-event drinks and nibbles are limited, please do let us know if you are able to attend by Wednesday, 1 December.  If you are unable to join us in person we hope that you will be able to join us online. To view the livestream simply go to our Advent Carol Service page on 8 December at 7pm.  You find the button link underneath this section. Thank you once again for your support of CAFOD.  With warm regards,  Farzana Fidai  Head of Major Gifts and Philanthropy   If you would like to receive updates on similar events, campaigns, appeals and simple ways you can support people living in poverty, sign up to CAFOD regular email updates. CAFOD will never share your details for marketing. For details see our privacy notice.   CAFOD Advent Carol Service OLOV LATEST NEWS GIFT AID DONATIONS:   Dear Parishioners:   We have worked with our colleagues in the Parish Support Team towards procedures for processing the Gift Aid from contactless donations trough the Dona provider. When signing a Gift Aid declaration on the device, you also will be asked if you would like your previous contactless donations to be Gift Aided as well.  Further, as entering a Gift Aid declaration on the device can take a couple of minutes, we want to help reduce the amount of time you may spend on the device, and reduce the queue for it. Leaflets have been created and placed at the back of the church and on the notice board. These contain a QR code that will enable you to use your smartphone to make your Gift Aid declaration. You can also access the Dona portal and leave your donation by simply scanning the underneath QR code:   WEEKLY MASS SCHEDULE:   Monday to Friday - 10.00 am Saturday - 6.00 pm Sunday - 9.00 am, 10.30 am, 12.00 pm and 6.00 pm.    ALL OUR MASSES WILL BE LIVE-STREAMED FROM OUR WEBSITE.   CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR MASSES: Friday 24th December: Christmas Eve: 4 pm Children's Mass and Blessing of Crib (Children are invited to come dressed as an angel, shepherd, sheep or any character from the Christmas story.) ​6 pm Mass of Christmas 9 pm Midnight Christmas Vigil Mass Christmas Carols will be sung beforehand at 8.30 pm Saturday 25th December: Christmas Day: 9 am Mass of the Dawn ​ 10.30 pm Christmas Mass 12 pm Noon Mass Sunday 26th December: The Holy Family of  Nazareth: Jesus, Mary and Joseph 9 am Mass  ​ 10.30 am Mass 12 pm Noon Mass Monday 27th to Friday 31st 10 am Mass  Saturday 1st January Mary, Mother of God 10.30 am Mass only Sunday 2nd January, 2nd Sunday of Christmas 9 am Mass ​​ 10.30 am Mass 12 pm Noon Mass Thursday 6th January, The Epiphany of the Lord 10 am Mass 6.30 pm Mass: FOR MORE INFORMATION LOOK AT THE WEBSITE! EUCHARISTIC ADORATION: Each Wednesday, soon after mass, there will be the possibility to spend some time in prayer in front of the most blessed sacrament, immediately after mass. During that time a priest will be available to hear your confession. Adoration will finish at noon with the prayer of the Angelus.  Confessions are also available every Saturday from 5 pm to 5.45 pm. Please take note that due to the Covid restrictions confessions will be heard in Our Lady Chapel. BLESSING OF HOUSES:   For anyone who would like to have the house blessed, Fr Marco we will available to arrange it. Please send an email to marcosalvagnini@rcdow.org.uk   CERTIFICATE OF CATHOLIC PRACTICE:   If you need a Certificate of Catholic Practice for Secondary Transfer please phone the parish office and ask to make an appointment to see Mgr Jim.   Please do keep an eye on the website: www.ourladyofvictories.net which will be updated on a weekly basis. To all who are travelling at this time, stay safe and travel well.   Mgr Jim Curry & Fr Marco Salvagnini   Our Lady of Victories 16 Abingdon Road London W8 6AF 020 7937 4778  kensington1@rcdow.org.uk