Christ the King (34th Sunday) Year B

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New Translation of the Lectionary On the First Sunday of Advent (1st December 2024) we will begin using at Mass the new edition of the Lectionary. The Lectionary is the liturgical books which contain the biblical readings used at Mass and other occasions, such as at baptisms, marriages and funerals. The new translation chosen by the Catholic Bishops of England, Wales, and Scotland is called the English Standard Version Catholic Edition (ESV-CE) and the Psalm translations are the Abbey Psalms and Canticles.    Through your generosity in the offertory collection, Sunday by Sunday, we have been able to purchase a new set of books. Our parish readers, who took part in a training morning last week, will notice the clearer print and wider spacing of the text. For those of us who are listening to the readings from the pews, you will notice only slight changes from the previous translation from Jerusalem Bible which we have listened to since the 1970s. Some of the more familiar readings will sound different. You might be wondering why we are getting a new translation? In recent years, there has been a desire for greater fidelity to the original texts, noting that language does not stay the same over the decades and therefore scripture translations need to reflect this and the advances in biblical scholarship.   The new translation provides an opportunity for us all to listen attentively to the Word of God speaking to us personally. At every Mass we hear a rich variety of readings and psalms and over the three-year cycle we will hear almost the entire New Testament and a significant amount of the Old Testament. To assist us in the changes, we will continue to provide on Sundays the Mass sheets with all the readings and prayers. If you would like more information, then there are copies of the CTS leaflet 'The New Lectionary Explained' at the back of the Church. Fr Francis Please pray for those who are sick: Demetrio Gandeza, Pilar Chester, Duncan Taylor, Canice Carson, Laetitia Smith, James Langan, Theresa Chee and Pamela Faber.   Please pray for those who are recently deceased:  Fr James Mallon, Danilo Aragon and Brigida Geronimo.   Pray for those whose anniversaries occur at this time:  Rosemary Woollen, Edwin Micallef, Mary Catherine Maconachy. Caritas Advent Giving This Advent we will be participating in the Caritas Advent Giving programme which will raise food supplies for our local White City Food Bank, run by the Catholic parish in White City, serving a wide range of vulnerable families. The Food Bank feeds 100 households per week so donations are crucial to keeping it supplied. It is especially important at this time of year, as the cold weather sets in.   The Ask? Tinned & dry food, cereals, nappies (size 4 upwards), toiletries. No fresh food, medication or open/out of date items.   Boxes will be available in the Church to store and secure items after Mass at the weekend and during the week. Thank you for your support in this initiative, and the help it provides to so many vulnerable families. I know God will bless our generosity.   Suzanne Williams (Our Lady of Victories Caritas Representative) Spiritual Abuse Resources Archbishop Justin Welby’s resignation last week highlights the impact on all those who are survivors of abuse or affected by it. This situation shows the profound impact of spiritual abuse within church settings and the critical importance of protecting vulnerable individuals. For those wrestling with these events or their own experiences of spiritual abuse, we can recommend the following resources: www.ourladyofvictories.net/links Students’ Pilgrimage to Rome: 23rd-28th February 2025 Canon Peter Newby will lead this students’ pilgrimage to Rome, staying in Palazzola, flights with BA. Cost: £700 (travel & half-board). For more information, please contact Grazia Hazell: [email protected]  Assisted Suicide Bill Statement from the Bishops of England, Wales, and Scotland The Catholic Bishops of England, Wales and Scotland have issued a statement on Assisted Suicide ahead of the Second Reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. Available here. Do No Harm is a short documentary which highlights some of the grave concerns around proposals to legalise assisted suicide in the UK and Scottish Parliaments. The documentary, which features Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Bishop John Keenan, Dr Gillian Wright, Lord David Alton, and Professor David Albert Jones, gathers together experts from the medical and palliative care professions, alongside prominent politicians, ethics experts and religious leaders, to construct a unified voice of unease. It spotlights key concerns around preserving human dignity and protections for vulnerable groups, and challenges the robustness of tabled safeguards in the UK legislation, by citing the experience of other jurisdictions which quickly eased access and expanded eligibility. The Guild's Advent Lecture | The Church at Work Fr Nicholas Crowe OP will explore the Church's mission as a personal responsibility for all baptised Christians, addressing how transformation begins within, through a renewal of the mind and a connection between intellect and will.‍ Fri, 7th Dec at 7pm. Cheese & Wine. St Patrick's Catholic Church, Soho Square, London Tickets (£12) available at www.guild-ransom.co.uk BEWARE - SCAM EMAILS! Do not open any email ending “gmail.com” claiming to be from one of the priests of the parish, it will almost certainly be a scam! Genuine clergy emails always end with “rcdow.org.uk” - spread the word!  Young Adults ADVENT RETREAT DAY with the Assumption Sisters on Saturday 7th December 2024 10am – 6pm. Venue: Milleret House, 20 Kensington Square, London, W8 5HH (closest tube station: High Street Kensington). Programme: including talks • prayer, adoration and confessions • faith sharing • mass and social time. Donations only. Register by emailing to: [email protected] Catholic Children’s Society Christmas Gift Appeal The Catholic Children’s Society is appealing for Christmas Gifts for local children and families facing a Christmas without presents, food or basic essentials. Note: Only brand new gifts and we are not able to collect gifts. Please bring your gifts to the parish office before Sunday 24 November 2024. Please see poster here for more details or visit www.cathchild.org.uk Pauline Books and Media The bookshop will be open from 9.30am to 12.30pm on Friday and Sunday.   The contact number is 07561 456074. Young Married Couples Group Are you a young married couple seeking to build friendships and desiring to connect with other young married couples? Well, a young married couples group is present in our parish. The purpose of the group is to offer support and foster friendship and connection among the many young married couples present in our parish. The ideal age range of the group is under 40. The group meets every month to socialize and foster communion and support. Among the different activities offered are meals together, trips out, games nights and social exercises. If you’re interested in attending, please email Steve and Annie Caprio at [email protected]. You can also join our Whatsapp group using the QR code below: Young Adult Group This is a group for people in their 20s and 30s and aims to build a community in the parish. More events will be coming soon. If there are any questions, please send us an email at: [email protected] or join our WhatsApp group using the QR code:  Welcome to all our Parishioners If you are new to the parish, please come and say hello and complete the parishioner registration form which can be found on our website:  https://www.ourladyofvictories.net/support.html Here you can also find further information on all our parish activities. 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 are live-streamed from our website.    Eucharistic Adoration and Confession On Wednesdays, after the 10am Mass, there is Eucharistic Adoration. This is an opportunity to spend some time in prayer before the exposed Blessed Sacrament. A priest will be available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation from 10.30 to 11.15am. Adoration concludes at Noon with the prayer of the Angelus. Confession also available every Saturday from 5 to 5.45 pm. Parish Team: Fr Nigel Woollen (Parish Priest) Fr Francis Thomas (Assistant Priest) Rev. Paul Hewitt (Permanent Deacon)  Sr Maureen McNamara rsm (Sacramental Programmes) Mrs Rachel Mulira (Parish Secretary) Our Lady of Victories 16 Abingdon Road London W8 6AF 020 7937 4778  [email protected] Support our Parish Financially here