Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

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Candlemas: Feast of the Presentation of the Lord 2nd February This Sunday, we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, also known as Candlemas. It recalls the moment when Mary and Joseph, in obedience to Jewish law, brought the infant Jesus to the Temple. Their humble act of faithfulness highlights Mary’s central role in salvation history. Mary’s obedience to the law, despite her unique role as the Mother of God, reveals her humility and trust in God’s plan. Mary submits herself and her Son Jesus to the covenantal practices, offering a model of discipleship for all of us, marked by surrender, obedience and faith. In the Temple, Simeon recognises Jesus as “a light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of Israel.” Yet his prophecy to Mary foreshadows the suffering to come: “A sword will pierce your own soul too.” This moment reminds us that discipleship often requires sacrifice. Mary’s journey, from the joy of the Nativity to the sorrow of the Cross, exemplifies perseverance and trust in God. Candlemas is also associated with light, symbolising Christ as the “Light of the World.” On this day, we bless candles that remind us of our call to carry His light into the darkness of the world. As we reflect on this feast, let us follow Mary’s example by presenting Christ to the world through our words, actions, and lives. May we, like Mary our Mother, bring His light to all we meet in the coming week.   In Christ, Deacon Paul   Please pray for those who are sick: Megan Kemirembe, Claire Godinho, Eunice Van Vurren, Canice Carson, Laetitia Smith, James Langan, Theresa Chee and Kimberley Collins.   Please pray for those who are recently deceased:  Fr John Buckley, Caroline Eyre, Margaret Smith and Ogugua Nneke.   Please pray for those whose anniversaries occur at this time:  Virginia Arendt, Ezio Bertossi, John Latham, Anne Rowell, Temilola Josephine Odunoye, Leslie Meadway and Javier Zurita.     We have to talk about... Dogs     After much reflection and consultation, I’ve decided that from now on, dogs and other animals (except guide dogs) will no longer be permitted to enter Our Lady of Victories’ Church. This decision may upset some parishioners. However, it is clear that their presence disturbs other worshippers, distracting them both from Mass and private prayer. Pets are of course most welcome to follow all services from home via the webcam. Thank you for your cooperation.                                          Fr Nigel Annual Mass of Our Lady of Lourdes On Saturday 8th February at 2.30pm the Cardinal will celebrate the annual Mass of Our Lady of Lourdes in the Cathedral which will include Anointing of the sick. To attend, please contact the parish office on 020 7937 4778 or email: [email protected]     Church Cleaning Make the house of God a place worthy of our worship - church cleaners are needed on Saturdays: 9am onwards. To volunteer contact the parish office on 0207 937 4778 or [email protected] Flame 2025 - Saturday 15th March 2025 - OVO Arena Wembley A day gathering of 1000s of young Catholics aged from 14 – 21, with live music, talks, adoration and worship. More information on the special guests and music artists here: https://cymfed.org.uk/flame/ We have 10 tickets remaining, contact Fr Francis for more information: [email protected] Jubilee Companion Booklet  Copies of the Jubilee Year Companion Booklet have been a big success, all gone! We hope to have more soon. They are free, even though labelled with a price. Parish Pilgrimage to Walsingham – Jubilee Celebration: 7th June 2025 Mark your diaries for Saturday, 7th June 2025, as our parish embarks on a special day-pilgrimage to Walsingham, the ancient National Shrine lovingly known as “England’s Nazareth”.           This pilgrimage is a unique opportunity to celebrate the Holy Year Jubilee proclaimed by Pope Francis, a time of renewal, grace, and deepened faith. Please register your interest with the parish office as soon as possible but expect an early start from 7.30 am. Pilgrimage Walk of Hope The Jubilee Year offers a unique opportunity to take part in the Pilgrimage Walk of Hope during the first two weeks in September culminating in St Barnabus’ Cathedral in  Nottingham on the Feast of the Holy Cross on 14th Sept. The route from London to Nottingham is approximately 176 miles over two weeks which is an average of 12 miles per day and will take in the beautiful village of Abbotts Langley where Nicholas Brakespear was born. If you are interested to take part, you can find more information on the website. Catholic Networking Dinner Event – Monday, 10 February 2025, 6:30 PM - East India Club Catholic professionals are warmly invited to a distinguished networking dinner at the East India Club on Monday, 10 February 2025, starting at 6:30 PM. The evening features speeches from the Right Worshipful Lord Mayor of Westminster and Bishop David Waller of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, offering valuable perspectives on leadership in civic and ecclesiastical life. Hosted by the London Charterhouse Catenians, the event includes a three-course meal, wine, coffee, and mints. Cost: £75. Please email [email protected] to reserve your place. Richard Rivas President - London Charterhouse Circle https://sites.google.com/view/catenians Pauline Books and Media The bookshop will be open from 9.30am to 12.30pm on Friday and Sundays.  The shop will reopen on Friday on Jan 18th.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.  Please note: the sanctuary and first five pews are livestreamed 24/7. All the celebrations of Mass are recorded. The recordings are kept securely for 28days, after which they are deleted.   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 with Benediction and the Angelus at Noon. 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