First Sunday of Advent (Year C)

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Advent: A Season of Expectant Joy As we enter the holy season of Advent, we are reminded of its beautiful twofold character. It is a time of preparation, a season of devout anticipation and delight, as we recall the First Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ at Christmas. In the quiet of the manger, the Son of God came to dwell among us, bringing hope, peace, and salvation. But Advent also calls us to lift our eyes beyond the present, to the promise of Christ's Second Coming. Through prayer, reflection, and acts of charity through our Advent Giving to the homeless and vulnerable families, we prepare our hearts to welcome Him anew—not just as the infant of Bethlehem, but as the King of Glory who will come at the end of time. I pray that this Advent be a time of joyous waiting, where every candle lit, every prayer spoken, and every act of kindness becomes a sign of our hope in Him who is, who was, and who is to come. Together, we journey through this Advent Season with hearts full of faith and expectation, preparing to celebrate the gift of Emmanuel—God with us. May this sacred season be a blessing for each of us and a special time for our families and loved ones to draw nearer to Christ, our newborn King. Deacon Paul Congratulations to Nathan who was baptised on 23rd November and to Sam and Josh who were baptised on 24th November. May the living waters of the life of Christ inspire your faith, increase your hope, and give fervour to your love. Please pray for those who are sick: Fergus Duffy, Pilar Chester, Duncan Taylor, Canice Carson, Laetitia Smith, James Langan, Theresa Chee and Pamela Faber.   Please pray for those who are recently deceased:  Margaret Conroy, Fr James Mallon and John Eastwood.   Pray for those whose anniversaries occur at this time:  Peter Johnson, Antonio Geronimo and Patrick Bennett. Statement on Second Reading of Assisted Suicide Bill Following the decision of MPs to vote in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill at the Second Reading today (29 November), Bishop John Sherrington, Lead Bishop for Life Issues, said: “We are disappointed that MPs have voted in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill progressing through parliament. We believe that this bill is flawed in principle and also contains particular clauses that are of concern. We ask the Catholic community to pray that members of parliament will have the wisdom to reject this bill at a later stage in its progress. “In addition to being opposed to the principle of assisted suicide, we are particularly concerned with clauses in the bill that prevent doctors from properly exercising conscientious objection, provide inadequate protection to hospices and care homes that do not wish to participate in assisted suicide and allow doctors to initiate conversations about assisted suicide. We ask that these voices be heard in the next stages of the Bill to strengthen the deep concerns about this proposed legislation. “We have expressed the view, during this debate, that genuine compassion involves walking with those who need care, especially during sickness, disability and old age. The vocation to care is at the heart of the lives of so many people who look after their loved ones and is the sign of a truly compassionate society. It is essential that we nurture and renew the innate call that many people have to compassionately care for others. “It remains the case that improving the quality and availability of palliative care offers the best pathway to reducing suffering at the end of life. We will continue to advocate for this and support those who work tirelessly to care for the dying in our hospices, hospitals and care homes.” 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 [[email protected]] (Our Lady of Victories Caritas Representative) Santo Niño Feast Day - Sunday 19th January 2025 The first Santo Nino planning meeting will be held this Sunday 1st December after the 12 noon Mass. For those wishing to donate or contribute food or other items please contact Carmen on 07440 345468 or email: [email protected] 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 A Christmas Celebration in Westminster Cathedral Tickets are on sale for the annual Christmas concerts performed by the world-famous Westminster Cathedral Choir, orchestra, and celebrity readers, on 18 and 19 December at 7.30pm. Tickets can be purchased from the Cathedral Gift Shop or directly from Ticketmaster; go to www.ticketmaster.co.uk and type in Westminster Cathedral when prompted. Admissions Consultation Our Lady of Victories Catholic Primary School governing body is consulting on changes to the admission arrangements for entry in 2026/2027.  The following changes are proposed: · Removal of the requirement for Baptised Catholic Children to submit a Certificate of Catholic Practice · Addition of an oversubscription criteria which prioritises siblings of all Catholic children at time of enrolment · Change in subcategories from children of current teaching staff, to current members of staff The purpose of these changes is to simplify our admission arrangements.  We welcome your views and those of the community on these changes and will take them into consideration when determining the arrangements for admission. Click here to read the proposed arrangements and here to comment on the changes.  The consultation period runs from Tuesday 26th November to Monday 6th January. 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] 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