Dear Brothers & Sisters
Today begins the joyful season of Advent a time of prayerful longing for the coming of our saviour. Fr.Jan Novotnk who spoke to us at start of Lent on Synod, will speak to us again at all Masses today. Please join us in the hall afterwards for a chat.
A big thanks to all our parish volunteers, musicians, Fr Jan & SCJ Community who gathered in the hall last night to celebrate the gift of service. Fr.Jan blessed the new lectionaries, in use from today onwards.
Jubilee Year 2025 also begins today. A Jubilee Prayer booklet is there for everyone in the Narthex, and the Jubilee prayer will be read by Readers before each Mass. We thank God for all our Readers who all year proclaim the Word of God. We ask them to renew their calling on December 8 (next Sunday) at their usual Sunday mass.
Pope Francis wrote to the whole world in October on the Sacred Heart of Jesus. So Fr.Austin will share this message Thursdays of Advent, beginning 7.30pm December 5 in the Friary Lounge. Format is 45 minutes presentation followed by 15 mins prayer of the heart. All are welcome.
Welcome the Newborn King our annual home-based Advent prayer service will be on December 11 at 7.30pm in homes around the parish. We seek a few new volunteers to host this family-friendly service. Please speak to me or call office if you can host.
Welcome today to Advent Service 4.00pm! The annual ecumenical Advent Service is this afternoon 4pm at Langley Senior School led this year by Olton Baptist Church. The timing was arranged so as not to clash with our evening mass. All are welcome.
We ask Mary our mother, dedicated to God’s service, to look upon all her children today with love and compassion, in a world longing for peace & healing.
Fr.Biju scj Parish Priest
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SCJ News: Yopougon, Ivory Coast Nov. 22
Mrs Malan Tanoh Renée 74 mother of Bro. Aurélien Émeric SCJ of the community of Saint-Palais, died on 21 November. Many will remember Bro.Aurelien from his time here at The Friary earlier this year and will want to offer prayers for his dear mother.
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FRIARY SNIPPETS
CWL Monthly meeting Thurs. 5 December 2pm, Christmas party. NB early this month!
Companions of Betharram gathering 6pm Thursday 5 December at 6pm to celebrate Advent. New joiner? Come along & see.
Solihull Choral Society Saturday 7 Dec 7.30pm Olton Friary Church: A traditional candlelit Christmas concert with seasonal favourites & Chilcott’s On Christmas Night
With choristers from St Alphege Church, & Anna Chester from Young Chorister of the Year 2024, conducted by David Rice.
Parish Christmas Calendar – please collect copies of the Christmas dates leaflet in the Narthex. Churches Together Christmas card also available.
2025 Parish Diaries are available for £1.
Winter events coming up
* Polar Express Movie Night Fri 6 Dec 6.00
Also on Fri 13 Dec 6.00 Film night for all in
our parish hall. Includes hot chocolate &
cookies, & Father Christmas!
Tickets £5 Call Jennie or Steve 705 1737
Or speak to Emma at OLC school.
* Parish & School Christmas Fayre Sat Dec 7
12-3pm. donations needed.. Surplus gifts,
Sweets, chocolate, bottles, quality teddies
* Children’s Christmas Craft Group after 9am Mass in the hall, Sunday 8th Dec
* Parish Carol Service Sat 14 Dec
* Inter-Church Carol singing Thurs 19 Dec
outside Olton Station 4.30-6.00pm
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Marriage matters: FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Jer33:14-16; 1Thess 3:12-4:2; Luke 21:25-28,34-36
Jeremiah’s joy reminds us of the weeks before our wedding, a time when we were deeply aware of our love for one another. Since then, many cares have threatened to divert us from that love and it has sometimes been necessary to make a special effort to share, listen and forgive to keep the star of our love burning brightly.
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Holy family Sunday 29th December 2024 Jubilee Wedding Mass 11.00am. Jubilee in 2024? Mail weddings@oltonfriary.org.uk or call Fr.Biju for special blessing at this Mass.
Big thanks to the secret army of cleaners who keep our church tidy during the year: Week starting December 1 Group A
Please pray for our dead: especially Carole Ann Woolley-funeral 11 Dec 10.30; Althea Midford-Foley, Maureen Treanor (mother of Anita Donnelly) & Jean Sherman +++++ May they rest in peace +++++
Meditation at Holy Souls 9 Dec Meeting 1.00pm Parish meeting room
READERS Commissioning next Sunday-please see Mike Russell or Denise Poole in Sacristy 10 mins before Mass you normally attend.
THE Giving Tree is here…..last call!
Last chance to donate an item as gift to the elderly or family in our Diocese, struggling to provide for the children at Christmas. All gifts by 8 Dec to be distributed via Fr. Hudson’s Care before Christmas.
Welcoming the Newborn King 7.30pm Wednesday 11th December If you could host this celebration (perhaps for friends and neighbours?) please let Fr Biju know or contact Parish Office.
200 Club renewal see poster in narthex with QR code taking you to renewal form.
200 Club November winners: 1st prize £125 Mrs A Caffery (103), 2nd prize £50 Mrs C Nicholson (67), 3rd prize £25 Mrs S Bradley (68)
Blessed are those who mourn: Our bereavement support group meets every month for all seeking support after a loss. All are welcome no matter what kind of loss or how long ago.
* We gather 1st Sunday of the month for prayer, conversation & encouragement of one another as we journey together.
* We are not a counselling group but promise good listening skills, respect for confidentiality and of course a cuppa.
* Next meeting Today 1st December
3.00pm to 4.30 in Friary Lounge
* For info call Bro.Gerard 0121-706-0505 or Noleen Walsh on 0121-706-5184
Memorial Tree Come & share, lifting up memories of loved ones who’ve passed, by giving them a heart on our Christmas mem-orial Tree. Please write the name of your loved one on a heart and we’ll remember them together at Christmas time. Available at back of church after all Sunday masses from Sunday 8th December
New Dean: Archbishop Bernard Longley has appointed Fr Andy Franklin as Dean of our Deanery (Birmingham East and North) which stretches from Dorridge to Sutton Coldfield, then Shirley to Stechford. Congratulations & prayers for Fr Andrew. Deanery is divided into smaller clusters
For this we are grouped with Hall Green Dorridge, Shirley & Solihull.
LAST CALL for Grave Wreaths at Christmas: £10: Order form in Narthex today. All proceeds for the parish. Ready for Dec 8
Grave blessings at Robin Hood 2.00pm today-deferred from last week
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REGULAR ACTIVITIES IN OUR PARISH HALL
Monday Zumba 1.30 - 2.30 & 7 - 8pm
Tuesday Latin & Ballroom Dancing 10.30 -12 noon & 7.30 - 9.30pm. Yoga 5:45 - 7:00pm
Tuesday U3A (2nd Tuesday, monthly)
Wednesday Stroke Club 9am - 1.30pm. Slimming World 2.30 - 8.30
Thursday Zumba 11am - 12 Noon. U3A Quiz (2nd Thursday monthly) Fitness Pilates (term time) 6.30 - 8.30pm
Friday Yoga 10.45am - 12.00 noon
PARISH CENSUS: Please fill in details online or manually. Info? Email:
martin.hayden@oltonfriary.org.uk or call office 0121 706 0505.
https://forms.office.com/e/dHWqGN3HG2
Safeguarding: Our Parish follows correct safeguarding policy & practice at all times. Safeguarding Parish Reps: Carol Foster & Maureen Treanor: sg.oltonfriary.solihull@rcaob.org.uk Diocese Rep: Claire Reay: safeguarding@rcaob.org.uk Call 0121 230 6240 for any concern or query
The Parish operates in accordance with Statutory Safeguarding Guidance and the National and Archdioceses policies & procedures at all times. Our Parish Safeguarding Representative is Carol Foster and Maureen Treanor. They can be contacted at: sg.oltonfriary.solihull@rcaob.org.uk or alternatively the Diocesan Safeguarding team can be contacted on 0121 230 6240
safeguarding@rcaob.org.uk if you have any concern.
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Security Please do not leave any belongings unattended in the benches while receiving Holy Communion as there has been a recent incident.
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PARISH GROUPS—Please check your information posted on the Parish website. Any updates/corrections/alterations, please email the parish office.
SOLIHULL/HEARTLANDS HOSPITAL Please ask hospital Switchboard for on-call Catholic Priest 0121 424 2000, & they will call the duty Priest. Catholic Chaplain at Solihull & Heartlands is Fr Roger Raven. Data Protection law means visit from priest must be actively sought. He doesn't have access to patient files.
CAR PARK - Please be considerate when parking/manoeuvring your car and please note the disabled parking bays are for the use of those with disabled badges, there is no parking in either the Community and Staff designated areas and the front & rear of The Friary Residential block. When parking on a Sunday, please do not park on or drive over the grass adjacent to the gate leading into the graveyard. Only authorised cars to park at other times, by arrangement with the Parish Priest.
HALL BOOKINGS from external groups, particularly regular users are a useful income toward the upkeep of the Church. If access is needed to hall or kitchen during these times, please liaise with the Parish office or Community first.
CREMATION PLOTS (newer area) Following previous notes re- borders & stones barred for H&S danger to graveyard volunteers; please also note that plots are set out in vertical strips, in plots for two. So borders & stones added around memorial tablets are encroaching on the space of a loved one, and should be removed.
GOING TO HOSPITAL -Please let your parish priest know if you’re going into hospital. On admission ask for the Catholic chaplain as Chaplains no longer receive names of Catholic patients unless they opt in.
SECURITY NOTICE - Please ensure Friary doors are kept closed & locked when necessary. If you attend a meeting please make sure that the last one out has secured the outside doors. The front door should not be left on the hook unattended. Besides Church security, the Friary is home to priests & brothers who need to know they are safe.
CHARITY COLLECTION BOXES for SVP and St Basil’s charities are built into the left and right hand sides, at the back of the Church. Built-in boxes can be found in the narthex for St Anthony’s bread (used to help the poor in the local area) and Holy Souls (used for Mass intentions for Holy Souls).
FLOODLIGHT DEDICATION—You are able to have the Church floodlit in memory of someone. A suggested donation is £10 a week, the name of the person in whose memory it is in would appear in the newsletter. Forms are available in narthex, or from parish office.
THE SICK OF OUR PARISH - If your name or the name of a friend or relative was on the parish list of prayers for the sick, and you would like that name to remain on the list, would you please contact the Parish Office on 0121 706 0505. Data protection law obliges us to ensure that you or your friend or family member has consented to being on the list, as it can be seen by many, (e.g. church notice board) and is available for anyone to pick up. We make great efforts to ensure the church abides by new data protection and privacy law.
VISITORS - If you wish to gift aid your offertory donation, white visitor envelopes are available in the narthex.
VEHICLE CRIME ALERT - The neighbourhood Policing Team would like to draw your attention to an increase in vehicle crime in the area. 5 crime reduction tips—ALWAYS close the windows and doors in your vehicle, DON'T leave any valuables on display and where possible do not leave ANY valuables in the vehicle such as Satnavs, Mobile Phones, Wallets, Purses, Bags or iPods, ENSURE your registration plates are fixed using 'anti tamper screws', KEEP your car keys in a safe place in your house.
SAFEGUARDING - In this parish there have been strict guidelines in place for several years for the protection of children and vulnerable persons. Anyone with a concern about safeguarding issues should ring the Diocesan Safeguarding Office on 0121 230 6240.
KEEP YOUR VALUABLES SAFE - Please do not leave bags unattended in Church, even at Communion time. Bags and valuables should not be left on display in cars as this can present a target for thieves.