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Welcome:



  • THE PARISH PRIEST WRITES:

      Dear parishioner

      Today’s Mass: THE FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT (B)

      As we enter the 5th Sunday of Lent, it’s important to remember a tradition that once marked this day as Passion Sunday, initiating the period known as Passion Tide. This time, leading us deeper into the mysteries of our faith, was historically a moment to begin a more intense reflection on Jesus’s Passion the ultimate demonstration of his love for us. This is vividly symbolised in our practice of veiling crosses and statues in our churches. This tradition, dating back centuries, is not merely about changing the decor of our sacred spaces. Instead, it’s a profound invitation for us to shift our gaze inward, to the core of our spiritual journey. It serves to strip away the familiarity of our sacred images, encouraging us to contemplate the depth of Christ’s sacrifice with fresh eyes and hearts. This act mirrors the journey of Jesus into the desert, inviting us into a desert of our own where we can face ourselves and our relationship with God more starkly.

      This Sunday, let us also keep in mind our Catechumens preparing to join the Catholic faith. For them a special theme of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead (John11:1-45) forms the Third and Final Scrutiny, as our Lord enters the ultimate contrast: from death, he calls forth life.

      As we move through these final weeks of Lent, let us embrace the call to reflection and conversion, preparing our hearts for the mystery of Easter. In doing so, may we find ourselves drawn closer to the heart of our faith, ready to celebrate the resurrection with joy and a renewed spirit.

      NEXT LENTEN TALK on Wednesday 20th March at 7:00 for 7:30pm: Lenten call to create a Kingdom of Justice and Peace by Fr Dominic Robinson SJ - moved form 13th March.

      THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS
      Most Holy Trinity, Otford: Thursdays at 7:30pm
      St Joseph’s, Borough Green: Fridays at 6:00pm
      St Bernadette’s, West Kingsdown: Fridays at 7:30pm
      St Thomas’s, Sevenoaks: Fridays at 8:00pm
      Stations of the Cross for school children at St Thomas’ church on Fridays at 3:30pm.

      DAYTIME STATIONS OF THE CROSS by Pilgrims on Monday 18th March at 12:00noon (last one)

      ALL NIGHT VIGIL at St Thomas’ on Friday 22 March. We would love you to join us on our all night prayer which we will commence with Stations of the Cross at 8:00pm, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, and end with Mass at 6.30am on Saturday. You may not be able to make the whole night, but consider spending an hour or two with our Lord. Maybe come as a family, bring a friend – it is a beautiful way to open up Holy Week. Please contact Deacon Neil on 07394 112514 if you have any queries.

      LENTEN RECONCILIATION SERVICE. Please join us for our Parish Reconciliation Service with individual confessions and visiting priests on Tuesday 26th March at 7:00pm at St Thomas’, Sevenoaks. For us priests, Holy Week is busy with preparation for the Liturgy of the season, as well as our personal Lenten spiritual journey, so please, do not leave your confession to the last minute. Please note that in general the priests will NOT be available for confessions during the Easter Triduum.
      Other special Confession times before Easter:
      Most Holy Trinity, Otford: Wednesday 20th March at 10:30-11.00am
      St Joseph’s, Borough Green: Thursday 21st March at 10:30-11:00am
      St Bernadette’s, West Kingsdown: Friday 22nd March at 10:30-11:00am
      St Thomas’s, Sevenoaks: Monday 25th March at 8:30-9.15am

      THE PASSION OF JESUS on 29 Mar 2024 in Trafalgar Square. A moving open air portrayal of the final days of Jesus. Live performances at 12noon and 3:15pm. Approx 90 minutes, free of charge. See Wintershall

      MOST HOLY TRINITY GARDEN TIDY-UP. Please come and join us at Most Holy Trinity, Otford on Saturday 23rd March from 10:00am -12:00noon. We need lots of helpers to keep our grounds and borders looking good. No gardening skills required and refreshments will be served.

      SVP LENTEN COLLECTION for the Food Bank (loavesNfishes) and for "Friends of the Holy Land". Please save your donations and bring them in to all Masses on Palm Sunday 24th March.

      EASTER FLOWER SECOND COLLECTION on Palm Sunday Weekend, 23rd/24th March in all our churches.

      COUNTERS NEEDED. We are desperate for more volunteers for counting and completing the weekly spreadsheet. This ministry is crucial for the flow of the parish. It requires a couple of hours every few weeks. We will provide the necessary training and assistance. Please speak to Fr Peter or Andy Hicks (usually Monday mornings at the Parish Office).

      LISTENING TO YOU - Monday, 18th March - 10.30-Midday. Do come along if you would like a quiet, confidential space to talk and be listened to. There is no need to let us know that you are coming. We will always have coffee and biscuits ready for you. While the parish room is being refurbished, we are meeting in the Presbytery from 10.30 to midday.

      PARISH FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Parish Finance Committee will meet on Thursday 21st March at 7.30pm in the Presbytery.

      CONFIRMATION 2024. Attention all those currently in Year 7 or above: Registration for this year’s Confirmation Programme is now open.  Please register online at sevrcparish.org.uk. A welcome meeting for parents, candidates and catechists will be held on Wednesday 22nd May 2024 from 7:30pm-9:00pm in St Thomas’ church. Closing date for registration: Tuesday 30th April 2024.

      WALKING PILGRIMAGE TO CANTERBURY. On Saturday 6th of April Br David and Margaret Briggs will guide a group on the first stage from Otford to Wrotham. Each month the group will be taken on subsequent stages (2nd Stage - Wrotham to Halling -  25th of May) ending in Canterbury later this year. If you have ever dreamed of walking the Camino or are simply curious about pilgrimage in general then please consider joining. The group is open to everyone and will start and end at a local train station for ease of transport.  There is no charge to join however we would advise purchasing a Pilgrim Passport for £5 (which we will be able to provide)to record your journey and gain free entry into Canterbury Cathedral at the end.  If you would like to sign up or find out more please contact Br. David or 07821 049827

      SAVE THE DATE for THE PARISH SUMMER PARTY on Sunday 7th July 2024 at 12:30pm in the Presbytery Garden.
      Join us for an incredible social gathering that brings together young and old, families, and retirees from Sevenoaks, Otford, Borough Green, and West Kingsdown. Entry is free! Enjoy a BBQ with plenty of food and drinks provided. The event will feature many attractions, including a performance by St. Thomas’ Primary School Choir, a variety of stalls from popular Bottle and Toy stalls to other Parish group offerings, and a raffle to raise funds for the Parish. We promise great fun and a wonderfully enjoyable atmosphere. If you have any ideas to make this event even better, please contact Fr Piotr or Ben Andradi.

      LENTEN TALKS 2024 The first two talks may now be viewed online here 2024 Talks. For those that found the second talk by Fr Lawrence Lew O.P. a little challenging, the text of this may be found Click To View here. This does not include the questions and answers after the talk.

      CHILDREN’S LITURGY Workshop Day organized by the Agency for Evangelisation and Catechesis of the Archdiocese of Southwark. The event is scheduled for Saturday, 27 April 2024 in St Thomas’ Parish Centre.  Participants will have the opportunity to share the joy of this ministry, be formed, and gain valuable insights. Booking required. More details on the Poster & the QR code.

      St Thomas of Canterbury, pray for us.
      St Joseph, pray for us.
      St Bernadette, pray for us.
      St Edith of Kemsing, pray for us.

      Fr. Peter.

      Fr Peter Kucharski, Parish Priest of Sevenoaks
      12 Granville RoadOffice
      Sevenoaks01732 454177
      TN13 1ER



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