Newsletter – Sunday 14th December 2025

3rd Sunday of Advent – Gaudete Sunday
St Ann’s Catholic Church, Kingston Hill, KT2 7LX

A Message from Father James

This weekend we celebrate Gaudete – Rejoicing Sunday, reminding us that “the Lord is near.” As Christmas approaches and families begin their travels, may the joy of the Lord bring hope – a place of solace – to every home.

Last Sunday we witnessed wonderful warmth in our parish. Visitors commented on your hospitality and spirit of community. Thank you for representing St Ann’s so beautifully.

Christmas Offering – Envelopes Available

Christmas offering envelopes are now available at the back of the church.
Priests in the Southwark Archdiocese do not receive a salary, only £148 monthly remuneration, Mass stipends, and stole fees.

Christmas and Easter are the only times personal offerings may be received.
This year, most of my offering will go to support the completion of my village primary school building.
This is not an appeal — simply to share how your generosity will be used.

https://givealittle.co/c/0ae77741-9f31-46c0-b243-f7d9c0640542

Bank Details:
Account Name: RCAS Kingston Hill
Account Number: 79124429
Sort Code: 60-50-01
Bank: NatWest
Reference: Christmas Offering

Pre-Christmas Church Cleaning – Today

After the 10.30 am Sunday Mass, we will have a cleaning session in the church, hall, and sacristy.
All volunteers are welcome.

Christmas Lights & Mayor’s Visit

Our Christmas Lights event was a joyful gathering of neighbours, friends, and guests from many communities.

We also welcomed the Mayor, Cllr Noel Hadjimichael, and the Deputy Mayor, Cllr Sue Ansari, during their visit to our 60+ Group on Wednesday. They enjoyed the activities, refreshments, and warm hospitality of our parish.

Holy Cross School – Carol Visit

We were delighted to welcome the children of Holy Cross School for their beautiful carol singing. Their joyful music brought the spirit of Christmas alive in our parish.
Thank you to the children, staff, and families.

Kids’ Announcements

Crib Competition – 22nd December 2025

Children are invited to send crib photos or videos by 21st December.
The rolling trophy will be awarded again this year.

Nativity Play – 24th December 2025 at 5.00 pm

The Nativity Play will take place during the Children’s Mass.
Two practice sessions will be held. All children are welcome to participate.

Christmas at St Ann’s – Mass Schedule

24 December – Christmas Eve
• 5.00 pm – Children’s Mass (Gospel Nativity Play)
• 7.30 pm – Christmas Vigil Mass (Carols at 7.00 pm)

25 December – Christmas Day
• 10.30 am – Christmas Day Mass

Tea & Coffee After Sunday Mass

All are welcome to the hall after Mass for refreshments and fellowship.
Children can enjoy the Kids’ Corner.

Stay Connected

For parish updates, weekly homilies, and upcoming events, visit: www.stannskingstonhill.org.uk

HOMILY – THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT (GAUDETE / REJOICING SUNDAY)

My dear friends,

Today is the Rejoicing Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent, when the Church invites us to lift up our hearts because “the Lord is near.” We are inching closer to Christmas. Today, let us reflect on the Gospel, where Jesus teaches us about humility and real maturity.

John the Baptist is the forerunner of Jesus. He prepared the way, and he is the one who pointed towards the Messiah. But nothing in the Gospel is magical or automatic. God does not operate everything like a puppet show. God works through ordinary, regular human processes. And John, being the forerunner, still sends his disciples to Jesus with the question: “Are you the one who is to come?”

John is convinced in his heart that Jesus is the Messiah — but he is forming his followers. He wants them to see Jesus, to encounter Him, to hear from Him. And that is the surprise: even John’s disciples, like the Pharisees and Sadducees before, come with curiosity — “Are you the one?” But unlike those groups who asked for signs with arrogance, here Jesus responds simply.

Jesus does not say, “Yes, I am the one.”
He does not show off.
He does not go for anything royal or dramatic.

He simply says, “Come and see.”
Come and see the blind seeing,
the lame walking,
the lepers cleansed,
the deaf hearing,
the dead raised,
and the poor being comforted.

Two aspects stand out.

Where Jesus is, there is joy.
Where the Messiah is present, infirmities turn into rejoicing. Real transformation happens.

And the other aspect is this: Jesus shows humility. He does not need to prove anything. His works speak. His life speaks. That is maturity.

Now let me bring you into that little Indian story — a story of movement, of curiosity, of growth — the rooster preparing for the royal cockfight.

A king, eager to win the great cockfight of the region, took his finest rooster to a sage living in a quiet forest ashram. He said, “Train this rooster. Make it the best.” The sage accepted it quietly.

After one week, the king returned with curiosity. He saw the rooster restless, making noise, flapping its wings, disturbing every bird around. It looked energetic, fierce, loud.

The king smiled, thinking, “Ah, now it is ready.”

But the sage looked at the rooster, then at the king, and said gently, “Not yet.”

The king went back, slightly puzzled.

Another week passed.

The king returned again, even more eager. This time, the rooster was stronger, jumping higher, pecking harder, attacking anything that moved. It looked powerful, alert, dominating.

The king said, “Surely now it is ready!”

But once again the sage said, “Not yet.”

The king left even more confused.

On the third visit, the king came with great expectation.
He found the rooster standing completely still.
Silent.
Calm.
Unmoved by noise, unmoved by movement, unmoved even by the king’s presence.
It stood like a mountain — collected, centred, grounded.

The king was shocked.
“This?” he asked. “This quiet bird? How can this be ready now, when earlier it looked so powerful?”

And the sage said gently:

“Earlier, it was reacting to everything.
Earlier, it was trying to prove itself.
Earlier, it wanted the world to see its strength.

Now it has become master of itself.
Now nothing from outside can shake it.
Now it knows its strength —
and therefore it does not need to show it.”

My dear friends, the story ends there — but its meaning begins here.
The sage was not only preparing a rooster; he was teaching the king about life.
True strength is never noisy.
True maturity does not need to prove anything.
When your centre is strong, the outside world no longer controls you.

And this is exactly how Jesus stands in today’s Gospel —
silent strength, deep assurance, no noise.
His works speak. His presence speaks.

My dear friends, this is the lesson for us on this Rejoicing Sunday.
Rejoice — because Christ is near.
Rejoice — because in humility, God works.
Rejoice — because joy is always connected with inner silence.

When you feel joy erupting within you, when your heart finds peace even in winter, when you look at Christmas and feel something warm rising — that is God speaking from within.

Joy is the presence of God. And where God is, fear goes away.

Let this Sunday remind us:
Silent joy is the deepest joy.
Silent strength is the real strength.
Silent maturity is the true maturity.

May the Lord bring this joy into your heart. Amen.