Parish News

It is wise to write a Will so that the resources you have when the time comes for you to leave this world, goes to the people and organisations you wish. May I suggest that you might consider leaving a Bequest in your will to our parish or to our diocese or to our priest as well as to other causes. A gift in your will can enable us to continue to help people to know the Lord Jesus and his saving love. What a wonderful legacy you would be leaving behind.

For this month of March our essential Parish expenses will be little short of £5,000.00 That is: £1,440.00 Monthly diocesan levy; £750.00 Repairs to Drains; £180 Health and Safety Boiler checks; plus Council Tax, Insurance for Church, Cafe, Cottage, Presbytery, Heat, Light, Petrol, House-Keeping etc etc.  I’m afraid our weekly Sunday Offertory Collection, in church, via Bank Order, via Card Reader, of about £650 in total, is falling short of what is needed to pay our bills! Please may I ask you to consider increasing your already generous giving. I’m afraid £5 is not enough! Please consider doubling what you give and please no more coins in the church collection plate! We live in a relatively affluent community - I hope I am not asking too much of you. Forgive me if I am but if you can support your parish better, please do so. Many thanks.

We are drawing near to the most important week in the year for all Christians. Please plan your time around the invitation of our Saviour to put him first before everything else, especially during Holy Week. Here are the times you will need to know: Palm Sunday 12/13 April : The normal times of our weekly 3 Sunday holy Masses - 5pm, 9.00am, 11.00am Tuesday of Holy Week 15 April : Penance Service and individual Reconciliation 6.00pm Mass of the Chrism in the Cathedral 16 April : 11.30am Please join me. We can travel together MAUNDY THURSDAY 17 April : 8.00pm Holy Mass of the Lord’s Supper and ‘Watching’ at the Altar of Repose until midnight GOOD FRIDAY 18 April: Ecumenical Walk of Witness 11.45am Liturgy of the Passion 3.00pm Stations of the Cross: 6.00pm HOLY SATURDAY/ EASTER 19 April : Easter Vigil and first holy Mass of Easter 8.30pm EASTER SUNDAY 20 April: Ecumenical outside Dawn Service - around 5.30am 2nd holy Mass of Easter 9.00am 3rd holy Mass of Easter 11.00am

Tuesday 15th April at 6.00pm

May I ask all our Eucharistic Ministers to please join me on Saturday 12th April from 10.00am until 11.45am for a short period of prayer and reflection on this very sacred ministry. Please may I invite these women and men, chosen by the Lord, to renew their acceptance of this priceless, awesome role, on the evening of Maundy Thursday, during the holy Mass of the Lord’s Supper. Please join me in our church for half an hour of silent prayer before the Blessed Sacrament at 10.00am and then from 10.30 in our Cafe for a time of reflection together.

MARCH 2025 29/30 : 5pm David; 9am Marian; 11am Angela, Phil, Margaret(H) APRIL 2025 6/7: 5pm Simone; 9am Mary; 11am Carolyn, Jim, Lisa(H) 5/6 5pm Simone; 9am Mary; 11am Carolyn, Jim, Lisa (H) 12/13 Palm Sunday: 5pm John; 9am Gabriella; 11am Leslie, Paul, Linda (H) 17 Maundy Thursday: 8.00pm Maggie, Lorenza, Lizzie 18 Good Friday: Paul 19/20 EASTER: 8.30pm Ross, Patricia, Marian; 9.00am Angela; 11amPhil, Margaret, Mary(H) 26/27 : 5pm Simone; 9am Lisa; 11am Carolyn, Jim, John(H) Thank you to our wonderful Ministers of the Eucharist who have accepted the Lord’s invitation to this awesome, sacred ministry, by their willingness to give up their own plans and convenience in order to do God’s will rather than their own. Let us pray for them because they too fight the same personal weaknesses we all have to fight against and they too have to fight the same temptations we all have to fight. God be with them.

Tue 25 Mar: Richard Wed 26 Mar: Collette Fri 28 Mar: Maggie

Before ‘Covid’ struck. We had a wonderful group of individuals whose ministry was to be in the porch of the church and there to greet and welcome people arriving to celebrate the Sunday holy Masses. I hope we can revive that ministry. Please let me know if you could do this. All it means is to arrive in the church a little early. Please note that this will be a ministry only for people who are not yet actively involved in our parish.

Our pilgrimage gets closer! Our Travel Director, Adrian will visit us on Sunday 6th April and we can meet with him in our Cafe, after the 11.00am holy Mass. May I ask all our pilgrims to come to this meeting. Adrian will be able to give us final instructions and information and answer all our questions and probably let us have our Aircraft Boarding Cards.