PILGRIMAGE 2025, THE HOLY YEAR: ROME, ASSISI AND SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO

PALM SUNDAY Sat 12 April: 5.00pm Readings/Bidding Prayers Phil Passion Paul(Narrator), Patricia(People) Sun 13 April: 9.00am Readings/Bidding Prayers Chinwe. Passion Gerry(Narrator), Lorenza(People) 11.00am Readings/Bidding Prayers Claire Passion Jim(Narrator), Mutsa(People) MAUNDY THURSDAY Thu 17 April: 8.00pm First Reading Lisa. Second Reading/Bidding Prayers Marian GOOD FRIDAY Fri 18 April 3.00pm Readings Gerry. Passion Paul(Narrator). Jim(People) EASTER Sat 19 April 8.30pm Reading 1 Lorenza; Reading 3 Lisa; Reading 5 Lizzie; Reading 7 Paul New Testament Reading/Bidding Prayers Jim Sun 20 April 9.00am 1st Reading Gerry; 2nd Reading/Bidding Prayers Collette 11.00am 1st Reading Chinwe; 2nd Reading/Bidding Prayers Patricia

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

Thank you so much to everyone who bakes cakes or provides cakes for our Cafe. If you are not yet actively involved in our parish, this would be an excellent way of doing so. I could tell you all about it. Our Cafe is presently open on Tuesdays from 10.30am until 12.00midday, on Wednesdays from 12.15pm until 1.15pm, on Saturdays from 11.00am until 12.30pm and on Sundays following 11.00am holy Mass until 1.30pm. Thank you to our Gardening Group who have kindly offered to provide cakes for Tuesday and Wednesday, each week. That means we only need cakes for Saturdays and Sundays each week. Thank you to the wonderful folks who already provide us with cakes. Please join them. Let me know. Many thanks.

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.

Thu 3rd Apr: John Fri 4th Apr: David

Please pop that date in your diary and come to the Jubilee celebrations on the 7th June . We are celebrating the 175th anniversary of the creation of the diocese of Southwark and the 60th anniversary of Southwark becoming an Archdiocese, following centuries of being unable to publicly live out our Catholic Faith. The celebrations at The Friars will feature Music, Teaching, Prayer, Fellowship and will conclude with holy Mass.

I have invited our friends from other Christian Churches in Sanderstead to join us for our next Adult Formation meetings during the Season of Lent. Each meeting is at our usual time of 12.00midday for 1 hour. The themes of this series of meetings will be: 22 March Prayer and how to pray led by Fr Malachy 29 March Fasting, led by Mrs Leck 12 April Almsgiving, led by Rev Graham

A traditional devotion during Lent is to meditate on the final hours of Jesus. The ‘Stations of the Cross’ are a blessed way of doing this. Each Friday we will use a different set of meditations to reflect together on the enormous love of the Lord for us. Please do come and pray this beautiful prayer with me.

DURING THE 11.00AM HOLY MASS I am hoping that soon we will be able to offer our children attending Primary schools, an opportunity to celebrate the first part of the 11.00am Sunday holy Mass in their own special way, with the help of our Catechists. The children will be invited at the beginning of the 11.00am Sunday holy Mass, to join the Catechists in the sacristy of the church. There, they will be able to do interesting things like drawing and colouring pictures that illustrate the Gospel Reading of holy Mass as well as much more too, like games and generally having fun while learning about their Faith. Then, at the Offertory of the Mass, they will leave the sacristy with their Catechists, and come into the main body of the church, to show me and the congregation the beautiful work they have done. We will adorn the church with their pictures. After that, they return to their families in the church for the second and final part of the holy Mass. This will be far better for the children than just being at the back of the church playing games and being bored with what is happening. The Liturgy of the Word for Children will be much more suited to their needs and help them to know the holy Mass and God’s Word far better. Please note that this will be for all our Primary school children. I believe the children will really enjoy what we will be offering them. Dear Parents, please let me know the names and ages of your children so that we can begin to prepare this time for them during every 11.00am Sunday holy Mass.