Stations of the Cross
These will be celebrated in Sacred Heart Church on Fridays at 7.00pm and at Our Lady of Walsingham on Sunday afternoons at 4.00pm. Please note there will be no Stations of the Cross on Palm Sunday.

Important Meeting for Youth
This will take place today at St Philip Howard Hall at 7.30pm to discuss the future of the Youth Club.

Rev. Norman Swinton RIP
On Tuesday 19th March Father Paul and Father Charles will be attending the funeral of the late Rev. Norman Swinton in Fleet. This will affect the Masses said in the parish on that day. There will be a Liturgy of the Word and Communion at the Sacred Heart Church but no Mass in Portchester.

Eucharistic Ministers Roster
The new Roster for the Easter period for the Sacred Heart and St. Philip Howard is available from the back of the church.

Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes 2002
Booking Forms for the 2002 Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes (23 - 30 August) are now available from the Parish Office. The pilgrimage will be under the leadership of Bishop Declan Lang and both air and rail travel options are scheduled. If you are sick and wish to join the pilgrimage please contact Pauline Jackson on 01329 236275. If there is any young person (18 yrs +) who wishes to go to Lourdes as a 'helper' please contact Jane Cadogan on 01329 235987.

Lourdes Cake Stall
The next Cake Stall in aid of funds to send young helpers to Lourdes will take place on the weekend of 23rd and 24th March.
Sacred Heart Hall:
Saturday 23rd March following the 6.30pm Mass.
Sunday 24th March following the 9.30am Mass
Our Lady of Walsingham:
Sunday 24th March following the 10am Mass
St Philip Howard:
Sunday 24th March following the 11am Mass
If you are kindly able to bake a cake for the stall, please phone Pauline Jackson on 01329 236275.

Lourdes Lunch
Thank you to everyone who supported the Lourdes Lunch and to those who generously gave donations to the Lourdes fund. This most enjoyable and successful event raised a profit of £415.00.

Last Chance to enjoy a Lenten Breakfast
Why not break your normal Thursday morning routine and do something different:

Rise early,
Attend 7.00am Mass at the Sacred Heart
Enjoy a hospitable breakfast in the Hall
followed by work, school, college or home.

The final Lenten breakfast will be served in the Sacred Heart Hall following the 7.00am Mass on 21st March. All proceeds to the Parish Lenten Appeal.

Teaching at Oaklands Catholic School and Sixth Form College, Waterlooville
Graduate teachers of Mathematics, English and Art are required for September 2002 to teach children of all abilities up to GCSE and/or 'A' Level. Teachers of Sociology and Psychology (part time considered) at 'A' Level are also required and a Head of Year for September 2002. If you are interested in any of the above vacancies please contact the Headteacher, Mr Chris Whitfield or the Deputy Head, Mr Martin Lewis at the school on 023 9225 9214.

Hosts for Coeliacs
Gluten-free hosts which are suitable for coeliacs are available in the parish. If there is anyone who requires these type of hosts please speak to one of the priests.

Are You New?
Are you new to this parish? If you have recently moved to this area, please fill in our online form, or alternatively one of the "Are You New?" forms to be found at the entrance to the church and return this to Father Paul or Father Chris or to the parish office.

THE UNION
Thought for the Week
Today's Gospel story of the raising of Lazarus from the dead is a kind of capsule summary of the biblical message of salvation which gives us an insight into the vulnerability of Jesus, whilst reassuring us of His power as the Son of God. It tells us that Jesus was truly human: He had emotions, just as we do; He loved, suffered and cried, just as we do; and, because of His humanity, we can relate to Him and He can relate to us. He knows how we feel when we love, suffer and cry, and he will comfort and strengthen us in these moments. It also tells us that Jesus was truly divine, and because of this, He has the power to do for us what no other person on earth can do. If we believe, he can give us the gift of eternal life.

To understand the point of this story, we need to understand that every time John describes a miracle of Jesus, the most important thing for him is not the miracle itself but what it means or signifies. When John refers to a miracle of Jesus, he uses the Greek word semion, which is best translated in English as "sign". The word semion stresses the idea that a miracle is like a flashing red light or a siren going off. The important thing is not the red light or the siren, but what it signifies. Therefore, Jesus' raising his friend to life is not the end of the sign but merely points the way to something else.

The raising of Lazarus, therefore, says in a visual way that which Jesus earlier says to Martha in a verbal way: "I am the resurrection. If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live.." This remarkable promise is made to all of us. In other words, John is telling us that Jesus will do for us something even greater than the miracle he did for Lazarus. Lazarus eventually grew old and died again. Jesus' gift to him was only a temporary gift of earthly life. The real miracle is Jesus' permanent gift to us of eternal life, where there will be no more suffering, no more death, no more grief and no more crying.

Don Percival
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Don Percival who died recently. Please also remember Esme and his family and friends in your prayers.

Lenten Meditations
The series of Lenten Meditations continues this coming Friday 22nd March, beginning at 7.30pm in the Sacred Heart Church. Father Paul will lead the reflection on the beautiful Lenten Gospel: The Raising of Lazarus.

Gift Aid Envelopes
Envelopes for the coming year will be available at the following Mass times:
Sat. 16th March 6.30 p.m. Sacred Heart
Sun. 17th March 9.30 a.m. Sacred Heart
Sun. 17th March 11.00 a.m. St. Philip Howard
Sun. 17th March 6.30 p.m. St. Philip Howard
Sun 24th March 8.30 a.m. Our Lady of Walsingham
Sun 24th March 10.00 am Our Lady of Walsingham
If you have any queries or would like to join the scheme a member of the Finance Committee will be pleased to help.

Get 'Connected' Today!
Do not forget that the Easter issue of 'Connected' is out today - price 50p.

How you can help your Diocese
Are you able to offer some of your time to the Diocese? We are keen to contact anyone with time and skills willing to help the Diocese. You may have secretarial support skills, a background in finance, legal knowledge, experience of handling personnel issues - anything at all. If so, you are welcome to a meeting at Kiln Green near Maidenhead (Sat. 13th April) or in Portsmouth (Sat 20th April) to hear more. For details contact Mgr John Nelson, I Radley Rd, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 3PL, tel. 01235 520375 or e-mail abingdon@portsmouth-dio.org.uk.

Churches Together in Portchester Lent Lunches
Shoppers' Services and Lent Lunches take place every Wednesday in Lent, including Ash Wednesday, at Portchester Methodist Church, Castle Street beginning at 12 noon. Portchester Catholics will be arranging the Service and Lunch on Wednesday 20th March. Proceeds will be shared between CAFOD and Christian Aid. All are welcome.

Sacred Heart Lent Lunches
Lenten lunches (soup and bread) will be served every Friday in Lent at 12.30pm in Sacred Heart Hall, Everyone is welcome to come and support the Parish Lenten Appeal, which is for the locally run charity "Wells for India".

Eucharistic Ministers' Meeting
The Meeting for Eucharistic Ministers will take place on Wednesday 17th April at St. Jude's School Hall beginning at 7.30pm. Canon Alan Griffiths, from the Diocesan Liturgy Committee will be giving a talk.

Loneliness in Fareham
If the appeal for Fareham Good Neighbours volunteers made you think, then perhaps you could befriend an elderly person. Volunteers and clients are matched as far as possible and informal training is given to give you confidence. To find out more, please contact the Parish Office. Thank you.

St. Jude's School P.F.A. 50 : 50 Drawh
Any Parishioners who would like to take part in this draw are most welcome to take out a number - £11 for the year April 2002 to March 2003. Prizes will depend on the number of participants. Cheques should be made payable to St. Jude's P.F.A. - please contact the school office for further information.

St Jude's RC Primary School
Current newsletter here

17th March 2002 5th Sunday in Lent The Year of St Matthew

The Easter Vigil The Easter Vigil will take place at St. Philip Howard Church on Saturday 30th March at 8.30pm. It is the highpoint of the Church's year because it is the central proclamation and celebration of Jesus' resurrection, with baptism at its heart. Please come along to support Sarah Carter, who is to be baptised and those who are to be received into the full communion of the Catholic Church. Part of the celebration of baptism is the renewal of our own baptismal commitment.

Fareham Festival
Helen Andrews, from Our Lady of Walsingham Church Choir, will be singing at Ferneham Hall on Monday 1st April from 1pm to 1.45pm. Tickets are available from Ferneham Hall.

The Well
The Well's Treasurer, Graham James, reported a trading surplus of £84.00 at the conclusion of a second year's trading, which is an encouragement. All is thanks to the dedication of the staff, both paid and voluntary, who turned around a £4,000 loss the previous year. The immediate challenge is to call new people to serve as volunteers. Two years ago, The Well opened with eighty volunteers - now there are half that number. The position is open to any Christian who can spare a little time, and can work in a team. All necessary skills are learnt on the job!

Mass for the Sick
A Mass for the Sick will be held on Saturday 23rd March in St. Philip Howard Church at 2.30 p.m. Special Ministers are reminded to arrange transport for those requiring assistance. In case of difficulty please phone Mary Cadogan on 01329 235987 or Peter Aspin on 01329 665240. Tea and cakes will be provided by the SVP members in the church hall following the Mass.

CAFOD - Goma Appeal
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the recent Goma Appeal. A donation of £955 was sent to CAFOD towards its work of supporting the people affected by the eruption of the volcano on Mt. Nyiragongo, near Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is estimated that 400,000 people fled from the affected area and many are now returning home to find that all their possessions have been destroyed. A distribution programme has been set up to provide clean water, food, shelter, blankets and clothes for 10,000 families on either side of the 'lava divide'. Please continue to remember all those affected by this crisis in your prayers.

The Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
"Oh! how sweet and consoling are moments spent with the God of goodness. Are you in sorrow? Come and cast yourself at his feet and you will feel quite consoled. Are you despised by the world? Come here and you will find a good friend whose faithfulness will never fail you. Are you tempted? It is here that you will find strong and terrible weapons to vanquish your enemies"... (St. John Vianney, on visits to the Blessed Sacrament)

Please note that Adoration will cease on Friday 22nd March for the Easter break and will recommence on Monday 8th April. Someone is needed to fill in the hour from 3.00-4.00pm on Fridays. If you can help, please telephone Lily Peach on 01329 825447.

Adoration: I have been concerned recently about adorers failing to turn up for their hour and those who adore in the church on their own. While these things are not necessarily connected, they can be sometimes. Please ensure that a replacement is found when necessary. I would also be grateful if more people could come forward as adorers so that we can always have at least two people in the church at any one time. (Fr. Paul)

Finance
Thank you for your generosity in giving
Fareham - £1480.91
Portchester - £221.40
Sick & Retired Priests - £625.14

Forthcoming Special Collections
29th March 2002 - Holy Places

Interested in Becoming a Catholic?
A series of meetings and talks takes place each year for those interested in becoming a member of our Church. If you would like to know more, please contact Father Paul, or complete the online form

Father Paul Townsend