Easter Thank You
Thank you to the altar servers, choirs, musicians, flower arrangers, sacristans and readers and to all who have worked so hard to prepare for and to make this Holy Week and Triduum so special in our parish. A special thank you must also go to Betty Davison for painting the Paschal Candle. We are very fortunate to have such talented and gifted people in our community.

Easter Offering
The collection at the Easter celebrations is a personal gift to Father Paul and Father Chris. It is at Easter and Christmas when we can show them in a practical way how much we appreciate the help and guidance that they have always given us. Once again, please remember that you can contribute by Gift Aid and the parish can then reclaim the tax paid on your gift. Simply use one of your envelopes, marked 'Easter Gift'.

The Sacrament of Baptism
Those who ask for the Sacrament of Baptism for their child are invited to take part in a short course of preparation. The next such course will take place on Thursday 2nd, 9th and 16th May at the home of Jayne and Philip O'Riordan. If you would like to take part, please call Jayne or Philip on 01329 515991. Please arrange the date of the baptism of your child with one of the parish clergy.

Confirmation Programme
All those in our parish preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation are reminded that the next meeting will take place on Saturday 20th April from 10.15 a.m. - 12 noon at St. Jude's School. On the following Saturday, 27th April, a Retreat will be held for all candidates at Park Place from 10.00 a.m. - 4.00 p.m. Bishop Crispian will come to the parish to confer the Sacrament of Confirmation on Friday 14th June at 7.30 p.m. at the St. Philip Howard Church.

Lenten Breakfast
Thank you so much to everyone who supported the Lenten breakfasts, especially to the young people who attended the 7.00 a.m. Mass, enjoyed a hearty breakfast and then journeyed to school. A grand sum of £330.00 was raised from the six Lenten Breakfasts and these proceeds will go towards the Parish Lenten Appeal, "Wells for India."

Lourdes Cake Stall
Thank you to everyone who very kindly made cakes, to those who generously gave donations and to all who supported the cake stall. A profit of £212.00 was raised and these proceeds will go towards the Lourdes Fund.

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.

Eucharistic Ministers
Please can all Eucharistic Ministers ensure that they take extra copies of the parish magazine 'Connected' so that these can be handed out when making home visits (no 50p charge). A meeting for Eucharistic Ministers will take place on 17th April at St. Jude's School Hall at 7.30pm. Canon Alan Griffiths, from the Diocesan Liturgy Committee, will give a talk.

Parish Web Site
Our parish web site offers a variety of up to date information to the wider world, including the weekly newsletter, details of the groups and parish activities and attractive pictures of the interior and exterior of the churches, St. Jude's and Father Paul and Father Chris. Back copies of the newsletter are available on the web site. There is also a discussion board which enables you to 'post' comments and questions for Father Paul and Father Chris.

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
Before Easter Sunday many people were filled with doubt. They had seen Jesus die a terrible death on Good Friday. They had seen Jesus nailed to a cross and watched their dreams die before their eyes. Then came Easter Sunday morning. News spread throughout Jerusalem that the rock that sealed the tomb had been rolled away and the tomb was empty. The Jewish authorities told the guards at the tomb to say that someone had stolen the body while they dozed during the night. At first people must have wondered about the guard's story. Was it really true? Did someone steal the body of Jesus? But as time passed many people became sure beyond doubt that the body had not been stolen. Jesus had, indeed, risen!

The reason that so many people became sure of Jesus' resurrection was that they began to feel the power of Jesus' presence in their hearts. Transformed by this power, they went forth to tell the good news to all the world. Everywhere they preached the good news, the power of Easter began to work in people's lives just as it had in their own lives. No amount of persecution could stop them. Eventually, some of them were crucified like their master. Others were ripped apart by wild beasts for the Roman's amusement. Still others were burned alive at the stake, but their belief in Jesus never wavered. The lives of these early Christians changed the course of history.

Today, 2000 years later, many people can still feel the power of Jesus' presence in their lives. The reason for this is that the personal transformation of life that took place in Jesus is not something reserved for Jesus alone. It is something that can take place in each one of us. We, too, are destined for resurrection. We, too, are destined to share in the incredibly transformed life that Jesus now enjoys in heaven. And we don't have to wait until we die to share in the risen life of Jesus, we can begin right now by celebrating Easter with faith, hope and love.

Sister Julia Flannery
Greetings and messages for Sr. Julia may be sent to: Sr. Julia Flannery, c/o The Presbytery, 43 Portland Street, Fareham, Hants, PO16 0NF.

Faith and Light
Faith and Light is a Christian organisation for people with learning difficulties and for their families and friends. The next meeting of our Parish Faith and Light Group will take place at 3.00 p.m. on Sunday 14th April in the St. Philip Howard Hall.

First Holy Communion programme
Children preparing for their first Holy Communion are reminded that their next meeting will take place at St. Jude's School on Saturday 13th April from 10.00 a.m. until 11.30 a.m. The 9.30 a.m. Mass on Sunday 14th April at the Sacred Heart Church will be a First Holy Communion Celebration Mass.

Train to be a Primary School Teacher
Would you like to be given £6,000 whilst you train with no tuition fees to pay? Would you like to train in a small, friendly, supportive environment? Would you like to gain both a Post Graduate Certificate of Education as well as Qualified Teacher Status in a year? Would you like to train in a 'SCITT' which is a School Centred Initial Teacher Training scheme, based on a school site in Southampton? Would you like to spend 20 weeks out of the 38 week course in school? If the answers to the above are yes and you have an honours degree, Maths & English GCSE grade C or equivalent + Science (if born after 1979) and some experience of being in schools then our next course starts in January 2003. Please contact the Primary Catholic Partnership, c/o Holy Family Catholic Primary School, Mansel Rd West, Southampton SO16 9LP or Tel: 023 8077 9753 for further details and an application form.

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.

Pilgrimage to Fatima 8th - 17th June 2002
A 10 day pilgrimage in the spirit of the Message of Fatima will take place from 8th - 17th June. There will be ample opportunity for personal prayer, including a priest-led 3-day silent retreat and daily participation in the official celebrations of this world-famous shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. The pilgrimage cost is £550 sharing a twin room or £610 for a single room (limited availability) and includes return flights London-Lisbon-London (Heathrow), return coach travel Lisbon-Fatima-Lisbon, full board accommodation, medical & travel insurance and the three-day retreat. For further information or a booking form please contact Bridget Folan (A Day with Mary) on 020 8944 9321.

Weekend Retreat on Indian Spirituality
A weekend retreat entitled 'The Message of the Bhagavad Gita' will be held at Park Place Pastoral Centre from 5th - 7th April led by Sister Ishlata fsma. Sister Ishlata is an Indian Religious belonging to the Congregation of Franciscan Sisters of St. Mary of the Angels at Park Place. She has had some experience of ashram life in some of the Christian ashrams in India where she had the opportunity to study the Bhagavad Gita, one of the Sacred Books of India. The weekend will be in the style of a retreat with simple talks, time for silent meditation, Eucharistic celebration and prayer services with Christian Indian liturgical rites, hymns, dance and informal sharing.

St Jude's RC Primary School
Current newsletter here

31st March 2002 Easter Sunday The Year of St Matthew

Easter Reception into the Catholic Church
Following the Easter Vigil Mass this weekend let us all extend the hand of friendship to those who have been received into the Catholic Church this Easter. Please continue to keep Andrea Barnes, Sarah Carter, Paul Cubitt and Greg McIntyre in your prayers as they join our community in a new life of faith.

Welcome
We welcome to our parish family Lewis Joshua Thomas and Finlay James Vincent who will be baptised on Easter Sunday at the 9.30 a.m. Mass at the Sacred Heart Church. Please also keep in your prayers Ethan Yates, Rowan Yates, Georgia Powell and Connie Powell who will be baptised on Sunday 7th April.

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
"Honour Our Lord but do so especially interiorly and in and about His person. You must see Our Lord and live in Him. He is light and heat, love shoots from his heart like a devouring flame. Unfortunate is he who lives so close to Christ yet neither sees nor feels Him." (St. Peter Julian Eymard)
There will now be a break in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for the holiday period. Adoration will resume on Monday 8th April.
Lily will be away when Adoration resumes on the 8th April until the 17th. While she is away, Sue McMullan will deputise. If there are any problems, Sue can be contacted on 01329 284638. Meanwhile, we still need volunteers to help fulfil the maximum hours of adoration.

Maple Cottage Nursery School
Hill Head Preparatory School has moved its Nursery department into a fully refurbished historic 15th century cottage. Fully approved by Social Services/Ofsted, the cosy cottage provides safe, child friendly surroundings, excellent facilities and a stimulating environment. Set in the grounds of the Prep. School the children have secure access to extensive gardens, a sports field and an all-weather play/sports area. Experienced and highly qualified staff work closely with parents to provide children with the best start to their education. Educational Term time sessions, which can be extended, provide care for 48 weeks of the year. Grants available for 3 & 4 year olds. For a personal visit and further details please tel. 01329 662666.

China Trek - Deacon Langford Vincent
Deacon Langford hopes that you will sponsor him on his walk along the Great Wall of China (Please refer to the Parish Magazine - 'Connected'). Sponsor forms are at the back of the three churches awaiting your kindness and generosity. Please do help Deacon Langford to achieve his target.

Mass Intentions
Envelopes are available at the entrance to the church to enable you to arrange for a Mass to be celebrated for a particular intention. These envelopes allow you to write the intention as well as the date and time when you would prefer the Mass to be offered. The usual offering is £5.00. Please return completed envelopes to the parish office. Please note that Masses often are requested weeks in advance and so some notice is needed.

Finance
Thank you for your generosity in giving
Fareham - £1787.60
Portchester - £194.70
Lent Breakfasts - £330.00
Lent Luncheons - £512.57
Lent Appeal in aid of 'Wells for India' total to date - £1879.87

Forthcoming Special Collections
14th April 2002 - SVP Collection
21st April 2002 - Clergy Training Fund

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