 The
Advent Wreath
During Advent the sanctuaries in our Church are quite bare. Purple vestments
and a complete lack of flowers speak to us of final judgement. The Advent
Wreath provides the only decoration. It represents the spiritual darkness
of our world waiting for the coming of our Messiah who is the light of
the world.
Repository
Christmas cards, Advent calendars, cribs, 2003 diaries etc. are all on
sale from our church repositories. Why not take a closer look?
Parish
Office
The Parish Office will be closed from 23rd December 2002 and will re-open
on Thursday 2nd January 2003.
Churches
Together in Portchester
Churches Together in Portchester has again produced a Christmas card giving
details of Christmas services. The cards are to be delivered to every
household in Portchester. If you are able to help with this delivery please
speak to Joan Hamilton or Yvonne Hart.
A Message
from the Finance Committee
It is our usual custom that the collection taken on Christmas Day
is our personal gift to Fr. Chris. He does so much for us so let's show
him how generous we can be in return.
Dealing
with Life's Pressures
There is to be a seminar entitled 'Dealing with Life's Pressures' on Saturday
18th January 2003 at Fareham Baptist Church, Gosport Rd, Fareham from
10.00am - 4.00pm (Registration at 9.30am). The seminar with be led by
Di Bower (trained counsellor) and Sandy Bower (trained in stress management)
and will cost just £5 per person. Please bring along a notebook,
pillow or cushion and a packed lunch. For more information contact the
Community Church office on 01329 829121 or Fareham Baptist Church Office
on 01329 230659.
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 course will take
place on Monday 13th and 20th January 2003 at the home of Julie and Paul
Phillips. If you wish to take part, please call Julie or Paul on 01329
319392. Please arrange the date of the baptism of your child with Father
Chris.
Christmas
Cake Stall for the Lourdes Fund
The next Cake Stall in aid of funds to send young helpers to Lourdes will
take place after the 6.30pm Saturday Mass, 21st December and after the
9.00am Sunday Mass, 22nd December in the Sacred Heart Hall.
Cakes also on sale following the 5.30pm Mass at Our Lady of Walsingham,
Portchester. Donations of cakes would be much appreciated - please contact
Pauline Jackson on 01329 236275.
Carols
and Readings for Christmas
On Tuesday 17th December at St. John's Cathedral beginning at 7.30pm,
St. Edmund's School Choir will be singing carols old and new, the Flute
Choir will perform favourite Carols, there will be readings from Scripture
of the Christmas Story and readings of Christmas poetry. There will also
be carols for everyone to join in with.
Parents'
Pray for St. Anne's School
Pre-Christmas drinks and nibbles included this month, although a change
of date to Monday 16th December, 8.00pm at 78 St. James Road, Shirley.
All connected with St. Anne's are welcome!
Are
You New?
Are you new to this parish? If you have recently moved to this area, please
fill in one of the 'Are you new?' forms to be found at the entrance to
the church and return this to Father Chris or to the Parish Office. Alternatively
complete our online form.
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THE
UNION
Thought for the Week
John the Baptist came "as a witness to speak for the light,
so that everyone might believe through him." We, too, have been
called to do the same. We, too, have been anointed to bring the glad tidings
of Jesus to the poor and lowly. We, too, must come out of our own desert
and proclaim Christ to others. How can we do this? Straight away, I can
think of three ways that are so obvious that we tend to overlook them.
Firstly,
we can proclaim Christ in our own homes, to our own families. One way
we can do this is by making an Advent wreath and placing it in the middle
of the dinner table and simply praying around it before and after meals.
Secondly, we can proclaim Christ to our relatives and friends by the Christmas
greetings we send them. Rather than Santas and snowmen on our Christmas
cards, why not send a card with at least a hint of whose birthday we will
be celebrating. Thirdly, we can proclaim Christ to our friends, relatives
and neighbours who have become inactive in their faith. A simple way to
do this is to invite them to come with us to Mass during Advent or on
Christmas Day.
During this
Advent season, some of us may be fortunate enough to receive invitations
to various Christmas events. Today's readings are an invitation to us,
too. They invite us to become Advent people. They are an invitation to
us to find Christ in our lives, so that we can help others find Christ
in their own lives. They are an invitation for us to become beams of light
in the darkness of our world. Let these be invitations we won't refuse
this Christmas.
Advent
Breakfasts
Everyone is most welcome to share in the simple breakfasts which will
be served on Thursday morning 19th December in the Sacred Heart Hall after
the 7.00am Mass. All proceeds to go towards our Advent Project Appeal.
'Connected'
The Christmas edition of 'Connected' is on sale this weekend, price 50p.
Fareham
Deanery Adult Formation
The next speaker in the series of talks in Fareham Deanery will be Nicky
Stevens, Head of Department for Evangelisation & Catechesis, who will
talk about "Ordinary Time in the Year of Mark" on Wednesday
22nd January 2003. All talks will be held at St. Jude's School Hall from
7.30pm (Coffee/Tea at 7.00pm). Crèche facilities will be made available
if interest is shown, tel. 01329 284638 for details.
Can You
help in the Church?
If you could spare a little time to help to clean one of our churches
or in arranging the flower displays, please speak to Father Chris.
Churches
Together - Christmas Carol Singing
Carol Singers wanted to sing in the Malls within Fareham Shopping Centre!
Thursday 19th December from 6.30pm and Saturday 21st December from 11.45am.
We will also be providing a Gift Wrapping Service alongside our Carol
Singing where we hope to have many opportunities to chat to people. Please
do put the dates in your diaries and just turn up on the day and sing!
Music
to Nourish the Soul
Details of the CD produced by Park Gate Parish in aid of St. Margaret
Mary Church Development, are on the notice board.
PFA 50/50
Results
This month the Christmas draw has double prize money!!!!!
1. K. Brander
2. I. Williams
3. W. Turner
Christmas
Flowers at Sacred Heart
The team will be in the church hall from 10.30am on Monday 23rd December
to make the Christmas decorations. If you have some time to spare, please
join in with this happy time. No experience is necessary.
A Message
from CAFOD
"Thank you so much for your parish's Fast Day donation of £1,281.43
for our work in the developing world. By giving something up at Fast Day,
communities in this country are helping to give hope to families like
that of five year old Christian Joy in the Philippines. Thanks to training
in crop management and soil erosion, Christian's father can now grow enough
food to feed his family all year round. Next to their bamboo house, the
family keeps a small plot of vegetables called a FAITH garden which stands
for Food Always in the Home. Your support helps to give hope to families
like this in 86 developing countries throughout the world."
Diocesan
Year Books
Diocesan Year Books for 2003 are now on sale from the Repositories - price
£2.50. These are very useful books which give details of Mass times
throughout the diocese, information about Catholic Societies and Organisations,
diocesan statistics and many other articles of interest.
St Jude's
RC Primary School
Current newsletter here
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15th
December 2002
3rd Sunday of Advent
The
Year of St Matthew
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Christmas
Mass Times
There has been some confusion with the times of the masses to be celebrated
on Christmas Eve. The correct mass times are as follows:
24 December
6.30pm St. Philip Howard (please note change of time)
Vigil Mass
11.30pm Sacred Heart
Midnight Mass (Carols 11.00pm)
Christmas
Cards giving details of all Christmas Masses are available in the Church
porch. Please do take one home with you. Posters are also displayed on
the notice board. Those Ministers who take Holy Communion to the sick
and housebound are asked to take a card to those whom they visit.
 Decoration
of the Christmas tree and Children's Carol Service
Any children who would like to help to decorate the Christmas tree and
sing and play some Carols at Our Lady of Walsingham Church, are asked
to come to the church on Tuesday 24th December at 10.00am.
Good
Neighbours Need Help
We need urgently 4 Volunteers to visit lonely, older people in Fareham
Town. They need a friendly smile and a little of your time to know someone
cares. Can you spare about an hour a fortnight? The need is great and
the solution easy. There is no cost. We have over 60 Befrienders visiting
now but we would love you to join them. Visiting the elderly and infirm
is a good Christian thing to do and usually is mutually rewarding. If
you would like to join or know more about Fareham Good Neighbours, please
ring 01489 584250 for a leaflet. Thank you.
New
Year Disco
You are invited to an American Supper disco in St. Philip Howard Church
Hall on New Year's Eve from 8pm - 1am. Tickets cost £3 per person
whether adult or child. This is open to anyone from the parish but tickets
will be limited so buy early to avoid disappointment! For tickets or more
information please contact Maria Devoy on 01329 281536.
 The
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
"The Sacrament of the Eucharist is far more powerful for the sanctification
of souls than all other spiritual means of grace." (St. Denis)
If you are able to help with Adoration, please telephone Lily Peach on
01329 825447 or 077 678 98885.
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STOP
PRESS
Confirmation
Bishop Crispian will confer the Sacrament of Confirmation in our
parish on Friday 20th June 2003 at St. Philip Howard Church at 7.00pm.
Those interested in learning more about this important Sacrament
are invited to the following information sessions:
Thursday 16th January - 7.30pm Sacred Heart Hall. 'What is
involved in the Sacrament of Confirmation,' an information evening
for parents of prospective candidates.
Wednesday 29th January - 6.45 - 8.45pm at St. Jude's School.
'Confirmation - What's it all about?' an action packed evening for
those considering joining the Course.
If you are interested in attending these information evenings, please
complete a form and return it to Fr. Chris as soon as possible.
(Please contact
the Parish Office if you do not have a form).
We look forward to meeting you in January.
The Confirmation Team
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Saturday
Night Special
Saturday Night Special is back for Year 7 upwards. You can use all of
Fareham Leisure Centre's facilities, - swimming, basketball, football,
squash, table tennis and roller-skating. For more information please contact
Cogy on 01329 283672.
Finance
Thank you for your generosity in giving.
Fareham - £1343.28 Portchester - £181.42
Advent Appeal - £950.20
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 Chris, or complete the online
form
Fr Chris Whelan
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