"Dreams Come True" Charity
If you frequent The Well, for coffee etc, please support their charity appeal "Dreams Come True" which is a nationwide charity whose aim is to lift the spirits of seriously and terminally ill children by enabling them to fulfil their most treasured dreams, which can be as varied as a child's imagination. If you would like to know more about "Dreams Come True" please contact them at: York House, Knockhundred Row, Midhurst, West Sussex. GU29 9DQ - freephone 0800 0186013.

Christian Ecology Link (CEL)
Fareham Christian Ecology Link group extend an invitation to all members of the parish to attend their next CEL meeting. This will take place in the Sacred Heart Church Hall on Thursday 30th January from 7.30pm. The meeting will include prayer for Ecology, a report about the work of Christian Ecology Link including Operation Noah and programme planning for 2003.

www.ChristiansReunited.info is an online meeting place for Christians to rediscover old friends and make new ones too, brought to you in partnership with ChristianChurches.co.uk, TwentyThirty.org.uk and Christian Pages (cponline.co.uk) With thousands of churches listed you can search for long lost friends, clergy or youth leaders. Bible Colleges, Youth Groups and Concerts are also listed.

Flags and Banners Workshop
Marie Bensley will present a one day workshop at Fareham Community Church on Flags and Banners in worship - Saturday 22nd February 10.00am to 4.00pm. Cost £8.00 adult: Child (10-16 yrs) £5.00.

Parents Prayer for St Anne's School
"We meet on the 4th Monday of each month to pray for the well-being of all the school community. On Monday 27th January we meet at St Edmund's Church Hall, Rockstone Place, tel: 023 8077 1937 for details."

Summer Flowering Bulbs
15th Fareham Scout Group are offering you the chance to order from a wide selection of summer flowering bulbs and to help the group raise funds at the same time. To view a current brochure, please contact your nearest member of the 15th Fareham Scout Group who will be delighted to take your order, or contact Anna Dalrymple on 01329 230426 or any uniform leader. Last orders for bulbs will be Tuesday 28th January with delivery in early March ready for planting.

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 Fr. Chris.

Portchester Voluntary Care
This group has co-ordinators who receive requests by telephone for help with transport. They then find a suitable volunteer who will provide transport and if necessary, an escort, to Health Centres, Hospitals, Dentists etc. Donations are appreciated and can be placed in an envelope provided by the driver who will return it to the treasurer. Volunteer drivers can, if they wish, claim expenses. If you feel this service might be of help to you or if you would like to volunteer to be a driver or escort, please telephone 023 9232 1788.

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.

THE UNION
Thought for the Week
In today's Gospel according to Mark, Jesus' public ministry begins with a matter of urgency. Jesus calls his disciples and they drop everything and follow Him at once, in a similar way to the people of Nineveh responding at once to Jonah's preaching for reform in today's first reading. Now is the time to get to work. Among the many feelings and themes evoked by today's readings, which were discussed at last week's Adult formation talk on Wednesday, is that of call and response. The readings make us ask ourselves how we respond to the Lord's call in our lives. Does Jesus' message truly carry a sense of urgency in our lives? Do we respond with hesitancy and procrastination or with the immediacy and spontaneity of the people of Nineveh and the disciples?

There is a sense throughout the entire message of urgency, of immediate need for response. This sense is conveyed not only in Mark's Gospel but by the very nature of the Christian message itself. This message might be likened to a drowning person yelling "Help!", there's no opportunity to sit back and consider, to evaluate possible options or responses ~ there's no time. And so the same call comes to us, the call of discipleship, and it is once again our turn to choose. We are called to be the hands of God touching and reaching out to people. For the call from God comes through the mouths of people who are persecuted, poor, lonely, forgotten, homeless, people who need help now. We are called by God through those people and it is to them that we must make our immediate response.

Ian McCormack Dinner - Ferneham Hall
Ian McCormack is coming to Fareham to give a talk at a dinner evening on Thursday 20th February. The talk will recount his experience of being certified dead in hospital after being stung by the deadly Box Jellyfish, and then 'coming back to life', much to the surprise of the doctor attending him! Since this experience Ian has devoted his "new life" to sharing the good news of God's love. The evening will be a great occasion to invite non-church friends to and includes a 3 course meal. Tickets are just £10 a head and can be obtained through Fareham Community Church (01329 829121) or email: office@fareham-cc.org.uk. Early booking essential.

Catholic Bible School Dates for your Diary:
Nutbourne House, Farm Lane, Nutbourne, W. Sussex - tel. 01243 371766.

Saturday 15th March 2003 - "Can what matters to me matter to those I love?" - Commencing at 10am and closing at 3.30pm.

"Open Door Retreat" - commencing 2nd May 2003 (9 weekly sessions) - a time to deepen your relationship with God.

A new Lenten Programme will also take place, reflecting on the Easter story through the eyes of some of the main characters who were there.
The Bible School also offers a wide range of Distance Learning programmes suitable for personal or small group study. Please telephone the school for further details.
www.catholic-bible-school.org

Church Cleaning - Sacred Heart
Help is urgently needed with the cleaning at the Sacred Heart Church on Tuesday mornings after the 9.30am Mass. No need to book - just turn up on the day!

Mothers and Toddlers
Our Mothers and Toddlers Group meet on Wednesday mornings in the Sacred Heart Hall from 10.00 until 11.30am.

Hospitals and the Data Protection Act
The Patients Charter requires Hospital authorities to care for the religious and spiritual needs of their patients, while the Data Protection Act forbids those authorities to pass sensitive personal data, like religious affiliation of patients, to chaplains unless the individual patient has expressly requested this. Therefore, when parishioners are admitted to hospital they should make sure that they tell the hospital staff taking their details that they are Catholics, and express their wish that this information be passed to the Roman Catholic Chaplain. Those responsible for children or for those who are unconscious when admitted should do likewise.

Today is Homelessness Sunday
Homelessness Sunday is the day each year when we concentrate our thoughts on the plight of those who have nowhere to live. Being without a home is something that most of us can't imagine, but for some it is all too real. A real alternative to homelessness is EMMAUS. There are no handouts at EMMAUS. EMMAUS sets up communities throughout the UK, which house formerly homeless people. All Companions (as residents are called) are required to 'sign off' Job Seeker's Allowance and commit to working 40 hours a week, in the Community business of recycling and then re-selling donated furniture and household goods. The Communities aim to become self-supporting within a few years. For information on how to make donations, to obtain details of the nearest Community group, or simply to request a newsletter please e-mail: contact@emmaus.org.uk, or contact Emmaus, 48 Kingston Street, Cambridge CB1 2NU

Life Group Fundraising
If you would like to keep your brain active during these dreary winter months, try our QUIZ sheet, available at £1, from Carol Lindsey 01329 315995; Kathy Campbell on 01329 832472 or Rebecca Goodlad on 023 9238 1802.

Room to Rent?
A professional person is looking to rent a room in Fareham town centre. If you can help please telephone 07932 965554.

St Jude's RC Primary School
Current newsletter here

26th January 2003 3rd Sunday of the Year The Year of St Mark

Christians and the Churches in British Politics 1850-2000
How have Christians contributed to British politics in the last 150 years? Places are available for one term of part-time study exploring this question, mid-January to April 2003. By distance learning - so available wherever you live. For further details, see www.sarum.ac.uk and go to 'Events'.

Choir Members Workshop - Douai Abbey
Saturday 8th February 10.45am - 4.00pm. During this workshop we shall work at singing technique and look at some repertoire for Lent and Holy Week. See the notice board for further details.

The Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
"Jesus Christ is the Truth; His presence in the Eucharist is then a fact as certain as it is adorable." (St. John Vianney). If you are able to help with Adoration, please telephone Lily Peach on 01329 825447 or 077 678 98885.

Praying with Francis
This will take place on the 1st February at 2.00pm in the Sacred Heart Hall.

A Message from Fareham Borough Council
"It's not rubbish - reduce, reuse, recycle it!"
"Recycling in Hampshire couldn't be easier! Project Integra, Hampshire's waste management partnership, is campaigning to encourage more people to use the county's network of recycling banks. Fareham Borough Council fully supports this campaign. There are now 30 bank sites across the borough, to which a wide range of materials can be taken for recycling. Residents are especially encouraged to use the banks for recycling glass bottles and jars and also unwanted clothes, shoes and other textiles. Recyclables, such as newspapers and magazines, cans and plastic bottles can be recycled via the blue bin recycling scheme, or through the bank network. Recycled materials may be used to produce new items e.g. new glass bottles and jars or, in the case of clothing, can be put to good use both in the UK and in developing countries, raising money to support the work of the charities that collect clothing. There is also an enormous environmental benefit from recycling - rubbish put in dustbins ends up being buried in the ground at landfill sites, and landfill space is running out in Hampshire. Using local recycling banks, means that our unwanted 'rubbish' becomes a valuable resource."

Finance
Thank you for your generosity in giving.
Fareham - £1729.80
Portchester - £157.00
White Flower Appeal - £282.60
Crib Offerings - £140.15

Forthcoming Collections
25/26 January - St Francis Leprosy Guild

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