Services of Word & Communion - Why & How?
A day to share experience and good practice for lay leaders, Eucharistic Ministers and Readers. This will take place at St Philip Howard Church, Bishopsfield Road, Fareham on Saturday 15th February 2003 - 9.30am Mass (optional); 10.00am coffee; 10.30am start; 12.30pm lunch; 1.00pm afternoon session; 3.00pm tea and depart. Please bring a packed lunch. If you can only make one of the sessions, you are still welcome. This is for the whole deanery.

Healing Ministry Refresher Course
Gosport Parish is hoping to organise a refresher course for its Healing Team. This should take place on Thursday evenings beginning in early Spring. It will be led by Geoff and Gina Poulter, directors of the Catholic Bible School. They have had much experience in the healing ministry. Anyone in the Deanery who feels called to this ministry is very welcome to attend. Please give your name and contact number to Fr. David Adams or Doug Savage at Gosport Parish Office on 02392 580119.

Lent 2003 - Churches Together in Fareham
Once again, Churches Together in Fareham are organising a series of five discussion groups during Lent. It is hoped that each group of about eight people meeting in someone's home will contain members of our different churches in Fareham. In the past some groups have not had a Catholic and this has been missed by the others, so please think about giving it a try this year. The course is called "In the Wilderness". Each week we listen to an audio tape and then discuss what has been said. One of the weeks the contribution on the tape is by our own Cardinal Cormac. The day and the time when you would prefer to come are up to you, see the leaflet at the back of the church for options. If you have "baby-sitting" problems, why not offer to host a group in your own home? Someone else will lead the group. So - pick up a leaflet and return it as soon as you can, to the people named on it, or to the parish office.

Lent 2003 - Churches Together in Portchester
The Portchester churches are holding Shoppers' Services and Lent Lunches every Wednesday in Lent at Portchester Methodist Church, beginning at 12 noon. Catholics will be organising the lunches on 26th March and 16th April and Fr. Chris will lead the Services. All proceeds from the lunches are shared between CAFOD and Christian Aid. All welcome.

First Holy Communion
Parents whose children are preparing for their first Holy Communion are reminded that there is a parents evening on Wednesday 12th February from 7.30pm - 9pm at St. Jude's School. The next meeting for children is on Saturday 8th February at St. Jude's School from 10.00 - 11.30am. The 11.00am Mass on Sunday 9th February at the St. Philip Howard Church will be a First Holy Communion Celebration Mass.

Confirmation
The second session for Confirmation Candidates will be held from 10.15am - 12 noon at St. Jude's School. on Saturday 15th February and this will be followed on Sunday 16th February by the Enrolment Mass at St. Philip Howard at 11.00am.

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 on Sunday 9th February at 3.00 p.m. in the St. Philip Howard Hall.

Healing Families - Douai Abbey
Often people need healing from ills or crises brought about through other members of their immediate families or the generations before, possibly unknowingly. There will be a workshop run by Nicholas Bainbridge OSB on Saturday 8th March from 10.00am - 5.00pm which will help participants identify these causes and allow God to heal them. Suggested fee for the waged is £10. For more details or to book a place please contact the Programme Director, Douai Abbey, Upper Woolhampton, Reading, Berks RG7 5TQ or tel. - 0118 971 5333.

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
The musician Andre Kostelanetz once visited the French artist Henri Matisse. When Kostelanetz got to Matisse's home, his nerves were frayed and he was exhausted. Matisse noticed this and said to him good-humouredly, "My friend, you must find the artichokes in your life." With that, he took Kostelanetz outside to his garden. When they reached a patch of artichokes, Matisse stopped. He told Kostelanetz that every morning, after he has worked for a while, he comes out to his patch of artichokes to pause and be still. He just stands there looking at the artichokes. Matisse then added: "Though I have painted over two hundred canvases, I always find new combinations of colours and fantastic patterns. No-one is allowed to disturb me in this ritual. It gives me fresh inspiration, necessary relaxation, and a new perspective to my work."

We, too, need to go and find the 'artichokes' in our lives. The best way to do this is to follow the example of Jesus in today's Gospel and go off by ourselves to pray. Jesus did this for similar reasons to Matisse: for fresh inspiration, necessary relaxation, and simply to renew and recharge Himself. Mark's Gospel says Jesus had spent the previous day healing people. This must have exhausted Him spiritually as well as physically. Later on in Mark's Gospel, Mark gives us an insight into the spiritual price Jesus paid to heal people. A woman who had been sick for twelve years pushed through a crowd to touch Jesus. When she did she was instantly healed. "At once," Mark says, "Jesus felt the power going out from Him" (Mark 5:30). Healing people drained Jesus of power. In a similar way, working with people drains us of power. That's why we need to recharge ourselves. Maybe we can do this by going out to the garden alone, or at least pause momentarily during the course of the day to get in touch with ourselves and listen to God's voice in our hearts.

Br. Paolo of Taize
Come and meet Br Paolo of Taize on Sunday 23rd February 2003 from 3.30pm to 7.00pm at Holy Cross Church, Eastleigh, Hampshire. Find out more about the ecumenical community of Taize and join in a Taize prayer. See the poster on the notice board for more details or contact Kathryn Turner on 023 8032 37314 - Kathryn@wellsprings.org.uk or visit the website on www.catholics-in-eastleigh.org.uk.

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

Date for your Diary
There will be a Barn Dance on Saturday 15th March at St. Jude's School. This will include a Chilli Supper. More information to follow.

Defibrillator Appeal
The Rotary Club of Fareham (supported by Fareham Borough Council) is holding an appeal to raise money to purchase a 'Heart Start Pack' used by Paramedics at a cost of £3,500. This is currently not available in Fareham Town Centre. If you would like to contribute to the appeal or find out more information please contact John Gauntlett on 01329 280683 or Tom Churchill on 01329 843346.

St Philip Howard Coffee Rota
More volunteers are needed to help out with coffee at St Philip Howard Church, perhaps once every two to three months. Please telephone Bernie Russell on 01329 236779 or speak to her after 11.00am Mass if you can help.

Can You help in the Church?
Our three churches are cared for in many ways by different people. Each of our three churches has a small group of people who meet once a week to clean that particular church. Similarly, a small number of people take a turn to help to arrange the flowers in either the Sacred Heart Church, St Philip Howard Church or the Church of Our Lady of Walsingham. More helpers are needed. If you could spare a little time to help to clean one of our churches or to take a turn in arranging the flower displays, please speak to Father Chris. More details of these activities are available in our Parish Handbook.

National Marriage Week 9th - 16th February
In order to take part in National Marriage Week, Father Charles Aylward has kindly agreed to celebrate Mass on Wednesday 12th February at 7.30pm in the Sacred Heart Church. Everyone is most welcome to attend to celebrate this vocation.

Pilgrimage to Fatima 6th - 15th June 2003
A 10 day pilgrimage in the spirit of the Message of Fatima will take place from 6th - 15th June. There will be ample opportunity for personal prayer, including a priest-led retreat and daily participation in the official celebrations of this world-famous shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. The pilgrimage cost is £495 sharing a twin en-suite room (unfortunately no single rooms are available). The price includes return flights London-Lisbon-London (Heathrow), return coach travel, Lisbon-Fatima-Lisbon, full board accommodation, medical and travel insurance and the three-day retreat. For further information please send an SAE to Mr Trevor Downs, (A Day with Mary), 15 Carlton Crescent, North Cheam, Surrey SM3 9TS or fax 020 8641 6418.

St Jude's RC Primary School
Current newsletter here

9th February 2003 5th Sunday of the Year The Year of St Mark

APF - Courtfield Retreat Weekends
Details are on the noticeboard regarding the next series of weekend retreats at Courtfield, in the Wye Valley between Monmouth and Ross on Wye. All APF members and their families are welcome. Please speak to Joan Hamilton - Portchester APF Secretary, or Ron Lewis - Fareham Secretary, if you are interested. The present Rector of Courtfield finishes his term of office at the end of this year and it may not be possible to find another priest to fill his post. Also, keeping Courtfield open as a retreat centre necessitates expensive repairs. The Regional Council will be meeting soon to make a decision regarding the possible closure of Courtfield. APF Members have been invited to write as soon as possible, to the Superior with their opinions on the special value of Courtfield. Write to: Fr Liam Armour MHM, British Regional Office, 40 George Leigh Street, Ancoats, Manchester. M4 5DG.

50/50 Draw - St Jude's PFA
The current 50/50 draw session is now complete. Due to its success the PFA have decided to continue with the draw so renewals and new applications are now welcomed. All parishioners are welcome to join. Cost per number per month is £1.00. Each month half the money goes towards three cash prizes and half is donated to the PFA funds. Forms are available in the porch and should be returned to the school office.

The Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
"There is no need for many words in order that we may pray properly. By faith we believe that there, in the sacred Tabernacle, the good God is present. We open our hearts to Him. We rejoice that He has admitted us into His presence. This is the best method of prayer." (St.John Vianney)

If you are able to help with Adoration, please telephone Lily Peach on 01329 825447 or 077 678 98885.

Parish Pastoral Council
The next meeting of our Parish Pastoral Council will be on Wednesday 5th February at Our Lady of Walsingham in Portchester.

Finance
Thank you for your generosity in giving.
Fareham - £1407.50
Portchester - £181.50

Forthcoming Collections
16th February - Catholic Education Service
23rd February - Survive Miva (Missionary Vehicle Association)

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